How to insure someone it's ok to shoot.

[sk330lc]

How would you all go about getting someone to shoot? That has never shot and is afraid to. I've just starting seeing a girl that has been around guns all her Life, but has never shot.  I need some insight here guys. I know she would enjoy it, if I could just get her to take that first step.
Help please.

[tacklebury]

I took my wife out and started her with a .22 and shorts.  She still loves my Stevens Crackshot as her favorite to shoot.  She's really recoil sensitive.  I worked her up to where she'd shoot 1 shot from my Ruger Blackhawk with target loads, but it was a bit too scarey for her.  She also likes my .45 colt BC with target loads though.  I'd just start as weak of a gun as you can and make sure for any centerfire guns you get a slip-on recoil pad that fits the gun for her to use.  Oh and one last thing.  Take her clothes shopping first and tell her she needs a shooting shirt.  Get her one with the quilted shoulder pad built in to help also.  Women love it when you take them shopping! 

[spruce]

The first thing I WOULDN'T do is TELL her she will like it.  I mean if she told you that you would love going to the opera or watching Oprah with her would you believe her?  I'll hazard a guess and say you probably would have some doubts!

When I met my wife she was afraid of guns and didn't eat any kind of game animals.  Now she enjoys shooting a few clay birds, plinking with a .22 rifle or pistol, and even likes to shoot some of my centerfire handguns (the mild recoiling ones).  She also helps to process and eat the venison and thinks grouse are the finest eating to be had.  The thing is this didn't happen overnight, it takes time.

The best case scenario would be to have a female shooter talk to her and maybe take her out to the range to watch and meet some other female shooters enjoying the shooting sports.  Maybe take a gun safety class, preferably with a female instructor.
Point is, take it one step at a time and don't try to rush it. 
Even if she eventually tries it she may not enjoy it.  What the heck, I've tried watching Oprah, but I still don't enjoy it!

[Brett]

I agree with the don't push it.  Maybe start out by asking her to go to the range with you to watch you shoot.  Ensure her that she does not have to shoot if she does not want to.  Take only a .22 rifle on this outing if you have one and shoot at some kind of fun, reactive targets such as balloons with a little talcum powder in them or spinners, etc. if possible.  Watching someone shooting paper bulls eyes is boring (this is why Bulls eye matches are not televised) you want it to be as interesting and fun looking as possible. Maybe it's due to the lack of  recoil and lower noise but for some reason girls find a .22 rifle less intimidating than a handgun.   After she has observed you shooting for a while ask her if she would like to give it a try but don't push too hard if she declines on the initial trip.  She may have to come as an observer on several trips before she decides to give it a try.  Then trust me the first time she pops a balloon or hits a spinner she will be hooked. 

I started my wife out shooting with a Ruger 10/22 rifle, making empty soda cans dance some 20 years ago.  Today she has a CCW and packs a .38 snubby everywhere she goes. 

[tacklebury]

Aye, good thoughts on the reactive targets.  Might have made my introduction quicker.  lol   I'm hoping to pick up a 4" GP100 .357 and load up .38 specials for her.  This would be her gun, but then she can upgrade to .357 later if it works out well. 

[BBF]

Do you have someone nearby that has an airgun? I'd start there.

[Land_Owner]

Recoil sensitivity, NOISE, and eye protection are three of the fundamentals.  Let her shoot a squeaker in your eyes (22 LR), rifle or handgun.  Make SURE she has on hearing AND eye protection and feels herself "well protected" from the gun.  

I like the "Take her to the Range" idea too.  Get her immersed watching first.  Let the others show her how much fun it is.  Don't participate at first when you take her though.  She will feel "left alone" if you are shooting and she isn't.  It is ALL ABOUT HER at this stage of your relationship.

Fred, my one-pump, 1000-fps, scoped, Walther air gun recoils HARDER than my 357 Mag Handi-rifle w/bull barrel.  That spring loaded action is a Mother of All Springs.  Start with a BB gun maybe?


BTW sk330lc, welcome, on your next Post, to your 1,000th Post.

[DANNY-L]

I started my wife some time ago with 22 rimfire,then 22 hornet then slowly worked her up to the mode 7 in 223 then I got her to take the hunters safety course and she then got her hunting licence and has gotten several deer with the 223 and 1 with the 22 hornet. Now she's useing a lightweight ruger m77 in 308win loaded with 130gr. she's gotten one with that. It boils down to when they start trusting you they know you're not going to do something that would get anyone hurt or worse. She also got her pistol permit last year but she only likes my blackhawk loaded with 38s and I'm not going to push it,sometimes I ask her if she wants to try 357,7-30,375sm she says no,so I dont ask her again for awhile why push it. Whatever you do dont let them get bumped by a scope,they dont forget!

[Reed1911]

I agree on the .22, start out with shorts or colibri loads (primer only with a 20g bullet). My son started shooting them when he was 5 and still loves them (I do too). Close to 0 recoil and accurate. A .38 Special can still be pretty intense to a non-shooter and you may throw her off long before she begins to like it. If you don't have a .22 you'll need to load up some 110g or 125g bullets at about 500-600FPS and start there or buy/borrow a .22 revolver. They can be had used for 150.00 or so.

[SHOOTALL]

22's are good but also go to a place with few people . Make it comfortable for her and fun. Make it part of a trip not the goal.

[Larry Gibson]

All good things to do so I'll just mention one more;  go shooting with another couple.  Particularly if the other woman is a competant shot on her own.  If she see's it's fun for another woman she'll like it quicker and learn it than anything else you can do.  She will only like it if she wants to, not because you want her to.

Larry Gibson

[sk330lc]

BTW sk330lc, welcome, on your next Post, to your 1,000th Post.

Thanks. Landowner I didn't even notice that.

Thanks to everyone for some great Ideas. Keep them coming if ya have them.
  My Walthers P-22, ruger 10/22 and Contender in 17hmr is what I was thinking of taking. That and a case of cheap Pop.  (soda) for you southerners. Fun to watch them blow!   I like the ballon and powder Idea.
I'm not going to Push the subject.  

[BlkHawk73]

How would you all go about getting someone to shoot? That has never shot and is afraid to. I've just starting seeing a girl that has been around guns all her Life, but has never shot.  I need some insight here guys. I know she would enjoy it, if I could just get her to take that first step.
Help please.

  Start with the low recoil "gun" she's comfortable with even if that means an air gun or BB gun.

  DON'T act as the know-it-all/be bossy. 

  DON'T press the issue.  If there's no interest, don't try and make it an issue.  Badgering makes it less desireable for the new shooter.

[sgtt]

You just started seeing her? Don't push it. If at some point she shows some curiousity then I would possibly bring her out. I personally find my range time very valuable and not to be waisted on someone who really would rather be at the mall. Be prepared to try scrapbooking or whatever her "thing" is.

[bulletstuffer]

A 22, a reactive target like a can filled with water etc, a solid rest so the target can't be missed and a ton of praise and exitement at the hit.  My boy took to shooting like a duck to water, my daughter was intimidated and I used the above method and it worked great.  I would yell out Annie Oakley when she hit the metal spinners   That was a great day

Buying her a SPECIAL shooting shirt will get her excited too

Bulletstuffer

[BBF]

LandOwner:
That type air rifle actually needs to be registered in Canada same as a firearm( NO BULL ) There are some that propel the pellet in the 500 fps range which is what I had in mind.

On the other hand I have CB caps for the 22 and they are about as mild as it gets.

[Land_Owner]

Some bureaucrat musta put out their eye with a BB gun.  That stinks Fred!

[Empty Quiver]

Try to get with another couple who shoot. Go with a .22 single shot bolt action, very easy to tell if it is loaded or not. Much  easier to explain safety when only on bullet is involved at a time. Quality air rifles should not be overlooked.

I would refrain from a centerfire pistol lots of noise, lots of buzzle blast for a hesitant shooter to overcome. Borrow a .22 revolver and load it one at a time till comfortable with it.

I tended to start folks out with a field strip at home so they can figure out the hows and why's a gun works. Good time to point out what a safety does and doesn't do. An owners manual doesn't hurt either, follow it step by step, the gun maker published it for good reason.

Last thought, go to a hunter safety education class together. If you two end up together the guns are always going to be in the house and she needs the info. It is a date night, what better than chicks and guns? The more info she has at her disposal the better. Lots of girls are there, mostly teenagers but this should ease some tension as you aren't the only newby or only girl.

[teamnelson]

By all means try to impress her by having her shoot a 44 magnum and a 12 ga, then take video of her shooting and put it up on youtube ... seems like the thing to do! 

Even more importantly, disregard the above and follow the wise counsel of all so far. My girlfriend who never shot before turned into my wife of 19 years, and while she doesn't shoot much, it has often been her idea to go to the range, buy a gun, or take me to an outdoors store while on the mainland. And we started with 38 and 22 handguns because that's all we had. Use the targets that splat - its fun. Unless there's a silhouette range nearby; I think the most shooting my wife ever did in a day was with a 22 at the silhouette range - knocking stuff over is cool.

[Curtis]

Team Nelson, your post reminds me of why I got married.  Sgtt's post reminds me of why I love being single.  LOL

Curtis

[tacklebury]

LandOwner:
That type air rifle actually needs to be registered in Canada same as a firearm( NO BULL ) There are some that propel the pellet in the 500 fps range which is what I had in mind.

On the other hand I have CB caps for the 22 and they are about as mild as it gets.

Here too.  Any airgun shorter than 30" or in .22 cal has to go to an FFL (same charge as for firearms) and if it's a pistol, you have to get a permit to purchase just as with firearms.  One of the largest crocks o'stuff, I've ever heard of.  lol

[Ex 49'er]

Don't be surprised if she outshoots you. I've seen it happen more than once.

[temmi]

THIS IS EASY....

I have done it many times... start with a 22RF. Go to a range at a slow time... when it is not crowded.

Use big targets at moderate ranges...

Done deal.

[Brett]

Here too.  Any airgun shorter than 30" or in .22 cal has to go to an FFL (same charge as for firearms) and if it's a pistol, you have to get a permit to purchase just as with firearms.  One of the largest crocks o'stuff, I've ever heard of.  lol

Good grief Tacklbury, where do you live, Tassachusetts or New Jork Citay?

[tacklebury]

Michigan...  Which is soon to be a socialist state with the govenorship we've had.  lol

[Richard P]

 I'd add : introduce her to womenshooters.com and have her read a bit from other women who have found fun in the shooting sports. While primarily a site oriented toward womens self defense with a firearm they also discuss just fun shooting. A woman needs to hear it from another woman.
  Remember, women usually have smaller hands and less strength to contain recoil. Given time they usually determine their level of enjoyment at shooting.

[BIGDAVE54]

I've been married 35 years. In that time my wife has fired a snub nosed .38 spl. twice. About two years ago I bought an FNP .45 ACP. I had been working for an electrical contractor here in Columbia and we had done some work at the FN plant here in town when they were setting up the Winchester lines. I got to know a few of the folks at the plant and they were bragging about the rifle and pistol team for FN. I had fired on my squadrons rifle and pistol team in the  USAF and was interested in their team a little. They have a couple of lady shooters on their team that can solid make a .45 ACP do miracles. These gals can shoot. My wife saw me showing my male friends these gals online and she got jealous. I think she got it in her head that anything these women could do...she could do better. She started firing my .410 Pardner and came to me a few days later and said if I didn't mind she would adopt the .410 to keep on her side of the bed by the nightstand. She has a little 2 and a half in. slug in it now when we go to bed at night. She also fires my little  5 shot Charter Arms snubbie ,and my Savage .17 cal.. She isn't as good a shot as the FN ladies,but I do a lot of bragging on her lately. She is 5ft 2 in. tall and weighs around 100 lbs. so I think all things considered she is doing pretty good for a gal in her mid 50s. She is also a disabled war time vet from the Vietnam era.

[yorketransport]

I think that this situations is similar to getting a young child started. 22 rimfires are the way to go. I started my kids with subsonic loads to minimize the noise and recoil. Also, make sure that the gun fits her well. If it's uncomfortable to hold she won't enjoy it as much as if the gun just seems to "fit" her.

Andrew

[sk330lc]

Thanks everybody for the great hints.  
 It seems though, that I'm not going to get the opportunity to show her Much of anything.   

   seems I just might after all! 

[yorketransport]

Sorry to hear that, but she was probably just an anti in disguise.

Andrew