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  • CenlaShooter

    Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Feb 8, 2023
    7
    1
    Pineville, LA
    Yes. A Cajun guy like me from Opelousas married a woman from NJ. She is a beautiful little Italian and I could not resist.

    Even though her dad is a Vietnam veteran who has seen some war action, she never touched a gun until after we got married.

    I really like using our new 10 shot Chiappa 22LR revolver for teaching a new shooter like her. It is more accurate than my Ruger LC9s that I use for concealed-carry. The single action is an added layer of safety when dealing with a very new student.

    She was able to manage the light recoil very well. I showed her how to use the sights at least 2-3 times. The only problem was that she had poor motivation to aim properly. At about 10-15 yards, she could hardly hit the entire target paper which was about 2 feet wide and 3 feet tall. I asked her, "Are you even trying to aim by using the sights?" She replied, "Sometimes." I guess her philosophy is to aim it in the general direction, squeeze the trigger, and hope for the best. Oh boy!

    I have my work cut out for me if she is ever going to be proficient for a home defense situation. It made me happy that she shot 40 rounds this past Friday. The last time I tried to get her to shoot, I could only manage to get her to shoot 1 round of 9mm and then 1 shot of using her dad's 380 Shield EZ before she became terrified and gave up altogether.

    She wants to go back again. One of her favorite movies is Back to the Future III. That motivates her to use this old type of revolver.
     
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    Bam Bam

    Certified gun nut!
    Rating - 100%
    40   0   0
    Nov 23, 2008
    2,114
    83
    Denham Springs/Watson, La
    Try reaction type targets such has 2 liters filled with water, steel plates (at safe distance). Watermelons etc etc... My wife likes to shoot occasionally and she likes the reaction type targets, more satisfying I guess. My wife can handle the recoil as she has her own .357 magnum, but she trains with .38 specials. Try to make it fun for her and maybe she will enjoy it more. Good luck.
     

    john17427

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    17   0   0
    Oct 23, 2010
    881
    43
    Baton Rouge
    After 25 years of marriage, my wife decided she wanted to learn to shoot. I started her with a 22 revolver, but also immediately signed her up for professional training which she did with the revolver. They gave her the confidence to move to 9mm. I now get to enjoy the revolver and she likes her Shield.
     

    falshooter

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    28   0   0
    May 5, 2013
    713
    63
    Ponchatoula/Hammond
    Like Bam Bam states.... shoot something that reacts, water bottles, old fruit or vegetables etc.... it also shows them that a bullet causes damage to things it hits and not just put a clean hole. It adds a psychological effect that can't be had with paper or steel. Who doesn't like to see **** blow up..:love:
    Don't push them to move up to a larger caliber !!
    A hit with a .22 is better then a miss with a larger caliber.

    Also use hearing protection even with a .22. Nothing turns off a new shooter more then having their ears ringing at the end off a shooting session, Even .22 will cause permanent hearing damage in the long term.

    And one more thing, when a thug sees a victim pull a gun, or hears return fire they run like roaches , it don't matter what the caliber is
     

    Fugum

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Nov 8, 2015
    565
    93
    Metairie
    My wife loves shooting steel plates with the .22lr. She's 4'11" and 94 pounds and finds shooting a larger 9mm, like a 1911, less snappy than a CCW pocket gun. Good job on helping convert someone from NJ into a gun lover.
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
    Rating - 100%
    163   0   0
    Dec 31, 2013
    9,396
    113
    Hammond, Louisiana
    I must be doing it wrong. My primary problem taking my wife to shoot is her constantly laying claim to guns that I bring out. I was ok when she decided that the Glock 19 was her primary pistol in the home. I gladly handed it over and bought me a new CZ P10-C to replace it. Somehow she now has that, my Beretta Pico and my little 5 shot 357… asked me for the safe combo a while back! “I just wanted to look at that black one with the wood grips”. Just look at… yeah right. So, now I guess she’s already got eyes on either my 92 compact or a Browning High Power.
    I used to worry about the government taking my guns. Now I got this to worry about.
     

    3fifty7

    CoonAss
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Jul 9, 2011
    3,362
    83
    Bunkie
    I started my wife and kids with reactionary targets. Balloons the are cheap, colorful, and provide instant positive feedback when hits are made.

    If your wife doesn’t like using sights let her try a red dot. My wife is cross eyed dominant with astigmatism so having her trying to get a proper sight picture with iron sights was challenging to say the least.
    I have one set up of a Ruger MKIII and a couple .22 rifles and I’m just down the road from yall.

    If/When she decides to get defensive training or any instruction don’t try to teach it to her yourself. The vast majority of women will respond to instruction from someone other than their spouse.
     

    freedive10

    -Global Mod-, Caballoloco
    Rating - 100%
    30   0   0
    Sep 17, 2008
    2,163
    63
    Mandeville
    My wife is from Puerto Rico and was deathly afraid of firearms. 15 yrs ago while dating, I took her to Honey Island. I got out of the car and started unloading my gear. When I looked up she was flinching and crying from the shots at the range. We had not even stepped 5 feet from the car! I loaded up and drove home. Was not until we were married and she met with other female shooters and took a class with Advantage Group and Tatiana Whitlock https://tatianawhitlock.com/
    That’s when she stopped being afraid and the understanding that a gun is just a tool. She also liked that fact that even female shooters can be feminine and still be strong enough to handle themselves with a gun.

    In short, stop trying to think like a guys does. We like shooting reactive targets. New women shooters want to feel confident and not judged when learning to use a firearm. Find a group of like minded female shooters and see if they are willing to take new female shooters under their wing. Find a vetted female run class and you will be amazed at the results.
     

    La26

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 4, 2011
    222
    43
    Paulina, La.
    My wife is from Puerto Rico and was deathly afraid of firearms. 15 yrs ago while dating, I took her to Honey Island. I got out of the car and started unloading my gear. When I looked up she was flinching and crying from the shots at the range. We had not even stepped 5 feet from the car! I loaded up and drove home. Was not until we were married and she met with other female shooters and took a class with Advantage Group and Tatiana Whitlock https://tatianawhitlock.com/
    That’s when she stopped being afraid and the understanding that a gun is just a tool. She also liked that fact that even female shooters can be feminine and still be strong enough to handle themselves with a gun.

    In short, stop trying to think like a guys does. We like shooting reactive targets. New women shooters want to feel confident and not judged when learning to use a firearm. Find a group of like minded female shooters and see if they are willing to take new female shooters under their wing. Find a vetted female run class and you will be amazed at the results.

    Nick's shooting range in Garyville offers ladies only classes.
     

    CenlaShooter

    Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Feb 8, 2023
    7
    1
    Pineville, LA
    We have a husband and wife team that teaches some courses here locally. We will have to check that out. The best place for us to shoot is the range in Woodworth, LA. They only allow paper targets. I will talk to my brother about shooting some reactionary targets at his place. Thanks for all the good advice and funny stories!
     
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    bigsk

    Iconoclast
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Sep 20, 2009
    110
    18
    Baton Rouge, LA
    FRC Indoor Range and Training Center here in B.R. on Choctaw Dr. is a good place to take her. They have training classes available for ladies only and ladies shoots, as well.

    9378 S Choctaw Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70815

    https://www.frcbr.com/classes/sentinel-program

    The folks there are knowledgeable and easy to work with. My daughter was shooting with me there and decided to do their Sentinel Program. Multiple classes of instruction in the program with some one on one instruction thrown in. Program participants can retake classes if they feel the need.

    She really likes it and just think - it's only cost me three pistols and one revolver so far. OH! and the cost of the training. :confused:
     

    drill sgt

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Oct 19, 2019
    622
    63
    denham springs ,la
    Years ago taught wife to shoot a pistol with a Ruger Blackhawk 357 magnum.. with my back turned and blocking her view using light 38 reloads / 38 full loads / 357 light loads as well as 357 full loads. ....... the trick was mixing the different loads and maybe skipping one or two cylinder holes each time loading ....that way she had no idea if hammer would fall on a live round or a empty hole.... that showed if she was flinching/jerking/pushing when she pulled the trigger... And yes it worked. ............................................. drill sgt.
     

    SVT Bansheeman

    No more laughing dog
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Jan 24, 2011
    429
    43
    Lockport, LA
    If mine ever wants to shoot, i'm paying for private instructor for her. She will be better off with someone who can articulate far better than I can. I actually just signed up for private lessons for myself this weekend.
     

    John_

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    21   0   0
    Nov 23, 2013
    3,451
    113
    Hammond, LA
    If mine ever wants to shoot, i'm paying for private instructor for her. She will be better off with someone who can articulate far better than I can. I actually just signed up for private lessons for myself this weekend.
    Smart man. I remember teaching my then wife how to drive a manual tranny/clutch, our new 1989 Mustang GT 5 speed. She got there but it was super frustrating at times for both of us.
     

    Abby Normal

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Apr 16, 2014
    1,459
    113
    Metry
    “I remember teaching my then wife how to drive a manual tranny/clutch, our new 1989 Mustang GT 5 speed.”
    Did you end up with a fried clutch & grinding gears?
     

    John_

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    21   0   0
    Nov 23, 2013
    3,451
    113
    Hammond, LA
    Did you end up with a fried clutch & grinding gears?
    Not so much grinding gears but some clutch abuse was there. Big time slipping the clutch, really a part of the learning process. I would articulate to her how to do it, and my expectations were rather unreasonable at the time I guess. Looking back. The clutch did survive and it was her DD going forward. In 1990, it was a really fun car to drive. It earned me a couple tickets, one from the LSP on I-10.
     
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