Wife coming around

[ArmyCop]

Well, she actually came to acceptance years ago for me & guns.
Lately she seems to be coming around a little more - wanting to shoot herself (you know what I mean).
Her sister and family live out in a semi-wooded area so I brought along the little KelTec .32 that I've been saving for her to CC one day. She was looking forward to shooting it & did okay for a few shots. The long long trigger pull was a disadvantage in this case.
She would have done better with a short pull. As she squeezed the trigger - it took so long she got timid and kept expecting it to go bang, squeezed and squeezed then finally bang. As it got closer to the bang she would start closing both eyes and turn her head away and to the side.
Oh Well. It was a start anyways. I hope as time goes on I can get her to try again.
Anyway to make that long pull shorter?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[TN_Mike]

Keep working on her. She is showing the first signs that she wants to join you.

Don't know about making that trigger pull shorter. Good luck.

[dr_cmg]

A little in expensive Bersa Thunder .380 may be just the ticket for starting her out. The initial DA pull is not too strong and the SA is very easy. It is relatively light and does not have much recoil. My wife started out with a S&W 637 and had trouble with that DA, but as soon as she started shooting the Bersa her whole attitude changed. She still has trouble with DAO and revolvers. She usually shoots revolvers in single action. She can shoot anything and not worry about the recoil or noise anymore. She also usually just leaves a ragged hole at COM. BTW: she does not like my P32. She bought herself a P11 for something with more power and its lightness. She kept it one week and fired about 50 rounds out of it. Then she handed it to me and said, "Please sell or trade this for me." She absolutely could not stand the trigger. She still plans to get a Beretta Tomcat for a BUG.

Congrats on getting her started.

[mavrik46]

My wife started with a Taurus PT 138. Handled it very very well. Our 17 year old daughter now has the PT138 and my wife has a PT111.

[retsupt99]

for 35+ years!
Two years ago...CCW
One year ago...would carry to the mall, sometimes...(NAA .22LR)
Last two months...I put laser sights on a S&W 637...she likes it and has asked for a holster to carry in IWB...I fell on the floor!
She also wants to talk about what we do TOGETHER if a problem arises...I'm looking for a couples class...
Things are getting better...just takes time!

ret

[Nate]

That's a loooooooooong road, RetSupt, but it gives me hope for my wife. She's a 25 year old liberal from Wisconsin - I'm a 24 year old Marylander-cum-Virginian (mother's family's from down here), and we met when I was active duty in the Corps.

What was she thinking? That I didn't like guns?

*sigh*

[p8riot]

My wife had never handled a firearm of any type until we started dating. One of the first dates we went on was to a pistol range and she and I found out that she was a natural shooter. I encouraged her to keep at it and she has been quite happy to shoot with me. It's one of the activities we enjoy as a family. She CCWs a S&W J-Frame all the time now. She's like a mother bear.

[ArmyCop]

Thanks for the reply's. Oh, I'll stay patient and give her time. It's like pulling a brick with a rubber band. You gently pull and pull and eventually it'll move....

[ExSoldier]

Why start her out on the Kel-Tec? Start her on a nice easy little 22LR in something accurate so she can get immediate POSITIVE feedback for applying your instruction in the way of center hits! Nice tight groups. That does wonders for the novice ego and helps get them MOTIVATED! The Kel Tec is for self defense it is not a plinker or a gun you shoot for fun. Yes you want her to be able to defend herself, but it would be so much better if she were really INTO the sport and the FUN of shooting! That's how and why she says: "HONEY ARMY COP...when are we going shooting again? PUH Leeeeeeze!"

See what I mean?

[ArmyCop]

Good idea but - reason's she's starting with the KelTec:

I already have it
She likes it's feel - being small
She won't let me spend any more money on something she's not sure about...

Now - If I didn't already have the KelTec - AND - if she were that interested - I'd take her shopping and consider what you suggested...

Thanks

[dr_cmg]

Everybody needs a .22 plinker. S&W 22A comes in various models and price ranges. I bought one of these S&W 22A for less than $200. It's accurate, and it's heavy enough to feel like a real gun. It is also fun to shoot and the ammo is cheap.

[Rotorflyr]

The 22A is a nice little plinker, we picked one up for the kids BUT for some people it can be a pita to rack the slide as there isn't a lot to grip. You may want to consider a Ruger Bearcat a little more pricey then the 22A, but still a fun gun or for less then either of the others, a Heritage Rough Rider, not something that will last a lifetime but for around $120 ($140 if you want 22lr/22mag cylinders) would be fine as a plinker and would have a short SA trigger with little recoil.

[ExSoldier]

Good idea but - reason's she's starting with the KelTec:

I already have it
She likes it's feel - being small
She won't let me spend any more money on something she's not sure about...

Now - If I didn't already have the KelTec - AND - if she were that interested - I'd take her shopping and consider what you suggested...

Thanks

Don't get HER one! Get YOU one and let her shoot it! Everybody needs a good little plinker as has been mentioned here. I LOVE my Ruger Super Single Six in 22LR and a spare cylinder for 22WMR. Got mine used at a gunshow for about $150. There's LOTS of choices for a minimum cost.

[Fitch]

Well, she actually came to acceptance years ago for me & guns.
As she squeezed the trigger - it took so long she got timid and kept expecting it to go bang, squeezed and squeezed then finally bang. As it got closer to the bang she would start closing both eyes and turn her head away and to the side.
Oh Well. It was a start anyways. I hope as time goes on I can get her to try again.

Not a happy experience for her I think.

The way to get her interested is to make it fun. If it isn't fun, you have a real uphill, maybe impossible, struggle on your hands. Shoot at reactive targets that she can hit. Let her use a gun that doesn't have her closing her eyes when she shoots. The idea is to get her interested, and nurture that interest till she is interested "also" in CCW. Starting with a pocket pistol is not the best plan.

Run, don't walk to the nearest store that sells .22 handguns and get one if you don't already have one. If you do have one, bring that next time. Ruger, Browning, Walther P22, they are all great starting guns for one that closes her eyes when shooting a .32. Even better is a .22 revolver like a Smith Model 17 or the Tarus equivalent. Even a Ruger Single Six is a hugely better first experience. A Kel-Tec .32 is not a great first experience for someone who has never fired a handgun before.

My wife decided she would "try" it. She had fired a rifle, been deer hunting, but never ever fired a handgun. I started her with a Ruger Single Six. She fired that for a couple of hundred rounds, then decided she wanted to try something "bigger". She moved from that to a .357 Black Hawk shooting .38 Special - it felt pretty much the same but made a bigger bang.

Then, after trying a 4" Tarus .357 shooting .38 Special, she bought herself a 6" S&W 686 and a 6" S&W Model 17, both used. She loves shooting them. Gets all excited when she puts one right in the middle of the target.

About 1,000 rounds into her handgun shooting, she asked me what would be involved in getting to the point she could carry. I gave her some books to read, the forms to get her LCTF here in PA (maybe the easiest state other than Vermont and Alaska). She got the LCTF, joined the NRA, and just mailed in her own membership to the club I belong to.

She wants to get some training, and in a recent range trip rented a 2" Tarus in .38 Special and was able to keep 24 rounds all in the 10 ring at 12'. She shoots 1-1/2" groups at 25' single action with her Smiths. Her reaction to the snubbie? She said it made a lot of noise and fire, and jumped pretty quick, but it wasn't all "that" bad.

Now she is saving up for a Model 60 Lady Smith. Although she did say that if I'd started her with the snubbie it would have all been over right then.

Worked for me anyway.

Fitch

[VanguardMP]

ArmyCop,
That's great getting Mrs. AC shooting. I will tell you my wife carries a G26 and absolutely loves it. She has never liked shooting my revolvers because of the triggers. She does love my Kimber TLE and would probably tote it, but it's a little heavy to lug around. So, she continues to carry her Glock. Look around for some ranges that rent handguns and see if she would like to go there and shoot any of their rentals. Or, if you have any buds with a "variety" of handguns could help. Anyways, good luck.