Wife

[DomVas]

I grew up around guns and have wanted to teach my sons about guns. My wife grew up in a house of paranoia, guns were dangerous and anyone that had guns was dangerous or foolish. I'm trying to teach my wife about gun safety and that the reason for concealed carry is to protect our family, however she seems reluctant. any advice would be appreciated.

 

[RJT CCW]

I grew up around guns and have wanted to teach my sons about guns. My wife grew up in a house of paranoia, guns were dangerous and anyone that had guns was dangerous or foolish. I'm trying to teach my wife about gun safety and that the reason for concealed carry is to protect our family, however she seems reluctant. any advice would be appreciated.

Patience my friend is the word of the day. And if she agrees to go to the range with you one day, start her off real easy on the caliber.

 

[telpinaro]

A good way to start off slow... Take her to a class with other women in it, or send her to a women's only class. A handgun safety course, no range time (at first!) with other women who are probably nervous might help. She'll be able to relax more if she's not spending the whole time being terrified of the shooting portion, and she'll be able to learn more easily. It'll be easier for her to accept it if you just want her to learn safety, not teach her to shoot right away. And it'll help make her more comfortable.

 

[Peggy Reist]

Send her to read some of the stories on this site. There are new ones almost every day. The more she reads, the more likely she'll see things your way.

Link Removed

 

[TexChap]

start off slow

Yep. After a few years of CC on my part my wife has asked "Should I know how to use your guns?". I said, "That might not be a bad idea." She has not as yet, but will one day go to the range with me. She has limited use of her left hand, but is right handed. She is not real strong in her left hand either so I thought .22 revolver. We sized her for a Ruger LCR .22 a few months ago but the grip was too fat for her small hands. She would fit an LCP very nicely, but I am sure she would have trouble racking the slide no to mention the recoil. We will take it slowly, and I trust we will eventually find something she is comfortable with.

 

[wolf_fire]

My wife was a staunch leftist liberal when I first met her. She told me when we were first dating, no guns, no motorcycles and don't even think about going into law enforcement. Today, she owns her own handgun, goes to the range with me on occasion, has volunteered to help me hunt, rides on the back of my motorcycle and loves it, and I'm with my county's Sheriff's Reserve division.

So, how you might ask did this transformation happen. Slowly, with patience, due diligence, time, and not being a pestering ass. (By time, I'm talking a few years)

I would leave my handgun on the end table between where we sit while watching TV. I noticed her looking at it from time to time. Every so often she'd ask about a particular feature on the handgun. I would mute the TV, empty the handgun, show to her that it was empty (even though at first she didn't know what she was looking at) and then answer her question, and only her question. Each time, she seemed satisfied with the answer and she'd un-mute the TV and go about her business. Eventually, it got to the point where I felt comfortable to ask if she wanted to try to rack the slide on my handgun. She seemed interested. Again, I emptied the gun; by this time she knew how to check if it was empty, and showed her how. I then started dropping hints that since there is a firearm in the house she probably should know how to use it. She agreed, but not wholeheartedly. I later dropped hints about a "Girls and Guns" class that my range offered. She seemed interested. After awhile she asked about the class on her own. I didn't hesitate, I signed her up for it. Turns out she's an excellent shot. Two months later she had her own firearm.

You can't push her. It has to be on her time and when she's comfortable. The more that she sees you are safe, and the more she sees it as a tool, the more she will become desensitized to it. Be patient with her.

Today, she gets just as upset with the political arena as I do, she understand the Constitution, she understands what are rights are about and I'm proud that she has turned some of her leftist family members around with nothing but truth, reason and logic.

 

[WHSmithIV]

My wife is waiting to go to a gun class one of our local FFL's is going to offer. He's been waiting for his NRA instructors certification to get here.
When me moved here to Idaho, my wife was very against guns. She's not so much a liberal as she is a foreigner. My wife is from Finland. Her family were city folk and she didn't grow up around guns at all. She did understand the need to have a rifle here since we have livestock. When I went to an auction and bought a rifle, I ended up with two rifles - not by design. It was actually an accident. So, I came home and gave her the good news and the bad news - good news, I did get that Marlin 30/30, bad news - I also got a Norinco SKS with composite stock. I bought the SKS first, didn't figure I could get the Marlin at the max price I could afford for a rifle. Got the Marlin for the $300 because when it came up for sale it dropped to $100 for a starting bid. 3 cards went up in the air and the auctioneer said "100, 200 300, do I hear 350?" Nobody bid and he pointed at me "sold for $300". I glanced around and said "I'll be darned - I bought it".

Now that was fine with me. I had the money and was willing to pay the $300 for the Marlin to begin with. It's a beautiful saddle rifle in absolute perfect condition. The SKS was a bonus at the $250.

However, wife was NOT pleased to say the least. So, I agreed I'd sell the SKS. That took me a couple months to get around to listing but I finally did list it and I put it up for "sale or trade for a pistol that can take out a wolf". Didn't have any pistols - didn't have any guns moving from Finland to Idaho. But, now I at least had the rifle. Sure enough, a guy a couple hours away got in touch and offered to trade me straight across for a Citadel 1911 he had bought new and put 400 rounds through. I jumped on that. I did get the better of the deal.

So, managed to get this past my wife with a grudging OK since I had got rid of the second rifle.

Now, she has her own little .25 Tanfoglio semi auto. I have more guns now too.

She still hasn't learned to shoot it, but she likes it (I did put custom purple grips on it for her too) - she wants someone else to teach her. (Can't figure that one out - I'm a US Navy vet). I am also very partial to the 1911 pistol. I used to carry one on the quarterdeck of the ships I was on when I was quite young.

When the little .25 arrived, I had her go through the process of filling out the 4473 to transfer it to her. She has a green card and will apply for citizenship. Almost all my firearms I have filled out the 4473 for. She certainly passed the background check and my philosophy was (even though I had paid for the pistol) that by her filling out the 4473 and getting approved would make that .25 'feel' more hers.

So, same as what the other guys said. You have to go slow with the ladies if they didn't grow up with guns.

-Will-

 

[telpinaro]

- she wants someone else to teach her. (Can't figure that one out - I'm a US Navy vet).

(Almost) No wife wants to be taught by her husband. We're too invested in the relationship to be capable of not taking criticism personally--we care too much. My husband's a good teacher, and I can learn from him well. But even for me, constructive criticism stings when it comes from someone you're that close to.