Worried wife

[dfritz1985]

My wife is very concerned with the idea of me carrying a concealed weapon. She thinks it will automatically lead me going to prison if I have to use it. I've tried to explain Florida laws and I tried to explain the practical side of carrying. I'm a proficient shooter with my G22, in the private security business, and I'm in school for my B.A. in criminology. Any ideas on how to get past this?

 

[GlockAR]

Keep showing her all the stories of people attacked, robbed and killed that are defenseless!

 

[bcslack]

Have her take a CCW class.

 

[gspgundog]

That's what I did and now she carries also.

 

[Marshall Brinson]

Get her to the range and teach her to shoot. Get her to feel comfortable with the weapon so she better understands firearms. Try to get her to take a CCW Class and get her permit also. She may feel safer about the issue if she is more knowledgeable about firearms. And as mentioned, show her the articles where the good guy wins because of being armed. Get her to the NRA NEWS Facebook page as that is a great source of articles. If she will agree, get her own firearm for her and keep her shooting! Range Time is a great place to spend time with your better half. Mine LOVES IT and has her CCW and carries a .357 SP101!

Here are a couple links for her to check out:
Women of High Caliber encourages understanding, respect of gun ownership - View - ReviewJournal.com

New Research Shows That Gun Purchases By Women Are On The Rise « CBS New York

 

[rrman12280]

What is the alternative if you're not carrying when needed...and she's with you? My wife has been seeing all the crime going on and decided to join in on being able to defend herself or others if needed. As GlockAR stated, keep showing her the stories. We will not choose to just lay down and give up being totally defenseless against an attacker. I have a duty and desire to protect my family by whatever means necessary.

Follow the laws and some common sense and prison won't be an issue. As the old saying goes "It's better to be judged by 12, than carried by 6."

Additionally, the 2A gives one the right for a reason.

 

[NavyLCDR]

If she is into facts, statistics and research, there is whole world of info here to support your case:

http://www.gunfacts.info/pdfs/gun-facts/6.0/Gun-Facts-v6.0-screen.pdf

 

[agrippakc]

There is a blog called good guys with guns and it is a great resource for why we need to carry and own guns.

 

[[email protected]]

Many are anti-gun primarily because they don't understand them (often hidden as "fear"). I love the idea of getting her a class.

 

[jethrodull]

similar to my wife when I first started looking into it. as others said, just keep "dripping" on her with info, and let her know you are taking it seriously. The CHL class, lots of research online, etc. I purchased an insurance policy for legal defense in the event I "use" my weapon. That helps with her concern. Good luck, she'll come around. My wife now seems to be happy I am carrying.
J

 

[scfd5]

I agree with what has been said so far. Just keep slowing giving info as to not overwhelm her. The ccw class is a great idea, my wife went and i would say she carries more then me but we both carry 24/7 so that would be hard. But the moral is she now knows the facts and agrees with me. The range time together is great also.

 

[jjack31]

prison or cemetery

Just as mentioned before, I'm sure your wife would rather visit you in prison than at a cemetery.
I had the same issue within the last year with my soon to be wife (getting married in April). And my thoughts are this, number one, I don't need permission from significant other to carry my weapon. I am understanding of her ignorance ( lack of knowledge) of weapons but that will not allow me to be a victim either. Secondly, as I have told her before, if you do not see the weapon, it is not there. Simply out of sight out of mind. She understands how strongly I feel about it and has become accustomed to the fact that I am always armed and alert. Probably somewhere deep down inside I'm sure she probably appreciates it. But she'll never admit it

 

[Danmc]

You stated that you are a proficient shooter with your G22, so I would guess that your wife does not have a problem with you owning a gun? Do you carry a gun in the private security business? Just thinking out loud. Do you carry at home? Is she otherwise ok with you having a gun? Are you a hot-headed individual and she fears you might pull your gun for the wrong reasons? What does she think is the difference between you owning and shooting guns as opposed to CC? Again, just thinking out loud. I would probably go with the advice to slowly keep feeding her news stories of robbery, rape, muggings, murder in the streets, etc. Have her attend a CCW class with you, like a date night. I guess I have it pretty lucky. My wife could care less if I carry concealed. She could care less about guns altogether. But she knows that owning guns is an American right, and carrying concealed is just an extension of that right. Good luck, I hope she sees the light.

 

[BIGJOHN621]

Wives can be replaced. Find a model with a better fit if this one doesn't work......

 

[ShooterMcED]

worried wife

Mine settled down about it when we travel into a part of town known to be questionable so i could look at a boat. Oddly enough, she didnt wait in the car and went with me and my gun to check out the boat!

 

[Wyldekard]

You can get "lucky" and be her hero! I mentioned this in passing in another thread. We live in a very rural farm area and nothing has happened in 10 years so I always got grief about even having weapons in the house. Then two small town banks very near us got robbed and we had a rabies outbreak.

Three times I was gone and got frantic calls on my cell. Two were rabid raccoons and one rabid skunk. The skunk wasn't much of a problem, but the raccoons were. The first one was after her pet cats when I rolled in and took it out. The second one was between her and the house and had her trapped in an out building. If I didn't carry, I wouldn't have been much help as I couldn't have got in the house to get a weapon. This all happened in around a 5 week time period. Since then another bank has been robbed.

Today she said this to me. "Your birthday is in a couple months, why don't you pick out a gun as a present from me". 6 months ago she would have clubbed me if I said I wanted another weapon!!

 

[azcreative]

I'm thinking involving her(getting her to take some classes/training) might help. Perhaps you might also start by getting her used to the idea of home defense (eg. "honey, if you are home alone in the middle of the day and someone breaks in I want you to be able to defend yourself) and then work towards her being able to feel comfortable with your carrying while out. Keep in mind, may worsen your position if you even so much as verge into making it into an argument! Human nature and/or stubbornness will kick in if it becomes an issue of "my way vs. your way".
I'm sure you want to carry sooner than later but consider giving it some time and validating that you value her acceptance of your decision and that might also help to bring her around.
Best of luck!

 

[Old Zebra]

Lot's of good advice. Can I suggest an alternate approach? She knows you better than we do. So ask her why she feels you're likely to go to prison? Does she think you might overreact?...or jump in and try to be a hero? Once her underlying concern is identified, you can work on resolving it. I know, I know...it's easier said than done. Good luck.

 

[wizard]

As stated before, get her to go with you to the range with you and ask her if she would like to take a firearms class with you, make it a Family thing, seems to work well with people I know who have had similar issues.

 

[wolf_fire]

There was absolutely nothing I could possibly say to wife to assuage her fears of me carrying. I showed her law, news articles, and America's 1st Freedom magazine (especially Armed Citizen feature). I gave all the cogent arguments. I even said time and time again that she should learn to shoot since we had firearms in the house. It wasn't until I called my local gun club and talked to an instructor that ran an all women's class (called, "Girls and Guns") and asked them to give my wife a call that she decided to learn to shoot. Three weeks after my wife took the class we went and bought her first gun, a P238.

Your wife needs to shoot.