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handgun for girlfriend

MamaLiberty

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As a handgun instructor, especially for women, I certainly second what so many of these folks have said. Let her pick it out herself after handling and shooting as many different guns as possible.

Just as important, however, is to get her into a good basic handgun class so she will have both the understanding and the confidence to shoot effectively and safely. It is important that the husband or boyfriend NOT attempt to teach this because it is almost always counterproductive and can permanently discourage a woman from either shooting sports or self defense.

She needs to be taught in a non-threatening environment not charged with emotion.

You'll both benefit from that.

Good luck! I rejoice each time another person decides to take the necessary steps to accept personal responsibility for their own lives and safety.
 

AbNo

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Hey! That's not always the case.

I've taken six newbies to the range this year, and I taught Kendo_Bunny how to shoot.

Everyone of the newbies has enjoyed their time thoroughly, and one of the couples is looking to buy their first pistol soon. :)

Did I mention Kendo gets better groups than I do? :uhoh:

The trick is, when you take them to the range, don't force. Just tell them to watch you as you fire (presuming you have decent enough technique), and tell them they are welcome to have a go whenever they feel ready.

Be relaxed, and start 'em off on a .22. They will let you know when they are ready to step up to the next caliber. ;)

Bonus points if you stand behind her, put your arms over hers, and put her hands into place.:celebrate
 

MamaLiberty

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Hey! That's not always the case. I've taken six newbies to the range this year, and I taught Kendo_Bunny how to shoot.

That's great, Abno, but you are undoubtedly a rare exception to the rule. I've been teaching women about shooting and self defense for a long time, and the evidence is pretty overwhelming that most women are put off and confused when their men try to teach them, especially in the beginning.

Don't forget that she also needs to learn about self defense and the ethical, legal implications of using lethal force. She still needs an appropriate class - and it would probably be great if you took it together. You can then both get in regular range and dry fire time to make the most of it.

I still take such training regularly. There is always something more to be learned and skills to improve. Don't short circuit that process for her or yourself.
 

Gator5713

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MamaLiberty wrote:
Hey! That's not always the case. I've taken six newbies to the range this year, and I taught Kendo_Bunny how to shoot.

That's great, Abno, but you are undoubtedly a rare exception to the rule. I've been teaching women about shooting and self defense for a long time, and the evidence is pretty overwhelming that most women are put off and confused when their men try to teach them, especially in the beginning.

Don't forget that she also needs to learn about self defense and the ethical, legal implications of using lethal force. She still needs an appropriate class - and it would probably be great if you took it together. You can then both get in regular range and dry fire time to make the most of it.

I still take such training regularly. There is always something more to be learned and skills to improve. Don't short circuit that process for her or yourself.
DITTO!!! (to both actually...)
I have taught a few of the women in my life to shoot (probably taking my sister this weekend) and have never had a bad experience with it;
HOWEVER,
Whenever possible I will allow another trusted individual to do at least the initial 'training' and I ALWAYS recommend taking a formal class.
A few of my friends have had me introduce thier wives/girlfriends/sisters/etc to shooting and I have done the same...
The reasoning is basically that you are 'too close' to the situation. Your own girlfriend/wife/etc can (and often will) tell you to 'shut up' (or whatever else they feel the situation calls for) and is less likely to take you seriously. But your 'friend' or an 'instructor' is a bigger 'gun nut' than you are (in their eyes) and has more 'experience'. Weather that is true or not, they will believe it to be true and it removes emotion from the initial exercise entirely.
You may want to 'interview' the chosen instructor before you choose them to make sure that their shooting styles match to yours to avoid confusion later, but as a general rule of thumb, let someone else 'teach' them at first.
Unfortunately with my sister at the moment, I am on a truncated time table as I think she is only going to be here for about a day or so and I really don't know too many other people in the area as I just moved here recently, but all I am going to do with her is to 'familiarize' her with the handling of handguns and get her to shoot a couple of smaller calibers so that she wont be scared of them. Then she goes off to training when I get the money to send her! (Hopefully all this will be complete by Christmas so that I can get her a really good Christmas present!!!)
 

Kendo_Bunny

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AbNo wrote:
Bonus points if you stand behind her, put your arms over hers, and put her hands into place.:celebrate

As long as I'm the only one that gets that special training technique :p

I think women are more put off by boyfriends teaching them how to shoot if the boyfriend is pushy about it. AbNo was smart enough to not put a monstrously huge gun into my tiny hands, set the target beyond what I can see even with my glasses, and tell me to start shooting. From what I've heard from girls who hated shooting with their SO's, it's because he spent the whole trip scolding her and making himself look better than her. That will put any woman off of anything.

To any man who wants to teach his lady friend how to shoot, the best advice I can offer is be supportive, don't push her, and correct her without insults when she makes a newbie mistake.
 

AbNo

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I believe a trip to the range should be for relaxation and enjoyment.

That, and I remind people that not being dumb as the range is Grade-A SRS BSNS, and that I *WILL* pistol-whip people that cover me with a muzzle.

Haven't had to mar the finish on any of my pieces yet. :D
 

rob99vmi04

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Sonora Rebel wrote:
noittinen wrote:
Hi, I need some advice. I am going to get my girlfriend a handgun for christmas but there are a number of factors i need to take into consideration to select the perfect one: it must fit her tiny hands, must have light recoil, must be a revolver, preferably have stainless steel or nickel finish, preferably barrel longer than 3", must have wood grips , most importantly under $400.:D i was thinking along the lines of a Cimarron Lightning or 32 h&r mag Single Six.


Tell her you want'a get her a gun first. Take yer to a gun store (one with a range) and let her get the feel of somethin'. .32 is worthless as a defensive round. .38 minimum. Wood grips are worthless for absorbing recoil. Pachmeyr makes great rubber ones. My wife put 'em on her .38 snubbie 'cause she has small hands. Control is worth far more than appearance. It's a tool... nota toy.


The best gun/Caliber ever made is the one in your hand when the SHTF. I am not impressed by the energy/balistics created by the .32 either; however ,the point is to get her using/ shooting/ carryingsomething. A .38 is worthless if its in the night stand vs. a .32 is the best gun ever made if its in yourhand when its your life in question.
 

Gator5713

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[unfriendly (varmint) approaching]
Me: Hand me a gun...
My friends kid: Which one do you want?
Me: One with bullets in it!

[true story]
 

Wheelgunner

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I would marry her first. If she is not the one then you are wasting your money. If she is the One, snap her up before she finds someone else who is serious.

Then think about a gun.
 

Bravo_Sierra

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noittinen wrote:
Hi, I need some advice. I am going to get my girlfriend a handgun for christmas but there are a number of factors i need to take into consideration to select the perfect one: it must fit her tiny hands, must have light recoil, must be a revolver, preferably have stainless steel or nickel finish, preferably barrel longer than 3", must have wood grips , most importantly under $400.:D i was thinking along the lines of a Cimarron Lightning or 32 h&r mag Single Six.

Let her pick her own weapon.

If she can drive a car, while talking on the phone, stearing with her knee, and putting on makeup, while changing the radio station, all at the same time, she can pick out and shoot her own darn gun. :cuss:

If a 11 year old can shoot a Glock 19, she'll do fine with the recoil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDlodGEp_9o
 

Gordie

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My wife is barely 5' tall and weighs maybe 120 soaking wet, yet she shoots my Kimber in .45 all day long at the matches that we go to. I originally got a 9mm for her because she was afraid of a .45, but she didn't like the trigger. One day out of frustration she says "Let me shoot your gun once, I can't do any worse." She shot better than ever. She loves the 1911. We plan on getting her one of her own after the first of the year.
 

KansasMustang

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When my wife and I were still newlyweds I took her out shooting. I had bought a little H&R 22 wheelgun for plinkin and the first time she shot it (we weren't at an approved range) LOL she hit 6 out of 6 tin cans. All I'd done was shown her the basics of firearms safety and loading/unloading. I was flabbergasted LOL. She still has that gun, keeps it by her side of the bed. She doesn't like anything heavier, after she shot my lil .380 I had, said it bucked in her hand too much. I've never pushed her to try anything bigger. 22 Mag is good enough for her and last time I checked will kill just as dead. She's not a real big gun enthusiast but knows the reason why I am.
 

i-live-2-ride

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buzzsaw wrote:
I have another suggestion to consider. Have you looked at the Taurus 4410? 5shot chambered for 45 colt or .410 shotgun shells. I understand it comes in either a 2in. or 6in. and is priced in the range you mentioned. Makes a formidable hole or a lot of little ones depending on the circumstances required.


I went to the range with my short barrel 4410 "Judge"last week, and I can tell you that it is so much fun to shoot. With the target at the farthest point of the indoor range (as a test), about 50 feet, I put two out of five 45LC rounds into the bullseye with open sights. The other three were close enough thateither would've dropped a screaming terrorist.

As for the recoil, my wife is 5 feet tall and 105 pounds wet. Her favorite gun was my S&W .357... until she shot the 4410. I have not let her shoot anything but the .45LC's in it, but the way Taurus designed the grips (ribbed for pleasure),they seem to absorb a great deal of the recoil.Now it's her favorite gun and it's the one that we keep ready for home defense.

I have it loaded with two 000 buckshot rounds first, followed by three 45 long colt jacketed hollow points. I told her that even if she shot at the dresser, the mere sound of a shotgun going off inside an enclosed room would likely scare any burglar away.


I willadd this: that I have had some issues with putting factory reloads in it. Some of the .45 shells seem too large (thick) to allow the cylinder to close and lock into place. So I will likely have to send it back to Taurus to take advantage of their lifetime warranty.
 

Miracle

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I carry two guns.. one of them is super small and light, and requires lots of practice since there is no safety button (just a hard trigger pull) but I love it because it fits in my bra strap and is very hard to see. It also doesn't weigh me down. When you are a woman and you carry purses and kids and briefcases and groceries, heavy personal carry guns are a pain. I stress the thing about practice. This gun is so small and thin it is not something you want to defend yourself with until you realize how it kicks and how small the grip area is.

The reason I picked this gun is because gun #2 was just too heavy for daily wear and I wanted something less bulky. I went to the local giant gun show and asked a few dozen different dealers what they thought would be best for me. Without fail every one of the dealers I asked was carrying this gun on their person somewhere. They all loved it.

gun # 1 is a Kel-tec .380 http://www.impactguns.com/store/640832000696.html



My second gun is larger, but still easily fits in girly hands. It is the BDA .380 with rubber grips. It fits well into a jeans pocket or purse and can still be fairly unseen... but it is often too heavy and conspicuous - especially in summer months. I love the under-bra elastic holsters for this one as it hides the gun nicely under the natural shelf of the bosom.

http://gunbelt.blogspot.com/2006/11/browning-bda-380-pistol.html



Hope this helps.
 

Pamiam

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noittinen wrote:
Hi, I need some advice. I am going to get my girlfriend a handgun for christmas but there are a number of factors i need to take into consideration to select the perfect one: it must fit her tiny hands, must have light recoil, must be a revolver, preferably have stainless steel or nickel finish, preferably barrel longer than 3", must have wood grips , most importantly under $400.:D i was thinking along the lines of a Cimarron Lightning or 32 h&r mag Single Six.

I think that's very cool of you, and an awesome gift.

But frankly, nobody can pick out someone else's firearm. Those are very personal things, especially for women.

Get a gift certificate or a Visa gift card, and take her to the shop to pick out her own. There will be the additional bonus of a really fun trip to the shop together. ;)

From your description of her and your budget, and if this will be her only firearm, I'd recommend steering her toward the Beretta Tomcat as a starting point and see what she thinks. That one has great small-hand, only gun features - but she may need some gunsmithing to lighten up the trigger pull. Easy enough, though. At any rate, that will give her a good starting place from which to look to other firearms from there, with a frame of feature reference.

The advantages to starting from there are that she will have a semi-auto choice, she'll have the option to gunsmith the trigger pull, and she won't have to cock or rack a slide. These are all important issues for small handed women with only one gun - some more important than others, individually speaking. It's a very personal thing.

Also begin thinking about the paintjob and accessories you can get her for her birthday.:D
 

Pamiam

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I carry two guns.. one of them is super small and light, and requires lots of practice since there is no safety button (just a hard trigger pull)

I'm anti-safety button. Never use 'em, m'self.

I also like a good, smooth trigger pull. Goldilocks and I have that in common: Neither hard nor soft, but Just Right. :) That's one thing I'll pay to have professionally tweaked.

The only reason for a safety in my world is so that the firearm does not discharge in it's holster from bending or rattling around in a purse or something. The only mechanism I need for that is a simple piece of plastic.

I keep an appropriately sized rigid, loose, object (I've been known to use tinker toys or leggos when the purchased feature gets lost) between the backside of the trigger and the guard while the firearms are holstered. When I draw, gravity takes care of the safety automatically. It falls right out - no button finding or pushing needed. ;)
 
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