Wife-Unbelievable Progress in Less than 1 Year

[Len-2A Training]

After 35 years of marriage, I've learned that life is always full of little surprises!

Both of us came from gun-hating/fearing families and my Wife absolutely forbid me to buy one for the first 6 years we were married. Then one day this Texan was talking with both of us as I was drooling on the counter at a chain sporting goods store and suddenly Deena said OK, if you really want one. Got my FID and a rifle . . . which multiplied to a LTC and 4 more guns within 2 months!

But my Wife still wanted nothing to do with guns or shooting herself. I did convince her to get an FID and LTC back ~1978, as protection against prosecution for being alone where guns were stored.

On VERY rare occasion she'd take a couple of shots and then declare she hated it again.

This past Winter she suddenly declared that she wanted to join Braintree R&P and then SAS. She asked about GOAL membership but hasn't taken that leap yet.

She's suddenly become enthused about shooting, wanting to go with me to BR&P and Tyngsboro to shoot! She is extremely impressed with Michael deBethencourt's training at SAS (and so am I) and I asked Jim Conway to bring some suitable guns for Deena to try at Tyngsboro on last Sunday.

- Beretta Cheetah .380 top-break - Deena hated the recoil!

- Walther P5 9mm - unique gun with left-side ejection port. Deena didn't particularly like it, but didn't hate it. Here's a picture:
http://www.securityarms.com/20010315/galleryfiles/1400/1447.htm

- Glock 17 9mm - Deena was luke-warm to it, but kept returning to try it again and again!

So this afternoon Deena was home early and I asked her if she wanted to join me up at Four Seasons to look for something suitable for her to shoot (other than .22LR). She tried a Glock 17 . . . liked it and could actually rack the slide consistently (she has carpal tunnel and can't do this with any gun I've given her to try). She also liked a S&W Model 64 .38Spec in SS (exact gun our PD used when I first joined . . . when they went to semi-autos, the chief at that time offered me any 64 I wanted for $100 and I "passed" . . . oh well).

So after years of resisting the original Tupperware, Deena is now the proud owner of her own first gun, a Glock 17 (made entirely in Austria with proofs) that barely saw any use at all, with original hi-caps! Carl is also checking with the owner of the S&W 64 to see what kind of a deal we can cut for Deena.

So you see, miracles DO HAPPEN!! We just have to be patient, wait until all the moons align with the planets and voilà!

I am prouder of Deena than words can tell . . . we've brought another one over from the dark side!

 

[TonyD]

Oustanding! And, pass on my congrats!

 

[Jay G]

You're a lucky, lucky man, Len...

Although... You *did* say that you've been married 35 years. Maybe in another 25 years my wife will come around???

 

[C-pher]

RAWK!

That's really great. Now, I just need to get my wife to do the same thing.

I'm hoping that when my kids start to shoot, it will get her out to shoot with us.

I've got her to the range once. But she decided that she didn't want to shoot after all. So she just sat there why we shot a little bit. But she hasn't been back.

So, good for you. And it gives us hope that it will happen to us all.

 

[Admin]

Awesome Len, Deena is a sweetheart. I'm glad she has a piece of her own.

 

[Moderator]

Good for you, and congrats to her on her first fun.

 

[Weerd Beard]

Sounds a little like my wife, only we've been married for a short time, and he Dad gave me my first gun (A Remmington 722 in .257 Roberts!!! 8) ) and that started the whole ball rolling for me.

She's breaking down more and more, and suprises me from time to time as well! 8)

Arrrr

-Weer'd Beard

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Congrats Len. For the rest of you maybe if you have some other women around it might help. Not saying it will but it might. Some of us probably feel that they aren't wanted around there,and yes I have been to place where you get that feeling. We always look for places that are family friendly,or we won't join. Also the plus side is we have plenty of gravel banks around us we can use.
I also have a saying that if you listen to your guys talk about whatever hobby they have, it really truly does sink in. [lol] I can now carry on a conversation about 4 wheel drive vehicles that are built up for extreme off roading. As Glenn says my eyes don't glaze over anymore.
Try to make them feel comfortable and if you know other women shooter it would probably help, worth a shot anyways.
Good Luck.

 

[SiameseRat]

Hooray!!! Another victory. Congrats Len and Deena!

 

[Len-2A Training]

Deena and I say "Thank You" for all the well wishes.

Everyone have a great Turkey <or substitute> Day and may we all meet again on Friday at Four Seasons! [lol] [lol]

 

[cdkayak]

Congratulations! That's great!

Tina has a similar problem with racking the slide, tendinitis.

CD

 

[JonJ]

Great news Len! And Congrats to Deena on her new aquisition.
I may take you guys up on your offer Len, to get Barb out shooting. I don't want to push her. She usually just comes up with an excuse that's she's too busy or tired. I still think she's afraid of the recoil. What I'll have to do is get our 13yr old daughter on the line with me and let her fire one of my pistols. When Barb see's that Sarah can do it, maybe she'll give it a go.

 

[Jeremiah]

Wow! Congratulations!

From my slight experience, it makes sense to me that she liked the Glock. Of all the guns I tried prior to buying one, the Glock had the easiest trigger pull and lightest felt recoil. It was just fun and unstressful to shoot.

 

[dwarven1]

She's suddenly become enthused about shooting

Mazel Tov, Len!

And if you have a little of that pixie dust you used left over, could I borrow some? I'm still hoping for Kathy...

 

[Len-2A Training]

All that you can do is "plant the seed" that shooting is fun/good for self-defense and then hope it grows. We can't push them into it, it has to be "her idea"! [I've successfully used the same technique with our current police chief.]

Indeed if women see other women doing it, they are more likely to try it. Family oriented gun clubs exist out there, and that has to be what you go looking for, either that or some female shooting friends to coax/coach her.

Braintree is a very family-friendly club. When I joined Sharon F&G back in 1976 it was a very family-friendly club . . . lots of changes there and I have no idea if this is still true or not. At Ames R&P I've only seen one female member there ever and I've not usually seen members bringing their families . . . so I don't know one way or the other.

 

[Adam_MA]

Congrats Len!

I guess I'm lucky. My GF has already had her license. We both came from gun family's. Unfortunately she let it laps a couple of years ago. After her treatments are finished she has agreed to take the basic pistol course again, and get her license.

Good news indeed!

Adam

 

[KMaurer]

Thanks for posting that, Len, and congratulations to both of you. It's nice to know that after 36 years there may still be hope for my wife to pick up the habit, too. (fingers crossed)

Ken

 

[Lynne]

All Right Deena!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Woohoo!!!! Give her a big hug and kiss for me! [lol]

 

[Len-2A Training]

Adam,

By law anyone who had FID or LTC in 1998 does NOT have to ever take another course to get a LTC/FID, even if it lapsed.

Of course many chiefs don't abide by this law (they don't have to, there is no punishment for ignoring the law on their part) and require it anyway.

Just as an FYI.

Also, a strong suggestion . . . tell her not to mention any medical issues/conditions, as that is just ammo for a chief to use to deny someone as "unsuitable". Can't help, but certainly can hurt!

 

[Len-2A Training]

Thanks to all!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving . . . I'm stuffed! [lol]

 

[SnakeEye]

indeed! happy turkey day! turkey coma coming
ive got a live in girlfriend of 7 years whos very supportive, but also very much afraid.
ive got my hands full with this situation..I dont think i can help her I think she needs a female peer to show her that firearms are not what shes demonized/been brainwashed to believe they are.

 

[Lynne]

indeed! happy turkey day! turkey coma coming
ive got a live in girlfriend of 7 years whos very supportive, but also very much afraid.
ive got my hands full with this situation..I dont think i can help her I think she needs a female peer to show her that firearms are not what shes demonized/been brainwashed to believe they are.

I've had a couple females that came with their husband/boyfriend. One was SOOO afraid to shoot it that she stood there, holding the gun, pointed at the target for a good 5 minnutes, shaking like a leaf. Ed took care of the other students and I just talked to her quietly, telling her that I knew she could do it. (She had a loaded gun pointed at her, with the threat of a-hole pulling the trigger and couldn't get that image out of her mind). I kept having her put the gun down and do some breathing and relaxing. As soon as she'd pick the gun up again, she'd start to shake. I asked her if she wanted me to help her shoot the gun. She said yes, so, to get her over that first shot (it was a .22 btw), I had her hold the gun with both hands, pointed down range (not at a target), and I squeezed the trigger. She jumped a bit, then laid the gun down and looked at it. She then looked at me slightly in awe and said, "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." It still took her a bit longer to fire the next few rounds, but she did them by herself, and was pretty damn good too.

By the time she left the range, she wasn't shaking anymore, and, from boyfriend's last report, she has now become a bonafide gun nut. [lol]

Your GF might well need a female to help her through it Snake. PM me and let me know where you are - maybe we can work something out.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

If they are our direction let me know. See what we can do..

 

[Weerd Beard]

Lynne, you are becoming my hero! 8) (Heroine? Never liked the feminization of that term....Heroin? 8) )

With my wife I really see that she really enjoys the empowerment of shooting, and the sence of accomplishment from shooting a good group.

The first time she shot my .22 she took great pleasure in shooting a group way out on the edge of the target, simply because she had blown the HELL out of the 10-ring.

Always good to properly "Calibrate" your target! [lol]

Arrrr

-Weer'd Beard

 

[DR]

She's suddenly become enthused about shooting, wanting to go with me to BR&P and Tyngsboro to shoot! She is extremely impressed with Michael deBethencourt's training at SAS (and so am I) and I asked Jim Conway to bring some suitable guns for Deena to try at Tyngsboro on last Sunday.

- Beretta Cheetah .380 top-break - Deena hated the recoil!

- Walther P5 9mm - unique gun with left-side ejection port. Deena didn't particularly like it, but didn't hate it. Here's a picture:
http://www.securityarms.com/20010315/galleryfiles/1400/1447.htm

- Glock 17 9mm - Deena was luke-warm to it, but kept returning to try it again and again!

So this afternoon Deena was home early and I asked her if she wanted to join me up at Four Seasons to look for something suitable for her to shoot (other than .22LR). She tried a Glock 17 . . . liked it and could actually rack the slide consistently (she has carpal tunnel and can't do this with any gun I've given her to try). She also liked a S&W Model 64 .38Spec in SS (exact gun our PD used when I first joined . . . when they went to semi-autos, the chief at that time offered me any 64 I wanted for $100 and I "passed" . . . oh well).

Small world. I was picking up some supplies last Wednesday at Four Seasons and overheard someone lamenting to his wife that he didn't pick up a 64 for $100. I'd have introduced myself if I'd known you were a fellow NESer.

Congrats on Deena getting her own pistol. Do you have any idea what prompted her change of heart? I'm lucky in that Helene has always liked shooting but she doesn't shoot much centerfire: either the gun's too heavy, or recoils too much, or has too strong a slide spring. Once she gets her LTC and can go shopping for her own I expect that to change.

Mass Rifle periodically has a women-only intro to shooting day. Helene took it with a friend who had never shot before and they both had a great time.

 

[Lynne]

Lynne, you are becoming my hero! 8)

[oops] aw gosh. Thanks WB.

 

[Len-2A Training]

DR,

Yup that was me! When our PD went from S&W 64s to Beretta 92FS back in the mid-1980s the chief at that time called me in and offered me any of the 64s for $100 each. I wasn't into wheel guns (still not), so I passed on the offer. I own a Colt Det Spcl and Colt Trooper MkIII, both in nickel and both were duty guns for my work with the PD. Haven't shot them since I left the PD (they never authorized the Special POs to carry semi-autos).

But my Wife tried the 64 and found it easy to handle, so SHE bought it on Friday! [lol] So now she owns two guns of her own.

Since I had broken the "Glock barrier", I decided to get a Glock 22 for myself on Friday as well.

I also picked up one of the Uncle Mike's Range Bag and some West Coast Bullets for reloading (now 20% off, see the fsguns.com website).

I have no idea what prompted Deena to do an "about face" on guns, but anyone that can figure women out will become a very wealthy man! We were having Sunday morning breakfast one day at Braintree R&P and we were talking with a Chiropractor that we know (club member) when Deena suddenly announced that she wanted to join, then join SAS. Shooting with the women's group "may" have made the difference. BR&P sponsors SAS, giving them the use of the facilities to run monthly "practice sessions", classes, etc. I don't think that the club charges SAS anything for the use of the place.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Aw, Don't try and figure us out,just run with it Len. [lol] [lol] Glenn has always had it easy,and he realises it when he sees other guys and how their wives handle their hobbies.

 

[hminsky]

When I decided to get a firearms license, my wife said "Are you crazy?".

But after I took the required basic pistol course from a good instructor, and showed her the materials, she said she wanted to take the class also.

She's still skeptical, but actually is behind the idea of teaching our daughter how to handle a gun properly.

 

[C-pher]

When I decided to get a firearms license, my wife said "Are you crazy?".

But after I took the required basic pistol course from a good instructor, and showed her the materials, she said she wanted to take the class also.

She's still skeptical, but actually is behind the idea of teaching our daughter how to handle a gun properly.

That's a good thing. I plan on teaching my daughter to shoot when she's old enough. I already have a kid sized rifle for her.