We all want the ladies in our lives to be safe, well protected and capable of defending themselves. But, on our way to that goal, we sure can make some horrible mistakes. Here are the three most common ones to avoid when setting out to help your lady become more gun savvy.
All too often, the guy buys his lady a little pipsqueak gun, because everyone knows women can't shoot the big stuff. So he ends up buying her a little .25 ACP or some other sub-caliber handgun a real man wouldn't be caught dead with. (Pink is in, you know.) Well, guys, hang on to your macho, because the average woman can shoot any gun and any caliber the average man can handle. This has been proven time and again in professional defensive training classes across the country. The smart move is to buy her the largest caliber she shoots well and enjoys shooting. But, wait, there's more!
The next most common mistake guys make is buying a gun for their ladies that they really want for themselves. These guys probably figure she won't stay interested in shooting and they can end up with another neat gun in their gun box. Gunsite Instructor Il Ling New has pointed out that guns are like shoes—they have to fit. That big 17-shot pistol you have been longing for may be a good gun, but it might be too large for the lady in your life to handle. The chambering might be right, but the gun is just too large to fit her hands. A smart move would be to select a number of quality defensive handguns and let the lady pick the one she likes best. How will she know? It will fit her hand, she can manage the controls efficiently and she can shoot it accurately.
Once the guy has his lady matched up with a suitable handgun, he figures she needs some training—so he decides to save a little money and handle the training job himself. Unless you are a professional trainer, this will generally lead to bad habits and hurt feelings. The next move is to get the local gun-club expert (you know he is an expert because he told you so) to do the coaching. You can expect about the same results here.
A great Christmas, birthday or anniversary gift is to sign your lady up for some truly professional training at schools like Thunder Ranch, SIG Sauer Academy or Gunsite. Expensive? Yes, they are. But they are also worth every penny you spend. Better yet, sign the both of you up for the same class. Not that guys really need expert training—after all, American men are born knowing how to shoot at least as well as Wild Bill Hickok, right? Don't make the mistake of that assumption, either.
