How to get the wife interested in shooting???

[P2000]

I hear some people are able to get their wife or gf to take an interest in shooting. Some lucky individuals have posted that their significant others even grab their carbine and go shooting on their own! I have taken my wife shooting about 4 times, but every time it is like I have to convince her to go. I am not pushy, or demanding, I just try and make it fun in hopes that she will take some type of interest. If she would take an interest, she could have any equipment, any training she wanted. Anything!

The most I have been able to get her to do is pretend there was a threat, and run to where I keep hidden a pistol, and grab it....She is horrible with that pistol!

I am thinking of buying her a CX4 carbine for her birthday to get things started(she is. a recoil sensetive lefty), but I don't know if it will just be a waste.

My goals are for her to be at least half way competent on defending herself when I am away so that we have a little bit of understanding and peace of mind, serving some type of defence role if I am home, and just having fun if we go shooting.

I don't know why she doesn't like shooting, just like she doesn't know why I don't want to make earrings?

Anyone have some insight or experience in this matter?

[Hot Holster]

My daughter wasn't too happy shooting until one day I used the shoot and see targets. She thought that was the neatest thing since peanut butter and jelly. She said now that she can see where the shot is hitting it makes it all worthwhile.

Maybe it's just the llttle things

[bnanaphone]

Another first gun option could be a .22 rifle (IE 10/22). It has no recoil, and costs very little to shoot. It may reduce or eliminate tje recoil sensitivity. Taking that out of the equation will allow her to enjoy things more and focus on making hits.

I use to own a CX4 and while it does have little recoil, a 10/22 has none. I tried taking my wife shooting. Started with a .22 pistol, then 9mm, .40 and .45 auto. She hated the noise most of all, followed by the gun's recoil. No luck for me.

Good luck and get her comfortable with a little gun before moving up, baby steps.

[sewvacman]

With my wife I just put a couple of pumpkins out and handed her a loaded sks. I still remember the smile on her face and that was almost 20 years ago, her only question was "How many pumpkins do we have?", and whatever # it was not enough.

Have you tried just simply going with a 22 plinker, like a 10/22, m&p15 or walther p22. Something she can go all Rambo with and not feel any recoil. Not ideal for self defense, but it does bring it down to the basic joy of shooting without the recoil, noise or expense, and the aiming carries over to the big guns

That said she hates ALL of my larger caliber handguns except an old walther p38 (which is a joy to shoot I will admit) so that is what is on her side of the bed. (along w/ a 20 gauge shotgun) She hates recoil as well but is willing to practice with just about everything we have as long as it is not too painful.

[P2000]

Some good ideas so far, thanks.

She has shot my 10/22 each time we have been shooting. She kinda had fun, but not enough to want to go shooting again. I'm thinking if she has her own rifle, she may take more of an interest. I would like to get something new, rather than another 10/22.

I like the pumpkin idea, she might like that.

[czydj]

Have you tried to take her out gun shopping and let her pick what she wants? If she's not even interested in shopping, I'd say you have a long row to hoe.

[Hmac]

Ain't gonna happen, I bet. Some people just aren't interested in some things.My wife is quite the horsewoman and I couldn't possibly be more indifferent to the horse world. I will go out and watch her compete, but she knows that that's as much interest as I can fake, and I do it because I love her and respect her. But it's not a hobby or passion that we're ever going to share. She accepts that.

How many parents have demanded/ordered/wheedled/cajoled their kids into piano lessons? Sure, some kids take an interest and become musicians, but that happened because they had uncovered an innate interest in music, not because someone made them be interested.

I suspect you're in the same boat relative to your wife and shooting. The one thing that probably is important is that if there is going to be a gun in the house, everyone that lives there has to know the rudiments of gun handling. That's where my wife and I started. She subsequently came to acknowledge a pistol as a reasonable means of self-protection and she came to recognize that there are conditions she occasionally faces where personal protection is important. While firearms certainly aren't a passion of hers, she feels strongly that if she's ever going to carry a gun to protect herself, she will train and practice with it sufficient to make sure she can do so competently.

[Militant83]

Take her out and let her shoot some higher power firearms if you have access to some. And be creative and get something fun for her to shoot at not just a bullseye. I bet some tannerite would do the trick if she doesnt have fun shooting and blowing something up then you could probably forget about it. Or stress to her how important it is for her to learn how to shoot in a self defense aspect. And that in order to get better she needs to shoot frequently.

All I had to do for my wife is get her a couple guns of her own. I let her design her first custom 10/22 that I built. Ended up being pink and black with skulls. But it was hers and she loved it and has had fun shooting ever since, except for shotguns.

[PRGGodfather]

Speaking only for myself, while it is critical my wife support my affliction for all things that go boom -- there are times when a man has to spend some man time alone.

Love her totally. Still need my own time, thanks.

[Suwannee Tim]

....I am thinking of buying her a CX4 carbine for her birthday to get things started(she is. a recoil sensetive lefty), but I don't know if it will just be a waste......

No problem there! If you don't want it, send it to me! I can't count all the guns I bought for my wife that she had no interest in. So I have to shoot them to keep them from getting lonely.


Seriously, she doesn't shoot with me much, three or four times a year and that mainly to keep up proficiency. Prior to me embarking on my latest shooting binge we spent all most all of our free time together, too much really, weeks at a time in the wilderness. You may have to find something else you both like and do that, shooting with the wife being an occasional thing. We know many couples who spend NO free time together.