Distaff Armament

"My wife is so recoil sensitive it is impossible to teach her on any gun over a .22 but that's nowhere close enough to sufficient for self defense..."

Whew boy but I'm going to catch flak hell for this.

My wife Lisa is quite sensitive to the noise from a firearm. Having been involved with helping women to fire such loud, smelly, oily, ugly looking weapons...maybe only a thousand, so don't take this as gospel...I figured out a thing or two.

A lot of the time it ain't just the recoil. It's the whole experience rolled into one. We decked her out with both plugs, AND muffs, and lo beholdy, the "kick" from the weapon I selected as her first handgun didn't seem half bad at all.

It was a Glock 27. No nuke rounds, mind you. Stupid yes, insane, no. Beginning from somewhat near the top down, her learning curve was greatly enhanced by, well, learning. Plinking from a mousegun is fine. Moving then to something that can really deliver the ouchies after pop-pop-popping along can be next to impossible. Expectations versus reality. Reality dictates that defensive weapons of the handgun variety should be of a relatively high caliber. I don't make the rules just report them. Forget the balderdash concerning the ineffectiveness of handguns. Such tripe was concocted by those who would have you believe that their miracle training seminars would allow one to maintain an effective level of self defense with EVEN a handgun, because they are so puny you're not going to survive without sage advice from a master.

Bater. Prepare her, truly prepare her for the shooting experience. None of this, "here baby, crank me out some a' these from my .454." Shooting cap. Eyewear. Plugs and muffs. Maybe even a glove. Surround her with the aura of being PROTECTED. Keep the target close. She can learn your world famous trick shot of hitting a kite string from two football fields away when she's ready. Compliment anything that touches paper. Stance, grip, and attitude.

And patience. Nothing pisses a woman off more than an impatient man. They spend too much time in the facilities, take too long getting dressed, will drive around for half a day looking for just the right parking spot, but that's their schtick. Live with it. The alternative is learning to switch-hit, so taking your time isn't going to be anywhere near as bad as mincing on over to the Adam & Steve side of the field.

BUT...

It's only going to happen if she is doing it for herself and not just for you. If it's to keep you happy it'll be half hearted, so get that straight between you from the get-go. You can't be around to protect her all the time. She's smart and capable and can do anything she sets HER mind to. They are NOT carbon copies of us with longer hair...Hillary not included...and softer skin. With dynamite legs, and a great..