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Old November 27, 2013, 03:11 PM   #1
trigg1
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wife's ccw choice

Hi all, I'm new here.

So, my wife just got her carry permit, we don't have the funds to buy her a new handgun. Most of my firearms are full size, except for my armscor m206 snub nose .38 that stays in the nightstand and my pocket gun a keltec .32 auto. I usually just throw the keltec in my pocket and go. The armscor I bought because I saw it, it looked good, and it was cheap. I have put alot of rounds through the armscor and it really is a good reliable gun (don't roll your eyes). The dilemma is that my wife really loves the keltec for the size, weight, and trigger pull (she is extremely small). She is a new shooter and it is the only one (of mine) she really enjoys taking to the range. Maybe I am just old school, but I believe a new shooter should use a revolver. Am I out of touch on this? I don't want to overwhelm her with too many things at once, so its either do some tap, rack, ready drills on the semi auto in case of a jam (for my peace of mind) or get her stronger and more familar on the .38.
Thought?
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Old November 27, 2013, 03:20 PM   #2
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Don't ask us bozo's, ask her!

Seriously. I understand my wife enough to have kept her married to me for 18 years. She, like all women, don't think like we think. I jokingly say "they are all crazy, but the right one is worth dealing with the insanity." IF she likes a particular firearm, she will carry it and use it. If she does not, she won't be as proficient and she will not practice nor carry it. If she does, her insecurity will be a weak spot.

Women desire support and safety from their husbands, so provide as much rationale as you can and leave the choice up to her. Whatever her choice, encourage her decision. As time progresses, you may find a willingness to change platforms if you take this path. If you force one on her, you are done. REALLY!
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Old November 27, 2013, 03:22 PM   #3
Dave Chuppa
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I let my wife shoot several guns that I own. She picked the one she wanted I let her go with it. They don't like beeng told what they like. They like making their own choice. I have 36 years of Maried Experience.
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Old November 27, 2013, 03:38 PM   #4
Garycw
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wife's ccw choice

My wife recently took the CCW course. She didn't really think shed enjoy it, but found it very fun & interesting.
She shot two of mine. A S&W model 10 and a 1911. To my surprise. She liked the 1911 better.
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Old November 27, 2013, 03:42 PM   #5
aarondhgraham
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Revolver versus semi,,,

Revolver versus semi,,,
It's an old argument for certain.

I take a lot of newbies to the range,,,
It's my little way of supporting the 2A fight.

I usually start the newbies off with a revolver,,,
Simply because it's easiest for them.

If they show interest in getting their own gun,,,
They almost always ask me what they should get.

Then I ask them this question:
Are you going to buy the gun and then practice with it,,,
I mean practice enough that you know it better than you do your car?

If they say no I then recommend a revolver,,,
If they say yes I tell them to buy either, depending on their personal likes.

If as you say, your wife enjoys shooting the Kel-Tec pistol,,,
Then by all means start training her with that gun,,,
And as everyone else has said, let her choose.

I guess the gist of my point is this,,,
It's perfectly fine to start with a semi-auto pistol,,,
As long as they accept that they will have to train with it a bit more than with a revolver.

Aarond

.
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Old November 27, 2013, 04:21 PM   #6
Garycw
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wife's ccw choice

Quote:
Originally Posted by Garycw View Post
My wife recently took the CCW course. She didn't really think shed enjoy it, but found it very fun & interesting.
She shot two of mine. A S&W model 10 and a 1911. To my surprise. She liked the 1911 better.
Just wanted to add. She likes the 1911 better BUT can't rack the slide!
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Old November 27, 2013, 04:42 PM   #7
Theohazard
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Garycw
She likes the 1911 better BUT can't rack the slide!
She should have no trouble racking the slide with the proper technique. Most men don't use the proper technique to rack the slide because we're usually strong enough that it doesn't really matter how we do it. So then when we try to show women we don't always know how to properly teach them.

The main technique I see taught is the overhand push-pull technique, keeping the gun close to your body and focusing on using your chest muscles. But some instructors teach the straight-arm slingshot technique that uses the shoulder muscles. I've had many instructors tell me that they've never encountered a woman who couldn't be taught to rack a slide (outside of women with disabilities).
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Old November 27, 2013, 05:01 PM   #8
Esox
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My wife loves her P238, can rack it effortlessly and is very accurate with it. There are a million of them out there so there must be some used available.
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Old November 27, 2013, 05:28 PM   #9
2damnold4this
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Quote:
The dilemma is that my wife really loves the keltec for the size, weight, and trigger pull (she is extremely small).

Encourage her to try many different firearms but if the Keltec is what she likes, let her have it.
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Old November 27, 2013, 05:33 PM   #10
RodTheWrench
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Consider yourself lucky! The KelTec is cheap and relatively uncomplicated - let her have it! The bright side is you get to go shopping for another pocket gun!
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Old November 27, 2013, 05:50 PM   #11
JERRYS.
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if your old lady wants to carry a semi-auto why are you standing in her way? teach her, help her, encourage her; stop being a dick Metcalf.
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Old November 27, 2013, 05:55 PM   #12
CWKahrFan
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Quote:
She is a new shooter and it is the only one (of mine) she really enjoys taking to the range.
Yeah... Jeeesh... Give her the Keltec and a few hundred rounds and consider yourself lucky that you took care of it all so cheaply!... for now.
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Old November 27, 2013, 06:14 PM   #13
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Quote:
Maybe I am just old school
Perfect, then you wont mind carrying the M206
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Old November 27, 2013, 08:19 PM   #14
Dragline45
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Quote:
Then I ask them this question:
Are you going to buy the gun and then practice with it,,,
I mean practice enough that you know it better than you do your car?

If they say no I then recommend a revolver,,,
If they say yes I tell them to buy either, depending on their personal likes.
This is great advice. When I still lived with my parents, I cant tell you how many times that when me or my father would leave the house we would have to show my mother how to work a semi-auto pistol since she was alone. No matter how many times we showed her it just never stuck because she didn't have much interest in guns or learning about them, she finally said to get her a 12g pump action shotgun.
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Old November 27, 2013, 08:58 PM   #15
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Its the same old question,"What DOES a woman want?"
Consider yourself lucky if you really know.
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Old November 27, 2013, 09:12 PM   #16
MarkCO
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Quote:
Its the same old question,"What DOES a woman want?"
Consider yourself lucky if you really know.
If you are a man, knowing that answer would surely drive you insane, as it changes frequently.
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Old November 27, 2013, 09:13 PM   #17
orionengnr
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If she likes the P32, shoots it reasonably well and will actually carry it...consider yourself lucky. And give it to her, with a smile.

In the mean time, have a look at a concealed carry/personal defense website by and for women, and share with your wife:
www.corneredcat.com

If you spend some time there you will both learn something. Hopefully, one of the first things you will learn is to let her choose what she wants to shoot/carry.
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Old November 27, 2013, 09:35 PM   #18
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Quote:
Am I out of touch on this?
Yes you are, shame on you.

Jim
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Old November 27, 2013, 10:03 PM   #19
trigg1
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Ha! Looks like I stepped in it a little. I was probably just wanting to keep my pocket gun and being selfish. We went to see a movie after work and she carried concealed in public with it the first time and was both nervous and excited at the same time. I just carried my duty weapon (sig p229) in a IWB holster in small of back. So we are good until she wants to upgrade. Thanks for the responses, like one of y'all said I will carry the revolver until Christmas is paid off and we see if she wants something else. (When I was a kid my dad started me with my first gun being a revolver, ruger security six, so that is where I get it from).
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Old November 28, 2013, 01:07 AM   #20
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My wife tried a bunch of guns out and decided not to carry since the one she likes the best is the Remington 870.....
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Old November 29, 2013, 01:20 AM   #21
BuckRub
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Garycw
She likes the 1911 better BUT can't rack the slide!

Well then, you need to find her a exercise that will work her wrist quite a bit to give her more strength. Find something that will work her wrist and her arm as well. Do this daily and soon she'll be racking away.
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Old November 30, 2013, 02:32 AM   #22
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Welcome to TFL Trigg1!

It has been my experience that women like to choose a weapon just like men do and when they find it they will let you know as she did. It is a good possibility that she may change that choice at a later date once she has time to experience more firearms and in the meantime you can work on your piggy bank..

By the way we have a member (staff) that has a great web site that she will love WWW.theconeredcat.com . There is some great information on there as well as people.
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Old November 30, 2013, 09:04 AM   #23
rodfac
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I agree that she should make the choice... with some caveats. Wives of friends who've come to our farm to try out my guns, have often hung up on the weight of the gun....I explain that weight helps dampen recoil, and then the discussion goes to, "I don't want it to kick at all". I've found that it takes an afternoon of .22's, then light loaded .38's to get past some of the built-in prejudice.

Simplicity is a selling point. I've come to the conclusion that for most men or women a revolver is the best choice. For those that don't want to practice whatsoever, it's the only choice. Trigger pull in the DA mode must be light enough to allow weak hands to manipulate.

I've seen a few of my friends talk their wives into an auto, simply because that's what their carrying or like. With slides to rack, magazines to load...insert, safeties on and off...they just don't get the ladies comfortable with the gun. A revolver that fits their hands is usually what they've picked after a bit of time trying the others.

A revolver, in .38 special, lightly loaded initially...but let her pick it...that'll fill the bill.

HTH's Rod (PS: my wife started with a .22 revolver, but now shoots a Glock 23 and a S&W M637...but it took some time to get her to this point...now she's quite proud of her prowess).
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Old November 30, 2013, 09:27 AM   #24
jackpine
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if she is willing to shoot and carry it let her. When you get a little ahead send her to a pistol fighting class(James Yeager or Suarez int are good) so she can make an informed choice on her next pistol
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Old November 30, 2013, 09:50 AM   #25
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You answered your own question when you titled this thread...

"wife's ccw choice".
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