[Lt.Dan]

Well the story is that my wife just about completely hates guns. She likes them for home safety but absolutely hates the fact that I want my kids to be shooting before they are 8. My kids are 3 and 4 now and I have already been teaching them gun safety and the rules about guns. She says our kids will not touch a gun until they are at least 14, I disagree. She has quit talking to me for the night because I told her she's totally wrong haha. She also has a minor issue with me going shooting and such.

It's kind of interesting that I married her haha. Me being a former Marine who is somewhat fascinated with war and all military aspects and her who is all about art and paintings and such. Odd couple at best.

Can someone help? Ladies of the forum? Thanks.

 

[Mrs. Hammer]

Let her come with me and Ree we will talk to her and teach her a few thing. My kids are 8 and 4 and both currently shoot have the utmost respect for guns and are good kids. Lil' Hammer the 4 year old knows every visible part on a gun and can show you and tell you what they are and what they do. Miss Hammer who is 8 and a half out shoots most folks no matter how old they are when she shoots against them. Give her my number I will gladly spend a day with her talking about this as a woman shooter who has kids that shoot also.

 

[Lt.Dan]

That would be great. I know she wants a gun one day, just a .380 for her car and not the pink one. She is just very uninformed when it comes to them and doesn't want to hear it when I bring it up. She just thinks they are totally unsafe even tho I grew up with them and I teach the kids every day. She just doesn't want them shooting or around them being shot. This issue is testing my patience every day. I can't thank you enough Goethe help.

 

[Mrs. Hammer]

No problem. Will message ya my number.

 

[Beladran]

my wife is scared of guns an flys of the chart when i left her my pistol when i went out of town. I am gonna get her and her mom to take a nra basic pistol class with cliff cargil its 10 hours 100 rounds of ammo and $350 each

 

[Lt.Dan]

My wife would not go to a class, let alone spend the cash for it. I just wish she would accept the fact that there is going to be gun in the house and I do know how teach safety. I tried to get her to at least practice racking a round into my XD and she didn't even want to bother. It's to the point where I don't even bring the subject just to make her happy. I would be at a lot more shoots and matches but she would lose her mind.

Mrs. Hammer, I'll give her your number and I hope she calls ya. I thank you very much for the help.

 

[shoeshooter]

Time solves a lot of problems. Go slow, let her come up to speed on her own. Had the same problem with my wife of 15 years, except for the kids part, ours are grown. Within just the past year she has gone from flat-out hating guns to now making sure I have one stashed in nearly every room. She isn't shooting yet, but it's getting closer. I'm not pushing it, just letting it evolve on HER terms. You have lots of time, so no need to push it.

 

[Mrs. Hammer]

No problem and if she wants she can go with me and Miss Hammer to the range 1 afternoon to spend sometime just being around a kid shooting and a parent of a kid that shoots so if she wants she can ask me all the questions in the world.

 

[sidroski]

Best money you'll spend. I hope there is not an incident to change her mind. My wife was gun neutral until she had something scare the heck out of her (Mrs. Hammer knows all about it) when she lived in CA. She was shocked that people here had several guns and carried them. Hope it doesn't come to that for your wife.

 

[jakeg823]

My fiance was the same way when we first met even though her dad and both brother in laws(now one is a former) were always into guns and shooting. And she never showed much interest until one day my brother and I were going out to some family land to shoot(way out in the boonies...the trip that made me decide to join at the mag). She said she just wanted to watch and try a couple to be familiar with the operation for when she's at my house and I'm not around. So she shot my brothers p22 a bit. Liked it ok. Shot my Kimber compact. Didn't like it. Shot my xdm40, really didnt like it. Picked up the p22 again and burned through about 300 rounds of ammo before any of us realized. Now she's bugging me for one of her own

 

[Mrs. Hammer]

And that is another reason I'm willing to talk with any woman. I personally experienced somethings that will make ya reconsider doing things you never thought you would do. Also I know if my kids go somewhere else I know they have enough knowledge that if someone else pulled out a gun (i.e. A child showing off daddys new pistol he found and has been told not touch but not why he shouldn't touch it)they can be safe for themselves and others around because my children both know how to check a gun to see if its loaded, if the safety is on, that foir no reason should it be pointed at anyone etc... I can feel safe in my childrens knowledge because its been taught to them as they have grown and since they could move around the house on their own power. Guns to my children are not a mystery and are as common as any household item or piece of furniture. My kids see a gun and don't think to much of it and if they do happen to notice a gun in their near vicinity they ask the owners permission as well as either mine or Hammers to touch it.

 

[Lt.Dan]

These are all great points and I hope she can call you. She's mostly scared of the kids and such because she sees all these kids getting hurt but doesn't realize we all know what we are doing and such. We are having the discussion now so we will see what comes of it. Thanks for everything everyone.

 

[Will_M]

Something I've learned.

The more you try to tell your wife/significant other something they don't want to hear, the further you push them in the other direction.

Get someone else to say it. Like Cliff Cargill.

He's a fantastic teacher. Just ask the two women who had never touched a gun, and just about three months later were embarrassing some of the regulars at the USPSA matches.

To summarize: Get someone else (who is qualified) to teach her.

 

[Lt.Dan]

Yea that might be it. I told her I would and I was even a Marksmanship instructor in the Marine Corps but sue didn't care. Maybe it's the Marine mentality she doesn't like all that much. I'll see what she wants to do.

 

[94LEVERFAN]

Get her tp take a class. Bought my wife a 5-hsot S&W right after we got married. She shot well but wouldn't carry. Signed her up for self defense class at surplus city. She was best shot in class. Not afraid to leave the house with it now. Bruce.

 

[RIVERBILLY]

love her anyway she may come around:2tup:

 

[g76t32]

I'm lucky that my wife doesn't hate guns, but there are other topics that we do not see eye to eye on. I think the best thing is to let her hear it from someone else and someone else teach her. I've made the mistake of telling my wife that she was "wrong", well I've learned now that is the WRONG that to do. Every time though subjects come up she gets defensive.

 

[Lt.Dan]

Yea I let her read this thread and she says she doesnt "hate" guns shes just scare of them and the kids getting hurt. She has never been around them until she met me so she doesnt know anything really about them, she has no interest so when I start talking about them she just walks away. She likes that I teach the kids about them but she reads too much stuff about the bad things out there and not the good. I told her when my daughter turns 5 I'm going to take her out to the range ans let her shoot the .22, I will be taking her out them out there before just toget familiar with it and see exactly what guns do. It's also hard because we dont know anyone at all in the state so we have no babysitters or friends really so her and I could go to the range. It will all work out in time and I thank everyone for their input.

 

[Xd357]

While my wife wasn't scared of long guns as she was of handguns. 1st time I ran into Cliff was at BP. Found out he was an firearm instructor. So we took his class. And about 21hours and 500 rounds of ammo later she as very comfortable and has shot a few matches and wants to shoot more just doesn't have the time. I think it's the unknown that scares them the most and once you educate(sp?) them they'll feel better about it. My wife now has 3 guns that are hers.

Good luck, be easy and she'll come around.

 

[teirst]

Couple of things I can recommend that have been working with my wife.

1. take her to the range, don't stay more than an hour and make SURE she has good hearing protection. If she does not want to shoot don't force her. DON'T FORCE HER (that is really important)

2. Randomly do something she likes with her. My wife really enjoys the show "Glee" however always watches it in the other room because she does not want to have to "sit" through it. When the weeks new episode came on we sat together and watched it. It was not terrible for me and she seemed more ready to try the gun thing after.

3. Don't talk about guns a lot, after awhile she will and I am sure already does get sick of it.

4. Air guns are great. There is almost no recoil and they can be very non threatening. (gongs/spinning targets are great)

5. Rather then convince her that guns are important for self defense go with the way to bring the family together thing. How much time and enjoyment you had as a child with your father teaching you to shoot is another great one. Tell her it is part of your life, and you would like her to be part of it.

A few more tips can be found here http://corneredcat.com/Men/wifehateguns.aspx

That site also has a lot of great information for female gun owners/females interested in guns. It even shows special techniques for things like racking a slide that can be difficult for woman.

EDIT: http://corneredcat.com/Men/recurring.aspx has some more good info