She finally said it! (Wife)

[Fire-Medic]

God bless her I love my wife, and since we have met I have been trying to get her more turned "on" and not in the frat boy type of way but Situational Awareness (SA). We now have three little girls all 6 and under, and the news gets worse and worse everyday with what you see on it especially for us in a large metropolitan area. I have a handful of friends that are local LEO and worked the streets for 7 years as a Firefighter/Paramedic so I have had a chance to look inside that ugly window of life and see what the outcome can be from the brutality of man. One of my buddies works an undercover unit that deals with a lot of different things locally and sometimes he gives me a heads up on certain things to look out for. Well lately here and elsewhere in the country the teenage boys are playing a "knock out" game where the object is to knock out an innocent citizen who doesn't see you coming with one hit. Of course these dirt bags are picking on women. I have been telling the wife but today she saw it on the news and I made it a point to make her watch as two women about her age were left out cold on the ground after being sucker punched from behind.

She finally said "I want to start carrying". Now my wife is not new to guns and goes to the range with me a lot. But she has not had a formal type of training. I'm thinking about sending her to a Randy Cain Womens Hangun class he does, which is basically his Handgun 101 but all girls. I think it would be better for her, and quite frankly I think if I was in her first class she would not get as much out of it because she would be worried about what I think of her performance and I would be inclined to want to teach her (the little I know).

So while we can all go back ad forth on the new J frame and such (which I agree with) where do we go (or where do you guys go) with the significant other. My wife is always up and down with three kids when I'm working etc and is 120lbs soaking wet at 5'7. Expecting my wife to go to a G19 right off the bat is unrealistic at best.

First things she mentions is but remember how I dress I'm not gonna start dressing like grandma to carry. So in this specific situation I ask two things of fthe fellow members who have significant others who carry:

1) Is the RC 101 for Women a good place for her first class?
2) What is a realistic expectation to get her to carry? She is open to the G42, and I worked behind the gun counter for 2 years or so, and know very well let the lady choose what she wants.

She has lot's of time behind a Glock (thanks to me) and that's her comfort zone so that's why the G42 appeals to her..... do we get as wrapped up in caliber, capacity, etc with the wife off the bat, or just let her/get her to carry something to begin with and then try to upgrade from there?

She also mentioned wanting to try IDPA after her first formal training which blew my mind, the little voice in my head is saying FINALLY......

Thanks
FM

** Mods I did not know what the proper sub forum would be for this thread, if it's in the wrong place please move it to where need be. **

[41magfan]

If you can get her to on-body carry something like a .380 ALL OF THE TIME, she'll be better prepared than 99% of the part-time gun carrying population that may carry a better gun, but only when they think they'll need it. As to training, make her SAFE with her gun first, then make her reasonably proficient out to 20' or so. That will be a good place to launch from later if she does indeed "take" to carrying.

[Fire-Medic]

If you can get her to on-body carry something like a .380 ALL OF THE TIME, she'll be better prepared than 99% of the part-time gun carrying population that may carry a better gun, but only when they think they'll need it. As to training, make her SAFE with her gun first, then make her reasonably proficient out to 20' or so. That will be a good place to launch from later if she does indeed "take" to carrying.

Safety is not an issue IMHO at this point as both her father when he was raising her and I now were/are both safety freaks. As for 20' not a bad idea, she's been to the static range with me quite a bit but it's been a while so I guess now will be a good time to follow up on her desire and get her more involved on range time.

Thanks

[David S.]

She's about a month late... .
Ballistic Radio did a good interview with Kathy back in the early days of his show.

Either way, I suggest that she browse that website and/or buy Kathy's book. It's a good reference for anybody. It has a lot of information about women, families and firearms. My wife has shown vague interest in shooting. She enjoys her .22 plinking but is still unsure about potentially killing another person to defend her life. Next year when we are in a better financial position, I'm hoping to send/take her to one of her classes.

[Fire-Medic]

She's about a month late... .
Ballistic Radio did a good interview with Kathy back in the early days of his show.

Either way, I suggest that she browse that website and/or buy Kathy's book. It's a good reference for anybody. It has a lot of information about women, families and firearms. My wife has shown vague interest in shooting. She enjoys her .22 plinking but is still unsure about potentially killing another person to defend her life. Next year when we are in a better financial position, I'm hoping to send/take her to one of her classes.

Thanks I will leave the linked info open in a tab for her to look over later on after kids are asleep. Will look over it with her.

[41magfan]

I was remiss in expounding on the "being safe" thing;

Most woman that really do on-body carry 100% of the time usually end up with the gun just a little "deeper" than we would like in a perfect world. While most "serious" practitioners poo-poo things like Belly-bands, Flash Bang and pocket holsters, that's usually the manner in which the gun gets carried. These carry methods pose challenges that must be addressed in training and that's what I was making reference to since they can be time consuming, somewhat tedious and generally overlooked in most conventional training classes. Forgive me, I didn't mean to imply your wife was patently unsafe.

[Fire-Medic]

I was remiss in expounding on the "being safe" thing;

Most woman that really do on-body carry 100% of the time usually end up with the gun just a little "deeper" than we would like in a perfect world. While most "serious" practitioners poo-poo things like Belly-bands, Flash Bang and pocket holsters, that's usually the manner in which the gun gets carried. These carry methods pose challenges that must be addressed in training and that's what I was making reference to since they can be time consuming, somewhat tedious and generally overlooked in most conventional training classes. Forgive me, I didn't mean to imply your wife was patently unsafe.

No sir, my apologies as I did not intend for any certain "tone" in my reply. Things easily get lost in translation on the interwebz I was just simply stating she has had time with pistols and knows the safety rules, etc, etc. So that no one is under the impression that just because now she said I want to carry I'm just gonna slap a G42 on her and set her loose. She needs training, she will have three small children with her most of the time so safety is paramount for her and the kids.

You bring up a valid point on the modes of carry which I really had not considered. Thanks for bringing that up. I will start looking at AAR's as well to see what's out there.

Thanks

[JAD]

I'm thinking about sending her to a Randy Cain Womens Hangun class he does, which is basically his Handgun 101 but all girls.

You are one smart dude. If the situation was mine, this would be my first priority.

[Fire-Medic]

You are one smart dude. If the situation was mine, this would be my first priority.

I cannot stress enough to folks, how every time I take his Handgun 101 class I get something more out of it, plus he's solid instructor (quirks aside) and Irv and Watfa at Southern exposure are such nice people that when I see them they remind me of the good still left in humanity.

[JAD]

What quirks, asked the guy who still shoots Weaver?