courtesy articles.courant.com

By Christy S.

There’s a lot being said these days about the dramatic climb in the number of female gun owners in the US.  Women’s groups are popping up everywhere.  The internet is full of female-focused gun/training articles.  Local network news is picking up stories about all female classes or women’s day at the range.  It’s something of interest to most men out there, especially those who have been trying to get their wife or girlfriend to the range without success. Right about now, I can imagine some of you doing the V-8 face-palm and exclaiming: “Why can’t I get MY gal out to the range?!”  While some ladies simply lack any desire whatsoever to get anywhere near a firearm, there are many out there who simply don’t respond because the approach is all wrong.  I’m here to help . . .

There are lots of reasons you may want your gal to be gun-ready.

Some of ’em not so valid:

1.  Because I want a new gun and maybe she won’t balk at the expense if she can enjoy it too.
2.  I just want her to stop nagging me about how much time and $$$ I spend on my hobby.
3.  I need another person in the house who knows how to clean a gun.  I get a little woozy when I smell Hoppe’s No. 9.
4.  I just want to be able to brag about my pistol-packin’ mama.

Some of ’em are very valid:

1.  Because there’s a gun in the house and she should know how to handle it safely.
2.  Because I want her to be able to protect herself at home / outside the home.
3.  Because everyone should know safe gun-handling, regardless of whether they have a gun.
4.  So we can spend some time together at the range/hunting.

Recommendation No. 1:  Go with a valid reason and explain with sincerity, not pressure.  We ladies love it when our men care about us and show genuine concern for our well-being.  We also want to spend time with you even if it means participating in something we may not have otherwise had an interest in doing.  However, if we feel like we are being coerced we tend to react in a very negative way.

If you’re successful with recommendation no. 1 and your lady has decided she’s ready, you’ll need to properly introduce your her to safe firearm handling.

What not to do:

1.  Insist that you are the best there is and that she must learn from you if she wants to get it right.
2.  Sign her up for a basic pistol class without discussing it with her first.  Instructors just LOVE the no-shows.
3.  Drag her down to the range and ask your gun-nerd friend to give her the run-down.
4.  Drag her down to the range on its busiest day of the week, stick a 1911 in her palm, and give the command to shoot.

Better choices:

1.  Find some helpful videos on the internet for beginning shooters.  Be careful in your selection.  There are some fantastic videos out there, but there are also some harmful ones.
2.  Suggest that she find a friend who would be interested in learning with her and tell her where to find women’s/beginner courses in your area.  If she doesn’t have an interested friend, you can still give her the list of suggested courses or the sites where she can find them.
3.  Suggest that she find a friend and send her to some good female oriented sites to find local women only events.
4.  Introduce her to another female shooter you know (preferably one with character and proper handling knowledge) and let them make arrangements to visit the range together.

Recommendation No. 2:  You’re here to help, not to keep giving your lady the business about what she NEEDS to do.  Giving her the information she needs to make the decision for herself will allow her to feel empowered in the choices she makes.  She may not know where to start.  That’s where you come in with the right stuff.  Think about it….if you didn’t know how to drive a car, would you want to be taught by your wife/girlfriend?

If you’ve successfully accomplished your goal of getting your sweet to the range and she comes back with enthusiasm: by all means, encourage her and help her to remain interested.

How not to keep her interested:

1.  Run to the nearest gun store and buy her the perfect carry gun.  She’s going to need it!
2.  Break out the 1911 and tell her that’s her goal ’cause there ain’t nothin’ finer.
3.  Tell her how everything she learned in that class is so wrong.  “Lemme show you something!”
4.  Talk about guns 24/7, ’cause now she’s interested enough to listen.

How to be encouraging:

1.  Listen as she explains what excited her or what was scary.  Offer advice only when solicited.
2.  Take her to a range that rents pistols so she can try them all (if so desired) until she finds the one that’s right for her.
3.  Reinforce good behaviors at the range.  Fill her in on range etiquette or safe-handling she may not have picked up in that class/outing.
4.  Encourage her to take more classes.

Recommendation No. 3 (it’s a twofer):  A.  Give your lady some credit.  Shooters don’t all have the same brain cells, hand shape/size, or coordination.  The learning curve varies from person to person.   There’s a good chance that if you’ve been shooting since you were knee-high to a grasshopper you have forgotten how long it actually took you to “get it”.  Don’t assume that your sweetheart will instantly become expert marksman.

B.  Provide support and help with research, but do not choose the firearm for her.  No matter how much knowledge and experience you have, you don’t know what’s best for her.  It is important to allow your woman to select her own firearm.  Handguns are a VERY personal thing.  It’s why you and that Glock guy are always having the debate.  A carry gun is going to have more recoil than a full sized handgun and will NOT be pleasant to shoot.  It is not the gun for a beginner.  Besides, she just started shooting and she’s not ready to carry!  Give her the information (not the spiel), let her make the decision.

So there you have it.  I speak from personal experience as both a woman whose introduction to shooting is still fresh enough in her mind to remember the process (the Ruger LCR with +P ammo does not make for a good first outing) and as a firearms instructor (fellas, your wives get frustrated when you “teach” them).  A little encouragement/support goes a long way.  We ladies have a keen sense of what you’re up to.  If you mean well and you are supportive without being pushy, we will respond.

Good luck, fellas!

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72 COMMENTS

  2. Good post. One question: “fellas, your wives get frustrated when you ‘teach’ them.”

    Why?

    • Same reason that a family member shouldn’t ‘teach’ someone to drive. It’s difficult to be steady, even-handed, and neutral when the relationship is that close.

      • It can be done, but not everyone knows how to teach or instruct. A father trying to teach a child can be overbearing. Teaching driving or firearms handling should be low stress. Sometimes, normal relationship stress can spill over into the teacher/student relationship.

        There are a myriad of issues. Teacher/Instructor not understanding their role and the student not being able to disassociate the normal relationship from the teaching relationship (as examples).

    • Because they’re smarter than us. And I mean that sincerely. We refer to my wife as a single mother of 3 with me being her oldest and most difficult child. No one has contested this statement to date 🙂

    • And because no matter how much you know or how good a teacher you are she will always (even if subconsiously) resent being put in a position where she is at an intellectual disadvantage. People like to think they know the answers to important questions and being shown that they don’t by someone they are close to as opposed to being taught by an acknowedged expert carries an entirely different dynamic.

    • Because if you are married to a smart independent woman, like me, and/or have a daughter which is equally smart and independent, then they want to learn on their own terms. Men have a tendency (myself included) to immediately want to fix things, show them the “right” way, or want to keep them safe. I find myself being a wee bit overprotective. Me: blah blah blah. her: let me figure this out myself daddy, i’ll be fine. I find that when i back off a bit and suffer a wince or two – because, you know, they are doing it wrong – things go much better. I have found that “suggestions” work best, as long as its their idea in the first place.

    • Well, I should qualify that comment. It’s a generalization that is easily misconstrued. I didn’t want the article to be a mile long. For one thing, let me just say that, though my significant other did a fantastic job of teaching me, I still felt frustrated. It’s not always about the teaching method. It’s mostly (for me, anyway–and I believe most people in relationships) that we tend to want to impress our significant others–and with something like learning to shoot, there’s a learning curve that is better suited for learning from someone you aren’t trying to impress. Also, I’ve seen and experienced the “Just relax, honey!” This is the equivalent of taking a fully experienced shooter of typical commercial firearms, handing him a recoilless rifle, and as he steadies to shoot, telling him to “Just relax, dude.” Just saying.

    • My wife is pretty good about taking firearms instruction from me, but she does much better with my father. He’s career military, an amazing shot – I did not inherit his 20/12 vision – and she defers to him more readily than me. It hurts the ego a bit, but so be it. He can teach my son, as well. Heck, he taught me.

    • Ralph while I dont act like Gods gift to shooting, my ex wife hated me helping her. Granted there was always tension between us but even simple things like telling her not to point the gun anywhere but down range would set her off… as she is flagging other lanes.

  3. I’m guilty of many of the don’ts but also follow many of the do’s. Especially with gun selection. When she got her license we went to the store. She wanted a .22, fine, lame caliber, whatever, she’s very recoil sensitive. I just wanted her to have “her own” gun, after handling the Sig Mosquito, Walther P22 and SR22 she decided on the SR22, I concurred having handled them each myself. Now she complains because I take “her” gun to the range all the time. I’m an evangelist for the damn thing now and think everyone should own one (or 5).

    Seriously though, when it comes to taking any newbie to the range always start with a .22. It was the first gun ever put in my hand, and I’m a very big guy. It just gives a great amount of experience with handling a firearm that bigger calibers may not due to the noise/recoil. Most importantly they are FUN to shoot. I don’t care who you are or how long you’ve been shooting, .22’s are fun to shoot and everyone loves to shoot them or it wouldn’t be so damn hard finding .22 ammo these days. The most important thing in getting someone interested in shooting is to make sure they enjoyed it! As for it’s limitations as a defensive gun, it’s still very lethal at bedroom distances and as we know the gun you have when you need it is the best one in the world at that moment.

    As for the bigger stuff work up to those, it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. If she (or he for that matter) never gets there, so what? At least they’re at the range with you shooting something! Be happy for what you have.

    • Technical question – wouldn’t emptying that SR22 quickly at center of mass be roughly the equivilent of a load of OOO from a 20 guage? I think the biggest problem with smaller calibers may be the delusion that you shoot once and you’re done.

      • Yeah, but emptying an entire magazine into an attacker might constitute as “excessive force” in the eyes of a D.A.

        • WA, I don’t think the number of shots is as important to the DA as the type of shots. 10 rounds of .22 into the heart lung area of an attacker in your home is not likely to be a problem so long as it was a good shoot to start with.

          Now 8 rounds into his chest and then 2 more in the back of the head while he’s laying there on the floor is going to raise some issues with the DA.

        • I’m not a lawyer, but juries work on emotion. Sure a 250lb guy mag dumps a .40 into a 180lb attacker in the wrong state you might have a problem, but now make it a 125lb woman vs. a 200lb guy shooting “a puny little .22 in defense of herself and her children against a large man with a BAC of .2 and methamphetamine in his system” and emotions swing the other way fast.

          That said I do believe there was a case in TX of all places where Granny got life for firing 5 rounds into the bad guy that was in here house, so go figure?

          What its mostly going to come down to is did he stop or drop before you stopped shooting? He does one of those stop, otherwise, continue until it goes click, then reload. Better 12 judging than 6 carrying.

        • Because of the disparity in size and strength, women are pretty much assumed to be in mortal danger from an attacking male. Unless the woman is a ninja and the man represents the Lollipop Guild, she is unlikely to be prosecuted for being overzealous in her own defense. And if she is an old woman and he is a young man, she’s more likely to be deified than prosecuted.

  4. My wife likes to shoot but she has to work on her eye-dominance.

    I msade the mistake of letting her shoot a 9mm first. She thought it was OK. She wouldn’t admit the recoil was a little much for her to begin with.

    The First time I took the oldest to the range we tried a P22. I liked it and so did he, so I bought one. Now the wife likes it also.

    Now, I recomend everyone start with a .22. It allows you to work on mechanics without having to be concerned with a lot of recoil.

    • I tried the P22, have even shot one. Great gun with one caveat: I couldn’t get around the trigger guard mag release, felt too close to the trigger. The SR22 is essentially a P22 with the mag realease in the “proper” place. Does it work out after you get used to it?

    • Sounds like it’s time for another .22 pistol. or two!
      For .22 rolvers, would not buy another until I rented a few first.

  5. “the Ruger LCR with +P ammo does not make for a good first outing”

    You got that right! Ruger LCR can be a nice gun but not usually right out of the box.
    Mine had a hard plastic Crimson Laser Grip, standard blade front sight, and recommended P+ .38 ammo. Ouch! painful recoil, major muzzell flip, big boom.
    Did change out front sight to XS dot front sight, changed out grip to Ruger Boot, and
    purchased .38 wad cutter ammo. It’s still not a range gun plinker but is a very good revolver for self defense. 2nd gun purchased Bersa .380 pistol and best purchase of all Ruger SR .22 This is the one I shoot most. With two 10 round magazines provided, if I can’t get 5 rounds center mass & 5 headshots by this time. A .40 caliber pistol is not going to get it done. Highest caliber I’m likely to carry is .380 Bersa or might add Bersa 9 mm to collection. Right now all my discretionary income is going to ammo, not a new gun.

    • My best friend bought a LCR “for his wife.” Biggest fail ever. She hates it, and she really likes shooting. We took it to the range with his brother, who is 6′ 5″ 270 lbs. and a former college defensive end. He hated it and refused to shoot it anymore after 5 rounds because “it hurt.” And, he’s a gun guy. (A complete wuss, but a gun guy.) I think it is a fabulous firearm, but not exactly what I would introduce someone on. Light weight snubbies are not a beginner gun. My wife, who is not a gun fan but is coming around, seems to do best with heavier guns. She even refers to my CZ Kadet and Ruger 22/45 as hers. Love her.

      • I see the snubby centerfire and the 1911 as the type of gun best left to experienced shooters.

        • I don’t know about the 1911. My wife has less complaints about it than a non-steel, full size or duty size 9mm or .40 like the Glock, XD, or my PPQ. Her favorites are the Beretta 92 and CZ 75, but she doesn’t hate 1911s. And she is darn accurate with them.

        • JeffR, I was thinking more along the safe handling aspects of the 1911. It’s a single action with a manual safety. A person needs to be really comfortable with handling the 1911 as an EDC gun. If you’re just taking it to the range and then returning it to the safe, that’s a little different.

          I occasionally rent a 1911 at the range for my wife and I to shoot. A lot of fun. But if we had the right to conceal carry it wouldn’t be my top choice for her or me for that matter.

      • ….I might add that not only did the LCR hurt, but left a mark (bruises in the web of my hand)! I bought a padded glove. Didn’t help. Besides, what good is it when you can’t stop the hoodlum so you can glove up? I immediately began renting guns until I found the one that made me happy. My M&P 9mm is still my favorite though I have others to choose from. I have to agree with some of the others on the .22 front too. It should have been my first, but I have a sweet Mark III 22/45 that is soooo much fun to shoot. I teach with it and the students love it too!

        • I’m a large male, Christy. The only time I wear a glove is when I’m shooting my airweight j frame. 158 grain +p loads get uncomfortable real quick. I usually shoot 50-75 standard pressure loads and then just 10-15 of the plus Ps just to keep my hand in with them. But I wouldn’t trade my j frame for anything.

  7. BTW Great article! A smart local gun shop would hand article to guys coming in to buy the little lady a weapon. No sale likely that day, but plenty of repeat business.

  8. Raise your hand if you think a male writer of a similar article could have gotten away with the word, “gal”! Mine’s staying down. Double standard. And men don’t get in hot water for saying “the guys”. Feminism tilted the plane, and we need to set it straight!

    • Raise your hand if you think we can win the 2a issue without women supporting us? If they don’t like us using a certain word, who cares if it protects our 2a rights? Or are you looking forward to difi and slow joe winning this fight?

      • Exactly, women not only comprise 50% of eligible voters but are also more likely to ACTUALLY vote! As for PC, the person in question is always allowed to use perjoratives that apply to themselves that others can’t. Get over it, who cares, doesn’t matter. Wars, not battles.

        • Too true. I am a below knee amputee (long story, but ended well). I was cautioned by my first prosthetist and several rehab staff that the remainder of my leg was not called a stump. “It is properly termed a residual limb.” I fired the prosthetist, skipped out of rest of rehab (hired my own trainer), and use the term stump to this day. My rationale is that I’m the amputee – I can and should call it whatever the hell I want.

          Nice article, Christy. Now if my wife would just do what I say and get to the range everything would be fine. Sigh. I am such a man. But I am trying.

    • I, for one, would not be offended if anyone called me a “gal”. I grew up in the south and have been called anything from “honey” to “sugar” by random strangers. Fine enough with me…just don’t let me catch my significant other calling me his “old lady”. *cringe*

      • Prescience, Christy. Prescience.

        I see what you did there, Ralph. Well played, sir.

  9. “A carry gun is going to have more recoil than a full sized handgun and will NOT be pleasant to shoot.”

    My only quibble was this line. That is absolutely not true. I wouldn’t buy and carry a gun that was unpleasant to shoot, because then I wouldn’t practice with it. Every class of gun has “the right one.” Sometimes it just takes some work to find it.

    • You’re right, Matt. There are some smaller framed guns that are more pleasant to shoot than others, but you (I am assuming) are an experienced shooter). From my own experience and from teaching new shooters, I wouldn’t recommend any type of carry gun for a first outing. A .22 would be ideal, but if there isn’t one available, the full-framed handguns tend to absorb more of the recoil than a smaller-framed carry pistol. The point is that if it is unpleasant to shoot, you might have a hard time getting her back out there.

      • Your final point is spot-on, for sure. I suppose it depends on what you’re carrying, too. I carry a P238, so recoil is minimal, and it’s VERY comfortable to shoot, because it’s got some weight to it. Every girl/woman that’s shot it has liked it, and asked to shoot more. One really cute French girl (in her first experience with guns) called it “The Noisy Cricket.”

        It’s not all about caliber, though. On a recent range trip with some friends, the range had a rental of the new Springer XD(S) in .45. All of us, including the girls, were pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it was to shoot, despite the gaping hole at the muzzle.

        • I find .45 easier to shoot than 9 or .40. It’s a slow moving round that gives more a push than a snap like the others. I’d probably shoot it exclusively if it wasn’t so damn expensive.

        • I completely agree. I was just giving another example of a lightweight carry weapon (that happens to have a big hole in the front) that’s very comfortable to shoot.

        • Kevin, I figured that was true for me being as I started on a 1911 platform (and those are a dream to shoot).

          However, when I started trying out sub-compacts, I found the XD(s) a real pain to shoot. Literally, a pain; the backstrap scraped the skin off the base of my thumb. I won’t carry it because I know I’m reluctant to train with it.

          My P938, however, is wonderful. I stepped up to it from a P238. I anticipate those being my carry and backup guns for a long, long time.

      • That is very true. I am a 110 lb, 5’7″ female. My dad had me out squirrel hunting when I was 5. First taught me how to shoot with a 410. Then we worked up to the 20, then the 12……. Only when I was a teenager did I get introduced to handguns, by the step-father of a friend of mine, and he had us shooting a .45. It was a little too much for me. Later in life I bought my Beretta Neos 22. I can shoot for hours. No kick and no shaking arms because the gun isn’t too heavy. When you are introducing shotguns to a lady, stand back and take an objective look at her, ask yourself…..would she be more comfortable shooting a youth model? It will come up easier. It’s much lighter. Not as much kick. A more enjoyable first experience. (Use light loads too) As far as picking guns to purchase for a lady, let her handle them, suggest ones to try, but ultimately, we are built different and our hands are different and many of the handgun grips are just too darn bulky for our little hands.

    • I have a S&W BG380 and have shot a S&W 9MM Shield, neither are particularly fun or pleasant to shoot. The BG is my primary carry, mostly because of how I dress and because it is so light and innocuous. My other go to is a Glock 26/27 equally not fun to shoot, especially for a noob, but at least isn’t going to remind you unpleasantly of the experience in the morning like the others. For noob’s, full sized steel framed single stack 9MM or .45 if you have to go center fire. .22 is always preferable for those crucial first 100 or so rounds though and probably many more after that. Another note on subcompacts, what’s by the bedside? I’m guessing it’s not a subcompact but rather a full size not only for round count but also because you can shoot it better. I’ve yet to meet anyone that would tell me they’re better with a subcompact than a full sized.

      • It’s funny that you mention a Bodyguard .380, as that was “the gun I’m going to buy” right up until I actually shot it. Of all the research I’d done, it seemed the most likely candidate for a home in my safe. I went to a local range that had the BG and a half-dozen or so other .380’s, and it was the first one I tried. I put a couple magazines through it, and decided it was distinctly unpleasant, and further decided to keep looking. I ended up with my P238, which wasn’t one of the ones I was able to try, but luckily turned out to be more comfortable than any of them.

        • P238 is a really cool looking gun, I call it a mini-1911. I’ve never shot one, but held it. It wasn’t for me, for my purposes, but I’d still like one someday. If it works for you, great, more reason for me to actually get some trigger time with one. I hate when people bash someone’s choices based on their preferences, to each our own, whatever works for you is fine by me.

        • BTW: I’m not insinuating you bashed my choices. Was more a general observation when people get into caliber/platform wars. I didn’t see your post as such. What irks me is when people confuse opinion with fact. Which again I didn’t see you as doing. (It’s so hard being polite on the internet sometimes, lol.)

  10. Agree with much you’ve written and appreciate your perspective. But…

    Sure am tired of the “All men are jerks, who couldn’t possibly teach a woman without acting like Neanderthals” bit. And got to have all female classes with all lady instructors. Of course.

    The sharpest firearms instructor in our area is a female with a national reputation. But us guys should insist on a male instructor and all male classes so we don’t get our wittle egos bruised by taking classes from a woman. Right? Guess I was also wrong to take three MSF classes where the lead instructor was a female?

    If we ain’t supposed to be sexist, why is it ok for you? I taught my last GF to shoot, my daughter, my niece. They all asked for my help ’cause they know I know a bit about guns, and they trust me to treat them with the same respect and consideration I always show them. My GF spent the day a couple weeks ago helping me with some spread and balance sheets, cause we both know math is not my strongest thing.

    Tired of being treated like a big bone head because I’ve got testicles.

    • She didn’t say all men are Neanderthals at all. Many women are more comfortable with a woman instructor just as they prefer a woman gynecologist. So what? Yeah, there are great women instructors, but no one’s gonna fault you for picking a male one if you want. Maybe she’s more comfortable in a room she perceives as being less threatening because its all women. Again, get over it, who cares, move on. If it helps more women start shooting it’s good for all of us.

  11. It;s possible I’m oversensitized because of the prevalence of male bashing in our society.

    In three different bullet points she stressed :

    2. Suggest that she find a friend who would be interested in learning with her and tell her where to find women’s/beginner courses in your area. …
    3. Suggest that she find a friend and send her to some good female oriented sites to find local women only events.
    4. Introduce her to another female shooter you know

    While the thrust of the piece (To me) was how we men should be supportive but bow out.

    Have met plenty of men who were overbearing or denigrating to their wives and girlfriends. Soft abuse, I consider it. But I don’t believe that’s the male default.

    • Doesn’t matter. All that counts is the perception, if that’s how she’s more comfortable who cares. If it gets more women shooting, it’s good for us all.

    • Yes, Bruce. You are over sensitized. I’m no feminist male-basher. In fact, I know a LOT of male instructors I’d send a female newbie to. My point was not that men are brutes. My point is that it might be better and more effective to encourage your wife/girlfriend to shoot by means of a more comforting environment than by trying to do it yourself. Women like structure and I’ve seen how attending a class or a women’s event has had an effect on several women first-hand. Also, as you may have noted from some of my previous comments, the relationship factor has an effect on the learning curve and comfort zone for the new shooter.

      I suspect that if the husband/boyfriend were the one who needed the encouragement and teaching, it might also be best to send him in search of a class or out to the range with some of his friends who know how to shoot. I wouldn’t know much about whether a man would feel the same pressure if his wife tried to teach him…. I see couples in classes, but usually it is both of them that are new to shooting.

  12. By the way great job Christy S. I also want to elaborate on the gun talk…..once you get your girl interested in guns. Christy mentioned it would not be a good idea to start talking guns 24/7. I totally agree. I love shooting. I love guns. I love hunting. Remember some of us, I know there are exceptions, just don’t get into all the different makers, models, calibers, sites, scopes, etc. I mentioned in an earlier post I have been shooting since I was 5. I never got totally into guns. I know what I use/have and have slowly learned a little more about others. I have 2 guys in the house that are always rattling off calibers and referring to M1s, M4s, Dimension, etc. It just doesn’t matter to me. Typing this out I almost feel like a schmuck, but this gives you guys a little more insight to how some of us girls are. I like the guns I have, they shoot, they’re sighted in, they do what I need/want them to do and that is all that matters to me.

    • Sounds like my wife. She wants a gun. Is comfortable using guns. Believes in 2a and has never told me I was spending too much time or money on my guns. But I am a gun guy/history buff. I know that if I rattle on about my favorite subject she’ll get the thousand yard stare and ignore me.

      I’m just happy and gratefull that she gets me and she has enough interest in guns to be safe and has the ability to protect herself if need be.

      • You are exactly right. That is awesome that you do not expect her to know it all just because you do.

    • Although it very important to know what make/model/caliber you own and shoot, I agree that you don’t have to know everything about guns.

  13. “Provide support and help with research, but do not choose the firearm for her. No matter how much knowledge and experience you have, you don’t know what’s best for her. It is important to allow your woman to select her own firearm. Handguns are a VERY personal thing.”

    + about 1000 on that. The very basic difference that most guys tend to forget is that EVERYONE’s hand size is different – hand size and finger length are CRITICAL to fit of a handgun, and a person’s ability to fire that handgun well. If the trainee can’t get a proper grip with the first joint “distal [first] crease” of her trigger finger centered on the trigger, the leverage will be all wrong for a correct trigger pull.

    Put it in caps: IT IS IMPORTANT TO ALLOW YOUR WOMAN TO SELECT HER OWN FIREARM.

    GOOD column, excellent advice – thanks, Christy.

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