I'm so confused.

[ElGato]

After telling my husband that he was not allowed to have a gun--in much harsher words--he came home with one anyway. You can see how much pull I have. Anyway, I was very wary of having guns in the house and wanted nothing to do with them. I didn't know how to tell if it was loaded, how to load it, how to aim, shoot, etc. When I quickly determined that the guns weren't going away--and I wasn't willing to get rid of my husband just yet-- I signed up for an NRA basic gun safety course at the gun range. It was the best thing I could have done. I learned all about the weapon from someone besides my husband, which was probably a wise move. You can ask the stupid questions and feel inept much more easliy around strangers. Additionally, I took a friend with me who also had a gun-owning husband. We both felt much more comfortable after the class. I have suggested the basic gun safety class to other women who are uncomfortable around guns, or with the idea of guns in general, and hope they end up as comfortable as I am. I followed up a year later with a CHL class and even own my own gun. I am now shopping for a smaller one that I can comfortably carry concealed. Good luck!

Mrs. Glockenhammer

Mrs. Glockenhammer is more than comfortable with shooting, she's very good from what I have seen.

[maximus2161]

And frustrated at the same time.

This woman I'm currently dating does not see the reason why I conceal carry. Pretty much all she sees is guns takes lifes. I've already told her that this is something I will do as a last resort to save a life. She just can't seem to understand.

I just can't win.

My wife was the same way.....no longer. Now she EXPECTS me to be carrying. I am hoping for her to get her CHL. Now she is considering it. Besides I told her there is NOTHING like seeing a beautiful woman (meaning her..heehee) with a quality firearm in some nice leather strapped to her side. WOW!

[stevie_d_64]

This woman I'm currently dating does not see the reason why I conceal carry. Pretty much all she sees is guns takes lifes. I've already told her that this is something I will do as a last resort to save a life. She just can't seem to understand.

I just can't win.

OK, how about this. "Honey, I am so devoted to you that I would do anything to protect you, including, as a last resort, using a firearm. If anything ever happened to you, and I did not do everything I was capable of to prevent it, then I just could not live with myself."

Then, if all goes well, you can take it a step further. "Since I can't be with you all the time, I would feel much better if you were willing to learn to defend yourself as well." Then work on finding her a female shooting coach. Most local ranges know someone.

And, just so you don't get too discouraged, know that this may not be easy or quick. There are some deep seated reasons that women don't like firearms. One is ignorance. You fear what you do not know. And then there is the fear of being embarassed while you are trying to learn, and fear of being ridiculed by other women when they find out you shoot.

And the last thing, and the one no woman wants to admit: if I admit that I might need to defend myself sometime, then I am admitting that something bad could happen to me. As long as I never admit that something bad could, indeed, happen to ME, then I can feel safe in my own mind. Bad logic, perhaps, but you do what you have to, to rationalize these things.

You smooth talker you!

I need to write these down...May come in handy one day...

[maximus2161]

one day my wife said to me that she thought only active police officers should carry guns. I told her that line of thinking is narrow minded. I posed this to her: If a violent crime is going to happen what are the chances there will be a police officer standing next to you & ready to defend you when it happens. I pray that never happens of course but she did say I had a valid point. I told her that just because I have a CHL and can legally carry doesnt mean I or any other responsible CHL holder would come thru such an event unharmed. It just gives you the ability to do so. She has since come around.

I think partially that most folks (who oppose guns or are just unfamiliar) see our line of thinking (in regards to being able to defend ourselves) as a morbid outlook and that violent crimes happen to other people.

Yesterday in the news in Dallas a lady was leaving work going to her car and was shot by some 24 year old criminal. Police suspect it was a robbery. Everytime I hear something tragic like this it always makes me think really hard.

[KBCraig]

one day my wife said to me that she thought only active police officers should carry guns.

"But, honey, if no one has guns besides the police, then why would the police need them?"
"Well, because the criminals would still have guns too!"
". . . "

[CompVest]

Kinny,

Follow Jason's advise and drop me an email if you like.

[stevie_d_64]

Reasonably prepared does not equal "paranoid".

Just kidding, be gentle.

Reference tagline below...

[stevie_d_64]

BTW...

My girlfriend (now wife) never really had a choice...Guns were part of the "Steve" package...

The rest is history!

The problem is that now she has a taste, and wants, no desires, the same tastes I have...

Ironical-able...Isn't it?

Kinny...There are a lot of women here that are very qualified and empathetic to her concerns...I can already see she's warming up to the idea...You're doing fine there muh man!

[razoraggie]

LOL...not to make too light of the situation....
But you can assure her that she is dating a person that undergoes the same background check as most LEOs. Maybe that will make her feel a little more secure.

[RPBrown]

How about an update Kenny.

[casselthief]

the same background check as most LEOs.

really? I didn't have to give personal references, and I don't think the DPS ran a credit check, or called my best friend of 11years to see what he had to say about me.

not trying to be a thug, but you don't wanna start lying to her this early in the relationship.

at least wait until you've been dating a while!

[NcongruNt]

one day my wife said to me that she thought only active police officers should carry guns. I told her that line of thinking is narrow minded. I posed this to her: If a violent crime is going to happen what are the chances there will be a police officer standing next to you & ready to defend you when it happens. I pray that never happens of course but she did say I had a valid point. I told her that just because I have a CHL and can legally carry doesnt mean I or any other responsible CHL holder would come thru such an event unharmed. It just gives you the ability to do so. She has since come around.

I think partially that most folks (who oppose guns or are just unfamiliar) see our line of thinking (in regards to being able to defend ourselves) as a morbid outlook and that violent crimes happen to other people.

Yesterday in the news in Dallas a lady was leaving work going to her car and was shot by some 24 year old criminal. Police suspect it was a robbery. Everytime I hear something tragic like this it always makes me think really hard.

On a more personal and related note, this happened to my mother, but in a much more prolonged way. If anyone reading has doubts about the need for a woman to arm herself, please read and reconsider.

We lived in Las Vegas, Nevada - at the time (1984) a small and tight-knit community. She was rear-ended by a man in another vehicle on her way home from work, and when she stopped to exchange information, she was kidnapped by that man. She was taken out to the desert, raped, beaten, strangled, then shot in the head 5 times.

I was 5 years old, my little sister was 2. It's not just something that happens in newspapers and to other people. It can happen to your family and it can happen to you. There are people out there willing and ready to commit unthinkable atrocities to anyone they can make a victim. You have the ability arm and defend yourself against these people. You have the power to refuse to become victimized.

EDIT: after reading through some old newspaper articles recently, I've learned a little more about my mom's murder. The guy who killed her was 16. She was shot in the head 6 times, not 5. It was a .25 caliber pistol. She and her car were found not far from the murderer's home, by children on their way to school the next morning.

[Venus Pax]

That's a horrible thing to experience. I know that probably isn't easy to talk about, but I'm glad you shared it. This apparently wasn't a woman involved in drugs or other poor lifestyle choices--she was merely targeted and went through something horrible because SOMEONE ELSE has a cruel mind.

I wish more women would consider learning to use as many forms of self-defense as they can. They people that are able fight back often make it out alive and well, and their families don't have to struggle for years with their loss.

[NcongruNt]

That's a horrible thing to experience. I know that probably isn't easy to talk about, but I'm glad you shared it. This apparently wasn't a woman involved in drugs or other poor lifestyle choices--she was merely targeted and went through something horrible because SOMEONE ELSE has a cruel mind.

I wish more women would consider learning to use as many forms of self-defense as they can. They people that are able fight back often make it out alive and well, and their families don't have to struggle for years with their loss.

It has become easier over time, though the emotions still came back as I was posting earlier. I would say that I've come to accept the difficulties life has dealt me and continue on. Most of the difficulty for me in the past has come from growing up without a mother. It's something I wouldn't wish on anyone. I'm sure it was much more difficult for my father. He has put the past behind him for the most part, but I cannot fathom how I could handle being in his place and what he went through... one reason I very much want my girlfriend to learn to defend herself and eventually get a CHL when she feels comfortable. I also have 2 older siblings who were 16 and 20 at the time, and I know it was difficult for both of them, especially my older sister. It was a very high-profile case, and even now when I come across people who lived in Las Vegas at the time, they recognize my last name and remember what happened.

[Sara_XD]

And frustrated at the same time.

This woman I'm currently dating does not see the reason why I conceal carry. Pretty much all she sees is guns takes lifes. I've already told her that this is something I will do as a last resort to save a life. She just can't seem to understand.

I just can't win.

sounds like a deal breaker you should probly find someone more like minded to date.