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The Well Armed Woman is another popular women's group with chapters around the state/country.

I may be treading dangerous ground here, but I think actively encouraging men to bring their spouse shooting would help as well. When I go to the range, I see about half and half "solo" (or groups of guys) shooters, and couples, sometimes less than half on the couples. I don't think I've ever seen women shooting alone.

The only time I've gone to the range and didn't take my wife was when I took my grand daughter for father/daughter day (no father in the home). In addition, I've gone several times with my wife, and one or more of our daughters with their husbands.

Stuff like this makes me realize how lucky I am to be married to a shooter.

If I tried to go to the range without her, it'd be all over

My wife and I go together more often than not as well. I mentioned The Well Armed Woman because she got a membership to the local chapter and a holster for her birthday a few weeks ago.

PaJ wrote:My wife and I go together more often than not as well. I mentioned The Well Armed Woman because she got a membership to the local chapter and a holster for her birthday a few weeks ago.

I probably should have elaborated a little. My wife isn't really a "shooter". She goes along with me because she knows I enjoy it and she knows I'm asking her to learn to shoot for her own good. It's probably worth mentioning that she's actually (usually) more accurate than I am, though I can get off more center mass shots shots in a short time.

One of the daughters was initially totally "anti-gun" when her mother bought me my Glock for Christmas (she would regularly express concern about me carrying, though never quite to the point of telling me she didn't want me to). Her husband shared the concerns. Then, after about a year, he bought a gun too, "just to keep around the house". Then one day, out of the blue, he asked if I'd go to the range with him. I told him sure, that my wife and I would both join him, so he brought his wife. She wasn't going to shoot, then she got "interested", after watching us fire off a few shots (and, I think, especially after seeing her mom shoot more accurately than either of the guys). So, she asked to shoot a few. She fired off two rounds, missed the target completely, and said she didn't want to do any more. We gave her a few pointers, and convinced her to try a few more. She started hitting the target. Then she started hitting more accurately. Before the end of exhausting our range rounds, she was asking when we could come back.

That's why I think the first step is to make sure you let them know, you want them to come. Even if they don't seem overly interested in the beginning.

I don't think any of my4 daughters will ever become enthusiasts (even though the youngest was excited that she got a pink gun for Christmas); but at the very least, they've all now warmed up to the idea enough that they're willing to go to the range every few weeks. It's a good start.

I've also just about decided that no matter how dainty, dignified, or classy the female is, they all get tickled when they hit a shadow target in the crotch area. Almost scary...

ScooterSissy wrote:

PaJ wrote:My wife and I go together more often than not as well. I mentioned The Well Armed Woman because she got a membership to the local chapter and a holster for her birthday a few weeks ago.

I probably should have elaborated a little. My wife isn't really a "shooter". She goes along with me because she knows I enjoy it and she knows I'm asking her to learn to shoot for her own good. It's probably worth mentioning that she's actually (usually) more accurate than I am, though I can get off more center mass shots shots in a short time.

One of the daughters was initially totally "anti-gun" when her mother bought me my Glock for Christmas (she would regularly express concern about me carrying, though never quite to the point of telling me she didn't want me to). Her husband shared the concerns. Then, after about a year, he bought a gun too, "just to keep around the house". Then one day, out of the blue, he asked if I'd go to the range with him. I told him sure, that my wife and I would both join him, so he brought his wife. She wasn't going to shoot, then she got "interested", after watching us fire off a few shots (and, I think, especially after seeing her mom shoot more accurately than either of the guys). So, she asked to shoot a few. She fired off two rounds, missed the target completely, and said she didn't want to do any more. We gave her a few pointers, and convinced her to try a few more. She started hitting the target. Then she started hitting more accurately. Before the end of exhausting our range rounds, she was asking when we could come back.

That's why I think the first step is to make sure you let them know, you want them to come. Even if they don't seem overly interested in the beginning.

I don't think any of my4 daughters will ever become enthusiasts (even though the youngest was excited that she got a pink gun for Christmas); but at the very least, they've all now warmed up to the idea enough that they're willing to go to the range every few weeks. It's a good start.

I've also just about decided that no matter how dainty, dignified, or classy the female is, they all get tickled when they hit a shadow target in the crotch area. Almost scary...

Maybe I should clarify....my wife is more of a misser than a shooter!!

I'll give her this though. She enjoys going and is becoming more comfortable with her guns (yes plural). Also, she and I took some advanced "Beyond Concealed Carry" training - our gift to each other for Valentines day. Her patterns aren't tight but she's working on it. (mine aren't where I want them to be either). When we were shooting on Sunday, she was saying, "I'm hitting low and left. What do I need to do." Very proud of how far she's come and the work she's doing to improve. Her first gun was a .38 Spcl revolver because it's all she was comfortable with. Point. Pull. Bang. Now she's carrying a semi-auto XDs 9mm and can shoot about 3 rds per second with enough accuracy to stop a bad guy at close range.

ScooterSissy wrote:I may be treading dangerous ground here, but I think actively encouraging men to bring their spouse shooting would help as well. When I go to the range, I see about half and half "solo" (or groups of guys) shooters, and couples, sometimes less than half on the couples. I don't think I've ever seen women shooting alone.

The only time I've gone to the range and didn't take my wife was when I took my grand daughter for father/daughter day (no father in the home). In addition, I've gone several times with my wife, and one or more of our daughters with their husbands.

I introduced my wife to shooting handguns and she loves it. She's a very good shooter as it turns out. We even took the class for CHL together. I'm thinking it would be a nice place for the single guys and gals to take a date. Having your wife interested in guns makes it easier when you want to buy one also.

AndyC wrote: He's had a lot of questions for me since then about women and firearms and recently asked about how to encourage those women who are first-time handgun owners to get out and shoot. I simply suggested he point them at two ladies' shooting groups who are local (as well as elsewhere, of course) to us, agirlandagun.com and divawow.org

He left me know that he's kicked the suggestion higher up the chain and Bass Pro seems to be very keen to make contact with both groups - I sure hope it happens

That is good news and a great suggestion! :-D I work with women shooting on a regular basis because I am a leader of a chapter of A Girl and A Gun in our area (Austin). I would recommend the same on getting them involved with one of the local ladies groups in your area because we do combine social with the shooting. Women like the social part of it and makes them want to come back. The one thing that I can say about women (and our leadership group sees this across the country) is that only a few will actually pursue and go to training. Usually, it is because they don't feel they can spend money on themselves (this has been studied and applies to women at all levels of business and managing home life) or they want to go with other women in a group and they may not be able to find that. I know and expect to be the only woman in some of the training I do and in some smaller competition matches.

It is great that some of you men get your women to go out with you. I loved the one that wrote about the valentine gifts. Buy your women a gift certificate or membership to training or a ladies group. She may be more likely to participate because she will want to get the value out of it.

I am enclosing a link to one report on what I was referring to above. There has been a lot written about this on the internet. I see the reference about women needing to know they have 100% of the skills to apply for a job vs men. I think this also applies to firearm training and sometimes it requires a little push from a loved one or encouragement from a peer.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprin ... urts-them/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I know t has been awhile since this thread was done, but I just found this forum.

I just wanted to say that I started working at Bass Pro right after it opened in my town in June. The end of the summer, mid-August, we actually had a talk given by A Girl and A Gun in the store. It was all about why they do, getting females out there, etc. Since then, they've spoke at least twice more that I remember seeing them.

All that just to say, someone somewhere obviously listened.