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Ladies Forum A place for our female Calgunners to discuss, share and interact without the 'excess attention' sometimes found in online forums. |
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New to guns
Hi ladies,
I am completely new to guns, as a matter of fact I have never even held one. With the way things are going in this country and particularly in CA I have decided to finally join the 'dark side'. Over the past week or so I have read, researched, made notes...you name it. What concerns me at this point is the repeated anti-woman bias at stores, shooting ranges and even here on CALGUNS.NET, that I read so much about. Is it really that bad? I haven't noticed much here, to be honest, but since there is obviously a need for a ladies forum, I must not have dug deep enough yet. My problem is that I honestly don't know anybody who owns guns, so I will most likely venture out to the stores/ranges on my own since my hubby is so busy. Do you have any suggestions how to best go about finding the right gun in my situation? I'd like to take a basic gun class and eventually try out a bunch of different weapons. Is Fieldtime in Stanton my best starting point (I live near UCI)? |
#2
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hi, Snap!
i hesitate to even begin on this topic.... yes, it is "that bad". even here on calguns. re gun stores: i found i had to be vocal and assertive, "excuse me but i was here before that gentleman...." i find that many talk down to you thinking they're being helpful and giving useful info. some shops are more woman friendly than others. there is a shop up here in mountain view, Eddy's, that i highly recommend. poke around here in the LF and you'll find lots of recommendations made to men looking for info re what gun and what training for women in their lives. lots of good info in those threads. also, call a range and ask about women's groups, etc. most importantly, don't give up! i applaud you for doing this yourself! only you will know what fits your hand in the store, and only you will know what fits your hand when you fire it. they are not always the same. also, you want this to be fun. you can start will a lower calibre and your next gun can be a higher calibre. nothing wrong with starting with a .22. again, welcome. let us know if you have other questions after you've poked around a bit ..... oh, and stay out of OT until you get more familiar with the website. there are some leg humpers and there are some that just don't like women.
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"The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own pantyhose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound."-- as seen on a t-shirt |
#3
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Sometimes you can take courses and rent a gun for the course to check it out. See if you have any local gun clubs, ours has a ladies club, so you can meet other lady shooters and maybe discuss or even try various weapons.
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Waterborne! Former: Knight of Front Sight & Gold Star Member |
#4
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Hello Snap
Coyote Point will hold a beginners' class for basic pistol in April for ladies (San Mateo County) for women such as yourself who have no experience or little knowledge of handguns. It may be a bit of travel for you, but I thought you might like to know that the outdoor range is offering this option to help. Best of luck to you!
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If you live in Solano County, please join us at: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/group.php?groupid=12 NRA Certified Pistol Instructor |
#5
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My experience of gun stores is if you hold your American Express Platinum card in your hand, you can get plenty of attention Really, I've done it. I also often wear pink, just to stand out from the crowd, so my salesman can find me.
But seriously, gun stores are places to stand up tall, speak up, look like you're serious and hold your ground. They do tend to be boys' clubs, so I make sure they know I'm paying customer and not a looky-lou wasting their time. This is your time to assert your self, in the nicest possible way. One gun store I use is always just swamped, every day, all day. I walk in, catch the eye of my favorite salesman and say "find me when you're free". He knows I'm going to buy a gun and he does come and get me when he's ready. I have plenty of time, I never buy guns unless I really have time to handle them. I haven't seen any anti-woman bias on ranges, in fact I've been actively welcomed and am addressed by name at the ones I use. In both, almost always 25-33% women on weekends. There is occasionally some static from guys on Calguns. The Women's Forum is always safe and decent. We mob offending little boys and have the mods cast them out. And we welcome grown up men who know how to be civil. But for heaven's sake, stay out of the "off topic" forum at first. It's a sewer, until you get confident enough to laugh at it. You're doing the right thing. Just ignore anything that looks like bias. Simply ignore it and stand your ground. And if a gun store isn't smart enough to recognize a paying customer, take your money elsewhere. You may have to try a few ranges or stores til you find ones you like. If you need help figuring out what gun to buy, we can help. We have tons of info. And don't let anyone tell you that you can't handle a large caliber. We have 5' 90 lb women here who shoot .45 Glocks without blinking. This is truly a time when size doesn't matter. If UCI is UC in Irvine, I can put you in touch with one of the Calguns Community Coordinators near there. You'll get plenty of help and encouragement from them, really. They can tell you when shoots are going to happen, introduce you to people, steer you to good gun stores, you name it.
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WHAT I HAVE LEARNED SO FAR, MOSTLY THE HARD WAY • Do only safe sex. Never have sex with someone crazier than you are. • Don't marry or move in together before you're both at least 25. • Don't have children until you're married five years or at least age 30. • Put 10% of your salary into savings every month no matter how broke you are. • Don't ever screw around with the IRS. • Keep a handgun on your bedside table. • Don't smart-mouth judges, or cops who stop you on the road. Last edited by BonnieB; 02-09-2013 at 4:50 PM.. |
#6
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Thank you all for the good advise. I've been active in many male-dominated forums over the years and have NEVER encountered any sexist attitudes. Not that I couldn't handle it, it's just not what I expected here. No biggie.
Yes, Bonnie, I'm in the Irvine area. So far I checked the websites of all the ranges I could find in the area and a bit further out and haven't found any ladies group classes other than general woman's safety. At OC Indoor Range they offered a private lesson with 30-day range access and 3-5 gun rental for a decent price. I'll definitely give the others a call and ask. Or, if someone can steer me the right way...much appreciated. |
#7
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Not a lady, but told my better half about the NRA WOT (women on target) at a local range. She asked if I would sign her up For $20 she was able to shoot a .22 pistol a .22 rifle. She was stoked. I'm sure there is a range in your area that provides the same thing. Highly recommended for a new shooter.
The pistol and rifle were provided as well as the ammo at no charge.
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A member of The Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club |
#8
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and try out both revolvers and semi-autos.
i really like revolvers! but i also have several semi-autos as well..... did any of us mention that there is no such thing as having just owing one pistol/rifle?! its addictive!
__________________
"The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own pantyhose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound."-- as seen on a t-shirt |
#9
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GMG, I just looked that up (thank you for the idea) on women.nra.org. There are 26 clinics scheduled for 2013, but none of them in the OC, LA area. Unless not everything is listed there?
Oh, and thank you for your service |
#11
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Hi Snap, welcome to the gun community. I was once in your position not too long ago. Everybody on here gives good advice, and yes the best thing you can do is try out different guns. Even if it cost you $100 at the range to try say five guns, its better than putting out $500 plus for a gun you never tried and learn that its not for you. Been there done that. Don't let somebody tell you what gun is for you, because only you know that. You aren't to far from me. Good luck on the hunt, if you need anything just ask.
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#12
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Not a lady but would like to help.
Do your research before you go into a gun store. This forum is a great source. You'll find many helpful gun owners who are willing to share their experience with you. Take a class, two or three. Be a competent gun owner. Check out the announcements for classes here in this forum as well. I personally like The Academy of St. Crispian and the Way of the Gun. Both are former military guys who are great teachers. Very respectful people and very excited about their craft as all teachers should be. Good luck and welcome to the community, you'll find many nice people here.
__________________
“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” -Buddha "Somewhere, Something Incredible is Waiting to be Known" -Carl Sagan "We don’t rise to the level of our expectations – we fall to the level of our training” -Archilochus, Greek Soldier |
#13
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re revolvers: stay away from light/air weight guns! men with big meaty hands used to shooting, well, even they complain about the "kick" when firing one. how do i know? because i did and i almost did not pick up another hand gun! i fired the dang thing with either .38 or .357 [don't remember which] and i thought my god if all handguns are going to feel like that then this is just not for me. luckily, i dug up my courage and told myself to give it another go but with a different hand gun.......i tried out many different revolvers that day and settled on a smith and wesson model 60 stainless steel snubbie. she's a sweetie! i like this one so much i swore at one point i was going to get it in the 3 inch and 5 inch barrel versions.........still might.
my first semi-auto pistol was a Colt Officers' Mark IV Model 80 .45acp purchased from another calgunner some years ago. fits my hand and being metal absorbs recoil. and if you're wondering about racking the slide: many women find they cannot rely on hand strength alone. youtube has many video's on women with guns and techniques for people with little upper body strength and/or weak hands. and its worth poking around here: http://www.corneredcat.com/ one thing i attempted to do was to try and keep all my firearms at the same caliber: .38/.357. in that way i wouldn't have to buy and store ammo of many different calibers...................good in theory but i failed! it was a valiant effort on my part as i even bought a lever rifle in .38/.357........ but the more i learned the more i found there were guns i was lusting after in other calibers and if i had handled them in a gun store the lust factor just increased. many of my "i must have this gun" were now off list and only available as PPT. but luck was with me and i think i got the last one on that list last september. yes, it is addictive......or i'm obsessive.....or both! there are worse things in life.
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"The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own pantyhose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound."-- as seen on a t-shirt |
#14
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snap-dragon,
I commend you for your interest in purchasing your first gun. Right on! One of the things I am proud of is the day I decided to buy a gun, on my own initiative and with my own money. After deciding what I wanted to buy, I strode into the gun store and made the deal....all by myself, no male help required. Some months later, I went and bought a second gun...because I can. I agree that you do have to have a fair bit of confidence when going to purchase a gun. Do NOT let the salesperson try to persuade you to purchase something more expensive or a brand and model you don't like or want. It's ok to not be knowledgeable about all brands and models....and salespeople will try and sell you on their personal favorites which may not be right for you. Just be well-spoken, confident and assertive. It helps to know which gun you want prior to going to make a deal. You can figure this out by reading up on some of the threads here to see what you might be interested in (semi-automatic, revolver, rifle, etc). Then you can rent one for the afternoon at the range or go with someone who will let you shoot theirs for a bit. After trying a few out, you can figure out which one you want to buy and then find a shop which will get you a good deal. If you're willing to make the drive down to Oceanside, I'd be happy to let you try out my Glock 19 (9mm semi-automatic) or my Ruger Mark III (.22, target pistol...super easy to shoot). BK
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Meowr! |
#15
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amen re the Ruger Mark III!
male friend has one and tried it: could not believe how accurate i was with the thing having not shot one before! Good to see you, BadKitty!
__________________
"The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own pantyhose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound."-- as seen on a t-shirt |
#16
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As I said, I already collected a ton of info here (and also at corneredcat, I read the whole thing), just a second ago when I read the other post from movie zombie learned something new: metal guns have less recoil. I will call and ask the Academy of St Crispian guy if I can take a class when I own absolutely nothing. He mentions renting a gun, but what about the other stuff (holster, magazines, ammo) he lists? I'd love to take a class from a Marine. My son will be commissioned into the USMC in a few weeks and I just have a soft spot for these guys. Not that the Army Ranger is anything to sneeze at, lol. OK, on to watch some videos on youtube about women and racking the slide |
#17
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Thanks! I took a little break from CalGuns as I was away at training for a few months; but, I'm happy to be back! At a previous trip to the range, I saw a young woman and her boyfriend both struggling with a rented XD. He wasn't hassling her; but, he wasn't helping her either. Since I was on the next lane, I offered her a couple of pointers and let her shoot my G19. She was better on the G19 with some instruction. Then I had her shoot the Ruger and she was hitting towards the middle. She had such a big smile on her face when she saw that she was able to hit the center of the target. It really made me happy to know I helped a woman with her confidence! That's why I love the Ruger Mark III as my second gun - inexpensive to purchase, inexpensive ammo, super easy to shoot and allows beginners to feel accomplished and enjoy the sport. BK
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Meowr! |
#18
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I'm going to be super leery of sales guys until I find one who either comes highly recommended by others here or he just gives off the right vibe. I can immagine that with the current gun shortage they will try to sell you whatever they do have on the shelves, just to make a sale. Maybe I'm overthinking that? |
#19
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What makes it your "second gun"? |
#20
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Our CalGuns San Diego chapter just held a night at the range in Oceanside about a week ago. If we have another one, you should come! The guys were super cool and we all end up shooting each others guns. Last time I went, I got to shoot a Berretta 92, Dan Wesson 1911, some big ol' revolver, a .22 target pistol and an AR-15 rifle. Plus, if you didn't figure it out yet, I'm a woman and so you wouldn't be the only one there. Quote:
I wouldn't say that you're overthinking it. In my experience, they do like to show-off the latest thing they just got in to the shop and they're hoping that, if they can get you to hold it for a few minutes, you might buy it. My biggest issue is when the salesmen mouth-off about what they think you should buy. I had one salesman bad-mouth my choice and lectured me on why I should reconsider and buy a different brand. The other brand was a great gun manufacturer - but it was more expensive *and* I had already shot one and determined it wasn't the right fit for me. If, for whatever reason, you decide to buy a Glock; I can make a personal recommendation on salesman you can trust who is a friend of mine. BK
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Meowr! |
#21
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this is so important! many of the guys who want to purchase for their female friend/SO/relative just don't seem to understand this! the idea is to have fun and if it isn't fun, well, you aren't going to practice and if you don't practice you're not going to be a good shooter when you need to be. many don't think a .22 is a good self defense round. but a santa clara county sheriff pointed out to me that more people are killed with a .22 than any other caliber.....perhaps because its what a lot of people own and/or practice with.....doesn't matter because it can be an effective tool and a .22 is better than no gun/caliber/round at all!
__________________
"The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own pantyhose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound."-- as seen on a t-shirt |
#22
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Great question! It all depends on why you are choosing to own a gun. For me, I wanted to exercise my second amendment rights (because I can!) and because I wanted a means for self-defense. With that in mind, I wanted something that was reliable, easy to shoot, somewhat compact, has stopping power and was affordable. For me, that was a Glock 19. A friend let me try out a few of his guns and that one really fit the bill. However, ammo isn't cheap and shooting my Glock can really add up. The Ruger Mark III is a target pistol and is .22 caliber. Meaning, the bullets are small and cheap. The gun is what I call a "pea shooter". I bought it for fun, so that I could plink away at paper targets at the range without racking up big ammo bills. I also found it helps to have it available for friends who are beginners who want to try it out. HOWEVER, the Ruger Mark III is NOT a home or personal defense weapon - it's got something of a clunky shape because it's designed for use at the range for target shooting. Sure, I could stop a guy with it if I have to; but, it wouldn't be as easy and it would be as a last resort if I didn't have my Glock available. There are better models of .22 guns that would be better for home-defense type applications. The difference in shooting mechanics between a .22 and a 9mm, .40 or .45 can be pretty big. The kick on a .22 is pretty much nonexistant and so the kick on a 9mm may catch you off-guard. I decided to learn on a 9mm so that I could just get straight to business; but, there's nothing wrong with learning on a .22 first. BK
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Meowr! Last edited by BadKitty; 02-10-2013 at 10:46 AM.. |
#23
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Yea, BK, I figured that you're a woman. At least I hoped that no guy calls himself Kitty, but you never know, right? And if that's you in the pic...cool
You, and movie zombie both make so many excellent points. Thank you both, it's all going in the vault! |
#24
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Welcome to the forum and congratulations. Field Time in Stanton is a great range for you to start at.
Also look up Ades Gun Store on Chapman in Orange. If you can get him personally you will find a real nice guy to do business with. Good luck!
__________________
Paralyzed Veterans of America www.pva.org |
#26
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__________________
“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” -Buddha "Somewhere, Something Incredible is Waiting to be Known" -Carl Sagan "We don’t rise to the level of our expectations – we fall to the level of our training” -Archilochus, Greek Soldier |
#27
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Just wanted to chime in and mention that we just had our monthly shoot this past Friday at OnTarget Indoor Range which isn't too far from UCI. It is held every 2nd Friday of the month and I am sure the attendees would be happy to let you try out different types of pistols for your search. In fact I just spent all of Sunday morning introducing a friend of mine to pistols (he has shot rifles before, but never pistols).
If you are in a bit of hurry, then the monthly shoot at Field Time in Stanton is happening soon, on Tuesday 2/26. |
#28
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I suggest you call OC Indoor Range (OCIR) in Brea, CA and schedule a class. Both Mike and Shawn are not only instructors, they work the Pro Shop (really just a display case in the lobby). I would expect they will not only recommend a gun, they will teach you how too shoot it. You can take a class at OCIR and use the gun you are interested in from their Rental inventory. This will tell you real quick if it is the right choice. http://www.ocindoorrange.com/ or 714-529-0300. Good luck.
__________________
God Did Not Create All Men Equal, Colonel Colt Did. |
#29
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I never look when I hit the new post button what forum I am in. Just tossing out that if you have never shot, a 22 is a fun, inexpensive start. My wife is really partial to her glock 19, but likes the hogue rubber grips over the hard plastic.
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Stupid people; They're breeding. ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ Si vis pacem, para bellum ╠╦═╬ Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms should be a store, not a government agency. |
#30
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you will find many of us in agreement, em9, re a .22 being fun and inexpensive as a start!
and that's also a good point: grips. in many instances grips can be changed out and/or placed over hard plastic. had i been more confident and known more i might have gotten a ruger sp101 instead of the s&w model 60.......might. a friend got the ruger and let me shoot it after he worked out the burrs in the "innards" and replaced the grips. i found it actually did fit my hand which it did not when i shot one during my initial search. during that time the ruger was too big for my hand. of course, i also had more experience at the time i shot my friend's ruger but i do note that it now fit my hand with the grips having been replaced [but i can't discount having more familiarity with shooting pistols at that point as well]. and, i will admit this, the ruger is work horse made to take a beating and last last last......but my model 60? she can do the same but she is styling while doing it!
__________________
"The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own pantyhose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound."-- as seen on a t-shirt |
#31
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I love reading all your personal stories, the mistakes you made or didn't make, the things you've learned, the choices you would make now. That is so much more helpful than 'get this one...it's the best'
Several of you mentioned the Glock 19, and as I told my husband last night, it's on the top of my list of handguns to try. I'm going to call OC target to schedule a private lesson as soon as I get home. The price seems very reasonable for what you get. I'll save taking a lesson with the Academy of St Crispian for later since he doesn't any classes scheduled in the area this month. I actually went to OnTarget once, a few years ago, when my son was home on leave. He had a great time shooting...I kept my distance watching from the other side of the window. He's pretty proud of me taking the plunge |
#32
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Snap, you're not alone! I am in a similar situation so no fear!
I have been in a 'male dominated' world for a while (I am heavy into motorsports) so I know that there's days where you have to say 'yeah, I can do that too!' but I realize that boys do like to have their moments as well. Therefore, I usually ignore most of it. Welcome and I hope you can find something you like and that you enjoy range time. My plan is to find a class and here where I am there is a super nice woman (at the shop my husband purchased my firearm) who does some women only classes and also shows how to dismantle and re-assemble as well as clean the weapon. There are a LOT more women in this than we may think. I think it's awesome. Good luck! |
#33
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I really like the guys at OCIR, I think you will be pleased. Good luck.
__________________
God Did Not Create All Men Equal, Colonel Colt Did. |
#34
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Black Widow, I just read that the rising voice of gun ownership is female (New York Times article). I guess we really don't like other people telling us we can't have something
The downside seems to be that the shelves are empty. That's a bit discouraging when you're trying to get into a new 'hobby' and I had no idea people meant it literally until I saw the black hole in the ammo case at Walmart earlier today. They had about 5 lonely little boxes of I don't know what and the rest was sitting empty Good luck to you too! |
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#37
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Check out the Ladies Pistol Class from Firearms Training Associates http://www.ftatv.com/ladies-pistol-and-self-defense
I took it and it was great. As part of the class they let you try a variety of handguns. I have not run into any discrimination at any gun store ... however I have usually already researched what I wanted to see so I am not really asking them for advice. Good luck to you. Once you buy one you will be hooked! |
#39
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Not a women, but oddly enough I have taken the Women on Target class. It was great. The thing I liked about it most was the in-class tutorial on general gun knowledge. You may be surprised what you do know, and at the same time what you do not. The in-class portion gets you beyond most people you see at the range in terms of what parts of the firearm are which, brands, what a pistol really is, and what a bullet really is.
One more tip that I don't know if it was mentioned; I find that 1/3 of gun store employees don't know as much about guns as they let on. Because of these few people, it is hard to trust ANY gun store employee. You will find that there are plenty of women shooters. |
#40
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Hi Snap.
I have been going to P2K here in El Cajon, Ca and have always had excellent service. Most of the staff are female including the Manager. They are great. You can rent various firearms to practice and they encourage questions. They will show you how to load and give advice. They also offer classes. Prices are great and I became a member. Hope this helps. |
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