Yesterday, I helped instruct a Women on Target course. We had 20 participants even though the weather was rainy with intermittent downpours, although fortunately it cleared up enough after lunch for some quality range time.

Women on Target is an excellent course for beginner women - low key, no pressure, and covers basics from ammunition components to cleaning to firearms handling. Many of these women were interested in getting a handgun for self-defense but had no idea how to start. This day out with the ladies provided a valuable first step.


I brought along my 60LS, 65LS, M&P full size 9, Browning Buckmark .22, Walther P22, KelTec P3AT, and Stoeger 12 ga coach gun and my cleaning kit which is in a tool box.

The lead instructor taught the basics and safety and then the ladies came up to handle the unloaded guns. Many of them had never been that close to a gun before. It was helpful to them to have a relating female show and tell what works for smaller hands. Some were surprised that they really could comfortably hold a large gun.

Down at the range, we started with the .22s rifles and then the .22 handguns. Within an hour, they had worked their way up to .38s and 9mms. Several had never loaded a magazine before but all quickly became proficient. PS - they shot their revolvers double-action (but also had a Ruger SA .22 at their disposal). Let them learn what trigger pull is supposed to feel like.

We broke out the spring-loaded steel cowboy action plate and let them blast the shotgun (with Winchester AA Low Noise/Low Recoil). They loved it and applauded the hits!

For the Grand Finale, Bill brought out his big-bore Russian rifles. Not everyone tried them but the ones who did loved them. I think the onlookers were encouraged that women could shoot these rifles without being knocked over.

We had a few who were slower to get involved past one or two shots from each gun but several who really took to shooting with gusto. We even had an 11-year old girl student who I believe we have now conscripted into our Cowgirl Posse! Not bad for a half-day's outing.

Good on ya ! It is soooo much easier to teach people who do not " know everything already" about guns and they seem to learn things that are very beneficial if they have a good teacher!

i wish we had something like this around here, i would love to get my wife to carry a pistol with her but it doesnt look like its ever going to happen. she had a bad experience as a kid with a gun and just cant get over it.

Our club sponsors Women On Target every year. The cost is $40 for all day (includes lunch) and a chance to learn and shoot handguns, rifles, skeet and trap. We supply the guns and ammo but you can bring your own. The rifles and handguns are .22's but many helpers bring their own if anyone cares to try something different. The NRA provides WOT visors and we provide the ears (sponge) and eyes. We had over a 100 sign/show up and it was a complete success once again.
Obviously, it's NOT to make money but help the ladies learn from someone qualified other than husbands and boyfriends. My wife, daughter and D-I-L go every year.
This year my wife shot the Colt AR and loved it.....until she found out the price of the gun and .223 ammo. She settled for the M&P 15-22 with a bi-pod!
Gotta love those women!

Outstanding! We need new responsible, serious gunowners and shooters of both genders by the barrelfull.

Andy

Nice post Barb. And a pat on the back for your involvement. I've seen a lot more women getting into guns and shooting.

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Misty

Go to our web site then click on the pink banner, or click on the link for "Upcoming Events" on the left side of the home page. Sportsmen's Association for Firearms Education, Inc.

......moon

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NRA Life Member

Thanks for lending a hand, Barb. Our local club does several of these a year. It is encouraging.

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Glad to see a course like this for women.

At my last visit to my local indoor range there were a half dozen or so older women (70s & 80s plus) confidently practicing with their service sized semi-auto pistols and revolvers.

It was nice to see that these women were not struggling with some small firearm that would not be suitable in a defensive situation in the home.

A full sized firearm doesn't mean hard to manage, it means less felt recoil, less noise and more pleasant to practice with.

I also noticed many ladies were carrying with a belt holster, rather than relying on fishing thru a purse to find that gun in an emergency. In Arizona, something like 60 thousand women over 50 have concealed carry permits.

That's why I dragged out my KelTec P3AT. Yes, it's cute and packs easily but they could experience for themselves that the tiny guns are more punishing than the larger one.

The 60LS with the Pachmayr Compac grips seemed to be their hands-down choice for an all-around gun.

I wish I had an assortment of guns to try when I was starting out but I probably wouldn't have saved any money anyway. I told them it's a lot like shoes - you need to vary what you carry and use with what you're doing. Women can relate to that.

That would be me.

Great going, Barb. Can you come to AZ and do that, I would sign up in a heartbeat!

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2 Blessed 2B Stressed

Who would say no to you, Barb, especially with that revolver pointed in their face.

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Sure you did

Bullseye

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Five screws and 3-1/2 inches.

I hope you can find a class like this around where you live because, it would be best for your wife to learn with someone like Barb instructing her and to be surrounded by other women. It's a lot less intimidating when there are no men around.

Good luck with finding a class.