# Training for Females



## csangster (Mar 22, 2008)

Good evening,

My wife is interested in getting the Concealed Carry permit here in Colorado so she can protect herself and our children when she is out hiking in the foothils and mountains of our beautiful state.

She is petite (5'-2"), so she also has the small hands. She has spent her entire life 'around' firearms, but only once has she used a handgun, and that was at the range before we were married.

I would like recommendations on training she should take to give her the confidence and technique to be able to safely handle a firearm to protect herself and our children.

In addition, I would also like handgun recommendations.

If I were to give it a whirl, I would tell her she needs to take at least 3 classes.

1) General Handgun handling course to teach safety and proper handling.
2) More advanced defense handgun course to touch on the mechanics that she needs to practice to protect herself with a handgun.
3) The concealed carry course that will allow her to legally carry the handgun on her person in the state of CO.

Am I missing anything here?
I know she is going to need to spend some time on the range every few months so she stays familiar with the hardware/techniques.

Thank you for any feedback,
Chris


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

Just call the NRA and they should be able to set you up with someone to teach her what she needs. If you don't go with her don't be surprised when she starts out shooting you. Good luck. :smt1099


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## Wandering Man (Jul 9, 2006)

Have her go here:

http://www.corneredcat.com/

WM


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## Bluegrass Holsters (Mar 24, 2008)

csangster said:


> Good evening,
> 
> My wife is interested in getting the Concealed Carry permit here in Colorado so she can protect herself and our children when she is out hiking in the foothils and mountains of our beautiful state.
> 
> ...


Hi Chris....I would suggest in the following order, the following classes:

NRA Basic Pistol...this course will introduce her to handgun basics/safety and will allow her a relaxed atmosphere to learn properly. Remember though, most women learn differently than us guy types and she will likely end up being able to outshoot you and you will likely have to do more to keep her challenged.

The next course I would have her take is whatever is mandated for concealed carry...be it a dedicated CCW course or what ever is the precursor.

I would then have her get hooked up with an instructor (you too) for both the Personal Protection in the Home and Personal Protection Outside of the Home courses. The outside course will involve shooting a couple hundred rounds along with a nearly equal number of dry fires....and all is done from the holster. Many techniques are taught that will serve you well if you ever have to use your firearm. A real confidence builder. The inside course is based more around having to access and use your firearm inside your home, thus it is somewhat shorter and fewer rounds will be fired.

Lastly I would suggest every other year going to one of the big training programs to continually challenge yourself. Good for your attorney and pocketbook if ever you have a shooting.

As for a firearm for her...good luck! My wife has gone through I don't know how many trying to find just the right one. She currently carries my j-frame and yet still hates to shoot it....even with wadcutters in it....here is where I throw my hands up and shake my head! 

Good luck....hope some of this helps


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## neophyte (Aug 13, 2007)

*unruly*

csangster: The advice is better than great. Add this to your equations. Take the "Miss'ess'csangster" out and have her shoot on a most regular basis.
Don't expect 1-2-3 classes to give all the practicing that you and she needs.

Shooting many different models will give her the opportunity to find HERS.
Renting is cheaper than a 'piginapokesack'
I carry several different makes and models; for varies reasons that sometimes make sense:anim_lol:
Recommending; I take a new shooter and a bunch of my mess, load and point the directions I want them to shoot. They either like them or not. It does not hurt my feeling, cause I FOUND what I liked.
Her physical dimensions mean something but in reality not much. Shooting any and all are a product of what ?feels? right.
Calibers from .38-.45 will not be unruly. It comes down to what "she" wants.
Follow up when you can. Thanks


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## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

csangster said:


> My wife is interested in getting the Concealed Carry permit here in Colorado s*o she can protect herself and our children when she is out hiking in the foothils and mountains of our beautiful state.*


Is that the only time she's planning on carrying? She stands just as good of a chance of needing the gun when she's out at the grocery store or the bank with the kids. I stay home with my kids, so I'm out and about during the week, I know that Monday-Friday daytime is not a "safe time". Talk to her about carrying all the time, not just when she thinks she's going to need it. She doesn't keep the spare tire in the car only when she thinks she's going to have a flat? Of course not. Like any tool, she's better to have the gun and not need it than to need it and not have it.

When I first started carrying a few years ago, my wife didn't understand the need to carry all the time. I'd get the, "We're just going to ____, you don't need the gun" speech. Now she understands that bad things don't only happen to bad people in bad places; they can happen to ordinary people, doing ordinary things, in ordinary places.


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## Fred40 (Jan 7, 2008)

Todd said:


> Is that the only time she's planning on carrying? She stands just as good of a chance of needing the gun when she's out at the grocery store or the bank with the kids. I stay home with my kids, so I'm out and about during the week, I know that Monday-Friday daytime is not a "safe time". Talk to her about carrying all the time, not just when she thinks she's going to need it. She doesn't keep the spare tire in the car only when she thinks she's going to have a flat? Of course not. Like any tool, she's better to have the gun and not need it than to need it and not have it.
> 
> When I first started carrying a few years ago, my wife didn't understand the need to carry all the time. I'd get the, "We're just going to ____, you don't need the gun" speech. Now she understands that bad things don't only happen to bad people in bad places; they can happen to ordinary people, doing ordinary things, in ordinary places.


So what happened?

Mon-Fri daytime is not a safe time? Where do you live that the bank or grocery store is more dangerous than the wilderness? I'm FAR more likely to run into a rabid raccoon or black bear then I am an armed criminal......at least where I live.


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## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

Fred40 said:


> So what happened?
> 
> Mon-Fri daytime is not a safe time? Where do you live that the bank or grocery store is more dangerous than the wilderness? I'm FAR more likely to run into a rabid raccoon or black bear then I am an armed criminal......at least where I live.


Nothing happened, just many casual observations that there are plenty of weirdos and ganstas out during the daytime hours. I'm simply trying to point out that; a) people should not go on the assumption that Monday through Friday during traditional work hours is automatically a safe time, therefore you don't need to carry and b) those opinions aren't just coming from a guy talking out his butt who spends those hours locked in a cubicle in an office building during the day, but from someone who is out and about, with children, at those times.

You may stand a better chance of encountering dangerous wildlife than an armed BG where you live, but you didn't say you stood no chance. Carry all the time, be safe (as you can) all the time.


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## Fred40 (Jan 7, 2008)

Todd said:


> Nothing happened, just many casual observations that there are plenty of weirdos and ganstas out during the daytime hours. I'm simply trying to point out that; a) people should not go on the assumption that Monday through Friday during traditional work hours is automatically a safe time, therefore you don't need to carry and b) those opinions aren't just coming from a guy talking out his butt who spends those hours locked in a cubicle in an office building during the day, but from someone who is out and about, with children, at those times.
> 
> You may stand a better chance of encountering dangerous wildlife than an armed BG where you live, but you didn't say you stood no chance. Carry all the time, be safe (as you can) all the time.


Gotcha......I think I just miss understood.


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## NCstarter (Apr 14, 2008)

Todd said:


> You may stand a better chance of encountering dangerous wildlife than an armed BG where you live,


HEy, i'm kinda new here but with you being in Col. and all if four legged attackers are part of the concern for the hiking the size of the animal could be a consideration in the calibre size?


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## vernpriest (Jan 15, 2008)

Get her good training in the use and mechanics of shooting and allow her plenty of practice time to get proficient. She should also take some good physical self-defense classes. Let her learn to use pepper spray and carry that as well. 

After she is proficient with the firearm on the range, start on advanced training in which she will learn to draw from concealment, move and shoot, point shoot, one-hand and off-hand shooting, use cover etc. Attacks and gunfights rarely happen at 7 yrs on a controlled range from the ready position with time to take a good two-handed grip and careful sight alignment at a stationary target. However, that is the only way far too many people train. If we do not train realistically there should no expectation we will perform in real life with any proficiency. Having extra "tools" (physical training, pepper spray) will help her deal with various situations accordingly. When all you have is a hammer everything starts looking like a nail! Just my opinion!

BTW, its awesome she is wanting to take these steps to protect herself and your family. I truly applaud her!


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## submoa (Dec 16, 2007)

Baldy said:


> Just call the NRA and they should be able to set you up with someone to teach her what she needs. If you don't go with her don't be surprised when she starts out shooting you. Good luck. :smt1099


+1

I would add do not buy a gun until after she's completed the courses. Most courses will have (rent) a handgun for her to use while in class. Let her practice with the widest variety of rental guns they have at the range you frequent.

Additionally, see if she has a girlfriend willing to take the courses with her. Aside from turning the courses into a social event to make it more comfortable for her to attend and 'get into' guns, a subset of the first rule of gunfighting, "bring a gun," is to bring friends with guns.


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