Despite their many strengths, women need the added protection of a gun, because, in most cases, they are physically weaker than their male attacker. Women are also less aggressive than males. Statistically, we don’t see a whole lot of female muggers and rapists out there. It is said that God created man, but Samuel Colt made them equal. Put a firearm in the hands of a woman, and she is equal, if not better, than a man.
Case in point, in most of my pistol classes there is at least one female student who has never shot before. Many of them start out terrified of the gun. This is quite common with inexperienced shooters of both genders, and it’s easy to pick out the novice even before the shooting starts. In the beginning the new shooter will pick up the gun with two fingers and hold it out in front of her like she is carrying a bottle of nitroglycerine. (Bear in mind the gun isn’t even loaded yet.)
The first thing I do with timid women shooters is make them grab the grip of the gun like they mean it, and squeeze it hard. Shake hands with the pistol, and get acquainted. When we begin shooting, I don’t even give them a target. I just say shoot into that big berm over there. I have them rapid fire the gun for several magazines until they loosen up.
Eventually, they start to like it; they appreciate the feel of power in their hands. (It’s kind of like driving the mother of all SUVs.)
They almost always put the gun out in front of them as far as their arms will reach, then lean their head and shoulders back in the opposite direction as far as they can. I used to wonder why women did that, but now I realize that they are merely trying to get as far away from the gun as possible. They are afraid of it. This never works. I teach them to respect the gun, but never fear it. The gun is your friend, and someday it will save your life.
However, once a woman has overcome her fear of the gun, then it’s Katie bar the door, because she’s up there on the line blazing away with the best of men. For some reason unknown to me, women, intrinsically, are good shooters. I’ve been married three times, and women are still a mystery to me. But I love it, and the mystery has an allure like no other.
Tonight I have another “All-women’s shooting class” and I’m excited about it. I can already see the color-coordinated shooting outfits and smell the waft of perfume on the clear summer breeze. And men let’s face it; there’s nothing more sexy than a woman with a gun!
Image: Annie Oakley, with a gun Buffalo Bill gave her; 1922; source:Library of Congress. New York World-Telegram & Sun Collection. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c26783; public domain
