Training my female friend to shoot last week. Purchase suggestions

[seahag56]

My older sister had trouble racking the slide until she got a Sig. Can't remember which model. There's also a technique to use when you have trouble with the slide - you hold the slide still with one hand, and down toward the floor with the other hand. It works well for most women.

Also, a larger, heavier pistol will have less felt recoil. That's something s lot of people don't understand. I usually start my friends out with my S&W M&P full size .22 so they get a feel for the gun, but learn not to flinch. Then I move them up to my M&P 9mm, then my M&P .45. It seems to work pretty well!

 

[actaeon277]

My older sister had trouble racking the slide until she got a Sig. Can't remember which model. There's also a technique to use when you have trouble with the slide - you hold the slide still with one hand, and down toward the floor with the other hand. It works well for most women.

Also, a larger, heavier pistol will have less felt recoil. That's something s lot of people don't understand. I usually start my friends out with my S&W M&P full size .22 so they get a feel for the gun, but learn not to flinch. Then I move them up to my M&P 9mm, then my M&P .45. It seems to work pretty well!

Yes. A lot of people (especially women) like the "cute little guns". More concealable. Less perceived danger. Whatever.
Between me and the rest of my family, I fortunately have access to a LOT of firearms.
So, I let the person try different ones.
I explain I can't tell them what they want or need.
But I can tell them things they should look at, and possible advantages/disadvantages.
Then, they need to find out what they like, and what they shoot well.
Sometimes this may take several sessions, as multiple guns in one session can overwhelm them.
This is where they can take notes. then next session, revisit guns narrowing the list down.

 

[inchrisin]

I’m sure there are people who truly don’t have the grip strength, but they likely can’t put on their own socks or pull up their pants either.

I’ve seen a petite 8 year old girl manipulate full sized pistols like a champ because she had the right technique.

This video explains the technique pretty well.
[video=youtube_share;LM0kl4PrINs]http://youtu.be/LM0kl4PrINs[/video]

I wonder how many times she short stroked the gun doing that.