THE DOs AND DON’Ts OF INTRODUCING WOMEN TO SHOOTING
Originally published in Recoil Magazine, Issue 20
You know who you are. You’re the guy who shoots a lot, maybe competes a little. You sometimes browse the online profiles of female shooters, secretly wondering “Why can’t my woman be like that?” Well, guess what? She can. And she probably wants to. But, chances are, you’re approaching the matter the wrong way. Now, I’m not a firearms instructor, but I compete a lot and I often get asked by female (and male) friends to take them to the shooting range for the first time. And, like many people, I learn from my own experiences about what works and what doesn’t when introducing a woman to shooting. Here is my list of do’s and don’ts:
1. DO teach her the four basics rules of firearm safety.
1. DON’T quiz her on it in the middle of dinner or while she’s getting her makeup done in the morning.
2. DO ask a friend to teach her, preferably another woman.
2. DON’T try to teach her yourself.
3. DO give her firm verbal commands.
3. DON’T yell at her.
4. DO introduce her to firearm safety, shape, and functionality before shooting.
4. DON’T just hand her a large-caliber cannon and watch her fall on her butt.
5. DO teach her the basics.
5. DON’T try to teach her everything all at once.
6. DO bring her along with your buddies to the range.
6. DON’T treat her like one of the dudes.
7. DO repeat instructions.
7. DON’T get agitated if she makes the same mistake more than once.
8. DO gently push her to lean forward.
8. DON’T shove her neck like an animal.
9. DO give her constructive criticism mixed with positive reinforcement.
9. DON’T constantly point out only what she’s doing wrong.
10. DO introduce a timer. Eventually.
10. DON’T shove that thing in her face and remind her how slow she really is.
11. DO teach her double taps.
11. DON’T be a splits Nazi.
12. DO teach her different shooting positions.
12. DON’T do it on the first day.
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