[A_Piazza]

I've been wanting to try IDPA/USPSA and I think it will finally happen before the season is out. I take my girlfriend shooting whenever possible and after watching some videos it seems like she might be interested in trying it. Anyone have experience shooting with their significant other? Any advice?

I first need her to buy a firearm of her own that she's comfortable shooting and get to the range to focus on the fundamentals. I'm by no means an expert and I'm cross dominant so some things are hard for me to translate to other shooters. I'm not sure what the best course of action should be. Thoughts are appreciated.

I've been telling her she needs a hobby to help keep her motivated so I'm hoping she will get the bug and really enjoy it.

 

[cbaldwin2112]

I have tried and tried to get my wife into shooting. Not competing but just shooting regularly for self defense and for fun. She says, it's fun but she just doesn't enjoy it like I do. I can understand that. So as for your question, just don't force anything. If she wants to she will, if not well I guess your in the same boat as me lol

 

[fgowi]

My wife used to shoot competitively. I never have. Last summer I encouraged her to try my new xdm .45 Competition. Somewhere between 15 and 20 yards she puts her first round half in / half out of the bullseye.


She practically tosses it down and says, "I don't like the trigger". She has a few really nice guns of her own. Had 'em before I knew her.


We do shoot together now and then. Lucky enough to have a range here at home. Live in the country.


Anyway, none of that has to do with the thread other than I would encourage you to get her involved. It's kinda fun. Especially, if she's better than you are! :grin:

 

[A_Piazza]

I have tried and tried to get my wife into shooting. Not competing but just shooting regularly for self defense and for fun. She says, it's fun but she just doesn't enjoy it like I do. I can understand that. So as for your question, just don't force anything. If she wants to she will, if not well I guess your in the same boat as me lol

I don't push her. She's stubborn (a woman stubborn? Go figure) so if she doesn't want to do than she won't lol. She really enjoys shooting, just not sure if she will enjoy competition. I guess time will tell.


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[A_Piazza]

My wife used to shoot competitively. I never have. Last summer I encouraged her to try my new xdm .45 Competition. Somewhere between 15 and 20 yards she puts her first round half in / half out of the bullseye.





She practically tosses it down and says, "I don't like the trigger". She has a few really nice guns of her own. Had 'em before I knew her.





We do shoot together now and then. Lucky enough to have a range here at home. Live in the country.





Anyway, none of that has to do with the thread other than I would encourage you to get her involved. It's kinda fun. Especially, if she's better than you are! :grin:

I envy you for having your own range!

We don't have a lot of activities we do together. I run my motorcycle at the track and camp/rock climb, but she tends to stay home. I'm hoping it can be something that we train and compete together. It's probably wishful thinking.


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[fredj338]

My wife used to come & watch me shoot cowboy, she would also come & spot for me in met sil. Eventually she wanted to shoot cowboy too so I trained her up to where she could be competitive & she could hold her own & get into the medal rounds.
Advice, if you find it diff to teach her anything new, let someone else guide her. She needs to do it because she wants to, not because you won't to. If she's having fun & learning some thing, good for her. If she wins at some point, good for both of you. My wife doesn't shoot Idpa, mostly do to time restrictions on the weekends, but she still loves to shoot.

 

[A_Piazza]

My wife used to come & watch me shoot cowboy, she would also come & spot for me in met sil. Eventually she wanted to shoot cowboy too so I trained her up to where she could be competitive & she could hold her own & get into the medal rounds.
Advice, if you find it diff to teach her anything new, let someone else guide her. She needs to do it because she wants to, not because you won't to. If she's having fun & learning some thing, good for her. If she wins at some point, good for both of you. My wife doesn't shoot Idpa, mostly do to time restrictions on the weekends, but she still loves to shoot.

Again, I am by no means trying to force something on her. I want her to do it because she enjoys it, and I honestly don't know if she will. She is very competitive in nature (don't piss her off while playing board games lol), but hates to lose (and I mean HATES). A competition will either push her to learn and be better, or turn her off completely. I guess only time will tell.

I'm going to start with the basics of making sure she has a pistol she is comfortable shooting and maybe start with an action pistol night at a local range. Then see how it goes from there. I appreciate the feedback

 

[fredj338]

Again, I am by no means trying to force something on her. I want her to do it because she enjoys it, and I honestly don't know if she will. She is very competitive in nature (don't piss her off while playing board games lol), but hates to lose (and I mean HATES). A competition will either push her to learn and be better, or turn her off completely. I guess only time will tell.

I'm going to start with the basics of making sure she has a pistol she is comfortable shooting and maybe start with an action pistol night at a local range. Then see how it goes from there. I appreciate the feedback

IMO, being over competitive in shooting sports can kill or cure you. If you fixate on your mistakes, you are done in a match. The hardest thing I had to teach my wife & son when they started shooting in comps, let the last stage go, nothing you can do to fix that.
If it isn't fun, then you are wasting your time IMO. So make it fun for her. Let her pick here gear, lots of cool girly finishes & products for female shooters. Don't be afraid to go to an outside training source either, she may plateau at some point & need help seeing something you miss. You don't want her frustrated.
What ever model she chooses, steer her to a 9mm, least recoil, easier to shoot well. I have seen some gals get talked into 40s by their guys & they struggle.

 

[A_Piazza]

IMO, being over competitive in shooting sports can kill or cure you. If you fixate on your mistakes, you are done in a match. The hardest thing I had to teach my wife & son when they started shooting in comps, let the last stage go, nothing you can do to fix that.
If it isn't fun, then you are wasting your time IMO. So make it fun for her. Let her pick here gear, lots of cool girly finishes & products for female shooters. Don't be afraid to go to an outside training source either, she may plateau at some point & need help seeing something you miss. You don't want her frustrated.
What ever model she chooses, steer her to a 9mm, least recoil, easier to shoot well. I have seen some gals get talked into 40s by their guys & they struggle.

All very sound advice. I would be just as new to it as her. I am a decent booth shooter, but practical shooting is new to me as well. Outside of the basics, an external source would probably be needed unless it becomes more of a fun shoot once a month and not a travel and compete mindset. Those are all things that will get answered in time.

I wouldn't suggest anything larger than a 9mm for her. I'm sure should she would love all the girly stuff and I'm all for her doing whatever makes her happy, even if that means one local comp just to find out it isn't for her.

Again, thanks for all the advice.

 

[Ridge]

...For the covers

 

[A_Piazza]

...For the covers

Lol. That competition I usually win. But I never win the battle for the bed itself. I always end up on the edge.

 

[fredj338]

All very sound advice. I would be just as new to it as her. I am a decent booth shooter, but practical shooting is new to me as well. Outside of the basics, an external source would probably be needed unless it becomes more of a fun shoot once a month and not a travel and compete mindset. Those are all things that will get answered in time.

I wouldn't suggest anything larger than a 9mm for her. I'm sure should she would love all the girly stuff and I'm all for her doing whatever makes her happy, even if that means one local comp just to find out it isn't for her.

Again, thanks for all the advice.

All she has to do is beat a few of the guys & she'll be hooked. My wife is a good shooter, always tried to beat me but never came close. It was a source of frustration & a goal. It is truly one sport where men & women compete equally though. As long as no ones feelings get hurt, competing against each other can be a source of fun in itself, regardless of how you finish over all.
FWIW, in Cowboy, she refused to shoot the girly 38sp & her choice was a pair of Rugers in 45colt. I made downloaded ammo for her, but she took great pride in beating some of the other gals shooting their wimpy 38sp against her 45s.

 

[A_Piazza]

That's awesome. My dad has a .45mag and I couldn't imagine competing with that.

 

[Emiya]

I've tried and tried,mate,but she's just too scared lol

 

[sundevil827]

Older thread, but yeah, it's great to shoot with my wife.

She doesn't have the time to do as much dry fire, or shoot as often, but it doesn't mean that she does not like to get out to matches, and she sure, she get's competitive. She earned her USPSA "C" card in the spring, and she is usually fairly competitive in that level, she's actually frustrated now because she took a hiatus from all shooting while we moved, and she feels like she has a lot of rust to brush off to get back to where she wants.

It's just an activity that we share and enjoy. Personally I think it's great to share that with her, even if she doesn't go to every match, and only hit one major with me this year, she knows what it is like, it's that shared experience that makes for an even better relationship for us.

 

[cdwilliams05]

My wife jumped on the chance to do something with me. We are both IDPA members now.

She has her own, but we ended up not being able to aquire enough mags for her, they are hard to find right now. So she took my XDm 3.8 and after that she proceeded to tell me that she doesn't need to find any more mags for her pistol, she's very happy with my XDm and I need to go get another if I wanted to. So naturally I did .

We DO NOT compete with one another, I emphasize that it is just a fun outing for the two of us. She gets bummed out when she's a few places below me, but it drives her to want the next monthly that we go to, to come up quicker, to try again.

And I would suggest, do not ignore her when you are in your squad IF you decide to squad together. I guess that's really all I can say, build her confidence by making her feel included, the rest of the squad will naturally encourage her and give her advice because they want to help YOU as well as her out.

That's my experience with it. We have only been to one match, our second is this coming weekend, so YMMV. No Guarantees, Warranties, or Responsibility assumed if you take any of this advice.

 

[srcphoto]

In everything....and I always lose.....but I can pee better standing up....but not by much....

 

[gandalf]

What Fred 338 said. Especially about the 9mm. My wife loves her 226, but shoots her XDM 5.25 better in both IDPA and USPSA. We always squad together, and she usually ends up near the bottom, but sometimes beats some of the guys. She still has fun and enjoys the social aspect as much as the shooting. Most women are suprised to find that the guys like having them there and most guys are envious of those of us who have wives/girlfriends that shoot with us. Also makes firearm related expenditures easier to justify LOL!
JD

 

[Planner]

There are a few couples that shoot our indoor matches together. I think it is awesome. Two of the wives of guys I normally squad with both run XDM 5.25" 9mms and do really well.

My spouse has an XDs and is content just to punch holes in paper, but comes with me to matches when available. It is nice to see her smiling face after I've just missed two hits on a classifier! She doesn't care how well I shoot.

 

[profmike]

As others have suggested, keep it fun. My wife started at an all-female pistol shoot and it was a great, non-intimidating, venue for her to begin. Highly recommended if available. Her 1st IDPA practice shoot was last month and she really enjoyed it. We plan to participate in some falling plate shoots at the local conservation club until IDPA picks up again around here in the spring. I know she will not be interested in going out when the weather is too hot or too cold and that is fine with me. The coolest thing is to see her now becoming a mentor to some of the newbies at the all-female shoots.

Hope things go as well with your lady.