So my wife freaked...

[lonewolf23c]

I want more guns but I'm limited on space and $$$$. Seems like the gun show prices have gone up too, so not much luck there either.

 

[kenj8172]

DirtyD,

I had a similar experience with my girlfriend of 6 years. Her mother is an ex ER nurse who would talk to her about gunshot wounds as she was a child and her father is a doctor who would pretty much do the same. So naturally, she was raised to believe that guns are bad and they are only made to kill people.

After we had been together 4 years or so, my father expressed interest in getting his CHL and asked me if I would like to take the classes with him. Of course I said yes, and used this as an excuse to buy my first pistol. After my purchase, I sat down with my girlfriend and went through all of the basic mechanical workings of the gun along with general safety.

Since this time, I have gotten her to the range once and she has eased up a little. She's still not super comfortable with firearms, but hopefully over time it will get better.

My best advice is to set down with your wife and go through the mechanics, emphasizing the fact that a bullet will not come out of that barrel unless 1-the bullet is chambered, 2- the safety is disengaged (if applicable) and 3- someone pulls the trigger. After this, join the NRA and get a subscription to American Rifleman. In every issue, there's an "Armed Citizen" column with several news articles from all over the nation of people using their firearms in self defense. Then, of course, read them to her!

This has worked for me, and I wish you (and your wife) the best!

 

[TexasRedneck]

I'm fortunate in that my wife was raised with guns, and used to shoot local competition. My oldest boys' wife, however has been virulently anti-gun....until December, when some idiot tried to carjack her. She kept her cool, and got herself away safely, but she realized that she got lucky. She's barely 100 lbs. soaking wet, so she also knows that she'd have little chance in a physical confrontation.
We had ourselves a little heart-to-heart right after it happened, and I brought her into my gun room, opened the safe and proceeded to let her handle every pistol in my collection (about 20 or so). She ended up liking what my wife carries - a SigSauer P232.
She got a book on concealed carry and another on gun safety/rights/responsibilities from me for Christmas, and a couple of weeks ago I lucked into a killer deal on a 232 for her. We'll spend next weekend at the range, and she's already becoming comfortable with the idea of carrying a gun.
One upside to all of this was that I was able to give my 8 year-old grandson (and namesake) his first gun for Christmas this year - a Remington semi-auto .22 that was given to me by MY Dad for Christmas back when I was about 10. He was tickled to death with it, and my DIL even thought it was "neat".
Bottom line - you have to deal with each one differently, because each of them will have their own thought processes and reasons for not liking them. If you're patient and respectful, you'll eventually bring them around most of the time. It took me 8+ years with the DIL, but it worked out in the end.

 

[Texas42]

I've had a couple of serious girl friends who I had to introduce to guns, particularly pistols, which I love to shoot. I believe very strongly about them.

You have to start slow. Write things down. Her concerns and what you will do about them.

Eventually I'd take her shooting. Get the false ideas out of her head. Explain truth. Heck, show her the statistics of accidental gun deaths to pools or cars.

The response your wife is having is emotional and not rational. You have to get her thinking without making her angry.

Good luck. I hope she comes around.

 

[DarkRook]

Well I have just this to add;


"Marriages Are Made In Heaven -- But So Are Thunder And Lightning"

 

[bikerbill]

My wife has never been a huge fan of firearms, tho she took a shotgun class with me -- and even fired a bunch of slugs out of my Mossberg 500, she was pretty sore the next day ... she tolerates my addiction and encourages me to carry, but has shown little interest herself ... until yesterday!!!

she's going to be taking a great new job in a crappy part of Austin ... she has one of those Kimber pepper spray gizmos, but I gently suggested it might be time to start thinking of something with a little more punch.

She agreed! I gave her my copy of Thank God I Had a Gun and she read it straight through ... then asked me tons of questions about the CHL process, what gun might be right for her, etc. I'm pushing ahead gently, encouraging her ... it may happen ... I think the closer was showing her the Coronado leather catalog section with some amazingly beautiful CC purses ... told her I'd buy one for her if she got her CHL ... time will tell ...

 

[lonewolf23c]

Its so much easier just having a gf right now, I told her the other day if she don't like me having guns she can leave. So far she hasn't said much other than wanting to go shoot my Colt 1911 when the weather warms up, so maybe just maybe I have a keeper LOL.