I was in the big 'Thousand Pound Gorilla' local gunshop looking at whatever was new. On my way out the door, I passed
an older lady who was standing next to who I presume was her husband,
and trying the fit on a new handgun.
I noticed it was an S&W j frame. With pink grips.
I noticed it was an S&W j frame. With pink grips.
 |
| Uh-oh |
So, I pause to eavesdrop and observe. The lady points the gun into the upper corner of the room (nice muzzle discipline, considering the layout and how crowded it as), and dry fires it.
"That's pretty tough" she says to the counter guy, with a nervous smile
"That's a good thing!" he says. "That means it won't go off on accident. You have to really mean that you want to pull the trigger to fire it."
The feeling seems to go out of the lady's smile- she knows she is being condescended to. She looks at her husband, who is grinning and nodding along with the counter guy.
"It won't go off in your purse," the counter guy says. "You are going to be really angry or scared when you shoot, so you want a hard trigger pull. You won't even notice it."
I had to leave before I made a scene. That is some of the most pathetically condescending bad advice I have heard since I was in that shop the last time (see the link above). I know I should have stepped in and said something, headed her in the right direction- I didn't and I feel horrible about it.
My best guess is that we probably just lost a new shooter. I can pretty much predict what will happen: her husband will buy that gun and a cheap knock off CCW purse. They will go to the indoor range, and she will fire 5-10 rounds at a target that is set too far away, miss with most of the shots, and hate the experience. The gun will spend the next 30 years in a nightstand drawer collecting dust.
My best guess is that we probably just lost a new shooter. I can pretty much predict what will happen: her husband will buy that gun and a cheap knock off CCW purse. They will go to the indoor range, and she will fire 5-10 rounds at a target that is set too far away, miss with most of the shots, and hate the experience. The gun will spend the next 30 years in a nightstand drawer collecting dust.
For the record, here is what a hard trigger gets you:
- harder to shoot. You need more hand strength.
- lesser practical accuracy
- a less enjoyable shooting experience.
I gotta stop going into that store. It just makes me depressed.
God, as you might know I recently had an argument in a large chain store with a counter guy trying to sell a woman a 12 guage short barrel shot gun, telling her to not worry about any bruising, etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteAny time I hear a man condescending to a new lady shooter, I will ALWAYS pull the lady aside and offer up a little advice of my own.
I'm no pro, but I have been shooting enough to know some alternatives to whatever some jackwagon is trying push off on her.
Please, never refer from stepping in when you hear poor advice being given. I want every woman armed and able to defend herself.
I feel sad she is doomed to a bad experience when the husband is the major part of the problem. This kind of thing makes my blood boil.
ReplyDeleteLady: Just stick to knitting and go make me a sandwich.
ReplyDeleteHeh.
(I point women like that to a different gun shop that has a hot gun chick that actually helps them. Said hot gun chick just talked me into a Colt Defender as little as 3 days ago...)
Oh, I don't think I would be married if there was a hot sales girl at the gun store. It would be my blown budget that would get me in the most trouble.
ReplyDelete