Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Again

I got the request, "Hey YOU know about guns! Can you recommend the pistol this friend of mine in Ogden should get when she gets her CCW?  She is kinda short.  And she intends purse carry but has a biggish purse."

Yeah...  That question again.  For someone I don't know from Adam's off ox.  And probably never will.  Has she shot before?  Dunno.

I figure you gotta answer this one as patiently as possible.  Give lots of ideas but no specifics.  Don't say "just get a j-frame..."  This question will continue to come up again and again.

But if I don't give specifics she is liable to look for specifics on her own initiative, instead of third hand from me, from the gun store sales drone.  Who will 8 times out of 10 probably say "just get a j-frame..."

So how do you answer this question concisely and efficiently?  It's a complicated and innefficient answer.  The closest I can come up with is, "That's not an easy answer.  Do X, Y, and Z first before plunking down your cash.  Then do N."

I hope her CCW class is done by someone that gives a crap.  Assuming she is totally a n00b and not unduly influenced by the ignorant her instructor is her best hope.  But I do what I can from where I can.

Right now my only response to mystery lady is: "First handgun?  You almost certainly don't want a J-Frame snub nosed double action revolver.   That's all I can tell you."

8 comments:

TXGunGeek said...

Absolutely NOT a j-frame! In the basic pistol courses I teach, we have started a new station where we have a full size revo and a j-frame airweight that we make sure everyone goes through and fires at least one shot from each. That way they know when they get to the store and the goober behind the counter says here this is what you need, they can kick him in the balls and tell him he needs to get out more.

Actually, the class centers around an hour on the range with 4-6 instructors with 3-4 guns each and we have the students cycle through with each instructor and have them shoot as many different guns as they possibly can so they get a feel for what does and doesn't work for them.

When someone asks for the remote what should I/They get response, I always tell them to get the gun that they can shoot well and will carry routinely and practice with. There is no one right answer that covers everyone and to tell them otherwise would be a disservice.

New Jovian Thunderbolt said...

I like your system GunGeek, and I try to replicate that myself when I get my hands on a new shooter at the range.

Julie said...

my advice - get her to shoot as many different guns that she can get her hands on before she makes a choice like that ...

i'm sure you've got some ranges there where she can hire guns and get ammo ...

New Jovian Thunderbolt said...

I will never meet her, Julie. A buddy in Hawaii asked me for info that he could relay to the woman that is on the opposite coast from me.

Angus McThag said...

My stock answer has become, "When can she go to a gun show with me?"

Pawing every gun at the show helps a lot in narrowing things down.

Julie said...

understood that Jovian, but i'ld still give the same advice ... get her to source and shoot as many guns as she can.

CR Cobb said...

The LT in "The Good Guys" looked cute holding a Sig P232. It would fit in a big purse, and. everyone's carrying .380s these days. The recoil will be so light that she won't have to practice. LOL.

Anonymous said...

Dunno ... maybe send her here http://www.corneredcat.com/ ?

Also offer to chat with her via email?