Open letter to Gun Store Owners and Employees (I know there are some women out there; I just haven’t found them yet. This is addressed more toward the men…if you recognize yourself you have something to think about. I did a little secret shopper research for this one.)
Dear Gun Store Owner / Employee,
I am a confident, self sufficient, intelligent woman. I would like to buy a gun for personal defense. I’m not interested in being hit on, patronized or called “Little Lady”. When I tell you I don’t know much about guns, please consider recommending some local professional instruction before I buy, explaining that it will help me understand what I’m looking for, narrow my choices, and give me some experience before I commit $400 of more dollars on something I’ll use once and put away. I’ll be more likely to come back.
Take the time to ask me questions, such as, why am I interested in shooting, do I have anything particular in mind, do I have experience, do I live in a multi-unit dwelling, or do I want to carry concealed at some point. If I tell you I’m interested in Personal Defense, don’t immediately take me to a Shotgun (I had a salesman tell me not to chamber a shell because the noise of doing so would scare away most intruder, uhm, does that make a shotgun a $300+ good luck charm?). Unless I plan to swear it on a sling, they are only good in one room, and somewhat hard to take outside and conceal. In addition, please, don’t offer to teach me to shoot it on your off time.
When I steer the conversation to a pistol, don’t start telling me how Revolvers have fewer moving parts, are easier to shoot and I may not have the hand strength for a Semi-Automatic, that has lots of moving parts. I may opt for a revolver, but I need to understand my options.
When we do get to the Semi-Autos, don’t assume I want something small or compact. Please do not say it would be easy to carry in my purse! If I didn’t know better, which I do, I would think you just told me it was ok to carry a loaded gun in my purse! If it takes me 30 seconds to find my keys, how long will it take to find my gun? And, what will be stuck in the barrel or the trigger guard when I do? Oh, there’s that ink pen I was looking for. Ok, I did receive a couple recommendations toward a 9mm, which is what I carry. However, a compact 9mm with a 6 round magazine? Maybe in evening-wear! We can learn to carry a full size gun, concealed, just like the men. No one in any of the shops I went to ever realized I was carrying a Glock 19 and a spare magazine, on body. Take the time to explain to me that the small, easy to conceal gun is a lot harder to shoot and could cause me not to practice, which could make me a danger to myself and others, if I carry it. Don’t tell me that in a real-life situation I won’t notice the recoil, my adrenaline will be pumping. If I can’t practice with it at the range, I can’t use it effectively to defend my life.
Even if I told you I don’t know much about guns, you should! Do not rack the slide without even looking down and hand me a pistol with a closed action. Just because you didn’t load a round, doesn’t mean the other guy didn’t slip one in. Use the Slide Lock and show me that it is empty, open the cylinder and show me there are no rounds in the revolver, let me verify it for myself so I can be less afraid of it. Help me out; tell me it isn’t wise to put my finger on the trigger unless I intend to fire the gun. If I really am new, I don’t know anything about safe handling, I’m looking at you as the expert. If you do it wrong, I’ll think that it is the right way.
If I ask you to show me how to aim a pistol, please do not show me a modified Weaver with a teacup grip! Show me an isosceles, straight out, strong two-handed grip. Most new male shooters would have trouble with a teacup grip, and so would I, even with experience.
I did confess my secret mission to most of the men I dealt with although I didn’t tell them all the errors I saw. One pointed out that he knew I had more skills than I let on when I kept my index finger on the frame instead of the trigger and didn’t muzzle him. Oops, training wins again. I just can’t bring myself to violate the basic safety rules.
Encourage me to take some professional training, have a list of NRA trainers in the area, or a stack of cards from local trainers to recommend to me.
If you make it a positive experience, I will come back, and probably bring a few friends. If I feel patronized or walk out with a gun I can’t shoot, I will probably tell all my friends.
My apologies to the men who tried, and didn’t make a sale. I know who you are and where to send friends to when they are ready, or when I’m ready for my next purchase. Guns are like shoes, have to have more than one!
Stay Safe!
