Maybe a new one for you all

[chfaunce]

Learning something you are uncomfortable with from someone you are comfortable with is far better than learning it from a total stranger IMO.

Excellent point, and I completely agree. With the exception of mountain biking, I've learned, err, umm, "heard". Let REI handle that or something - it's better for one's relationship that way. Or so a "friend" of mine was "told".

[Jim]

Concerning husbands teaching wives, I think it has a lot to do with, not the husband's experience as a shooter, but his experience as an INSTRUCTOR.
LOTS of men know how to shoot. Lots of men do NOT know how to instruct.
Before you go off on me, understand me.
E.G.: I worked for a man for years that was one of the finest welders I've ever had the pleasure to work with. Problem? He could not TEACH.
Teaching, defined, is the verbal transfer of knowledge. Most people have to be taught how to teach. It doesn't come naturally.

[gunderwood]

There is no rule of thumb that works for everyone. Just like scholarly education, the point of good teaching it to find out how to make the learning interesting and effective for the student.

[zephyp]

I cannot count the number of times I've seen men and women at the range shooting an automatic and go blank when the sidearm stove pipes or jams in the feed cycle. "It won't shoot. What do I do now?"
If they're not trained to handle that situation at the range, what are they going to do when they're 3 seconds from being killed and the sidearm jams?
I'm not attacking automatics. I own one myself. I'm merely suggesting that, in a life or death situation, an automatic requires a lot of training to get it back in battery when seconds count.
When I am coaching first time buyers, I point out the highs AND lows of both types and let THEM make the decision.

Good points. I prefer autos, but they do require more training to use. A DAO revolver is simple, pull the trigger again.

IMHO, mind set is the hardest point to train.

Some folks even have trouble understanding how to use a DA revolver. I've shown more than a couple of newbies that they can also cock the hammer and then squeeze the trigger after watching their petite partner struggle in the SA mode and get frustrated when they couldnt hit the target.

[SgtBill]

I think that I should also mention that some people think that a .380 is to low on the take down scale as opposed to say a 9 M.M. or a 40 cal. This may be true if you use only Ball ammo. I load mine with Speer Gold Dot's the 95 grainers and always go for 2 in the chest and one in the head, My wife is comfortable with this weapon, it is easy to rack the slide and clear a malfunction if need be (mine has nver had one tho) Again a Walther PK380 is easy to handle and rack the slide along with an amby. safety and mag release and great sights for a mid size weapon that will carry very well in a purse or on a belt.
Bill

[Mindflayer]

I'll admit the first time I used a semi-automatic (all of 5-6 months ago!), I was unable to pull back the slide. It was someone else's gun, and I was raised to be careful with other people's "stuff". Now, I am not a big guy, but I was still afraid I'd break something. Once my friends reminded me the polymer and steel were designed to handle a beatdown, that sweet sound of a slide being racked was easy.

I have found that with a DA revolver, the trick is to dry fire that puppy until the trigger is smooth. I've gotten my Airweight 642 pretty smooth - not as nice as the Ruger LCR, but still nice.