I might say a few things that will upset people in this article, but perhaps they need to be said.
… And women, please stop being the willing pawns of retards with guns and video cameras.
There are a lot of idiots in the world. I don’t think any country has a monopoly on them, but the (nonexistent) law of averages says the United States has to have quite a few. Unfortunately, as there is no checkbox on an ATF form 4473 that asks whether or not the purchaser of the firearm is an idiot, these people have free access to firearms.
Of course, other amendments to the Constitution afford them access to video cameras and the Internet, meaning that they are free to share their idiocy with the world.
Sometimes idiots just post videos of themselves doing dumb things with firearms, but other times they enlist their friends. Because idiocy is not limited to one gender, and because idiots are like magnets and tend to attract one another, sometimes we see women doing dumb things with firearms on YouTube.
To be sure, a lot of the women we see firing extremely powerful weapons without adequate training or preparation were tricked into it by a boyfriend or husband who wanted to get a few cheap laughs. Sometimes, though, they really should know better. It’s not as if they were hit over the head and dragged in front of the camera, then forced to shoot a weapon that they couldn’t handle (they are generally hit on the head immediately after they fire the weapon). Intuition should be giving them clues that something just isn’t right – but this is quite often ignored.
I think it’s important to stress the fact that guys are behind the vast majority of these videos, but the women involved are not doing a single thing to stop them. Perhaps I’m delving into issues of human nature and psychology that I do not fully understand, but I really don’t have patience for either involved party here.
I guess I do have a little more sympathy for the women who trust a man to make the right decision for them in an area in which the women have no practical experience, however. I have taken a number of women shooting who have said that the only previous time they had shot a firearm, their father/uncle/brother/ex-boyfriend took them to the range and had them shoot either a magnum revolver, a magnum rifle, or a large shotgun. The results, as one might expect, were not sunshine and rainbows.
On the other hand, when I was very young, my father took me shooting in an effort to show me how powerful firearms were, and to deter me from seeing them as toys – as he puts it, to “scare me away” from firearms. I shot a 357 Magnum revolver, a break open double-barreled 12gauge, and an Enfield in 303 British. None of these are light recoiling weapons, especially at the age of four or five (my father held his hands over mine as “I” shot so as to prevent accident or injury). In the long run, this was the beginning of my peculiar interest in firearms, which, of course, continues to this day.
To the guys out there, do you really think that what you are doing will be beneficial to anyone or anything except your ego?
To the women out there, do you really think that firing this big gun, on camera, while wearing a bikini will make him love you more (I can’t think of any other reason why women participate in this crap)?
Working for a brief period of time in a gun store convinced me that idiots should not own firearms, but common sense, practicality, and the Bill of Rights dictate that idiots have the same rights as non-idiots. Of course, as long as we, the lesser idiotic peoples of the world, continue to vote with our fingers and click on videos of scantily clad women shooting big guns, more idiots will be encouraged to seek out their 15 million views of fame.
I could not agree with this more. I’m not sure why people tthese videos are appropriate or humorous is totally beyond me. Maybe I’m just sexist, but watching unsuspecting women getting hurt or terrified is extremely distasteful. Beyond that, there is such a lack of control in some of these videos (the 500 magnum videos where a second round is fired in some random direction), that these situations are incredibly dangerous. Thanks for speaking out!
The video I saw with a .500 magnum had proper safety procedures, but when you have never seen a bump fired revolver or even heard of it being possible what can you do? From what I have read even Smith and Wesson did not know about it being possible at first.
And well put Andrew, I tend to facepalm at just the titles of most of those videos.
Well said, Andrew. Thanks for having the courage to say it.
-jpr
Well said. Being a responsible firearms owner means sharing firearms knowledge to those around you in a safe, enjoyable way. Handing any person a firearm that they are not physically capable of firing safely is foolish at best and sadistic at worst.
With all my female friends who are new shooters I start them out on a .22 rifle (I feel pistols require more training particularly with new shooters). It’s easier for them to get comfortable with the fundamentals of shooting with a .22 rifle, even if it does not look or sound as “cool” as a heavier caliber weapon.
I agree. Any new shooter, female or not, who was ever in my group is always last to try out any heavy recoil weapons so they could 1) see it in use and 2) finally decide if they want to give it a go. And we only load it with one round. They usually fired smaller stuff prior to that too though so they could, “work their way up.” This way, even if they were startled by the weapon, they all had fun and wanted to try more.
Totally agreed. I have had some friends tell me to bring out my girlfriend and have her shoot a nagant for the first time.. I want her to enjoy shooting, not to have a sore shoulder, and an experience that has a negative impact on her trust with me. The hell are you guys thinking? Get women into shooting; not hurt or angry…
Now if we could only find a way to get these people to read vuurwapenblog…. but it ain’t likely. Your best bet is to post a video rant about it, along with a video montage of scantily clad females. In other words get them where they live.
Actually…that sounds like a great idea.
Andrew,
I used to be a marksmanship instructor, and it really irks me when I see what you are describing…
I chose to instruct, because I enjoyed getting new shooters to succeed. I fail to understand the “thrill” that some of these idiots get out watching their wives/girlfriends shoot weapons that they haven’t been properly trained how to use, and in the process become soured on shooting.
Thanks for having the nerve to say what you did!
I agree with you. Once you understand there are a lot of idiots out there, it makes life a lot easier to live.
And I 100% think idiots should not be allowed to own firearms. Stating this on my forum, I was attacked by a poster as being “Elitist”. I stated how many computer game wannabe’s I see on the range being unsafe, etc. and how the entire Zombie operators are merging with our firearm culture in America, producing many uneducated, new firearm owners whose entry point into firearms and incentive are completely naive and unsafe.
To this people point out, “Well.. at least in increases gun buying and I’m sure they can get someone to teach them.. etc.”
What fantasy world these people live in.
If not being a “big tent” guy makes me an Elitist, then I don’t really care and I’ll speak my mind.
I’m kind of veering off point, but I’m also a little burned out on all this zombie stuff. It was funny when I rationalized buying a gun to my buddies, but now that it’s an industry, complete with support from Ruger, Hornady, Mossberg, Ka-bar, etc this zombie thing has jumped the shark.
Just to play devil’s advocate, there are videos of some very scantily clad, very attractive, women operating a .50BMG in a good prone position form. Now whether the shots were well placed and accurate, I have no idea, but form, safety, and firearm manipulation were on par with an experienced operator. Now those are videos I can support 🙂
Proper attire for such activities such as those we see with women of the IDF, is more my sorta thang. Maybe it’s the uniforms… 😛
Here is a video that shows that some women know what the heck they are doing, and can likely do it better than you! I know its just one video but I had to post something that broke the stereotype.
Women of the USPSA Nationals 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTrutPuAbdc&hd=1
Thanks for the great link. The girls are just fine.
I’ve had the pleasure of taking a half dozen new shooters to the range over the last year (3 women, 2 men, and a youth). We start with the four rules, and then move on to grip, stance, dominant eye, sights, and firing a .22 revolver at 7 yards. They’ve all been on target. Next up are revolvers in .32 and .38. Then on to semis, beginning with .22 and learning about trigger reset. And then forward to 9mm, .40, and .45. They moved forward at various paces, but all had a good time. I shared what I know about squibs and slamfires–one of each, so pay attention!
I’ve been at the range when a new (female) shooter was having her first shots with an innapropriate caliber. I cringed, but didn’t voice my opinion. Should I have done so?
That would be a good time to speak up.
Thank goodness someone said this. I am new to guns and I am so beyond thankful that people(mostly men) in my life have taking teaching me about firearms very seriously and have not used my ignorance or lack of skill to make me look like a fool or to put me in a dangerous situation. Plus, I almost never walk around in a bikini with an AK strapped to my back:)
Unfortunately, men will continue to be douchebags to women regardless. I think a woman who knows how to operate a firearm properly is far more attractive than any of the nonsense with 500 s&w’s that fills the interwebs.
Lile so many others have already said, you nailed it. My girlfriend has had a number negative experiences with guns in her younger years, and isn’t exactly the biggest fan of the fact that I work with, own, carry, and shoot guns.
The absolute last thing that would ever think of doing would be to coerce her into shooting some arm-breaker in order to make her the butt of some sophomoric joke.
I hope that someday it can be something that we share, but for now, I have no problem with respecting her feelings.
Just the other day, she came out to the shed while I was doing “up” drills with my airsoft gun, and asked to take a few shots. Wouldn’t you know it, but she actually enjoyed it.
Funny how when someone you care deeply about shows interest in what you do, and you help them instead of mocking them, they respond positively! Amazing!
Side note, if your uninitiated lady friend wants to get involved, obliviously she needs to know how to be safe. Just remember that your “safety brief” should be a bit different from what you’d throw at a recruit private. I only throw that out there because I’ve seen it happen and it ain’t pretty…
Agreed. In addition, let’s stop treating guns as cute accessories. Women who want pink guns want them for the wrong reason. My ex wife wanted one, but I later discovered she was just using my guns to pose for fake goth pics on MySpace.