Saturday, November 4, 2017

I'm Sorry (An Open Letter)

To the woman at the gun shop today,
I'm sorry.

I'm sorry I didn't interrupt when the (older, male) idiot behind the counter insisted that women needed revolvers instead of a semi-auto, because apparently we women are to stupid to learn to identify and clear malfunctions.

I'm sorry I didn't offer to help when I saw you in the lane next to me with a snub-nosed thirty-eight, and your (young, male) "gun expert" encouraging you to continue shooting a gun you were obviously not comfortable with.

I spent the entire time watching you and wanting to pull you aside, wanting to tell you to take a proper class, wanting to tell you the men who were advising you today were idiots who have no idea what they were talking about.

You see, a snub-nosed revolver is an expert's weapon, not a beginner's one, but the "experts" you had to deal with today aren't expert enough to know that.

I'm not an expert, but I dedicate a lot of time to shooting and studying shooting. I knew they were steering you wrong.

I should have broken my rule of not offering unsolicited advice, and for that I'm sorry. I've been angry at myself ever since.

Please accept my apologies,
GunDiva

4 comments:

Allenspark Lodge said...

Perhaps some "business cards" with your name and phone number/email would be in order. FIREARMS ADVICE & CLASSES or something. Hand her one and step aside smiling.

Bill

Daddy Hawk said...

Gun store employees should be taught to send new shooters to the rental counter with an instructor for a quick intro course with a variety of guns. Make it a package deal for $50 that counts towards the purchase of a gun at the shop. Be a lot less of this kind of crap or its kissing' cousin "Here, you need a sub compact polymer pocket pistol in .40S&W because..."

GunDiva said...

Business cards are going into my range bag from now on.

GunDiva said...

Agreed