Is a Firearm an Equalizer for Women?

[ZA_Survivalist]

If a woman trains/practices like her male counterpart then yes, its a force on force equalizer.

However, with 90% of the ladies and even men Ive spoke with.. They don't have that preparedness in their mind/daily routine. You HAVE to be ready and situationally aware.
I tell my woman on occasion:
That pistol or shotgun wont save you should you need it if its in the other room, or if its in its safe, or case, or unloaded..etc.

That and women need to practice and own what their comfortable with.. Not some dainty .380 pea shooter thats too small for human hand like the LCP or some cheap tiny .22 (which MOST guys want to cheap out and get their lady some shoddy pistol) .. I find MOST are comfortable (at home) with a standard (full) sized pistol
(with a light..well mine is) such as the 92FS, G17, 1911.. As most of us guys are..

Where as when you hand them this tiny little G26 to which they too can barely grasp they're all over the place when shooting.

(BTW...380 is a gimmick.. It cant do anything a 9 cant do better.)

But back to my main point.. Awareness and firearm proximity has to be drilled into their routine.
Now if they could make a phone/ipad/keys/firearm tether she'd never be without it!

 

[40calruler]

If a woman trains/practices like her male counterpart then yes, its a force on force equalizer.

However, with 90% of the ladies and even men Ive spoke with.. They don't have that preparedness in their mind/daily routine. You HAVE to be ready and situationally aware.
I tell my woman on occasion:
That pistol or shotgun wont save you should you need it if its in the other room, or if its in its safe, or case, or unloaded..etc.

That and women need to practice and own what their comfortable with.. Not some dainty .380 pea shooter thats too small for human hand like the LCP or some cheap tiny .22 (which MOST guys want to cheap out and get their lady some shoddy pistol) .. I find MOST are comfortable (at home) with a standard (full) sized pistol
(with a light..well mine is) such as the 92FS, G17, 1911.. As most of us guys are..

Where as when you hand them this tiny little G26 to which they too can barely grasp they're all over the place when shooting.

However if talking about CC a Compact (not sub compact) they can handle as well a G19/23 or same frame sized pistol mine enjoys quite a bit, also a few.357/.38spl revolvers.

BTW...380 is a gimmick.. It cant do anything a 9 cant do better.

But back to my main point.. Awareness and firearm proximity has to be drilled into their routine.
Now if they could make a phone/ipad/keys/firearm tether she'd never be without it!

I agree with most points aside from .380 being worthless. A heavy Sig 230SL single stack is what my wife shoots best. However that is a full size grip and as large as a compact 9mm so I see agree with your point on size. A SP101 is the closest my wife has come to "liking" something but I take her shooting and I know that she has the mindset to use said gun if need be as I looked over a couple weeks ago when we walked through a dark garage in downtown and she had her hand in her purse...I did not say anything but was happy to see she was aware of where we were and had a gun in her hand concealed by her purse.
I asked her why she did that when I was there and carrying and she told me because it is just habit now after how many times I have told her not to try and grab for it after its too late and pay attention to her surroundings.
If you can get your woman to understand the importance of being prepared and not just having a gun and fumbling for it when a bad guy jumps out it does make them equal to a 200lb guy. I would not have wanted to be the jacker jumping out at us as she was ready to drop someone.
Same with guys that think a gun makes them tough. It might but only if you are in practice of drawing it and aiming it quickly. Owning one means nothing if it is not something you are prepared to use at any given moment and "paranoid" as some would call being aware of your surroundings.
Giving your girl a little piece of poly and saying "now you are armed" is such a unwise false feeling of comfort. If they are not comfortable with it they may as well have a rape whistle.
If you want it to be an equalizer then it has to be one that they know well and know what it means to be ready and prepared to use it. No cheap crap...Let them pick it out and shoot with them as often as they will go.

 

[40calruler]

Given my comment just now I will say I have seen women choose the smaller guns like the LCP, Glock 42, and Bodyguard but then it is their choice. If they are willing to practice with it great but do not push one on them as my Wifes life is worth more than the cost of any gun she wants. 500-1k if she actually found one she loved it would be hers. Even if it was smaller than I would like.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Given my comment just now I will say I have seen women choose the smaller guns like the LCP, Glock 42, and Bodyguard but then it is their choice. If they are willing to practice with it great but do not push one on them as my Wifes life is worth more than the cost of any gun she wants. 500-1k if she actually found one she loved it would be hers. Even if it was smaller than I would like.

True.. But generally we (for the most part) condition them to think they cant handle full sized
(standard framed) sidearms.
Mine thought the same thing and went for the LCP and alike side arm and quickly found its made as a last ditch back up or perhaps the side arm for a fella from the lollypop guild. That and she had a hard time grasping the slide and racking it.. We moved up a size (LC9, G19..etc) and she was better.. Went to a full sized and it was like day and night.
When we're out shooting, I generally let her choose what she wants without any influence.. From there (for her and the women in my family) they've all come to the conclusion (on their own) that a compact and full size are what they're best with: manipulation, reloads, and staying on target.

So all in all, I let her find what worked best for her without any side comments. She like most women go for the smaller firearm at first assuming it would be tailored to their build.. But found out smaller pistols have more issues (from our experience) and are a heck of a lot more stiff (to the point to where she and others didn't feel confident running it)

As for your note on the "tough guy" mentality.. I could t agree more! For guys its like the polar opposite for over compensation, they (sometimes) go for the biggest frame or larger caliber to somehow prove their masculinity.. The while training they'll blame it on it being "new" or the load/grain they're using.. Or what ever other excuse they can conjure up aside from the fact that they either cant handle it or they don't train enough..
Also, they'll think that somehow they are tough but don't practice their draw and end up fumbling around. Haha, my sister has hipster guy friends that just assume folks can pick up any rifle/pistol..etc and know how to operate it
(but have never had before) as well as instantly have some kind of miraculous marksmanship. For some of us, yeah.. But for vegan hipsters.. Not so much.

Its sad to see a man, with baby soft hands, wearing skinny jeans trying with all his might to rack the slide of a pistol that his gal pal was able to do with ease.

.. I could go on and on.. But Ill stop.

Anyhow, you totally hit the nail on the head about "tough" guys too.

 

[GrpCapMandrake]

I agree with the idea that simple possession is not something that will make anyone, woman or man, safer. Practice, practice, practice will give you the greater opportunity to employ the gun as a effective tool. However, all things being equal, yes the gun is an equalizer. The attackers physical stature will be meaningless when the defender has the ability to give you more holes than what God gave you.

 

[SON*OF*LIBERTY]

The firearm has been the great equilizer for many, not just woman, but the oppressed as well, for many hundreds of years.

It is "Thee Great Equalizer".

 

[teflon6string]

Knowledge, judgement, practiced skills and sometimes luck can all help.

In the hands of a competent individual, a firearm (under the right circumstances) may serve as an "equalizer."

 

[SON*OF*LIBERTY]

Knowledge, judgement, practiced skills and sometimes luck can all help.

In the hands of a competent individual, a firearm (under the right circumstances) may serve as an "equalizer."

No inadimate object should be handled without understanding and recognition that it is a tool that is to be used properly, safely and with CONFIDENCE.

However, ...not like , as a rock is to a bolder requiring strength for one but not for the other. The chemical energy pent up in powder can be controled and triggered consistently by anyone with minimal knowledge. This is the point of firearms.

The question is best handled that all are on the same starting line; standing only with advantages in size, intelligence and strength seperating them (not training, which is another form of equalizer in itself).

Training will help a smaller take out a larger opponent with or without a firearm.

...the equalizing factor in the firearms is in the dynamics of chemistry and the stored power of gunpowder and the science of internal and external ballistics coming together to release this power in the appropriate direction and time. Training can take this concept further, but not redefine it.

That said, with or withour training, firearms equalizes simply at the level of all being equall in control of the stored power.

The pull of a trigger, or the feel of recoil and the size of the bullet becomes symmantics when restricting the peramiters of the question.

 

[Ligito]

Is a Firearm an Equalizer for Women?

No, if you point one at them, they just make more noise.

 

[Certaindeaf]

And by the same token, being very large and strong does not assure victory or "equality" in personal combat.. it is the opponent with skill and spirit that will most often prevail.

 

[usmc]

Don't you remember " 'Jill, if there's ever a problem, just walk out on the balcony here, walk out and put that double-barrel shotgun and fire two blasts outside the house,'" thanks VP.

 

[Thumper]

Practice practice practice...makes competent.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

This may not be PC but this it is my observations on Africa as a whole. Before European colonization the various people of Africa fought with each other and practiced genocide, slavery, brutalization of their women, had high infant mortality, short life expectancy, universal illiteracy and were unable to feed themselves with famines ruining rampant. Then the various European countries colonized the African continent. The inter tribal warfare was almost eliminated, as was genocide, slavery(after 1830), the general health and lifespan of the populace was improved, literacy increased and most important Africa became a food exporting area. But the people weren't satisfied and by the mid 60's had thrown out their colonial masters. In a very few years they had reverted to a state they were 300 tears earlier and are still in a downward spiral. They wanted freedom but not the responsibilities that come with it. Freedom is a two edged sword, tempered with responsibility. The trouble is I see the country I love beginning to go down this road in some ways.

Yes, women who have a gun and know and are willing to use it are usually not victims. Guns empower a woman and a lot of men don't like that. I like the fact that I can depend on my life partner to help me in a situation that I may not be able to handle by myself alone. This goes beyond guns also.

 

[GrpCapMandrake]

This may not be PC but this it is my observations on Africa as a whole. Before European colonization the various people of Africa fought with each other and practiced genocide, slavery, brutalization of their women, had high infant mortality, short life expectancy, universal illiteracy and were unable to feed themselves with famines ruining rampant. Then the various European countries colonized the African continent. The inter tribal warfare was almost eliminated, as was genocide, slavery(after 1830), the general health and lifespan of the populace was improved, literacy increased and most important Africa became a food exporting area. But the people weren't satisfied and by the mid 60's had thrown out their colonial masters. In a very few years they had reverted to a state they were 300 tears earlier and are still in a downward spiral. They wanted freedom but not the responsibilities that come with it. Freedom is a two edged sword, tempered with responsibility. The trouble is I see the country I love beginning to go down this road in some ways.

Yes, women who have a gun and know and are willing to use it are usually not victims. Guns empower a woman and a lot of men don't like that. I like the fact that I can depend on my life partner to help me in a situation that I may not be able to handle by myself alone. This goes beyond guns also.

Wow you weren't kidding about being non-PC. No bother I can appreciate a frank discussion of a topic. I think though that is a rather rosy view of colonization and subjugation of a people. Hey here in the good Ol' USA we weren't happy with our colonial overlords either and for some of the same reasons the various peoples of Africa. All of this is neither here nor there really and not really firearms related. So lets get to the meat of your post regarding firearms.

I generally agree with your sentiment in the final portion of your post, I just get hung up on the phrase "Guns empower a woman. . ." I don't think one should derive empowerment from the existence of a firearm. I can pile all the guns in the world in a room with someone who has themselves in the mindset of a victim and the guns will be meaningless to them. My personal belief is that empowerment needs to come from refusing to be a victim. At that point the firearm, or hell even a kitchen table leg can become an effective tool in ones survival.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

What if a rabid possum is going for your balls?

"You'll shoot your legs off kid!"

 

[4Freedom]

A firearm gives the woman power equal to a man without the use of steroids and synthetic supplements that most women need to become more physically man-like. Female bodybuilders, for example, become more genetically male, because without high levels of testosterone and reduced estrogen levels they cannot gain the type of muscle mass , strength and endurance that is required. However, being highly skilled with a firearm does not affect a woman's hormone levels.