Shoot like a girl!
Are you female and you always wanted to try shooting? Would you like to try shooting without obligations? You know you want to learn shooting but have no idea how and where to start? Are you hesitant to visit a shooting range? Perfect! You found the right place! I will dispel the myths, clichés and misconceptions about shooting and show you where you can go shooting and what you need. It is easier than you think! I will happily answer all your questions. Ask them in the comments and I will answer. All other newbies and beginners are also welcome to read on and ask me their questions! Here you can find out how I got into shooting.
The Rizzini Venus was specifically engineered and designed for ladies.
Can women learn to shoot or is it only for men?
Yes, of course! Women can definitely learn to shoot! There is not a single reason why women cannot or should not learn to shoot. Only lead exposure during shooting might be problematic regarding pregnancies (deformities in the child, miscarriages and premature births!). However, lead exposure is bad for both men and women. Shooting during pregnancy is not ideal in terms of other health aspects (especially for the unborn child). There will soon be a separate blog post on this topic.
Shooting is still a male-dominated activity, but more and more women discover shooting as a very versatile sport. I often hear from instructors that women are the better shooting students and learn fast. You do not believe it? Then read here or watch the video (from 12:40). Women are equally skilled as shooters as men. A Spanish study concluded that men performed slightly better in pistol shooting than women, probably due to the greater strength in their hands and wrists, whereas no differences were found in rifle shooting.
However, the problem with the lower grip strength and less power in the trigger finger in women (compared to men) can easily be solved: Weapon manufacturers developed pistols that have been specially developed and designed for women and take these factors in consideration (see below), e.g. the SIG SAUER P365 XL Rose.
The number of female shooters is steadily increasing, also in Switzerland. You could be one of them!
Is shooting dangerous?
Solange diese Sicherheitsvorschriften eingehalten werden, passieren keine Unfälle
No, shooting is not dangerous. There are fatal shooting accidents from time to time, especially in the USA. Weapons are potentially lethal (that is what they were designed for), but there are safety rules for handling firearms. If the safety rules are observed, shooting sports are less dangerous than many popular sports. There are 2.3 million firearms in private households in Switzerland. However, accidents are very rare. Book a professional instructor for your first time in the range. They will explain and teach you the safety rules so that you can enjoy a safe and fun shooting experience!
In my humble opinion, the correct and safe handling of firearms and the basic principles of handling and operating the most common types of weapons should be part of general education. Because there are so many weapons circulating in Switzerland, the correct handling of firearms should be known so that no accidents happen when a shotgun or pistol is found in the attic of the deceased great-uncle.
Forget about action movies! Shooting requires a lot of concentration, discipline, coordination, focus and inner calm. I also jokingly refer to shooting as “boom yoga” because you must be fully focused and highly concentrated to hit the target. I find this mindfulness to achieve precision very relaxing, a little bit like yoga.
There are no stupid questions!
My first gun was a Glock 48. I chose it because of its small size that fits well into my small hands.
With regards to safety, it is very important that there are no unanswered questions left. Better ask too many questions than too few, e.g. if a safety rule or the handling of the weapon is unclear, then ask! There are many technical terms relating to firearms that beginners cannot know. How and from where would they? If anything is unclear, ask! Have procedures and handling of the weapon explained and shown until you feel confident. Some women feel uncomfortable asking questions in front of men for fear of being laughed at or made fun of. Some shooting ranges offer special courses just for women, where women can learn to shoot among themselves, e.g. at the Shooting Range .45 in Corminboeuf or at the Shooting Center in Eastern Switzerland (SZO), where female only shooting courses are occasionally offered. Another possibility to learn shooting in a safe and private environment is by booking a private lesson so that individual needs can adressed, and questions can be asked without having to worry about holding up a group.
Every beginning is difficult
It is normal to feel overwhelmed at the beginning because there are the safety rules to be respected while handling the gun at the same time. Which button is for what exactly? How do I get the ammunition into the magazine? How do I insert the magazine into the gun? How do I load the gun? What and where is the safety catch? Why does the gun not fire? How do I get the magazine out of the gun? Practice comes with time: what initially required a lot of concentration and time soon becomes easier. Give yourself time and be patient with yourself. No one is born a master. Particularly for beginners, it makes sense to attend a basic course. In shooting courses, you will spend several hours intensively practicing complying with the safety rules as well as learning the most important maneuvers on the weapon itself, the right grip, the best stance etc. Guided beginner training will prepare you to train at your own pace and improve what you have learned during the course.
Do I need special equipment for shooting? What clothing should I wear?
There is no need to bring any special equipment when visiting a shooting range for the first time. Usually everything is provided or you can rent it, i.e. hearing protection, shooting glasses, firearms and ammunition. In regards to clothing, it depends on where you are shooting, i.e. in an indoor or an outdoor shooting range. Adapt your clothing to the location (indoor or outdoor) as well as the weather and the temperature, if outdoors.
It generally makes sense to wear high-necked tops with long sleeves, long pants and closed, comfortable shoes. When shooting, the hot cartridges are ejected. If they land in your cleavage, on your arms or bare feet, it can really hurt. Especially beginners tend to instinctively shake off the hot cartridges which can become dangerous quickly fumbling uncontrolled around with a loaded gun.
Shooting is nothing like mud wrestling or mountain biking, however you still might get dirty, even in indoor shooting ranges: guns are greasy and after shooting a couple of rounds there will be some gunshot residue on your hands. A white silky blouse or white sneakers are probably not the best gun range attire. Tops should be cut in a way that you can comfortably raise your arms and have enough freedom to move in the shoulder area. When shouldering rifles, it can get uncomfortable if the shoulder section of the top is cut too tight or the material is so slippery that the stock of the gun slips off.
A stable stance is also important when shooting, therefore you should wear comfortable closed shoes with non-slip soles that you do not care about if they get a bit dirty.
Do women need special guns?
The short answer is: no, women do not need special guns to shoot. They can shoot the same guns as men. However, most guns are designed for the male physique. Since women come in all shapes and sizes, women can easily shoot all available firearms, but there are now guns that have been developed with women in mind, such as the Walther PDP F Series or the SIG Sauer P365 XL Rose (both pistols), the Beretta Vittoria or the Rizzini Venus (both shotguns). It is not just marketing: these guns have a few technical features adpated to the somewhat different physique of women, especially the smaller hands, and the lower muscle strength of women compared to men. I am very much into clay target shooting and I started with a borrowed shotgun, from a man. The season 2024 I got a Rizzini Venus – a shotgun specially made for women – and it was THE gamechanger for me! I improved so much in a very short time just by shooting a gun that fits my physique.
The SIG SAUER P365 XL Rose was developped by SIG SAUER Inc. and sport shooter Lena Miculek especially for female shooters.
If the gun that you shot for the first time was too big, too bulky, too small, too heavy, too light or too whatever and it was somehow uncomfortable for you: keep at it! There are so many different guns that there is for sure one that suits you. Just try them all out and get advice from your trusted weapon dealer. Often women find the recoil or upstroke of weapons uncomfortable. The recoil and the muzzle flip are reactions of the weapon to the firing of the shot. The physical forces released when firing must go somewhere. The gun moves backwards and towards the shooter and the muzzle upward. Therefore, it is crucial that you learn how to hold a gun correctly before firing the first shot. Depending on the caliber of the gun, the recoil or muzzle flip will be weaker or stronger. Start with smaller calibers and slowly work your way up to larger calibers. I sometimes see situations in which shooting maniacs (I deliberately don't refer to these people as shooters) prank their colleagues with a big caliber. They are not prepared for the violent reaction of the weapon and nasty accidents can happen. A reputable instructor will only let you shoot with calibers that you handle confidently.
Guns that were designed with women in mind, such as the Walther PDP F Series or the SIG SAUER P365 XL Rose, have technical specifications to reduce recoil and muzzle flip. Small calibers also have less recoil; therefore, the P365 Rose comes in two calibers, 9mm and .380 APC. The grip of these guns is slimmer and ergonomically shaped in a way to fit better in small women's hands. The SIG SAUER P365 XL Rose is available as a rental gun at the Swiss Shooting Range. There you may try it.
Where can I try and learn how to shoot?
The Swiss Shooting Range is one of many indoor shooting ranges where you can try and learn how to shoot. They are also very tourist-friendly and have English speaking staff.
In Switzerland, there are many places that teach shooting e.g. shooting clubs. For total beginners who never shot before and just want to try shooting without obligation, I recommend one of the many indoor shooting ranges in Switzerland. Here is a detailed list of indoor shooting ranges. I can highly recommend the Swiss Shooting Range. It is the place where I usually go shooting. Simply book an appointment online, including an instructor who will help and supervise you. They provide everything: hearing protection, safety goggles, weapons, etc. In general, you can legally shoot in Switzerland when 18 years old or older or have a legal guardian consenting. Members of certain nationalities are prohibited from shooting in Switzerland. These include Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Algeria and Albania. If a person has the sole citizenship of one of these countries, they are not allowed to shoot in Switzerland (but dual citizens are). Usually, shooting ranges do not need a criminal record for the first time. However, make sure to check beforehand whether the shooting range of choice requires one already upon the first time or only later.
Shooting clubs are old men's clubs and only creepy gun nerds frequent indoor shooting ranges
Not at all! To very few shooting clubs this might be true. However, most indoor gun ranges have a diverse clientele from young to old, women, men, professional gun owners, sports and occasional shooters. The cliché of the “gun nerd” who engages in semi-legal activities in dimly lit shooting basement is not true. In modern shooting ranges such as the Swiss Shooting Range, you soon forget that you are in the basement of a building. The facility is bright and friendly, there are seating areas where you can enjoy a coffee or a cool drink after shooting, a small bistro that also serves hot food at weekends in winter and even a cigar lounge. Police, customs and security services train there regularly. Nevertheless, the Swiss Shooting Range is very beginner friendly. The occasional wannabe Rambo can be found in any shooting range, but most of the shooters are completely normal and friendly people who simply want to practice their sport and acquired their weapons in compliance with the law.
The view from the shooting lanes with target systems into the reception area of the Swiss Shooting Range.
Spoilt for choice: what should I start with?
There are countless shooting disciplines and even more different weapons. If you already know which direction you want your shooting to take, then it makes sense to focus on that path right from the beginning. I had no idea about anything at the beginning. Now I mainly shoot clay targets and pistols, but I'm still discovering and trying out other weapons and disciplines. Many people start with pistols and then move on to rifles later. It does not really matter what you start with, as long as you start at all. As mentioned above, you should hold back a little with large calibers and only shoot them when you feel confident. The same applies to shotguns. First try out an assault rifle or a Kalashnikov and then shotguns and pump guns.
Once the first step has been taken, just go on trying everything you want to. Everyone finds their shooting discipline at some point, whether it's IPSC, CMA, skeet, trap, hunting courses or simply sending rounds downrange.
Practice makes perfect
I was convinced that my first shot would not be on target. But I hit the bull's eye. Nevertheless, I felt slightly overwhelmed at first: observing the safety rules, manipulating the gun, focusing correctly on the front sight or target. However, this feeling soon subsided. After just a few training sessions, I became much more confident, more precise and faster. I was soon able to incorporate new elements into my training, such as drawing from the holster, shooting on the move, doublets, shooting in the dark with a tactical lamp, switching from pistols to rifles and much more. You can work specifically on individual problems with instructors and then practice and deepen what you learnt independently.
Shooting is fun!
What I particularly like about shooting is that you can train on your own and try to be better than you were the last time. But it is also fun to shoot with friends and organize small competitions, e.g. to see who is faster or more accurate. It never gets boring because there are so many different weapons and disciplines.
In the Swiss Shooting Range podcast, I talk about how I got into shooting, what I think of guns specially designed for women and what I would like to see for the future of shooting in Switzerland.
Did you already read about my visit at SIG SAUER AG, Switzerland? No? Then click here!