Gun Belts

Yes, if you carry a holster at the waist, you want a gun belt.  The pretty little dress belts are not designed to hold your gun.  That doesn’t mean you must sacrifice fashion for function.  There are some very nice options available. 

Galco makes a contoured belt, it is curved slightly to fit better and closer to the body.  Looper Law Enforcement, home of the Flashbang, has some lovely belts to choose from.  My favorite is Miss Be Havin’, notice the pink backing?

These are just two of many sources.  The key is you need a substantial leather, or leather with kydex, belt.  They are an investment, but they are truly worth it!  If you are like me, you need different size belts depending on what you are wearing.  My low slung jeans are bigger than my at the waist 5.11 Tac pants.  I buy a belt that will fit the largest size I need, and then take it to a shoe repair shop and have a couple extra holes punched in it.  Remember the investment?  I can’t afford multiple belts, so I buy one that I can wear multiple ways. 

 The purpose of your holster is to keep your gun secure.  The purpose of your belt is to keep your holster secure.  It works as a system.  Carry safe and carry smart.

 

Safe Shooting!

Anniversary of the Tragedy at Newtown

There has been a lot of coverage of the anniversary of the tragedy in Newtown Ct.  In the days following my original post I wrote that I believed that people on both sides of gun control would use this tragedy to justify their positions.  But as we watch the still grieving faces, it is important to remember, these were innocent children and adults trying to protect them. 

This incident highlighted many things. 

• The power of a community to come together and support each other in tragedy.
• The courage and humanity of First Responders.
• The impulsive nature of some people to take advantage of a tragedy.
• The need for quality mental health care and personal responsibility in storage of firearms.
• That we, the people, should think first of the victims and their families, not jump to conclusions and start pointing fingers.

Below is what I wrote on 12/14/12. 

Over the coming days I’m sure we will see much about the latest school shooting, and both sides of gun control will have their say.  Today, however, please think of the innocent children who may never feel safe again, the innocent victims who tragically lost their lives, and the families left behind.  My thoughts and prayers are with them, wishing I could shelter the victims from such senseless violence or somehow find words to comfort the families as their shock and disbelief turns to grief.

Thoughts and prayers to those who were lost, those who are injured and those who are picking up the pieces.

May God welcome the lost with open arms, guide the emergency responders and give them strength, and bring comfort to those still here.

Carrying while Pregnant

There are lots of reasons not to shoot while you are expecting.  Noise, lead, chemicals…none of these are good for a baby. 

There are lots of good reasons to carry while pregnant.  As your body changes, your center of gravity changes.  Not experienced that yet?  Watch a woman who is in her third trimester walk.  She is leaning back to balance the tummy.  Her hips (the pelvic saddle) is under stress and spreading.  That protruding tummy is throwing her off balance, and making her feel very protective.  It also makes her more vulnerable.  It is difficult to move fast and react when your balance is off.  It shows.  This makes her vulnerable to bad guys who are looking for an “easy” target. 

Carrying concealed when you are in advanced pregnancy presents challenges.  You can’t see your feet, and your waist is a distant memory.  A bra holster isn’t accessible.  Strong side hip isn’t an easy option since there isn’t a waist.  So...what to do?  Consider a belly band, a wide piece of stretchy material with pockets for your gun and a Velcro attachment.  This can be worn under clothing or over slacks, wrapped under the tummy much like a pregnancy belt. 

If you are pregnant and choose to carry, I encourage you to practice your draw stroke, preferably with a blue gun.  Minimize handling your firearm and only shoot in defense of your life.  Don’t let the bad guys think you are an easy target.  Keep up your situational awareness. 

Note:  exposure to the chemicals, lead and noise associated with firearms are potentially dangerous.  This is not intended to be medical advice and you should make an informed decision, or consult your physician before carrying a firearm.

Gun Show Weekend!

Woo-Hoo!  Went to “The Nation’s Gun Show” in Northern Virginia this weekend.  It was, as always HUGE!  I love gun shows.  So many lovely things to ooo and ahhh over, I always run into lots of folks I know (this show prohibits photos or I would show you a few familiar faces).  Fun accessories (a speed loader in pink!), holsters, ammo…

This time I went with the intention of picking up a Ruger LCP if I could find one with a decent price.  I know, I’m not a huge fan of the pocket pistols, they aren’t what I call “fun to shoot”, but they serve a purpose.  And, I have enough students who really want to try one, so I caved, and decided to get a new LCP. 

I found one, and this is where the story differs from the norm.  When I told the gentleman behind the table that I wanted the LCP he asked if I had seen another Ruger in .380.  My response was, “Oh, the new LC380?  I saw it at Shot Show in Jan.”.  That got his attention.  He was prepared to ensure I understood the challenges of shooting a tiny gun and wanted to ensure I knew there were options.  I stayed around long enough to recognize that the tips were not gender based.  These folks really wanted the customer to not only buy a gun, but to buy the right gun.  I filled out the state required paperwork and watched my documents go into the queue to be entered.  As I was waiting, I spotted a new Mossberg 12 guage.  I started looking at it.  Another employee came over to help, and I told him that I had the pistol grip 12 guage and was looking at another.  I explained that my goal is to go on my first hunt next year.  He told me about a Mossberg Rifle they had, didn’t have on display because they only brought a couple, and started talking fast about the virtues of this 308 rifle.  Well, I decided to look at it, it was polymer so it was lighter, has a nice recoil pad, mounted bi-pod and nice scope.  For those who know, it is a Mossberg Night Train 2.  (Got some serious gun envy looks walking out!)  Ok, I’m a pistol girl, it has been a long time since I felt out of my element, I didn’t understand everything he said, but I’m learning fast.  This looked like the perfect rifle for hunting.  I decided to get it, and they even gave me a little off because I was buying two!

As I was checking out, the owner opened each box, walked me through the contents, encouraged me to clean the gun before shooting it, with chemicals specifically made for guns, not something from the auto parts store.  He emphasized the owner’s manual, and asked if I had any questions.  Ok, I wasn’t surprised that this man was doing this, because I had seen him do it for the previous customer, who was a man.  But I was surprised in that NO ONE had ever done that for me when I bought a new gun!  This was so smart, I had to tell him that while I already knew quite a bit about firearms, I was so impressed that he took the time, and that I really appreciated it.  This should be the norm, not a surprise. 

Every person associated with this company was professional, knowledgeable, and helpful!  I have to give them a Blog Out, and encourage you to visit their Facebook Page to give them a like.  They were great!  Thank you to SWV Firearms!  You all set the bar pretty high!

 

 

Take Your Students As They Are

People come in a wide variety of shapes, skill levels, strength, physical ability, emotional maturity and size. Some instructors adopt a one size fits all philosophy.  Using the classic 80/20 rule, that works for about 20% of your students.  The other 80% are not getting what they need. 

 

The best instructors, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked with some amazing people, take into account the wants, needs and abilities of the individual student.  They will adapt their instruction to ensure that everyone gets what they need.  Sometimes that means we bring a student back and work with them a little more. But that is ok.  Sometimes it means thinking outside of the box, such as when confronted by an amputee who insists on learning to do everything for himself.  Sometimes it means we are careful of the direction we face when speaking so the deaf student, who is a very adept lip reader, doesn’t miss out.   

 

Good instructors teach 80% of their students.  Great instructors teach 100% of their students.   

 

What kind of instructor do you want to be?  And, what kind of instructor do you want to have? 

 

If you are an instructor now, ask yourself what do my students think of me?  

 

If you are looking for an instructor, you can ask what are you looking for in an instructor and what are your needs, challenges, fears and wants.  Share what you can, it will help make your instructor understand you, and make your training more beneficial.  Training isn’t cheap, get the most out of it you can! 

 

Safe Shooting!