3000+!!!!!!!!!

Ok, I’m jumping up and down.  3000+ page views in two months.  At the risk of sounding like Sally Field, I think you like me!  LOL.  Seriously, the feedback, comments and new friends have made this blog a labor of love, and I feel I have found my voice.  I enjoy sharing ideas and suggestions and reading the feedback and I even enjoy struggling to come up with a new topic.

Pageviews all time history              3,001

Thank you so much…drum roll please…..Congratulations to GunDiva!  Please email me at Lynne@InnovativeDefensiveSolutions.com to let me know where to send your gift!  I hope you like it.  It is a small token of appreciation.

I wish I could send all of you something, but…unless I have the winning Mega Millions numbers, I can’t do that, so I’m sending all of you my thanks and my hopes that you stay safe, stay happy, and continue to share your gifts with the world.

Safe Shooting!

Shooting with a Friend!

You all know I love shooting, and find it more relaxing the yoga, meditation, or almost anything, except maybe petting one of my cats and having her purr.  Yep, that is probably the only thing that comes close to sending lead down range and punching holes in paper.  How can you make that time more fun for you?

For many of us, shooting with a friend is a great way to make it more fun.  You have someone to talk to if you have to wait for a lane.  You can share guns, have a little friendly competition, even learn from each other.  I learn something every time I shoot with someone else, be it a friend, another instructor, or a student!  You can also encourage each other. 

Sometimes I like to go alone, I want to focus on speed drills, or drawing and firing, or really work on accuracy.  Then, it is better for me to be alone, and I time my trip so that I don’t have to wait long for a lane. 

Sometimes I want to enjoy the companionship of another shooter.  What if you don’t know anyone?  Go to your local range, look around, see who is smiling and go say “Hi!”.  Gun people are almost universally friendly!  Take a class and make plans to go shoot with some of the people from your class.  It is a good bet you are on similar levels if you are in class together.  I’ve seen a lot of people come together and form supportive shooting friends over coffee and bagels on a break. 

Whether you are a solo or a group shooter, be safe, have fun and ENJOY!

Safe Shooting!

How do I say Thank You?

You, my readers, have given me so much.  Your time, your attention, your thoughts and insights, your encouragement…In less than two months I went from my very first tentative post to over 2500 page views.  I am truly humbled and overwhelmed.  I feel like I have a whole community of new friends!  I know, I don’t get mushy often.  J 

To show my appreciation I would like to send a small gift to one lucky reader to be randomly drawn from those who respond to this post (or email at the address in the About Me information to the right). 

When I hit 3000 I will draw a name and contact you to find out how to mail you my thank you.

Practice Safe, Be Safe, Safe Shooting all!

National Take Your Daughter to the Range Day Update

Wow, so much going on.  The response has been overwhelmingly positive.  So many have volunteered to help and many to organize events in their area!  THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

Here is where we are.  I filed for a non-profit corporation in order to have a solid foundation from which to solicit donations.  Non-profit isn’t a tax deductible charity, which would be very hard to get, but it does mean we are putting all funds raised toward the expenses related to the event.  The idea being this will become an Annual event and hopefully we can get some great gifts donated to be given away to registrants.  If we get some good stuff this year, what I might do is a drawing among each host range, and then they can give the prize to a local participant. 

I have a volunteer graphic artist (Crystal) who is working on a logo for us.  I have a lady (Cathi) who is a writer / editor who has volunteered to help with printed materials.  I have had lots of instructors and RSOs volunteer, and been contacted by a great store about possible giveaways.

We have a couple national sponsors already.  There will likely be a website in the near future, stay tuned to FB for updates on that.

We should be announcing the date sometime within a week, probably a Saturday in June.

My plan is to put together electronic copies of a waiver, suggestions for how to run an event, promotional flyers, etc., and make them available to anyone who want to host…FREE!  Hard to beat that.  We will likely have logo items available for sale (at cost if possible).  Local events can do some fundraising.  But, even some home made cookies and a few balloons can make an outdoor range festive and fun.  It isn’t about being fancy or expensive, it is about families bonding through the sport of shooting, and young women learning a new skill, and the self esteem that comes with that. 

Start thinking about where you could put on a shoot in your area.  Recruit local instructors to volunteer their time to help out on the day. 

Let me know if you have any ideas.  Once things are put together I will publish a list and a contact point, and you can start requesting the materials. 

I’m excited.  I think this is a great opportunity and I appreciate all of you for getting behind it.  This is why I love the shooting community.

Thank you to the sponsors so far;

Female and Armed Blog (of course)

Innovative Defensive Solutions, LLC (www.InnovativeDefensiveSolutions.com)

Charlesworth Enterprises, Inc

Stiches-n-Stones (www.Stitches-n-Stones.com)

Gun Goddess (www.gungoddess.com)

Safe Shooting!!

Learning to Shoot with my Weak Hand

Who knew, what a challenge!  One handed, no problem, two hands?  Well, all thumbs comes to mind.  Why would I put myself through that?  Two reasons, I teach and need to know how to do everything with a left or right handed shooter, and to satisfy a course of fire in the Winchester NRA qualification package.

There are practical reasons also.  What if I injure my right hand?  What if my carpal tunnel flares again and I can’t shoot with my right hand?

Most semi-automatics are configured for the right handed shooter.  It can be a challenge.  I’ve seen many left hander’s simply switch the gun to the opposite hand to release the magazine and lock the slide.  However, in an emergency situation, when fractions of a second count, you don’t have time to do that. 

The Magazine release wasn’t too tough.  The slide lock, once I was shown how, was surprisingly easy.  Holding the pistol in your left hand, in the normal grip, using your right hand to overhand and draw back the slide you simultaneously push up on the slide lock with the side of your index finger.  It is in that general area anyway since it is up on the frame.  Easy?  Not at first, but with practice, sure! 

Always a good idea to know how to do things with either hand.  For experienced shooters, it can make shooting feel new again as you are learning a new skill.  For left hander’s you can save precious seconds by not transferring your gun to your weak hand. 

Safe Shooting!