Happy New Year

2011 was an amazing year. So many things happened. I had several FIRSTS and FAVORITES that I’m grateful for and want to share with you. I became a NRA Pistol Instructor. I had my first student on the range and she was an amazing shot! I took my first Pepper Spray class (it was so much fun, I’m getting certified to teach them in the new year). I wrote my first Blog and discovered my voice, and that I can write things other people want to read. I took my first Personal Defense lesson and found my strength. I discovered an author whose work I love; Kathy Jackson, The Cornered Cat. I got to meet a 2nd Amendment icon, Dick Heller. I met Evan Carson, who became my instructor, my boss and my friend. All in all, a good year. Now, on to see what 2012 will bring! Maybe a book of my own? A new Rifle? I want to thank my husband, family, friends and kittens for all their support. I want to thank all of you for reading, commenting and sharing. When I started this blog, just last month, I never dreamed I would reach so many people. Thank you. I wish all of you a Safe and Happy 2012. Happy Shooting! Stay Safe! Lynne

Guns in Colors

What is up with the current trend to colorize guns? It could be that the manufacturers are realizing more and more women are buying guns for self defense. When I first saw the Charter Arms pink revolvers I kind of wanted one. Then, after thinking about it…why? I don’t really like revolvers. I have one, but they aren’t very practical. I only have one to practice with for teaching. But when it comes to carry, my Glock 19 is a better bet for me than my 5 shot revolver. Plus, I’m more accurate, although, admittedly, I need more practice with the revolver. I found out that there are gun smiths that actually apply a color coating to your slide, doing solid and custom color combinations. That is kind of neat, a one of a kind creation just for me. Ok, you are reading this blog, so you already know I like pink! Some people think it is cliché, but I like pink, always have. I also like teal, blue, green and lavender. Actually, I considered matching my gun collection to my shoe collection, but I can’t afford it! Too many shoes.  Imagine, I’m confronted by an aggressor, I draw my concealed 9mm, and it has been color coated hot pink. That may be an advantage, but the time he stops laughing I might have gotten away. I admit, I was really tempted, at first. Now, I’m not so sure. I kind of like the purity of my gun, just the way it is. If I get really good, and can start customizing pistols for competition, well, sure, I’ll pick my colors. My biggest concern with the trend in smaller colorized guns is that people may forget that these are GUNS, not toys! They require the same safe handling, training, and practice as any other gun. I’m still tempted, but probably won’t try to match my gun to my outfit anytime soon. After all, it is concealed, who will know. Probably not anyone that matters. I’m not talked out of it completely, I’m still doing my homework on the bonding process. I might consider something that has special meaning for me, like the Air Force emblem, or an American Flag. Probably will skip the pink for now. It’s a personal decision, and I’d be very interested in what you think? Do you have a non-traditional color gun? Would you want a non-traditional color gun? Be safe!

How young is too young?

How old does a girl need to be before she learns that she is a valuable human being, who deserves to be respected, and doesn’t need to accept being intimidated or accept bad behavior from boys? Maybe 1, day, that is. I don’t think it is every too soon or too late to teach a girl, or a woman, that she is worthwhile, has a right to her own dreams, her own ideas, her own space and her own body. Girls need to understand that abusive behavior is not acceptable, from friends, family or strangers. Women need to understand this too. No matter what, when someone is abusive it is on them, not her! I posted this question on my FaceBook page (Women Firearms Instructors) and got some wonderful answers. One woman started her children out with air rifles at an early age. She taught them all the safe handling that we use with traditional firearms, stored them the same way, and as they grew older, they moved up to .22s and went from there. The kids can’t remember a time they didn’t shoot. I thought this was an awesome approach. Teach them right, and teach them early. Girls can learn to shoot at an early age, in a program that supports gun handling and appropriate use of firearms, or from parents sharing their love of shooting. How old depends on the girl, and the decision is really the parents, but maybe 12 is a good age. Girls, and women, need to know that they are entitled to respectful treatment from the world. If they don’t believe that it will be communicated through body language and behavior and make them more vulnerable. Learning to defend yourself is a great way to sense your own power. Being strong doesn’t mean not being feminine. The two are not mutually exclusive. I shoot, I’m taking Personal Defense training, and I will not quit in a fight for my life. But, I also love pink, high heels, perfume and makeup. I am what my Husband refers to as a Girly Girl. Women of all ages need to understand that it doesn’t matter it it is your brother picking on you, your boyfriend, your spouse or a stranger. It is our body and our right to say STOP. We can learn to use our voices, our smarts, and our strength to take care of ourselves. The teenage boy who kicks his girlfriend out of the car at night on a lonely road because of a fight and drives off and leaves her… The boy who beats up on his younger sister… The man who thinks his date “owes” him sex because he bought her dinner… The unknown predator who stalks his prey like an animal intent on injury or death. The differences here are in the level of severity. Women need to know this is not acceptable behavior, and we have a right to expect, and demand, better. We aren’t fragile dolls to be placed on a pedestal, but we deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. Teach the men in your life the proper way to treat a woman. Learning to shoot goes a long way toward helping a woman understand her power, but it isn’t a requirement. However, it is fun! Remember, we deserve to be treated right. No one can take that away. Be safe!

When should I carry?

I had an interesting discussion with my husband as we were getting ready to go to his parent’s home for Christmas dinner. He noticed my holster and asked if I was carrying a gun to Christmas dinner? (Understand that he is not a gun-toting guy, but is incredibly supportive of my choice to do so.) I had to think about how to answer, my first response was “of course, why not?” Then I realized he felt we were just going to his parent’s home, why did I need it? Well, for the same reason I carry to the grocery store, or to the park or to a restaurant…because you never know. Once I finished dressing, I let him confirm that it was well concealed, and they wouldn’t know. I even offered to leave it in the little safe in the car once we got there. Bottom line, I didn’t think we would need it at his parents’ home. However, we had a 45-minute drive each way, would be coming home after dark. What is something happened on the road? What if we decided to stop somewhere along the way? The question probably shouldn’t be when should I but when shouldn’t I carry? My response is only when I’m going someplace it is illegal for me to carry. There aren’t a lot of those in Virginia. If I was going somewhere I thought I might “need” a gun, why would I go there? I would probably pick a different place to go. My goal is not to shoot someone but to be able to defend myself and my family if necessary. The key word in concealed carry is CONCEALED. If someone can see it, it isn’t concealed. We don’t need to advertise or make ourselves a target. We do have the right to defend ourselves. I have often said I will not start a confrontation, and I will walk away if I can. But if I’m given only two choices; fight, or suffer serious injury or death, I will fight. At that point, the aggressor has made the decision that one of us is going to get hurt. I have made the decision to defend myself. There is a very important concept there. I haven’t decided to go out and hurt someone. Carrying a concealed firearm doesn’t make me aggressive. If anything, it makes me more anxious to avoid a bad situation. Having a gun also doesn’t make me complacent, just the opposite. I’m more alert to my surroundings, more aware of who is near, who could be a threat, where someone might be hiding… Be alert, be safe and don’t let them see you print.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Practice, Practice, Practice…but Practice Right! Common mistakes… Trigger Control: Relax, comfortable stance, good sight picture, focus on the front sight, slowly pull the trigger straight back until the gun fires. That should always be a surprise. Hold the trigger back for a fraction of a second as you are reacquiring your sight picture, then ease the trigger out just until you feel it reset, it is like a click that you can feel. Then you know your gun is ready to fire again. Try this for several shots before taking your finger off the trigger and lowering the pistol to see what you did. You will probably be surprised at how well you did. Two of the most common issues for new shooters are to take their finger off the trigger between shots and look up after each shot to see where it went. Both of these can cause you to have trouble with your aim. If you aren’t getting a nice tight grouping, try to fire several shots in a row before you look, keeping your finger in the trigger and following through to the reset. How far out should my target be? I usually start at 8 feet, then ease that target out in 2-4 foot increments, to 25 feet. The farther out, the easier it is to see the impact of anything I might be doing wrong. My 2 inch group at 8 feet might become a 9 inch group at 25 feet. How are you standing? Feet shoulder width apart, weight forward on the balls of your feet, dominant foot slightly back. Shoulders relaxed. As a student said recently, “maximum meat on the grip”, we laughed, but it was a great point. You want a secure, solid grip. Raise your pistol from a low ready straight up to eye level. Your head is up, your sights at eye level. Soft wrists are a real issue. I learned this the hard way. You need to find your right wrist control. To hard and you get sore and have control issues. Too soft and your gun will bounce on the recoil causing a mis-feed. You want to “aim” for firm, but not white knuckled. Practice often, once a week if you can, but don’t go in with the idea that you will shoot 150 rounds, or whatever your round count it. Stop if you get tired, sore, uncomfortable. Trying to push through because you drove “all the way to the range” and want to make the trip worthwhile will not end well. When you are distracted by pain, or exhaustion, your accuracy will decrease and then you will add frustration to your list. Don’t get frustrated, we all have off days, but it gets better! Shooting is fun! It can also be very empowering. Sometimes I go to the range frustrated about something in my life and shoot for an hour and leave feeling very relaxed. The focus and attention needed to shoot well can be an almost zen-like experience. It beats counting to 100, for me, anyway. Happy Shooting!