(GunDiva's note: This post was written by Robbie, but for some reason Blogger hates him and he can't get signed in, so I'm posting until we get it figured out.)
In all my days of hunting, I have noticed something lacking in the
hunting community. What is it you ask? It’s the women! In a sport that
is dominated by men I rarely see the ladies out hunting. I have asked
some of them about hunting and what got them into it and to my surprise
many of them tell me that they were intimidated by the sport. Most said
that at first they were uncomfortable with the idea of learning from a
boyfriend or husband; stating that they felt a lot of pressure and
stress from them and that they didn’t want to disappoint them. Finally
they said they would try it out.
Ladies, if you feeling this way ask around the local gun shops to see if
there are rifle classes focusing on hunting. Don’t be shy, the fact
that you are willing to seek instruction is awesome. Look online for
support groups for women hunters. A good one to check out is “women in
the outdoors” or “women outdoors“
Guys, don’t get all hurt if she is a little hesitant about learning how to shoot for hunting from you.
I was lucky when my wife said that she wanted to learn how to hunt. I
asked if she was comfortable learning from me or if she wanted to get
instruction from an instructor. Luckily she was completely comfortable
with me teaching her the finer points of shooting.
I have found that women are much better students then men. First women
seem eager to keep an open mind and are open to suggestions, whereas
most guys like to think that they know everything about the shooting
aspect of hunting. A lot of times I feel like I’m beating a dead horse
with guys, with the ladies they seem to give their full attention and
aren’t afraid to ask questions, and are willing to try other ways of
doing things.
To be honest with you I’m impressed when I see the girls out in the
field. I think we need more of you out there, building up the ranks of
our wonderful sport, showing us that you can and want to get out in the
field with the boys and provide natural wholesome meat for you, family
and friends.
Go get 'em, ladies. I hope to see more of you in the field.
(GunDiva's note, part 2: I'll admit, I'm not a hunter. I don't like the taste of game - I know, I know, that's like saying I kick puppies. Plus, with my luck, I'd get my animal as far from camp as humanly possible and have to drag it all the way back. Thanks, but I'll continue to do my "hunting" at King Soopers.)
Showing posts with label women shooters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label women shooters. Show all posts
Monday, September 17, 2018
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Venting
I have to get this off my chest:
Just because I'm a girl does not mean I do pink! Do not try to lure me in with a pink gun; I'll turn around and walk off.
Just because I'm a girl does not mean I do hair and make-up, so don't try to portray me in full make-up and perfect hair.
Just because I'm a girl does not mean I am a size zero who goes to the range in skimpy clothing, so quit associating me with the scantily-clad "models" who've never fired a gun in their lives.
Yes, there are some women shooters out there who embrace the stereotype of pink guns, perfect hair and make-up, and are willing to show off their assests at the range.
I ain't one of them.
You'll find me at the range in old jeans or my 5.11s, hair in a ponytail, covered by a ballcap, my only make-up will be sunscreen (if I remember it) and range dirt and I sure the hell will have the parts of my body that are most likely to get brass burns covered up (though I don't know a female shooter out there who hasn't caught one between the twins, no matter how covered up you are). The finish on my Para is wearing off because it's so well used and when I have it re-finished, it won't be in pink that's for damn sure. And I'm no size zero - I love my food.
Just because I'm a girl does not mean I do pink! Do not try to lure me in with a pink gun; I'll turn around and walk off.
Just because I'm a girl does not mean I do hair and make-up, so don't try to portray me in full make-up and perfect hair.
Just because I'm a girl does not mean I am a size zero who goes to the range in skimpy clothing, so quit associating me with the scantily-clad "models" who've never fired a gun in their lives.
Yes, there are some women shooters out there who embrace the stereotype of pink guns, perfect hair and make-up, and are willing to show off their assests at the range.
I ain't one of them.
You'll find me at the range in old jeans or my 5.11s, hair in a ponytail, covered by a ballcap, my only make-up will be sunscreen (if I remember it) and range dirt and I sure the hell will have the parts of my body that are most likely to get brass burns covered up (though I don't know a female shooter out there who hasn't caught one between the twins, no matter how covered up you are). The finish on my Para is wearing off because it's so well used and when I have it re-finished, it won't be in pink that's for damn sure. And I'm no size zero - I love my food.
 |
| Not a hot supermodel, but REAL and I can shoot. |
Friday, February 24, 2012
You Just Never Know
I recently attended a State-wide Training for an event I've been volunteering for for several years (a non-gun-related event). I'm "out of the closet" as a shooter and have been for a very long time, I don't try to hide the fact I'm a shooter and I love my guns, so I wasn't suprised when one of the other women at the training couldn't wait to tell me her husband had bought her a gun of her very own.
What did surprise me, thought it shouldn't have, was the sheer number of women (all in their sixties or better) who surrounded us and threw in their two-cents' worth about their favorite guns. I was in gunnie heaven. Easily eighty percent of the women that attended the meeting were shooters and several were carrying.
The only people not participating in the conversation? The handful of men in the room. In fact, they looked decidedly uncomfortable to see a gaggle of women get so excited about the guns in their lives, their favorite places to shoot, and their favorite targets.
Just thinking about the State-wide training makes me smile.
What did surprise me, thought it shouldn't have, was the sheer number of women (all in their sixties or better) who surrounded us and threw in their two-cents' worth about their favorite guns. I was in gunnie heaven. Easily eighty percent of the women that attended the meeting were shooters and several were carrying.
The only people not participating in the conversation? The handful of men in the room. In fact, they looked decidedly uncomfortable to see a gaggle of women get so excited about the guns in their lives, their favorite places to shoot, and their favorite targets.
Just thinking about the State-wide training makes me smile.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
ODE TO COLORADO GUN WORKS
By: Tara Janzen
Four years ago, one of the local newspapers interviewed a gun shop owner in our town. It was a great article, up until two-thirds of the way down, where the owner told a story about a woman coming into his shop, wanting to buy a gun. Problem was, she didn’t know anything about guns, but she wanted one. As the gun shop owner talked with the woman, he started getting the idea that she was a little nervous about buying and owning a firearm, so in her best interests, he said to the reporter, he advised her not to buy a gun. (insert dead silence here)
Right. Guns are for guys only. Or guns are only for people who already know about guns. WRONG, and doubly wrong because it was a woman who got turned away. Even nervous, she hauled herself down to the gun shop and into a situation where she knew she was in over her head – and she walked away with a pat on the head, and no gun.
The question in my mind has always been – “What made her think she needed a gun?” And the answer, 99.9 times out of a 100 with a woman who is not already a shooter, is – “She thought she needed to defend herself.” And if she thought she needed to defend herself, she DID need to defend herself. A situation in her life, or someone in her life, was making her feel threatened, and she instinctively knew, probably without being able to put it in these words, that NOTHING LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD LIKE A .45.
That woman made the right decision to go and buy a gun. Unfortunately, she went to the wrong gun shop. If she’d gone to Colorado Gun Works, she would have walked out with a lot of knowledge, suggestions for shooting classes, a few dozen stories about women the guys at the shop know who shoot a lot, and an introduction to those women, if she’d wanted it. She would have been shown a number of guns for her to buy, and been encouraged to handle those guns, and she would have been shown how to safely handle those guns. The guys would have made her feel right at home, right there in that bastion of firepower and testosterone – Colorado Gun Works. Most importantly, she would have walked out with a gun, the right gun, feeling darned confident about her decision to buy it, and she would know that if she had any questions later, she had a place to come and get answers.
When I walked into Colorado Gun Works the first time, I was there to do research. I had already written CRAZY HOT and CRAZY COOL and realized I needed to learn something about all these guns my characters were shooting. At the time I had never even seen a handgun, except in the movies, and had certainly never shot one.
Fast forward six years later, and I own one rifle with glass to make a grown man weep (yep, it’s that good), two shotguns, three revolvers, and three semi-automatic pistols – and I shoot all of those guns, and yes, I’ve got my eye on a couple more.
More importantly, I have a new mindset about self-defense, and it starts and stops with three words – WINNING THE FIGHT.
All of this is thanks to Colorado Gun Works. From the Boss Man, to the guys behind the counter, to the OBB, as the Diva calls him (I usually just go with BB, for Big Bad) everyone at CGW has had a profound effect on my life. I’ve shot a few 1000 yard matches, and won once – which made me intensely famous among a very small group of people. I have the score sheet and the cash winnings from that day on display in my office.
Now the Boss Man is leaving, taking the shop with him, and the sense of loss is huge and complicated. For a lot of folks, myself included, the shop has been a home away from home. Many of us practically lived there. The welcome was always warm, the gun talk always fascinating, even if sometimes so arcane I couldn’t figure out what in the world everybody was talking about. The Boss Man has an encyclopedic knowledge of guns, absolutely amazing. I’ve never seen him stumped no matter what comes through the front door. He also has a special way of creating community. The shop is the Boss Man, with a warm welcome, a warm smile, and easy conversation – though be warned, he can hear everything that’s being said in the room, even while he’s talking to somebody else, and sometimes when he asks questions, you are quickly reminded that he used to be a cop.
He’s going home, setting up shop in a place where he has deep roots, and from the bottom of my heart, I am wishing him and his family well, wishing him all the best of life. His old stomping grounds look like a great place to live, and I know he’s glad to be moving back.
But what are the rest of us going to do without our home base? Like the Diva said, mourn, spend more time on the range and less time sitting at the counter, take each other’s phone numbers and work at keeping in touch, and try, so help me God, not to spend too much time leaning up against the front door on the empty building and wishing like hell that we could still get inside.
Yeah, let’s try not to do too much of that.
~~~~~
Don't forget about the give-away at A Girl and Her Gun.
Four years ago, one of the local newspapers interviewed a gun shop owner in our town. It was a great article, up until two-thirds of the way down, where the owner told a story about a woman coming into his shop, wanting to buy a gun. Problem was, she didn’t know anything about guns, but she wanted one. As the gun shop owner talked with the woman, he started getting the idea that she was a little nervous about buying and owning a firearm, so in her best interests, he said to the reporter, he advised her not to buy a gun. (insert dead silence here)
Right. Guns are for guys only. Or guns are only for people who already know about guns. WRONG, and doubly wrong because it was a woman who got turned away. Even nervous, she hauled herself down to the gun shop and into a situation where she knew she was in over her head – and she walked away with a pat on the head, and no gun.
The question in my mind has always been – “What made her think she needed a gun?” And the answer, 99.9 times out of a 100 with a woman who is not already a shooter, is – “She thought she needed to defend herself.” And if she thought she needed to defend herself, she DID need to defend herself. A situation in her life, or someone in her life, was making her feel threatened, and she instinctively knew, probably without being able to put it in these words, that NOTHING LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD LIKE A .45.
That woman made the right decision to go and buy a gun. Unfortunately, she went to the wrong gun shop. If she’d gone to Colorado Gun Works, she would have walked out with a lot of knowledge, suggestions for shooting classes, a few dozen stories about women the guys at the shop know who shoot a lot, and an introduction to those women, if she’d wanted it. She would have been shown a number of guns for her to buy, and been encouraged to handle those guns, and she would have been shown how to safely handle those guns. The guys would have made her feel right at home, right there in that bastion of firepower and testosterone – Colorado Gun Works. Most importantly, she would have walked out with a gun, the right gun, feeling darned confident about her decision to buy it, and she would know that if she had any questions later, she had a place to come and get answers.
When I walked into Colorado Gun Works the first time, I was there to do research. I had already written CRAZY HOT and CRAZY COOL and realized I needed to learn something about all these guns my characters were shooting. At the time I had never even seen a handgun, except in the movies, and had certainly never shot one.
Fast forward six years later, and I own one rifle with glass to make a grown man weep (yep, it’s that good), two shotguns, three revolvers, and three semi-automatic pistols – and I shoot all of those guns, and yes, I’ve got my eye on a couple more.
More importantly, I have a new mindset about self-defense, and it starts and stops with three words – WINNING THE FIGHT.
All of this is thanks to Colorado Gun Works. From the Boss Man, to the guys behind the counter, to the OBB, as the Diva calls him (I usually just go with BB, for Big Bad) everyone at CGW has had a profound effect on my life. I’ve shot a few 1000 yard matches, and won once – which made me intensely famous among a very small group of people. I have the score sheet and the cash winnings from that day on display in my office.
Now the Boss Man is leaving, taking the shop with him, and the sense of loss is huge and complicated. For a lot of folks, myself included, the shop has been a home away from home. Many of us practically lived there. The welcome was always warm, the gun talk always fascinating, even if sometimes so arcane I couldn’t figure out what in the world everybody was talking about. The Boss Man has an encyclopedic knowledge of guns, absolutely amazing. I’ve never seen him stumped no matter what comes through the front door. He also has a special way of creating community. The shop is the Boss Man, with a warm welcome, a warm smile, and easy conversation – though be warned, he can hear everything that’s being said in the room, even while he’s talking to somebody else, and sometimes when he asks questions, you are quickly reminded that he used to be a cop.
He’s going home, setting up shop in a place where he has deep roots, and from the bottom of my heart, I am wishing him and his family well, wishing him all the best of life. His old stomping grounds look like a great place to live, and I know he’s glad to be moving back.
But what are the rest of us going to do without our home base? Like the Diva said, mourn, spend more time on the range and less time sitting at the counter, take each other’s phone numbers and work at keeping in touch, and try, so help me God, not to spend too much time leaning up against the front door on the empty building and wishing like hell that we could still get inside.
Yeah, let’s try not to do too much of that.
~~~~~
Don't forget about the give-away at A Girl and Her Gun.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Zombie Killing Day 2011
I love Zombie Killing Day! It's my favorite defensive pistol match of the year. I don't know what it is about it, but I get so excited about blowing their little rotted brains out.
This year, Mez and I designed a stage and incorporated the Bosu. Holy cow, people bitched and moaned about the Bosu. We didn't even have them standing on it - just shooting prone from it. After the match, though, I was stopped by a shooter from another squad who said that he really enjoyed the challenge of the Bosu. *Whew*
Here's our stage, "Saving Selene"...
Even though I shoot from the Bosu on a regular basis, this was hard.
We also had our take on Dancing with the Stars, Dancing with Zombies. I personally feel like the lady on the left looks a lot like a blow-up doll that's trying to get away from the zombie.
We had a team challenge in which each team member had to add a piece to the jack 'o lantern and color it in before engaging the zombies. Our poor jack 'o lantern was not very cute by the time everyone added their little artistic flair to it.
I've shot the Steel Challenge for the past two months. I would have thought that I'd gotten over my "thing" with steel. Yeah, right. I'm pretty sure that the steel they set up for the Pumpkin Shoot had a force field around them. No one shot the stage well. I think I expended thirty rounds before I managed to hit all eleven pieces of steel.
I hated that stage.
And then we got "home" to find that Hannibal had escaped and was in our house. Wearing weirdly shaped body armor that left his center mass exposed. Odd. But good for us, since we had to kill him over and over and over again. I'm not quite sure how he managed to be in so many places at once.
The best part about Hannibal's in the House was that I beat Mez by about five seconds on that stage. I very, very rarely beat Mez when we're shooting.
This year, Mez and I designed a stage and incorporated the Bosu. Holy cow, people bitched and moaned about the Bosu. We didn't even have them standing on it - just shooting prone from it. After the match, though, I was stopped by a shooter from another squad who said that he really enjoyed the challenge of the Bosu. *Whew*
Here's our stage, "Saving Selene"...
Even though I shoot from the Bosu on a regular basis, this was hard.
We also had our take on Dancing with the Stars, Dancing with Zombies. I personally feel like the lady on the left looks a lot like a blow-up doll that's trying to get away from the zombie.
We had a team challenge in which each team member had to add a piece to the jack 'o lantern and color it in before engaging the zombies. Our poor jack 'o lantern was not very cute by the time everyone added their little artistic flair to it.
I've shot the Steel Challenge for the past two months. I would have thought that I'd gotten over my "thing" with steel. Yeah, right. I'm pretty sure that the steel they set up for the Pumpkin Shoot had a force field around them. No one shot the stage well. I think I expended thirty rounds before I managed to hit all eleven pieces of steel.
I hated that stage.
And then we got "home" to find that Hannibal had escaped and was in our house. Wearing weirdly shaped body armor that left his center mass exposed. Odd. But good for us, since we had to kill him over and over and over again. I'm not quite sure how he managed to be in so many places at once.
The best part about Hannibal's in the House was that I beat Mez by about five seconds on that stage. I very, very rarely beat Mez when we're shooting.
Monday, August 8, 2011
RomCon 2011
L to R: Cindy Gerard, Tara Janzen, Cullen, me
Cullen, our master gunsmith from Colorado Gun Works, did a presentation on the "toys" he and Tara brought, which included Kid's rifle and Skeeter's shotgun.
Kid's rifle: Remington 700P chambered in .308 with a Schmidt und Bender PMIIK scope.
Picture by Terry Odell
Skeeter's Shotgun: Remington 870 with too many toys/customizations to mention. (Though I could if you asked.)
Picture by Terry Odell
During the course of Cullen's presentation, he asked the crowd to guess how many weapons he had on him. The guesses ranged from three to thirty-some. They kept count as he pulled guns off of his ankle, out of a shoulder holster, out of a pocket and knives out of his tie, pockets and god-only-knows where else. All guesses were wrong. The right answer, and the one I hope everyone remembers is: ONE. He had one weapon with him, his brain; the rest were merely tools.
If you never remember anything else from this blog, please remember that your brain *is* your weapon. Use it.
During the course of the presentation, we were asked to demonstrate a Wingate maneuver, which both Tara's and Cindy's heroes have used in their books. Unfortunately, since I was busy being "killed", I don't have any pictures of the demonstration, though I do still sport the bruises from the rubber knife.
Spending three hours with Tara's and Cindy's fans was a good time - it was wonderful to see so many women take an interest in the weaponry and feel like they had a safe place to ask questions without being ridiculed.
For a participant's take on RomCon, click over to Terry's Place and see what she had to think about it. Terry's an author whose blog I've followed for a couple of years; I had the opportunity to hang out with her at Writers' Police Academy last year and was thrilled to see her at RomCon.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Defensive Pistol 6-5-11
I'm a week late in getting this posted, I had hoped to post these videos much earlier.
Last week was the monthly defensive pistol match at Colorado Rod and Gun Club. It's pretty much the most fun you can have for $10 and 200 rounds of ammo. I was excited when we did the walk-through and found that we'd be shooting prone. While I've certainly shot from a prone position before, I don't recall doing it with a handgun. I love the challenge of doing new things (or doing old things in new ways).
The stages just got better and better and I got more and more excited to shoot.
Then we got to the bowling pins.
Bowling pins are my kryptonite.
(Unless you're from Top Shot and reading this. If that's the case, I love bowling pins. Oh, and you might want to skip this video.)
I only deflated a little bit at the bowling pins, because they had the Texas Star set up. There's no middle ground with the Texas Star - you either love it or hate it.
Once you hit one of the plates, it falls off and sets the star to spinning. It's fabulous and I love it - you can never shoot it the same way twice, as you can never predict how it's going to move. Of course, I got so excited about the Texas Star stage, I forgot to ask Mez to film it for me. I can tell you that I was the first in our group to shoot it clean and complete (and then, not to be shown up, Mez shot it clean with a damn five shot revolver).
I don't remember what this stage was named, but it was fun. We had to leave our gun in one area, our magazines in another and start while sitting at a table. I almost slipped and fell on my arse coming around the table, but recovered and managed not to make too big a fool of myself. Well, I mostly didn't make a fool of myself. I kinda shot a no-shoot target. Oops.
My Para's been acting up. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know she's kind of finicky and has had some temper tantrums, but I was able to keep her going with little office visits to the gun doctor. A hundred and forty-five or fifty rounds into the match, she gave up the ghost.
I broke her.
She didn't jam, she didn't booger, she didn't goober.
She broke.
I haven't taken her apart yet to look at the extent of the damage, but I can tell you that a free-swinging hammer is not a good sign. I can't say I didn't expect it, because I know she had parts that were wearing out and I was just being too cheap to buy new parts and have her overhauled. She does have something like 10k rounds through her.
However, because I knew she was on her last legs and might booger up on me, I threw RockCrawlinChef's gun in the car - just in case. It's a good thing I did. Once the Para went belly-up, I went to the car and swapped out guns. RCC shoots a S&W M&P 9mm. Lucky for me it's an M&P, because I easily swapped out the backstrap to the small size and it fit my hand beautifully.
So, off I went to shoot the last stage with a gun I'd never fired before. The shooting gods were with me on that stage, as I shot it well. I was more than a little pissed at the scoring, which you might hear on the video. I got penalized for a missed headshot, when, in actuality, the target didn't rebound in time to catch my second round.
I argued a bit, but decided to just go with being pissed. Whatever. I shot the stage well and did it with a gun I had never fired before. Guess I'll just have to be happy with that. There is a big difference between shooting a .45 and a 9mm, though. It's a lot harder to see the holes in the target, which is why I shot at the far target four times - I just couldn't see the holes in the cardboard.
So - a question for my fellow GunDivas (and GunDudes) - do you enjoy new challenges? What is the most challenging thing you have done shooting?
Last week was the monthly defensive pistol match at Colorado Rod and Gun Club. It's pretty much the most fun you can have for $10 and 200 rounds of ammo. I was excited when we did the walk-through and found that we'd be shooting prone. While I've certainly shot from a prone position before, I don't recall doing it with a handgun. I love the challenge of doing new things (or doing old things in new ways).
The stages just got better and better and I got more and more excited to shoot.
Then we got to the bowling pins.
Bowling pins are my kryptonite.
(Unless you're from Top Shot and reading this. If that's the case, I love bowling pins. Oh, and you might want to skip this video.)
I only deflated a little bit at the bowling pins, because they had the Texas Star set up. There's no middle ground with the Texas Star - you either love it or hate it.
Once you hit one of the plates, it falls off and sets the star to spinning. It's fabulous and I love it - you can never shoot it the same way twice, as you can never predict how it's going to move. Of course, I got so excited about the Texas Star stage, I forgot to ask Mez to film it for me. I can tell you that I was the first in our group to shoot it clean and complete (and then, not to be shown up, Mez shot it clean with a damn five shot revolver).
I don't remember what this stage was named, but it was fun. We had to leave our gun in one area, our magazines in another and start while sitting at a table. I almost slipped and fell on my arse coming around the table, but recovered and managed not to make too big a fool of myself. Well, I mostly didn't make a fool of myself. I kinda shot a no-shoot target. Oops.
My Para's been acting up. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know she's kind of finicky and has had some temper tantrums, but I was able to keep her going with little office visits to the gun doctor. A hundred and forty-five or fifty rounds into the match, she gave up the ghost.
I broke her.
She didn't jam, she didn't booger, she didn't goober.
She broke.
I haven't taken her apart yet to look at the extent of the damage, but I can tell you that a free-swinging hammer is not a good sign. I can't say I didn't expect it, because I know she had parts that were wearing out and I was just being too cheap to buy new parts and have her overhauled. She does have something like 10k rounds through her.
However, because I knew she was on her last legs and might booger up on me, I threw RockCrawlinChef's gun in the car - just in case. It's a good thing I did. Once the Para went belly-up, I went to the car and swapped out guns. RCC shoots a S&W M&P 9mm. Lucky for me it's an M&P, because I easily swapped out the backstrap to the small size and it fit my hand beautifully.
So, off I went to shoot the last stage with a gun I'd never fired before. The shooting gods were with me on that stage, as I shot it well. I was more than a little pissed at the scoring, which you might hear on the video. I got penalized for a missed headshot, when, in actuality, the target didn't rebound in time to catch my second round.
I argued a bit, but decided to just go with being pissed. Whatever. I shot the stage well and did it with a gun I had never fired before. Guess I'll just have to be happy with that. There is a big difference between shooting a .45 and a 9mm, though. It's a lot harder to see the holes in the target, which is why I shot at the far target four times - I just couldn't see the holes in the cardboard.
So - a question for my fellow GunDivas (and GunDudes) - do you enjoy new challenges? What is the most challenging thing you have done shooting?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Range Day
To prepare for Top Shot (see? Positive thinking), I'm getting as much range time as absolutely possible, learning new weapons, and re-familiarizing myself with guns I haven't shot in a while.
I have a plan. My plan is to practice everything ambidextrously. I figure it's just a matter of time before the folks who come up with the challenges will dream up weak-handed shooting. They got close in Season 2 with the Trick Shot Showdown, when the contestants had to shoot with both hands. Besides, if you have confidence in shooting with your weak hand, you can pretty much do anything.
I'm good with my pistol weak-handed. Slow, but good. It took a lot of practice, but I like having the confidence that I can do it if I have to. Honestly, it's a ton of fun to do, too.
One of my "boys" - one of my original shooting buddies - has stepped up to the plate and offered up his time and energy to help me out. Mez and I have put a lot of lead down range together. If I make it through the casting process, it will be because I've got a whole slew of people who believe in me and who are willing to help me out.
Before Saturday, I had never shot a long gun weak-handed, but I was determined to do so. I was also determined to shoot offhand, as it's the most unstable and therefore most difficult position to shoot from. I headed to the range with RockCrawlinChef (and his family) to meet Mez immediately after I finished a killer workout. I'll call it a win that I could hoist Mez's 9.5# with my jello arms.
Here's the AR15 footage. I shoot it like I shoot my pistol weak-handed - slow.
I'm surprised that my shaking arms weren't visible, but then even the slightest movement looks enormous when you're sighting down a barrel.
By comparison, the .45-70 was light-weight. What a rush shooting that was! I shot the shit outta that gun weak-handed. However, you'll see in the video that my core was weak and the recoil pushed me around more than it should have.
The Little Bastard...Gymnastics Boy...El Poquito Diablo, as my trainer now likes to be called, will be so disappointed in my lack of core strength. Guess it's time for more Bosu work. I'll be buying one within a week to practice shooting from. The next time I shoot this .45-70, it won't knock me around so much.
I had an issue while shooting my 870 weak-handed; I'm so used to racking the slide with my left hand that I'd fire, then try to move the pistol grip backward before I realized that I had to work the action with my right hand. The tactical 870 that I built for myself had a mercury recoil system that I put in and it weighed 12.5#, so the recoil - even from shooting heavy slugs - was minimal. I have yet to modify this shotgun and I'd gotten spoiled shooting one with next to no recoil. This new one kicks like a damn mule. The thing about shotgunning is that if you're not on your gun like you're supposed to be, it will tell you about it - often painfully.
I have just a couple of seconds of video of strong-hand shooting my 870, but I'm going to share it anyway because I *love* shooting my shotgun (even with the resulting mule kick).
I didn't get video of all of the guns I shot on Saturday, mostly because everyone else was shooting too! But here's a list of what I shot:
I have a plan. My plan is to practice everything ambidextrously. I figure it's just a matter of time before the folks who come up with the challenges will dream up weak-handed shooting. They got close in Season 2 with the Trick Shot Showdown, when the contestants had to shoot with both hands. Besides, if you have confidence in shooting with your weak hand, you can pretty much do anything.
I'm good with my pistol weak-handed. Slow, but good. It took a lot of practice, but I like having the confidence that I can do it if I have to. Honestly, it's a ton of fun to do, too.
One of my "boys" - one of my original shooting buddies - has stepped up to the plate and offered up his time and energy to help me out. Mez and I have put a lot of lead down range together. If I make it through the casting process, it will be because I've got a whole slew of people who believe in me and who are willing to help me out.
Before Saturday, I had never shot a long gun weak-handed, but I was determined to do so. I was also determined to shoot offhand, as it's the most unstable and therefore most difficult position to shoot from. I headed to the range with RockCrawlinChef (and his family) to meet Mez immediately after I finished a killer workout. I'll call it a win that I could hoist Mez's 9.5# with my jello arms.
Here's the AR15 footage. I shoot it like I shoot my pistol weak-handed - slow.
I'm surprised that my shaking arms weren't visible, but then even the slightest movement looks enormous when you're sighting down a barrel.
By comparison, the .45-70 was light-weight. What a rush shooting that was! I shot the shit outta that gun weak-handed. However, you'll see in the video that my core was weak and the recoil pushed me around more than it should have.
I had an issue while shooting my 870 weak-handed; I'm so used to racking the slide with my left hand that I'd fire, then try to move the pistol grip backward before I realized that I had to work the action with my right hand. The tactical 870 that I built for myself had a mercury recoil system that I put in and it weighed 12.5#, so the recoil - even from shooting heavy slugs - was minimal. I have yet to modify this shotgun and I'd gotten spoiled shooting one with next to no recoil. This new one kicks like a damn mule. The thing about shotgunning is that if you're not on your gun like you're supposed to be, it will tell you about it - often painfully.
I have just a couple of seconds of video of strong-hand shooting my 870, but I'm going to share it anyway because I *love* shooting my shotgun (even with the resulting mule kick).
I didn't get video of all of the guns I shot on Saturday, mostly because everyone else was shooting too! But here's a list of what I shot:
- Lever action rifle (.45-70) - my bad, I don't remember the make/model
- Long barrel AR-15 (.223)
- Remington 870 (12ga)
- Remington 700 (.223) - shot from prone just because I could; strong-hand only because the eye relief for my weak-hand was completely wrong, but I tried.
- Glock (9mm)
- Double action revolver (.38) - again, don't remember the make/model
- Ruger Super Blackhawk (.44 mag) - strong-hand only; forgot to trade hands
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Oh What A Night!
This is an idea I really wish more ranges would consider and offer. It's simple- Ladies Night. How many new to shooting and firearms ladies are out there? LOTS. How many feel intimidated by being in a gun shop? Too Many. How many feel uncomfortable being the "only woman" in the shop, asking for help? Again, TOO MANY.
Fortunately, Patrick's Gun Range is NOT one of those establishments that allows staff to treat women as an after thought, giving them lip service and / or a pat on the head, insisting that a lady only needs a .22, because a bigger gun would scare her/ hurt her/ be too hard to operate.
I have been lucky enough to attend two events there now. For Ladies ONLY. Spouses may come- but they are "encouraged" to sit down and enjoy the flat screen TV in the comfortable seating area, or to watch from the outside of the glass. This program is quite literally for the ladies.
First time shooters, returning shooters, done it once but forever ago shooters- ALL are welcomed with open arms, quality education and an understanding staff. They go above and beyond making the ladies comfortable- from answering questions to hands on teaching on how to handle a firearm, every single lady that I spoke with (or helped) left with a better understanding of firearms and a desire to learn MORE.
Because sometimes, that is all it takes. One time, one caring, skilled experience can make a huge difference to new shooters.
The attending ladies learned that shooting is not just for self defense- although that is an excellent option. They also learn that shooting is great stress relief. It offers a new skill set. It offers a chance for you to escape and broaden your education.
Other areas of self defense are covered- batons, defense spray, tazers, stun guns- you name it, the staff will take the time to talk about it and help you gain a better understanding.
To any Range Masters out there, consider setting up a Ladies Night. Treat us right and I guarantee you will increase your business. And ladies, if your local range does NOT offer such a program, locate the manager and ask about it. It's well worth the effort!
Follow them on Facebook!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Creating a New(ish) GunDiva
A couple of weeks ago, Tara and I met up with Judy, a woman who had contacted me about wanting to refresh her shooting skills. It took a couple of months to come up with a good time for all of us to meet, but we managed.
While Judy had taken a basic pistol course and currently has a CCW, she felt like she needed more time to be comfortable with shooting. After reading how anal we are about gun handling, she felt comfortable enough to ask to shoot with us.
Our weather has been hit or miss, mostly miss, so we were extremely pleased to have a beautiful day to shoot - the first in a very long time. Even more surprising than the nice weather was that the range was pretty empty. Usually the nice weather brings people out in droves.
After a slight delay getting to the range, we finally got set up.
So, here's the thing...Judy didn't really need us. She had all of the basics down. A couple of minor adjustments and some lead downrange was all it took. Instead of buying targets, Tara and I use the small (6") paper plates and stick a 1" orange dot on them. Judy danced around the plate with her first round of five shots - had we been shooting at "real" targets she would have been on paper immediately.
The next five rounds were on paper and she never left it.
Judy's the kind of person who doesn't like to be a bother and was kind of hesitant to ask to shoot with us. I can understand that - I'm the same way. It's even harder to approach people you've only met online (and armed people to boot).
However, one of the main purposes of this blog is to help unite and support women shooters. To create a space that is comfortable for us; one where it's okay to ask the "dumb" questions and not worry about being ridiculed, where we don't have to watch our ps and qs - we don't have to worry about shocking each other when we "admit" we enjoy shooting - it's not taboo here.
Shooting with Judy was an honor and delight and I can't wait to do it again!
Welcome to the GunDivas, Judy.
While Judy had taken a basic pistol course and currently has a CCW, she felt like she needed more time to be comfortable with shooting. After reading how anal we are about gun handling, she felt comfortable enough to ask to shoot with us.
Our weather has been hit or miss, mostly miss, so we were extremely pleased to have a beautiful day to shoot - the first in a very long time. Even more surprising than the nice weather was that the range was pretty empty. Usually the nice weather brings people out in droves.
After a slight delay getting to the range, we finally got set up.
So, here's the thing...Judy didn't really need us. She had all of the basics down. A couple of minor adjustments and some lead downrange was all it took. Instead of buying targets, Tara and I use the small (6") paper plates and stick a 1" orange dot on them. Judy danced around the plate with her first round of five shots - had we been shooting at "real" targets she would have been on paper immediately.
The next five rounds were on paper and she never left it.
Judy's the kind of person who doesn't like to be a bother and was kind of hesitant to ask to shoot with us. I can understand that - I'm the same way. It's even harder to approach people you've only met online (and armed people to boot).
However, one of the main purposes of this blog is to help unite and support women shooters. To create a space that is comfortable for us; one where it's okay to ask the "dumb" questions and not worry about being ridiculed, where we don't have to watch our ps and qs - we don't have to worry about shocking each other when we "admit" we enjoy shooting - it's not taboo here.
Shooting with Judy was an honor and delight and I can't wait to do it again!
Welcome to the GunDivas, Judy.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Virtual Gunpowder Therapy
By: GunDiva
I haven't been to the range in the last few weeks and miss it terribly, so I was going through some of my old shooting videos and thought I'd share a couple of them with you. I'll apologize in advance for the poor quality - these videos were taken on my digital camera back in 2006 - they've improved a whole lot since then.
This one is a head-to-head competition between my brother, Junior, and I. There were two targets we had to neutralize. I took one target with a single shot to the head, the other with two to the chest. You'll see my draw was slower than Junior's, but I killed both targets with only three rounds - he ran through several more.
This other video is just of one of our stages. I shot it slow, but clean.
No, I was not wearing proper range attire, what with my tank top. Funny story about that tank top... one of our stages that day was to carry a phone from our starting shooting position to the next one. Lots of the guys were fumbling around, trying to find a pocket that wasn't stuffed with magazines to put the phone in so that they wouldn't have to shoot one-handed. Me? I dropped into my cleavage.
Okay, I'm almost done with my little video trip down memory lane. Just one last video. This one was from our Zombie shooting match in 2009. I hadn't shot my Para in a couple of years before this match (I'd sold it and then re-purchased it from the guy I sold it to), so I'm slow, but mostly clean.
Don't those videos make you want to hit the range?
Well, what are you waiting for?
Go load up and get some gunpowder therapy!
Shoot safe and straight!
I haven't been to the range in the last few weeks and miss it terribly, so I was going through some of my old shooting videos and thought I'd share a couple of them with you. I'll apologize in advance for the poor quality - these videos were taken on my digital camera back in 2006 - they've improved a whole lot since then.
This one is a head-to-head competition between my brother, Junior, and I. There were two targets we had to neutralize. I took one target with a single shot to the head, the other with two to the chest. You'll see my draw was slower than Junior's, but I killed both targets with only three rounds - he ran through several more.
This other video is just of one of our stages. I shot it slow, but clean.
No, I was not wearing proper range attire, what with my tank top. Funny story about that tank top... one of our stages that day was to carry a phone from our starting shooting position to the next one. Lots of the guys were fumbling around, trying to find a pocket that wasn't stuffed with magazines to put the phone in so that they wouldn't have to shoot one-handed. Me? I dropped into my cleavage.
Okay, I'm almost done with my little video trip down memory lane. Just one last video. This one was from our Zombie shooting match in 2009. I hadn't shot my Para in a couple of years before this match (I'd sold it and then re-purchased it from the guy I sold it to), so I'm slow, but mostly clean.
Don't those videos make you want to hit the range?
Well, what are you waiting for?
Go load up and get some gunpowder therapy!
Shoot safe and straight!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Say What?
Fear No Evil - Springfield Armory
Live By The Rules. Your Own. - Gerber knives
Shoot Like An Expert - ParaOrdinance GI Expert Series
Reliable - Refined - Respected - Remington
Unparalleled, Unprecedented and Unleashed - Camillus Cutlery
Ultimate Shooting Machine - Smith&Wesson M&P
Those taglines make you feel like you can take on the world and come out on top. Just walking through SHOT Show, seeing all of those taglines, is like a shot of adrenaline.
Strong.
Empowering.
Exactly what the manufacturers and their marketing people want.
The Softer Side of Shooting - Shooting for Women Alliance
What?
Excuse me while I regain my balance and catch my breath.
Really?
I am a woman shooter.
I am strong.
I am empowered.
I am strong.
I am empowered.
I am NOT the softer side of shooting. There is *nothing* soft about shooting.
While, logically, I understand the marketing behind the SFWA's tagline - they want to encourage women to join the shooting sports - I angers me on a visceral level.
Shooters - especially women shooters - should be empowered, not coddled. Nothing makes me angrier than men who look at women shooters as "cute little thangs" who are just "playing" at shooting.
I'm deadly serious about my shooting, and any woman who takes it up for sport or defense needs to be as well.
In addition to being angered by the tagline, I feel betrayed by my own gender. Because it wasn't a male who came up with that tagline. Nope. It was a woman.
I agree that women shooters need to stand together; I agree that there needs to be a safe place for women who are shooters or women who are interested in shooting, which is why Mrs Mom and I came up with this blog. However, women should not buy into the implication that we are "soft".
If we don't take ourselves seriously as shooters, how can we expect anyone else to?
We are women shooters.
We are strong.
We are empowered.
We are NOT soft.
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