To all of our pistol packin' mommas!
(or rifle packin')
(or shotgun totin')
(or revolver shootin')
Have a great day.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Well, Well, Well...
Back in March, I got a wild hair up my butt to look into applying for Top Shot. I don't remember why the thought ever crossed my mind, but I came across something that said if I was interested, I should shoot an email off to the casting agency to express my interest.
So, while I was still not in my right mind, I sat down and composed this lame-o email:
My name is GunDiva and I want to be the next Top Shot!
I am a third generation native of Fort Collins, Colorado (yes, home of Fat Tire beer). I started shooting seriously about eight years ago, competing in our local monthly defensive pistol matches, where I had the opportunity to shoot against Bud Bond (who bested Jerry Miculek in the 2001 World Shoot-off Championships). One day, when we were shooting head-to-head the shooting gods smiled upon me and allowed me to beat Bud not once, but twice. Truth be told, both times were flukes, but he took an interest in me and mentored me - as he did many Northern Colorado shooters - for a few months. I've been extremely lucky to have an excellent support system - from the guys at the gun shop, to my instructors, to my fellow shooters - that has always encouraged my shooting goals.
While I am by no means a professional or competitive shooter, I am enthusiastic and eager to learn about all types of weaponry.
Ugh. I was not thrilled with my email and had even asked Tara to write something on my behalf, but then I came to my senses and dropped it. You've all read the email - would you contact me? I wouldn't.
So I put it out of my mind, didn't spend another second thinking about it. They opened up the application process for Season Four, but I didn't apply. Like I said, I'd regained my senses.
Yesterday, a call came in from an unfamiliar number. Since I was at work, I let it go to voicemail. Imagine my surprise when I checked my voicemail and this is what I heard:
Hey, GunDiva, my name is Greg, I'm the casting producer for Top Shot on History Channel. I got your email and I want to follow up with you, so give me a call. Again, this is Greg from Top Shot.Y'all, my heart stopped. Ashinator and Monster were in the store buying something to drink when I checked my messages, so I saved it and waited until they got back in the car. They knew something was up and I played them the message. They couldn't believe it either. I couldn't wait to get back to the house and share it with RCC.
I called Greg back and talked with him for a short bit. He asked several questions that I didn't have a coherent response for; I should have been thinking about the answers all along, but since I never expected anything to come of my email, I was caught flat-footed for several of the questions.
I'm not kidding myself, I know probably the only reason he contacted me was because I'm a female shooter and there probably aren't that many female applicants. I'm not a competitive shooter and I may not even fit the bill for a recreational shooter, but I am a female shooter who loves it and I want to share my love of shooting with, well, everyone.
The biggest question he asked me: "Can you win Top Shot?"
I hesitated while I thought about my answer - lots of thoughts were tumbling around my itty-bitty brain at that point. I was mentally replaying all of the episodes I'd watched and how many times I thought, I can do that. And I answered, "Yes, I believe I can."
I don't have all the fancy shooting credentials that even their amateurs have; I've only shot locally at our gun club, but damn it, why not me? Why shouldn't a nobody shooter from Colorado win? Heck, if I make it through all of the steps of the application/audition process, I've got just the same chance as everyone else who makes it through, so why not me?
At the end of our conversation, Greg asked me to submit an application and submission video. The timeframe is short - I only have until the 20th to get my video together and to him. Let's hope that working on the application and video tomorrow on Mother's Day brings me luck, because that's the only time I've really got to do it.
I've got so much to do - I don't want to be caught flat-footed again. I've got to work out harder and longer; I've got to get lead down range (lots and lots of lead); I've got to re-familiarize myself with guns I haven't handled in a while; I've got to get my hands on other types of weaponry so that I don't look like a total doofus; and I've got to convince my boss to let me have up to seven weeks off this year.
The phone call from Greg was one tiny step in the process. The next step is to make it through the application process.
Wish me luck.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
I Like Guns
Posting's been less than I desired lately - sorry about that. I've got a whole slew of posts in my brain, just have to have time to sit down and spit them out. In the meantime, here's a little song to make you smile...
*just pretend you don't see the poor gun handling in the first part of the video*
*just pretend you don't see the poor gun handling in the first part of the video*
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Accidental Discharge
Note: I recieved this email from Mrs. Mom whose husband had recieved it from a LEO friend. I have not verified it as true, but it does logically make sense.
“What the hell was that?!?” she said. It took me a half a second to realize that my gun had just gone off…on my hip…in its holster. My wife and I had just finished breakfast at our favorite café and got into the car.
Me being the passenger, I rotated my torso to the left to fasten my seatbelt like I always do. When I straightened again, my Glock 19 discharged, blowing a 9mm hole through my pants, under-wear, the leather seat and bottom of the car’s door frame.
The bullet nicked my hip, but the wound is nothing a bandage couldn’t cover. So what went wrong? Guns never go “Bang” all by themselves.
After ensuring I wasn’t hemorrhaging profusely and didn’t have to make a dash for the hospital, I stayed seated in the car as my wife came around to my door and opened it. I undid my belt and slid the Galco JAK202 Slide Belt Holster, with the gun still in it, off my belt. Why it went off was immediately apparent.
The trusty, comfortable, leather holster I had been using for a year and two weeks had done what a baseball glove does after lots of use; It got soft. This particular holster carries the pistol outside the waistband, but inside the belt. The belt slides through slots in the outer side of the holster.
The problem stemmed from the leather on the inner side of the holster getting soft. A crease formed, which eventually was large enough to extend beyond the trigger. Manipulate the gun in just the wrong manner and this crease is no different than a finger on the trigger.
Boom!
I can’t say I didn’t know the crease had been formed in the holster. I trained myself to be sure that when holstering, to make sure the gun was fully in the holster, with the trigger protected. On this day, did I forget to do that when I holstered up? Did the leather finally get so soft that a combination of body movements and interference by the cushy leather seat move the Glock enough to create a situation where the trigger was engaged by the holster?
I don’t think we’ll ever know for sure, but I’ll humbly admit to the former as the likely culprit.
However, if it was the latter, then those of you who use this type of holster need to be aware of its limitations and the possibility of experiencing what I did.
It might have been a very different story had the incident happened while we were dining. That bullet ricocheting off the concrete floor could have done untold damage and just as easily killed somebody. Fortunately nobody got hurt and damage to the car was minimal. It will be an interesting conversation with the insurance company to see if they’ll cover the repairs.
Lessons Learned
Holstering your gun can be just as important as drawing it. Make sure you pay attention when doing so. If your leather is getting soft and worn, be sure that it won’t interfere with your trigger or just replace it.
The back of the slide and/or grip was being pushed downward into the leather holster…or the holster was being pushed upward with some force. My guess is the firearm was being pushed and the fold in the holster acted as a finger and depressed the Glock trigger safety.
This truly brings home the importance of taking care of your equipment and ensuring it’s in proper working order. Hopefully you can learn from my situation and prevent an accident like this from happening to you.
Lt. Michael R. Berry
Delaware State Police
Firearms Training Unit
“What the hell was that?!?” she said. It took me a half a second to realize that my gun had just gone off…on my hip…in its holster. My wife and I had just finished breakfast at our favorite café and got into the car.
Me being the passenger, I rotated my torso to the left to fasten my seatbelt like I always do. When I straightened again, my Glock 19 discharged, blowing a 9mm hole through my pants, under-wear, the leather seat and bottom of the car’s door frame.
The bullet nicked my hip, but the wound is nothing a bandage couldn’t cover. So what went wrong? Guns never go “Bang” all by themselves.
After ensuring I wasn’t hemorrhaging profusely and didn’t have to make a dash for the hospital, I stayed seated in the car as my wife came around to my door and opened it. I undid my belt and slid the Galco JAK202 Slide Belt Holster, with the gun still in it, off my belt. Why it went off was immediately apparent.
The trusty, comfortable, leather holster I had been using for a year and two weeks had done what a baseball glove does after lots of use; It got soft. This particular holster carries the pistol outside the waistband, but inside the belt. The belt slides through slots in the outer side of the holster.
The problem stemmed from the leather on the inner side of the holster getting soft. A crease formed, which eventually was large enough to extend beyond the trigger. Manipulate the gun in just the wrong manner and this crease is no different than a finger on the trigger.
Boom!
I can’t say I didn’t know the crease had been formed in the holster. I trained myself to be sure that when holstering, to make sure the gun was fully in the holster, with the trigger protected. On this day, did I forget to do that when I holstered up? Did the leather finally get so soft that a combination of body movements and interference by the cushy leather seat move the Glock enough to create a situation where the trigger was engaged by the holster?
I don’t think we’ll ever know for sure, but I’ll humbly admit to the former as the likely culprit.
However, if it was the latter, then those of you who use this type of holster need to be aware of its limitations and the possibility of experiencing what I did.
It might have been a very different story had the incident happened while we were dining. That bullet ricocheting off the concrete floor could have done untold damage and just as easily killed somebody. Fortunately nobody got hurt and damage to the car was minimal. It will be an interesting conversation with the insurance company to see if they’ll cover the repairs.
Lessons Learned
Holstering your gun can be just as important as drawing it. Make sure you pay attention when doing so. If your leather is getting soft and worn, be sure that it won’t interfere with your trigger or just replace it.
The back of the slide and/or grip was being pushed downward into the leather holster…or the holster was being pushed upward with some force. My guess is the firearm was being pushed and the fold in the holster acted as a finger and depressed the Glock trigger safety.
This truly brings home the importance of taking care of your equipment and ensuring it’s in proper working order. Hopefully you can learn from my situation and prevent an accident like this from happening to you.
Lt. Michael R. Berry
Delaware State Police
Firearms Training Unit
Monday, April 4, 2011
My "Name" In Lights
I knew RockCrawlinChef was up to something, but I had no idea what it was. He's been cagey for the last couple of days, but I had no idea why.
Tonight, he wandered outside for a few minutes and then told me to come out to see what he was working on.
I was perplexed when he told me to stand about five feet behind Ripley (my car). He reached in the car and put his hand on the brake pedal. This is what I saw...
Is that the coolest brake light ever? It's even better than personalized plates (and costs a whole heap less!).
I forgot...he got it here at SoulHamsters.com in the 3rd brake light section.
Tonight, he wandered outside for a few minutes and then told me to come out to see what he was working on.
I was perplexed when he told me to stand about five feet behind Ripley (my car). He reached in the car and put his hand on the brake pedal. This is what I saw...
Is that the coolest brake light ever? It's even better than personalized plates (and costs a whole heap less!).
I forgot...he got it here at SoulHamsters.com in the 3rd brake light section.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Hold It Like You Own It
One of the biggest mistakes I see with women shooters, especially new ones, is a fear to take control of their gun. Having a gun that fits properly is just the first step; proper grip is the second. YouTube is full of videos mocking women shooters who have hit themselves in the head with whichever handgun their "friends" have given them to shoot. Those videos infuriate me for one reason - with proper instruction, no one would ever get tattoo'd by their handgun.
Proper grip will allow you to control the recoil and bring the gun back on target much more quickly, which means you can get your next shot off much more quickly.
Attitude is crucial when handling guns. If you are afraid of it, or of the recoil, it will bite you. Tara's favorite phrase when dealing with new shooter is, "Hold it like you own it, not like it owns you." You control the gun, not the other way around.
A good grip starts the same way you check for fit, with the gun snugged into the web between your thumb and first finger. Your index finger should rest along the frame of the gun, the other fingers wrapped comfortably around the grip. Your support hand should be wrapped around the gun, covering the fingers of your strong hand, both thumbs facing forward.
Having your support hand wrapped around your strong hand helps control muzzle flip - when the gun fires, the front end of the muzzle will "flip" up. Not controlling the muzzle flip is what caused all those women in the YouTube videos to smack themselves in the head.
It used to be popular to support the gun in a "tea cup" grip, with the support hand cupped underneath the gun, like a saucer under a tea cup. The problem is that the gun can flip up off of the "saucer", leaving the strong hand to control the gun and bring it back down on target. In order to avoid that from happening, people who use the tea cup grip will hold on tightly to their strong hand and pull down, which can cause their shots to dive.
Thumb position is very important when shooting a semi-automatic. Semi-automatics are designed so that when they fire, the slide is forced backward, ejecting the fired brass and reloading a new cartridge. If your support thumb is wrapped around the back of the gun the slide will take off skin when it cycles. It hurts. A lot. Trust me on this one. Keep those thumbs out of the way.
Having the gun tucked into the web of your hand will direct recoil back through your wrist, through your arm and into your body. Absorbing the recoil with your body instead of your thumb (as with a poorly fitting gun) will make shooting even the biggest gun a lot more fun.
Here's a slow-motion video of me shooting; watch the muzzle flip up and notice how my grip helps to bring the gun back down on target so I can get the next shot off. Thanks to my flabby, out of shape arms, you'll also be able to see the recoil travel from the gun to my body.
Now here's the same clip at "normal" speed. In slow-mo, the muzzle flipped looked huge, but in this clip it's minimal. You can also see how my support hand balances out the upward movement of the gun, simply by resisting the movement. I don't have to muscle it down like I would if I used a tea cup grip.
Proper grip will allow you to control the recoil and bring the gun back on target much more quickly, which means you can get your next shot off much more quickly.
Attitude is crucial when handling guns. If you are afraid of it, or of the recoil, it will bite you. Tara's favorite phrase when dealing with new shooter is, "Hold it like you own it, not like it owns you." You control the gun, not the other way around.
A good grip starts the same way you check for fit, with the gun snugged into the web between your thumb and first finger. Your index finger should rest along the frame of the gun, the other fingers wrapped comfortably around the grip. Your support hand should be wrapped around the gun, covering the fingers of your strong hand, both thumbs facing forward.
Having your support hand wrapped around your strong hand helps control muzzle flip - when the gun fires, the front end of the muzzle will "flip" up. Not controlling the muzzle flip is what caused all those women in the YouTube videos to smack themselves in the head.
It used to be popular to support the gun in a "tea cup" grip, with the support hand cupped underneath the gun, like a saucer under a tea cup. The problem is that the gun can flip up off of the "saucer", leaving the strong hand to control the gun and bring it back down on target. In order to avoid that from happening, people who use the tea cup grip will hold on tightly to their strong hand and pull down, which can cause their shots to dive.
Thumb position is very important when shooting a semi-automatic. Semi-automatics are designed so that when they fire, the slide is forced backward, ejecting the fired brass and reloading a new cartridge. If your support thumb is wrapped around the back of the gun the slide will take off skin when it cycles. It hurts. A lot. Trust me on this one. Keep those thumbs out of the way.
Having the gun tucked into the web of your hand will direct recoil back through your wrist, through your arm and into your body. Absorbing the recoil with your body instead of your thumb (as with a poorly fitting gun) will make shooting even the biggest gun a lot more fun.
Here's a slow-motion video of me shooting; watch the muzzle flip up and notice how my grip helps to bring the gun back down on target so I can get the next shot off. Thanks to my flabby, out of shape arms, you'll also be able to see the recoil travel from the gun to my body.
Now here's the same clip at "normal" speed. In slow-mo, the muzzle flipped looked huge, but in this clip it's minimal. You can also see how my support hand balances out the upward movement of the gun, simply by resisting the movement. I don't have to muscle it down like I would if I used a tea cup grip.
Friday, March 11, 2011
28 Hours of Hope Update
Thank you all so much!
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