Leeza Gibbons demonstrates what to do if an attacker grabs your hair. This type of attack is extremely painful and disorienting, so knowing how to break free is imperative. Be sure and spread the word on this potentially life-saving skill. Share with friends and family – keep your loved ones safe!

For more information on Shield Self Defense, check out ShieldSelfDefense.com.

Leeza Gibbons for American Now demonstrates what to do when an attacker grabs your hair.

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We had such a good time hanging out with the awesome chicks of Women’s Tactical Association and Alpha Girls on this shoot.  Kim Heath is one of their bright shining stars up there in Chicago. This girl is the quintessential badass with a sense of humor as quick as those cat-like reflexes she uses to serve and protect as a police officer in Illinois. I have also personally seen this chick walk a high-fashion runway with ease and style. Expect much more from her at NRA Women’s Network.

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Hey, our primary concern here is safety, right? That safety means taking good, holistic care of yourself, which includes cancer prevention. Whether you are defending yourself from a bad guy or getting regular mammograms, the same objectives apply. We need you around, sister! And too many of us are seeing the signs of sun damage, including melanoma, at a very young age. Check out these videos from Birchbox to refresh yourself on the good habits you should maintain every day and especially while you are on the range:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

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NIkki Turpeaux in action at the first national conference for A Girl & A Gun.

Turpeaux as an Ambassador for their Tactical Training Program. This marks the first time 5.11 has hired a civilian and the first time they have hired a female for this position. I told you it was huge.

If you are not yet familiar with Nikki, you will definitely want to keep an eye on this one. The girl has a sense of humor as quick as the bullets she slings and heart the size of Texas, which just happens to be her home state. Turpeaux, the proprietor of Archangel Tactical, now calls Atlanta home, but she is often on the move teaching defense classes around the country. She also recently joined the team over at Women’s Outdoor News as a contributor. This chick is a rising star in the gun community and we can’t wait to see more of her and her leadership in the very near future. Congrats, Nikki, and keep up the good work! You represent us well.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Check out this press release detailing Nikki’s new role with 5.11:

ARCHANGEL TACTICAL, LLC – Alpharetta, Ga. – March 22, 2013 – Nikki Turpeaux, lead
instructor and CEO of Archangel Tactical, LLC, recently spent time on the range training employees of
the 5.11 Tactical Development Center in Irvine, Calif. At the invitation of 5.11 Tactical, Turpeaux taught
personal defense tactics in firearms, edged weapons and unarmed maneuvers.

At the culmination of the training, 5.11 invited Turpeaux to join forces and represent the company as its
Ambassador for Tactical Training Program.

“For the past two years, I have imagined what it would be like to visit 5.11 Tactical and have an
opportunity to train with their team. I am very excited about the opportunity to be their Ambassador for
the Tactical Training Alliance Program,” said Turpeaux.

She continued, “I have always been fond of 5.11 and its helpful and supportive staff. I feel so blessed that
this opportunity has finally come along and I am honored. Thank you to CEO, Tom Davin, and to his
amazing staff for welcoming me onboard!”

Bill Berry, 5.11 Tactical Director of Global Training and Development, remarked, “As a retired law
enforcement trainer in both firearms and defensive tactics, I was very interested in seeing Nikki’s program
and how she related the key elements to civilian students. It was clear to me that she has developed a very
comprehensive and accurate curriculum. I was also impressed with the way she related the curriculum to
the women in the group. She provided an atmosphere that made them feel comfortable, which is critical
to learning. I would recommend her program to any of our new civilian employees as a way to become
familiar and competent with the use of a handgun for self defense.”

Berry added, “Nikki should be proud of what she has accomplished in the development of her program. I
welcome her to our 5.11 team.”
Archangel Tactical provides high quality tactical and defensive training throughout the United States.
Based in Alpharetta, Ga., and Houston, Texas, Turpeaux and her mobile-training unit offers a wide range
of tactical courses in handgun, shotgun, rifle disciplines, along with its popular Get A G.R.I.P.™ Ladies
program.

Nikki Turpeaux at the 5.11 Headquarters in California.

Check out more from Nikki and the WON here:

https://www.womensoutdoornews.com/2013/03/nikki-turpeaux-brings-personal-defense-training-to-a-girl-a-gun-national-conference/

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Natalie teaching a new shooter for DRT Ammo.

to the rest of the readers and come up with a strong answer for you.

Dear Girl’s Guide,

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Jessie and Natalie at NRA Annual Meeting 2012.

Not only is she a champion shooter and a super cool chick, but it turns out Jessie Duff is a fantastic gun rights ambassador to the media. Below are a couple of clips from some of Jessie’s recent appearances on FOX News. Be sure to check out her Facebook page and Twitter feed as well (@Jessie_Duff) for updates on what she is up to and her commentary on current events. If you are not familiar with Jessie yet, check out the bio from her website and then head over there to learn more.

Jessie’s demonstration of several common firearms on the Hannity show:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Jessie’s interview with Judge Jeanine:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Keep up the wonderful work, Jessie! You make us proud.

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Kel-Tec P-11 9mm

Each gun, just like any other tool, has a specific implementation and as I am sure you know by now, there is a vast variety of them out there for your shooting pleasure. If you are like me, though, all of those choices can start to get a little overwhelming. But fear not! I have some advice that will aid you in finding the right gun. I will also list a few of my favorite female friendly firearms as well as a few recommended by the readers.

Shopping for a gun, as my friend Gracie from Packing Pretty says, is like shopping for a pair of jeans, new shoes or a new bra. You have to try several to be able to find the right one. Guns are very personal pieces of machinery and you need to be feel comfortable shooting the one you ultimately choose. The primary factors that play in to choosing a firearm to purchase are the following: Purpose, Comfort and Cost.

Purpose

What will your gun be doing? Do you want to use it for concealed carry, home defense, hunting, or just for fun? Many guns can be used for more than one purpose (ie, home defense + hunting, concealed carry + etc), but most of them have a specifically designated purpose.  The more involved you become in the shooting sports, you will inevitably find that you need more than one gun to satisfy all your firearm needs. But dont let that overwhelm you. Start here:

Below is a list of some of the best guns for women as recommended by readers.

Concealed Carry

.380 Caliber:Ruger LCP**, Sig Sauer P238**, Walther PPK, Bersa Thunder, Diamondback DB380, S&W Bodyguard, Sig Sauer P232

Smith & Wesson 642 Revolver

9mm: Kahr CM9 or PM9, Smith & Wesson Shield**, Beretta Nano**, Kel-Tec P-11, Ruger LC9, Ruger SR9C,

.45 Caliber: Springfield XDs**, Glock 21,

Revolver: Smith & Wesson 642**, Taurus M327,

**Voted among the best concealed carry for women in an informal Girl’s Guide Poll

Click here for a more extensive list of common concealed carry firearms for women from the makers of the Flashbang Bra Holster (fyi: there is a photo of the bra holster in use on a live female on this page.)

Home Defense

Many people choose a shotgun for home defense, though others prefer rifles or handguns.

Shotguns: Mossberg 500, Remington 870, Browning Citori 725, Winchester SX3

Hunting

This area is pretty technical and I will let the hunters weigh in on this in the comments below.

Fun/Target shooting (paper, steel, skeet and trap)

All of the above!

Comfort

Grip- This is a major factor that I cannot emphasize strongly enough. The gun should feel comfortable in your hand and equally as important, you need to feel comfortable shooting it. If you aren’t comfortable shooting it, you won’t practice and practice is imperative.

Weight- Train with your prospective gun. Shoot and handle it for at least an hour or two to know whether you like the weight of it.

Control/Snapiness- Can you control the gun effectively when firing it? Can you keep the muzzle from popping upward?

Ruger LCP with a Hogue grip

Training will help quite a bit in this area, but be observant of this factor with every gun you try.

Hogue Grips is a fantastic company that can help you with any issues you may find with the grip of the gun you choose. For instance, many people find the Ruger LCP to be perfect for their conceal carry needs, but a difficult gun to grip.  Hogue has created a customized rubber grip to solve that problem.

Cost

The financial piece is a big one for most of us these days. You want to stay within your budget, of course, but the last thing you want to do is compromise safety by buying an inadequate gun. There are a couple of ways to find a reasonably-priced firearm without putting your safety at risk. Namely, I would check out the USED selection at gun stores, look online, hit up gun shows, auctions, estate and yard sales. Any time you are buying a previously owned firearm, I suggest that you have a friend or relative who is knowledgeable about guns check out the used firearm you are eyeing before you buy.

Here is a short list of reputable online firearm dealers:  GunBroker.com, BudsGunShop.com, GunUp.com

Do not forget to include the price of ammo in your decision. For instance, .22 is a wonderful, inexpensive caliber. I love to practice on paper with a .22, but it does not pack the punch that a .380, 9mm or .45  will. Many people like the 9mm because the ammo is plentiful and less expensive than, say, the .45.

There is so much to know about this subject and we are really just scratching the surface here. Talk to your friends, send me a message here or on facebook or twitter, and definitely ask the people behind the counter at the gun store if you have additional questions. And if the people behind the counter are not cool, find another gun store. There is no need to put up with prejudice or bad customer service.

Now go practice!! Shooting is a perishable skill and it is key that you maintain your ability. I like to take a class at least every 6 months to keep my skills sharp. If you need a group to go shoot with in your area, check out A Girl & A Gun Shooting Clubs around the country.  And if you can’t find one, start your own! Also, find a list of ranges and class providers here.

NOTE: This article is a work in progress. If you would like to see a firearm or section added, please comment below.

The Wedding Dress Moment

When a gal tries on wedding dresses, they’re ALL pretty, and white, and they make you look like a princess. But there’s ONE that causes light to shine down from Heaven and the angels start singing and you know that its THE ONE.
Same thing happens with guns! They’re all kinda cool looking…they go *bang* when you pull the trigger, but every now and then you’ll run across one that makes you shoot straighter and gives you that feeling of an angelic choir in full “Laaaaaa!” When that happens…..GET THAT GUN!!!  - Lisa Looper, creator of the Flashbang Bra Holster

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The perfect Pacific Northwest location, Clatskanie, OR, nestled between Seattle and Portland served as our staging ground for our first Packing Pretty/Girl’s Guide to Guns NRA Basic Pistol event.

No trip to the Pacific Northwest would be complete without a coffee run. I confess, there were several, but this was one of my faves: The Albina Press in Portland is a coffee snob’s paradise.

Another Portland must-see for me was the celebrated and epically huge Powell’s City of Books. In addition to an incalculable number of books, I found (drum roll, please) bacon bandages there.  @CamEdwards of Cam and Company on NRA radio and I have had extensive conversations about Tactical Bacon so I simply had to tweet it to him.

Time to get down to business and start the class hosted by the Clatskanie Gun Club. Gotta love a range with the Second Amendment painted on the wall!

Gracie and I tag teamed the lesson, with Gracie teaching the bulk of the material. That girl is a fantastic instructor.

Enough of the class room, let’s do some shooting!

The ladies’ firearm experience ranged from first timer to fairly proficient. My favorite thing to watch is a female shooter make that leap from feeling insecure with her firearm to feeling confident and competent. We saw several ladies experience just that and it was glorious!

One of the ladies brought her pink Kimber. I always love to see pink on the firing line! It just makes everything a little more fun.

After we finished up our time in the range, we headed back to the classroom to demonstrate how to keep your firearm clean. The innovative products donated by OTIS made the gun cleaning section of the class super easy. Check out our interview with Doreen Garrett, founder of OTIS gun cleaning systems.

Gracie and I would like to extend a big THANK YOU to our sponsors (see list below) and all the ladies who participated in our NRA class and shooting event.  We hope to see *you* at the next one!

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 “We would like to purchase a .22LR. We are looking at both a Marlin and a Ruger. In your opinion, which one is better? Thanks for your help.”

Marlin:

These are some of the responses we heard from you. Chime in with more in the comments section below:

Jonathan Grim Ruger 10-22 Takedown model! Best thing to ever happen to a .22 rifle!

Tammy Timberlake Slone Ruger 10/22 are great lil guns..

• Jay Pearson I have had both and i would go with the Ruger.. Marlin is a great company , but the Rugers have many more options for aftermarket parts and accessories!

   

  Thomas Ward LaFrance Go Ruger 10-22 and never look back.

   

  Lamborghini Knizewski ruger 10/22

   

  Ashley Carlson If your looking for the actual rifle, the Marlin but if your looking at the .22LR pistol, I’d go Ruger… Both make excellent .22s

   

  Victoria Klink Casaray I love the Ruger! We have two! Don’t know about the Marlin, but like I said the Ruger is great!!

   

  William E. Shaw Ruger.

   

  Sarah Houser Rugar 22 pistol best gun!!

   

  Jess Umbaugh we have the Ruger and its amazing! super accurate, especially when you get that scope on there.

   

  Jeff Wertenberger Ruger 10/22 no question

   

  Aviana Knochel Ruger for sure.

   

  Bob Johnson both are good weapons – really depends on what they are used to and what they plan to do with it

   

  Douglas Cooper Ruger 1022.

   

  Kathrine Reid my hubby told me to do the ruger 10/22 as well, but he has a old henry .22 lever action rifle that is great and fun to shoot and less expensive.

   

  Alysse Zimmerman LOVE my Rugar!

   

  Melissa Robinson I just bought a Winchester 69A (22LR)

   

  Amy Bratcher Marlin

   

  Fred Steel Rugar

   

  Elizabeth Christensen Smart Ruger

   

  Jason Veraldi Both if you can afford it. Both great guns with their pluses. Ruger is a little better straight out of the box, but the Marlin is a steal for a .22.

   

  Charles Kyle i just got a Ruger 10/22 such a great firearm. Ruger all the way

   

  Debbie Caruana Ruger

   

  Julie Golob What are her goals and what does she plan to shoot? S&W M&P15-22 is SO much fun to shoot and is a great, inexpensive way to learn the AR platform as another option.

   

  Amber Gardepe Wright Love my ruger 10/22

   

  Amy Bratcher I’ve got one of each and I really like my Marlin. But the Ruger is nice as well. It’s a toss up. You gotta shoot both to be able to see which one you’d prefer!

   

  Andrew Tuohy My Marlin 22s are more accurate than my Ruger 22s. It’s easier to find aftermarket parts for, and easier to modify, the Rugers. The Marlins tend to be a bit less expensive. Some of the more recent production Marlins have exhibited a disappointing lack of quality control.

   

  Pete Kofod Ruger. Best after market.

   

  George Farr Ruger 10/22

   

  Michael Dennis Driscoll Both are notoriously reliable, I own a Marlin that I’ve had since I first started shooting in 1997. I put probably 10,000 rounds through it before I had to disassemble the action and detail clean it. The wood stock is scratched, beat up, and ugly after all this time, but the rounds still go right where you want them to. In short, Marlin makes a great .22. Best of luck with whatever you choose!

   

  Richard Dierker Got a Marlin bolt action that shoots dime size groups at 70 yards–got a 10/22 that wont !

   

  Daniel Coe Ruger 10/22

   

  MikeandShannon Slater Ruger for sure.

   

  George Farr marlin in that cal is junk

   

  Stephanie Downey I absolutely love my Ruger. It never jams and it’s very accurate. I can’t speak to the Marlin but I am a Ruger lover!

   

  Jonathan Huckabay Ruger Mark III

   

  Trisha Bries Marlins are very accurate. I have shot both and found I prefer a marlin. Marlins usually only have a 7 round mag vs a ruger with a 10 round mag. Marlins arent as expensive either and you’ll get the same experience. Factory sights aren’t good on either so either get a scope or tech sights too.

   

  Susan Littleton Story I LOVE my 10/22! I tricked mine out with a scope and folding stock!

   

  Paul Taylor Go with the Ruger 10/22 and try to get one with a bull barrel. Very accurate.

   

  Richard Lawrence I have a couple of Ruger 10/22′s. One more than a decade old and one of the new “take down” models. I have never had an issue with either.. Highly recommended.

   

  Ellen R. Moberly Ruger is what we’ve always owned.

   

  Misty Ann Ring I had a Ruger Carbine 10/22 that was a lot of fun. Never tried the Marlin though.

   

  Treva Smith Ruger!

   

  Bob Westwood I have a Marlin. 22 w/scope and I bought my girlfriend a Mossberg. 22 in pink camo.

   

  Bob McPeak Ruger…mags are easier to find and easier to load…

   

  Evan Farley Either rifle is fine. The edge in accuracy goes to Marlin and the Ruger is hands down the most easily customizable shooter. Far more aftermarket parts and kits for the 10/22. That said I shoot tube fed Marlin .22 rifles and Ruger Mark series pistols. Can’t really go wrong with either.

   

  Bert Bond ruger is a nice gun fur rabbit

   

  Eric Matthews Ruger hands down

   

  Justin Goad personally i vote for the Ruger. the amount of of aftermarket parts and even factory parts available, the sheer ease of cleaning, very accurate. the Marlin is also a good rifle. I personally have a Ruger 10/22 MAG. and i love it.

   

  Sara Nys Get a north american arms 22lr – you can hide that little baby anywhere

   

  Louise James Coulson Love my Ruger.

   

  Aidan O’brien Both guns score a solid 8 in my books but I prefer the marlin but that pretty much what it comes back too just your personal preference

   

  Beth Gillahan Absolutely would never trade my Ruger!!! So much fun and great quality!!

   

  Kevin Farrell Ruger 10/22

   

  Doraetta Hesse Both are great I have marlin

   

  Laura Clarke I have a nice Savage that I love. So another option for ya!

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