The Girls Gun Getaway featuring several female gun bloggers and pro shooters. (photo: Julie Golob)

Most women start writing blogs to inspire other women, or talk about themselves, or if we’re all honest a bit of both. But what is it we are trying to inspire other women to do? Protect themselves, to be sure, but there’s another element of our community we can’t overlook and that we, as a group, can do so much more with.

I get teased on a fairly regular basis about being a “tough independent woman,” and while the cliché is overdone there is something to be said for the label itself, the problem is that a lot of women seem to be interpreting it in a way that only harms them in the long run. Being tough and independent isn’t about being angry, it isn’t about rebelling against the status quo but rather about being confident in yourself and in your actions.

While shooting is a start towards confidence, it’s not an end. There are a lot of other things we can do to feel better about ourselves and our lives. Most of it’s mental, of course, positive thinking and feeling good about ourselves, but there are other things we can do, other activities we can partake in, to continue an upward climb towards true inner strength.

Shooting does several things for us, the first of us which is (for many) pushing the boundaries of our comfort zone. Having an explosion detonate in front of our face is not something we are conditioned to handle, which is why for many shooting can be perceived as “scary” before they have tried it. Participating in an activity we might not have expected to participate in, and then training to become good at it, requires a lot of self-confidence, which is why shooting pushes us in that direction every day.

Also, as has been pointed out many times, shooting gives us a sense of equality, a sense of safety, a sense of being in control of ourselves. That sense of control is empowering, and is something we should seek in other aspects of our life. This, along with the “tough woman” image of shooting guns, gives us a more positive self-image, which is a powerful thing.

Participating in fitness activities and other sports can have the same effects shooting does. Since I started shooting I’ve taken up weight-lifting and started studying nutrition and trying to eat right. It has made a huge difference in my self-esteem and helped me to realize the extent of control I have over myself, much as shooting does. I would encourage every woman shooter not to stop there, but to continue to step outside of her comfort zone and find other activities that energize and empower her to be the best she can.

When you start shooting, you adopt a lifestyle, and if you embrace that lifestyle there are no boundaries to what you can achieve.

Let us know what it is that you love about shooting below in the comments section.

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By Annette D.

Yes, I’m a female and yes, I have a firearm… several in fact. Should I look or act a certain way because I own and shoot a firearm? No. Then why do people act the way they do when they find out?

I got a call yesterday from a businessman I work with on and off.  We’ve never met, I live in the Northeast, he lives out West.  We worked together for a few months and then he changed gears and didn’t need my services for the time being.  I’d get a call every few months to check in and keep in touch.  Life was good.

Yesterday’s call was apparently prompted by my Google+ profile picture.  It’s me firing at a target.  “Your Google profile picture, is that you?”

The picture in question..

Me: Umm, yes.  Him: With a gun?  You have a gun?  Me: I have several firearms.  Him: Why.  Me: Because I shoot?

I changed the subject back to business and a few minutes later he mentioned that he wondered if it were smart for me to use a picture “like that” on a public profile.  I was polite, as I was hoping to do more work for him in the future, but REALLY? Is it that bad? Am I missing something? I explained that my Google+ profile is used mainly to keep in touch with other firearms enthusiasts that I’ve met on various forums and I don’t use it to solicit business, not that I would be worried that my profile picture would hinder that.  My work speaks for itself. Then I get this…”Wow, between the gun picture and your Skype picture, you must be some kind of a control freak, no?” My Skype picture is me on my horse.

Is this the photo of a control freak?

At this point, I felt the need to be less polite than I had been during the conversation because I now no longer cared if I work for him again. My answer was simply, “I have a horse, and I have firearms, I do not see what one has to do with the other, nor do I see where you’re going with this, or how it would affect our working relationship. We have a business relationship, my personal life is none of your business, nor is your personal life any of mine.”

I’m a proud NRA member. I’m a proud American. Why are people so phobic of firearms and those of us who choose to own and enjoy them? You don’t want one? That’s your choice! I happen to enjoy mine, so leave me alone. He ended up asking me to look into something for him, but I’m not at all sure now I want to even deal with him again.

Is it because I’m a woman? Would a male associate of his even be questioned? Just the fact that he felt the need to bring it up (twice) upsets me… anybody ever have anything similar happen to them? How did you deal with it?

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It’s good to live in a society where you can dial 911 when you need help. You know that at some point, law enforcement, an ambulance or the fire department will show up ready to assist you in whatever ways they can. The only question you may have is, “What do I do until help arrives?”

Sometimes, you only have a few seconds to decide what you are going to do in an emergency situation, and those few moments can
mean the difference between life and death. In some life-threatening situations, you have the ability and responsibility to protect yourself, and you should take full advantage of your own right to safety and survival. There are many people who will be completely willing to take advantage of you if you let them. You need to be prepared for self-defense. Gun ownership and training in the use of that gun can be your answer.

Natalie Instructing a First Time Shooter - Photo By Jack Nischik

First, where do you start the search for the right gun? Don’t forget that one of the most important items to have in your personal arsenal is knowledge. Think about your goals and reasons for purchasing a firearm. Are you looking for a gun for yourself or your significant other? Some guns will fit a man better than a woman and vice versa. What do you want to accomplish if you have to fire your gun? Do you want to stop an intruder or attacker in his tracks? If that’s the case, you will want a gun that is accurate, a trait found in larger pistols. Do you want to carry your gun with you? If so, a smaller gun will be lighter in weight and easier to conceal, but remember that you will also need to acquire a concealed carry permit. Another issue to consider when purchasing a gun is the reliability of the firearm. You need your gun to work for you whenever the moment arises. Be open to arming yourself and your spouse differently so that you both feel comfortable using a gun. A great place to find guns for men and women are online auctions. It’s nice to know that someone has used the gun you are considering purchasing because they can give you the particulars and history before you buy it. Some auctions cater to both men and women, realizing that they will have different needs.

Another consideration when choosing a gun is the caliber. A smaller caliber will usually be faster and have greater accuracy in repeated firing, but will suffer in energy and force. A larger caliber has a tendency to damage the target more severely. When firing in self-defense, you will want to stop your target by inflicting enough damage. Keep in mind that some bullets do a better job of penetrating further into the target than others. It may be helpful to purchase your gun from a source where you can also purchase the needed ammunition. Again, go to an auction for a terrific selection in guns and ammunition. You will find variety and pricing that fits your needs and budget, and you will have the opportunity to shop on your own time and for your own needs.

After you’ve found the best gun for you, get the appropriate training. A great gun that fits you well cannot compensate for lack of training in how to use the gun at the right time and in the right place. Your gun can give you security once you’ve taken the time to learn about it. Don’t skimp on knowledge. You want your gun to save your life when you need it to, not get in the way. When you remember that your gun is for your protection and you are the one who is accountable for its use, you will be much closer to your goals of being a responsible gun owner who is capable of self-protection.

Photo By Jack Nichik

About the Author: Tammy Anderson is a wife, mother, school teacher and gun enthusiast. She lives in Texas with her family.

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Ever wonder how you would react when faced with a threatening situation? What if you could actually shoot the bad guy in a real live fire scenario firing non-lethal but realistic ammunition out of your own Glock or Sig? Picture the kind of force on force training used by police officers and the military to simulate a real time crisis situation and now imagine it’s you, suited up and facing off with a gnarly-faced bad guy. We can always practice how we would respond in theory, but what if you could actually practice retrieving your pistol and shooting at the intruder as he was running up the stairs in your home, towards your family? That is what will soon be available, for the first time, with civilian Simunition training.

I was fortunate recently to attend a demonstration of the Simunition program. I arrived early and found myself sitting in a class of fifty men, many present and retired police officers, where we learned what “simunition” is, what types of protective gear are used in the training exercises and how the conversion kits and specially formulated “ammunition” work with most major types of firearms.

The first question to be answered was what exactly is Simunition? It provides realistic training situations to individuals and teams to improve tactical skills and conditioned response to fear. Used since the 1980s to help law enforcement officers, military personnel and emergency response teams, the same life saving training products are going to be within the reach of civilians.

For protective gear, all observers and participants in training wear safety glasses like one would at the range, however hearing protection is not needed. The FX non lethal ammunition, creates realistic gunfire noise, but does not damage the ears or cause any ringing due to the low sound decibels emitted.  All active participants wear a hood with a neck guard and a groin protector as standard attire, a vest and gloves are optional. Being shot feels a bit like a bee sting, enough to make you remember it, but not enough to cause any serious injury.

The actual Simunition firearm system utilizes the frame of most popular firearms onto which a special slide is attached (for a semi-auto). They presently have around 70 different conversion kits for semi automatic handguns and rifles — more are in the works as well. The conversion kit, for example, for the Glock, consists of a replacement slide which is blue in color so as not to confuse it with the real thing. The sights mimic standard factory Glock sights but can be manipulated to match what you would use on your own personal firearm, making the simulation as real as possible. Everything on the gun will work the same way as with normal operation, however the magazine will only load the FX ammo and you cannot chamber a real round in the barrel. The barrel is actually of a two piece construction, specially crafted to fire only the simulation ammunition.

Although this demonstration took place indoors in a classroom, a range environment is best because the training is meant to recreate real combat or confrontations which will bring with it all the stress and adrenaline that one would encounter with a real gunfight. Simuntion is not a game, and it is for this reason that they only approve training for qualified ranges. In our case a range “safe” environment was carefully created in the classroom. A safe direction was established towards the front and blocked off by tables. All participants were required to leave the room and be searched for weapons several times before returning. Once “clean”, participants were able to either watch or participate in the exercises.

First up was firing at paper and three dimensional targets both while standing still and on the move. This exercise demonstrated the way the conversion kits and the ammunition worked. When hit, small red star shaped blotches appeared on the clothing of the “human” targets. The “rounds” are made from a plastic material and filled with a thick soap detergent that is specially formulated to be thick enough to leave the marks. (You can read more about the FX ammunition at www.simunition.com.) If you get hit and have the colored blotches on your clothing you can simply throw it in the washing machine to clean it. I got a chance to fire the Glock 19, which I own. I stood in the safe area with my back to the observers and fired two shots to each of the three dimensional targets. Since this was a demo class the targets were less than ten feet away — so it wasn’t a training exercise as much as it was just to try out the product. It truly feels and performs exactly like the Glock but with less recoil. In my opinion, it felt similar to using my Advantage Arms .22 conversion kit.

Next up, several students left the room to be suited up in protective gear, then came back, one at a time, with their concealed guns and were confronted by an attacker with a knife. Each participant had various levels of firearms training and it was interesting to see how each person reacted to the attack — for example, at what point during the confrontation did they actually reach for their weapon and how close the attacker was to them when they actually fired. In a Simunition training class, the whole scenario was video-taped and replayed for the student, so response time and technique was analyzed. It was interesting to see that all three participants waited too long before they fired at the attackers and although they each had a full magazine available to them, they only pulled the trigger a few times. This would probably not be enough to eliminate the threat, and certainly not enough in those few precious seconds to ascertain whether or not the attacker was still advancing. It is well documented that people who are shot will continue to advance on their victims, either not registering they are injured, or so pumped up on adrenaline or more likely, drugs, they don’t care.

Standard Simunition firearms

Realistic firearms training is hard to come by for most of us everyday people. But there are many who have CCW permits and/or guns sitting in a safe at home that we hope we don’t ever have to use for home defense. Imagine if we could really have an idea of how a confrontation would play out. How great would it be to “wake” up in your bed, reach into the night stand for your personal safe containing your self defense pistol and then act out exactly what you (and your husband and anyone else in the house) would do when confronted by the bad guys. You could acquire the skills and conquer some of the inevitable fear.

The first training of this kind will soon be available at a new state of the art range being created by Gun for Hire, the firearms school in NJ that hosted this demo event. It is definitely worth checking out. (www.gunforhire.com) Target practice serves its purpose in firearms training, but when it’s the difference between life and death we all want to make sure we have what it takes to come out on top.

Thanks, Maggie. This is fantastic information. We look forward to hearing more about Simunition products soon!

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Female-only shooting events of a casual nature can be hard to come by in certain parts of the country. Notwithstanding the ever growing number of women who are becoming educated in using firearms for defense and sport (and are purchasing their own guns) – we can still be a quiet minority in the shooting world. I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen a woman come alone or with a female friend to the range I regularly frequent, rather than with a boyfriend, brother or husband.

Getting the word out and banding together to have a good time sends a great message that we support each other’s commitment and enjoyment in shooting sports for recreation and personal safety.

So it was with pleasure that on Superbowl Sunday I joined a group of gun toting gals who came out to play! With plenty of time to make it home for kickoff, the pregame prep involved making some serious noise. The streets were quiet Sunday morning when the ladies headed indoors for some female only fun.

Hosted by a local range, the ladies event included some coffee and donuts to get the blood moving and then the beginner shooters passed around the Ruger 10/22 rifles and various handguns. The pop pop pops of the small caliber rounds peppered the targets as the women chatted each other up about where they like to shoot, what they like to shoot and what they hope to see for women’s shooting sports in the future.

Ruger 10/22 - A Great Starter Rifle for First-Time Shooters

Due to a smaller number of women shooters in this area of the Northeast and the lack of a women’s shooting club (but not for long!) it is always nice to find a few women who are enthusiastic about their guns and eager to share the thrill of making big holes in the targets. The ammo and the rifles were provided by the range but several women also brought their own firearms. So it was in a friendly atmosphere that they were passed around and everyone who wanted had the chance to try something they wouldn’t have otherwise.

I couldn’t help but think how awesome it was to meet women I would otherwise not have known through a mutual enjoyment of shooting. Stories were told of boyfriends and husbands who refuse to “share” their guns but have no problem sharing their love of driving around to every gun shop in the county on a Saturday afternoon!

When a group of women get together there are no “stupid” questions and no one feels intimidated by the “experience” peering over their shoulders. Even men with the best intentions, and there are certainly plenty who strongly support a female presence in the shooting world, can make a female shooter, especially a new one, feel unconsciously uncomfortable. So every once in awhile it’s great to let your hair down and hang with the girls.

So this group of women let the men buy the beer and chips today – we were still there to watch the game, but not before shaking up the field a bit.

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