"I Don't Need To Shoot! I'll Just SHOW MY GUN And They Will RUN!"

 

Not what I want to see coming my way. Image from Google

Sounds like a great idea, right? You just show a potential Bad Guy that you're packin', he will quake with fear, void his bladder, and scramble off into the night, never to be seen again. 

While that might be a fantastic plot for a movie, it will by no means be effective in real life. I wish with all my heart that I could tell you this topic is a joke. That we staff in a rare moment of silence pulled this idea out of thin air, for a laugh. But we didn't- this sentiment has been heard by all of us behind the counter, on more than one occasion. 

What if the Bad Guy (or Bad Guys, since predators like to hunt in packs,) are on drugs? What if he or they are intoxicated? What if they know more about guns, how to use them, and how to take them away from people, than you do? What do you do then? 

Remember how I talk about complacency and over-confidence being killers? Believing that if you SHOW a potential threat your gun, they will run away is but another form of a false sense of confidence. I'd venture to guess in most cases, the thought might run through their mind that they are going to score big and get a decent pistol from the interaction they are planning with you.
 

Make a point- be ready to use your gun! Image from Google

Stop and think for a moment. This person, (male or female- men do not have a corner on the market and crime is an equal opportunity employer,) is not afraid of you. They are not worried about your gun. They are not worried about breaking any laws (if they were concerned about the legality of their actions, they would not be committing crimes). Their concern is you, as a soft, easy target, and what they can get from you. 

Your job? Have a plan - preferably multiple plans- in place to protect yourself. Think ahead. Understand that if you MUST draw your firearm, you must be mentally prepared to use it. Understand that your gun should not be your first line of defense. And by the love of the Gunpowder Gods above, please do not lull yourself into the false sense that simply showing an aggressor your gun will stop the incident from happening.

It might- but then again it might not. 

Are you willing to take that chance?

Y'all stay safe out there in this big, beautiful crazy world of ours. Plan, prepare, protect. Come practice. Come observe. Take another class. Never stop learning- knowledge is power that weighs nothing, and has the potential to save your life.

See you at the range-
Shannon
912-355-0205, option #1

5 Tips For Safe Daily Carry

You've got your chosen defensive daily carry gun. You've obtained your carry permit. You've invested in proper training. Now, you're ready to go, right? Ready to carry everywhere, every day. (Where legally permissible, of course!!)

Take a look at these five tips and pointers as you begin the next stage in your daily carry adventure. 


1) Ask Yourself:
    *Are you competent with your chosen defensive carry gun? This is not the time to be PC, and pat yourself on your back just because you know how to pull the trigger and can mostly get rounds on the paper target. Brutal self honesty is required here. 
When was your last training session? What were the results? Did you improve in shot placement? Were your magazine changes smoother? How did you test yourself? Your competency level with your gun is critical. Being competent increases your confidence. Higher confidence increases your desire to learn more and your ability as you train. 

Dot Torture Shooting Drill- Image from Google

2) Complacency. Kills. I can not stress this enough. The idea that just because you now own a gun, does not make you Annie Oakley. I fear for the safety of those people who honestly feel this way. Not only are their lives in danger should they ever have to use their firearm in a defensive manner, but lives of innocent bystanders are in danger as well. Competency requires discipline, discipline builds skill. Much like piloting a vehicle, your firearms training requires dedication to learning and hours of practice.

3) Examine your wardrobe. Hopefully, you have picked up two or three different holsters to test, with the understanding that a sturdy belt is a critical point for proper, safe carry and weapons retention. A flopping gun is an unsecure gun in many cases, and not something you want to have happening. Make sure your holster covers the trigger guard, fits your gun snugly, and has no pieces or parts poking out that come in contact with the trigger on reholstering. 
**For those who prefer to purse carry, and enjoy the argument, "I can shoot through my purse." Fine. What does that say about the security of your gun in there? Is it safe? In My Opinion (that and $5 might get you a cup of coffee and a cookie,) NO. Your gun is NOT safe. Why? Because if you can put your hand in the purse and NOT have to unholster your weapon, it means your trigger guard and trigger are exposed. Is an exposed trigger safe in a purse? Again- In My Opinion- NO. It is too easy for something- such as a pen, lipstick, etc- to be accidentally dropped in with your gun. Why take the chance on a negligent discharge?

4) Practice at home. While you are folding laundry, doing dishes, cooking dinner, mowing the lawn- carry your gun. The only way to determine what holster and carry position is going to work perfectly for you is to carry them. Plus you have the added benefit of being prepared for Decepticons. Don't let your peers poking fun at you deter you. This is YOUR life and safety- not theirs. If they wish to be complacent in the knowledge that their home is "safe" and home invasions only happen to the Other Guy, that's fine. Just remember what we say about COMPLACENCY. It kills. 

5) Carry with an air of comfort and confidence. The next time you go to the store, or out for an evening stroll, take a close look at the people moving around you. Observe what they are doing, where they are looking, and if they are honestly paying any attention to their surroundings. Chances are, they are looking down at their phones or some electronic gizmo, have no clue you are there, and are only aware enough to have a basic understanding of getting from point A to point B. People see what they WANT to see- not what is in plain sight. Projecting an air of confidence as you carry in your chosen (legal) method prevents people from noticing whether or not you may or may not be armed. Should someone ask, if they do notice, smile. Be polite. Be confident. Be willing to talk. Also be willing to walk away if the person attempts to engage in a discussion on your decision to protect yourself. They are not worth your time and are generally just looking for a fight, so they might further convince themselves of their superiority. (The reverse of which is you, for carrying a gun, are inferior.) 

From a personal standpoint, as a woman who has carried over five years now. I often open carry. (It is legal in GA and I have my Georgia Weapons Carry License.) That is just me, and what I am comfortable with. There is no law saying YOU have to carry like that. In that time frame, I have had mostly positive interaction with strangers. I have been asked if I was a police officer (no, I'm not.) I've been asked what I'm afraid of (to which I smile wickedly and say, "Absolutely Nothing" and then I walk away.) I've been asked most about training and obtaining a permit to carry. (Wonderful discussions have ensued from this.)

There are those who attempt to argue with me over my chosen carry method. Fine- they are entitled to their opinion. The "criminals will target you first" argument is old and tired, and I tell them a brief story of my own, about a sick child, a late night run to a local big box store, my openly carried 1911, and a thug on the phone to his homies telling them to scatter because, and I quote, "... F@!k that - B!tch got a gun!" The thugs ran off like roaches when a light comes on, and I made it home unmolested with the meds for my son. 

Moral of the story? Train. Carry. Observe. Have Plan A, B, C and D in place. Behave in a professional, confident manner. Above all else, carry safely and intelligently, in a manner which suits your situation.

In the meantime, get in some range time and challenge your skills. You never know when you'll need them to save your life!

~Shannon

Tips To Find Your Perfect Gun

The single biggest question I personally hear, every shift I work, is "What, in your opinion as a woman, is the best gun for a woman?"


And if I had a dollar for every confused look I get at my reply, I could retire.

Folks, there is no best gun for a woman. The best gun, for any shooter regardless what your plumbing may be, is the gun that fits your hand the best and most comfortably, that you can shoot the most accurately, in the highest caliber that you can shoot.

That's it. There is no magic formula, no guaranteed answer that XX brand revolver is the only way for a woman to go, or that XX brand semi-automatic is the only way to go. The gun that fits your hand, that you can shoot with the highest accuracy, in the highest caliber is the right gun for you. Man, woman, hermaphrodite- it will take time and research on your part to find that answer.

Before we get into the steps involved in finding out what that gun may be, I feel the need to offer insight from behind the range counter. As I've mentioned before- there are so many people out there with your best interests at heart. These well intentioned people truly wish to offer you help in learning to shoot and finding the perfect gun for you. However. (And this is fairly significant, so please read it a couple of times to let it sink in,) Please- Do Not Let Anyone Set Your Limitations.

What do I mean by that?
Example:
Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public come to the counter. Mr. Public feels that with the escalation in home invasions and crimes on the street, Mrs. Public needs a gun to protect herself. Often times, the first words out of Mr. Public's mouth are, "She just needs a revolver, because they're easy to operate and she can keep it in her purse."

Why is this statement a potential problem?
- Right away, Mr. Public has demoted Mrs. Public to the ranks of a special needs case, where her ability to learn and function has been called into question.
- Number two, keeping a gun anywhere but on your body makes it much easier to become separated from your gun.

Whether or not Mr. Public meant it, he has just done a grave injustice to the intelligence and ability of Mrs. Public by the metaphorical pat on the head about her potential ability with a gun. By telling Mrs. Public she only needs a revolver because a semi-automatic will be too hard for her to operate (racking the slide etc,) Mrs. Public is now going into the situation with a large amount of self-doubt.

Self-doubt + guns = frustration. This is the polar opposite of complacency- this lack of confidence is just as potentially deadly to you the gun owner as complacency is.

In the future, Mr. Public may wish to phrase things like this:
"Hi! My wife and I are seeking a gun for personal protection. She has not shot before, where would you recommend we begin to look?" A statement like this will significantly impact Mrs. Public's journey into the shooting world for the better.

To all the Mrs. and Ms. Public's out there- please, take a bit of time to find out for yourself what you like and don't like, what style of gun you can handle and what you prefer to handle.

Glock 43, single stack 9mm

What should you consider when looking for the right gun?

We've mentioned fit- the gun must be comfortable in your hand. In the case of a first gun purchase, this step is very important. CAUTION! Picking out a small gun is not always the best idea! In most instances, the smaller the gun the higher the amount of recoil, the more the shooter must be the shock absorber! Thankfully, with the advances available in technology to gun manufactures, there are a wide variety of smaller (NOT tiny) guns, that hold a decent number of rounds, that comfortably fit a wide variety of hand sizes, that will not have a high amount of recoil.

You need to be able to manipulate the gun as well. In the case of a revolver, can you open the cylinder easily, and operate the ejection rod to remove spent cases? In the case of a semi-automatic, can you operate the slide easily in order to clear malfunctions? It is well worth noting here that no, revolvers are NOT always problem free (also one of the reasons given for others seeking to help,) and no, not all slides on semi-automatics are extremely heavy. Check different sizes, styles and manufactures of the handguns to compare and find which is best for you. Our staff is always more than willing to help you learn the proper techniques involved for using either style of handgun.

Walther CCP- also 9mm

Are there other questions to ask?
You bet. There are so many different styles, makes and manufacturers today that some investigation is required. We have a joke in the horse industry, that if you ask 10 equine professionals one question, be prepared to get at least 20 different answers. The gun world is quite similar in that respect. By eliminating another living creature (the horse) from the equation, you can narrow your options considerably.

A few questions we suggest asking:

- Can I get additional ammunition?
   As of this writing, there are some calibers that are difficult to find. Currently, finding .22 Magnum, .25 or .32 (long or short) is a huge challenge. Make sure that you can get the caliber you prefer.

- Are there holsters available for my chosen method of carry?
   Some firearms are difficult to find the perfect holster for. There are options today that make this task easier, as you can have a holster custom made for you. This may sound like an expensive and difficult option, but today's holster market is quite competitive and prices for high quality products are fairly low.

- Can I obtain aftermarket parts?
   This is a big one. You need to make sure you can easily get magazines. The internal parts inside magazines are consumable (meaning they will wear out with use), and you will need to be able to replace them over time. You also might want to install different sights on your gun. Many owners love the option of night sights, which will emit a glow in low to no light settings, allowing you to still properly use sights. Or you may wish to install sights with higher daylight visibility. Ask your sales person if these options might be available for the guns you are potentially interested in. There may also be other options available, such as trigger jobs to ease your trigger pull. 

- Is there a warranty program?
   Most manufacturers offer great warranties. There is a saying in the firearms industry- much like jewelry, with guns you also get what you pay for. Ask about the details on the warranty, if customers have had to send many back, and is the company good to work with?

- What is the reputation of the manufacturer?
   Most gun makers have been around for  long periods of time and have the reputations to stand on. There are some though that you need to investigate before making your decision to purchase. Quite often, you can spend a bit of time online and gather a tremendous amount of information about company reputations. We live in the information age- take advantage of it!

- What is the reputation of the SELLER?
   Many people don't consider this aspect, thinking that one gun seller is like any other. However, this is not the case. Will the seller be willing to work with you after the sale, answering questions or helping you shoot better? Will they help you find accessories? Or are they going to sell you the gun and pretend they've never seen you before? Establishing a good relationship with the facility you purchase your gun from is important as well.

To sum up- ask questions, handle various guns, and find what fits your hand. Don't make a purchase because a gun is tiny, will fit perfectly in your purse, or it's inexpensive- do your homework and shoot a variety of guns beforehand! Remember to come see us on Thursday- Ladies Day- for special package pricing. 

Carry safe and shoot straight!
~Shannon