Boobs and Brass- An Up Front Discussion on Attire

Ladies, we have discussed a multitude of safety aspects in our posts. Muzzle direction, trigger finger discipline, and the four rules of gun safety are all exceedingly important. We have neglected to examine one other crucial area, that of our attire. 

As we know, when shooting we are essentially creating a small explosion in the palm of our hands. This explosion carries with it a specific set of reactions, one of which is the expulsion of hot brass from semi-automatic slides. The trajectory of this expelled hot brass varies from gun to gun, round to round. Why is this important to be aware of? 

Hot brass, comin at ya. Image from Google

Weeellll.....

Sometimes, that brass will fly off to the right side, harmlessly.
Sometimes, it might head backwards, over your shoulder.
Sometimes, it may make contact with your forearm, landing long enough to singe your skin,and fall to the floor.
Other times, it will bounce off your safety goggles, the brim of your ballcap, or your exposed forehead.
Or.. it will head directly down your shirt, to either the front or the rear.

We have seen brass hit the shirt collar and roll over a shoulder, down the shooters back, and get hung up in their belt, leaving the shooter with a brass tattoo on his hip. 

Even with proper attire, brass can sneak in and land in tender spots. The chances of injury are greatly lowered though, when you cover up rather than leaving areas open for assault by flying projectiles.

Over time, discussion over how you obtained the tatt may provide some lively entertainment. As you dress for your shooting engagement, please keep these two stories in mind.
 
- A young couple, obviously in the first blush of attraction, decided a date at the range would be great fun. Since it was during one of Savannah's warmer months, the young lady dressed in a lovely tank top, short shorts, and heels. Her young man, with stars in his eyes, proudly taught her grip and stance and how to pull the trigger........ and I bet you know where this is going, right? 

The lovely young lass fired off several rounds. Grinning triumphantly, gaining more confidence with each shot fired, she continued to shoot, squee, bounce and smile, right up until a hot case made its way rearward, landed on her sternum and rolled on down into the depths of her tank top. 

The contact of the brass with exposed skin set off a chain of events that has range staff shaking their heads to this very day. 

The young lady did react somewhat as expected, and thankfully the first thing she did, was to set the gun down. Rather than trying to pull her shirt away from her body to allow the brass to escape though, she proceeded to rip her top off, along with her bra.

The brass rolled to the floor, the young lady calmed enough to realize her state of undress, and her companion managed to pick his jaw up off the floor and help cover her as best he could as she pulled her tank top back on. Talk about a Flash-Bang... or maybe this one is a BANG-FLASH. 

Good. Covered. Safe. Image- Google

Lesson learned:
- She DID set the gun down, pointed downrange. Other ladies who have had this happen have caused staff to tense, hold our breath and RUN into the range to intercede, as the muzzle of the gun was wildly swept around unsafely, with a finger on the trigger. Take note- when (not if-- this is a WHEN situation as it happens to men and women alike,) this happens to you, SET THE GUN DOWN before fishing out the burning brass! (Keeping your shirt on is advisable as well.) Trust me- the pain is temporary and not worth risking further injury by a negligent discharge. 

Not Good. Google Image

What do we advise to avoid the twins becoming brass catchers?
- Cover up! T-shirts are great. Yes, there may be a stray case that makes an attempt to invade, but your chances of injury are much lower with a t-shirt, than they are with a tank top. Ball caps may create hat hair, but they do offer protection to your forehead and face, and may deflect the course of the brass enough to avoid the journey into the tender zone. *Quick note, a bit off topic here. Ladies- we live in the south. Portions of our anatomy get rather warm and.. dewey. There will be no fishing (sweaty) money from your bra to pay for your range time. Thank you.

On different day, another young couple wandered in for a shooting date. The young lady was wearing a top that covered her well enough, however her choice of what we refer to as Hooker Heels and a micro-skirt were maybe not the best. The rather snug fit of her skirt combined with the less than stable platform provided by her strappy, sky-high heels provided another painful lesson. Walking on a clear floor is one thing- add in spent cases that roll on the cement floor with those heels and you have a recipe for disaster. The young man provided brief instruction, the young lady fired a few rounds. Hot brass bounced onto her pedicured toes, she went to step out of the way and rolled her ankle as the brass shifted under her heels. The polite way to describe the end of this date was, "She was not happy." 

Not good for shooting! Image from Google

Lesson learned:
- Proper footwear to protect the toes! Brass ruins pedicures. There may be times when we must dress lady-like in heels and dresses, and we may need to be able to safely fire in that attire. When you are first learning to shoot is not that time.

What do we advise?
- Shoes with closed toes and no heels. Boots, sneakers, something that is going to provide you with full coverage on your foot, and no tender toes peeking through. Slick soles on an indoor range are not going to provide the safest traction either, even when there is no brass rolling on the floor. As to your bottom attire, wear something you can move in safely. Save the painted on jeans, Daisy Dukes and micro-skirts for another time, and wear comfortable bottoms that you can move in (and not moon the entire store, please.)

Good. Flat with grippy sole. Image from Google.

In short, Don't Be Those Gals! Cover up your assets ladies, as tender spots and swollen ankles make it difficult to have a fun date. Your outfit does not have to be tacti-kewl with 5.11 pants, shooting shirts, and combat boots. But use common sense when picking something out. 

Oh and gents? A word , please? If you plan a surprise shooting date, don't encourage the spaghetti strap tank tops and Daisy Duke shorts. Range staff will not hesitate to call you out, in front of your girl and the whole world, for putting her in potential jeopardy like that. Show some class and behave like a gentleman who cares about the welfare of his companion.

There you have it. Range attire summed up. Be safe and keep your finger off the trigger!

~Shannon

PLEASE- Don't Be "THAT GUY"...

It is unfortunate that this news is in the headlines in the firearms community today. This young man will not only be recovering from a painful wound, he will now never be forgotten for his poor decision making ability. 

Gunshot wound. Image from Concealed Nation article.

We are human. We all make mistakes. It is safe to say this young man learned a very valuable lesson- that utilizing a proper holster will save you grief. Sadly he will learn the lesson as he pays off large medical expenses, and watches his name and information become center stage for a while on the world wide interwebz.

We may all have our chance at fifteen minutes of fame. Rather than make a sensational splash such as a negligent discharge that turns your carry gun into a pocket rocket, strive to make a positive impact. From this young man's painful lesson, let us take away one of our own- that of safety. We've spoken often on here about proper holsters, fingers (and other objects) being kept away from triggers, muzzles being kept in safe directions, and avoiding the killer complacency. 

Stop and think for a moment of what could have happened here:
- His gun could have been in a proper holster, making carrying a non-event and saving him grief, money, time and from becoming a statistic.
- Or, going with the no holster theme, he could have shot his femoral artery.
- He could have shot the person beside him or in front of him.
- The result of a shot striking the person in front of or next to him could have been a fatality. 

Playing the woulda-shoulda-coulda game is not going to change the outcome of this regrettable decision that will undoubtedly haunt this fellow for the rest of his life. (Chicks may dig scars, but I'm not so sure admitting a colossal lapse in good judgement is going to work well in his favor.)

But WE can learn from it.
*WE can learn that the Four Rules of Gun Safety exist for a reason.
*WE can learn to always use a proper holster for whatever method we opt to carry.
*WE can learn to not adjust our gun in an improper setting, putting ourselves and others at risk.
*We can learn that treating gun shot wounds is painful not to mention expensive, and that there is now a permanent record of this incident (and not in a good way.) 
*We can learn that if (or WHEN) we screw up, own it. Don't blame the gun, don't blame the gear- own that we screwed the pooch and drive on. 

Be safe. Be smart. Avoid complacency. Utilize the proper gear for the situation. Keep your finger (and other objects) away from the trigger. Make your decisions count!

~Shannon


 


 

Four Rules Of Gun Safety

We have all heard the saying, "Rules Were Made To Be BROKEN!" That may be true if you are eating dessert first, but when it comes to firearms, breaking the rules has deadly consequences. Today we are going to review the four universal rules. I can hear you now, "Why review? I already know them and I'm a safe shooter!"  

Maybe you are, maybe you aren't.  A little review never hurt anyone, just like it really does not hurt to eat dinner first before dessert.

Before we discuss The Rules, here is a little story for you to consider, that happened to yours truly about a year ago:


I was behind the counter one stormy afternoon, when a young couple ventured in for some gunpowder therapy. They rented one of our Daniel Defense AR-15s. They shot the last of their rounds and exited the range, happy smiles plastered all over their faces. While it was great to see satisfied customers, imagine if you will how it felt for me, with the muzzle pointed at my chest, the persons finger on the trigger, bolt closed and magazine still in the rifle? If you're thinking, "Not too good!" you would be correct. (And that is putting it mildly.) As I quickly redirected the muzzle and briefed the customers on the proper etiquette, also noting that the safety was in the FIRE position and not the SAFE position, I dropped the magazine and pulled the charging handle.

Lo and behold, out popped a live round.

To say I was not pleased is an understatement. 

Image from Google.

RULE ONE:
Treat Every Gun As If It Was Loaded!
What does this mean? 
Well, look at it from our point of view. (That POV being range staff, behind the rental counter.) When you are done shooting and exit the range, and you come towards us with the magazine in the gun, the muzzle pointed directly at us with the chamber closed, we have no way of knowing if that gun is empty or not. (Please do not break your arm patting your back on this one, congratulating yourself for not being like the couple in the above story. They were, in their words, "...both experienced shooters," and "..had been shooting for years." They were also COMPLACENT.)

We get a little twitchy here.

YOU may *know* that gun is empty. But then again.... if we staffers had a dollar for every allegedly empty gun we have cleared, we'd be dining on steak dinners and driving much nicer vehicles.

To sum this up- EVERY Gun Is Loaded, At All Times. When you hand over a firearm to another person, magazine is out and slide locked to the rear. In the case of revolvers, cylinder is open, and stays that way.

Not a great sight when pointed at YOU. Image from Google

RULE TWO:
Never Point A Gun At Anything You Are Not Willing To Destroy!
In other words, Muzzle In A Safe Direction At All Times!

When brand new customers come in to shoot for the very first time, we staff provide a quick safety briefing before we take the line. One of the first things I point out is where the muzzle is. I will say, "This is the muzzle. This is the business end. Once the projectile leaves the muzzle, there is no calling it back and it is absolutely no body's friend. You will keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction at all times." We then touch on what is a safe direction and what is not. It may seem like common sense. You would be shocked though how often this simple rule is violated and we staff have muzzles pointed at us. 

If we seem a wee bit jumpy at times when you visit, you're starting to get an idea WHY. 

Finger! OFF! The! Trigger! Image from Google

RULE THREE:
Keep Your Finger OFF The Trigger Until You Are Ready To Shoot!

Seems simple enough, doesn't it? Place your trigger finger outside the trigger guard, not touching the trigger at all. Much like being aware of muzzle direction, folks wind up with fingers all over triggers while pointing guns in very unsafe directions. Like at other people on the sales floor and range. Or at range staff members. 

You get the idea why we tend to be a bit twitchy and have no patience a lot of days, right?

Sure that's a nice deer- nice house too. Image from Google.

RULE FOUR:
Always Be Aware Of Your Target And What Is Beyond Your Target!

This also seems simple. However, it is again somewhat shocking just how many people are under the impression that no, THEY did not send a round into the ceiling, because the target (in our facility the targets are of the paper variety,) stopped the round. So wrong, on so many levels. 

You, as a shooter, have to understand that the round fired from the gun in your hand is traveling at an incredibly high rate of speed. No matter what type of round it is, there is NO GUARANTEE that it will STOP on impacting the target. None. If you are in your apartment at night, and a goon breaks in and you shoot, where will that round potentially wind up? Will it hit the bad guy, go through him, through the sheetrock, and into the neighbors? Will it strike a water heater? A child? Your dog or cat? You have got to pay attention to what is beyond the target. You have got to understand that paper will not stop a round. Nor will many other things. 

Let's take a look back at the story of our two happy customers.
How many of the Four Universal Rules did they break?
1) The firearm was not shown to be clear (bolt closed, magazine in, and safety in the FIRE position)
2) Muzzle was pointed in an unsafe direction (at ME.)
3) There was a finger ALL OVER the trigger.
4) There was no comprehension that behind ME were more people.

For the safety of everyone around you, follow these rules. They are simple. They are common sense. They exist for a reason. Be aware, we range staff will not hesitate to loudly point out the error of your ways should that finger be on the trigger while the gun is pointed at us. Save our sanity.

And remember:
COMPLACENCY. KILLS.

Every gun is loaded. Muzzles downrange/ in a safe direction. Fingers OFF the trigger. Don't point the gun at anything you are not willing to destroy. 

Keep it safe out there, please!
Shannon

"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