Media Range Day part one

What a day! So much to do and see at the SHOT Show Media Range Day, and we did just about all of it. I went to Range Day with the idea of trying out handguns that would be better suited for everyday concealed carry and then add in some fun shooting with the rifles and shot guns. Mission Complete!

My first stop was of course the Glock Tent.  I got a picture with Gunny, and meet some of women behind the scenes face to face.  It is neat to know a name and then find yourself face to face with a gal and have that moment of joy meeting each other.  I shot the Gen 4 .357 compact and that was so awesome!

I found a .40 that I LOVE. Now if you know me at all, you know I am not a fan of .40 and usually have a very sour face whenever a gal says her husband bought her one, even more shocked when a gal says she likes to shoot it.  The HK P30 has changed my sour face to a happy face. The grip can be adjusted in the back strap and side panels for a true custom fit AND has a double recoil system with a nylon bushing which absorbs all that “sting” that usually comes with shooting a .40 cal. Very excited about this gun.

I also got to try a Desert Eagle chamber in 44 Magnum.... um my mechanics were good... gun was just way too big.  The picture is kind of scary looking, I swear I was hanging on the best I could.   

Narrowing down the rest of my fav handguns will be a challenge, but here we go!

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Perfect Practice Pistol!

Very impressed with the Ruger SR22. This little pistol is a total package.

• Accurate- John hit steel at 100yrds
• Reliable- Ruger Rep said they tested 30 different types of ammo and said it ran flawless
• Ergonomics- grips change out and mimics a standard handgun with the safety, de-cocker and mag release.

I really liked the Sig P250 .380ACP which will become available around April with an MSRP around $500.00.  This gun felt good in my hands.  The most impressive for me was how smooth it was and I hit the steel 5 out of 5 at 10 yards shooting at a quick rhythm, was able to get my second site picture very fast and the DAO trigger pull was pleasant.

 

The new XDs was a true highlight of the day.  This little guy chambered in .45ACP is a single stack.  It was nice and compact, perfect for us gals to carry a larger caliber and not haul around a heavy gun.  “Noticeably Unnoticeable” is their trademarked description, I would agree 100%.

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2 Dot Sight System

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Quick Acquistion Sight System

And rounding out my favs for the day is a new product that will make its American debut hopefully in just a few months, Caracal from the United Arab Emirates.  When I stepped up to table I wasn’t sure I was going to be very impressed, but I am very excited about this line of firearms.  The sites are very different, but really cool for picking up a quick site picture.  I hit my 5 for 5 and enjoyed both guns that I shot.  There are no aftermarket parts or upgrades available right now, so it will come as is, but that is ok.  I had a nice chat with the owners and the Chef of Staff & Advisor to the Commercial Counselor UAE Trade, and I was shocked to learn that there is a huge female population that shoot and compete in the UAE!  AG & AG just might be on the itinerary for their next visit to the USA as they were very excited about what are doing and want to contribute to our program. 

 It was fun to meet so many new people and see my friends. Thank you to all the vendors that worked so hard to put on a wonderful event, and took such great care to answer in detail the same questions over and over again all day. I am already thinking how I want to re-work my presentation on gun and caliber selection, and need to figure out how to save up some mad cash to buy a few of the guns we demoed today. 

The fun n’ gun side of the day came with a few different 308s, a bunch of ARs and shotguns, which I will part two of my Media Range Day experience.

What age is ok to start teaching the kids about guns?

There is something very special about teaching our kids about the facts of life.  We teach them how to ride a bike,  play sports, to look both ways before crossing the street, don’t play with fire, stranger danger etc.   The topic of guns usually gets left out, except for the phrase “they’re bad… don’t touch it”. 

I love this topic and the opportunity to talk with parents about how they can teach their kids about gun safety, and become more responsible gun owners at the same time!  First let me say that our 2nd Amendment must be protected and the only way that can be done is to pass on the traditions of hunting, sport & recreational shooting and the ability to use guns for self defense to our kids or it will be lost to future generations.  With that said let’s get to it!

Parents must decide when their child is old enough to receive gun safety training.  A common question is what is the right age?  We started our boys with formal training at 8yrs old, but we started preparing them at 3yrs old.  Keep in mind that just because you start training at 8yrs old (or younger) each child will progress at their own speed.  Maturity has a lot to do with it.  Our older son was very comfortable learning how to shoot and demonstrated responsible gun handling skills early on.  He participated in competitive shooting and hunting by the time he was 9 yrs old.  Our younger son didn’t become comfortable with hunting and competitive shooting until he was 12.  I once knew a kid at 4yrs old that could shoot his 410 shotgun and drive a gator like nobody’s business.  It is all up to the individual kid. 

The NRA has a wonderful program called Eddie Eagle and teaches “STOP, DON’T TOUCH, LEAVE THE AREA, and TELL AN ADULT”.   The program is designed for children in preschool to 3rd grade.  There is a cartoon and workbook featuring Eddie Eagle that uses a song & dance with a great storyline to get point across about what to do if you child should happen upon a gun.     There is a full curriculum guide that includes several handouts, stickers and a certificate of completion.  The program is not designed to teach safe handling or marksmanship.  Formal training can include the Boy Scout merit badge for rifle and shotgun (which is great for the girls too, you can find the worksheets and topics of discussion online, or for kids age 10 & the NRA first steps or home firearm safety course.  If you are a parent that is new to guns as well, they are ideal classes for the entire family.  The best memories come from mom or dad taking their kid to the range and showing them how to use the sights and sharing the joy of pulling the trigger for the first time.

Parents should be positive role models for their children.  It is absolutely important that you are following the three rules for safe gun handling:

1.       ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. 

2.       ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

3.       ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use. 

Additional guidelines are

}  Know your target and what is behind it

}  Be sure the gun is safe to operate

}  Treat every gun as if it was loaded

}  Check TWICE to be sure firearm is unloaded

}  Know how to use the gun safely

}  Use only the correct ammunition

}  Wear eye and ear protection

}  Never use alcohol or drugs before or while shooting

Bottom line, there are two major cause of gun accidents:  ignorance and carelessness.  Don’t be ignorant or careless about safe gun handling in front of your child, monkey see monkey do. 

Parents should help their children understand the difference between pretend and real life.    Our kids watch all these cop shows on TV and movies where someone get shot and just falls down and dies.  In reality being shot is a horrible, gruesome, ugly thing and we make sure our kids know it!  We also use these shows as teaching opportunities.  It is a game to point out all the poor gun handling skills, finger on the trigger, sweeping the muzzle of the gun towards another person.   My proudest moment was at a movie theater when my younger son who was 9yrs old at the time saw a huge display with a hot chick holding a gun.  He didn’t notice the hot chick; he noticed her finger on the trigger!

Do not keep firearms a mystery.  As with everything else, if you tell them they can’t have it, they will seek it out!  Whenever a new gun comes into our home, under our firm supervision everyone gets to see it, hold it, learn about it, and eventually shoot it.   It becomes another opportunity to practice correct gun handling skills and places the gun in our home environment and not something they only see at the range. 

Girl's Night Out at the Shooting Range!

There is a huge movement all across America, women are buying guns and going to the range in record numbers.   Some gals are just jumping in and hanging with the boys, while others are more timid and are looking for a support group to ease into it. 

The good news is there are many groups, leagues and clubs forming for ladies only to come out and learn to shoot in a fun, relaxed and safe environment. Depending on your  interests:  hunting, action shooting sports or self defense, Girl’s Night Out at the shooting range is a great way to make friends and form a support system to help you in your journey to being independent with your gun. 

CAUTION: GIRL’S NIGHT OUT AT THE SHOOTING RANGE IS ADDICTIVE!  I may only shoot a box of 50 rounds, but I can spend 2 hours at the range hanging with my girlfriends, then on to dinner afterwards.  Participating in the league at my local shooting range has enabled me to meet a wide range of women that I wouldn’t have meet in my normal business and networking circles.   For me, a few of my new relationships has lead to business development, another gal was elected event organizer and is bringing the group together in social events outside the range.  Real friendships are happening and it is really awesome. 

If you would like help finding a group in your part of town, email me at julianna.crowder@gmail.com  There are too many groups to list here, but I am more than happy to help you find one… or help you start one at your local shooting range. 

Women Learn Differently Then Men... yah think!

Women’s Safety Academy Texas understands that women desire a different approach when it comes to firearms training. Women process information differently and have different needs when learning to shoot a gun.  This may surprise you, but in general women tend to be better shots than men, learn faster, and are safer handling firearms when taught in the right environment.  The right environment beings with an instructor who knows how to communicate the information in a way you can process it. 

When I was first learning to shoot, I had a great support system.  My husband is very knowledgeable and is a fantastic instructor.   Most of the time I understood what he was telling me, but a few times it led to major riffs in the peaceful waters of the Crowder home when I wasn’t getting the answers I was looking for, couldn’t grasp what we has telling me, or didn’t progress as fast as he expected me too.  Part of the disconnect was the dynamics of being husband and wife, but another part was his ability to relate to my learning process.  I have found some wonderful training schools but noticed that I was usually the only gal in the class, and the style of teaching is designed for how men learn. 

The “women’s demographic” is on fire right now and many instructors are expanding their programs accordingly.  August of 2010 I launched Women’s Safety Academy Texas for the same reason, but developed my programs from a different perspective.  I have an ability to translate the material into what I call “Julianna speak” when I pass it on to my fellow lady shooters.  Before becoming a firearms instructor, I owned a dance studio for 7 years, and being a trained dancer I learn kinetically, so I  teach women to shoot using kinetic methods.  I relate the techniques of shooting to everyday activities and motions, even to yoga and pilates.

Without the proper environment that addresses a woman’s specific need for instruction, she may leave the class without any confidence or retention of in what was taught to her.  That is when you hear her say, “I took a class, but I don’t remember can you show me again”.   She certainly doesn’t want to offer up to teach other women because she has no self-confidence in her own skills. She will be less likely to recommend formal training to her friends as well. How do I know this? Because I have been there!  I made it through my classes ok, retained some good info, but wouldn’t think that many of my friends would endure, let alone enjoy the class.

At Women’s Safety Academy Texas we teach women the correct techniques while addressing the specific learning styles of each woman.   Most importantly, we address their confidence level immediately.  You will leave with more than just the basic skills of shooting, an increased confidence, and be comfortable with your new shooting skills and the safety that knowledge provides.

Visit www.WomensSafetyAcademyTexas.com  to learn more about the classes we have available, which are taught by women for women. All classes offer a safe and enjoyable place for our women to learn the skills necessary to operate, handle, shoot and clean a firearm with confidence.

Questions and Tips For Buying A Gun

How to find the right gun, or maybe you are not sure you really like the gun you have. 

Think about all the needs you have for a pistol. Before you buy that pretty gun, let’s find out what your needs are. What do you want the pistol for?  Target practice, self-defense…or both.  If it is for defense, will you use the gun for home defense, car defense, concealed carry?    Do you plan to make shooting sports a regular hobby? Possibly plan to compete in action shooting sports?  Consider how it will perform doing these multiple tasks if you are only considering buying one gun.  Once you have identified what you need the gun to do, then you can narrow down what will work best for those needs. This will also help you determine the caliber and model of firearm you should be considering.  Speaking of choosing a caliber… will the caliber of ammunition be readily available and how expensive will it be?
How familiar are you with firearms?  You will need to spend time to get acquainted with your gun so you can be comfortable in its use, cleaning and maintenance, not just loading it and firing it.  If you are planning to depend on it for your personal safety, you should be willing to practice and get familiar with it!  Enroll in a formal training class.  You also must prepare yourself mentally to use your gun to defend yourself against an attack and in the worse case, be willing to take a human life.  In a life-and-death confrontation, you cannot afford to have a debate in your head on whether to pull the trigger or not.
Do you know the law? Are you willing to take the time to read the laws regarding firearms?  They are rather lengthy and can be tricky to understand. It is important that you know the State and local laws, and abide by them.  The best way to learn Texas law is to attend a concealed handgun license course, even if you don’t intend to apply for the license.  The course topics include: gun safety, proper storage options, and use for deadly force.  You are required to keep the gun “safe” at all times. That means you are liable for the firearm and it’s use by anyone (even a thief) so you had better be prepared to have a safe secure storage system BEFORE you buy.
Try Before You Buy – Go to a local range or enroll in a class with an instructor that allows you to try lots of different guns.  Remember it is not all about caliber, it is about how the gun feels in your hand.   Three things you are looking for:
1. The gun fits properly in your hand, able to reach all the controls
2. Sights easily align
3. You can handle the recoil.
Typically for self-defense you want the largest caliber you can COMFORTABLY handle.  Keep in mind that pistols of the same caliber or even manufacturer do not feel the same in the grip.  Each model has a different weight and feel, it is just like finding shoes, you might wear a size 8, but all size 8’s don’t feel the same.  Other things to consider is if you will being using the pistol as a carry gun is can you conceal it on your body and can you wear it on your hip or store it in your purse without it being too heavy. 

A gun is something that you shouldn’t compromise on.  You want a reputable firearm that will last, and will work for your specific purpose(s). You want a gun you can handle, you want a gun that you feel in love with, not one that you “fight” with or are frightened of.  Choosing the right gun makes a huge difference.  Most people do not get it right the first time, but you can by putting in the time to educate yourself!