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HOW TO FIND A FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR

You’re finally ready to take a step. You’ve been curious about shooting for a while, whether it’s for self-defense or fun, but haven’t been sure how to get started. The first step to learning to shoot a firearm is to find a good instructor. Learning correct marksmanship skills and creating good habits from the start will give you a solid foundation for success and confidence at the range.

If you’re interested in learning to shoot a gun, follow these steps:

1. Talk to others. Many women are curious about shooting a firearm, but don’t know where to start. If you’re curious, others may help point you in the right direction to a recommended instructor or range. If you’re afraid, talking to others about their experiences will help normalize what you are thinking and feeling. Often times we think that we are alone, that no one else has ever felt the way we feel.

2. Find a reputable Instructor. Take time to research instructors in your area. You can find women who are certified instructors through AGirlandAGun.org, or other men and women instructors certified through the NRA or USCCA. Talk to family and friends to find out if they have a favorite instructor. Ask if they would send their daughter or mother to the same trainer and why.

3. Ask to attend a portion of a class. Some instructors will allow you to observe a class before you actually attend. This gives you the opportunity to see how the instructor interacts with others and if you will be comfortable in his/her presence. You have the chance to experience his/her teaching philosophy and quality of the curriculum. Other instructors may not be accustomed to letting non-paying people observe a class, so make sure you say that you will limit your time to about 20 minutes and will not interfere with the class in progress.

4. Observe the instructor’s demeanor. The instructor should be able to teach to your level to ensure the class is appropriate for you. Make sure your instructor is open minded to make physical adjustments as you need them, won’t yell if you aren’t doing it right, and will make sure you are ready for the curriculum. Any safety violations will result in extremely firm tones and statements as the instructor’s job is to keep you safe, but at all times the instructor should have the students’ respect.

5. Schedule a private lesson. The ideal learning environment is 1:1, especially if you are feeling any level of anxiety. This will allow time and space to ask your questions and work at your own pace. One hour is sufficient time for a private lesson to learn the basics of marksmanship. After the initial lesson you can decide if you want to join a group class or continue with private lessons through more advanced material.

6. Tell the instructor your story. Let the instructor know your goals for the session, why you are interested in learning now, etc. Your story is unique, but your instructor has probably met someone in your situation before. If you are fearful of the noise or sensation of the recoil because you have been a victim of gun violence or been affected by a traumatic incident, telling the instructor will help him/her to be prepared to appropriately deal with your specific needs during class and be better able to address your physical and psychological reactions.

7. Bring a friend. When women are stressed about everyday life they often turn to girlfriends to vent, talk, problem solve, and get support. You know that they won’t judge you and you can feel safe being vulnerable. Encourage a friend to sign up for the lesson with you. This shared experience can make learning a lot more fun.

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/find-firearms-instructor/

I Need Trauma Training (And So Do YOU!)

I missed being in a car accident this weekend – by about five feet.

I was on a two lane suburban road in stopped traffic, when a vehicle two cars behind me tried to make a left turn – right into the path of an oncoming pickup, which not only hit him, but also took out the car behind me. At least I think that’s what happened – because it happened so fast, and it happened behind me. All I witnessed were squealing brakes, a smashing noise, and flying glass.

After a second or so of WTF?, I pulled ahead into a wide spot, got out of the car, and called 911. Before that moment I never realized that Siri could dial it for me, but it worked. I gave the name of the road and how many cars were involved as I hurried back to the scene. Apparently several other bystanders called as well. I checked on the first driver I came to – he was out of the vehicle and okay. The second driver was banged up a little but his airbags had deployed. He had a little rib pain but was alert and stable. The third vehicle had a passenger who was already being assessed by two other women who were EMTs, one of whom was stabilizing the passenger’s neck. Nobody was bleeding so I didn’t need the aid bag I keep in my car.

EMS, VFD, and the PD were all coming. The two ladies had that passenger in hand so I went back through the broken glass and leaking engine fluid in my plastic sandals to the second driver. I talked to him, tried to calm him down, periodically assessed him, and stayed with him until organized help arrived. Fortunately there was nothing else I needed to do. Everyone was very lucky. 

Despite the fact that I am “only” a pediatrician and not a trauma trained medic, I keep an aid bag in my car. The only reason I do THAT is because several years ago I was “first responder” when someone down the line from me on the range put a round into their own foot. That was an “apply pressure with bare hands and a sock until an aid bag arrived” sort of deal.

This MVA was the second emergency incident in my direct proximity in about 5 years. I think the Man Upstairs is trying to tell me something. I keep meaning to get some more formal trauma training but life has always gotten in the way. I need to get serious about it now. I am promising myself that before I take any more shooting classes my next class will be a trauma class.

People may wonder – “But aren’t you already a doctor? Why do you need more training?” So let me educate you. Nowhere in any of my formal medical training was I taught to respond to trauma.  Especially trauma out in the real world where the only tools you have are what you brought with you or can improvise. My training took place in the Pediatric ICU, the Neonatal ICU, and the General Pediatrics floor. There are lots of trained people there who have lots of equipment. 

When there is an emergency in the hospital about twelve people show up with crash carts. I have intubated infants and placed chest tubes in my training. I have done lumbar punctures on small children. But I had all of the proper equipment available along with trained people to hand it to me. Add to all of that the fact that small children are not treated the same way as adults are. I have almost zero adult training. Gunshot wounds, arterial bleeds, compound fractures, etc are not in my realm of experience. With these two incidents in five years I realize that I now need to put it in my realm of experience. 

Given the fact that mass casualty events are now in the public eye and the reality that professional first responders cannot treat victims until the scene is secure, there has a been a push to educate lay people about how to stop serious bleeding. Programs like “Stop the Bleed” have sprung up.

Pre-hospital trauma medicine has changed dramatically as a result of lessons learned from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Because of all the military medics returned from those wars, we now have a plethora of resources and skilled trainers available to us – from your local EMS and Red Cross to businesses who cater specifically to the shooting community, such as Lone Star Medics, who have given classes at the A Girl and A Gun National Conferences.

Not everybody is a first responder. Not everybody has had to care for injuries in a war zone. But ALL of us attend shooting events. ALL of us drive a car. ALL of us work someplace that might experience a mass casualty event. That’s why I need to get some training in how to assess and stabilize those kind of injuries until help arrives. And unless you were already a trauma medic in the military – so do you. Because sometimes “you” are the only help there is.

“Nobody is coming to save you. It is up to you”

WHY HIRING A FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR IS IMPORTANT

By Barb Lucas

Recently I have taken classes, Defensive Pistol 1 & 2 and a private lesson to learn how to use the new Smith and Wesson 15-22 rifle I bought to do the quarterly match among other things. I also went to our annual training conference this year. While our sister shooters are great at helping us get started shooting, there is nothing quite like having the individual attention of a trained instructor to fine tune your skills.

My adventure into shooting started three years ago in Poteet, TX, when a friend who was a deputy sheriff asked if I had a gun and knew how to use it because I lived out on a dirt road where they often were chasing illegals, drug runners, and stolen vehicles. My answer was ‘no’.

Lesson 1 was Intro to Handguns at Nardis Gun Club. I did that and didn’t shoot again for several months. Then I joined the San Antonio Chapter of AG & AG and got lots of helpful tips from other shooters but the real next step was a private lesson with Bobbi, our then-facilitator. Individual attention to the details of my stance, grip, and discussion of gun choice (I was still shooting my husband’s compact Baby Desert Eagle) took me to another level of skill and enjoyment. It’s always more fun to be successful!

Conference #2 in the purple track gave me more fundamentals. I started shooting at local competitions which taught me something each time. After some shotgun group sessions with our chapter I decided to focus on my pistol skills. Classes with Karl Rehn and Randi Rogers at conference gave me more confidence in my pistol shooting, but until I took what turned out to be a private lesson with Tammy Hunter for Defensive Pistol 1, I didn’t realize what a difference all that training had made. Not the kind of intensive training to be a serious competitor, but the kind to make me a safe, competent shooter. Defensive pistol 2 gave me a set of skills to practice and build on what I had already learned.

At this point I have moved from the San Antonio area to Chappell Hill, TX, which is between the Snook chapterand the Cypress chapter. Lucky me, lots of choices. Which brings me to the new rifle. I could have figured it out, what button does what, etc. My husband was more than willing to tell me and I had had some instruction from Tabby Baron, who is now the Tampa Bay chapter facilitator. The main factor I have heard from various instructors is that it is not enough to practice, you have to practice good habits.

So with my new gun, I wanted to start with good habits and if I had to pay an instructor to help me start well, it was better than having to pay someone later on to help me overcome bad habits. This is my main point: if you are not shooting as well as you would like to, you are probably not having as much fun as you could be having. Find an instructor to help you; it’s worth the money!

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/hiring-firearms-instructor-important/

Ballistics Best: The Nighthawk AGENT 2

AGENT 1

Nighthawk Custom Firearms is a nearly peerless name in 1911’s. They have a premium world tier selection that covers the aesthetic tastes from the classical to futuristic

This year, post NRAAM now their AGENT 2 took home prize of the Ballistic’s Best.

The unique modernist 1911 impressed the evaluator as it has impressed many, including myself. Agency and Nighthawk’s collaboration on this with their industry partners has produced a gun in a unique class all its own that continues to turn heads.

Sunday Sermon: Plan.. Then Have a Back Up

“A good plan never survives contact with the enemy…”

“Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.”

“A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week.”

 

There are a myriad of one liner wonder quotes that are supposed to encompass how important (and how unimportant) planning is when it comes to violent interactions.

The long and short of it is that planning is vitally important but your plan must be flexible enough to work with the variables you are presented in the unique circumstances of the fight.

Every fight will have elements that are the same. You can plan around these elements.

  • The fight will have a primary threat.
  • The fight will have environmental obstacles, these can help or hinder you
  • The fight will be fluid, it can and will move up and down the force scale and distances will vary.

But the things you won’t know until the threat is present will be extensive

  • Indoors?
  • Outdoors?
  • Home?
  • Car? Inside or Outside? Driver or Passenger?
  • Store? Gas Station? Front? Back?
  • Daytime?
  • Nighttime? Lit? Unlit?
  • One threat?
  • Multiple threats?
  • Threat motivation?
  • Bystanders?
  • Protecting yourself?
  • Protecting more than yourself?
  • Available cover or concealment?
  • Approaches and escape routes?
  • Available weapons?
  • Injuries?

It’s an extensive list but you can plan around these just as effectively so that you can react appropriately to both the threat and the environment. Making continuous observations about your physical and social environment will answer a lot of these questions for you.

Your greatest tool for developing practice techniques and solidifying your plans is visualization. Visualize the fight changing each of the variables above and brainstorm how you would finish the fight. Then envelope the necessary practices into your daily, weekly, and continuing self defense routines and education.

A bad plan is one that only works with certain fixed variables. Your plan to take on bad guys kicking down your front door in the middle of the afternoon while you’re watching TV does you no good asleep at 2:00 a.m. as they come in a window and vice versa.

A good plan quickly reacts off of available information. In the same home invasion scenario, regardless of time or entry point, if you’ve thought your reaction through with a multitude of variables your actions will be more consistently productive. Especially if they are practiced actions. Instead of either fitting or not fitting your pre-planned scenario the defense response becomes a series of QAA’s (Question-Answer-Action)

  • Someone is entering the house
    • Where are they?
      • Where am I? Are there others involved?
        • Can I deal with this here (armed, position of advantage) or do I need to move (unarmed, no cover, etc.)?
          • Method of engagement, Escalation of Force
            • QAA
              • QAA
                • OODA Loop again and again and again until the threat is eliminated, controlled, or removed.

Rapidly taking in the information and deciding what you need and having the knowledge and skills to make those decisions effective, that is good planning. You should never run into a question you cannot generate a workable answer for.

Find courses to hone skills you are weaker on and always be working to make your preparations better than they were yesterday. Invest in your survival.

IS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO OWN SO MANY GUNS?

Do you have a spouse that sneaks guns and ammo into the house before you can see it? Kind of like when you go on a shopping spree and don’t want him to see all your new shoes and outfits? Or have you become that woman that can’t resist buying a new firearm just because it is pretty or a sweet shooter, and you have to explain the new addition in the safe? Why do we find it necessary to own so many guns? Ask any firearms enthusiast and the answer is, “because I want too, and I can.”

Seriously, though, there are many reasons to own a variety of guns. They are a great investment; rarely do they lose value. It is common to have different guns for hunting, recreation, competition and self-defense. There is a certain sense of accomplishment building different caliber rifles, tricking out your shotgun, mastering various handguns, and just having a collection of prized possessions to gaze at.

To some people, owning more than 2 – 3 guns and having a supply of ammunition indicates you are crazy or up to no good… a gun nut! The term Gun Nut is insulting, implying there is something wrong with a person who collects and enjoys shooting firearms, as well as exercising their 2A rights. Unfortunately, there is a separation of understanding between non-gun owners and enthusiasts. Education is the key and it is extremely important that we as responsible gun owners are doing our part to model safe handling and storage, advocate professional education, engage conversation on benefits of recreational shooting, hunting and conversation, and the importance of self reliance. We also have to accept that some will never understand our passion.

So it is okay to say yes, it is necessary to own so many guns! Invite the person questioning you to the range and let him or her experience it!

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/is-it-really-necessary-to-own-so-many-guns/

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR PISTOL WITH SWAB-ITS

When it comes to maintaining firearms, Swab-its’ Bore-tips offer improved barrel cleaning and lubrication while the Gun-tips line offers four distinct sizes and lengths of swabs to ensure cleaning and lubrication of the harder to reach areas that are often neglected. Reusable and easy to clean with soap and water or mineral spirits, Swab-its products are more thorough, quicker and easier to use than traditional methods of firearms cleaning and do not leave the residue or lint left behind by patches, mops and cotton swabs. In this article, we will tackle the Semi-Automatic Pistol. To demonstrate, we will be cleaning a Sig Sauer Spartan 1911, a beautiful piece with a stainless steel slide and frame and a custom Oil Rubbed Bronze finish.

Before Cleaning Your Pistol

Remove the magazine and ensure that your firearm is unloaded by visually and physically inspecting the chamber and magazine well. No ammunition should be present while cleaning. It is advisable to have your manufacturer’s owner’s manual handy for reference for proper disassembly and maintenance procedures. If you purchased your gun used, many manuals can be downloaded by accessing the manufacturer’s website.

Once disassembled, it is helpful to group some of the smaller parts together, using various Gun-tips to apply solvent to the fowled areas.

A. Frame
B. 3” precision tip swab
C. 3” mini tip swab
D. 5” large surface swab
E. Slide Stop
F. Magazine
G. Barrel Bushing
H. Recoil spring and guide
I. Barrel
J. Slide
K. .45 caliber Bore-tips
L. Cleaning rod
M. Individual .45 caliber Bore-tip attached

Gun-tips 5” large surface swabs fit nicely along the slide and into the frame, allowing one to reach into the mag well, as well as the dust cover. It is also a good choice for the recoil spring. By placing the swab sideways between the coils, the spring can be rotated for full coverage. (The same can be done for cleaning the magazine spring.)

The slide rail, barrel lug recess, recoil spring guide, barrel bushing and barrel link are some of the smaller places where the 3” precision or 3” mini-tip is helpful.

A common mistake is not allowing the solvent to do its work. Waiting 10 to 15 minutes before using a bristle brush, such as a tooth brush to loosen the fowling, will yield the best results. Depending on the degree of buildup, it may be necessary to repeat the process until the fowling is suspended in the solvent. Once satisfied that the debris has been sufficiently loosened, use clean and dry Gun-tips to swab the slide and frame and remove the loosened solvent and fowling. Use another Gun-tip to apply the manufacturer recommended amount of lubrication as directed. Remember: less is more. Hint: when looking to see where lubrication is necessary, focus on the wear marks on the metal.

Cleaning the Barrel

Attach the appropriate caliber Bore-tip, in this case, .45 caliber, to a standard 8/32 cleaning rod. Bore-tips are caliber specific and self-centering. They are also color coded, so that all 9 sizes are easily recognizable. Due the absorbency of the foam, less solvent is required than you may generally be accustomed to using. An application of solvent should be made and, like the parts that we just applied solvent to above, the solvent should be allowed to set. Then, use a bore brush, and follow with the Bore-tip you applied the solvent with, blotting off on a rag or paper towel to remove fowling. Use a clean Bore-tip for drying and, if storing your gun, another clean swab for applying lubrication.

Remember: if you are storing your firearm and coat the barrel with light lubrication, this lubrication MUST be removed prior to shooting your gun. Swab-its products are washable and reusable. If you used a bio-based CLP, such as FrogLube, the swabs can best be cleaned by washing in a degreasing dish soap, rinsing thoroughly and allowing to dry completely before the next use. If you prefer a petroleum based solvent or CLP, cleaning the swabs can best be achieved by dipping in mineral spirits, blotting debris and air drying.


By Michele Makucevich, Firearms Products Territory Manager of Swab-its. She oversees the Rhode Island CMP and is a long-time youth coach and competitive shooter.

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/clean-pistol-swab/

Review: IWI Galil ACE Pistol, An Epitome in EDC Carbines

I’m often pleased by the performance of a firearm. It’s been a rare occurrence, only once in just over a year, that a firearm has given me trouble. That incident was remedied by a part swap and the rifle itself continued on to success in its trials.

It is far rarer I’m surprised by a firearm. Where picking it up and running it produces the expected reliability and performance but the experience feels natural, like the firearm itself was built to be precisely where it is, in your hands.

The Galil ACE was just this sort of rarely melded firearm. Not only did it work it filled the requested role so phenomenally it was intrinsically pleasurable to work with.

So for anyone who wants the short version, I recommend the ACE. Highly.

 

Breaking Down the ACE

This updated Galil is a carbine derived from a Finnish AK variant and AR15 platforms. It merges many of the positive characteristics of both. For more on this check my first impressions article.

The ACE dresses out with

  • 8.3″ barrel, cold hammer forged (5.56x45mm)
  • Left side charging handle, reciprocating
  • Last round bolt hold open
  • Left and right side safety levers, non mirrored
  • Ambidextrous magazine release
  • STANAG/AR15 Magazine compatible including Magpul D60
  • Folding adapter for stock/brace.
  • Tritium iron night sights
  • Picatinny rails/shielded quad rail

With a growing list of upgrades the little carbine holds its own feature wise against the competition, even IWI’s own X95.

Tear Down/Maintenance

To understand the Galil ACE and see how its feature set compliments its intended role we need to get into the mechanics

The ACE is essentially an AK someone went over with an ergonomic wish list without throwing out the core rifle. It’s break down is in most ways simpler while the feature set lends itself to more modern rifle technique than the evolving conscripts coming from bolt actions to the Kalashnikov back in the 1940’s and 50’s.

As with any weapon, the breakdown starts with clearing the rifle and then, like its AK progenitor, you press the take down tab. The button on the base of the recoil spring assembly is longer than the AK and has a recoil buffer so instead of just pushing it and popping the cover you push the button all the way inside the receiver cover and then down which will brace it on the receiver.

You can see the single point sling and folding brace/stock mechanism in the picture above. I ran it with a Blue Force Gear Single Point.

The receiver top cover is all AK until you hit the top rail. Fit to the receiver is very precise and it does not willingly separate even when the take down button is pushed, hence bracing the recoil spring on the receiver.

The dual axis rounded tab you see on the front helps index and align the cover properly on reassembly and the rear of the cover is additionally reinforced for rigidity. Putting it back in place for reassembly required bracing the recoil spring assembly in the receiver again, placing the plate, and then charging the weapon pops the assembly into place and locks the cover.

Unlike the AK the Galil ACE uses a peep sight. The aperture is adjustable for windage and with tritium inserts for night time use. The full length rail supports a modern optics suite however you will want to avoid bridging the gap between the cover and the gas tube to keep take down simple.

While I have not used a precision optic on this little carbine I did not notice any shift in point of aim/point of impact from disassembly and reassembly confirming the indexing process does its job correctly.

This has always been a system built on well engineered simplicity and this is a well executed iteration of that system.

Pull out the recoil spring and buffer and the bolt carrier can now retract and lift free.

Like the AK the Galil ACE bolt carrier group and piston mate up with cuts in the receiver to allow it free, these are the end of its travel track rails. The full stroke piston and carrier are a little heavier than the Kalashnikov design.

Galil ACE and AK 5.56 BCG’s

The charging handle is pinned to the carriers left side. The carrier has a few minor machining changes from the AK original.

The bolt assemblies are also similar and remove from the carriers identically. The Galil’s extractor claw is shrouded and the firing pin is spring braced to minimize the chance of a slam fire on lighter primers.

With the Galil ACE the gas tube gives a wonderful take on the benefits of modern machining. Instead of a tab that rotates to retain the stamped steel gas tube assembly of the old AK the Galil’s gas tube slides into place on machined cuts.

It self aligns off of the gas block and is braced by the receiver cover to hold it in place. This is undoubtedly my favorite aspect of the carbine from a maintenance perspective. The picatinny rail from the receiver cover continues to the front of the gas tube.

With the major components removed the interior of the Galil ACE has that familiar AK layout. The differences here include the safety lever, shortened and more ergonomic with a control switch for the thumb and index finger for right hand shooters.

Note: I wouldn’t call the fire controls an ambidextrous feature, it favors right handed shooters. The safety control is not a mirrored system. It is comfortable to shoot left handed but the controls are designed to take someone familiar with an AK or AR style firearm and transition them to this easily. Ambidexterity was a secondary design concern.

You can see the bolt catch control just forward of the safety lever. This placement makes it very easy to lock the bolt to the rear and gives you a release method via your index finger (or right hand thumb while shooting left side). I found that I preferred reloading with the charging handle but locking the bolt open with the control was a much smoother operation than you get with most rifles.

Five assemblies, most of which you do not have to break down any further for good maintenance.

From muzzle to brace the Galil ACE is an intrinsically fit firearm for the EDC Carbine role that this pistol fills. Out of the box ready in all lighting conditions.

Adding a good flashlight like the INFORCE WML in the photo, a Streamlight HL-X, or a Surefire 300 or 600 series Scout light is the only necessary addition in my opinion. With the sights as good as the are, and tritium inserted for night time, an optic becomes a value added addition instead of a necessity. An RMR on a SCALARWORKS mount kept iron sights as an option even though they are not co witnessed. The raised optic set up worked very well and using iron sights was just a matter of rolling your cheek further down on the brace.

On The Range

With the RMR on the ACE I grabbed my PSD for a baseline and I hit the indoor range to zero.

The Galil’s trigger is a smooth AK grade trigger, steady pressure until a soft wall and then a pull through break. It is no Geissele SSA, not remotely. It is capable of dependable accuracy. My PSD does have an SSA-E inside it, but my groupings were only marginally improved and only while supported. Granted too the zeroing was using 55gr ammo out of 8.5″ 1/7 twist CHF barrels so that was also likely a contributor. In short the trigger is more than a match to the task asked of it.

Shooting the the little carbines side by side highlighted the live fire capability of the stock Galil ACE.

My PSD is my go to EDC Carbine, it’s an AR15 and it moves and shoots like an AR15. The ACE shoots like its AK ancestry would imply, the bolt carrier movement gives it a smooth lateral recoil impulse that combined with the weight of the gun keeps it tracking on target easily. The chin and cheek welds are lower with the iron sights but with optics can be higher than normal on an AR. The similarities are there and fundamentals are fundamentals, but ergonomically working the Galil ACE is a different animal and it was a pleasure to learn.

Going LFAM (Live Fire and Maneuver) a friend and I brought out some of our best to give the gun a run.

Running the ACE right handed is its ergonomic sweet spot. The left side safety lever and charging handle combined with the bolt lock are all precision placed for superior control as a righty.

I found running reloads off the charging handle felt more natural than trying to drop the bolt lock shooting right handed. That changed offhand where the bolt lock is in an AR like place from that orientation.

Working the safety off hand shooting is a right hand job. There is no easy was to push forward on the thumb lever or down on the more traditional right hand side ‘AK’ safety switch with the left hand. Off my left side I ran the Galil ACE much more like a run an AK with the exception of reloads, the ambidextrous magazine release and the bolt lock make that a quick process either side.

All that being said it was still a wonderfully smooth gun to run offhand. Spent casings are sent away with typical AK suborbital speed off of the fixed ejector. They kick off in a 2 o’clock direction and keeping your arm out of the path is no issue.

Now with a couple of cases of a variety of ammo through it and I can happily report no stoppages of any variety. Being a short 1/7 twist barrel it will favor heavy grain loads but it functioned and grouped with every commercial brass and steel case variety I put through, 7 in total if I recall correctly.

 

Considering it as an EDC Carbine option: The Galil hits both needs and desirable features time and time again.

  1. Reliability
    • No stoppages
    • Variety of ammo consumed
  2. Capability
    • Night sights, standard
    • Smooth controllable recoil
    • Accurate
  3. Ergonomic
    • Intuitive control scheme
    • Off hand usability
    • Picatinny rail suite for optics, lights, and other mission essential equipment.
  4. Compact

The Galil ACE can fold away into my Sentinel Concepts Revelation 2.0 by Tuff Products with a Magpul D60, a light, and optic without issue. It’s fireable folded too although the safety rubs on the brace so it must be pushed with intent (it will push the brace out slightly on the hinge). It is easier to pull and lock the brace solidly open before working the safety.

IWI’s Galil SAP556SB was built as a part of a modern upgrade to a phenomenal rifle series. It and it’s brethren are shining examples of firearms design excellence.

As for filling the role of EDC Carbine, truck gun, or any other close quarters personal defense weapon?

It’s an ACE of Spades.

The Range Injuries You Really Should Expect

Can you count all of the different ways this range equipment can lead to injuries? Do you know what to do about it when they do?
While everyone is worried about gunshot wounds, these are what will really injure you out on the range.

Many people are focused on gunshot wounds when they think about range injuries. They’re certainly serious and you should know how to treat them, but they’re not the most common injury you might see. To be truly prepared for a day of shooting, here are some of the range injuries you’re much more likely to see and need to know how to treat.

Long, sunny summer days practically demand at least one trip to an outdoor range. Unfortunately, they often also come with hot and humid weather. Very high temperatures are most commonly associated with heat exhaustion and heat stroke, but you can also suffer heat injuries if you’re physically active, not used to hot weather, get dehydrated, or have certain health conditions. Dehydration can be sneaky if you aren’t drinking enough water and getting enough electrolytes either through sports drinks, supplements, or food. It’s important to learn the signs and symptoms of heat stroke and how to prevent and treat it because heat injuries are not just uncomfortable – they can be deadly.

If you’re doing something more active at the range like participating in a practical shooting match, you might find yourself catching a toe or landing a little wonky on an uneven bit of ground or piece of brass. Keeping your muzzle in a safe direction and your finger off the trigger when you’re not actively shooting can help prevent a gunshot wound when you lose your balance, but you can still end up with a rolled ankle or even a broken bone if you fall. Do you know how to recognize when all that’s needed is a little ice and rest, or when you need to see a doctor? For more serious injuries, do you know how to safely get someone to the hospital?

If, when you trip or fall, you end up with a little blood dripping, you might not need to break out your trauma kit, but an injury worth treating might still have occurred. As any child can tell you, taking the skin off your shin or knee is not a pleasant experience. For the average shooter, a “boo boo kit” is more valuable than any other injury treatment skill or supply. Being able to clean out and cover a cut or scrape can make a day at the range much more pleasant.

And don’t forget, it’s not always the ground that’s out to get you. The targets you’re shooting at can exact a little of their own revenge too.

Steel targets or target stands can bounce bullet fragments back up range even if they’re in good condition and set up properly. Chunks of copper jacket hitting a shooter or spectator might just be an odd surprise – or might cause a cut on the delicate skin of the face or even an eye injury if luck is bad or someone isn’t wearing good eye protection. Steel is heavy too. Having a piece land on a shin or a foot, or getting your fingers caught underneath a piece can break bones or cause painful scrapes and bruises that need to be treated.

If you use wooden sticks to hold up targets, they will acquire sharp edges as bullets start going through them (and they will). It’s not just the scrapes and cuts as you walk too close to one or when you have to move them around, it’s also the splinters that inevitably bury themselves in your hands. Do you know how to get them out?

For that matter, the lowly stapler you use to hang up targets is the cause of perhaps the most common range injury out there: a staple into a finger. No matter how careful you are, it’s bound to happen one day. The tiny puncture wound made by that staple can be incredibly painful. Do you know how to tell if it’s become infected? You’ll wish you did after you nail your finger with that stapler.

Last, but not least (and back to heat): burns. Whether it’s sunburn or brass burns, mild burns are range injuries that every shooter will see. Don’t succumb to the myths, and make sure you know how to treat them properly.

Shooting can be risky in unexpected ways. It’s vital to learn how to treat the obvious dangers, but it’s equally important to be able to treat other range injuries. They can be just as serious at times and when they are not, fixing them can still save your day at the range.

Independence Day

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

New Hampshire:
Josiah BartlettWilliam WhippleMatthew Thornton

Massachusetts:
John HancockSamuel AdamsJohn AdamsRobert Treat PaineElbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen HopkinsWilliam Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger ShermanSamuel HuntingtonWilliam WilliamsOliver Wolcott

New York:
William FloydPhilip LivingstonFrancis LewisLewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard StocktonJohn WitherspoonFrancis HopkinsonJohn HartAbraham Clark

Pennsylvania:
Robert MorrisBenjamin RushBenjamin FranklinJohn MortonGeorge ClymerJames SmithGeorge TaylorJames WilsonGeorge Ross

Delaware:
Caesar RodneyGeorge ReadThomas McKean

Maryland:
Samuel ChaseWilliam PacaThomas StoneCharles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George WytheRichard Henry LeeThomas JeffersonBenjamin HarrisonThomas Nelson, Jr.Francis Lightfoot LeeCarter Braxton

North Carolina:
William HooperJoseph HewesJohn Penn

South Carolina:
Edward RutledgeThomas Heyward, Jr.Thomas Lynch, Jr.Arthur Middleton

Georgia:
Button GwinnettLyman HallGeorge Walton

*Links from USHistory.Org

OFFHAND GEAR BLENDS THE FEMININE, ELEGANT, AND FUNCTIONAL

By Nancy Keaton

We have to give credit where credit is due. Many of us start shooting because our husbands took us to the range and introduced us. Sandi Keller is no different, but what she did with that experience is a little different – she started OffHand Gear, a business focused on firearm-related items for women.

It began when her husband took her to range about five years ago. “Oh, my gosh! This is so much fun!” she remembers thinking. “I immediately went to work at trying different handguns, and bought my first one in October.” So at Christmas her husband was on search to get her a gift for her new-found hobby, and really couldn’t find anything that would work well.

Sandi laughs as she explains that her first product, t-shirts, were created out of her “sarcastic personality.” She had a long commute to her then-day job, so lots of time to think. One day in January on her way home, she started thinking about T-Shirts like the PMS T-shirt etc. She walked in house and told her husband her ideas. “He laughed and said, ‘With your design background you should do this.’ [Sandi has a background in interior design and visual display.] So I looked all over and realized there’s nothing out there. I should do it. That day I literally went out and bought a Mac and all software. And in April of 2012 I launched it with just two or three T-shirts in beginning.”

Then she realized she wasn’t happy with the range bags she was finding. “Everyone knew it was a range bag and that I was going shooting. I didn’t like that everyone could tell my business, and also didn’t like that they really didn’t hold much or hold up well under the weight of ammo and stuff.” So her husband again reminded her, “You’ve got a knack for design, just design one.” That same fall she went to work on the NORB (No Ordinary Range Bag.) “I spent eight months designing it, and as I grew in the sport, I knew I had to design something that works as well for a beginner as well as the more experienced.”

Another thing she had to work on was the NORB strap. Shorter women had a hard time with the original strap so she took two or three months to come up with a removable shorter strap.

When I asked her if she had other ideas for products, she laughed. “I have a notebook full of gear that frustrates me. Why doesn’t everyone redesign stuff and stop doing same thing?” But she can only do so much, the business is only her. She has no employees, no investors, no loans. But as her capital grows, she will develop the next product. That’s why she grows slowly.

She recently came out with a redesigned range mat. She wanted one that was a little longer and didn’t roll up while a person is trying to lay on it. It’s thin but with a very dense foam filling. Sandi had professional long-range shooting friends try out the prototype and they loved it.

I had to ask her about those beautiful, works of art – the handguards. Sandi explained that they took a long time to make. Unique ARs is cutting the hand guards for her and it took about eight months to perfect the designs. They had to make sure they were durable and strong. “They still aren’t as swirly as I’d like,” she laughs, “But you can’t push the envelope too far. But they’re working on it. And they only weigh 11.2 ounces.”

The designs of the hand guards are inspired by Sandi’s life. The first one was the Fleur de Lis, a favorite pattern. The new butterfly design is based on a tattoo on her back. The latest “lips” design was inspired by her oldest daughter who is a make-up artist for Mac cosmetics. She has other designs in her mind as well.

“Everything started with me using the NORB. I would think, ‘OK, this is the function that I need for me, then after that how do I make this more feminine. I don’t want everything pink or zebra or cheetah. I want it feminine but elegant, and still have a function.’”

Sandi and Offhand Gear are an AG & AG vendor and tries to sponsor as much as she can. She began looking for other women in the industry and found Julianna. “We connected right away. I go to her a lot, and try to do as much as I can. When you want honesty, you go to Julianna. Sometimes when I’m playing around with fabric I’ll send her snapshots and she’ll be honest. She has become one of my most trusted friends.”

One of the most fun things about Sandi’s business is find out that there is such a market for women’s products. “It’s surprising how many women love the products and are as frustrated as me. That’s what keeps me going, is that it’s not just me asking why is no one fixing this for us and why doesn’t anybody care? We will spend the money!”

One piece of advice she would give to someone was looking to start a business is to make sure you have a partner, that you’re not trying to do it by yourself. “It’s so hard to do as a lone ranger. And because it’s a man’s world it’s hard to get your foot in the door and get the respect, the marketing and connecting. Having a partner is key.”

What are Sandi’s future plans? “I spent 2015 soul searching the brand. This has been fun, but either it’s serious or it’s not. Last year sales were really down, and I was getting tired. So I found people to network with and get advice. I sat down with Kelly McMillan from McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, and he said make a decision. So I did. I know that I’m not the only one who wants this stuff, I love this and I want to do this. So I learned about marketing, which is the hardest part. This year really turned things around for me especially after Kelly got me in to Shot Show. People loved the brand so much, they need it and they want it. It really reenergized me.”

Sandi plans to hire two people next year, one already lined up is a female veteran. “It’s very important to me to hire vets, and to hire women. I want to circle myself with more women. It’s also very important to keep everything American-made. I won’t make a profit as quickly but I will learn how to stay American-made and still grow and still have a profit margin.” Her first hire, though, will be a marketing person. “I would like to spend more time designing and less time marketing,” she explains.

I asked about a “sneak peek” at her next project, but she was coy. “It’s been on drawing board for about a year and a half, and at Shot Show I connected with right people to get it done. It will be something completely different from the line already– but will still be elegant and feminine.” Sandi will spill though, that there will still be more new fabrics for the NORB, the leather NORB will start shipping next soon.

Sandi’s final thoughts are what so many women feel. “This industry that has been huge for me, the friends I’ve made, it’s been a huge experience to connect on such a level and have honest-to-goodness girlfriends. If OffHand Gear ceased to exist, we would still be friends. My husband taking me to the range that day was really a life changer, both professionally and personally. For the first time in my life I have girlfriends that I not only trust, but absolutely adore.”

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/offhand-gear-blends-feminine-elegant-functional/

Don’t Like Being a Guinea Pig? Opinion 7304 To The Rescue!

Does the thought of being required to register your guns with the government send shivers down your spine?

Do you worry about them coming for your guns?

For decades residents of Michigan have been required by law to turn in a pistol sales record/registration form for every handgun to their local police jurisdiction within 10 days of sale.  Residents who inherited a handgun or moved from another state are also required under Michigan law to fill out and submit the pistol sales/registration form.  The local police enter the information for the handgun and the owner into a database run by the Michigan State Police. Although this law applies to Michigan residents there is an exemption in the law that allows anyone with an out of state concealed carry license to not have their firearm registered in Michigan while in Michigan. The intent of this was eliminate the need for visitors to our state from registering their guns while they were here on vacation.

This exemption has caused some controversy over the years Michigan residents felt it should also apply to them if they were to get a non-resident permit from any other state.

If you were one of those residents who felt this exemption applied to you and eliminated your requirement to register your handguns you were somewhat of a guinea pig in our legal system.

From my time in law enforcement the judge trying a case would look at the intent of the law (meaning of the law in whole). Was the intent of the law to allow Michigan residents to circumvent registration? No, but if you went by the letter of the law you would believe you were okay.

Unfortunately it depends on what judge you get as to how your particular case would be treated. Our legal system isn’t perfect, our laws can be interpreted differently by different people. So for those of you who chose to follow the letter of the law and get your non-resident license from out of state you just hit the legal jackpot.

Michigan’s Attorney General made it official last week with AG Opinion 7304.  No more wondering if your non registered firearm is actually legal or not.  If your one of the millions of handgun owners in Michigan and you want to use the latest AG Opinion to exercise your rights and not register for handguns, you will need to get a concealed pistol license from another state.  You must have the actual license to be legal.  A quick online search will provide you with a list of states that will issue a non resident permit.  One of the easiest is New Hampshire They have a short two page application, and a fee of $100.  Their processing time is 14 days and its valid for 5 years.  Of course there are many others, I chose New Hampshire because no training was involved and it is valid for 5 years.

One question that will arise is “why would someone not want their handguns registered?”

First of all only 8 states require some type of firearm registration.  The purpose of registration, or in Michigan the requirement to get a license to purchase a handgun, was to help in fighting crime.  Our legislators felt it would be easier to track stolen guns and return them to their rightful owners. If a gun was found at the scene of a crime the owner could be easily identified.

According to the Bureau of Justice half of all illegally trafficked guns originate from straw purchases where someone buys the firearm for someone else.  Someone who is committing a crime is not going to register or get a license to purchase.  With only 8 states having some type of registration that means that any stolen guns from the other 42 states will not be in their states computer systems. Even more this permitting does nothing to assist in battling straw purchasing as the registry, if completed at all, will be falsified.

Secondly Ronald Reagan signed the Firearms Owners Protection Act making a national database illegal. While many people feel they have nothing to hide, thus have no issue registering their handgun, the most popular view is that registration process can be a hassle; long guns are not required to be registered why should handgun registration be required.

There can further be issues at the county or city level of the registration process.   A close friend received a letter in the mail from his local jurisdiction saying there was an issue with the serial number on the Taurus revolver he was attempting to register.  He does not own a Taurus revolver so we took a drive to the city police department.  Apparently they had just fired a clerk, and after going through her desk found thousands of registrations that were never entered into the system. Did they notify people? No, they decided to enter them in the system. My buddy had owned a Taurus revolver several years ago but sold it a while back. Had it not been for a mistake on the registration form it would have been re-registered under his name without his knowledge. What if that gun were then used and left at a crime scene? They would have traced it back to him.

Michigan’s gun groups have been working for years to get the registration system eliminated, however our legislators have been slow to act on every proposal brought to them.  With Opinion 7304 Michigan residents now have a legal way with a little paperwork, a hundred bucks, and a little patience to exempt themselves from the pitfalls of Michigan’s registration system.

Is this the beginning of the end of handgun registration in Michigan?

Possibly, with the legal requirement to register now only covering those who do not want to become exempt Michigan’s registration system is going to be even more incomplete with spotty information. Do your due diligence, if your going to apply for an out of state licence find the one that works best for you, and be aware you still need a Michigan concealed pistol license if your going to carry concealed.

Aero Precision Launching their Freedom Collection Series for Independence Day

In honor of the anniversary of our great nations independence Aero Precision is launching their newest Freedom Collection upper and lower receivers for the M4E1 and M5 Rifles

The lowers are their newest generation (although there is a a run of legacy style AR15 receivers too). The new billet styling layout and pictographs are complimented with the forward moving flag motif mirrored on either side of the magazine well.

The uppers feature the flag above the charging handle cut out and as usual for Aero’s receiver runs the come in both Black and FDE.

It’s only right to build a rifle to honor our independence is it not? One of our greatest expressions of freedom.

Build it up and let it ring!

Check out the whole line here and grab everything you need to finish the build.

Sage Dynamics Takes us to School on Parallax

Parallax is a word you’ll inevitably read and hear before to long when it comes to optics on firearms.

Certain optics have a parallax adjustment tool or knob. Certain reddot, reflex, and holographic weapon sights are advertised as being ‘parallax free’ or have so very little it matters negligibly. Others have a fixed parallax distance that covers a practical range for the optic.

But what is it? It’s a distortion caused by light passing through multiple lens combined with needing a proper position for the shooters eye behind the optic to get a proper sight picture. What you see is not always exactly where you are aiming.

 

YOU, YES YOU: SECURE IT

When you are a parent, you look at the world a different way. When your toddler starts exploring, you may babyproof your house. Some parents put locks on every cabinet, door, and toilet; others target specific areas of danger and may just cover outlets and gate the stairs. For my blind child, I make sure walkways are clear of tripping hazards. Parents educate their children about dangers in the home, including hot stoves and kitchen knives, so that they learn how to stay safe. When it comes to guns, why are so many parents failing to address safety?

Today the Associated Press and USA Today published a study that says “gun accidents kill 1 kid every other day.” The article states that many children under 5 have died from self-inflicted gunshots, and teens have negligent discharges, too, when showing guns to their friends. The article admits that accidental deaths among children are a fraction of firearm deaths; however, it does highlight a tragic problem that can be minimized with education and outreach.

As a community of responsible gun owners we have to say, “YOU! Yes, you! Secure your firearm.” If you don’t have safe storage options in your home, get one today. Keep your handgun holstered on your body and in your direct control unless it is in a safe. If you want to have it off your body, but able to be accessed quickly, get a biometric safe that allows you quick entry in an emergency. If you have your gun in a travel case, put a padlock on it. If you carry your gun in your purse or range bag, immediately move your gun to a safe when it is not in your direct possession. Do not become complacent or lazy about safe storage.

Secondly, talk to your kids about firearms. If you have young children, use the Eddie Eagle program to educate them about how to run away from a gun that they may discover. If you have tweens or teens, talk to them about the 4 Rules of Gun Safety, and what to do if they come upon a gun or a friend brings one to them. Use available resources, such as the Kids & Guns DVD, to make these conversations age appropriate and meaningful.

Sandra Zettlemoyer, who is pictured above with her children, says, “Both of my kids know the 4 gun safety rules by heart at 5 and 8 years of age. We also talk to them about ‘what if’ situations. “What if you are at your friend’s house and you see a firearm and there are no adults around… what do you do?’ And we go over this very often. You can never be too safe and can never go over these types of things with them too much.”

If you can barely enjoy TV shows anymore because seeing someone teacup a pistol or seek cover behind the couch makes you cringe, then you should have the same response when seeing or hearing of an unsecured firearm. Do not allow people (yourself included) to make assumptions about if children would access a firearm — insist that gun owners take responsibility that no unauthorized persons could possibly access their firearms. Discuss safe storage options and educational resources with other gun owners that you know.

SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/you-yes-you-secure-it/