This page is dedicated for articles written by fellow instructors, students, and vetted individuals for reviews, articles, and any other rants relevant to the training and shooting industry. Keep an eye out for future updates!
“How to remove rose-colored glasses” by Kandy Harrell
I have a confession to make. I’m 54 years old, I’ve been married three times, I have three grown children, six grandchildren, and up until two years ago, I still wore a pair of rose-color glasses.
Though I did reduce the tint a bit over the years, I was still fairly unaware of my surroundings until I began my journey into the world of self-defense and firearms training. I had never even fired a gun of any kind until the summer of 2014. I’ve never been robbed, assaulted, or in fear for my life, unless you count that time my Dad got mad about the phone bill.
I grew up around rifles, they were present in the house and I had relatives who hunted, but my Dad never showed me how to use one. To be honest, I wasn’t ever that curious or interested in learning to shoot one.
I grew up in a small, rural community in Southwest Michigan, surrounded by farmland, lakes, and prime camping, hunting and fishing locations, and some of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet. My hometown was, and still is, one of those places where everyone knows everyone, and if you did something bad as a kid, they probably knew your parents, so you can bet they called them and told on you. You could ride your bike everywhere and never worry about getting kidnapped, or worse.
We had the occasional theft or vandalism, and a few accidental shootings, I’m sure there were rapes and murders back then, but those usually happened in the bigger towns and cities, and certainly nothing like the violent attacks we see today across the U.S. I didn’t even know what ‘rape’ or ‘sexual assault’ meant until I was probably 15 or 16, and I definitely didn’t know anyone who had been assaulted. So my experience with the world around me was fairly innocent to say the least, and I was fortunate enough to retain my rose-colored glasses until I had kids of my own.
Unfortunately, our risk of being a victim of sexual assault, robbery or murder isn’t just in the big city, or the mall, or ‘bad neighborhoods’ anymore. Now you have to be situationally aware and prepared all the time, everywhere you go, even in Small Town USA, and sadly, even in the comfort of your own home, schools and churches.
So, in the last few years, I came to understand that if I wanted to be less fearful of being victimized, I needed to reduce my risk of becoming a victim by facing those fears head-on. That meant that I was going to have to make a conscious decision to completely remove my lightly-tinted-rose-colored glasses and begin the process of learning about self-defense and seeing the world for what it is; Dangerous and unpredictable.
At the age 52, with my husband’s encouragement, I joined The Well Armed Woman Shooting Chapters and obtained my concealed weapons permit. The Well Armed Woman Summerville/Charleston SC Chapter and Shoot Logic, LLC were instrumental in steering me in the right direction with my education and training, but more importantly, they taught me what it means to be a responsible firearms owner and concealed carrier, as well as how to reduce my chances of becoming a victim. Here’s the top 10 most important things I’ve learned so far:
Wishing you a Safe and Happy New Year! Stay Alert and Keep Training!
I have a confession to make. I’m 54 years old, I’ve been married three times, I have three grown children, six grandchildren, and up until two years ago, I still wore a pair of rose-color glasses.
Though I did reduce the tint a bit over the years, I was still fairly unaware of my surroundings until I began my journey into the world of self-defense and firearms training. I had never even fired a gun of any kind until the summer of 2014. I’ve never been robbed, assaulted, or in fear for my life, unless you count that time my Dad got mad about the phone bill.
I grew up around rifles, they were present in the house and I had relatives who hunted, but my Dad never showed me how to use one. To be honest, I wasn’t ever that curious or interested in learning to shoot one.
I grew up in a small, rural community in Southwest Michigan, surrounded by farmland, lakes, and prime camping, hunting and fishing locations, and some of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet. My hometown was, and still is, one of those places where everyone knows everyone, and if you did something bad as a kid, they probably knew your parents, so you can bet they called them and told on you. You could ride your bike everywhere and never worry about getting kidnapped, or worse.
We had the occasional theft or vandalism, and a few accidental shootings, I’m sure there were rapes and murders back then, but those usually happened in the bigger towns and cities, and certainly nothing like the violent attacks we see today across the U.S. I didn’t even know what ‘rape’ or ‘sexual assault’ meant until I was probably 15 or 16, and I definitely didn’t know anyone who had been assaulted. So my experience with the world around me was fairly innocent to say the least, and I was fortunate enough to retain my rose-colored glasses until I had kids of my own.
Unfortunately, our risk of being a victim of sexual assault, robbery or murder isn’t just in the big city, or the mall, or ‘bad neighborhoods’ anymore. Now you have to be situationally aware and prepared all the time, everywhere you go, even in Small Town USA, and sadly, even in the comfort of your own home, schools and churches.
So, in the last few years, I came to understand that if I wanted to be less fearful of being victimized, I needed to reduce my risk of becoming a victim by facing those fears head-on. That meant that I was going to have to make a conscious decision to completely remove my lightly-tinted-rose-colored glasses and begin the process of learning about self-defense and seeing the world for what it is; Dangerous and unpredictable.
At the age 52, with my husband’s encouragement, I joined The Well Armed Woman Shooting Chapters and obtained my concealed weapons permit. The Well Armed Woman Summerville/Charleston SC Chapter and Shoot Logic, LLC were instrumental in steering me in the right direction with my education and training, but more importantly, they taught me what it means to be a responsible firearms owner and concealed carrier, as well as how to reduce my chances of becoming a victim. Here’s the top 10 most important things I’ve learned so far:
- I am responsible for my own personal safety and security. I am my own (S)Hero. I am my own first responder. I can’t afford a body guard, and a police officer is too big for my purse. If it’s to be, it’s up to me.
- And even if I could afford to hire a body guard, would I want the person with a “required number of hours of training” and a piece of paper that says they’re competent? Or would I want the person who trains and practices regularly, and continues to learn new methods of defense and constantly works to improve their proficiency and decision-making skills? (See # 1)
- It takes 10-20 minutes on average for law enforcement to arrive after 911 is called. If an event occurs in a rural area, 30 minutes or more. (See # 1)
- Training is painful. Mentally, physically AND emotionally. But I would much rather be a little bit overwhelmed with information, tired and sore, and maybe even a little embarrassed, than be shot, stabbed, raped, or killed.
- Sucking at something is the first step to becoming sort of good at something. You WILL SUCK when you take your first real firearms or self-defense class. Obviously, no one is good right out of the gate, except for those very few naturally talented individuals. But perfect practice and dogged persistence beats natural talent any day of the week. Challenge yourself to take the next level classes. If you’ve already taken a 101 level-class, then you need to take a 201 level-class, and fairly soon after completing 101. You must continue to challenge your skills and performance. It takes continuous heat and pressure to turn a rock into a gem.
- You WILL get sweaty when it’s hot outside. Your hands and feet will get cold when it’s cold outside (coats, socks, hats and gloves…they make them). You will get wet and muddy when it’s raining. And you will definitely get bug bites because…well…you’re outside and there are bugs outside. (See also South Carolina State Bird). You WILL be uncomfortable when you train or practice properly. You will sweat. You’ll get bruises, scratches, cuts, sore muscles, blisters and bug bites. Trust me, it’s totally worth it. Dress properly for the weather, pack some band-aids, use bug spray and drink a lot of water. Sports cream and Ibuprofen are your friends. But you MUST get out there and do it. You can’t spend all your training and practice time in an indoor range shooting at static targets. You won’t learn nearly as much as you need to know about yourself and what you’re capable of doing. The bad guys don’t care if it’s cold, or wet, or hot, or ‘buggy’, or muggy, or that your back hurts or you’ve got a slide-bite or that you’re hot and tired. You MUST learn how to deal with the less-than-optimal conditions of the real world if you want to go home in a somewhat similar condition as when you woke up this morning. (See # 1)
- The best weapon in your self-defense toolbox is your Brain. So keep it sharpened.
- Your self-defense budget should be about 10% Hardware and 90% Software. Fancy equipment is useless, if you don’t know how to use it properly.
- Using your firearm in a self-defense situation can be very expensive, even if you make a legally-sound decision to use it. (See # 7)
- Lastly, you are never too old, too out of shape, too disabled, too (insert other excuse here) to learn something new. And you are always able to learn to defend yourself in some way, no matter your age or infirmity or current level of skill.
Wishing you a Safe and Happy New Year! Stay Alert and Keep Training!
A Womans Perspective, by Angela Panish
Tommy recently asked if any of the members of our Summerville/Charleston chapter of The Well Armed Woman would be willing to contribute an article to this month's newsletter. Of course my mind started swarming with ideas of topics I could write about and unfortunately at the time didn't have paper or a computer in front of me to jot anything down....
So, I'm currently sitting in a tree stand waiting on a big buck to walk out, and the ideas are once again flowing. Yes, you read that correctly, I'm out in the woods, by myself, hunting.
As much as I would like to throw well documented research and fancy statistics into my writing, I'm more of a say what I mean, off the cuff kinda girl.
So here goes.
In recent years, there has been an undeniable surge of female presence in the firearms industry. More and more women are purchasing their own firearms. We are educating ourselves, taking classes, becoming certified to run the range and instruct other women. There are female owned businesses that cater specifically to women and firearms. And while yes, this is predominately a man’s world, (or so they say), we just want to play in the pool too.
I grew up in a household with guns. My dad owned various firearms. As children, we were told not to touch, and we listened. Occasionally, at the local turkey shoot, we’d get the chance to shoot one and that’s about as far as my experience went for quite some time.
Like most women, it took something happening to me to want to learn how to defend myself. For me, a bad marriage, that turned into a nasty separation, that turned into a physical situation with my daughter in my arms….IN MY OWN HOME. I had never felt more insecure and violated as I did at that moment. I realized that if anything were to ever happen the only defense I would have was to go into full Momma Bear mode.
A few weeks after that incident, my Cousin and my Uncle took me to an outdoor range and gave me my first formal firearms lesson. We spent several hours at the range. He showed me how to shoot his .357 revolver, and his .45 semi-automatic, and I loved every second of it. I began to read old copies of firearms magazines that he gave me, asked questions, and did my research.
A few years later, I purchased my first gun, a Springfield XD. It wasn’t THE gun I wanted, but it came in a close second. I spent time learning how to take my gun down, clean it, put it back together. I loaded mag after mag after mag by hand till I had blisters. Picked up some bad shooting habits along the way…..don’t we all… and learned how to correct them. I was able to attend a local Women on Target event, and I’m pretty sure this is when I got bit by the bug…
I began shooting in the local IDPA matches, one of only a few women at the time. The atmosphere was mixed. There were guys who were more than happy to see a female presence, and some not so much. They were willing to offer advice, and I was willing to accept it. Having competed served me well when I took Tommy’s CWP class and earned the privilege to legally carry my firearm.
And then something awesome happened. My Cousin took me to a local gunshop he knew of so I could use my GSSF certificate and order my first Glock. While I was there, I found out they were looking for help, so I filled out an application, and a short while later I became a regular behind the counter.
Here’s the thing, While I thought it was going to be the most awesome thing in the world to get to play with guns all day, somedays it was the total opposite. Guys that would walk right past when you spoke, or look directly at the guy behind the counter because, well because you are a girl…. I had to be on top of my game. I HAD to know my stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loved what I did, and the guys I worked with were amazingly supportive, but those feelings of insecurity lingered.
Just like most things that women have achieved, we’ve had to fight tooth and nail to get there. But we are here. Most women who are interested in guns are for a reason. If you are in it to impress someone, someone is going to get hurt. The thing about women is, we don’t make rash decisions, we do our research, extensively… We don’t just want answers to the “who, what, when, where, why and how”, we ask the “what ifs” and “how come” as well.
So, to all the ladies out there who are truly wanting to learn, here’s my advice. There is an enormous amount of information out there. Do your research. Ask questions. Join in with other women who have similar goals as you. Be your own hero. And don’t be afraid to venture to the deep end of the pool.
A Womans Perspective, by Angela Panish
Tommy recently asked if any of the members of our Summerville/Charleston chapter of The Well Armed Woman would be willing to contribute an article to this month's newsletter. Of course my mind started swarming with ideas of topics I could write about and unfortunately at the time didn't have paper or a computer in front of me to jot anything down....
So, I'm currently sitting in a tree stand waiting on a big buck to walk out, and the ideas are once again flowing. Yes, you read that correctly, I'm out in the woods, by myself, hunting.
As much as I would like to throw well documented research and fancy statistics into my writing, I'm more of a say what I mean, off the cuff kinda girl.
So here goes.
In recent years, there has been an undeniable surge of female presence in the firearms industry. More and more women are purchasing their own firearms. We are educating ourselves, taking classes, becoming certified to run the range and instruct other women. There are female owned businesses that cater specifically to women and firearms. And while yes, this is predominately a man’s world, (or so they say), we just want to play in the pool too.
I grew up in a household with guns. My dad owned various firearms. As children, we were told not to touch, and we listened. Occasionally, at the local turkey shoot, we’d get the chance to shoot one and that’s about as far as my experience went for quite some time.
Like most women, it took something happening to me to want to learn how to defend myself. For me, a bad marriage, that turned into a nasty separation, that turned into a physical situation with my daughter in my arms….IN MY OWN HOME. I had never felt more insecure and violated as I did at that moment. I realized that if anything were to ever happen the only defense I would have was to go into full Momma Bear mode.
A few weeks after that incident, my Cousin and my Uncle took me to an outdoor range and gave me my first formal firearms lesson. We spent several hours at the range. He showed me how to shoot his .357 revolver, and his .45 semi-automatic, and I loved every second of it. I began to read old copies of firearms magazines that he gave me, asked questions, and did my research.
A few years later, I purchased my first gun, a Springfield XD. It wasn’t THE gun I wanted, but it came in a close second. I spent time learning how to take my gun down, clean it, put it back together. I loaded mag after mag after mag by hand till I had blisters. Picked up some bad shooting habits along the way…..don’t we all… and learned how to correct them. I was able to attend a local Women on Target event, and I’m pretty sure this is when I got bit by the bug…
I began shooting in the local IDPA matches, one of only a few women at the time. The atmosphere was mixed. There were guys who were more than happy to see a female presence, and some not so much. They were willing to offer advice, and I was willing to accept it. Having competed served me well when I took Tommy’s CWP class and earned the privilege to legally carry my firearm.
And then something awesome happened. My Cousin took me to a local gunshop he knew of so I could use my GSSF certificate and order my first Glock. While I was there, I found out they were looking for help, so I filled out an application, and a short while later I became a regular behind the counter.
Here’s the thing, While I thought it was going to be the most awesome thing in the world to get to play with guns all day, somedays it was the total opposite. Guys that would walk right past when you spoke, or look directly at the guy behind the counter because, well because you are a girl…. I had to be on top of my game. I HAD to know my stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loved what I did, and the guys I worked with were amazingly supportive, but those feelings of insecurity lingered.
Just like most things that women have achieved, we’ve had to fight tooth and nail to get there. But we are here. Most women who are interested in guns are for a reason. If you are in it to impress someone, someone is going to get hurt. The thing about women is, we don’t make rash decisions, we do our research, extensively… We don’t just want answers to the “who, what, when, where, why and how”, we ask the “what ifs” and “how come” as well.
So, to all the ladies out there who are truly wanting to learn, here’s my advice. There is an enormous amount of information out there. Do your research. Ask questions. Join in with other women who have similar goals as you. Be your own hero. And don’t be afraid to venture to the deep end of the pool.