Ladies, why did you get your first gun?

[Guest Bronker]

I can't even imagine how that must have affected you.....and how helpless you had to have felt. Many women would be scared to death of guns after something like that......I'm so glad that you went the other direction!

Wow.

Then again...stories like this should (in my opinion anyway FWIW) actually motivate a person to carry. To go from helpless victim / bystander to armed survivor.

+1 to all you lovely ladies who choose to protect yourself in a way that conventional sheep would advise you against.

[Guest Daelith]

I have to agree with the Wow on that blackbeltchick!

[piper266]

My wife and I went to get our carry permits together. (she tolerates my hobby pretty well and she thought it would be fun to go together:) ) After we were both legal to carry, she only carried if she felt like it, or if I reminded her. Unfortunately, I was out on a trip for work when she called me and told me a man was following her all over Wal-Mart and making inappropriate remarks to her. I could hear her fear as she began to cry over the phone. She hadn't picked up her Glock that day and now she knew she needed it. Fortunately, she made it out to her vehicle and got home quickly. Now she carries everyday...no matter what.

[Guest blackbeltchick]

I don't like the idea or the fear of being a victim. I feel more in control and more aware of what and whom is around me when I carry my guns.

[Guest Daelith]

My wife and I went to get our carry permits together. (she tolerates my hobby pretty well and she thought it would be fun to go together:) ) After we were both legal to carry, she only carried if she felt like it, or if I reminded her. Unfortunately, I was out on a trip for work when she called me and told me a man was following her all over Wal-Mart and making inappropriate remarks to her. I could hear her fear as she began to cry over the phone. She hadn't picked up her Glock that day and now she knew she needed it. Fortunately, she made it out to her vehicle and got home quickly. Now she carries everyday...no matter what.

That is really scary! I hope she went to a manager to get security or had them call the police to escort her out to her car.

[PackinMama]

I don't like the idea or the fear of being a victim. I feel more in control and more aware of what and whom is around me when I carry my guns.

+++100!!!

I just took a little trip to Illinois and I had to unload my gun and put it away in KY before I crossed the river into IL. I felt absolutely helpless and completely unable to defend myself adequately while I was there. Let me tell you, it was a great feeling yesterday when I crossed back into KY and stopped at a rest area to put my gun back on my belt!

[Guest BabyJeepWoman]

My husband and I off road Jeeps, usually with a large group of people, but not always. If I am up on the mountain I want to be able to defend myself against whatever might be threatening me. We went the HCP class together and while I hope to never have to use my weapon, I would not hesitate to do so if necessary to protect myself or my family.

I never handled guns growing up because I was always told that it wasn't something for girls. Now that I have my own, I never pass up a chance to go practice at the range. I really enjoy it.

[Guest Countrygirl]

My husband is an avid gun shooter as well as my son. After watching the news in my area change at a rapid pace, I decided that it may be the best idea to be able to protect myself and my daughter if we were out together. There were more crimes being commited against women in my area than I was aware. We also camp and there are times that I am alone in the campground. I wanted to be able to feel confident instead of fear. My husband and I took the HCP together and it is just one more thing in our lives that we can share.

[PackinMama]

Good for you Countrygirl....and your family!!! IMO, There's absolutely no excuse for a woman (or a man) not to have the ability to protect herself and her family if needed.

[Guest friesepferd]

My university had a range and a pistol club which let you shoot for a very low price of like $10 a year. The first time was free and they gave you some complimentary ammo. Had lots of guns for u to use for free, and was full of knowladgable helpful fun people my age.

I got invited to go to it by somebody, so I went and had a good time. The range officers were VERY helpful and nice. T

he next year I was the president of the club, had guns of my own, my carry permit, and was a regular gun junkie. I brought many many many other people to our side and it was one of the best experiances I have ever had.

[PackinMama]

Wow! Pretty cool! Where did you go to school?

[Guest friesepferd]

Wow! Pretty cool! Where did you go to school?

Michigan Technological University

Home Page

[Louisb]

Reading Piper226's statement, I have to say

If you have issues in a store/mall, go to management or security.

When you leave and walk to your car you are by yourself . . .

If you go straight home, you leave a trail to where you live.

Please do not set yourself up to be a more likely victim

Edited July 10, 2010 by TCLouis
clarification

[SamZzz]

I grew up in the sticks and my dad was a hunter. I'd gone "hunting" with him a few times (mostly just walking through the woods) but never fired anything more than a pellet gun or maybe a .22 rifle. The hubby had purchased a Colt .380 at one time and told me I needed to learn how to use it. I told him I had no need to and before he could press the issue further we ended up selling it due to money constraints. Fast forward a few years... hubby is a truck driver.. gone weeks at a time. He keeps saying we need a gun at the house in case someone tries anything. I am satisfied that my German shepherd will suffice. October of last year, someone broke into our garage and stole a trailer, two four-wheelers and a welder. Hubby was the one who noticed it when he came home off the road. A few weeks later, he picked up a 9mm Makarov and we take it to the range to try it out. He fires off a clip then reloads it and hands it to me. "I'm not saying you have to carry it, but at least learn how to shoot it in case someone tries to break in on you." Two shots into that clip I turned around with the biggest grin on my face... don't know what it is, but I was hooked! For Valentine's Day he bought me a Walther P22 (we'd spent 3 months going to every gun shop in the area and just holding and playing with different pistols). I told him I still didn't need a carry gun, but I'd love to have something to target shoot with that wouldn't require expensive ammo. Two weeks after I got my P22, be bought a Sig Mosquito and a cheap Hi-Point 9mm and we headed over to take our HCP class. I have my permit and I have taken "Wally" out shopping once. I'll work my way up to something with some more "punch" eventually, but in the meantime I've run enough rounds through that P22 to be dangerously accurate and as many people can attest... alot of times it just takes someone SEEING you have a gun and aren't afraid to use it to deescalate the situation.

[Currently]

Don't under estimate that .22, knowing that you can put those holes exactly where you want them is more important than carrying something you never shoot. CCI Stingers make a nasty hole.

Back on topic, wife now wants her HCP. I will start her off with the Buckmark and let her pick out what she wants after she has tried a couple of dozen of them.

[Guest Danariel]

I'm a Desert Storm Veteran, joined in 1989 the year after I graduated from High School. I'd never handled guns or rifles prior, so I didn't have any bad habits to unlearn. Throughout my term of service (3 years active, 5 National Guard) I only fired M16s, but the last couple of Active Duty Qualifications and all the Nat'l Guard ones I Q'd Expert with 39/40 shots (Active Duty on a range with pop-up targets ranging from 50m to 300m, my one miss was on a 300m; Nat'l Guard on paper targets set at 50m but sized to simulate the same ranges.) Only fired handguns very rarely, and not really for accuracy.

A bit shameful here but...about 7 years ago, I was reading the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter books. She's one kick-ass bitch! Her weapon of choice in the early books is a Browning Hi-Power. When my ex and I went to the Bill Goodman's show at the Fairgrounds in Nashville, I wandered the show, holding everything I could get my hands on to see what was most comfortable. Well, it certainly wasn't the Hi-Power! I didn't want something small like a .22 (or I'd have ended up with the Walther P22, dear gods that feels like it was molded for my hand!) so I finally settled on a Glock 19. Tok the HCP class with the ex, and got my permit shortly thereafter. He took the class, but never "got around" to actually applying and getting fingerprinted, so his class of course expired. He didn't have a gun, anyway.

Now, just a few months ago, I traded my Glock 19 in on a CW9. The Glock was big enough I didn't carry very often. This weekend I'm trading the CW9 back in on a Glock 26; the CW9s trigger pul is so dissimilar to the Glocks that I've developed a flinch, so I don't feel comfortable carrying the CW9 knowing my shots aren't going to go where I want them. It's extremely comfortable, very easy to conceal, but I've fired enough rounds through it to know I'm not satisfied with my accuracy.

I also have a boyfriend who, when we got together, owned a Bersa Thunder .45 but didn't have his HCP. He wanted it, but hadn't had the money to get it. So I made sure he got it. Now, between us, we have: my CW9, 2 S&W Bodyguard 380s (gotta get a trigger job on mine, it's harder than the CW9), his Bersa, and his CW40.

[PackinMama]

Welcome to TGO Danariel!

I don't blame you for wanting to trade your CW9 in on a G26! I carry a G27 myself and it's a great gun! One thing I might mention.....from switching between a larger Glock like the G19 and up, over to a baby Glock, you need to watch your grip. The baby Glocks are very sensitive to limp wristing.....much more so than the larger Glocks.

[Guest Danariel]

Thanks for the advice! I intend to hit the range this weekend to get a feel for it, and make sure I'm accurate with it. My 19 did have 2 FTF, both with Corbon HP, the Winshester FMJs always fired fine. I had one FTF, and my boyfriend had one, so not sure if it was from limp-wristing or not. I'll try to keep myself aware of the issue.

[Guest dizzielizzie]

When I married at 24, my husband owned several rifles, and when we moved in together I told him I was afraid of them... I came home from work one day and he presented me with a Charter Arms 38 special. He said "The only way you're going to not be afraid of guns is learning about them." He taught me how to handle, shoot, and clean it. Best thing he ever did for me.

BTW, back then in NH one only had to go to the local police department, fill out paperwork, and hand over $14 for a carry permit...

I've let the husband go... but still have that gun - won't ever sell it. It would be bad karma.