6 Necessary Shooting Tips For Beginners

Looking to learn how to shoot a handgun? Here are 6 shooting tips to help you get started!

So you want to learn how to shoot a gun? That is great! Despite what you may see in movies or read in books, shooting accurately and safely actually takes a lot of practice, focus, and technique.

Even someone who claims that they are an experienced shooter can make silly mistakes and may develop habits that can be hard to correct. Being a new shooter, you have a clean slate and are in a great position to learn the basics for shooting a gun safely.

Click here to see these 6 tips!

Is UPS banning shipments obtaining legal firearm parts?

Article written via Tina Vandivier at Wide Open Spaces:

Earlier this week, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) was informed of a new policy that states that the United Parcel Service (UPS) will no longer accept shipments obtaining firearm suppressors. This new policy not only applies to individuals, but also extends to licensed dealers.

According to the NSSF Press Release, no thefts or losses have been reported, which only gives us more of a reason to question UPS’s policy. Currently the NSSF is working closely with executives at UPS to determine what prompted the implementation of this surprising new policy.

“Earlier this week, ASA was made aware of the decision by UPS to cease all shipments of firearm suppressors,” Knox Williams, president of the American Suppressor Association told Guns.com Sunday. “We have been working alongside NRA and NSSF to get to the bottom of the issue.”

With the continuous growth in demand for firearm suppressors along with the large amount currently in route, over 600,000 to be exact, this new policy could actually ending up hurting UPS. Williams claims that if UPS does not reconsider, he will explore other carriers. Judging by the commentary left by social media users, some of their business might just travel over to FedEx.

“UPS is anti American. #boycottUPS,” one Facebook user said.

“Banning shipping suppressors? We’ll be shipping Fed-Ex,” said another in response to a photo posted thanking the military for their service.

“Is that why you banned shipping certain LEGAL firearms accessories? Veterans make up a large segment of the shooting sports industries. Sounds like your obligatory committee written PC post to make people think you actually care about Americans and our freedoms,” said another Facebook user.

39 states currently allow the possession of suppressors, which would mean that UPS is implementing a policy that places restrictions on an individuals’ legal right. Why should it matter what they’re shipping as long as the contents are not illegal or harmful to the carrier or to others? Not to mention the fact that a suppressor without a firearm attached is nothing more than a useless metal tube.

As long as the individual is abiding by the laws of his or her state, there should be no problem with the contents inside of a package that they are paying money to have shipped.

Legally Armed Uber Driver Stops Mass Shooting in Logan Square

An attempted mass shooting ended with no innocent bystanders injured all thanks to a law-abiding Uber driver with a gun, in Chicago of all places!

An armed man began shooting into a crowd of people at Logan Square in Chicago late Friday night. After witnessing everything from his vehicle, an Uber driver with a concealed carry permit immediately responded to what could have been a horrible incident by pulling his own weapon and firing six shots at the gunman.

The gunman was later identified as 22-year-old Everardo Custodio, who is currently being treated for gunshot wounds to the thigh, shin, and lower back at Advocate Illinois Masonic hospital.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the Uber driver was in a parked car nearby when he witnessed Custodio shooting into a crowd of pedestrians at the 2900 block of North Milwaukee Avenue. The driver, who has only been identified as a 47-year-old male from Little Italy, fired six shots at the gunman and remained at the scene until police arrived. He immediately presented his valid concealed carry permit and firearms owner’s identification card.

Read the rest of the article here!

Veterans Memorial ‘too inappropriate’ for public park

A fallen soldier memorial leaves the Village Council concerned, specifically because the gun in the statue is inappropriate for the park.

Friends of American Veterans submitted a proposal to complete their Veterans Memorial at the Central Park in Milford, Michigan. However, the group has not received approval specifically because the monument features an M-16 rifle that is viewed as too inappropriate for the park.

The current plan for the Veteran’s Memorial is to feature an eight-foot-tall battlefield cross, which includes combat boots, an M-16 rifle, a helmet, and dog tags, at the front entrance to the park.

Village manager Christian Wuerth claims that the council understands the meaning of the monument, but doesn’t think it belongs there, as reported by Detroit Free Press.

“There was some concern from a couple of members regarding the specific memorial that’s proposed,” said Wuerth. “Specifically, the gun. They understood the history of (the memorial) and the meaning of it, they just didn’t feel it was appropriate for that specific location.”

Watch the video and read the full article here.

10 Mistakes First Time Concealed Carriers Make

When first-time gun owners finally get their concealed carry license, there are some avoidable mistakes made along the way.

You have purchased your gun, you’ve taken your required courses, and you’re now on your way to carrying concealed. This is an exciting step for every gun owner, and a very important one.

However, first-time carriers sometimes make mistakes that are easily avoidable. Instead of learning the hard way, check out some tips to help you be even more responsible and prepared.

Want to read the 10 avoidable mistakes are? Click here!

NRA Convention Coming Hits Nashville This Weekend

Join the National Rifle Association this weekend for the 144th annual NRA Meeting & Exhibits at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

Pack your guns and your NRA membership card because this weekend will be full of concerts, gun shows, competitions, family activities, speeches, and more.

Friday, April 10 through Sunday, April 12, the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee will be housing over 550 exhibitors during the 144th annual NRA Meeting and Exhibits. With an expected turnout of over 70,000 attendees, this event is not only one of the largest shooting and outdoor shows in the country, but will also be the largest convention ever to be held in Nashville.

Want to know which Republican presidential hopefuls will be speaking at the event? Click here to read the full article.

Good Guy With A Gun Stops Carjacking and Saves Woman

A Georgia gun owner is labeled a hero after stopping a car thief and saving the life of the woman clinging to the hood.

Screenshot of surveillance recording via YouTube/DailyMailVideosAR1

 A Georgia concealed carry permit holder put a stop to an attempted carjacking at the Fast Track Car Wash in Smyrna on Friday afternoon.

While the victim was vacuuming her vehicle, a teenage male came out of a red van parked next to her and attempted to drive away with her car. The suspect began to speed up after the owner of the white Honda jumped onto the hood with the intent of stopping him from driving away. A Smyrna, Georgia city worker was passing by and drew his gun.

View the surveillance video and the full post here.

Governor Christie Pardons Single Mom from 2013 Firearms Charges

N.J. Governor Chris Christie granted a pardon Thursday for a Pennsylvania concealed carry holder who was arrested for bringing a registered firearm across the border in 2013.

Governor Christie signs pardon letter for Shaneen Allen. Photo via Facebook/BrianAitken

Governor Christie signed the pardon at noon on Thursday, April 2, 2015 that released Shaneen Allen from any criminal charges or indictments.

View the rest of my article at Wide Open Spaces

Well Armed Woman: Concealed Carry Holsters

As I mentioned in an article last week, I am interested in joining my local Well Armed Woman chapter.

I contacted the chapter leader and was immediately excited. Why? Because this particular meeting was going to be about picking a concealed carry holster. Since I have reached a point in my training that I feel comfortable enough to carry concealed, I am all about learning more about holsters. There are so many options out there and honestly, I didn’t know where to start. I was concerned about spending lots of money only to find that the holster I selected is not what I want. After going to this meeting, that concern was validated and I am very glad that I waited.

When I arrived, I was immediately greeted by the chapter leader. I signed in and went straight into the room. A brief introduction was made by a female range instructor, followed by some Q&A time. We were then set free in the room to try on all of the different types of holsters.

There were 4 tables set up with different sizes and shapes of holsters. The instructors were there to offer advice/information regarding material, which belts to use, and where to place a weapon you’re trying to conceal.

As we all know, concealing a weapon on a woman is significantly harder for women then it is for men. We have tighter clothes, smaller pockets, and items of clothing with thinner material. One of the very first things we can rule out is pocket holsters. I can hardly fit my car keys in my pocket, let alone a 9mm handgun.

Next, we determined that any holster that does not fully cover the trigger/trigger guard on your weapon is not exactly a safe choice. Not only can clothing zippers and strings get caught on it and pull, but it also gets the shooter in a bad habit of immediately placing their finger on the trigger before removing the gun.

We also discussed the pros and cons of having a ‘snap’ over of your gun to hold it in your holster. This not only makes it hard for someone to take your gun, but it also provides an extra step for you to take when you’re already in a bad situation. The instructor showed 2 alternative options. One holster was specifically made for her gun which allowed it to lock in tightly. The second option had a latch that you can to push forward in order to release the gun from the holster. This, in my opinion, was a great holster.

As I made my rounds from table to table, I tried on both leather holsters, Kydex holsters, and a combination of Kydex and leather. The fully leather holsters were a little unsturdy when faced with the weight of the handgun. Part of this could have been blamed on the belt I was wearing, but it was just falling forward. The Kydex holsters were surprisingly comfortable, although I felt it was a tad too bulky. My favorite was a Kydex/leather holster called Galco King Tuck. It fit inside of my jeans and clipped over my belt to help keep it in place. It fit nicely in the small of my back and would easily conceal a 9mm handgun.

TIP: To help break in a leather holster, add leather conditioner to the inside of the holster. Wrap your UNLOADED handgun in saran wrap and work in and out over and over again.

This Kydex holster is held up by my belt. Didn’t fall forward like the fully leather holsters, but did sag a little bit.

This was one of the leather holsters that I did like. It clipped to the inside of my jeans. It was extremely comfortable and laid close on my abdomen.

Below are photos of the Galco King Tuk (my favorite holster of the night). I took photos of the holster with and without a gun, just to give a better idea of how it fits into the back of my jeans. I then went over to the shoulder holsters that were laid out. I had thought about purchasing a shoulder holster in the past for when I want to carry during winter months. However, once it was held up and we put it on, I noticed that the gun in the holster points backwards. At first, this wouldn’t seem like too much of a big deal, except this means that you’re gun is pointing at people behind you. One of the first rules you learn when shooting is to always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.

The next holster I tried on was an ankle holster. I wouldn’t necessarily use this as my primary weapon, but it would definitely be a good back-up. The instructor also brought up the point that this would be easier to access in the event that you’re sitting in a car or laying on the ground during an attack.

The next couple of holsters I tried on were different style ‘belly belts’. They kind of reminded me of an ace bandage. Although they were extremely comfortable, having velcro hold my handgun up makes me a little uneasy.

Next, I looked over a table of purses made for concealed carry. Built-in holsters and removable holsters were both options. I’ve always been hesitant about purses because people can easily take them from you. If an attacker demands your purse, you are left either unarmed and/or having to call the police to inform them that a criminal now has your handgun (that’s assuming you didn’t have your phone in your purse).

In the event that you would prefer to carry in your purse, the instructor recommended using a revolver because the slide won’t catch on any fabric and you can continue to shoot.

The last one we spoke over was a thigh holster. We were advised to always place the holster on the inside of your non-dominant leg. This makes it easy to grab and easier to conceal. (If gun was placed on the outside on your dominant leg, you will have a gun print showing through your dress).

An important thing to remember when you’re considering to carry a concealed handgun is to keep it with you 100% of the time. Practice how to draw from your holster and get comfortable wearing it. The meeting was extremely informative and I really enjoyed looking into all of the different options. To end the evening, we grabbed our guns and filled the lanes. It never hurts to get a couple rounds of target practice in!

Texas Senate approves bill allowing open carry

On March 17, 2015, we were informed that the Texas Senate was one small step away from approving a bill that would allow people to openly carry handguns in the state. Read full article on KHOU.

Texas is one of 6 states who do not permit open carry of handguns, even though open carry of shotguns and rifles is permitted in the state.

Though some have their own sets of reservations with the passing of this law, state Senator Huffman believes that these trained citizens will act responsibly. Plus, this bill does not permit just anyone to openly carry their firearm. In order to openly carry, one must already hold a license to carry concealed and their firearm must be carried in either a shoulder holster or a belt holster. Documentation of proper training (classroom and firing range instruction) and a criminal background check are required in Texas in order to obtained a CCW.

In addition to Bill 17, the senate gave final approval to a proposal that would allow certain people with proper licenses to carry concealed on college campuses.

A House panel is set to consider both gun bills on Tuesday.