May 15, 2013

How to Shop for a Gun
by
Related Topics: Basics 101 Buyers Guide Firearms How To    

There is one thing we women know how to do with certainty—and that is shopping! However, if you are anything like me, shopping for an item you don’t know much about, like cars or electronics (in my case), can be daunting and exhausting. I’m skeptical of salespeople and mechanics pulling the wool over my eyes, selling me something overpriced or that I don’t need. If you are new to the gun world, you might not know exactly where to start when shopping for a gun. To make things a little easier, let us look at shopping for guns like shopping or clothes or shoes—by occasion, size, price, and looks.

Occasion

I love to shop just for fun or when I want something new. However, there are plenty of times I hit the mall for a special occasion. What you buy for a bachelorette party will not be the same outfit you pick out for your niece’s graduation. Guns are the same way. While many guns serve more than one purpose, designers usually have one specific task in mind.

Semi-Auto Pistols and Revolvers

To narrow your choices, first figure out the primary reason you want to purchase a gun. If it is for self-defense in the home, you will want to start narrowing your choices by calibers suited for protection. This means you need a gun that shoots a bullet powerful enough to stop a threat. Experts and self-proclaimed experts—including salespeople at the gun store—do not 100 percent agree on which caliber is best for self-defense. Most agree, though, the .380 ACP is the absolutely smallest round adequate for self-defense. Other calibers to try are .38 Special, .357 Magnum, 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP.

If you plan to carry the gun, whether open or concealed, the size of the gun will matter. Fortunately, there are plenty of thin, smaller handguns on the market that are easy and comfortable to carry and conceal.

Many swear by shotguns for home defense.

Many swear by shotguns for home defense.

Shotguns

Many swear by shotguns for home defense. A 12-gauge or 20-gauge pump-action shotgun is easy to use and has the knock down power to stop a threat. If you are interested in expanding your shooting to include hunting, shotguns serve a dual purpose.

Rifles

The AR-15, chambered in .223 Remington, is becoming increasingly popular for home defense. Further, the AR-15 is good for competition, target shooting and hunting. Typically, other rifles, such as a bolt-action or lever-action in traditional rifle calibers such as .308 Winchester or .243 Winchester are not used, nor recommended for home defense.

Size

The way the gun fits and feels in your hand, along with the placement of the controls on the gun, will affect how well you shoot. Just like that blister-inducing pair of patent leather purple stilettos you bought for your cousin’s wedding, if your gun doesn’t feel good, you aren’t going to want to use it. Training with your gun is one of the most important aspects of gun ownership—especially if you are buying a gun for self-defense. The gun you buy needs to be pleasant to shoot.

When you grip the gun in your hand, it should feel secure. Further, the safety and magazine or cylinder release should be reachable without having to maneuver the gun much. It shouldn’t take two hands to have to manipulate any of the controls. Much like shoes, you will have to try quite a few different guns to find the perfect fit.

Looks

My mom shops for cars with one thing in mind—is it red? As long as the car is reliable, safe and within budget, I find nothing wrong with narrowing down the choices by looks. Personally, I think its okay to turn down a gun because you think it is ugly. Gun designers not only think about functionality but aesthetics as well when designing new firearms. Do you like angular lines like the SIG P239 or the Beretta PX4 Storm with its unique robust bubbly roundness? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We all have our own individual tastes. Just because the guy at the gun counter thinks you should like the look of a pink gun, doesn’t mean you do. If you like how the Glock looks, then pick the Glock.

You can switch out stocks and furniture on long guns. After-market accessories come in a wide variety of different colors, like pink, camo, neon green, and skull patterns. So if you find a gun that you like, but don’t like the black, you can change out the stock for something different. Grips on many pistols and revolvers are also interchangeable.

Budget

Decide how much you can spend on the gun of your choice. Having a budget will narrow your choices further. Guns range in price from several hundred dollars to thousands.

Another thing to consider is the price of keeping the particular firearm you choose in good functioning order. Will it have to go to the gunsmith for repairs or upgrades? Does it require cleaning after every range trip to function properly? Have you ever purchased a cute shirt at full price just to get it home and find out it is dry clean only? Annoying isn’t it?

This picture shows a wall of guns at a gun shop.

To make things a little easier, let us look at shopping for guns like we would shop for clothes or shoes.

You will need to feed your gun ammo. If you are buying the gun to plink or join a shooting league, then .22 Long Rifle is cheap and easy to find. However, depending on market fluctuations, for example currently and in the past, certain calibers can be expensive or difficult to find.

When I have to purchase something, like a new bag or a new dress, that is considerably more than I normally spend on clothes or shoes, I like to justify my purchase by breaking down the cost per wear. If I spend $350 on a new Coach purse that I will carry for over a year, it is less than a dollar a day. For a top-quality accessory, the price is worth it. Think about your gun the same way. You aren’t going to skimp on your wedding dress or engagement ring. Your gun is the same. Invest in a high-quality gun, because what you put in to it will be worth it in the end.

What kind of roadblocks have you hit in shopping for a new gun and how did you overcome them? Do you have any shopping advice for newcomers? Tell me about it in the comment section.

For more information about purchasing your first gun read the following blogs:

 

Like this article? CLICK HERE to get stories like this, useful tips, and valuable resources every other weekend in your e-mail inbox.

The mission of Cheaper Than Dirt!’s blog, “The Shooter’s Log,” is to provide information—not opinions—to our customers and the shooting community. We want you, our readers, to be able to make informed decisions. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt!

May 5, 2013

Handgun Basics 101: Get a Good Grip
by
Related Topics: Basics 101 Handguns How To Shooting Techniques    

When I first started shooting handguns, I had issues gripping my handgun correctly. The grip refers to how you hold the gun. A proper grip will help absorb recoil, provide shots that are more accurate and is safe. Gripping a gun properly can feel unnatural if you have never shot before. It can feel really unnatural if you have been shooting with an improper grip. Your instinctive grip might be unsafe, especially on a semi-automatic pistol. Every time you pull the trigger to shoot a semi-auto, the slide moves back. If your thumbs are in the way, there is a possibility of the slide hitting them.

To grip the gun, first find your strong side and dominant eye. I am right-handed, but more importantly, my dominant eye is my right eye. My strong side is my right hand. Take your dominant hand and form an L shape with your thumb extended away from your fingers.

Bring the gun into the web of your palm. Hold the gun high up into your palm so that the bottom of the slide and the top of the backstrap rests on the top of the squishy part. Minus your thumb and index finger, wrap the rest of your fingers around the grip of the pistol.

Take your index finger and point it straight out and rest it above the trigger guard on the frame of the gun. Your thumb rests under the slide on the opposite side of the gun, pointing toward the target. If your gun has a thumb safety, your thumb should be in close proximity so that you may flip it off and on without much movement of either hand.

With your weak-side, in my case this is my left hand, bring it up around the hand already gripping the gun. Place your index finger under the trigger guard, on top of your strong-side middle finger. The trigger guard should rest between the first and second joint of your weak-side index finger. Your weak-side thumb should rest on top of the strong-side thumb in the exact same position. Both thumbs are pointing forward facing the target and down away from the slide.

Now that you have the gun firmly in both hands, you will want to create a push-pull to absorb recoil when you take the shot. Push forward on the gun with your strong hand and pull back with your weak-side hand.


To grip the gun, first find your strong side hand.
Take your dominant hand and form an L shape with the thumb extended away from your fingers.
Bring the gun into the web of your palm.
Your weak-side thumb should rest on top of the strong-side thumb in the exact same position.
Minus your thumb and index finger, wrap the rest of your fingers around the grip of the pistol.
The trigger guard should rest between the first and second joint of your weak-side index finger.
If your gun has a thumb safety, your thumb should be in close proximity so that you may flip it off and on without much movement of either hand.
There are alternative ways you can hold your thumbs—pointed slightly down, locked together, and up and out of the way from the gun’s frame.
Now that you have the gun firmly in both hands, you will want to create a push-pull to absorb recoil when you take the shot.

There are alternative ways you can hold your thumbs—pointed slightly down, locked together, and up and out-of-the-way from the gun’s frame. However, most of us at Cheaper Than Dirt! grip it with our thumbs forward. For me, this grip feels more natural, my focus is forward on my target, my thumbs are safely out-of-the-way of the moving slide, and I can also manipulate the gun’s controls quickly and easily from this position.

You can solve many accuracy problems by correcting your grip. Though, not a definitive answer to all issues, Cheaper Than Dirt! has free, downloadable diagnostic targets that may help you identify your shortcomings.

If you have a revolver, your grip will differ from a semi-automatic handgun. To learn how to safely grip a revolver, read the post Get a Grip and Don’t Lose Your Thumb! How to Correctly Grip Your Revolver.

If you are a beginner shooter or a brand-new gun owner and missed the following basic how-to articles, you can find them here:

 

Like this article? CLICK HERE to get stories like this, useful tips, and valuable resources every other weekend in your e-mail inbox.

The mission of Cheaper Than Dirt!’s blog, “The Shooter’s Log,” is to provide information—not opinions—to our customers and the shooting community. We want you, our readers, to be able to make informed decisions. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt!

April 24, 2013

It’s Okay to be Nervous
by
Related Topics: Basics 101 Range Gear Training    

I have a confession to make. I am not a huge fan of the gun range. Now don’t get me wrong—I love to shoot, just not at the range. I prefer to practice on my friend’s property. Why don’t I like the range, you ask. Quite frankly, it makes me nervous. It’s perfectly okay to be nervous when you go to the range, because it means you respect the power of the firearm in your hands.

It’s Loud

Standing next to people shooting larger calibers can make me flinch.

Standing next to people shooting larger calibers can make me flinch.

Even doubled up with earplugs and earmuffs, the gun range can be loud. When I’m sandwiched in between two people shooting .45 ACP, it takes me a few minutes to stop flinching every time someone shoots. This affects my concentration and further, flinching at the wrong time means I take horrible shots. Numerous studies show, on average, women have more sensitive hearing than men. Even though you may think it shows you are scared, it’s okay to instinctively flinch at the noise. However, it can affect your ability to shoot well.

Solution

Wear good hearing protection. You want hearing protection with at least a 28 NRR rating. Passive earmuffs that cover your ears entirely, have a comfortable non-slip plastic headband and won’t get in the way of your rifle stock are best. Pair them with a set of disposable earplugs for extra protection.

To get used to the noise, I take a few minutes to organize my shooting bay. I load magazines, set up my targets and make sure I have everything I need while I’m shooting. After I’ve done this, I find I am used to the noise and have stopped jumping.

There are Unfamiliar People

Just because you are safe, doesn’t mean everyone else.

Just because you are safe, doesn’t mean everyone else.

Just because you are safe, doesn’t mean everyone else is. Though I trust my local shooting range, things can happen very fast. Some people’s mistakes can be beginners’ ignorance or accidents waiting to happen. I am always on alert of other’s behavior. The last time I went to the range, as I was packing up after finishing shooting, I turned to leave and a man had entered my bay. He was standing way to close for comfort. He told me I needed to take a few steps back so that my brass would stop hitting his son. I apologized kindly and left. Was he about to touch me to get my attention while I was shooting? (A big no-no by the way.) I will never know. However, there is range etiquette and apparently, I had broken it.

Solution

Find a range you trust. A good range should be clean and comfortable with attentive range officers constantly watching for everyone’s safety.

Also, take a buddy. Ninety-nine percent of the time I go to the range with a shooting buddy. My local range allows two people to share one shooting bay. This way my friend and I can look out for each other. (And make sure someone isn’t invading our personal space.)

I am Self-Conscious

Just do your best. No one is perfect. The more you practice the more self confident you will become.

The more you practice, the more self confident you will become.

Being a female shooter can be difficult. People will make assumptions about your abilities. Usually, people are helpful, but sometimes people border on making me feel stupid. No one likes feeling stupid. When you feel like you are doing everything wrong—regardless if you are doing it wrong or not—it affects your shooting ability. If you think everyone is staring at you—they aren’t—you will most likely stumble and shoot poorly. Think about it. Are you critiquing everyone else? Of course you aren’t. Like you, they are too focused on what they are doing to pay attention to you or me.

Solution

Get over yourself! Just do your best. No one is perfect and trying to reach an unobtainable goal is frustrating. If you are anything like me, getting frustrated ruins your performance.

Take classes, clinics and training. If you are short on cash, while checking in at your shooting range ask if there is an RO available to give you a few pointers. The range officers at my shooting range are always willing and available to help.

Practice, practice, practice! The more you go to the range, the more comfortable you will feel. Further, practicing at home makes you more comfortable and confident with your grip, stance, sight alignment, and with the function of your gun.

Ladies, are you nervous when you go to the range? Tell me why and how you overcome it in the comment section.

 

Like this article? CLICK HERE to get stories like this, useful tips, and valuable resources every other weekend in your e-mail inbox.

The mission of Cheaper Than Dirt!’s blog, “The Shooter’s Log,” is to provide information—not opinions—to our customers and the shooting community. We want you, our readers, to be able to make informed decisions. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt!

April 21, 2013

Survival Planning 101: Preparing for a Flood
by
Related Topics: Basics 101 General Guest Posts How To Preparedness Survival    

While Superstorm Sandy was pounding the East Coast, nearly 3,000 miles away in the Pacific Northwest, forecasters were warning local residents of the potential of flash flooding. The fact is a flood can strike anywhere and at anytime.

Floods are one of the most costly of all natural disasters. In the last 10 years, flooding cost the U.S. more than $2.9 billion dollars in damage. Of all presidential-declared U.S. natural disasters, 90% involved flooding.

Flooding can and has happened in all 50 states. Although you may live in a low-risk area, emergency preparedness officials want you to remember this, if it rains where you live, even a minimal amount each year, than it has the potential to flood. Flooding can happen in a matter of minutes as is the case with flash flooding. Or you may have several days of advance warning of a threat from a flood, such as the type caused by spring thaws.

Plan Ahead

Flooded out House

This homeowner may not have had much flood damage inside the house; however, their drinking water was contaminated as flood waters surrounded their home. Due to all area rescue personnel being busy saving people from dangerous rushing high water a few miles away, this family was stranded inside for several days. Let’s hope they planned ahead.

Experts suggest you prepare two separate flood emergency plans. A plan for staying in your home and a plan in case you must leave your home. Determine how much water your family and home can handle before you have to evacuate.

If you stay, you need enough water, food and personal items for a minimum of five days. Often when flooding occurs your source for safe drinking water, even municipal water can be become contaminated. Buy space-saving larger sizes of drinking water in gallon-size or larger containers, but not too large you can not take it with you if you do have to leave. Food needs to be in waterproof packaging such as canned goods and do not forget the can opener. You will also need a supply of any prescription medications needed. Additionally you will want to keep a supply of personal hygiene products such as baby wipes and toilet paper at the ready. Do not forget flashlights, extra batteries, waterproof matches, garbage bags and a battery-powered weather radio. It is a good idea to keep some cash in your kit in case of a power outage prevents ATMs from working. Also, pack a dry change of clothes and outerwear for each person in the home. Zip plastic storage bags and plastic containers are a must to store everything you do not want wet or damp. Keep as many items as you can in a watertight container and keep it as high in your home as possible. In other words, do not store your flood kit in the garage.

If You Must Go

Flooded out Road

You never know what kind of danger is hidden under a flooded road. This road was covered with just a few inches of rushing water and looked harmless, but when the water receded the damage was obvious. Never drive across flooded roadways.

Plan ahead and know where your closest emergency shelters such as Red Cross set up during a flood. Shelters will have food, water and other necessities available. Only if it is safe and you have time, you can bring a few things from home such as important papers, a change of clothes and personal items. It is wise to keep all important papers such as insurance policies in a zip bag stored in a small document storage box with a handles making it quick and easy to grab on the run.

Never drive or walk through moving water. It only takes about 4 inches of moving water to carry a vehicle away. During a flood, the ground can become unstable and give way beneath you. What may look like a harmless trickle of water across a roadway can quickly become a death trap if the road has washed away below the surface. Most flood related deaths are associated with vehicles.

Flooding can scatter families so be sure and let every member of your household and your extended family knows about your emergency flood plans. Plus pick a designated meeting spot in case you are separated during a flood.

A flood of any size can be a traumatic event but there is no reason to fear. Simply plan ahead, take time to prepare, listen to directions from local authorities and use your head.

Although we can not prevent floods, we can prepare for them. There is no better time than now to start thinking about what you should to do to keep you and your family safe in the event of a flood.

Have you been through a flood? What did you do to prepare ahead? Were you caught off-guard? Tell us in the comment section.

 

Like this article? CLICK HERE to get stories like this, useful tips, and valuable resources every other weekend in your e-mail inbox.

The mission of Cheaper Than Dirt!’s blog, “The Shooter’s Log,” is to provide information—not opinions—to our customers and the shooting community. We want you, our readers, to be able to make informed decisions. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt!

April 17, 2013

Managing Recoil with the Correct Stance
by
Related Topics: Basics 101 How To Shooting Techniques    

Unfortunately, I have seen way too many pictures of women on the Internet incorrectly shooting guns. You know the picture or the YouTube video—the woman has a gun, she leans back to take the shot and the next thing you know the gun recoils back and hits her in the head or she drops it. Many people re-post these pictures on their Facebook wall and hilarity ensues; however, most of the time this mishap is not the woman’s fault. The person who gives them the gun fails to give them proper training or instruction. In all sincerity, it is not very funny to make fun of them, in fact, I’ve seen some women who could possibly be extremely dangerous. The perfect way to get a woman to never shoot again, make fun of her.

Why do so many women seem to instinctively lean back when they pick up a firearm? Some say it has to do with their center of gravity and upper body strength—or lack thereof. Others say it is because women are afraid of recoil. Either way, it happens and if you want to be a better shooter, you will need to stop leaning back. Even though leaning back may feel more natural, in same magical way it will not reverse the recoil of the gun. It is actually better to lean in toward your target to manage recoil.

Recoil is the rearward movement of the gun when fired. The force created by the build up and escape of the gasses pushes against the frame. You will also hear it called kick or kickback. The felt recoil is your perception of how hard the gun kicks as opposed to the actual measurable recoil. In my opinion, felt recoil is more important when choosing and shooting a gun.

I am a strong believer that most women can successfully overcome recoil. There are exceptions of course—injuries, arthritis, joint and other similar issues. All it takes is practice, the correct mindset and a comfortably correct stance. Managing recoil helps you become a better shooter. You get quicker and more accurate follow-up shots.

This in no way means I think every woman should shoot a .50 Action Express regularly. If you have been using a gun that generates too much felt recoil, dump that gun. (I’ve done it.) However, I do want you to be able to comfortably and accurately shoot a caliber suitable for self-defense.

There are many different stances in handgun shooting with Weaver, Isosceles and—the newest—Tactical being the most popular. Instructors, experts and competition shooters will argue over which one is best; however, most of us just modify whichever one feels most comfortable. I don’t want to get hung-up on the technicalities of each stance. Perfecting each stance will come later down the road once you get a bit more experience. For right now, I want you to focus on getting a good basic stance. For further explanation and images, the Cornered Cat has an excellent and informative article, simply titled Stance.

To manage recoil, get a good stance that provides proper balance and allows your entire frame to absorb the recoil. Each person will differ slightly in how he or she stands. It is important to feel comfortable in your favorite position.

This is a basic, self-defense stance.  To start, stand facing your target with feet shoulder-width apart. If you are shooting a more powerful caliber spread your feet slightly wider. Take your strong-sided foot and move it back slightly about six inches.

Your dominant eye is the one you use naturally to aim at your target. To find which eye is dominant, read the article Understanding Eye Dominance

I feel more comfortable by tilting my hips a little towards my dominant foot. This means I angle myself somewhat toward the target. Put most of your weight onto your forward, non-dominant foot. Relax your knees so they are slightly bent. Finally, lean forward at the waist into your target. Your shoulders should be in front of your knees.

Bring your gun up with both arms directly above your legs to form a triangle. Your elbows slightly relaxed. Do not lock up. Some people find it more comfortable to raise one shoulder or both shoulders. I tend to stay square with my shoulders down.

Once you get this basic stance down, you may want to adapt it a little to suit your own comfort level.

If you decide to take advanced-level classes or start competing, instructors can teach you different stances for different situations, but getting the fundamentals down correctly prevents developing bad habits.

Do you have a favorite stance? Tell us what it is and why in the comment section.

 

Like this article? CLICK HERE to get stories like this, useful tips, and valuable resources every other weekend in your e-mail inbox.

The mission of Cheaper Than Dirt!’s blog, “The Shooter’s Log,” is to provide information—not opinions—to our customers and the shooting community. We want you, our readers, to be able to make informed decisions. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt!
Older Posts »
iFrame Test