From sheep to empowered

[prdator]

Phoebe,

Good on you!!!!!
It looks like you are taking the right steps to be prepared.

My 2c on the Kahr is have some one smooth up the trigger and try that before you give up on it.

And on the Gift of Fear, we suggest that book to every class we teach!!
I like your self changed the way that I evaluate people. It truly is a mind opening book. ( and yes I'd never read it had I "known" about the anti gun parts but Im So glad I did.)

Who have you been training with ( firearms)??

Thanks
S

 

[Phoebe]

Kurt Gepke for my CCW.
John Pierson (former FrontSight) and Brian (gah, forgot his last name, but ex special forces of some sort and ex FrontSight too) for Defensive Handgun 101.

I'd like to train more, but money is often the limiting factor. I'm considering FoF with ShivWorks and keep trying to get some feedback from folks who have trained with them, but haven't found anything out yet.

I have considered some big name groups. But I've also found that if I think someone is a low life scum, it doesn't matter how great their training rep. I can't give them my money.

At this point, most of the training I'm doing is Krav Maga, rather than guns, but the two seem to be like peanut butter and jelly. Great together!

 

[NightSight]

Yours is truly an awesome and inspiring story! It's certainly too bad that you found yourself in such unfortunate circumstances in the past. You should be very proud of yourself for the transformation you have made. It is amazing that even through such an impersonal form of comunication, your self-confidence and attitude change come through so clearly.

I hope you don't mind me sharing this story with the women in my life. Good luck and keep it up.

 

[chris in va]

I'm not in love with the latter, but can't figure out a suitable replacement.

I understand your frustration, most of us blow through several firearms before finding THE ONE.

Try this. Write down everything you like about the PM9, and everything you don't. The takedown procedure is certainly formidible, as I have a K9. Lining up that slide juuuuust right can be a chore.

 

[Phoebe]

NightSight, please do feel free to share it.

I wish I could have done what I've done without having to move fast and furiously, out of terror. I wish I could have figured out ways to improve my safety and confidence without going through hell.

But I guess some of us need to be dragged and some are smart enough to do it on their own.

I was just too scared of guns. But necessity is a mother!

 

[MikeGoob]

Its great to hear your insights. Lots to learn here and pass on to people I know.

A tip about the Kahr: If you fold a cleaning patch a few times over (3 times or so), you can wedge it inbetween the slide and barrel as you pull it back to take down.

the witness marks line up perfectly and theres no wrestling with it once you have the slide locked back for you.

The takedown bar will loosen up, Ive found, but any blunt object, like the flat corner of a magazine, can help you push it out. Its really easy if you use this patch method.

 

[Balog]

Phoebe, if it's not too personal, may I ask what the origins of your initial fear of guns was?

 

[obxned]

I hope you can find some way to get your story out to the many other ladies who haven't gotten the message yet.

 

[Phoebe]

Balog, I was raised by a hippy mom in the Vietnam era. We weren't even allowed to point fingers and say, "bang."

Guns were for Bad People.
Guns made loud noises that scared me.
Guns could hurt me from recoil.
Guns could spit back hot brass.

Guns were also masculine. Self defense was masculine. Guns did not fit my self-identity.

And perhaps, most of all, I didn't understand how they worked, and reading about things like, "accidental discharge", made it sound like they were magical things that could somehow magically explode for No Good Reason.

In a work environment (retreat), I shot a 22 rifle and enjoyed it, but then someone gave me a 9mm. I fired one round and it scared the crap out of me.

I had not touched a gun before or since.

FWIW, my ex-hippy mom has owned a handgun for years, and she claims she can't understand how I grew up fearful of guns.

 

[Phoebe]

Mike, I will try that with the Kahr. Thanks!!!

obxned, I started a web site but didn't get too far with it. I wonder what publications might take an article. I've published other stuff, so it's not unrealistic to think perhaps I could write an article for a book or magazine.

If anyone knows of anything that might be relevant, let me know.

 

[Le Hermite]

New Member...

Hi Phoebe,

Just joined FiringLine today, so I hadn't seen your earlier posts....

Congratulations, for taking things in hand and dealing with them....

As I said, I'm new here today, but have been around firearms most of my life...

Time and again, I've seen women go from negativity and fear about firearms, especially handguns, if they actually get to using them, in a controlled situation...

As a woman shooter, you can really help spread the word...

Take Care....

Gary W. Bourbonais

 

[dinsmore83]

Phoebe- your background sounds a little like my wife's. she wasn't raised around guns at all, and her parents were both baby boomers of the hippie era. she was afraid of guns, so, I invited her to the range a couple months ago, where she tried a .22 revolver. now she wants to try more.

it was really good hearing your story, I read it before i started posting, and also wondered how things had turned out for you. it's good to see how things have progressed for you.

 

[IZZY]

pheobe,

Please take this as CONSTRUCTIVE critique, if you carry CCW "more often than not" it's murphy's law you will have problems when you are not carrying.

Ladies clothes can be more form fitting, and harder to ccw but there are options like the ruger LCP, micro desert eagle, and purses that handle even full sized handguns.

I say this because you are one of the "family" of shooters, and because we care.

as for a Shotty:

Saiga makes a 410 shotgun that is OK w/ buck for HD BTW...I may be a full blast 12ga "macho man", but others use it to good effect. basically the biggest gun you can shoot well...but you know that by now.

 

[Kyo]

Sup kay ;-p
reading the stuff you posted is what made me decide i have to teach my gf how to shoot, how to think differently. i think i will get her that book. I am getting an Sr9 for her to have at my house when I am not home. She loves everything but the trigger- but thats fixable. Plus the dog, and the auto-lights, and doors in the house.
I am glad you got your layers of protection. visit that no nonsense self defense website sometimes. I check it out once a month at least to refresh myself. Personally, I think I have an advantage as a guy because I can come across as the very WRONG guy to get near if need be. Women, have to work a little harder on that. Its good you found someone to enjoy your hobby with! My advice would be to get a pocket holster for the Khar- or a purse that has the secret area for either.
If you are going to get a shotgun, shoot a 12 gauge first to see how much kick you can handle. then go down if you need to. I picked up a new Mossberg Maverick for like 250 out the door. And if funds are killing you, try reloading. After the initial investment of a few hundred, it pays for itself within the first 1000 or less rounds. did for me anyway.
Just remember how big of a gap you have from a few months ago to now. Seriously don't forget it. You went from random scary guy to being smart and tactical. From not thinking to always thinking. I think that is the biggest difference. When you start carrying, you really start to think beyond what you are used to from before. good luck! Happy Late Hanukkah!

 

[Phoebe]

Dinsmore, the step from .22 to 9mm or 38spc, seems like a huge leap. I don't know how one gets past that chasm.

I had comfortably shot a .22 and when someone put a 9mm in my hands, that was (I thought) the end of my interest in shooting. Scared the crud out of me.

I got past it because I felt like I had no choice. I'm not sure how others who are fearful, make that leap. I wonder if, being told more of what to expect, might have helped me more.

Izzy, I know. My goal was to carry all of the time. My clothing is not always permitting it and though I dress around the gun a lot, I somehow can't bring myself to not wear certain things. And I have a huge aversion to purse carry. I can't get my brain wrapped around purse carry being helpful or safe.

Too slow to get to it + too likely to set it down somewhere + too likely for someone to grab my purse = BAD on all kinds of levels.

I don't preach anti purse carry to anyone else. But it feels wrong to me. I've had too many bad things happen with purses in my life.

I did see some undies for carry that could work with a skirt or dress (albeit hard to get to in a dress.) But I haven't ordered them. They are kind of like a retention tshirt. Not sure what else would work, but I love skirts and dresses and if a belly band won't work (often does), I can end up not carrying.

Kyo, good to see you again! I go to the No Nonsense SD web site fairly often. Lots of good stuff there. I also revisit Cornered Cat sometimes.

What is the cost per rnd for reloaded 9mm or .45? (Yes, I'm dreaming of a .45.)

Shotgun is probably a few months out. I'm okay shooting a 12gauge, but am very slow to rack it. Too slow. If I missed and needed to shoot again, I might be dead before I could get my next shot set up.

 

[Rmac58]

Sounds as if you're handling things properly. Self defense is a good thing. Sadly, too many folks are out there thinking they can have what they want regardless of the victim's rights.
Without consequences, there is chaos.
BG's need consequences brought down on 'em hard, you're on the right track, good for you.

 

[Kyo]

my cost per 100 rounds of 45 ACP is from 11-12 bucks compared to a reloaded box of 50 at the range that is 18+.
9mm's would be cheaper because the bullets would be cheaper.

 

[Buzzcook]

Phoebe, you were never a sheep. You just hadn't taken advantage of the options available to you.

 

[wally626]

Shotgun is probably a few months out. I'm okay shooting a 12gauge, but am very slow to rack it. Too slow. If I missed and needed to shoot again, I might be dead before I could get my next shot set up.

You can go with an auto loader or a double barrel shotgun if you dislike the pump action. You might also look into 20 gage shotguns.

 

[prdator]

Phoebe,

''I'd like to train more, but money is often the limiting factor. I'm considering FoF with ShivWorks and keep trying to get some feedback from folks who have trained with them, but haven't found anything out yet.''



Wile I have not trained directly with "ShivWorks" aka SouthNarc. I have trained with Mike Brown from USSA and with Tom Givens of Rangemaster. and they Speak VERY highly of SouthNarc!!!!!

Probably the most important training you can do is "MUC" or Managing Unknown Contacts and SouthNarc really started this kind of training!!
I would highly recommend you do a MUC class. Now if you want to take it to the next level take a ECQC class with SouthNarc or come take CQT with Mike Brown at USSA. I have done the CQT class and I have not looked at training the same since!!
Just be warned either class is VERY physical!!