Modern Women Warriors – Learning How to Use Guns For Personal Protection

I’ve written plenty of articles about Warrior Women in ancient cultures – whether it be about Norse Shield Maidens, Celtic Warrior Queens , or the Onna-Bugeisha in Japan. Yet one thing that I have not really written about in depth is the prospect of modern women unleashing their potential as shield maidens. In many ancient cultures, whether it be the Spartans, Mongolians, Celts or Viking Raiders – the womenfolk were normally taught how to use weapons and to defend themselves. This training wasn’t just reserved for the occasional shield maiden or warrior princess who was the daughter of a king, even Stay at Home Moms learned how to use knives, shields and a bow and arrow to the best of their ability. Norse graves reveal that many skeletons with weapons (who were previously assumed to be male) were female.

The problems of violence against women are very real, and very serious. In a time where funding for police officers and 911 dispatchers is getting cut, you can’t always rely on other people to provide for your safety. The world is a very dangerous place, and when the average man is almost twice the size of the average woman – a gun is sometimes a great equalizer, don’t you think! (Guns can be a gal’s best friend! Diamonds can suck it!)

I understand this is a hot button topic for many people – (a hot trigger for some). People have very strong views about guns one way or another. But I ask you to approach this topic with an open mind. If you are interested in purchasing and learning how to use a gun for personal safety, I would recommend you read this article. If you disapprove of guns, reading this article may still be useful in terms of understanding guns better.

LEARN THE BASICS OF GUN SAFETY

SAFETY FIRST: 

First of all, it goes without saying that a gun is a weapon meant to kill – not a toy. Before purchasing a gun, you should always review your state/country laws about guns and research which weapon would be best for your purposes – this is to protect your butt legally!

Here are a few simple rules that might seem obvious, but they need to be said anyways:

• Never point the gun at anyone, unless you intend to shoot – even if there are no bullets in the gun. It’s just not a good habit.

• Keep your gun locked up when you are not home – especially if you have a roommate or if you have children around.

• Be aware of your state’s laws on “brandishing.”  Waving a gun around in public when you are not threatened is actually a crime in many places. So try not to pull your gun out in public unless it is absolutely necessary.

• Write down your gun’s serial number. If the gun gets stolen, report the theft to the police immediately along with the gun’s serial number so you do not get blamed for any future crimes the person with your stolen gun commits.

• Don’t let anyone borrow your gun – this is for the reason I just mentioned above.

• If you plan on carrying your gun around with you, get a concealed weapon’s permit and research your state’s laws on this matter.

• NEVER put your finger on the trigger unless your eye is on the target and you are ready to shoot. Let’s say you are in the house and you hear something go bump in the night and you grab your gun for safety. Some people think putting their finger on the trigger will give them more time to shoot if there is a threat, but this is not true. Always assess the nature of the threat and shoot only as a last resort!!! You never know if that bump in the night is your spouse getting a midnight snack.

• Hold the gun with both hands and look down the barrel at your target, it’s very difficult to shoot one handed – most pros cannot even do this.

ALSO READ THE 10 RULES OF GUN SAFETY READING THIS LIST IS A MUST FOR GUN SAFETY

DISPELLING MYTHS: 

Guns can be an invaluable tool for protecting yourself in the case of a home robbery or assault – especially for women! However, there are many people who are too scared to get this valuable tool for self-defense because of some well ingrained myths in society. It is understandable if guns make you feel uncomfortable and you decide that they are not for you. Yet there is the reality that people fear what they do not understand. So allow me to correct some common misconceptions.

• “A gun is dangerous, because it might go off if I drop it!” Any gun built after 1901 was designed not to go off after being dropped. You can run over a gun with your car and you can drop it off a building (WOULD NOT SUGGEST), but it will only go off if you pull the trigger. 

• “Gun violence is getting worse!” This is a very sensitive topic, I do not mean to make light of, or demean anyone who has been the victim of gun violence. However, there are certain levels of hysteria that are distorting logic here. The reality is that gun violence overall is actually lower (at least in America) than it has been in the past. The number of non-fatal firearm violence is at a 10 year low, and the number of gun related homicides has also fallen since 1993. Statistics on the National Institute of Justice.

• Concerns over assault rifles are overblown: According to the FBI website, only around 300 people in the U.S. died from assault rifles in 2011. This means that more people were killed by knives than assault rifles. FBI Murder Data

RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH:Certain guns are better for women due to a lighter trigger and small size that allows you to place the gun perfectly inside of a handbag. NOTE: Small guns have a more powerful recoil. A gun with a smaller barrel is not easier to shoot – it is actually harder! So keep that in mind! 

So how do you figure out what gun is best for your purposes? Do you want something you can just store at home? Or do you want something you can conceal and carry around with you on a daily basis? These are all good questions to keep in mind when doing research on Google or talking to your local gun shop.

HANDGUNS – THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REVOLVERS AND SEMI-AUTOMATICS: 

There are many technicalities that I could go into here, but let me just review the basics of what you need to know to make your personal choice about what to purchase.

A semi-automatic will be easier to shoot and have less recoil. Yet semi-automatics are a bit more complicated in terms of maintenance and loading the bullets. A revolver is a pretty simple weapon to use. I personally favor revolvers in terms of personal safety and home defense.

GUN SUGGESTIONS: 

REVOLVERS:

Some people may want to stick to a low caliber gun, thinking that it is good to have something that is easy to shoot. However, a low caliber weapon may not be enough to deter a serious criminal from attacking you. Therefore, when it comes to revolvers, I would suggest getting a .357 Magnum. It’s small enough to keep in a handbag, and deadly enough to do what you need.

SEMI-AUTOMATICS:

While I don’t own a Semi-Automatic myself, I’ve heard that a Glock or Berreta 9 mm is the best fit for a woman’s hand.

BULLETS: 

Hollow point bullets will do the maximum damage needed to take down a target.

GO TO A SHOOTING RANGE! 

Before and after you buy your weapon of choice, go to a shooting range! You want to go before hand to test out what kind of gun is comfortable for you. You want to go afterwards to hone your aim and practice your skill. A gun will not do you any good sitting on your night stand if you don’t know how to use it.

TAKE A GUN SAFETY COURSE:

I would highly suggest this action before any purchase of a weapon. In many states, taking some kind of safety course is mandatory for getting the concealed weapons permit anyways.

RELATED LINKS

I hope this short gun guide told you the basics of what you need to know to buy a gun and defend yourself. If you are interested in additional research, check out the links below:

THE 10 RULES OF GUN SAFETY (THIS SITE IS A MUST)

NRA GUN SAFETY RULES

WHAT KIND OF GUN FOR A WOMAN

GUN LAWS