Today, I was trolling around on gun control sites and landed at some site sponsored by the Brady campaign. I like to hang out in enemy territory because understanding is the first step to refuting an argument. (As my psychologist husband often says, "Seek first to understand, then to be understood" - not my favorite saying, especially when he is trying to counsel me in the middle of an argument; to which I generally reply "Shoot first, ask questions later," but I digress.)

Anyways, one of their arguments was that eliminating guns from society would usher in a new age of peace and safety because even though only criminals would then have guns, there would be fewer criminals with guns overall. I thought - well, that presumes that any number of armed criminals against unarmed innocent victims is preferable to criminals having guns and citizens having the means to defend themselves. I can live with the latter, but not the former. And it's arrogant to presume that anyone should be prohibited from protecting themselves just to make others feel better.

Starting with the Fundamentals

10 Simple Rules of Life as a Gun Fighter

1. Bring a gun, preferably two.
2. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice.
3. Only hits count.
4. If your shooting stance is good, you're probably not moving fast enough or using cover correctly.
5. Keep shooting until the threat no longer exists.
6. If you can choose what to bring to a gun fight, bring a long gun and a friend.
7. In ten years, no one will remember the details of caliber, stance or tactics. They will remember only who lived.
8. If you are not shooting, you should be reloading or running.
9. Accuracy is relative; most combat shooting standards will be more dependent on "pucker factor" than the inherent accuracy of the gun.
10. Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.

Author Unknown - excerpt from Tactical Pistol Shooting, Erik Lawrence (2005)

Hello and welcome - This blog's dedicated to discussing thoughts and issues related to shooting and learning how to shoot well and reliably under stressful circumstances. With the number of new gun owners in the US since the 2008 election, it strikes me that novices may need some encouragement to get out the range and become experienced so that gun does not become a liability when you really need it. I fell in love the first time I shot a 1911 .45 ACP pistol, got my first gun on Mother's Day 2009, and have shot at least 4,000 rounds through all kinds of firearms since that day, I trust my enthusiasm will be contagious. Enjoy!