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8/26/2014

Gun Maintenance for Protection Firearms

By Guest Contributor 

women with guns and proper firearm maintenance
Although firearm sales have fallen over the past couple of years, U.S. citizens still own an estimated 300 million guns. Most are owned legally for hunting and self-protection, but every year there are around 75,000 gun related injuries and nearly a thousand accidental deaths. Owning a firearm for your protection is a big decision, so if you're thinking about it, you need to know everything from how it works to proper cleaning to making sure it stays out of the wrong hands.


8/12/2014

Lesson from Robin Williams' Death

By Gabby

I doubt I am the only one who can say without much hesitation, that Robin Williams was my favorite comedian. I could watch his movies, routines and appearances and laugh until I cried, even if I had seen them many time before. However, I would always watch him and suspect that what we were seeing was only half of the story. Today we learned of his passing and it is suspected that his death was by his own hand. While we mourn this loss, I feel the moment should not go by without recognizing the root cause of this tragedy.

7/23/2014

Tales From a 3 Gun Beginning: Thinking Like a 3 Gunner

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

3 gun competitors James Casanova, Janna Reeves & beginner, Gabby Marcuus
After training with top 3 gun pro-shooters for months now, I have begun to understand their methodology. I like 3gun as a shooting competition, because it’s all about assessing a situation and thinking on your feet. Every stage can be tackled a number of different ways and every shooter will have their own technique for approaching one. At this past weekends ATL3Gun match, a shotgun-only stage had my squad a bit puzzled. There were 18 clays spread throughout a “jungle” environment. Some clays were hidden behind trees and could only been seen from specific angles. Further, there was no obvious path through the shooting area.

7/21/2014

Tales From a 3 Gun Beginning: Selecting A First Match

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

how a gun girl chooses her girls 3 gun match
I learned so much from my first 3gun match, but now, after a month has passed, I feel it time to boil down the data into a few simple lessons that other beginners might find useful.

7/17/2014

Tales From a 3 Gun Beginning: Ma Duece

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

gun girl shooting 3 gun match ArmedCandy
The last stage of my first day at the Freedom Munitions Memorial Match was filled with multiple 3 gun clichés. Firstly, they included a “pick-up gun”. A pick-up gun is a surprise firearm, often provided by a sponsor, which is meant to throw a shooter for a loop. Often the shots with the pickup gun are are not scored or they only affect one’s time. They are not usually anything one can prepare for, but they can be a great opportunity to get behind some pretty rare weapons. Also, we were provided ammo by the title sponsor for our shotguns, which was staged in a dump barrel.

7/14/2014

Tales From a 3 Gun Beginning: All Shotgun

By Gabby For Gun Nuts


For the past few months I have been amazed at how much I am enjoying the shotgun portion of my 3gun training. While it’s easier to hit a target it’s takes more brute force to control than a pistol or rifle. Yet even with my pathetic excuse for upper body strength, I really like this new challenge.

7/09/2014

Tales From a 3 Gun beginner: 2 Stages Complete

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

girl with rifle shoots 3 gun match
In my second stage of the Freedom Munitions Memorial match there was no rifle work, only shotgun and then pistol. There was some running down stairs after ditching ones shotgun. I wondered, “What’s with this stage designer?” Ladders (see my post about the first stage of this match), stairs… What’s next? Rappelling??!?

7/02/2014

Tales From a 3 Gun Beginner: First Stage

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

gabby shoots her first 3 gun stage

Though I have been practicing in my coaches’ backyard range, which includes an abandoned horse barn, a chicken coop and a rusty horse walker, the first stage I encountered at the Freedom Munitions Memorial match at Clinton Plantation was more complicated than any I had ever tried. It began with a pistol draw from the belt and shots at a dueling tree from behind the hood of an old suburban.

6/30/2014

Myths & Facts: 3 Gun Pro Squad

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

Janna Reeves, Gabby Marcuus and James Casanova at Freedom Munitions Memorial Match June 2014At many major 3 gun matches, big name, sponsored, professional shooters are placed on a squad together. This tends to keep them out of reach of the other shooters at the match. Because of this system, the pro squad seems to hold some mystique. I have heard some people’s beliefs about being on this elusive squad and some of these opinions really make me giggle. So, after shooting the Freedom Munitions Memorial Match at Clinton House Plantation in South Carolina last weekend and being the greenest member of the pro squad, I feel it is my duty to set the record straight.

5/30/2014

Gun Shaped Object Contest, Beginning Right Now!!

By Gabby

gun shaped contest guess the object from Janna Reeves collection and winI'm not sure how many of you are aware of this, but Miss Janna Reeves is a collector of all things miniature and gun related. I am based at the Noveske Shooting Team Playhouse for the weekend and every time I turn around I find more goodies that have a barrel and trigger, but nowhere to put ammo! It's like a fun little treasure hunt to see how many items in this house are gun shaped, but not actually guns.

I've been trying to think of a way that y'all could enjoy this hunt with me, and then a light bulb went off... 
Today I will start a contest!

5/08/2014

3 Gun Decisions: Shotgun Speed Loading Method

By Gabby

3 gun shotgun speed loading methodsPart of the interesting thing about 3 Gun, is that it's all about decisions. Some are made on the fly, others are made when selecting gear, but each one comes with trade-offs. When choosing a shotgun loading method, you can go with weak hand, strong hand, load one at a time, load more. The list goes on and on.

5/07/2014

Losing Relationship Weight with 3Gun


By Gabby for Gun Nuts

gun girl notices some fatI'm sure I shared with you guys that at the end of last summer I met my ideal match; Lets call him "Big J". He's a dream boat and after many years of the single-life I feel incredibly lucky and blessed. One of our many shared interests is food. He loves to cook and we spend a lot of time in the kitchen together. Since he's a meat and potatoes kind of guy we often have big meals that include a protein and a startch, a combination that had formerly been a rarity in my life.*


4/30/2014

Everytown Website Helps Nobody

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

Everytown for Gun Safety website offers scary statistics but few solutionsBy now everyone has heard of former Mayor Bloomberg’s latest project “Everytown for Gun Safety”. It’s no surprise that Everytown’s launch occurred on the same day as the opening of the 2014 NRA Annual Meetings, if for no other reason than it gave Everytowners a single location and group of people to focus their opening move. It was especially necessary to have something like NRAAM for Everytowners to attack since, from my research, they have very little legitimate arguments to unite them. I was willing to give this new group the benefit of the doubt. I could have overlooked the Bloomberg backing if the group actually did what they said and spread the word about “gun safety”. However, the website behind the name lived up to none of it’s promises. In fact, I found that the website of “Everytown for Gun Safety” offers nothing but scare tactics and empty statements.

4/28/2014

3 Gun Tip: Running

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

gabby of ArmedCandy practicing 3 gun and learning how to run and gunIn many shooting competitions when you see a small shooting box demarkation on the ground you know, this is the spot from which I will shoot. These boxes are usually about two feet by two feet. Shooting from anywhere outside this box is a really bad idea. But in 3 gun this is not exactly the case. Shooting boxes are often huge and they give the shooter a lot of freedom. As I began learning about 3 gun and attempting to combine running, shooting and thinking, this freedom began to confuse the heck out of me.

4/27/2014

Second Annual Concealed Carry Fashion Show

By Dana

Stylish decorations for the 2nd annual concealed carry fashion showAbout two weeks ago I headed to the Second Annual Concealed Carry Fashion Show with my friends Amy and Stephanie, and we had a great time! For those of you who may not know, Trish Culter, the pistol permit clerk in Columbia County, New York, came up with the fantastic idea to hold a concealed carry fashion show to help educate and train women how to carry firearms safely.
This year the fashion show was held at Birch Hill in Schodack, NY which was a much better setting for a fashion show and was able to accommodate a larger crowd than last year. I think they said 450 people attended this year which is fantastic.  We arrived when the doors opened at 3pm and, after checking in, immediately went into the main room.  And boy did it look amazing!  

4/21/2014

Fear of the "How did that criminal get a gun?" Question

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

do gun owners fearing a discussion about how guns are procured by criminalsWhen a tragedy occurs, it is human nature to attempt to reason our way through it. We have all sorts of questions, and everyone of them is valid and reasonable to the mind of their creator. Yet, when I asked, last week, that we assess how the perpetrator of the Overlandpark, KS shootings procured his guns, the response was a virtual sock stuffed in my mouth.


4/17/2014

Jews Ready to Take Up Arms Yet?

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

Jews and gunsI’ve just returned from another visit to New York City. I was there to celebrate with my family, the holiday of Passover, the redemption of the Hebrews from slavery in ancient Egypt. The night before we were to begin the festivities, breaking news came over the air waves. Jews had been targeted outside Kansas City. Many questions can now be raised about the man who perpetrated these crimes; Since he had been previously indicted on weapons charges, in 1987, how did he get the guns used in these crimes? As a known white supremacist in the area, why was no one able to prepare for and stop the suspect, prior to his attacks. But as we watched the details unfold, these were not my questions.


4/14/2014

Chivalry and the Gun Girl

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

Janna Reeves Cheering on Gabby of ArmedCandy as they practice 3 Gun"Ladies first," is no longer a term that carries any meaning. Doors are not heald open anymore and checks are split on dates. One could say that these were signs of the women's liberation movement winning the equality battle, but that's only if we make the mistake of equating genteel behavior with inequality. It's the fault of both parties involved. Men should be holding themselves to a minimum standard of gentlemanly behavior. Women should demand the treatment due to a lady...As long as she acts like a lady.


4/10/2014

We're Reading- "5 ways to stay focused during a matchHunting, shooting, fishing and adventure for women by women"

5 ways to stay focused during a matchHunting, shooting, fishing and adventure for women by women

The Rogers Report: Randi Rogers shares ways to beat stress and tedium associated with shooting competitions. One of the reasons that I love shooting is the rush that you get. ...



read more at http://ift.tt/1n7NlW8

4/08/2014

First Look Review: SIRT Pro from Next Level Training

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

SIRT Pro training pistol reviewAfter reviewing a number of laser training systems, I now have the pleasure of testing Next Level Training's SIRT Pro Training Pistol. I got a few minutes with this tool at SHOTShow 2014, and was very impressed with the realism of the product. The SIRT Pro is shaped just like a Glock 17. The slide is metal and the frame plastic, just like the real thing. Even the weight is similar and it has a detachable weighted magazine. The SIRT has two built-in lasers. The laser that comes from within the muzzle is green and appears when the trigger is fully depressed. A red laser appears from just below the muzzel and is activated anytime the trigger is touched. It is called the "trigger prep laser". A small switch on the top of the slide allows the user to turn the trigger prep laser on or off. These are the only function options the SIRT offers. Why would you want the trigger prep laser on or off? Well, if you want to see the difference in the movement of the gun from the beginning to end of your trigger press, the first light can be helpful. It can also be useful to an instructor who is watching over your shoulder.


4/08/2014

We're Reading- "Rockcastle Shooting Center – Where Southern hospitality and firearms meetHunting, shooting, fishing and adventure for women by women"

Rockcastle Shooting Center – Where Southern hospitality and firearms meetHunting, shooting, fishing and adventure for women by women

She Shoots 2: Michelle Cerino describes why she loves Rockcastle Shooting Center and its women-only courses. Shoot The Rock! What? Isn’t that dangerous? No, silly, that’s just what we say when we are heading to Rockcastle Shooting Center (The Rock) at Park Mammoth Resort in Park City, Ky. ...



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4/03/2014

3 Gun Gear - Competition Belt

By Gabby

CR speed competition belt explained
If you think you're going to show up at a 3 gun match with your concealed carry belt or a basic reinforced nylon belt, you've got another thing coming. The other night I tried to load up my Uncle Mikes Reinforced Instructors Belt and run a few speed loading drills with my new shotgun, and all I got was a rude awakening.

A double layered belt is an absolute necessity for 3 gun.[tweet this]
The following images are of a CR Speed belt, but there are a number of other companies who make similar models.

4/02/2014

Good Sportsmanship Comes Natural to Gun People

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

competitive shooting naturally breeds good discipline behavior and sportsmanshipMaybe I'm biased, but I have seen more impressive acts of true sportsmanship from the competitive shooting community than from any other sport in America. Everything from the courtesy extended to me when I visit a match to the written rules of the 3 Gun Nation, lead me to feel this way. I would even go so far as to say that children who participate in the shooting sports seem to be better behaved and have better manners than any other group of kids I've seen. Can this all be credited to guns?

3/31/2014

3Gun Drills

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

3gun drills Gabby learned from training with some of the Noveske shooting teamWhile practicing and learning 3 gun stuff with Janna Reeves and James Casanova (two members of the Noveske Shooting Team) I learned a little bit about how to train. Since running through stages isn't always feasible and isn't necessarily the most effective way to attack specific skills, we began with some small drills. The first was designed to speed up target acquisition and the second pushed accuracy as well as physical stamina.

To set up the first drill, called a "Par Drill," one needs a shot timer with the ability to sound a second buzzer once a pre-set amount of time has elapsed. The shooter stands at low ready. This drill can be done with any type of gun but the target should be adjusted for whatever firearm is being used. We practiced with our rifles and a gong target set up at about 50 yards. The buzzer sounds and the shooter should get thier sights on target and then take the shot. This is done five times and then an average is calculated.


 Read more at Gun Nuts
©2014 ArmedCandy,LLC

3/27/2014

We're Reading- "7 Tips for introducing young girls to shootingHunting, shooting, fishing and adventure for women by women"

7 Tips for introducing young girls to shootingHunting, shooting, fishing and adventure for women by women

Marti Davis Afield: Marti shares ways to get young girls interested in shooting. I grew up in a family that has always enjoyed the outdoors. To be honest, I can’t even remember my first time shooting. I can tell you this; it has been at least 30 plus years ago, probably closer to 35. ...



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3/26/2014

Expensive Gear does not make the Competitive Shooter

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

learning to shoot competitively has nothing to do with buying expensive gearDoes expensive gear make you a better competitive shooter? We've all seen that guy, rolling up in a zombie hunter H3, always buying guns, but never actually goes to the range to shoot. It's easy to get into all the gear, especially in 3Gun, but knowing how to use it is key when the buzzer sounds. Should a beginner spend a few thousand on their first long gun so they can get into competing or just a few hundred and then dive into training? Extended controls and low drag whatsits may make a person appear knowledge-able, but will they shave seconds off your time, like they do for the pros?

3/24/2014

First Run at a 3Gun Stage

By Gabby For Gun Nuts

The gong to start with is at 50 feet. There's another at an angle, so let's say 60 feet, with four steel poppers inbetween. I am allowed to start moving and engage two silhouettes with two plates attached to each. Dump the rifle with safety on and pick up shotgun. Break nine clays and come around a table to either, knock down five steel targets with shells or dump the short gun and take on the rest with pistol. One silhouette to the right, another with a plate to the left. Two more steel gongs and five steels to knock down at the end.