The Proper Shooting Position

By Kellene Bishop
While far too much emphasis is put into which caliber a person should carry, an issue significantly more important is the one that deals with the shooting stance. This article isn’t intended to be an exploration of all of the various stances that have been put out there by one camp or another, instead it’s written with the intent to ensure you put everything to your advantage as possible should you ever need to defend yourself. Continue reading

Should You Apply for a Concealed Carry Permit?

By Kellene Bishop

I am frequently asked how I feel about letting the government know I have a firearm. Folks seem to be a bit concerned for my well-being when they learn that I’ve applied for a concealed firearm permit. They are concerned that doing so somehow puts me on a list and now the government can know where to go to take my firearm. Well, that’s one way to put it, Ladies, but I see it very, very differently than that. Continue reading

Where Should You Wear Your Gun?

By Kellene Bishop

The other day I was on my way up to Salt Lake City to work a “self-reliance conference.”  My car has the entire back window taken up by a vinyl sign for Women of Caliber, mentioning the firearm and physical self-defense classes I offer. Being in a bit of a hurry, I zipped through a school zone without paying attention to my speedometer. After getting midway through the school zone, I slowed down, but if there was a police car watching for me or other speeders I most likely would have been pulled over for speeding.

Instinctively when I recognize Continue reading

It’s Always a Good Day to Teach a News Reporter How to Shoot!

So, yesterday morning I got up at “stupid-o-clock” so that I could hook up with a female news reporter from our local ABC news morning show. The premise was that she was discussing ways for women to better defend themselves and her research came across the fact that in 2009, National Shooting Sports reported a 73% increase in women buying guns! (yes, Obama–he really is the world’s best gun salesman, isn’t he?)

We met up at the range near my home in Provo Canyon amidst snow and sleet. But this gal was undeterred. It turns out that it was her very first time to ever shoot a firearm and she actually had been wanting to do so for some time. Unfortunately for her though, she discovered that there are very, very few FEMALE firearm instructors. Was she ever happy to discover that one of the few female instructors in the world is right here under her nose.

So after a little bit of safety, grip, and other procedural info we were to go live! Bless that gals heart! She shot a firearm for the very first time live on camera. She did awesome too! 13 years ago I would have broken down into the ugly cry after my first shot. Even more important, after less than 20 minutes of training, she was able to consistently hit a the targets. I was really impressed with her!

Here’s the link of the short clip they were able to show.

Women and Guns

 

She was sure to take the milk carton that she obliterated several times–as a souvenir. I’ve never seen someone so happy to be taking home a dirty milk carton! *grin*

Copyright Protected 2011, Women of Caliber and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

 

Now THAT’S What I Call Bling!

Now that’s what I call Christmas Bling

I’ve had the occasion recently to try out a new line of ammo.  I have to say. I think I’m in love with www.ammoforsale.com So, here’s what I tested and how it panned out.

Magtech 9mm Luger (115gr) – These came with the standard 9mm round-nose, full-metal-jacketed bullet seated in good, reloadable brass, and appearing to use an anvil primer. I ran these through a standard Beretta 92FS (tests 1 and 2) and a standard Gen 3 Glock 17 (tests 3 and 4) with my standard battery of four-target tests, which consisted of (test 1) ten rounds of slow-fire for accuracy, (test 2) ten rounds of two-shot double-taps, (test 3) fifteen rounds of three-shot triple-taps, and, finally, (test 4) fifteen shots of slow-fire for accuracy. All rounds functioned flawlessly with no stoppages, no misfires, and no feeding problems. Though it is hard to find a round that won’t pass through these two firearms, the same can not be said for the basic accuracy of several 9mm rounds that I’ve tested. These rounds passed my accuracy test with no problems, which shows a consistency in the bullet weight, the measured powder load, and the overall cartridge length (bullet seating). Of course, your accuracy mileage may vary since the shooter is usually the weak link in the firing process. Overall, this is a cartridge I would have no problem recommending to fellow shooting enthusiasts.

Seller & Bellot .40cal (180gr) – These came with the standard .40cal snub-nose, full-metal-jacketed bullet seated in good, reloadable brass, and using a sealed boxer primer. I ran these through a standard Beretta 96FS Brigadier (tests 1 and 2) and a standard Gen 3 Glock 22 (tests 3 and 4) with my standard battery of four-target tests, which consisted of (test 1) ten rounds of slow-fire for accuracy, (test 2) ten rounds of two-shot double-taps, (test 3) fifteen rounds of three-shot triple-taps, and, finally, (test 4) fifteen shots of slow-fire for accuracy. All rounds functioned flawlessly with no stoppages, no misfires, and no feeding problems. It is hard to find a round that won’t pass through these two firearms, and these rounds were no different. The same can not be said for the basic accuracy of several .40cal rounds that I’ve tested. These rounds passed my accuracy test with no problems, which shows a consistency in the bullet weight, the measured powder load, and the overall cartridge length (bullet seating). Of course, your accuracy mileage may vary since the shooter is usually the weak link in the firing process. Overall, this is a cartridge I would have no problem recommending to fellow shooting enthusiasts.

.50cal ammo can – Sure, it’s just meant to storage ammo or other supplies, but you have to admit that most .50cal ammo cans that you see look like they’ve been on the muzzle-end of a day at the range or dragged through every available mud-hole and sandpit east of the Mississippi before getting to you. Not so with this one; repainted to look near-new; clean inside and out; this can is one that you could set on the front table as a decoration – with the right doily on top, of course. Seriously though, this can is in good shape and great working condition. If all of their cans come looking like this, I know where to find my new supplier.

I believe you’ll find a broad range of offerings, and respectable pricing. Enjoy—no really, ENJOY!

Kellene Bishop

Founder Women of Caliber/ The Preparedness Pro

Ladies, Put Them on Notice

I was encouraged today to read of an 89 year-old Iowa woman who fired on a would-be burglar at her home. Yup. She hit him and he was injured.  She attempted to warn him that he had the wrong house but his alternate haze wouldn’t permit him to heed the warning. So, she did exactly what she warned him she would do.  She shot him with a handgun.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=711&sid=10462712

As I read this article, I couldn’t help but with wish that more women would step up to the plate to warn their would-be attackers, robbers, and murderers that they will not hesitate to fire if their life or well-being is threatened.  I particularly am concerned with the younger women who are so distracted with texting and using their cellphones when they should be more aware of their surroundings. The education and the permits do little good if they are not backed up by the mental fortitude to use them if necessary.  I say now is the time to put all would-be criminals on notice that women refuse to be the prey any longer.  The statistic that one in five women will be the victim of rape is not acceptable to me. The preference of attackers to choose “helpless” women is unrealistic to me.  How about you?

As for me: would-be criminals, consider yourself politely warned.

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Copyright Protected 2010, Women of Caliber and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works

Instincts to Live By

Watching TV with TIVO. What has that done to our lives? photo c/o http://www.splendicity.com

by Kellene Bishop

Instincts. Believe it or not, we have the power to control and condition them to protect us.

Two years ago I asked my hubby for TIVO for my birthday.  He’s very protective of his time and thus is not a big proponent of watching television. So he wasn’t too thrilled with getting it for me. But after all, birthday gifts are about what the person wants, not what you want to give, right? (Boys, you should be nodding your heads in agreement right now. )  Yup. I’m busy and don’t “have time for TV either” but it does have its place in my life. For example, I use the Netflix service and though I was relinquished to bed rest this weekend, I still got some research done by watching several documentary movies right on my TV which educated me on many aspects of  the preparedness theme.  Television is nice when you’re not feeling well—unless all you have access to is Gilligan’s Island reruns and I’m usually on bed rest about 3 days a month. So I indulge.  Additionally, when I teach a class until 9:00 p.m., I just want to come home and turn my brain off and relax. The right kind of television entertainment helps with that. That all being said, I simply don’t have the time or inclination to give my time to advertisers.  If I’m going to take time to watch something, I want it over and done with as soon as possible. I’m a “get to the point” kind of person in many respects—so skipping the commercials is very attractive to me. Besides, I also find that the commercials are all too often morally objectionable as well. So when a commercial comes up, I instinctively go for my remote control and fast forward past them. As a result, I can now watch an “hour long show” in about 27 minutes. Even better, when I don’t quite get/hear/understand what I was listening to, I can rewind it and listen to it again. I’m also a big fan of slapstick comedy. So sometimes I can belly laugh again and again through the rewind process.  After two years, this habit is absolutely instinctive to me now. However, there is a downside to this.

When I’m at someone else’s home and they have the TV on, the sound of a commercial is so foreign to me, that I look for the remote to fast forward through them.  Even worse, when I’m listening to a person speak and didn’t quite hear what they were saying, I find myself wishing I could just TIVO the conversation and hear it again.  When I’m driving in the car and listening to talk radio, I keep finding myself wanting to hit the fast forward or rewind button, to no avail.  The ultimate is when I’m at the movie theater. When the commercials are blasted at the beginning, I instinctively grip my arm rest as if it was the TIVO remote.  I once absent mindedly went to the bathroom during a movie thinking that I could just rewind it when I got back. Yup. TIVO has definitely learned to control me and my life.

As crazy as all of this may sound, it’s actually demonstrative of what can happen naturally with a lot of physical practice. The instincts can be put into place in spite of a chaotic experience.  What makes the TIVO action so memorable and instinctive is that it’s a physical action triggered by a mental one.  The same kind of instincts that I have with the remote control can easily be duplicated with firearm self-defense training.

Consistent firearm practice will create muscle memory and you can fire your weapon instinctively

When you practice physically to defend yourself with a firearm, be sure to go through the entire motion of doing so. One of the dumbest things I think that folks do is stand at a shooting range and shoot one shot right after another. From a fun standpoint that’s great. But if they are trying to improve their self-defense skills, shooting one shot after another is self-defeating.  In terms of a real life self-defense scenario, no one ever sets their firearm up and just starts shooting an immobile target.  I’m thinking that a criminal is not going to wait while you put yourself in the same position that you practice at the range—you know…ammo laid to the side, shooting a stable target at whatever distance you’re comfortable with, etc.  “Excuse me Mr. Bad Guy. Can you give me a moment while I put you in my sights. Oh, and come forward just about 12 inches more. I shoot much better that way.” In a realistic scenario, you should practice drawing your firearm properly, shoot at your target, evaluating the environment (stay engaged), shoot again as necessary, and then safely reholster your firearm.  Don’t worry about the speed of this. Instead be focused on the proper physical actions. The speed will come later. This kind of practice is the only kind that will help you in a genuine self-defense scenario.  It’s important that you not create bad physical habits that will impair you from protecting yourself. So be sure that every step of your practice is conducted properly. Again—the speed will come.  I assure you that if you only practice shooting at the range instead of the rest of the self-defense motions that are necessary, regardless what a great shot you are at the range, you will inevitably miss your target due to the physical movement, the heightened emotions, and a foreign scenario. Missing your target isn’t just about you protecting yourself. It’s also about confidently knowing you won’t hurt anyone else. Practicing with deliberate physical movements through the entire defensive scenario will put more of those unknown factors in your favor.

By the way, if it’s any consolation, this year I’m asking for a full-fledged square foot garden plot built for me this year for my birthday. Perhaps it will help me sleep too. 🙂

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Copyright Protected 2010, Women of Caliber and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

The Death of Expected Peace

I simply cannot allow the news of the three security guards standing by while a 15 year old girl got pummeled go by without comment. http://rawstory.com/2010/02/security-guards-inothingi-15yearold-girl-beaten/ In spite of a very heavy writing schedule, I feel that I have to address this issue on Women of Caliber in order to translate it into a valuable lesson from which we all can—and MUST—learn.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the story, a 15 year old girl was brutally attacked by another teenage girl all while she was in front of three male “security” officers in a Seattle bus tunnel.  The security officers did absolutely nothing in spite of the 15 year old being thrown down to the ground at the feet of the officers and repeatedly kicked in the head. (see the video footage at the link noted above) This story has a very familiar tune to the event in New York in which MTA employees in Queens New York were legally absolved of any wrong doing for acting as nothing more than spectators while a woman was repeatedly raped at the train station. http://www.nypost.com/seven/04012009/news/regionalnews/subway_rapist_victims_shock_162317.htm  

Both of these incidences as well as others like them should teach us all something very real, but most unpleasant—we must take responsibility for our own safety and peace.

Mass evacuation photo c/o http://www.meted.ucar.edu

Given the litigious society in which we live, many otherwise acceptable and expected human responses are delayed or eliminated as the result of legal exposure.  For example, New Orleans Mayor Nagin specifically delayed issuing a mass evacuation order sooner than he did because he had to consult with the city attorneys, and then the state, and then a national attorney to be sure that his butt . He had to be sure that the city would not be exposed to lawsuits for a loss of business revenue as a result of the evacuation order. As reported by the author Amanda Ripley in her book “The Unthinkable” companies have deliberately not held safety drills (such as evacuation, robbery, etc) because they don’t want to be held liable for someone getting hurt in the midst of the exercise.  It’s a very sad world indeed in which our brains are programmed to act as a responsible human being because instead we feed our minds the horrors of legal liabilities. But the fact of the matter is, that’s the way things are and we simply cannot change them fast enough to protect us today, tomorrow, or even a year from now. So we must take responsibility for our own safety. 

I don’t say that with any bitterness.  I say it in possession of expertise on the legal, realistic, logistical, as well as instinctive responses of human beings. I don’t say this with one iota of pessimism towards human nature. Even if half of all the world thought so inappropriately as those who put the security guards under such an asinine contract, or those three men who were “sheep” enough to follow such guidelines, I still believe in the unadulterated makeup of mankind.  I believe that they are inherently good and have to work hard at being changed into something otherwise. But unfortunately, there are many who have chosen to do so.  Thus I will prepare to defend myself appropriately and so should you. We must take responsibility to care for ourselves and those we love.  We must train our minds to respond with 100% ownership of our safety rather than telling ourselves that someone else is responsible for our peace and comfort. I implore you not to train your body or mind under conditions of panic, rage, or fear. Rather do so with a deliberate conscience in light of the matter of fact reality of the world around us. People have the agency to act inappropriately, and along with that comes our ability and choice to defend against the consequences of their criminal choices. Just because a business entity has successfully been sued for serving hot coffee, not clearing ice or snow from a walkway, or for not properly ensuring the safety of food—doesn’t give us license to surrender our own independence in providing ourselves with safety and peace.

Being prepared mentally and physically in self-defense trainging will be a great asset in any situation photo c/o http://www.sportskarate.net

So that being said, what else could the 15 year old girl have done other than standing next to the three security guards?  Well, by looks of the video, she certainly needed to learn to fight back better.  She didn’t get a good shot in at all and barely made contact.  She could have done so much more while she was on the ground too.  But all of that is pretty hard to teach in a written format such as this.  However, at the very least, she could have  pushed one of the security officers towards her attacker or hid directly behind one of them.  I strongly suspect this would have caused the female attacker to have lashed out at the security guard in response or at least it would have changed her thought process due to an unexpected maneuver. (Interrupting the thought process of an attacker is a highly underrated strategy.) Another suggestion would have been for the girl to have firmly yelled for help repeatedly. Whether a person is under orders to do more than make a phone call or not, the brain of most human beings (human being—the key phrase there) will instinctively respond. We’re simply programmed that way and we have to undergo a great deal of UN-programming to react otherwise. (Which makes the whole incident that much more tragic.) As I view this video tape repeatedly, I see a scared little girl and an enraged attacker.  The gal had the presence of mind to stand near the “security” officers. She also had the presence of mind earlier to ask one of the Macy’s security officers to escort her to a safer location. (which was refused-insert angry words of disbelief here) So she had some of her wits about her. However, I’m sure that when her sound strategy of standing next to the security officers crumbled, her brain couldn’t compute a ready response. Had she trained herself previously to breathe sufficiently to provide her brain with the much needed oxygen in a high stress situation, and be deliberate and strategic in her physical counter moves, the situation would have turned out very, very differently.

Seriously ladies. Can we all live and LEARN from this one?

 Copyright Protected 2010, Women of Caliber and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

Media Hype or Firearm Facts—You Decide

by Kellene Bishop 

Everyone has the right to defend themselves.

Fact:

100% of ALL firearm “accidents” occur as a result of someone violating one of the four most critical safety rules in the ownership and use of a firearm.  Firearms don’t kill people as the media would have us believe, any more than pencils are responsible for making spelling mistakes.  Your ability to STOP an firearm accident is strengthened by your knowledge of a firearm.  In contrast, if you are not familiar with the workings of a firearm, you may actually encourage a deadly accident if you encounter one in the hands of an unauthorized person.  That said, why don’t we ever hear a news report that says something like “There are over 80,000,000 gun owners in the nation today, and only 5 accidents were caused as the result of error on the part of the gun owner”?

  

Fact: Every person in the U.S. has the right to defend themselves, their family, and their property.  Fit or fat.  Blonde or brunette.  When a drug-crazed criminal has a gun point at you, your political affiliations do not lessen the impact on your body or your mind.  A bullet will sufficiently kill you.  So how you supposed to fight back under such circumstances? 

  

Fact: According to FBI statistics, over 5,500 violent crimes are PREVENTED EVERY DAY by the mere presence of a firearm.  So why are our newspapers and television screens only reporting the horrific scenes of crime and bloodshed at the hands of “crazed gunmen”?  All we ever hear about are the terrible and criminal uses of firearms – school shootings, gunmen clipping off innocent bystanders one by one in a mall or a neighborhood, or gangs who murder and plunder with guns.  Why aren’t we being given a clear picture of the use and importance of firearms in America?  Why aren’t we hearing the real stories from the media – like the 83-year-old woman who shot a would-be rapist in her home.  Or the woman who was raped, then given a rifle by a friend, and when the rapist RETURNED to her home she was able to defend herself and killed the rapist.  Or about the female convenience store employee that was able to save her fellow co-workers from abominable acts at the hand of a robber by grabbing for the gun, and shot him.  Or when a concealed-carry permit holder was able to thwart a massive shootout between police and a liquor store robber because he was willing to draw his gun and shoot the body-armored gunman squarely in the skull.  Violent crime rates have fallen dramatically in right-to-carry states.  

Why do we only hear about the terrible encounters with firearms?  Because blood and sex sells.  And it can’t simply be just anybody’s blood.  No, it needs to be the blood of an innocent person, not a violent criminal.  Yes, the so-called education of the facts of gun use for self-defense in America is being steered by money and mindless sheep, plain and simple.  

The media often fail to portray good examples of self-defense photo c/o abovethelaw.com

Why aren’t we hearing about the real firearm stories from the media?  Follow the same money that goes abundantly to the media and you will see that many members of our government fear the legal possession of guns by its citizens.  Why?  Because the government has committed acts in violation of the U.S. Constitution and thus have reason to fear reprisals from its citizens.  The majority of the media act as mindless minions to our government.  And since the government has trampled mercilessly on the freedoms and liberties guaranteed to us through the U.S. Constitution, left to their own designs with no accountability required from the media, it is clear that the media is a willing accomplice in these acts.  Violation after violation have occurred at the hands of each administration that have stripped many of our Constitutional freedoms in a clandestine manner, and yet the media and entertainment industry have failed to produce any headline which even questions such acts.  Do the media even know what’s it like to actually be courageous Americans anymore?  Or do they merely write about it in hopes that it earns them lauds of glory from their peers? 

Fact: Having a firearm and knowing how to use it does not make you a violent person.  In fact, you will find that responsible gun owners are peaceful, law abiding individuals because they are able to function without fear hanging over them.  Yet firearm owners are never portrayed such an image in the national news.  

Instead we hear the irresponsible and oppressive mantra of, “Don’t resist.” “Don’t fight back.”  “Just give them the money, it’s not worth your life.”   What they forget it that while money may not be worth your life, the freedom to be free IS worth your life.  Ironically, what Thomas Paine and his associates did to the king of England to protect free speech (particularly of the media)  is actually being used to give us a false education and thus strip us of other freedoms because of the false and criminalized picture of gun owners that we are confronted with every day. 

According to Thomas Jefferson, history has proven time and time again that the option for citizens to arm themselves is what ensures protection against a “tyrannical government.” 

  

“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” (Thomas Jefferson Papers p. 334, 1950)   

You see, not only can this type of “preservation of property” give you peace in your ability to defend yourself against violent acts, but it also gives you peace in defending your nation against the loss of freedoms as well.  

 

  

Firearm training gives you peace of mind

Forty years ago, when the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British Parliament was advised… to disarm the people; that it was the best and most effectual way to enslave them; but that they should not do it openly, but weaken them, and let them sink gradually, by totally disusing and neglecting the militia…” (In Virginia’s Ratifying Convention, Elliot p.3:379-380) 


• “The militia may be here destroyed by that method which has been practiced in other parts of the world before; that is, by rendering them useless – by disarming them.” (Elliot, p. 3:379-80)
  

The men and women of America are not only the sole stewards over their own lives and that of their families – they are also the sole guardians of the Constitution.  In the ultimate act of freedom, specifically for the women of our nation, I say that we must take on a more proactive stance in order to fulfill our roles appropriately.  With the increasing numbers of women raising families single-handedly, the extended hours our husbands are forced to work to sustain us, the increasing threat of brazen crimes being committed against women and children in broad daylight, the consistent attacks which are made on our freedom, for all of these reasons, women need to become informed and skilled in the use of a firearm—not just in matters of self-defense use and safety, but also as a Constitutional right.  We cannot relinquish our safety, our lives, or our freedom to the hands of strangers who may or may not be available to defend us when the need arises.  We must take this responsibility for ourselves.  After all, when all of our liberties are gone, there will be nothing left to protect. 

 Copyright 2010 Women of Caliber and Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Women of Caliber and Kellene Bishop. 

A True Best Friend

By Kellene Bishop

true-best-friend-jessie-abbate

A true best friend is always by my side. Photo c/o Accurate Shooter

Will Rogers once said that strangers were friends he hadn’t met yet. With this in mind, I can’t help but wonder why it is so foreign for women to handle a firearm. Mine is definitely one of my best friends. Why?

I can trust this best friend to be reliable—to never flake out on me.

I can trust this best friend to protect my children, myself, and my loved ones.

This best friend will dependably fight for freedom and liberty for me.

I can rely on this best friend to stand for right over might.

This best friend is always available and by my side. 

This best friend strengthens my physical weaknesses against enemies, foreign or domestic.

This best friend enables me to preserve life when others may desire to take it.

Other than my husband, I have a hard time finding any other friend that I can say these things about. So ladies, my I suggest that you introduce yourself to Mr. Glock, Mr. Smith and Wesson, or any other Mr. soon and make a new friend?

Copyright 2009 Women of Caliber and Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Women of Caliber and Kellene Bishop.