What started your journey?

A question I'm asked a lot, is how I got started with firearms? I didn't grow up with them, and honestly I was a bit afraid of them. Still, I felt like I should at least learn how to use them, as I didn't want to be the stereotypical movie girl in a dangerous situation that gets her hands on a weapon and doesn't know what to do with it. This isn't to say that I expected, then or now, to ever be in such a situation, but I certainly didn't want to be THAT girl. Additionally, I do feel it's important for all women to learn how to use a weapon, regardless of weather they intend to purchase one or not.

Thus, a number of years ago, I found myself an NRA Basic Pistol course that was even being taught by a woman. This was important to me at the time, as I was extremely intimidated by the entire thing, and was simply more comfortable with a female instructor. 

I'll never forget when it was time to do the live fire part of the class. The weapon I was given to try was a Sig .22 mosquito. Incidentally the weapon - at least at that time which was many years ago - was extremely prone to jamming, and even the instructor whose weapon it was, made a comment about that. lol

Anyway, I remember being half terrified when I first picked up the weapon, and I probably had a massive adrenaline spike when I fired my first shot. Once I actually started shooting, though, what do you know, it was FUN! Like REALLY FUN!!

I had such a good time, I quickly got over the fear, and was sorry when I had to stop to let the next person shoot. I found myself wishing for a lot more range time, and it wasn't long afterwards, that I bought myself my first pistol. 

The biggest lessons I learned from all this? Going to the range is an awesome way to de-stress, and did I say it was fun? lol I also realized just how much society perception of firearms is are waayyyyyy off base. The level of misconceptions around them is, quite frankly, staggering, and seems to affect women the worst.

Something else I've learned from many instructors (both male and female) I've spoken to at this point? Apparently beginner women are usually better and more accurate than beginner men. Why? Because we tend to listen to instruction and aren't trying to show off. Yay us!  lol

So that's my story of how I got started. It wasn't anything particularly crazy, just a desire to not be helpless. Whatever YOUR story is, I hope you're also finding all this to be just as fun and a cathartic!