If you read my post Blogs, Blogs and Gosh Darn More Blogs then you know I am a fan of the many wonderful blogs out there.
Guess what? Yesterday I found a new one!! This blog is especially great for the brand new shooter. Bill’s post are full of extremely useful information that he lays out in a very easy to understand way.
Part of my frustration when I was first learning about guns was that my level of knowledge was so low, when I say low, I mean zero, so when someone on a blog would say DAO, I thought it was a typo for DOA(Dead on Arrival). I would like to say I am only joking here, but I am not. Even when a blogger included DAO(double action only), it didn’t help me. Google was my best friend in those early days, which is why the protest the other day was so important to me. Not really why. Really, it was because our government is ticking me off, but…
I digress, the point being that I needed a much more basic explanation of things. Fortunately, I was motivated and if I didn’t know I would just ask and as we all know, the bloggers were more than willing to help me, but it would have been nice to have a place where I could go that was more tailored to my level. Bill’s blog is one such place.
The bloggers in the gun world are very talented, smart people which is wonderful, but often times, when I finished reading a post, I just felt deflated. Not being able to grasp what they were saying was maddening. That is my fault, not theirs. I just needed a place where I could go that would give me step by step guidance. There are a lot of courses that one can take offered through the NRA and I would suggest taking one or two or three, but in the mean time, the internet can be a great resources.
From the emails I am getting, I am realizing that I am not alone and truth be told there might be more of us in the clueless camp than in the expert camp(helpful hint: if you go to a blog that claims to know it all, they probably don’t. The really smart ones share their knowledge, but always say they are still learning too)
So, from one brand new shooter to another, here are my suggestions:
First-Buy Cornered Cat: A Woman’s Guide To Concealed Carry. It is not a complicated book. It is well thought out, easy to understand guide that is well worth the minimal investment. Having said that, the first time I read it, there was much I did not understand, but that’s fine. It’s a guide and I refer back to it constantly. The book gave me a place to start and each time I am exposed to something new, I pick up my copy and see what The Cornered Cat has to say about it.
Second-If you are feeling overwhelmed or like you are the only one, go back and read my old posts. You will see nothing could be farther from the truth. Not trying to be a post pusher here, just trying to give you a place to go if you need to feel better about yourself or smarter. I am not exaggerating when I say I needed help. Good news…I found it and so will you.
Third- Visit Bill’s blog
Forth-If you visit a blog and you read something complicated about guns or ballistics or Green Tomato Bacon Pie(Ok, that one is not complicated, but it looks so mouth watering, make your knees weak, good that you have to go see it) that you do not understand…ASK! I think it is better to ask in the comments as opposed to an email and here’s why: I am absolutely positive if you have the question so does someone else. You will be helping other women who are not ready to post publicly their questions. It’s a community and you can help even if only by having the courage to ask. The second reason I suggest leaving a comment, is doing so, gives you access to more information. The blog host will most likely answer you, but in addition, so will a whole lot of other smart folks. Not everyone will answer in a way that your brain understand information, so the more people who respond the better chance you have of getting it. If you still do not understand, ask again. I am serious about this, keep asking until you are satisfied that you have a good grasp of the issue at hand.
Last-Relax! You do not have to understand DOA or SAO or 5.56 NATO(I use this example a lot because I just learned about it and it makes me happy that I know it) to know how to shoot. If you have taken a step, any step forward to make yourself safer, then I say BRAVO! EXCELLENT! WAY TO GO!! I am immensely proud of you(which may or may not mean anything to you, but regardless I am, so I am telling you so) and I can promise you, you will not be disappointed as you take this incredible journey towards greater freedom and dare I say it, a whole lot of fricken fun!!
P.S. this is not an exhaustive list of things you should do, but it’s a place to start.