Sharing is caring!

“I would like to see every woman know how to handle firearms as naturally as they know how to handle babies.”

Annie Oakley

Learning about firearms can seem intimidating. It can even seem like firearms are a part of a “man’s world”; hidden in a “man cave” and inaccessible to women. But, as a woman, learning about firearms and how to use them safely and responsibly is very important. This is especially true living on a rural homestead. In this post, I will walk you through how I picked out and bought my first firearm.

firearm and bullets on lace with coffee cup
My Ruger LCP 380

Growing up in the city, I wasn’t exposed to firearms in a positive way and they honestly seemed intimidating to me. For example, hearing gun shots living in the city is VASTLY different than hearing gun shots out in the country. In the city, it is terrifying, but out in the country, there is a high likelihood it’s just your neighbor doing target practice.

I was interested in firearms though, because I eventually wanted to go hunting. It may sound surprising but I was a vegetarian for about 10 years and took issue with the factory farming system, not eating meat in general. The grass-fed, organic, local foods movement wasn’t as big as it is now. I was very interested in hunting as an alternative to factory farmed meat, but that is a story for another day. So I really wanted to try shooting but didn’t know where to start.

My First Time Shooting

As a young adult, I moved away from the big city and lived in much smaller suburban communities and small cities. My first time shooting was taking a class from the police officers in my town. It was one of the best experiences; I learned so much and knew I wanted to shoot again in the future. In the class, we got to shoot different kinds of firearms, and feel the difference. Personally, I liked shooting the larger, higher caliber rifles the best because I felt like I could absorb the recoil with my whole body, whereas the handgun’s recoil felt tough on my wrist. I felt assured though that those handguns were just not the right ones for me and that I could find one that was. I also learned that I was a pretty decent shot, especially for a first timer. My first experience shooting was very informative and safe.

Then I moved to my current home, in a rural mountain area.

Out in the country, there is a different feeling about firearms than in the city. Firearms are more natural, hunting is a common way to provide food for the family, and the individual responsibility is greater. And I became devoted to studying. I learned more from knowledgeable friends and family and shot more .22 rifles, 9mm handguns, etc.

Photo of me at the end of the course

Starting to Research & Deciding to Buy

Photo of me shooting a Ruger .22 Rifle

Then I decided it was time for me to buy my own firearm. I spent an entire year researching. During that time I kept shooting periodically, watched LOADS of Youtube video reviews of different firearms, read books & articles from trustworthy sources, followed female gun enthusiasts and I went to multiple gun stores. I held each one that I was interested in to see how it felt in my hand. At this point, I had basically picked out in my mind a Smith & Wesson M&P 380 Shield EZ handgun. I had held it multiple times at different gun stores and it felt good in my hand. Plus, I had researched the ins and outs of it. I felt ready to buy it.

Then, one day I was at a gun shop and was in conversation with the owner and he mentioned that his wife carried a handgun and he brought out her’s to show it to me. It was basically an instant, this is the one; the Ruger LCP 380. This firearm felt perfect in my hand, like it was made for me. It was smaller, which I liked, but still carried a punch in the 380 caliber. I obviously couldn’t buy that one, because it was the owner’s wife’s, and he didn’t have any in stock. Plus, I knew I wanted to research it before buying, too. So I waited. I wasn’t in any rush so after researching and confirming that was the one for me, I just figured, eventually that’s the one I’ll get.

If you’re at this point of researching, this is list that could be helpful in starting that process. It is the 10 Most Popular Guns Women Purchased in 2020 by the WellArmedWoman.com.

The Day I Bought My First Firearm

Fast forward to March 2020. 9 months pregnant, world is in chaos at the start of the pandemic, and I am standing in a gun store buying my first firearm and ammo; the Ruger LCP 380. Not knowing if I would get the chance again, especially at a reasonable price, I bought a used one, the only one left in stock. I had decided months earlier to buy and had sat on over a years worth of research. Even though it may have looked like I was “panic buying” to any one else in that store that day, I knew that I had made a sound decision. And It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I am not an expert yet, but I recommend that if you are interested in owning your own firearm, do your research first.

Photo of me at the range doing some target practice

SOME TIPS TO START THE PROCESS

  1. Like I said before, I had some formal training by police officers the first time I touched a firearm. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. Take a class first, from a legitimate, credible source. I would recommend a certified firearms instructor. See if it’s something you even want to do. Learn the safety procedures. After that first shot, you may decide it’s not for you. Or you may fall in love with shooting, like I did, haha. Some examples you could check out are classes through NRA Women or USCCA.
  2. If you want to continue, then reach out to knowledgeable friends and family. Talk to them, see if they will take you to the range.
  3. Start following reputable woman Instagramers and Youtubers to get ideas of different firearms available, then pick a few different ones and research those.
  4. Go to Gun Stores. This may seem intimidating or like a “man’s world” but from my own experience, from the many shops I went to before purchasing, it actually didn’t feel like that. I felt more like they appreciated a woman’s genuine interest and wanted to be as helpful as possible without talking down to me. They were all great interactions. Look at and hold the ones you’ve researched. How do they feel in your hand? They may also have suggestions. Don’t buy one, just wait until you feel completely confident and ready.
  5. Research what the buying process is in your state. Become familiar with that.
  6. Research the laws for firearms in your state.
  7. Learn how to properly store a firearm safely in your home before buying.
  8. Don’t feel rushed, take your time, and when you are ready, go ahead and buy.
  9. Take it to the range and get comfortable with shooting it.
  10. Don’t think you are done with training. I plan to take more classes because there is always more to learn. Maybe someday I will become a certified firearms instructor myself, because why the heck not? It’s a skill I want to continue to learn and get even better at.

Why I Bought My First Firearm

I bought my first firearm because I wanted to. And out here, in a rural mountain area, I feel safer because of it.

Here, the biggest danger comes from animals; any animal with rabies, dogs that can charge from off leash or from escaping a kennel, coyotes, wolves, venomous snakes, even bears. Of course, the first course of action would be to save the animal and remove it in a responsible way or even get it help. But you need to know how to react if you or your family are in danger; whether that is warning shots in the air to scare or deter the animal or if you need to take further action. Just knowing how to properly use a firearm and other ways of self-defense can actually deter you from actually using them, because you would know when it is proper to and would be confident in your ability. 

I say all of this, because I believe that women should feel comfortable with firearms if they want to be.

* I am not a firearms expert *

Want to read more articles about HOMESTEADING?

Want to see more about PREPAREDNESS?

Firearm on lace background with bullets and coffee mug