THE OFFICIAL RANGE OF THE SURE SHOTS
SURE SHOTS MAG | ISSUE 13 | AUGUST 2015
FEATURE
ZOMBIEPOCALYPSE! Becca Thompson tells us what it’s like to run from the walking dead.
FEATURE
22
Training the Minis Niki Jones explains the importance of teaching the next generation.
TRAINING 07
Night moves
10
training for competition
14 SURE SHOTS AR15 Build project 14
ONE TO WATCH
15 Gabby Franco’s training tips 16
STAYING SHARP
Feature pictorial by dustin meyer 26
SURE SHOT ASHLEY
LIFESTYLE 32 READER pICS 32 Sure Shots fifth annual picnic 33
WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY
34 FAMILY TRADITION
REVIEWS 36 Springfield Armory XD(M) 39 Colt A1 1911 rail gun 40 Glock 43
FROM THE EDITOR
O
h, Summer in Texas… Maybe this native New Yorker just isn’t built for the heat, but Summer 2015 was absolutely roasting! After a soaking-wet spring where it seemed like every single shooting event got rained out, I had big plans to spend this summer competing in matches and training as much as I could. Once temps climbed toward 100 degrees, however, I rethought those plans and more often than not opted out. That isn’t to say this summer was a wash—I got a couple more 3-Gun matches under my belt, had a few great training days at the range, and even made it through a ninehour intensive training day with Jeff Gonzales of Trident Concepts when temps reached 104 (the other eight Sure Shots ladies who took the course with me handled the heat like pros!). Maybe relief from the heat was what Carrin and I subconsciously needed when we came up with this issue’s cover shoot theme—what’s more refreshing than being out on the lake? Luckily our friend Joe didn’t need much convincing to take his monster of a sport boat out one weekday evening, and we had a blast! Our photographer Dustin nailed the shots quickly, which gave us tons of time to swim. We wrapped the shoot with a sunset 90mph ride up the lake… so much fun! The Sure Shots Fifth Anniversary Picnic at Lake Georgetown was another great event marking the end of the summer, and I’ve never been more inspired to start a new training season (one with cool temperatures). It is also a perfect time to launch our brand new format—we’ve always seen Sure Shots Mag as more of a classic magazine format, so our new layout reflects that. I couldn’t be happier, as magazine design is one of my passions (I’m currently the Creative Director of a lifestyle magazine here in Austin). Being able to flip through Sure Shots Mag’s digital edition the way you can flip through Vogue or Recoil is something we’ve always wanted to do; plus, it allows us to present each story as a separate feature, complete with eye-catching layouts and photos. This issue is packed with so many fantastic articles, features and reviews, and I’d like to thank all the contributors past and present for making Sure Shots Mag as awesome as it is. It’s only going to get better and better! Shoot straight! -Niki
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Founder and editor-in-chief
Niki Jones associate editor and webmaster
Carrin Welch Copy Editor
Jenna Johnson Content Lead
Becca Spinks West coast correspondent
Nikki Petronella Advertising Sales
Holly Gaylor Cass Mascorro contributors
Jonathan Foo Gabby Franco Russ Friesz Hannah Nicole Gandara Morgan Garcia Amy Graves Becky Klaus Chloe Messersmith Dustin Meyer Mike Pendley Rachea Pendley Joe Petrocelli Elena Reid Oleg Volk Johnnie Whiteley Jessica Wright Nathan Wright
Sure Shots Mag is a free quarterly publication. For submission requirements, email sureshotsmagazine@gmail.com All content Š2015 Sure Shots Magazine. No part of the magazine may be reprinted or duplicated without permission. Visit us online at sureshotsmagazine.com.
NIGHT
MOVES TRAINING IN LOW LIGHT
Photos by Mike Pendley.
By Rachea Pendley I love going to the indoor range. Love. It. Occasionally, for a bit of humor, I’ll name my paper silhouette targets: George, James, Fred, before I zip them downrange and unload on them. To be fair, they are always really nice about it. They let me string them up, push them down to the back of a well-lit lane, and then they stand there quietly and motionlessly as I drill them with lead. When I’m done with them, I toss them in the garbage with an “I’ll miss you, Bob,” and pat myself on the back for turning his center mass into a complete void. There are no complaints. No talking back. No resistance. He’s the perfect gentleman. And that’s the problem. Chances are, the reason you’re practicing with your firearm at the indoor range is for your “ just in case” scenario. “Just in case” someone breaks into your home. “Just in case” you get attacked in the parking lot. “Just in case” you’re all alone and have to defend yourself. You have your gun, and you know how to shoot it. Fantastic - you’ve got the basics under control. But I’m going to guarantee you that practice isn’t enough. Your “ just in case” threat isn’t going to be as easy to eliminate as “Bob” is down at the indoor range. When “Justin” shows up, there will be panic. There will be motion. There will be adrenaline. And, chances are, it’ll be dark (cue the light bulbs.) About 90% of lethal force encounters occur in low light or no light situations. It makes sense, considering that daylight thuggery is not nearly as common as what goes on when criminals can use the dark to veil themselves and their intentions. They use it to their advantage. We should therefore be training in a way that takes that advantage away from them. Have you considered the shadows of your home at night? How about the poorly lit parking garage, or the walk to your car after a late day at the office? I’ll admit: I certainly hadn’t considered any of these factors. I felt irresponsible when I realized it, too, while attending a training course for Low-Light Engagements, because when I imagined a scenario where I had to use my firearm, it came with this ridiculous, false expectation that my intended target would be clearly identifiable and perfectly willing to allow me to engage it. It was a huge “a-ha” moment. The next “a-ha” came shortly thereafter, standing on an outdoor range in the hours after the sun had set. Like being submerged in water, the darkness seemed to press in from all angles. Holding my trusty Glock in one hand, and using my support hand to manipulate a 500 lumen Surefire flashlight, I felt awkward and disoriented. I was way beyond my comfort zone. For a lack of a better description, it was like my first time shooting. I hesitated pulling the trigger and I felt as though I fumbled through the basics.
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RACHEA’S FLASHLIGHT RECOMMENDATIONS 3 When considering the brightness of your flashlight, aim for about 300 lumens or more. The brightness of your light is directly related to its tactical efficacy.
3 Go LED, not incandescent. 3 Small is good. Gone are the days of the 6-cell Mag Light. Today’s flashlights fit nicely into the palm of your hand or quietly slip into your pocket, and they are infinitely more powerful.
3 Don’t just consider the lumens. Consider the durability of the construction, whether it’s weather-proof, how long the battery life is, or whether it has a warranty. When you
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spend the money on a quality flashlight, you should get years of longevity even with rugged use.
3 Don’t feel obligated to buy in to multifunction lights. Although the raccoons in my backyard would love the “Insta-Rave” strobing and multi-color functions offered on some flashlights, they simply aren’t necessary for practical everyday carry, and can actually be a detriment in a highpressure situation. A good rule of thumb here is that if it is confusing or difficult to operate in a no-stress environment, don’t buy it. Easy-on, easy-off works just fine.
3 Don’t cheap out. A flashlight can be a potential life saver, so be prepared to invest a little more to get one you can depend on. Get something solid, reliable, and bright.
3 A few of my favorites: Surefire G2 (320 lumens), the Surefire Fury P2X (500 lumens), and the Fury P3X (1000 lumens). If you’re thinking you’d prefer a weaponmounted light, consider first that you may not always want to point your weapon at something you only need the flashlight for. For this purpose, if you choose it, the Surefire X300 Ultra and Streamlight TLR series are excellent.
This was a good thing, though. Hesitation is a natural reaction to something unknown, and the awkwardness just proves the theorem that your body will resist going where your brain has never taken it before. It’s infinitely better to sort out these stumbling blocks during training, when you have the luxury of time and repetition to hone a new skill set and to learn from your mistakes. After all, there won’t be much time to work on it when Justin shows up. Once I got over the sensory newness of shooting in the dark, most of my challenges were related to handling two weapons at once. For as many rounds as I had sent through my Glock, I had never once utilized a flashlight in a tactical way. In fact, it had never occurred to me to look at a flashlight as being more than a glorified match when the lights weren’t on. I rarely used one for anything other than breaking up the occasional raccoon party at my trashcans. But by the end of my training that night, I was much more educated. A quality flashlight is perhaps the most underappreciated weapon we could have in our personal carry arsenals. Not only is it good for the utility functions (illumination, communication), it also serves to identify your threat, and if necessary, as a weapon to disorient threats. Ever turned off a lamp and a ghost image of the bulb still hangs in your field of vision for a while? What you’re experiencing is the bleaching-out of the rhodopsin (a purple-colored light-sensitive chemical) in your retina. Depending on exposure, bleached-out
rhodopsin can take 30 minutes to fully recover and restore vision. Now, imagine using your 500 lumens to bleach the crap out of Justin’s eyes when he sneaks up from the shadows and tries to mug you. For a moment, you’re going to blind him and it can be painful. Criminals are usually cowards, so hopefully the 500 lumens to the retinas will be enough to dissuade him from trying to engage you further. His momentary disorientation and possibly pain will also buy you precious seconds to consider your fight-or-flight. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should go through the Walmart parking lot blinding every punk you see loitering near the basket return. Just like a firearm, flashlights should be used with discretion and control. If you’re in a less than ideal situation, have it ready. Even using it sporadically across your path can be a deterrent if it gives Justin the impression that you might be more trouble than you’re worth. Thugs simply don’t like hard targets. Evolve into one. Most importantly, and I can’t stress this enough, invest in training from qualified firearms instructors. A lot of shooters, especially new ones, get caught into a Practice Vortex: going to the range, repeating the same routine, and reinforcing the same basic skill set (sight picture, stance, trigger control, etc.) without introducing new factors or tactics. Don’t do this to yourself. Round out your training by taking courses that will empower you with a new skill set. Justin, beware!
Rachea Pendley is a Sure Shot, as well as one of the founders of HEX Tactical Resources, a firearms training and consulting company in Austin. She is also our Sure Shots Magazine Issue 10 covergirl.
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Getting Started in
Compe
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etition Shooting By Morgan Garcia
My husband and I wanted to get into competition shooting for a long time. We knew about 3 Gun and thought that was really the only type of competition we could get info on. However, we unfortunately didn’t have the funds to get another shot gun and another rifle in addition to the ones we already had so that we both could shoot. Not to mention all of the ammo that we needed for each weapon. sureshotsmag.com |  11
Training
We headed to Google and did some research, but the amount of specific information on how to get started in competition shooting was very vague. We did stumble upon a few shooting matches, but there was no information about whether anyone could join or was it just for professionals or what? It was frustrating so we just gave up and said we’d look into it later. A couple years went by and we hadn’t done any competitive shooting, even though we still wanted to. Finally, one random day, I turned to Google once again and began searching things like, “how to get started in competition shooting” and when that didn’t come up with anything substantial, I began to search, “shooting competitions San Antonio TX” and BLAM! I stumbled across several resources. The first resource was a website called Alpha Mike Shooters, I sent him an email and gave him my phone number. He called me the next morning and we had a great chat about how to get involved. He was SO inspiring and passionate and generally very excited about getting me involved. You could really tell that he loved competitive shooting and loved to get new people involved. He shoots USPSA matches. I knew NOTHING about any of the organizations, but I did go to the USPSA website and read all about it before we went. He encouraged us to go to a match that was happening that very weekend. I was scared, but he said over and over, “Do not come to watch, it’s boring, come to shoot!” He was dead on. We went that very Sunday and shot the entire match. It was a huge eye opener to the whole sport. It was very laid back and everyone was so nice and encouraging and helpful. It was surprising, actually. Gun owners are generally nice, but wow, these people were extremely welcoming. While I was there, I got a chance to meet Sure Shots San Antonio chapter leader, Becca.
Becca even pulled me aside and offered some additional support and tips for better accuracy because there was one stage that really tripped me up. I felt far more confident after she helped me out. The overall match was such a thrill! There were some people that had been to dozens, even hundreds of matches, and they were SO FAST! But it wasn’t intimidating, in fact, it was like watching what we could become if we continued with competition shooting; it was encouraging. Alpha Mike had warned me that I would come in dead last. And he was right. I came in dead last, so did my husband. But it was expected. There were a lot of pros there. We knew we weren’t going to blow anyone out of the water, but we went to learn and experience. We were hooked and ready to keep competing with different organizations and at different ranges. If you’re considering getting involved in competitive shooting, just do an internet search for local matches and try to actually talk to someone about it before going. I definitely recommend shooting in a USPSA match your first time, but I could just be bias because that was my first. But really, just get out and get involved! In your search, you should quickly figure out which local shooting ranges regularly do matches and then you’ll be able to watch their site/social media outlets for announcements of upcoming matches. Be sure to get onto newsletters as well, because then you’ll get an email if the match is canceled due to rain or whatever else. It’s best to just dive in and compete in a match, don’t watch! Seriously, do not watch. Just do it. If you come in last place, who cares! You’re gaining experience and you’re having a great time.
Morgan is the founder of Armed Rogue where she explores prepping, bushcraft and all things survival-related. She’s also a hunter, archer, camper, hiker and overall adventurer. Follow her on Instagram @morganrogue and on YouTube: armedroguevideos.
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Sure Shots
AR-15
Build Project The Sure Shots AR-15 Build Project is an ongoing project where the ladies of the Sure Shots build our own rifles—basically, our “dream guns!” It all came about it in the summer of 2011, when our training company, BSG started getting the ladies of the Sure Shots more familiar with rifles, namely the AR-style platform. Once we realized that these rifles were relatively easy to assemble and customize, the idea was hatched—let’s bring together the ladies who wanted to put together their own and help each other through the process. Here is the latest build from Sure Shot Sarah:
Del Ton Lower Receiver
Wilson Combat Gas Tube
Palmetto State Arms Lower Parts Kit
Yankee Hill QDS Flip up Front and Rear Sights
ERGO Ambi grip
Complete Midwest Industries Lightweight KeyMod Series One-Piece Free-Float Handguard
DPMS Ambi Safety Selector WMD M16 Full Auto NiB-X Bolt Carrier Group ODIN Works ULTRAlite 16 .223Wylde SS AR Barrel Midwest Industries Forged AR Upper Midwest Industries low profile gas block
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Mission Tactical Battlelink Minimalist Collapsible Stock VLTOR BCM Gunfighter Charging Handle A2 Flash Suppressor
Summer is the time of the year I enjoy most. I love to go to the pool, I love to barbecue and have fun with friends, but most of all I love summer because it is a great time of the year for shooting competitions and shooting practices. During summer, my day at the range may not be so fun if I don’t take care of myself, and for that reason I am making a list of certain things I always take to the range during hot days.
3U mbrella: A regular USPSA match can last approximately five to six hours. Most of that time is spent downrange setting up the stage for the next shooter. An umbrella will protect you from exposing yourself to the sun, which can make you feel tired rapidly.
3W ater: Keep drinking water even if you don’t feel you need to. Keeping yourself hydrated is very important so your muscles can work efficiently.
3L ong-sleeve undershirt: During competition and practice I use a long-sleeve shirt specifically designed for the heat. This undershirt protects my skin from the sun and at the same time keeps my body cool and dry. …And last but not least, remember to use sunblock!
Photo by Snippets of life Photography.
Have fun at the range and be safe!
Gabby Franco www.GabbyFranco.com Read about Gabby’s book here. Facebook: facebook.com/gabbyfrancotopshot Twitter: @GabbyFrancoTS4
Gabby Franco is most widely known for being a contestant on the TV Show Top Shot Season Four and Top Shot All Stars. She has been involved in competition shooting for more than 20 years. She participated on the XXVII Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia (Sept. 2000). She has won gold and silver medals in many international shooting competitions. Today, Gabby teaches firearms classes and offers seminars around the country to civilians and Police Departments, but calls South Florida her home. In 2013 she published her first book, titled: “Troubleshooting: Mastering Your Pistol Marksmanship”. In 2014 Gabby joined the NRA News team as a Commentator and became a member of the Remington Shooting Team.
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SURE SHOTS SPONSORED SHOOTER
JESSICA WRIGHT
Staying
Photo by Nathan Wright,
Sharp 16 | sure shots mag | issue 13
Photo by Johnnie Whiteley.
Rain! The dreaded torture Mother Nature likes to throw at shooters when they are trying to train. We longingly watch the radar and weather all week to see how the weekend will play out in order to get a good day’s worth of practice in. We are only set up for failure when we wake up that Saturday morning to hear the downpour that is going on outside. If you have been living under a rock the past few weeks then you aren’t aware of the flooding and non-stop rain that Texas got. Two months in a row the local 3-gun match I attend was canceled. So what do you do if you can’t make it to the range?. Dry fire is the practice of firing a firearm without ammunition. Before you start practicing your dry fire, check the magazine to make sure it’s empty, check your chamber and verify it is clear. You will be surprised at how many people have shot their television. Dry fire practice is great for when you can’t get outdoors or even when you can, dry fire is always a great practice to incorporate into your everyday activities. When I first started shooting, I had a bad habit of jerking the trigger. Thanks to the help of my husband, I practice the penny or dime drill. You do this drill by placing a penny or dime on your front sight and practice squeezing the trigger. Now I know your next question will be, “But what about resetting the trigger?” Thanks to the power of the internet , I found out you can place a q-tip in the ejection port. This makes it so the slide isn’t completely locked back and you don’t have to reset the trigger. So you can practice squeezing the trigger with the gun fully out in front of you like you are shooting your target. One wrong move in your hand and the penny or dime will fall off the front sight. You want 10 perfect trigger pulls. If the coin falls, you start over.
My local 3-gun match I attend is natural terrain, so there is a lot of running and a lot of long range. If you’ve ever shot a rifle after running then you understand how hard it is to catch your breath while keeping the scope still. YES! This is extremely important folks. When I first started shooting, my triceps burned from having to hold the rifle and shotgun up. My shoulders would scream at me the next day from holding my pistol stance and I would huff and puff the rest of the stage after running through it. So I began
working out. You don’t realize how important it is until you experience those burns, aches and pains. I focus on a full body workout but go heavy when it comes to weights on my arms and back. My back workout serves a dual purpose, I admit, as I try to keep my back muscles in shape for archery hunting season, but it is also important because there are some stage planners that like to have you turn and stand at awkward angles while shooting. My workout plan goes as such: Monday-legs, Tuesday-cardio, Wednesdayarms, Thursday-cardio, Friday-back/
chest then I rest on the weekends. If you don’t know what kinds of exercises to do for your targeted areas, there is a wealth of information on the internet. Working out doesn’t necessarily help you if you’re going to Jack in the Box constantly for those 99cent tacos. Eating right is just as important because those healthy foods help to fuel you. Protein shakes have been my go to source when I’m at a match. Matches tend to run long so I bring a cooler full of snacks, drinks and a protein shake. #SHOOTFIT people, it will help you keep up. Reloading is also a good indoor source of practice. Time yourself on how long it takes you to reload your pistol, or rifle or even shotgun. Practice reloading on the move. How many steps does it take you to reload that pistol magazine or load two shotgun shells? That’s golden information to know when you are planning a stage, ‘Ok, I’m going to shoot four shells here then it will take me 2 seconds to load four more for these clay targets.’ Seconds count in every aspect of shooting. Lastly, leisurely reading. I encourage you, if you have not already, to read Practical Shooting by Brian Enos and With Winning in Mind by Lanny Bassham. These are great books to get your mind in mental condition for competition. As always thank you to my sponsors Trop Gun Shop, Vigilance Tactical, WildEar Hearing Boosters, Rainier Ballistics, Legendary Arms Works, Dissident Arms, Nordic Components, Weapon Shield, Sure Shots Magazine and ESS Eye Safety Solutions. Without their constant support in the shooting industry, none of this would be possible.
Facebook: facebook.com/powerhousemouse Twitter: @powerhousemouse Instagram: powerhousemouse YouTube: JessicaWrightpowerhousemouse
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0 It was a dark and stormy afternoon. Glancing nervously over my shoulder at Foo, I saw the same determined expression I had seen so many times before. He was mentally preparing himself for the trials that awaited us. I turned and stared at the 10 foot wall looming in the distance. “Are you ready, Bex?,” I heard him say. Suddenly, a loud clang rang out in the open field, a cow bell. It signaled the start of our wild and treacherous adventure through the muddy course ahead, our journey through…
THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE! By Becca Thompson
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Photos by Battle Road USA and Jonathan Foo.
As luck would have it, I injured my wrist the night before the race. It all started innocently enough. I had spent a good deal of time and However, like a true competitor, I woke up that morning, wrapped energy convincing my good friend Jonathon Foo to sign up for the my wrist, assembled my gear, called Foo and said “It’s GO TIME!”. Battle Road USA Zombie Destruction Run and Gun Biathlon with The property that hosted the event was difficult to find. The first clue me. The event is put on twice a year by Battle Road USA and is one of that I was getting close was a man in full army gear and holding a only three such events in the United States. Competitors run (or walk) rifle crossing the road. Sure enough, a few hundered yards down was through a 4.5 to 5 mile trail with several shooting stations along the a zombie standing in a field, holding a sign that said “Welcome to the path, where zombie targets are engaged with both rifle and pistol. In Apocalypse”! As I parked, I saw a few familiar faces – Our friends between the shooting stations are various obstacles, both natural and from the APD Marksmanship Team were there, geared up and man-made. Competitors are scored 50% on their shooting score and ready to go! Our friend Joe warned us of the treacherous path that lie 50% on total time. This way, neither a fast runner/poor shooter nor ahead. He had slipped and fallen in some a slow walker/great shooter can win. Top water, and all of his guns and gear were competitors must be both in decent shape “My adrenaline surged as I sprinted completely soaked! Oh, the horror! Foo had and proficient with their weapons in order to past them, hurtled over the tree brought along his friend Billy, and the three place at the top of the scoreboard. It’s Tough trunk and dove below the wire.” of us formed a team to start at the same Mudder meets a multigun match! time. We apprehensively made our way to Part of the fun of the event is figuring out the starting line. Just like that, the cowbell rang and we were off! what type of pack-out to use for your journey. If your pack is too heavy, The first obstacle right off the start line was the ten foot wall. I you’ll struggle with obstacles and with the distance required. If your tried to climb it, but quickly realized I was not going to be able to pack is too light, you probably don’t have enough water or ammo! Foo pass due to my wrist. I waited for Foo and Billy to pass the wall before and I each had an AR-15 rifle, our pistols and magazines secured in continuing to run. The first stretch of field was only a few hundred belt rigs, and a survival pack filled with water, snacks, first aid supplies, yards to the treeline, but with the pack and rifle, it felt like a mile! Striving to keep up with Foo helped me to keep trucking. He is a ninja. Through the woods, we ran about a quarter mile before coming upon a natural spring. It took a bit of searching to find a spot to cross without getting wet. We made it to the trail ahead which was marked with orange flags. We had been told to ignore the pink flags, which were part of the trail from the previous run. As it turns out, faded pink looks a whole lot like orange! This added a challenge to the course because we really had to pay attention to make sure we were staying on the correct path. After what felt like an eternity, we stumbled upon the first course of fire. Billy was nowhere to be found, presumably overcome by zombies somewhere along the trail. There was no time to mourn him. Immediately upon arriving we received a time card from the Range Officer which we would carry with us for the entire race and use to record how long we waited to shoot as well as our shooting time. The course of fire had some close paper zombies to blast with the pistol and some and extra ammunition. For me, all of this gear equaled approximately far steel plates for rifle, with barricades to resemble a structure. It 15-20 pounds. I opted for a chest rig to hold my rifle magazines and was a fast paced, fun course. After Foo and I had both finished, we some survival gear, and a small hydration pack to hold water, snacks, recorded our times and headed on down the path. More natural and extra ammunition. After preparing and weighing my pack-out, the obstacles littered our course ahead. Thankfully, Foo was there to real fun began – Training! I already had a few competition matches help me out with crossing streams and fallen trees. With my wrist with both my pistol and rifle under my belt, so I felt confident in my in bad shape, I was unable to fly haphazardously through the trail shooting. Navigating 5 miles of trails and obstacles with a 15-20lb pack like I had intended. The next course of fire was in a heavily wooded was a different story. To prepare, I began jogging on trails near my area teeming with full size zombies with steel plates for heads. Each home with a 15lb weighted vest. I also took up rock climbing to build zombie required two shots in the head to eliminate! After clearing the the strength and agility required to navigate obstacles. By the time the first two courses, we decided to pick up the pace. race rolled around, I was in top condition.
while waiting to shoot. Now about 4 miles and an hour and a half in, we And that’s when we separated. Foo had a big lead on me as he were both breathing hard, and running low on water. Foo shot first and disappeared around a turn. When I reached the turn, Foo was nowhere I followed his ninja lead. I let my rifle rounds fly at over 30 paper zombies to be seen. I started to run faster to try to catch up with him. My heart as fast as I could. I was trying to move quickly through the course, but was racing and all I could hear in my head was the sound of my own exhaustion was setting in. Reunited as a team once again, we continued labored breath. How did he through the course. We crossed a few more obstacles, including a get so far ahead? I eventually mysterious tunnel (which we dubbed the WTF tunnel), and finally arrived passed another competitor at the last stage. This stage was the most difficult so far, requiring long who claimed he hadn’t seen distance rifle shots on steel from several different barricades. anyone come past. And then With the finish line in sight, Foo and I sprinted towards the end! to my dismay, I arrived back There were cheers as we ran up, along with more cowbells. I took at the first course of fire! I a dramatic picture, because come on, I had to! I had come so far, frantically waved down one trained so hard, and truly given it my all. At the end of the day, Foo of the ROs who laughed drove me to a small town urgent care clinic to get my wrist x-rayed. and offered to give me a I felt pretty silly sitting in the doctor’s office covered in mud! The ride back to where I got lost. scores were posted within the next few days. As it turned out, when The air conditioning in the I got that car ride, I was driven past the point where I got lost and car was phenomenal. When ended up missing an entire stage! Needless to say, I was pretty far he let me out, I was at the down the list of competitors. Foo, of course, had made the top 10. zipline obstacle along with a My mind immediately drifted to the next race in October. What line of excited competitors. I better month to run a zombie biathlon? And now that I know what had to cop out again because to expect, I should be able to use of my wrist, so an some lessons learned to get RO showed me “I had come so far, trained so hard, a better score. the path around and truly given it my all.” If you’re a sporty shooter who and I continued enjoys a challenge, then the Battle onward. I Road USA Zombie Destruction Run and Gun Biathlon is definitely an started running hard again, adventure to add to your list. Although Foo and I pushed ourselves to the determined to catch up with Foo. I blew through two more shooting absolute limit, the majority of competitors took their time, walked, and stages and plenty of trail before I finally saw Billy in the distance, simply enjoyed the fun. There were no complicated rules to remember or standing in line to shoot the next course of fire. “BILLY!!” I shouted. He harsh penalties imposed, and the mood was lighthearted and entertaining. smiled and waved. Two obstacles stood in between me and Billy. A giant I particularly appreciated overturned tree trunk loomed before me, followed by a low lying blanket the friendly staff and safety of chicken wire I would have to crawl through. Several competitors officers, who were patient in were also making their way to the obstacles and to the shooting course. explaining the rules. Some I knew I needed to pass them in order to get through the course of fire even got into character a and catch up with Foo. My adrenaline surged as I sprinted past them, bit, which made the stages hurtled over the tree trunk and dove below the wire, crawling on my that much more fun! Signknees and elbows to get through. I jetted to the course of fire and blew up for the October run through it, hitting all of the steel zombie heads with my pistol and then has already begun, and I continuing to the next path alongside Billy. plan to purchase my ticket We traversed a 13 foot long, a bit early, since they will dangerously narrow bridge with definitely sell out. Don’t no handrails before reaching miss out on this one of a another trail. I said goodbye to kind opportunity to put Billy as I picked up my pace once your bug-out gear to the more. Still hoping to catch up with ultimate test and see how my teammate Foo. I finally found far you can push yourself him standing in line at the next when all hell breaks loose. course of fire. It was a glorious Keep Calm and reunion! We ate our Clif bars Kill Zombies! and breathlessly chugged water Becca Thompson is a certified instructor and is the leader of Sure Shots San Antonio. She is also a regular competitive shooter and 9-year-old competitive shooter Vanessa Aguilar’s coach. Author’s Note: This article is dedicated to the memory of Battle Road USA co-founder Michael Adam, who, subsequent to the writing of this article, passed away unexpectedly in a motor vehicle accident. Due to the tragic circumstances, all future Zombie Destruction Biathlons have been canceled indefinitely. We feel truly blessed to have been able to enjoy our experience at the Zombie Destruction Biathlon and are keeping all of Michael’s family and friends in our hearts during this time of grief. Thank you guys for all of your hard work!
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becca, instructor
EMILY, 13
vivian, 12 CHLOE, 10
Training the next generation of responsible shooters.
By Niki Jones
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niki, instructor
patience, 10
meghan, 7 vanessa, 9
giuliana, 4
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W hen I started Austin Sure Shots Women’s Pistol League over
five years ago, my main goal was to provide the women of Central Texas a free network of support and instruction as they made the decision to defend themselves with firearms. Over time, we expanded our defense-oriented focus to include shooting sports. But the one aspect of Sure Shots that I am probably the most proud of is our ever-growing gaggle of Mini Sure Shots. What started off as some general interest in shooting by a few Sure Shot ladies’ daughters has turned into a real, legitimate training course we developed for our “Mini Sure Shots,” and this summer we had our fourth one. These young girls already had one thing going for them: their moms are Sure Shots, so safety, training and responsible gun handling and ownership are top priorities. From the very start, firearms training and security company BSG has hosted this event and worked with us to develop the course curriculum. “It is such a huge thing to see the Mini Sure Shots learn the right way from the beginning,” BSG owner Kent Morrison says, “While we absolutely have included correct skills and proper techniques in the curriculum, the value in being able to impress safety above all else
from the very start—before any bad habits have a chance to set in—is immeasurable for these young girls.” We agree that it’s incredibly important to teach safety and respect for firearms to kids of all ages, and ultimately take the “mystery” out of guns. We train them first in safety, and it isn’t until they fully comprehend safety that we begin to teach them technique. It seems like it would be a given, but we always like to reiterate that these kids don’t have access to guns other than when they are in a heavily-supervised and coached training environment. This summer, our Mini Sure Shots training course consisted of girls ages 4 through 13. Our 4-year-old student Giuliana was the youngest Mini Sure Shot we’d seen yet (before her, our youngest was 6). Giuliana had expressed an interest in shooting, and her dad wanted her to begin learning about safety and to witness proper and safe gun handling and overall respect for guns, as well as proper shooting technique. So, he got her a pink CO2 pistol and her training began. All the girls, including Giuliana, rang steel consistently all day long. Little girls, in my opinion, are the greatest students. They’re methodical, they listen… they want to do it right. They were so proud of themselves, and more than a few of them proved they’re ready for competition.
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FEATURE PICTORIAL
Sure Shot Ashley is yet another born-and-bred Texan. A true tomboy at heart, she’s always embarking on an adventure, whether it’s hog hunting on her ranch in Leakey, TX or hiking the rainforests in Costa Rica. When she’s not playing, Ashley is one of the most successful wardrobe stylists in the industry, and is constantly booked for styling commercials, print ads, musicians, TV shows and multiple magazines. You can usually find her with her partner-in-crime, a Brussels Griffon named Steven Jalapeño, in tow. In the photos, Ashley carries a Desert Eagle .44 Magnum and an H&K P7 courtesy of Guns Warehouse, Cedar Park. Boat courtesy of Petrocelli Services, Austin. Photos by Dustin Meyer Photography.
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Piper Hattox - MS
Jaden (13), Amaya (10), Nikole (23) - Lubbock, TX
Annette Stevens-Doerr Suffern, NY
SURE SHOTS FIFth anniversary picnic and lake day
Photos by Elena Reid.
Sunday, August 23, Lake Georgetown, Texas
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WOMEN in the INDUSTRY
Stacy Lasky of Froglube
We’ve known Stacy Lasky, Froglube’s Boss Lady, for a few years now. She’s been supporting Sure Shots (and women shooters everywhere) for a very long time, and we are so happy to call her a friend. Warm, generous, and always up for fun, we couldn’t think of a better woman to introduce to our readers —Niki Jones Sure Shots Magazine: Please tell us a little about your company, Froglube. Stacy Lasky: The concept of FrogLube was born in 2009. We were given the base for a lubrication by an engineer who said, “This stuff is amazing! You should see what you and your company can do with it.” My husband, who is a 32 year veteran of our armed forces (pilot turned Navy SEAL), loves a challenge! He quickly started tinkering with it everywhere. I believe the last thing he applied it to was his firearms. The rest is history. SSM: How long has Froglube been in business? SL: Since 2009 SSM: Have you always been involved in the firearms community? SL: Obviously, my husband has been. I am an aesthetician who worked at a medical spa. So the transition from a soothing atmosphere to the excitement of the tactical world was quite shocking… in a good way! Hmmmm, soothing to shooting... SSM: Please tell us a little more about yourself and your background. SL: Born in California (when it was cool), I moved to San Diego. I met my husband in 1985 and the adventure began! Moving globally, having two wonderful kids, working as a realtor and an aesthetician, having a husband deployed, owning businesses, being involved and owning a 501C3… life has been good. SSM: What made you decide to start Froglube? SL: When something this fantastic is presented to you and you know how safe and effective it is, you know it is right. We just knew we had to take this as far as we could. Knowing how many people we could protect from the hazards and toxins of petroleum -based products with poisonous additives, well, it was a no brainer.
Number two: When you start a business you must DIVE IN ALL THE WAY. Building a brand is tough. We have an amazing team, albeit small, they have stuck it out with us. It’s not always about the money. That will come in due time. It’s about knowing where you are going and how you are getting there. Sometimes you get a flat tire, sometimes your engine blows out, but there are ways of fixing that vehicle and staying on course. Never give up. SSM: If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor? SL: Honestly, Mother Theresa just popped into my mind. She is the epitomy of how we should behave as humans. It’s that simple. SSM: What is your primary weapon and why? SL: Glock19. It fits in my hand like a glove! I love the way it handles. It’s just my fave! SSM: What are some important lessons you have learned while running Froglube? SL: In business, if you have the right people, you can do anything. If you have the wrong people, you are going to spend an inordinate amount of time correcting them. People will come to you and say, “We want to be with you!” We train them and than we go ugh, what have we done?! When we bring someone in the company now, we listen to what they say. We now ask for a reference and a resume. You learn to look for those things. Lessons hard-learned. Also, always offer world-class customer service! SSM: What do our readers have to look forward to in the future from Froglube? SL: OMG!! We have FrogLube Extreme product and another product which is hush-hush coming out at the end of this year. We are profoundly excited about both. Be on the lookout for the advertising campaign that will be released in a few months. SSM: What is the best shooting advice you have been given that you feel might be important to share with our readers? SL: Don’t aim at it unless you plan to kill it.
SSM: What is the best part of your job?
SSM: Where do you see Froglube in five years?
SL: Hands down, the people we’ve met! Our customers are simply amazing! Not to mention the people in this industry. Wow! We are truly blessed.
Helping people all over the world maintain their firearms in all environments safely! Covering the globe and…. we’re almost there!
SSM: Have there been any lessons your work life has taught you?
SSM: And for our final question… If you could be any character in a movie, who would it be and why?
Two things. Number one: Positive representation. We all know that social media is a great way to deliver great information to your customer base. Do not air your dirty laundry on social media! I see so many people go negative blaming others for their failures. Subliminal messages meant for other people. Bad things happen to everyone. Keep it private. Those who air it, in my opinion, are usually the ones who are guilty. It’s extremely unprofessional.
SL: Hands down, badass Kate Beckinsale, “Selene” in Underworld. She had it going on! She could could handle a gun like no other character I’ve seen. She portrays strength, conviction, and confronted her fears. Stayed the course. For more information, visit froglube.com.
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TRADITIONS
When it
comes to firearms HOW HAVE
THE ROLES OF
GRANDMOTHERS
CHANGED IN TODAY’S
WORLD? Amy Graves explores the difference between baking cookies and shooting guns. My name is Amy. I am a 36-year-old woman with a career in the gun industry. I carry several Texas licenses such as a Concealed Handgun License, a Private Investigator license, and I hold a Level IV Personal Protection Officer authorization. I am also a proud mother to a handsome young man, and a grandmother to an amazing little girl named Kimber. Being a new grandmother, I spend a lot of time thinking about what to teach Kimber and what my own grandmothers had taught me. Your fondest memories of your grandmother may have been afternoons spent with her in the kitchen baking cookies, in the garden, or at her table for a tea party. But today’s grandmothers are breaking that mold. While some are getting matching tattoos with their children or grandchildren, others are passing on their experience, knowledge and ability to protect their own families and uphold the rights and responsibilities to keep and bear arms. I also think about showing Kimber today’s influences of movies, television, and magazines on American society from recent years. While visions of Charlie’s Angels, G.I. Jane, or Angelina
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Jolie action movies might come to mind when discussing the subject of women and firearms, the idea of a confident woman in her ability to hold her own when it comes to guns is not newly discovered. Even though we have seen an increased interest in guns and shooting among the female population, women have been playing an important role in shooting sports throughout American history. Annie Oakley, for example, became a household name in the 1800s for her sharpshooting abilities, and in 2007 SPC Krystal Ginter of Lancaster, Pennsylvania became the first female in the U.S. Army to graduate from the Squad Designated Marksman Course. Women are becoming more interested in obtaining a CHL (concealed handgun license) to allow them to be safer, knowing they’re responsible for their own safety in their lives. Firearm instructors that specialize in teaching women only are becoming more common and can easily be found in most cities with a simple
web search. For some women, femaleonly classes allow for a greater level of confidence during the learning process and provide a more comfortable and supportive setting. Even gun ranges are taking note, offering discounted pricing for ladies night, and increasing their focus on females and firearms and providing a new way for girls to get together and have a great time. Many companies now make a lines of gun holsters and accessories for women to conceal their weapons without sacrificing fashion or femininity. For years now, parents have bought their young sons bolt action .22 rifles, and now gun manufactures are making these guns in many other colors, allowing mothers and fathers, and of course this Grandmother, more chances to bond with their little girls in other ways than playing with dolls or dress up. My grandmother taught me how to be a lady and how to bake cookies, and I will teach Kimber how to be a warrior and reload ammunition. Along the way, we may end up baking some cookies, too.
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Photos by Hannah Nicole Gandara.
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Springfield Armory XD(M) About a year ago I decided to get my CHL and buy my first pistol for protection, which was unnerving to me since I had never shot a pistol before. Although I had the license and the pistol, I knew that there was a lack of training to adequately draw my pistol to protect children or myself. That’s when I found competition defensive shooting matches. I fell in love after the first shot. But it was quickly evident that my carry pistol had many limitations in a competition setting. I then found my Springfield Armory XD(M) 9mm competition pistol with the 5.25” barrel. The Springfield Armory XD(M) pistol has three different size interchangeable backstraps that allow for a more customizable grip for any size hand. I covered mine with the incredible custom adhesive grip from Talon Grips, which is perfect for those hot sweaty Texas afternoons (see pic). The XD(M)’s frame is made of black polymer to reduce the weight and in turn it reduces fatigue, allowing more consistent accuracy. With my carry pistol, two of the problems that I had when using it in the competition setting was the hefty recoil, and the long trigger pull. That would wear out my wrist after shooting 100 rounds, which was a problem since I am also a dental hygienist and use my wrist too much for work. I definitely need to keep my job to pay for my gun obsession. One of my favorite features that is exclusively found in the Springfield Armory XD(M) 5.25” barrel competition pistol is the slot cutout of the barrel. It not only reduces the weight but also greatly reduces the recoil and allows for rapid cycling. Springfield did a great job with the short reset on the trigger. Some of the safety features include a loaded chamber indicator, striker status indicator and the Ultra Safety Assurance Trigger System and grip safety. Disassembling the pistol can be done effortlessly but reassembly is a bit more difficult due to the tight recoil spring that has to be lined up and pushed through the recoil spring guide rod to set in place on the barrel. Then again, I just may not have figured out an easier way of setting the recoil spring back into place. When you purchase the pistol, it comes in a heavy-duty high impact case with everything needed, except the ammo, to compete. The kit includes three 19-round magazines, two replacement fiber optic sights, a speedloader, three different-sized interchangeable backstraps, and a right-handed paddle holster. I was disappointed to find out that Springfield didn’t offer a left-handed holster for this pistol. With my new pistol, I’m excited when the competition match results are released and my placing is much higher. Overall, I’m extremely pleased with my decision to purchase my Springfield Armory XD(M) 9mm competition pistol with the 5.25” barrel. - Becky Klaus
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Colt 1911 A1 Rail Gun Mini Sure Shot Chloe, 10, is a force to be reckoned with and already competing in Steel Challenge competitions. She wanted to do a comparison between her own pistol and the pistol she had borrowed from us at the Mini Sure Shots Youth Training course. Here is her review, in her own words: I walked up to the firing lane with my dad by my side. I wanted to see what the difference was between my Ruger SR-22 and Miss Niki’s Colt .22-caliber 1911. I shot one gun right after the other, so it was easy to decide which gun I liked better. I chose the Colt as a better gun to shoot than my Ruger. The reasons why are: my gun is too small and has a long trigger pull, along with powerful recoil and a smaller hand grip. Miss Nikki’s gun is a heavier gun, so it has less recoil. It is also bigger (full-size 1911), has an easier trigger pull, and the grip is more comfortable for me. They have similar things like they are both .22-caliber pistols, which is the perfect caliber for me right now.
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Photos courtesy of Glock USA.
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Glock 43 I have never been a “Glock Girl”. It seems like just yesterday I was talking to my friends about how I had no interest in owning a Glock. Too boxy, too ugly, and too overhyped, I’d say. But mainly, my problem with Glock stemmed from the grip. Of all the Glocks I’ve personally tested, the 17, 19, 22, 23, 26, and 34, none of them ever felt right in my hands. I was happy sticking with my Springfield XDs and Smith & Wesson M&Ps, thank you very much! A few years ago I purchased a Ruger LCP for everyday concealed carry and wore it religiously, even though every time I took it to the range I left with sore hands, stinging fingers, and a general feeling of discontent. Eventually, I decided it was time to broaden my horizons and look for that perfect carry gun – the one that balances easy to carry with fun to shoot. I was looking for Prince Charming. In contrast, the LCP was like a bad boyfriend that I just couldn’t seem to break up with. I tried other options but always and inevitably went back to Mr. Safe Bet. He sat there in that holster invisibly. Unnoticed on my trail runs, and comfortable enough to wear on a long car ride. And yet in the back of my mind, I knew he wasn’t the best man for the job. When I first tried the Glock 42 .380 at a private lesson, it was love at first shot. It was still ugly, but it was light, slim, and fit perfectly in my hand. The pinky extension made it easy to get a good grip on the gun, and I easily placed 7 shots in the “A” zone at 10 yards. My favorite part though, and the one thing that stood out from all the other carry guns I’ve shot, was the trigger. It was lighter and crisper than the LCP, Bodyguard, XDS, and the G26. It didn’t “bite” my finger the way the LCP did. By the time I got to my car, I was already Googling where I would get one for myself! The next weekend I had a training class with Steve Miles for Force-on-Force Gunfighting, and decided to ask his opinion. That’s when I learned of a rumor that Glock would be coming out with a 9mm version, the Glock 43, within the next few months! Although I have no problem with carrying a .380, I love the feel of 9mm and also love the idea of “keeping it in the family”, so to speak, with my Springfield XDm 9mm competition pistol. I took my finger off the “Add to Cart” button and decided to wait patiently to confirm the rumor. Once confirmed, I immediately messaged my friend at Gun Shack, LLC and got on the waiting list. The day my Glock 43 arrived, I left early from work and bounded into the shop. I picked up the 43, held it in my hands, pointed it at the ground, and felt the crisp, even trigger. I was also able to look at the 42 and 43 side by side at the shop. The profiles were
nearly identical, slim and light, yet sturdy. The Glock 43 9mm was about 1/3” longer and a couple of ounces heavier than its .380 counterpart. With an MSRP of around $550, it was on the higher end of carry guns I have looked at, but I had a feeling it was worth the extra. I took it to Nardis Gun Club the very next night to test it out. When I took it out of the case at the range I was greeted by “Ooohs” and “Aaahs” and “Where did you get that?? We don’t even have one at the shop yet!”. I was on cloud 9. I took it out and placed 50 rounds on paper. I pushed the target out farther and farther until it hit the back of the range at 25 yards. I was very impressed that I was able to make effective hits at that distance. My LCP is also generally effective at that range, but the length of the enormous trigger pull forces me to go far slower to make accurate shots. The Glock 43 performed flawlessly, cycling without issue, and with the nice even trigger break that gave me quicker shots. The Glock 43 is no doubt an effective, accurate, dependable and overall fun gun to shoot. Now onto the second test – Carry. In my mind, ease and comfort of carry is the single most important consideration for a concealed carry pistol. If it isn’t easy to carry, chances are I won’t carry it at all, and then its 0% effective, 100% of the time! I had issues at first with finding a good holster. I’m a big fan of my simple DeSantis leather holsters, however, there wasn’t one made specifically for the G42/ G43 yet so I picked one made for the S&W Bodyguard instead. The concealment wasn’t nearly deep enough. The grip of the gun visibly stuck out of my pants and dug into my bellybutton when I sat down. I had to put the G43 back on the shelf until I found a deeper concealment DeSantis holster that would adequately conceal the larger gun. Once I found the right holster, I was able to carry the G43 comfortably and confidently. Nevertheless, the larger grip lent itself better to loose shirts. I had to watch what I wore carefully to make sure I didn’t print. Being summer, I knew there would definitely be times when the LCP was still the man for the job, so I decided to keep him around for good measure. Another huge advantage to the G43 is that it is a remarkable nightstand gun, as well. Unlike the LCP, which is too small and fumbly to leave next to the bed at night, the G43 sits next to my bed in a loose Galco holster ready to roll and wonderfully easy to access. In short, the G43 is a phenomenal and very well-rounded product from Glock. Pretty to look at? No. Fun to shoot? YES! Easy to carry? Sort of. Life is about compromise. To sit around waiting for Prince Charming to come into my life is a precious waste of my time. For now, I’ll settle with having my Glock 43 as “Mr. Right” and keeping the LCP as my man on the side! - Becca Thompson
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