Lipstick and lead shooting tips

Don’t Hate – EDUCATE!

November 25, 2012 By 1 Comment

BY Shellee Enfinger

I talk to women all the time that say, “I am afraid of guns” or “I want to learn but I am scared of even touching a gun”. What I want to say to them is, “I am way more afraid of a bad guy or a bad situation than a firearm that is totally in my control.”

For those ladies out there that feel like that, the gun is only a tool! The tool is not the enemy or the threat. It is simply a piece of metal. If it is sitting in my nightstand or in my purse it is as harmless as if I had one of my high heel shoes sitting there. The key is knowing how to use my gun, and knowing how to be completely in control of my equipment, of my tool. That way, God forbid I ever have to use it, (I personally have almost had to once) I will know how and I will be 100% confident that it will work! Just like anything else in our lives, we need to be prepared to handle the situation as best as can. The bad guys may have the element of surprise on their side, but we have control over a couple of things:

  • How prepared we are (PRACTICE)
  • How well we know our equipment
  • Improving other awareness skills

If you believe that using a firearm is your best option when faced with a threat, think again—it is actually your last resort- especially for women. Many times you will find yourself in situations that you can’t get to your gun or you will have to fight to get it. We also need to learn other skills that we must employ first: situational awareness, self-defense, and paying attention to your environment. You might even consider other forms of protection like mace or a Taser, all of which might prevent us from having to go to our last resort—our firearm.

Don’t let your gun be the only tool in your toolbox- be prepared in many ways!

Here is a picture of the Lipstick and Lead girls in our Hand to hand Self-Defense Class with Jim Balthazar at Secure Life Training in Dallas, TX.

My sister was really getting into our final where we had to fight the instructor for 1 minute and then escape through a door. I think she could have stayed all day and fought him, but all I could think about was fighting him off enough so I could get to my gun!

Remember, knowledge is POWER! The more we know, the more we want to know. We are only scared of what we don’t understand. We must prepare ourselves every day to make good decisions in a dangerous world. Whatever method of self-protection you choose—do it today! Prepare and get educated! Always be prepared for the worst and hope for the best. Be aware of your surroundings and pay attention. Learn the different options available to you and don’t be afraid to try something new. You never know – you might think it is empowering!

 

Filed Under: Shooting Tips, Stories and Blogs

Proper Education – Safe Education

November 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Shellee Enfinger

shell-bioI had an interesting interview with a newspaper reporter the other day about our different views on Gun Control. She expressed to me that her whole life she had grown up “scared of guns.” I told her that was funny; I grew up scared of machetes! And that was because I grew up in Southern California in the early 80’s when the Night Stalker was busy terrorizing the Los Angeles area. Many nights I went to bed as a little girl hearing the nightly news report of the Night Stalker murdering another family in our area in an extremely gruesome way with a machete. I guess anything you hear on TV that is bad can be scary and bad to us?

With both of my parents and grandparents being competitive shotgun shooters, I was exposed to firearms from an early age and was completely aware of the safety measures and precautions needed when handling a firearm—but a machete or a knife…I was terrified! What would I ever do if I woke up to find the Night Stalker in my home when I was babysitting my little sisters late? I know what I would do now and unfortunately, I have actually had to practice what I preach and it saved my life and my three children’s lives.

So many of our beliefs and fears come from our education and upbringing—but how many of those same beliefs and fears come from what the media tells us? We worked with that reporter and taught her to shoot and I think we can say that we changed her mind regarding firearms. Or we at least made her think really hard about why she was so afraid of them. Proper education is essential to understanding things like firearms which are so controversial. And teaching our youth is essential in their understanding also. What are your beliefs and how do you plan on educating the generations coming after you?

 

Filed Under: Shooting Tips, Stories and Blogs

Best Guns For Girls – Ranking the Chiappa Rhino 200D

November 4, 2012 By 2 Comments

Lipstick and Lead’s Best Guns for Girls Rankings

By: Tiffani Reamsbottom

 

At Girls’ Night Out in August, the Lipstick and Lead team decided to test a variety of guns, in our Quest to find the best guns for girls.. The team We brought all their favorites out, then best of all, we all got to shoot them! We reviewed all the guns and now we’re going to share the information with you!

If you would like to learn more about the Ladies who reviewed these guns, take a look at the Mama’s Team link at the top of the page. To come and join us for our next Girl’s Night Out, take a peek at our calendar and then come join us!

To review the guns, each category was rated from 1 to 5 (1 being low/bad and 5 being high/good.)

The categories were:

Lipstick and Lead Ranking best guns for girls

  • Grip– was it too big? Too small? How did it feel?
  • Recoil—Was it manageable? Uncomfortable? Surprisingly light? Etc….
  • Weight—Heavy or Light? Did you like the weight?
  • Size– Big? Small? Fit in a purse?
  • Trigger Pull—Was the trigger pull smooth? Heavy and hard to pull?
  • Action/Slide Use— (semi-autos only) Was it hard to use the Slide locking it back or releasing it?
  • Ease of use (or easy to learn)—Never shot the gun? Was it hard to use?
  • Would you carry it concealed?
    • This is something that we get a lot of questions about. It’s hard to balance stopping power (the size of the bullet) and the size of the gun. The smaller the gun (easier to conceal) the smaller the caliber and thus, less stopping power. Bigger guns are heavier, but they are also extremely effective. This question, then, comes down to personal choice, but we thought we’d get the Team’s opinions- maybe they can help you!


We’ve blogged a lot about the Charter Arms Pink Lady .38 Revolver. So, in the spirit of comparison, our next review is another revolver:

 Chiappa Rhino 200D .357Mag (shoots .38 and .357Mag) We shot .38s.

It was a general consensus by the team that the Rhino was a bad-ass gun. EVERYONE wanted to try it out. As you can see, the look of the Rhino is different from standard revolvers. It holds 6 bullets, and the cylinder is flatter than usual. The most unique thing about the Rhino is barrel position. Standard revolvers have the barrel aligned with the topmost chamber in the cylinder. In the Rhino, the barrel is lower; it’s aligned with the bottom chamber in the cylinder. This places recoil more directly into the arm of the shooter instead of over the top of the hand. Result: less recoil. This also leads to Chiappa being able to make the gun out of lighter materials.

That’s the low down on the Rhino, now to the fun part!

Here’s what the Ladies of Lipstick and Lead had to say about it!

Mama Jeanie: “SEXY!! I want one for my birthday!” Mama gave this gun 5 in all categories. She’d even carry it concealed. Good thing she also has a big purse!

Shellee agreed with Mama- she especially like how the muzzle didn’t flip up.

Tiffani R loved shooting the gun! The only thing she didn’t like was the grip. It was smooth and she prefers something a little more contoured.

Victoria (new to handguns!) loved it! She thought it was really easy to use, but also thought the gun was a bit heavy and big; she gave it a 3 in both those categories.

Tiffany A. declared the “Sexy” Rhino: “Loud, but lovely.” She also felt the gun was a touch on the heavy side.

Stacey is a retired Army MP? and liked the size of the gun. She thought it was intimidating- in a good way!

Karen is also new to handguns, but she declared this gun “the most fun gun she shot today! It was accurate and the recoil was surprisingly lighter than I thought! Cool breeze from recoil.”

AJ, our CHL instructor, thought it was awesome fun! But, it was a bit big, and she wouldn’t carry it concealed.

Susan is the lucky owner of this gun, so one might say she’s partial- she gave it straight 5s! She doesn’t carry this though- she says it’s a great gun for home defense.

Melanie also rated this gun with straight 5s. She even noted that she liked the grip!

 

As you can see, the Rhino was a big hit with the Lipstick and Lead team. Everyone loved shooting it and agreed that the recoil was exceptionally low for a revolver. It is a bit big to carry concealed, especially if you’re carrying in a purse-it’s a tad heavy! However, like Susan said, it’s great for home defense and it would be incredibly intimidating to see that mean looking gun pointed at you!

We hope you get a chance to shoot the “Sexy” Rhino! If you’ve shot one before, let us know! Bonus: Your comments willl be helping other women, too! So thanks for checking out this post in our quest to find the Best Guns For Girls. Keep coming back to see us rate more guns in the coming weeks.

Love,

The Lipstick and Lead Team

Filed Under: Photos, Shooting Tips, Stories and Blogs

Gun Safety List

August 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment
  • There is no such thing as an “unloaded” gun.The most dangerous gun is the one you haven’t personally checked.
  • Always point the muzzle of your firearm in a safe direction.
  • Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.
  • Always wear ear and eye protection when firing a gun, whether on the range or in the field.
  • Always check three times to see if a firearm is unloaded, then check again.
  • Pass or accept only open and unloaded firearms.
  • Always keep firearms secured from children.
  • If you own a bolt action or a semi-auto rifle, lock the bolt and ammunition in a separate place.
  • Store firearms in an unloaded condition.
  • Either use specialty gun locks or a safe to secure firearms.
  • Make sure nothing is obstructing the barrel of a firearm before shooting.
  • Always unload a firearm before leaving a shooting area.
  • Never carry a loaded firearm in a vehicle unless you are carrying one for self-defense, in which case it must be legal to do so in your state or municipality. If this is the case, your firearm should be secured with safety on in a holster, case or other conveyance so that it cannot accidentally fire.
  • Do not carry or discharge a firearm while intoxicated or while on medication.
  • Never lean a firearm against a vehicle or wall where it can accidentally fall and discharge.
  • Don’t rely on safety catches alone. They can wear and break over a period of time.
  • Never hop a fence or hedge with a loaded firearm.
  • Never jump a stream or walk over slippery rocks with a loaded firearm.
  • Always thoroughly check a firearm before cleaning and disassembly.
  • Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations or owner’s manual when disassembling a firearm.
  • Keep flammable cleaning fluids away from open flame or heat source. Make sure your cleaning area is well-ventilated.
  • Don’t wear clothing that will catch or interfere with the operation of your firearm.
  • Don’t use a holster or sling that will interfere with the operation of your firearm or cause a dangerous carrying situation.
  • In case of misfire, always point the firearm in a safe direction and follow the procedures recommended in the gun’s owner’s manual.
  • Fire only the caliber or gauge ammunition that is marked on the firearm.
  • Never fire ammunition that is marked different than the box or container it is in.

Filed Under: Shooting Tips

Handgun Ammo

May 29, 2012 By 1 Comment

bullets ammo

HANDGUN AMMO

There are basically 2 different types of ammo that you need to be familiar with. Ammo for the shotgun is usually referred to as a “shell”.  Ammo for a handgun, or rifle, is usually referred to as a “bullet“.

Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) bullets are limited in their capacity to expand.  These bullets will pierce through most anything, leading to decreased target damage.  It could potentially go through walls, beds, floors, people, etc.  Because of this, you DO NOT want to shoot this round inside your home or in your personal protection firearm.

 

The second type is a Hollow Point or Soft Tipped bullet. They are designed to penetrate deeper and then mushroom, expanding inside the body or whatever they hit.  There are different types of Hollow Points.  This is the type of bullet you will want in your firearm for your house or when using for self-defense.

Because of cost you might want to use FMJ’s for practice.  FMJ’s are less expensive than premium or self-defense ammunition.  You should make sure you run at least one cylinder, or magazine, of self-defense ammunition (Hollow Points) through your gun so you know how it feels compared to FMJ‘s.  It will feel different.

There are several different types of bullets for different firearms.  Always make sure that you are using the correct ammo in your gun.  You can verify this on the ammo box and then match it to your gun.  The caliber of gun is usually written on the side of the barrel.  For example, .22 caliber ammo only goes into a .22 caliber pistol or rifle. Same with 9mm and 38 Specials.

 

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeanie Almond (founder of Lipstick and Lead),General Manager and Director of Education at Elmfork Shooting Sports, has over 46 years of Shooting Sport teaching experience. She’s an advocate for women empowerment and education, especially related to self defense and gun use. She has been on various television programs, and has been sought out for expertise in the gun field by various groups and entities.

Jeanie Almond aka “Mama Shotgun” is a former Shotgun Shooting Champion and has taught Shotgun Skeet shooting, and trap shooting.

For more information about “Mama Shotgun”, check out more of her blogs and posts at www.lipstickandlead.com.

DISCLAIMER and WARNING
Filed Under: Shooting Tips

Shotgun Ammo 101

May 17, 2012 By 1 Comment

SHOTGUN SHELLS

Ammunition for a shotgun is referred to as a “shell”. Ammunition for a rifle, or pistol, is referred to as a “bullet”. A shotgun has a smooth bore and no rifling, which is why they are sometimes referred to as “smooth bore guns“.

You always want to verify you have the correct ammo with the correct gun. Never, ever carry two different gauges of shells on you at the same time. 20 gauge shells are always yellow in the US. This is an industry standard for safety. Other gauges come in myriads of colors.

 What type of Ammo does my shotgun use?

A shotgun will usually have the gauge stamped on it in two places. The barrel is normally one location and near the receiver is the other. The gauge of shells is really sort of backwards as to how we normally think numbers should be.

The diameter of a 20 gauge is smaller than the diameter of a 12 gauge. The smaller gauge number has more shot/BB’s, while the larger number has less. For example, a 12 gauge shell has more shot/BB’s than a 20 gauge.

HOW A SHOTGUN FIRES

Inside the receiver is a black piece about the size of a quarter. In the center of that piece is a firing pin that strikes the primer of the shot shell, which ignites the gun powder, creating gasses that propel the wad and shot (aka pellets/BB’s) down the barrel and out the muzzle. When it leaves the barrel, the shot kind of looks like a flock of black birds. Often you will notice the wad fall away more than the shot.

Shotgun Ammo Contd on pg 2

____________________________________________________________
Jeanie Almond (founder of Lipstick and Lead),General Manager and Director of Education at Elmfork Shooting Sports, has over 46 years of Shooting Sport teaching experience. She’s an advocate for women empowerment and education, especially related to self defense and gun use. She has been on various television programs, and has been sought out for expertise in the gun field by various groups and entities.

Jeanie Almond aka “Mama Shotgun” is a former Shotgun Shooting Champion and has taught Shotgun Skeet shooting, and trap shooting.

For more information about “Mama Shotgun”, check out more of her blogs and posts at www.lipstickandlead.com.

DISCLAIMER and WARNING

Filed Under: Photos, Shooting Tips Tagged With: , , , , ,

Shotgun Ammo 101 part 2

May 17, 2012 By 1 Comment

SHOTGUN SHELL SAFETY

If you accidentally put a 20 gauge shell in a 12 gauge shotgun, then follow that up by loading a 12 gauge shell, you’ve got a major safety issue. Remember the gasses created when the primer ignites the powder? Those gasses have to go somewhere…it’ll usually be the weakest part of the gun, which is where your hand is on the fore end. The gun will explode apart and you’ll be fortunate if you only lose some fingers. Never ever carry two types of shells at the same time.

 Can you tell which one is the 20 gauge?Go back to page one of Shotgun Shells and Shotgun Ammo 101
If you like this also check out:

Mama Jeanies 3 Rules to Shotgun Success

Lipstick and Lead Shotgun Basic’s DVD
 _____________________________________________________________________
Jeanie Almond(founder of Lipstick and Lead),General Manager and Director of Education at Elmfork Shooting Sports, has over 46 years of Shooting Sport teaching experience. She’s an advocate for women empowerment and education, especially related to self defense and gun use. She has been on various television programs, and has been sought out for expertise in the gun field by various groups and entities.Jeanie Almond aka “Mama Shotgun” is a former Shotgun Shooting Champion and has taught Shotgun Skeet shooting, and trap shooting.

For more information about “Mama Shotgun”, check out more of her blogs and posts at www.lipstickandlead.com.

DISCLAIMER and WARNING

Online Marketing
Add blog to our directory.

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Choosing a Handgun – Lipstick and Lead

April 25, 2012 By 15 Comments

 

 

Picking a Handgun guide by lipstick and lead

CHOOSING A HANDGUN

First, when choosing a handgun figure out what purpose you will be using this handgun for. Is it for protection, recreation or just because you want another one? Guns are like shoes. You know they fit when you pick it up….and you can never have enough of them.

Take time to hold your pistol in your hands. Get to know their feel, the weight and where the controls are. If someone tries to hand you a gun to shoot that you are not familiar with, simply follow these steps:

1. Make sure and verify it is unloaded and safe

2. Do not hesitate to set the gun down. Ask questions, handle it and get familiar with it before you shoot

3. Take time to figure out how it works. Different guns have different parts in different places.

Do not let anyone pressure you to shoot a gun you are not familiar with, don’t want to or are not comfortable with.

 


When choosing a Handgun there are 2 Main Types:


REVOLVERS: It is called a revolver because the cylinder revolves (moves in a circular motion) to load the next bullet into the chamber. A shot is fired each time the trigger is pulled. The only limitation is that you have only 5 or 6 rounds available, depending upon the handgun.

There are a couple of different types of revolvers (a revolver with a hammer, or a revolver without a hammer called a hammerless/shrouded trigger). The benefit of a hammerless revolver is that it won’t snag on anything when you take it out of your purse or holster. If you have a purse and something doesn’t seem right, you can always slip your hand into your purse and grab your gun without drawing attention to yourself. If needed, you could fire right through your purse. You can replace this later.

Or to Find the Best Handgun For women Click here

Filed Under: Shooting Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Choosing a Handgun Part 2 – Lipstick and Lead

April 25, 2012 By 6 Comments

Picking a Handgun guide by lipstick and lead

 

SEMI-AUTOMATICS: A semi-automatic is a firearm that when the trigger is pulled (a round is fired), the slide cycles backward, then moves forward automatically. As it moves forward, it automatically loads the next round. You must pull the trigger for every shot.

You need to be aware that if you have your semi-automatic in your purse/holster, and have to shoot from inside your purse, the slide may not cycle fully, preventing a second shot. Semi-automatics do have a higher risk of jamming, especially with a new shooter.

The benefits are that you have many more rounds available. The number of rounds depends upon the magazine capacity of the pistol you own.

Guns are like cars and computers…I want it to be reliable and work when I go to use it.

An important tip: Don’t leave magazines fully loaded for long periods of time. This will weaken the springs. I suggest having a minimum of two magazines so you can rotate them. A weakened spring can cause the gun to jam and not cycle.

A semi-automatic is not the best gun to carry for a woman, but they sure are fun to shoot! This goes back to guns being like shoes…you know they fit when you pick them up, and you can never have enough of them. Different shoes for different occasions. Guns are the same way!

Everyone is going to have an opinion when you go into a gun store or on a range. Try to do your research first.

Try before you buy. Consider going to a range and renting several handguns so you can see how they work for you. Besides, that means someone else gets to clean it when you’re done.

JEANIE ALMOND – LIPSTICK AND LEAD
Filed Under: Shooting Tips

Mama Jeanie’s 3 Rules to Shotgun Success – Shotgun Tip

April 15, 2012 By 1 Comment

 Shotgun Tip

“I want my female students to learn to teach themselves very quickly. I believe in good equipment. Shotguns need well-made, higher stocks with as much recoil reduction built into the gun as possible.”

Jeanie’s 3 Rules of Shotgun Success :

Shotgun Tip  1. Weight forward:

Shotguns recoil in two directions. To be in control of the strongest recoil, which is straight back, the shooter must keep her weight forward with the strongest part of her body “behind” her. Yes, girls, your “behind” is the part of your body that keeps you in control of the trajectory of the BBs. The BBs are like little baseballs: we want them to go where we throw them.

Shotgun Tip  2. Head down:

The shotgun should be brought up to the cheek of your face.  The butt of the stock is to be brought high in the “pocket” where your arm joins your shoulder (about where your bra strap fits). As I said, a shotgun recoils in two directions. Rule one covers the primary “straight back” recoil. Rule two addresses the secondary recoil. Again, the gun matters. A snug, forward cheek position, with the eye directly behind the center of the receiver, creates a perfect picture. A snug cheek avoids secondary recoil. You then are in control of the secondary upward movement. The perfection comes next. You and the gun are looking at the same picture, at the same time.

Shotgun Tip  3. Focus on the TARGET:

When you and your gun get to the target, pull the trigger, relax and follow through.

For another shotgun tip check out:

Shotgun Ammo

Lipstick and Lead

Jeanie Almond, General Manager and Director of Education at Elmfork Shooting Sports, has over 46 years of Shooting Sport teaching experience. She’s an advocate for women empowerment and education, especially related to self defense and gun use. She has been on various television programs, and has been sought out for expertise in the gun field by various group and entities.

For more information about “Mama Shotgun”, check out more of her blogs and posts at www.lipstickandlead.com.

DISCLAIMER and WARNING
but it’s fiddly

 

Filed Under: Shooting Tips

Myth About The Concealed Handgun License Course

March 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

CONCEALED HANDGUN LICENSE

 

 

BY JEANIE ALMOND AKA MAMA-SHOTGUN

 

As the director of Education at a large shooting facility here in Texas I answer many questions from women regarding  the Concealed Handgun License course.

Myth:  The class is designed to teach women how to shoot their handguns.

Fact:  The instructor assumes by the time you take the course you should be very familiar with your equipment.

There is a big gap that must be addressed. I believe a good basic handgun class should come first. I believe a woman should have had the educational opportunity to really learn about the steps she is taking.  A good instructor will provide multiple handguns. Explain the differences and be happy to answer any questions her students may have.

In addition allow the student to experience different choices. Example: Revolver or semi-auto. I want women to have input and education. Then when it is time to go to the “Gun” store, she can be the lead in her choice, not the nice salesman behind the counter.

The CHL classes are to educate us about the laws and how they affect our choices. The shooting qualifications only take 20 minutes. It is not the teaching moment.  It is the “certification” time. A woman’s education should have come much before she takes a class that can make it legal for her to  “carry”.

Learn proper shooting technique before your course by either attending one of our live events or our home study DVD’s.

For our live events schedule, click HERE.

To purchase one of our video DVD’s, click HERE.

Filed Under: Shooting Tips Tagged With: , , ,
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