Guns and Robots: A SHOT Show Weekend

See my article at WON http://www.womensoutdoornews.com/2012/01/if-you-cant-go-to-shot-fill-your-time-with-robotics-and-steel/

Last week it seems like everyone and their brother in the shooting world was at the SHOT Show! Sadly, I still have one more year before I can make it out to the show myself.  Luckily, there is no height limit but they do have an age limit!  I hope everyone who attends has a fantastic time. I really, really wanted to go this year; I even got a press-pass! But the age limit overrules the pass. Fortunately, this weekend I didn’t have the opportunity to mope, as I had a Robotics competition about three hours away, and a steel match at my local range on Sunday.

    Yes, when I am not shooting at targets I quench my competitive nature with robotics (the competition was a Vex Robotics competition). Each team has two drivers and a coach; you go against other teams and try to score more goals by placing objects in containers. Most of the robots use claws or conveyor belts to pick up items and drop them into the containers or goals.

       First was robotics on Saturday. It seemed promising. The controls were working, my team mate had programmed the controllers to what seemed like perfection, and we were fixing the little bugs to the best of our ability. Batteries were charged, the keys were in, and everything was plugged in. We were ready to go!
          There were six matches Saturday and I think that I could sum it up rather easily…
          Arrrg.
          Yes, there were many “arrrgs!” that day. On every match, something had gone wrong. At one point when I was controlling, I pressed the wrong button causing the robot to expand to the point that it tipped over. For our team, it felt like going up to shoot without ammo.  Needless to say, we lost that match as our robot laid hopelessly on its side.  My team found out that though, although we could control our robot accurately and for a good amount of time on the practice field, but on the actual course the robot could only move for about five seconds before stalling out. We tested everything – batteries, connections, wheels, motors. Everything seemed to work fine! It wasn’t until we were about to leave that a teacher from a nearby school gave us a possible explanation to our spaz-tastic robot. Maybe, just maybe, our motors were overheating.  
          That seemed to be the most plausible diagnosis for our little robot. The day was overall very fun. It was frustrating at times, without a doubt, yet our entire team did have a lesson reinforced; perseverance. We had six matches to do, and by the third one it seemed like it wouldn’t make a difference if we went home. Yet we chose to stay and finish the day and try our best to fix the robot. Perseverance drives people to achieve things that others would only give up on. If we didn’t stay we may have never learned what was wrong with the robot!
          The Lack-of-SHOT-Show weekend didn’t end there. I woke up early on Sunday, excited for our Club Steel Challenge match, thinking this would end the SHOT Show blues.  Yep, there was a club match all right.  As I came barreling up the walkway with excitement and my REVOLVER GEAR in hand, Eric Leach was showing me a shot gun shell. We all know what that means! It was a shotgun match. Oops.   
          How was the SHOT Show? I’ll be seeing you all next year. 

The year in review and looking ahead — robotics, shotguns, revolvers, rifles and pigeon searching

Check out my newest article at the WON! 

Just this month, I had the new and exciting experience of shooting Action Shotgun. Straightforward enough, eh? Well, for my stature it took a little bit more energy! At the same time I think that my stature made it more fun. Let me say that shotgun has been one of the most fun things I’ve done in the shooting sports. I was shooting a pump-action, loaned to me by my friend Dave Wilson! Dave is pretty tall, so the shotgun was nearly as long as I was tall! Shooting steel and flying clays while moving AND reloading made for a new dimension of shooting. Reloading was perplexing at first, a new process I had to figure out. Luckily, it didn’t take long at all for me to realize that a shotgun doesn’t reload like a revolver. (Where does the moon clip go again?)

Eric Leech and I spent a long time at the safe table trying to figure out what would be the most convenient way, but when I got on the line I discovered what worked for me – using my leg as a table! It looked kind of funny, but it worked! I might have to change that as I keep developing with shotgun, but I can add that to my list of New Year’s resolutions!

Speaking of New Year’s … this year is almost over! I keep thinking what an amazing year it has been, starting from the beginning with the exciting competition with my S&W 627 revolver at the ICORE Southwest Regional.  Then the NRA Bianchi Cup, where I experienced my first-ever tornado (eeek!) And saw all my friends who I only see once a year, at this match. I was so excited about the IRC (International Revolver Competition) and although I didn’t meet chrono, (so close!) this was a good experience for me, as I learned the importance of checking the chrono before a match! The MGM Shooting camp in Idaho was amazing. I made tons of new friends as well as learned a lot about shooting from fabulous world-class instructors.  The Steel Challenge came next, where I defended my title as Top Lady Limited Revolver! I’m sad to see this match leave California, but I am looking forward to Jim O’Young’s West Coast Steel Challenge. I also went to the Gun Blogger’s Rendezvous and had a blast with all my gun blogging friends.

But my year wasn’t just shooting. I’ve been participating in my school’s Mock Trial and Robotics club! Those are both really fun; in Mock Trial, the case is involving the Second Amendment! How perfect is that? Right up my alley! Robotics has different aspects than the ones I’ve written about before, like all the little pieces and programming, but it has some similarities like patience! The robotics team has had to redo many parts on our little robot, but it’s really paid off! I’ve also started volunteering with the Coastal Discovery Education Center, where I help research and create advertisements for different events going on at the beach or beach/ocean related talks or activities. The highlight of the Discover Center was when I had the task to figure out the origin of a deceased pigeon using its tag. After extensive Internet research and pigeon-search-engines (they have those), I found out that it was from Oklahoma! We still don’t know how it came all the way to California, but I hope it had a chance to enjoy the sunshine!

This past year has really been full of great experiences for me. And now, I have my resolutions for 2012. Of course, I want to get better at shooting, do more shooting, get better outfitted for shooting (new shotgun from Santa, maybe?), make more shooting friends and somewhere in there squeeze in write more – about shooting! I want to do more to raise money for and awareness of Soldier’s Angels. I’m going to have to squeeze in good grades, too, but that’s not too bad because I really like school! What are your New Year’s resolutions?

THANKFUL FOR OUR SOLDIERS

I was 12 and on my way home from the Gun Bloggers Rendezvous (GBR) in Reno. During that car ride I had plenty of time to think. I was thinking about the past weekend, learning new blogging techniques, about different firearms, new friends and lessons I would take with me from then on. That weekend I realized how much I appreciate our soldiers and veterans, how Thankful I am for them. I realized what I didn’t see before, I realized how much veterans and their families sacrifice, and how little of their sacrifice is understood and honored. Every Veteran’s Day, always the same thing: a parade, flags and a day off school but really…how do children who have never experienced such sacrifice comprehend the magnitude unless it touches home?  For me, at the GBR it touched home. Veterans’ Day has never meant the same again; I am thankful for all the men and women who have served our country.

  

That year was my first trip ever to the GBR. As I entered the meeting room there was clicking of laptop keyboards, fizzling of soda pop, and racking of shot guns. I was in Reno, in a meeting room so foreign from any place I had ever been, yet there such a familiarity with those I was meeting! There were bloggers and shooters, but also veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, and Korea. This was a convention of bloggers and others in support of Soldiers Angels/Project Valor IT. I was so excited to be helping with this event to benefit Soldiers but I didn’t understand the gravity of it just yet. It wasn’t until I met Major Chuck Ziegenfuss (the co-founder of Project Valour-IT) that it started to make sense. Major Chuck Z spoke to the group of gun bloggers, humbly thanking them for their support and explaining what Soldiers Angels/Project Valor IT was all about. 

I listened to him tell his story of war, loss, sacrifice and love for his Brothers in Arms. What really made sense to my 12 year-old understanding was when he began talking about electronics…electronics for wounded soldiers - voice activated laptops! Soldiers’ Angels/Project Valor IT was sending electronics to soldiers injured to the point of extremely difficult to no communication ability so they could correspond with their families, their wives, parents, and children. That was the moment the light went on. Right then I felt horrible that children didn’t know if there mom and dads were okay, but then I felt so relieved to know that there are people out there helping the men and women who help us most. Hearing Chuck’s story first hand, I knew that this was something I wanted to support.  I’m always eager to stand up and talk about Soldiers Angels/Project Valor IT!  It is one of the many ways that I can give back to our Soldiers and Veterans, and one way I can say “Thank you.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Hope you all have a wonderful day! Xoxo

MY FRIEND MR BOX

See my article at The WON

There comes a time in every (short) person’s life when they are faced with a challenge, for some that challenge comes often. Most recently my challenge was an option: do I give up when faced with a port too high for me to even see the target, or do I shoot?

Well, I was going to shoot of course, because I love a challenge!

But the question was now how could I manage this? I couldn’t see the A-zone (center of the target) on my tippy toes! That’s when I met Mr. Box (notice the really good looking fellow between Eric Leach and I in the picture). He became a trusted ally at the last local ICORE match at SLOSA. The organizers of the match were thoughtful and really creative.  Thinking of my height challenge they strategically placed an optional box for me, providing access to the high ports.

It was a problem at first, but for every shooter, there will, one day, be a problem…but nearly always a solution along with it! Don’t give up! Face that challenge, through laughs and teasing and lots of head scratching know there is a solution to be had. High ports or low ports, timer malfunctions or scoring malfunctions, in every match, there is something. Yet with the right mind set, any problem has a good solution! Even with a re-shoot, sometimes all you need to do is know what you need to do, shoot as best as you can! And don’t give up.  A Challenge...that makes for one great match.

Mr. Box is now a good friend of mine, ahem, part of my squad.  You see, I hit the target's “A’s”. We had a grand time. I had a great squad and a great time. What’s better than a beautiful day on the coast, run and gunning with my revolver and facing a challenge head on?

By the way, I asked mom if Mr. Box could live in our garage until the next match. Her response, well…does rolling eyes mean anything? 

GUN BLOGGER RENDEZVOUS FOR SOLIDERS ANGELS/VALOR IT

There was the clicking of laptop keyboards, fizzling of soda pop, and racking of shot guns.

                There was only one place that I know of where that ambiance is possible- the Gun Bloggers Rendezvous…all to benefit Soliders Angles/Valor IT.  There were so many very generous sponsors, and others who donated so much for the cause of our wounded soldiers!  I’m so proud to have been able to take part.

     For me it was the third year attending and as soon as I stepped in the door, I felt the excitement again. It was great to see all my blogger friends, like Mr. Completely who devotes so much of his time and energy to put on this extravaganza. Without him there would be no Rendezvous; grim thought, huh?    And I always look forward to seeing KeeWee with her warm smile and a hug!  One blogger was missing: Bea Johnson. She is an 80 year old grandmother and revolver shooter! I understand she will be back next year though!  She generously donated a Ruger Blackhawk Convertible Revolver.  And guess who won it?  Yep, the only junior revolver shooter in the bunch!

Allen Forkner (Otis technology) provided breakfast and shared a lot of interesting information.  Also, generously donated some fantastic Otis Technology cleaning kits.  Dan and Caleb from Gunup took us all out for a delicious dinner, yummy! Can you pick Caleb out in the above picture?  And NSSF provided food for a pizza party.  We all had a great time and lots of food!

The first year that I attended, I was absolutely intrigued by Alan Gura's discussion about and his work. He’s an incredible Constitutional Law Attorney and has defended our Second Amendment Rights multiple times, clear to the Supreme Court!  This year he gave the bloggers a “progress report” of how things are going in the court room with different cases. It was so interesting to hear about!  Another bit of good news straight from Charles Ricci (Pro Ears) was that Pro Ears has developed ear muffs for juniors! AWESOME!  Earmuffs that actually fit!  I’m looking forward to trying them out and updating my blog with more info! Thank you Pro Ears for your very generous gifts and thoughtful too, ear muffs for all the bloggers.

                The whole stay over four days was fantastic, they had speakers every night and “range days” that were excellent for trying all sorts of new guns…like sub-machine guns and shot guns! This was some of the most fun I’ve ever had shooting! Not only was I in good company, but everyone brought their guns and shared. If you notice the picture, that’s me and Allen Forkner and I am shooting his Weatherby PA459 home defense shot gun. That gun was so much fun to shoot…accurate and quick too!  Also, an amazing event, I was able to try a sub machine gun, which had to be one of the most interesting things I’ve tried. I shot my rounds, then turned around and looked at the spectators; my parents and the bloggers who were curious as to who was shooting it now! My dad blurted, “Well, how was it?”

                I paused, then upon a moments reflection said, “Tingly!”

                One of the bloggers heard me and agreed, “Exactly! That’s what it is, Tingly!”

THE SHOOTING SISTERHOOD AT MGM JUNIOR SHOOTER CAMP

   
See my article in the   Womens Outdoor News

  

One thing I love to mention about shooting when people ask about the sport is when there are women shooters, there is an immediate bond. And as great as it is to be part of this “sisterhood,” there is also something more. There is the legacy this sisterhood upholds that dates back to the first gun ever fired by a woman. Strong and independent, the legacy of our “girly” history who’s presence has been fairly obnubilate, (my Latin teacher would love this word) or hidden. Lucky for me, my generation has grown up with incredible female shooters and role models who are acknowledged and praised for their talent and strength! Female shooters have made their presence known.

We girls stick together in this sport! It’s an instant friendship because of the major similarity, a sisterhood. This was very apparent at the MGM Junior Camp in Idaho this summer, especially. The girls at the camp traveled from all over the US to participate and with about 60 shooters with only eight girls, we were kind of outnumbered. But we had our advantages…the inspiration of the wonderful woman who organized the camp and the woman coach!

Both women, the organizer and the coach came with interesting and inspirational backgrounds. Rhonda Gibson, the woman who organized the event, was shooting when women were even more scarce in the sport! And it wasn’t just her shooting out there either; she took her daughters, age 13 and 15 at the time. Some of the men tended to look down on them at first, “after-all, what were three little ladies doing at a gun range? Well, shooting, and having a darn good time doing it!” The men who seemed to disapprove were won over pretty fast though! "Now, my girls and I were not easily ignored, we were there to stay and we decided that we would be just nice and friendly that they couldn't ignore us for long" Rhonda said.

I like to think of Rhonda as a sort of pioneer of the shooting family. She was and remains a range mother; I adore that dedication and love for the sport. She and her husband, Michael are the founders of the MGM Junior Shooter Camp. Together they own MGM targets; early on their plan was for every target sold, three cents would go to the junior shooters. At first they gave the money to USPSA, but then wanted a more “hands-on” approach with the juniors. "One year at the SHOT Show, Sgt. Aaron Hampton of the USAMU (United States Army Marksmanship Unit) came to our booth and told Mike he had an idea for a junior camp but needed some help" Rhonda told me. That was the answer to their dilemma. A junior camp! From there, the camp has grown and moved from Georgia to Idaho.

The female coach was Randi, sound familiar? Yes, the World Champion, intelligent, strong, independent, and female role model, Randi Rogers! When I found out she was coaching at the camp I was so excited that she would be there, I could hardly keep my feet on the ground! She taught us some fabulous tips about reloads (mostly for semi-autos, but she took time out to give some help to the girl revolver shooter!) We all left her stage feeling so confident! We knew we were getting better.

Randi, like Rhonda, had an interesting start in the sport. She shot Cowboy Action with her grandpa, and at 15 she became a Junior Champion. But, like most, she didn’t start off winning. At her first match she didn’t place very well; “last in the junior category,” that sounds kind of familiar! Yep, we have something else in common. Of course, that would never stop her! "I got back up and I went to the the World Championships in April and I won the Junior Girls World Championship title" She’s a major inspiration for junior girls AND boys. Randi is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and one of the best shooters I’ve ever seen! She has brought about a huge breakthrough for girls starting in competitive shooting, and I know they look up to her as being like them. As sweet as she is, she has overcome the barriers that have so frequently held women back. And she is just amazing to watch shoot and continually win.

Its women like Rhonda and Randi that paved the road for my generation they have built the foundation for range families. Not only are they major inspirations, but they are among a legacy of women by being dedicated, talented, and skilled shooters. They are part of the sisterhood! Range women: some of the sweetest, strongest, most inspirational people you will ever meet. I have such admiration for my “sisters” of all ages, for they are participating in carrying on the legacy. Rhonda and Randi are two women I aspire to be like! Both independently taking different routes in the competitive shooting world but traveling one road, they are part of the legacy of women in the shooting sport!

Thanks, Bill Bowers!

Thank you, Bill Bowers for the really nice article about me for WON! This was the last Steel Challenge World Championship in California, so it was bittersweet. The last three years have been awesome!! I love the Steel Challenge! Thank you sooo much, Bill! Read it here!

STEEL CHALLENGE BENEFIT MATCH!

This weekend I shot a Steel Challenge match in, you guessed it, Piru, California! It was great, not just because I had an awesome squad and I shot well, but because all the funds went to help a fellow shooting family in need. After a really, really unfortunate event happened to them, the shooting community banded together and have been raising funds to help this family! It was awesome to be able to help out like that, and it really shows what kind of people you encounter when you go to the range; a range family! I love that about shooting! We‘re a family!

There were so many amazing donations! A man donated all the food for shooter’s lunches, Mike Thomson and Mike Dalton donated all the range and shooter fees, and many people donated prizes as well. It was wonderful to see all the charity and compassion!  If you are wondering about this family and would like to help please contact Ron Joslin at the California Wheelburners at either (310) 613-5129 or  briley1911@gmail.com

This picture is of Mike Thompson and me.  He’s a great range host! Thank you Mike! 

MGM JUNIOR SHOOTER CAMP!

At the MGM Junior Shooting Camp last week, I had such a fantastic time that I want to share some of the highlights!

We had amazing instructors who we were fortunate enough to cycle through and learn from.   Phil Strader’s stage was action packed! We learned about how to move to a target, while keeping our guns up. That way, you have your sights mostly acquired and you’re on target! It was tricky at first, but with the drills Phil used, we were pros by the end of the session! Some of you may be wondering what sort of techniques Phil uses to get his students to be so successful in their shooting. Well…I…ok, just look at the picture.

Cowboy quick draw? Or BJ Norris quick draw? On day two, my squad was definitely working on the BJ Norris quick draw. From what I heard, my squad lucked out; BJ had some of the junior shooters on full army march! One-two-three-four-DRAW-two-three-four. And sprinting. BJ recorded our average draw speed at the beginning of the class and then again at the end. We all improved! By a LOT! It’s outstanding to see what just a few hours of practicing with a pro can do! He had us work on hand placement when the start position is “Wrists above shoulders.” We had to think: Was that the best place to put our hands?

Manny Bragg (AKA Squad Leader Extraordinaire) started my squad on the first day. He was teaching us how to shoot something many shooters aren’t particularly fond of, (and not those squirrels in your yard) swinging targets! He told us so many great tips and let us practice the swinging targets over and over and over! That’s really what we needed! It gave us time to see how the swinging target moved and where our hits were going. We learned to follow it while it was on the move!

Manny also stuck with my squad on the final day and shot the match with us. It was a blast to have such a great shooter demonstrates stages then show us the different options on each. He walked us through the field courses and gave us great strategies. And most of all, he stuck around in the hot sun with eight juniors all day and we all had the best time! Thanks so much, Manny!

I’ve shot a shotgun, a revolver, .22 pistols and rifles. I’ve even fired an AR 15 a few times. But you know what I haven’t done before this weekend? Hit a target at 100 yards with an AR 15. Matt Burkett showed us the basics of the AR-15 for those of us (myself) who hadn’t learned anything from where the safety was to how to pull back the slide. Yes, I was that new to the rifle. It was really neat to be able to try shooting from different positions; standing, kneeling, prone. First I was nervous with something almost totally new for me, but by the end I was having just as much fun as everyone else, plinking away at those far targets!

Shooting a barricade can be totally different depending on the person. Some people can see over the barricade. Other people, like me and other female and junior shooters have to lean a little far over to see the targets. It has always been a struggle for me to find the best angle, the best foot position, everything when it comes to a barricade. Thankfully, there was an entire two hours where Max Michel taught us how to properly shoot around a barricade. Some of the lessons I had no idea about, such as sliding your foot to give you more of a view of the targets rather than leaning impossibly far! He had us doing fun drills so we could get used to hitting targets when there’s something obstructing your way. He covered everything, from how far away to stand to where to put your feet, to how to hold your arms!

 Randi Rogers, a prior female junior shooting champion spent two plus hours with my squad! Not only a great shooter, she always has a smile and a hug!  That day she wasn’t only giving out hugs and smiles, but giving us instruction on reloads!  Reloads could be one of the biggest ways to save time on stages. Of course, avoiding needing to reload is the best option, but when you do need to reload it’s best to do so FAST! That’s what Randi Rogers taught us! As I was the only revolver in the group, she had to take a couple minutes to explain what I could do to increase my reload speed with a revolver. She even taught the group some IDPA reloads! That was really interesting to see.

At the end, she gave us time to ask her questions on any aspect of shooting. I had the opportunity to ask her about shooting one handed. She showed the group a great stance to take up when shooting with one hand. Put the leg of the side you’re shooting with forward (right handed, right leg forward) and lean into it while putting the arm you aren’t using to your chest.

By the end of camp, I felt so confident because of the wonderful instructors.

But that’s not the most important part. Rhonda Gibbson of MGM targets is awesome! Thank you so much  for all your hard work, Rhonda!  From coordinating and lining up extremely generous sponsors, to your generous caring and loving support of all the junior shooters.  The MGM Junior Shooting Camp is an experience that I will never forget! Rhonda is an amazing lady for her dedication to junior shooters and the shooting sport. I can’t wait for next year!