Resources

Conversations with New Shooters:Lucretia Free

She says she wears a “publisher’s hat.” Meet Lucretia Free, founder and publisher of The American Woman Shooter.

Free isn’t new to the publishing business, having already launched the successful community newspaper in southeast Tucson, The Vail Voice, and its sister paper in northeast Tucson, The Tanque Verde Voice. She is, however, new to the shooting sports.

“Early last year, a friend invited me to the range. I was expecting it to be a very long morning. Instead, I was very surprised to find that I enjoyed shooting,” recalled Free.

Gun Safety Begins With You

Did you know?

• The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s Project ChildSafe program helps coordinate distribution of firearm safety kits which include a free cable-style gun lock. Since Project ChildSafe’s inception, more than 36 million safety kits have been donated throughout the U.S.
• Firearm-related fatalities in the U.S. have been decreasing consistently since record keeping began in 1903 and dramatically in the last 20 years.
• More than 600 different organizations have signed on to support the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s “Own It? Respect It. Secure It.” campaign, designed to help prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands.

First Hunts—Everyone Starts at the Beginning

The decision to hunt can come before or after you learn how to shoot. Regardless of when that decision takes place, once you’ve made it—and before you step foot into the pheasant field or take a seat in the duck blind or whitetail stand—you need to become extremely accurate with the particular firearm you intend to take along with you. The NSSF’s website, www.nssf.org, is the perfect place to help you find ranges where you can practice, and it also lists dozens of training programs, all so that you can be assured your shot will fall where intended. But aside from practice, what else do you need to get out there and hunting as soon as possible? Let’s take a look at five things that should be at the top of your preparation list.

Four Things You Can Do With a Rifle (Besides Hunt)

Barbara is more of a hunter than I am and, in this issue of First Shots News, she tells you how to get started in hunting. While I hunt a little bit, mostly ducks and geese, she’s hardcore and chases down ill-tempered wild boars with flint knives—at least that’s what I’ve heard, and I’m sticking by that story.

How to travel with a firearm

“Have gun, will travel,” is not as simple as it sounds.

Whether you’re planning to attend a competition, going on a distant hunt, or just want to take along a firearm for your own personal-defense when you travel away from home, you absolutely need to know the rules of how to legally travel with your gun.

Buying Your First Handgun

Have you have made the decision to purchase your first handgun? As Barbara Baird writes, “Maybe you’ve just come from a First Shots pistol course or another class that introduced you to the shooting sports, or maybe this idea has been taking root for a long time? For whatever reason, you’re ready to purchase your first handgun. Even if you know which gun you want to buy, it’s helpful to go through this checklist to see if it truly fits your needs.”