Resources

Hooray for Hollywood

I grew up with guns, but they were always the two-dimensional type. I still laugh every time I see Bugs Bunny put his finger in the barrel of Elmer Fudd’s shotgun and it blows up in Elmer’s face. Also, I never understood why Sgt. York licked his finger to wet his front sight, but it still made me giggle. From cops and robbers to absurd car chases and unrealistic explosions, I am a fan of it all. I thought Cowboys & Aliens was the best combination since peanut butter and jelly.

Cartridge Parts—The New Shooter’s Dictionary

Welcome to the First Shots New Shooter’s Dictionary!

As a new shooter, you might feel overwhelmed by all the terminology surrounding guns and ammunition. Believe it or not, knowing many of these terms and their definitions isn’t just a matter of trivia, but actually a matter of safety. To help you learn the ropes and safely buy and use your firearms and ammunition, we’re introducing “First Shots Firearms Dictionary” by Philip Massaro. Philip is a custom handloader and avid hunter who has written two books on reloading and ammunition. This month’s subject is …

Shooting Sports to Try: Metallic Silhouette Shooting

Have a gun? Almost any gun? Pistol, revolver, smallbore rifle, hunting rifle, lever-action, blackpowder rifle or even an airgun? Then you might find metallic silhouette competition is the game for you.

A Conversation with Kenn Blanchard, “Black Man With A Gun”

Kenn Blanchard tells the story of having an edgy name. While in a men’s room, someone noticed him and called out loudly, “Hey! Black man with a gun!” The other occupants of that room immediately went on red alert, looking around for someone with a firearm. “Nah, it’s cool,” said Blanchard. “I am known internationally because of my gun activism, website, podcast (“Black Man With A Gun”) and books.”

Taking Care of Your Guns Before You Store Them

After you purchase a gun, you must store it properly. But, just like that lovely vintage lace dress from your great grandmother or a treasured coin collection from your favorite uncle, you must take care of your newly acquired item properly before storing it.

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.

What is a Modern Sporting Rifle?

Rifles are incredible tools. From a distance, a hunter can take a large animal that will put food in the freezer to feed your family for the year. A farmer can stop a predator or nuisance animal from destroying crops and livestock. And anyone, from homeowner to serious competitor to weekend plinker, can hone their skills with practice and gain proficiency to shoot over distances of a 1,000 yards or more.

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.