Posted on 08/11/2008 3:37:56 AM PDT by sig226
A friend sent me a link to this site and I liked what I saw. The site is dedicated primarily to female shooters, but the articles are well written and worthy of anyone's time. Kathy Jackson deals primarily with new shooters and people new to the idea that they might one day have to use deadly force to protect themself or their family. Although I've been around this stuff for a long time, I read many of the articles and even found a couple of things I didn't know on some of the n00b pages. It's definitely worth your time. If you are first considering firearms for your personal use, you'll see information presented in a different light than the common gun press and internet. If you're an experienced shooter, take my word for it, there is good stuff here.
Men:
If a woman in your life is wondering about your enthusiasm for firearms, or wondering if she should learn to shoot, send her here.
Women:
If you've wanted to find a more sympathetic ear to your concerns, this is an excellent site. "What should I do?' and 'What can I do?' are addressed by knowledgeable people without a lot of blather and "you have to do this," "you have to do that." These are some excerpts to the site, with links. The main link is a table of contents and will likely address any question you'd like to ask.
Cornered Cat.
When a cat feels threatened, she gets away from the danger as quickly as she can. She doesn't care what damage she inflicts on her way to safety, but she's not interested in fighting for fighting's sake. She does only as much as she needs to do in order to escape. She doesn't deal in revenge. If she feels threatened, she simply leaves. Efficiently.
Until she needs to use them, her claws stay sheathed. She doesn't go around threatening to maul people. She's cuddly, she's cozy, she likes to curl up next to a crackling fire on a warm winter's day. She's great company.
But don't try to trap her in a bad situation.
This site is about women and guns, not about cats. But in a way, it's about the cornered cat in all of us. It's about the determination to get away from an attacker if you need to. It's about making the decision to say, "Not me. Not mine. Not today." And it's about the tools to make that decision stick.
If you have to fight ... Fight like a cornered cat
A Word to Women
I didn't get permission from the author to excerpt, but this is a must read for anyone who might be on the fence about lethal force, not just women. Point a spouse or family member to this page if they're in that position.
Why a Gun?
If a criminal attacks me without provocation, why should he -- the aggressor, the malefactor, the bad actor -- get to choose which one of us survives our encounter? In initiating such extreme violence, the criminal has already chosen that at least one person will die or be seriously injured as a result of his acts. The law allows for lethal self-defense because wise people through the ages have recognized that in some circumstances, literally the only choice left for another person to make is whether the intended victim or the person who attacked her will be the one to survive.
There is something else, something perhaps more fundamental. I say more fundamental because at this point, those who are skeptical about the necessity of using lethal defensive force may be thinking, "Yes, but isn't there some other way?" And the answer is, not really. Not when innocent life hangs in the balance, and the attacker is both aggressive and determined.
Which Gun for Me?
Quality guns cost money. That's all there is to it. When it comes down to it, you may find yourself trying to find an ideal compromise between price and quality. I'm not hypocritical enough to say, as some do, "Well, how much is your life worth ...?" There's a lot more to the story than that, and I've been broke enough that we wondered how to finance the next trip to the grocery store. If you are in such a situation, you may have to make some hard choices -- but make them with your eyes wide open, aware of exactly what you are trading away and what you are getting in exchange. And don't be too quick to grab the first "bargain" gun that comes along. That's nearly always a mistake. If you're broke, you've got to spend twice as much time on research as someone who isn't broke. They can afford to make a mistake or travel down a blind alley in their quest for the perfect gun. When you're broke, you really can't afford that kind of waste.
I'll add that if you want to know how to get good guns cheap, I will write a piece about it and post it here soon enough. If you can't wait, freepmail me. I'll give you a few hints.
FR Gun Club ping
Cornered Cat?
Where’d they get the name. It sounds like the little 7 pound cat my mother had for years. When cornered by a Doberman without a means of escape, fluffy killed the 35 pound dog. A cat can definately take care of itself if it absolutely has to.
Thank you. Excellent counsel in the article.
Taurus also makes a small CC revolver in the same calibers:
For those who prefer an autoloader, I'd suggest the Millennium Pro, also by Taurus, available in calibers .32 through .45 ACP
Or the venerable Walther PPK-S, favored by James Bond:
Thanks for the web site. I sent it to my Sister who just purchased a S&W revolver for home defense.
With the addition of female cats not going out looking for trouble, you pretty much nailed it.
I prefer the venerable Sig Sauer P232 with Hogue grips!
kitty ping
Taurus makes a nice gun. But that S&W Lady Smith is perfection.
IMHO the biggest single problem with women carrying is ...how?
I bought my wife and I matching OWB Bianchi holsters. This was not for concealed purposes, just simple carrying. I wasn’t thinking.
She can’t draw from hers. Physical differences .
The info on female carrying, holsters, etc. is really lacking.
Fashion makes hiding a weapon next to impossible for females.
Smith and Wesson makes nice handguns. I’ve owned a half dozen over the years in .44 Mag to .22 and most in between. I’ve never fired a bad one.
For the FreeRepublic "banglist", please click HERE .
I think this is the biggest problem for everyone. During the summer I wear a shorts and a tee. During the rest of the year for work I need to wear a shirt and tie.
I am not agile enough for the ankle holster and won't leave the gun in the vehicle.
I know of at least one design of a purse with an open draw pouch on the end (friction fit.) Something that would work in a formal fashion setting. Not the least bit obvious...
I like the unisex belt bags with quick draw velcro closures. I think they come in fluorescent colors too. And they will hold some of the biggest cannons needing concealment. Though not as fashionable as the purse design. Something that would work in a casual fashion setting. So obvious, that it’s not obvious...
I’m kind of curious if that new Federal .327 Magnum will become common enough for a ladies hideout revolver. The specs look interesting.
Why do you think male cats go out??? To find female cats. The females may not go out "looking" for trouble, but they seem to cause a lot of it. :^)
I’ve been away too long (from the states, thus from posting) so I am rusty with my html skills (and I got up way too early today) so no hot link. On second thought, there should be a hot link, now that I’ve previewed this post.
Here’s a source with some options for concealed carry, both for the man or woman of the house.
http://springfieldxdstore.com/index/10/
Some of the information on that Cornered Cat site could cause a shooter to develop bad gun handling habits. Like everything on the Internet, you have to separate the chaff from the wheat.
“Why do you think male cats go out??? To find female cats. The females may not go out “looking” for trouble, but they seem to cause a lot of it. :^)”
And women are any different? Guys tend to go looking for trouble, and some seem to prefer it to women. I’ve known a few tomcats like that, too. The girls sometimes like to see the guys fight over them, but THEY aren’t looking for trouble, just helping the guys find it! ;)
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