Intuition

Break-Ins and Intuition : Many years ago, in the fall of 2012, I came home from work to an unusual scene of my jewelry strewn across the floor all the way from my basement door into my bedroom as I walked inside. Instantly, I knew someone had been in my…

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Making The Decision: Part 1 – Do I Need a Gun?

Do I Need a Gun? So, where do you even start to answer the question, “do I need a gun?” You know you want to stay safe, protect your loved ones, and maybe, most of all, not let yourself become a victim. So, do you just go out and get…

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Making the Decision: Part 2 – What do I Need To Know?

What do I Need To Know About Owning A Gun? What do you need to know before totally jumping in and buying your first gun? Well, everything of course! But seriously, there are a few things to think about along with the previous questions of  “Do I need a gun”…

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Do You Need A Gun For Self Defense?

There is no need for discussion. The fact is, we must protect ourselves from violent crime and our homes from invasion. Do you need a gun for self defense? I believe this is a question that every woman needs to ask herself and answer.

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Do You Need A Handgun for Home Defense?

A handgun for home defense is generally less effective than a shotgun as their projectiles have less energy. Aim and accuracy become critical to successfully defending yourself because you can no rely on shotgun spray. however, they do have the benefit of being easier to maneuver with their smaller size.…

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Could You Use It?

Your choice to carry and own a gun for self-protection says that you are willing to take the life of someone if necessary in order to save your life or the lives of those you love. This is a very significant statement that has very serious ramifications. We of course don't own a gun to "kill", we own a gun to "defend". Should that awful moment ever arise, could you use your gun on an attacker? You will have to answer this question for yourself.

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Choosing The Right Gun For You- Part 1

Sifting through the endless firearm options to choose the right gun for you can be confusing. In this four part series,  Carrie Lightfoot and guest Ashley Suris answer your questions to help walk you through making the right decision. This episode will dive into the differences between revolvers and semi-automatics.…

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Choosing the Right Gun For You – Part 2

Sifting through the endless firearm options can be confusing. In this four part series,  Carrie Lightfoot and guest Ashley Suris answer your questions to help walk you through making the right decision. In this video we discuss hand size and hand strength.   Subscribe to The Well Armed Woman Youtube channel Also…

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Choosing The Right Gun For You – Part 3

Sifting through the endless firearm options can be confusing. In this four part series,  Carrie Lightfoot and guest Ashley Suris answer your questions to help walk you through making the right decision. In this video we discuss different types of safeties.   Subscribe to The Well Armed Woman Youtube channel Also Watch…

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Choosing The Right Gun For You – Part 4

Sifting through the endless firearm options can be confusing. In this four part series,  Carrie Lightfoot and guest Ashley Suris answer your questions to help walk you through making the right decision. In this video we discuss the purchasing of your gun, where to go and what to ask.  …

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15 Forgotten Benefits of Shooting – Infographic

There are some real benefits of shooting. As a Well Armed Woman, you know that the significant benefit of owning and training with a firearm is that it can save our lives, right? In fact, that is the driving reason most women buy a gun and learn to shoot. We…

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Do You Need A Gun For Home Defense?

The decision to purchase a gun to defend your home, yourself and your loved ones is an important and serious one. Does a woman need a gun for home defense? Only you can make that decision. I can help with my 5 part series starting with Making The Decision Part…

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Do You Need A Shotgun for Home Defense?

Let's start with the shotgun. The shotgun has always been a favorite gun for home defense. A shotgun shoots multiple pellets from casings (shells) at a very high velocity. These pellets have excellent stopping power as they "spray" from the barrel, making it easier to hit your attacker. The shotgun…

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How Would You Handle These Two Scenarios?

From time to time, I am going to have some articles that throw out hypothetical situations that could happen while you’re carrying, and ask what you would do based on the information given. It’s always important to play through an entire scenario all the way to the end. If you want, walk through different steps that you may take, depending on what happens next. It’s all up to you. Many times, we stop at “I’d shoot the bad guy” and don’t go beyond that. Let’s change that each time a new scenario comes up. Play them out.

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Why Gun Rights Are Important to Amanda

I was always the woman who was afraid of guns, and couldn’t see why people felt the need to carry one. My husband carries, and has always wanted me to, but I was so terrified of the whole thing. But then I was out walking with my dog last fall, and we went to a nature trail area that I had never been to before..

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Am I Ever Really Safe?

My scary elevator ride Three years ago my husband and I were on our honeymoon. We were staying in a hotel and he had gone down to the car to load some of our stuff. A few minutes later I headed down. I stepped into the elevator and I noticed…

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Over 29 Minutes Later

I drew my gun and called 911. I did not want to shoot and begged 911 to get there quick so I wouldn’t have to, but I would do anything to protect my unborn daughter

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Mistaken Identity

Parking lot attack Recently, I was pulling out of my apartment complex to pick up food for my roommate and me. As I was leaving this girl waved me down. She was about my age in her early twenties and seemed a little frazzled like she needed help .So, I…

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The Mentality of a Gun Owner

I have always practiced situational awareness (something that family/friends always poked fun at me for doing) and at the age of 24, I was gifted my first gun from my then-boyfriend. I had practiced often with him and was always told never to pull your gun unless you intend to…

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Situation in My Favor

Before I share my parking lot attack, some history. I have 5 kids and a disabled husband. My husband has always been a huge 2A advocate and carries everywhere he can. He had been mugged years ago after being out to eat with his friends at an establishment that didn't…

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“We Just Finished Some Target Practice”

During my early 20’s I lived alone in a nice little one-bedroom apartment. My neighbors were 4 men in their 30’s and 40’s. They were brought in from out of state to build the new shopping center down the road. In their first month of living there, these men had…

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Walk with Confidence

Walk with Confidence Many years ago I was walking at our local high school track on my lunch break. The track wasn't near the school and had to be entered through only one gate. Chain link surrounded the track with all other gates locked. A local homeless man entered the…

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It’s Not a Good Idea to Approach Me!

ButI had just started pistol shooting and joined a chapter of TWAW. The class that Saturday was about being aware of my surroundings and we got a keychain with white, yellow, orange, and red beads to engine us of the stages of awareness. We also practiced yelling things like “…

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The Gun I Didn’t Have To Use

I'm Glad It Was There My dad taught me how to shoot his .357 magnum when I was 9 years old. I knew it wasn't a toy and never touched it. He kept it loaded in his nightstand. We lived out in the country and one night when I was…

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Being Prepared Can Make the Difference

Being Prepared Can Make the Difference A survival story submitted by Karen T. My story isn't as dramatic as many I have read, but I am convinced my concealed carry gun kept me from being involved in a bad situation. My husband and I traveled to Memphis a couple of years…

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The Obsession That Saved My Life

The Obsession That Saved My Life A survival story submitted by Wanda July 2016 something came over me and I decided I wanted a gun. I had been seeing too many home invasion stories on the news. That's what urged me to go buy one. I just couldn't imagine sitting in…

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Do You Need A Gun? My Story

Only you can answer the question if you need a gun and it's not an easy question to answer. As women, this is a tough question for us to ask ourselves because it means facing our vulnerabilities. For our own peace of mind we tend to assure ourselves that; "people are good" or "my neighborhood is safe" or "I am always aware, I can prevent something from happening

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Women, Protect Yourselves

My sister lives in Texas, states away from me. One night, while her husband was working graveyard at approximately 3:30 in the morning, two men kicked in her front door. Of course, it woke her. She jumped up and grabbed her handgun to protect herself and met them in the…

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Twice in One Day

This is the story of the day I was ready to use my gun not just once, but twice. I live in California where the CCW process isn't a same-day process like some other states. The day I'm talking about happened in the middle of my going thru getting my…

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Shopping With My Mom

Typical of most days with my mother, I drove.  She's getting up there in her years and for me to take her places is just a little bit safer for everyone.  She's aware that have earned my concealed carry permit, that I carry a full-size XD .40 in a purse holster…

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They Stole My Car But Not My Will to Survive

I was 21 years old and shopping at the local supermarket. Being 21 I was purchasing beer and jellybeans for an Easter time party with all my close friends. I proceeded to walk out to my car in the parking lot when someone approached me from behind and stuck an…

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Following Me

I was coming home one night after dropping a friend off at her house, after I got out of town about 7 miles I noticed a car following me.

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“She Has a Gun”

It was about 1974 and I had just moved back to my hometown. I had rented a small red sports car and was pulled into a parking spot at a 7-11. I didn’t have a concealed carry permit but was allowed to have my pistol laying on my car seat

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An Attack Can Happen Anywhere

An Attack Can Happen Anywhere A survival story submitted by Elizabeth A. My survival story isn’t very dramatic, but it’s very real to me and important for people to know that an attack can happen anywhere. My husband and I lived in Lima, Peru for three years, as my husband…

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If I Wasn’t Carrying Concealed…

All at once from behind the truck bed came 2 Hispanic punks in black hoodies, one holding a gun.  He yelled," I want this truck! Give me the f...ing truck!" Strictly on instinct, I drew my puny 380 Ruger, turned and aimed my pistol at the brat aiming at me, and yelled, "I  don't think so!" This flattened the second guy up against the car beside me.  I yelled again saying GET OUT OF HERE!...NOW!"

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I feel unstoppable – Mehgan’s Story

Not every survival story involves surviving a violent attack, sometimes they are stories of overcoming other types of life threatening adversities. Here is such a story. In June of 2016 Richard and I were on our way to do some target practice. As we were turning left, an older gentleman was…

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You Just Never Know

Going Fishing I was fishing in a couple of places by myself while my boyfriend was out to sea for a bit. He’s in the U.S. Navy. Ever since I got my CCP and my CCW I never thought I would really need it until this one day. I decided…

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What Kind Of Handgun For Women

Sadly, the myth that women are somehow less able or too weak to shoot a powerful handgun exists; it exists in gun stores, on the web or anywhere a woman might go to purchase a firearm or perhaps even within her family or social circles. I was at a gun show and approached one of the vendors to look at the guns he had for sale.

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The Best Guns for Women

What is the best handgun for a woman to carry? Everyone wants to know. There has to be an answer to this question, doesn’t there? It seems like such a simple thing to ask.

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What Do You Need To Get As A New Shooter

What Do You Need? Well, that depends. It depends on what your primary purpose of owning a firearm is. EVERY gun owner needs the following: INSTRUCTION - quality instruction is necessary under all circumstances. Ideally this is not a loved one. Although well meaning, only a trained and experienced professio..

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People Can Surprise You

We Went Hunting I was 18 years old and went deer hunting with my then-boyfriend. I had no idea he had taken acid. Well before the incident happened we stopped and rested so my rifle wasn't close to me. At that point in time, he was high. He then wanted…

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Two Stories

Susan LaPierre shared these with us at The Well Armed Woman National Leadership Conference last month. All I can say is that none of us will be the same. Two women, two very different outcomes. Both will have you on the edge of your seat and both will give you…

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Becoming Mentally Prepared

The Night My Alarm Went Off My story is not one of survival per se, but I feel it is definitely relevant to a woman’s right to protect herself. I grew up around guns and have always known how to shoot guns. I have, for years as an adult, owned…

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Michelle’s Story – The Well Armed Woman

I had a scare recently. We live in the country and I’ve hardly ever felt frightened, but one night near 10pm our dogs started barking and I heard the roar of a loud engine. I went out on the porch to see who it could possibly be that time of night. A truck came barreling down our lengthy driveway, all the way to the ho..

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A Pivotal Moment – A Mom’s Story

Three years ago, I was home alone with my five children piddling around in the kitchen. It was around 10:30pm. I had just brought the van in from the driveway as it was smoking so I gave it time to cool down before bringing it into the garage. Within minutes, I was stunned by a loud banging on the garage door that soun..

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If We Can Save Just One, It’ll Be Worth It

It was early one September morning, maybe 6:00 am, and I was walking my usual route to work. From door-to-door, it was less than a mile and a half and it was a great way to wake up and watch the sun rise. At 22 years old I was working as a prep-cook while I finished college and morning shifts were tough. My then-boy..

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I Can’t Go Back Home

Intuition In the dark, I heard voices in the still of the night. Home alone I woke up startled. I peeked through my bedroom window but there was nobody there. Six weeks later I got an intuition-like feeling I can't explain at the San Francisco airport. Those voices I heard…

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Late Night Fill-up – Anna’s Story

I had run around to the corner store in the evening to get gas versus doing it in a rush to work the next morning. As I was standing there filling up, a younger latino (maybe early twenties) dude starts walking up after coming out from seemingly behind the neighboring tire store (which was closed). This was probably ar..

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Finding Healing and Empowerment Through Tactical Training

By Autumn Parkin People often ask me why I feel the need to wear a gun every day. We live in a relatively safe community with a very low violent crime rate. I’m a mother to three small children. I’m married to a Marine. They don’t understand why I would feel so unsafe. My answer is long, but basically boils down to ..

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Allie’s Story – Mom Shoots Intruder

It was a little after 10:30pm when I sat down to watch tv and do some writing. My husband (a police officer) had left for work about an hour or so before, and I had just put our two year daughter down for the night. It started with a rushed knock at the front door. I wasn't expecting anyone and I knew it wasn't ..

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The Well Armed Woman TODAY – It’s A Package Deal

Gun ownership is a package deal. There are a number of important things you take responsibility for when you are a gun owner. In this video, Carrie Lightfoot has a discussion about what it means to you. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos Are you ready to become…

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What If It’s Someone You Know

I found out the hard way that it's not always a bad guy or a stranger that you may need protection from. A few years ago when I was in the process of a divorce, my now ex-husband broke into my house while I was asleep and attacked and tried to kill me. If I had had a gun beside my bed like I do now, I believe ..

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Cleaning Day

On a beautiful sunny afternoon, three years ago, my life changed. It was weekly cleaning day and I had three cleaning ladies polishing my home from top to bottom. I, as was my usual habit, was in my home office working and trying to stay out of their way. The head housekeeper, Glend..

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Get Out of My Garage!

On a hot May day here in AZ 2014 I arrived home to an empty house around 1:45pm to unload my groceries after doing my weekly shopping. I was unloading groceries from the trunk of my car and taking them inside to my kitchen. After about my second trip in and out, I came out of the door that leads into my garage. I was “..

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Follow Your Intuition

In July 2018 I terminated a maintenance tech for drinking on the job and abandoning the job. 2 months later he threatened to kill me via email. I filed a police report and was told to get an order of protection. That day I went to a local gun store…

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In The Days of CB Radios

When I was a teenager, back in the days of pickup trucks, CB radios with PA systems in them, I was stalked. This was before any stalking laws were on the books. Law enforcement could do nothing about him coming by my house and telling me over the PA system…

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Driving Alone

I very calmly took my .357 out of the place I had it (I have a CCW) and put it on the passenger seat of my car. That was the last I saw of the truck.

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A Change of Mindset

Guns weren't part of my upbringing and crime wasn't something I had ever been particularly concerned with. The only self-defense I recall learning was "don't talk to strangers." The first time I was raped, I didn't tell anyone because I was ashamed. The anger at the injustice was devastating, and I ended up going down ..

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Take Back Your Power

This is not my story. This is a story that I relay from a friend of mine who has since passed away. She and I became friends in 2002. She had escaped an abusive relationship. She was 49 years old at the time. When I met her she was scared.…

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A True Story About Home Invasion: Would You Be Ready?

By Susan M. Gonzalez My husband occasionally hunted and had guns in our home. I was scared of guns because I had never been taught much about them. Through the years, anytime that my husband was going to be gone overnight he would pull out a handgun and show me what to do in c..

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An Empowered Survivor

To share my story I have to go back and revisit a night of terror that lives only now in my nightmares. It was a night that took away my choices and left me hopeless, as I powerlessly fell into the blinding terror of what happened that cold, dark night, changing everything.. I was fresh out of Law Enforcement traini..

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Be A Survivor, Not A Victim

I was once told I was an extremist for carrying concealed; nothing was going to ever happen, and, what on earth could I possibly fear anyway? My answer to that person was "Absolutely nothing!" Have you ever been told you are over-dramatic for carrying a firearm, or looked at strangely as if you are paranoid for doing s..

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My Sister’s Story

Sadly, this is not a story of survival, but one of tragedy. It was shared in the hopes that it will never happen again and that we can all work together to change "Gun Free Zones" into "Guns Save Lives Zones" My sister divorced her husband because of his physical and drug abuse. She got a restraining o..

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Never Afraid Again

The next day’s review of security cameras showed 2 young men had been wandering the property, looking in windows and trying to open doors. It was horrifying to watch them approach my camper.

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Never Leave Home Without It

I have been trained and raised in handgun use since I was extremely young. My dad was special forces in the military, and now has been a police officer for over 20 years. It was very important to him that my sister and I were trained and protected from an early age. When I turned 16 my dad gave me my first handgun, a 9..

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Orian’s Momma

Let me begin by saying I was raised on a farm and in a family of firearm enthusiats. At a very early age I was taught gun safety, technique, and operation. My respect of a firearm and its ability to take a life with one pull of the trigger is absolute. I received my 9mm after I became a mother. I applied for my permit ..

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Black Friday Scare

It the was morning of Black Friday and I finally had a day off from my new job. My dogs (shepherds) began barking like crazy about 4:30 AM. We have a lot of deer that use the dry creek bed behind me as a highway so I dismissed their barking. Then I heard a voice. I had left my exterior lights on and ..

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If I Were You I’d Get a Gun

Met my kids father when I was 18 and for 7 years I was beaten and abused (he almost killed me twice) finally got the chance to get away in September of 2011 but unfortunately he knew where I was and continually threatened me and anyone that would harbor me…

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Judy’s Story

After working in the ER for several months, the “frequent flyers” were becoming a problem for my husband. While the other providers were willing to feed these addicted individuals, my husband is a stickler when it comes to the law and after sending several of them to jail, (on more than one occasion), they began ..

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The Man I Might Have Killed

By Susan Callaway Certified NRA instructor for handguns, self defense, CRSO The dedication page of my new book reads: To the man I had to shoot to save my life. Yes, you read it right. I've already had to shoot a man in self defense. Here's the story. In 1982 I was living alone at the ..

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TR’s Story

I lived just on the edge of downtown Fort Worth Texas. I was the manager of 3 apartment houses and lived in one of them. One of my tenants from another house had a visitor that had been released on parole just 2 1/2 weeks earlier. He decided to get high, drunk or a combination of both and decide..

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Peggy’s Story

Peggy's Story When Gary Miller was 11 years old he beat his step-father with a brick. He was committed to the California Youth Authority until he was released at the age of 16. He then began a career of burglary and car theft, serving his first prison sentence before the year was ov..

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Don’t Rely on a Candy Bar: Why Women Runners Should Carry a Weapon

Contributed by Kelly Curtis When I saw the white Suburban, I knew it was a mistake crossing the last road and continuing south on the railroad tracks. Still, the evening’s golden light across the alfalfa fields, the purple sky, and the fresh air beckoned me. I was in a new town, still learning the streets and ..

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The Well Armed Woman TODAY – Being Prepared

Being Prepared The Well Armed Woman Today: A Video Series for women shooters discussing issues important to women gun owners.  This episode was sparked by the disturbing video of a woman brutally beaten in a home invasion, as a result, it gave us the important discussion topic of being prepared.…

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A Story of Survival

Earlier this year, I interviewed a reader of The Well-Armed Woman blog about a situation where she was required to use her gun in self-defense. The kind of situation in which any of us could find ourselves. We have changed her name and some of the details to protect her identity. Please share your thoughts..

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My Story

I was 24, my husband was deployed in Iraq. He comes from a well armed hunting family from Nebraska, so before he left he bought a high point 45 pistol for me, I was told to keep it under my bed. My little sister and her 9 month old son were staying with me, and one night we woke up to my kitchen and ..

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Parking Lot Horror

I had gone alone to Target and I parked "out" a bit as I always do, and down the center aisle right in front of the door. I tried to make sure there were no vans or SUV's next to me. I scouted the parking lot for potential dangerous situations, made a mental note of two guys milling around between the door to Targ..

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Protected by a gun, that I thought I didn’t need

I was protected by a gun, that I thought I didn't need, but was made to carry by my husband. I worked in the city and traveled 37 miles each way from home. I was picking up one of my employees at his apartment complex while his vehicle was in the shop. One morning around 6 a.m., it was still dark when..

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Women’s Stories of Survival

Below are some women's stories of self defense with a gun. Women who found themselves in very scary life threatening situations. They lived to share their stories because they were Well Armed Women; Empowered, Smart & Strong. If you know of a story, or have one yourself please share it with us. Email..

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Our New Home

Back in 1994 I had moved to our new home with our 2 daughters and hubby was to join us in a year after he retired from the Navy. I was never afraid without him as I had to go 6 months or more at times while he was on deployments, so I was used to it. One day, the girls and I went out shopping and I always locked our do..

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Understanding Mindset – NSSF

Learn from Charlie McNeese, rangemaster at Gunsite, how having the right mindset plays a critically important role in being prepared for and avoiding dangerous confrontations. (NSSF Video)

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Beginner Carry School – Concealed Carry Purses

Gunsite Academy  Range Master Instructor Il Ling New and Ruger's Lori Petoske team up once again to bring you a new series of videos focusing on concealed carry for women. This episode demonstrates how to carry/conceal a gun in your purse, and how to draw from it.

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Don’t Mess With Mama – Survival Stories

Don't Mess With Mama Survival Stories Submitted by various customers Several years ago, my husband and I were camping at a non-regulated camp area along the Mississippi River. Our 3 young children and 2 other families were with us. There were a few other campers scattered along the banks..

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