Too Short To Be a Top Shot?
Women and Length of Pull
by: Amy Carducci
What do you do when your arms are too short to handle a gun properly? This question has been on my mind since the last episode of Top Shot when Athena Lee had difficulty with the Tommy gun. It wasn’t the weight of the gun but the length of the gun that made it difficult for Athena to compete against Jamie. I’m not talking about man versus woman (that’s a whole other conversation) but the difference in body frames gave the taller competitor with longer arms an advantage. Athena as a “little Asian girl who can kick butt” was at a disadvantage when the Thompson sub-machine gun was brought out for the challenge.
The stock of the gun was too long for her arms. She had to improvise and had a challenging time controlling the recoil. Lacking the proper clearance she had to grip the gun the best she could and try to shoulder it. Jamie, however, is much taller than Athena and did not have the same issues when gripping the gun or handling the recoil.
It’s not the weight of the gun that is the issue in most cases. Girls can handle big guns. If you can’t properly grip the gun it is going to be difficult to handle the recoil. So let’s get it right - Women are not afraid of recoil – bring on the high caliber firearms! And, please don’t show us the pink youth model just because we are petite.
I am slightly taller than the average 5’4 woman in America so most long guns fit me fine. I know I am lucky but what option does my 5’2 sister-in-law have at the local gun store? Ok, a youth model gun would work. It is true that youth models automatically come with a shorter length of pull and lighter weight but that is not the only recommendation. Find the rifle of your choice and then find a local gunsmith to cut the stock to fit and re-fit with a recoil pad. There are big pluses with a custom fitted stock that is comfortable to shoot.
If a custom stock isn’t an option look for a firearm with a short length of pull. The Ruger M77 Hawkeye Compact has a 12.50” length of pull and is sold in various calibers from .223 rem., .243 win and .308 win among others. It’s a reliable bolt-action rifle with slim ergonomics for smaller frames. Not a fan of Ruger? Try one of the Mossberg 100 ATR Bolt Action Rifles. These short-action firearms have a length of pull as short as 12 inches in 7mm-08 rem., .243 win and .308 win calibers. The Ruger M77 Hawkeye Compact
But what if weight IS the problem? Try a gun with a synthetic stock that will be lighter than real wood. The tradeoff is that you can’t modify the stock to fit your arms. The Savage Arms 220 Youth has a synthetic stock with a soft recoil pad and carbon steel barrel and comes in at 7.5 lbs.
The Savage Arms 220 Youth
The best recommendation would be an aftermarket stock for your shotgun or rifle. It may be more expensive but it may be the best fit. The Knoxx SpecOps Stock by BlackHawk has been around for a while and combines a four-point adjustable stock and pistol grip with the Knoxx recoil dampening system. This adjustable stock not only makes the gun shorter but more comfortable as well. In addition, there is some recoil dampening and greater controllability of the pistol grip. Not looking for an adjustable stock with a pistol grip? Another great option would be to replace the stock with a composite fiber model that is custom fit or adjustable. Manners Composite Stocks makes a great one that rocks many colors and color combinations. You can even design your own camouflage pattern to totally customize your firearm. Knoxx SpecOps Stock
A Manners Composite Stock
For safety and enjoyment take a gun to the range that fits. It seems more and more women are hunting, competing and enjoying long guns. Whether you choose a youth model, a customized stock or even an aftermarket option, ladies grab your gun and head out. Remember Athena Lee didn’t give up and adjusted to the situation showing no fear even when tasked to firing the infamous Tommy gun. The future of shooting includes more and more women each year and I look for the manufacturers to adjust to all types of body frames and heights in the coming years. The best advice? Find a gun that fits and have fun! It will be a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.
From A Woman's Point of View
Information FOR Women BY Women
Aiming for Confidence by: Amy Carducci .22 Ammo? Check. Ear Protection? Check Eye Protection? Check Ok, now I just need to breathe and wait for the buzzer. “Shooter ready?” Yes, I reply. No wait…did I just nod in agreement that I’m ready?? “Stand by.” With a nervous stance and slightly shaky hands I waited for what seemed like an eternity for the sound of the buzzer to begin my first Steel Challenge. Steel Challenge is a great way to enter into the world of competitive shooting and to become more familiar with firearms whether you are a man or a woman.. Since 1981 Steel Challenge has grown to become one of the largest pistol competitions in the USA. Matches are held on local, state and national platforms. You won’t find me in Piru, California competing with the professional “Big Guns” like Dave Sevigny, JJ Racazza or Jessie Abbate but at my local ranges competing on Saturday mornings. Having never entered into a USPSA or IDPA match, I was apprehensive. My husband assured me that I would do fine and above all have a good time. I had spent time at our home range practicing stages but never in front of people or more importantly while competing against others. Amazingly though the buzzer sounded and I took aim. I am not sure I remembered to breath during the short stage but I did shoot clean. It was not world record speed but I had no misses either. Now I just have four more runs to complete before moving to the next stage. Steel Challenge competitors shoot each stage five times with the top four runs counting toward their score. “Outer Limits” is the only stage where only four runs are shot with the top three counting. The winner is the person with the lowest overall score. As this was my first competition my goal was to NOT finish last! I entered the Rimfire Pistol division with my Browning Buck Mark. My husband asked our good friend TEAM Glock shooter Randi Rogers about her recommendation of a gun for the Rimfire Division for a woman shooter. Two years ago for Christmas I received my Browning Buck Mark and the first thing we modified was to change to Tactical Solutions Trail-Lite barrel. This important improvement not only makes the gun more accurate but balanced as well. With the different courses of fire from 7 to 35 yards and targets of various sizes, the match is challenging and fun. The Rimfire Division allows the shooter to begin from the “low ready” position. Perfect for a beginner like myself who is not accustomed to drawing from a holster. The low cost of .22 ammunition is another plus especially when you calculate the practice rounds I go through during a practice day at the range. However, .22 Rimfire isn’t the only division. From highly customized Open guns with electronic sights and recoil compensators to revolvers, stock service pistols and even single-action Cowboy guns - there is a division for everyone. My next modification is to add Optics to my Browning Buck Mark to enter into the ..22 optic division. The skills I gain in shooting a Steel Challenge match are priceless. Learning to get a good sight picture was a lesson hard learned. Taking extra shots wastes not only ammo but time as well. In a match where hundredths of a second counts, you strive for one shot, one plate. Shooting faster and firing lots of extra shots may feel faster, but when the final scores are totaled it is not faster. Taking a aggressive forward stance and bending slightly at the knees took practice. Naturally I wanted to stand with my feel to close together and punch the gun out forward with stiff hips and arms. I’m still working on trigger control and taking up the slack in trigger as the gun moves between the plates. With an improved sight picture and trigger control I hope to lower the chance that I will pull the gun out of alignment before the bullet leaves the barrel and I end up with a miss. Shooting Steel Challenge matches have improved not only my gun skills but my confidence as well. Another added bonus are the wonderful people you meet on the range. Our best friends are people we meet at a match or our local gun club. I will never be a top female shooter - Randi Rogers and Julie Golob have nothing to worry about - but I will be back at my local range for the next Steel Challenge. So grab your gun, shoot clean, don’t worry about the clock and above all have fun! Shooter Ready!
A Woman shooter takes Aim at the Steel Challenge
Browning Buck Mark? Check.
Pink Is For Girls and Blue Is For Boys
By: Amy Carducci
Everyone knows that pink is for girls and blue is for boys. If you buy a baby gift you will pick out a cute pink dress for a baby girl and possibly a blue jumper for a baby boy. It seems as though society has influenced gender preferences when it comes to pink for girls and blue for boys. There are even scientific studies that back up the stereotype. Are we really hardwired to associate the color pink with girls and blue with boys? Do women really prefer pink items?
I asked myself this question when I recently saw an advertisement for a pair of pink Ear Muffs made for shooting. At SHOT Show this year I discovered a statistic from the NSSF that women represent 16% of modern rifle shooters and recently the Women of USPSA face book page hit over 3,500 “likes.” So, yes women do like guns and the number is on the rise. But pink ears? Don’t get me wrong it is nothing against the product. This is a nice set of ears with digital electronics to increase the low-level sounds and compress the harmful noises – and they are cute. Ok, I said it. Cute. My husband would say nothing about guns should be cute. Ah, see there goes another stereotype that guns are masculine.
A gun doesn’t make me less feminine and I’m not sure pink ears would make me more feminine. The pink color automatically makes me think of breast cancer awareness not necessarily guns or a fun day at the range. Maybe I am in the minority but my current black electronic ears work just fine and don’t make me feel "manly." I do understand there is a growing legion of women who want all things pink including ears, range bags, eye protection and even targets.
If you feel a need for pink shooting gear, then check out these ears made by Radians which are fitted with dual microphones and independent volume controls. They have a noise reduction rating of 23. They are a low profile muff with an adjustable headband and are collapsible and compact enough to fit in a small bag.
Another pink product that impressed me is in a mosey oak pink color scheme and is made by Leupold – Yosemite binoculars. Why? They are fitted for a smaller face and hands. A product tailored to fit a woman and taking into consideration women’s needs is welcome no matter what the color. Tactical Solutions has many pink products and various other colors including the bright red barrel that I have been desiring for my Browning Buck Mark. I’ve seen pink rifles and even handguns including a Babes for Bullets Smith and Wesson handgun.
If we need more pink products to get women to the range, by all means color everything pink. Pink is cute. There I said it again. So proudly display your pink guns, optics, ears and even range bags next time you head out to the gun club. Maybe I will even try out a “cute” color and ditch my customary black.