WOMEN LEARN OF GUNs

WOMEN LEARN OF GUNS
BUY FOR PROTECTION
By Courtney Zieller

More women throughout the United States are buying guns
and learning how to use them and we're finding that to be true in South Dakota.
In fact, a 2011 Gallup Poll found that 43% of women say there's a gun in their home.
KSFY's Courtney Zieller is finding out why numbers are at a new high.

It's Corin Forester's first time shooting a handgun and she liked it.
"The first round, I was shaking a little bit and nervous but by round
three I was putting it in there and getting at it and it was really fun," Forester said.
Hearing more women are getting into the sport doesn't come as a surprise.

"It doesn't surprise me that more women are buying guns. Growing up
I said I can do whatever the boys can do," Forester said.
She's not the only one. More women throughout South Dakota are signing up
for gun classes and learning how to shoot.
"In the past three months that we've been teaching, we've noticed
a rise in our students being female," John Johnson said.
Army Sgt. John Johnson teaches a concealed carry weapons class in Sioux Falls.
His group, License to Carry has seen the rise in women for quite some time.
"We're kind of the rural farming communities but more in areas like
central Minnesota, Rodgers, the place else we teach, there's been
a pretty much a constant rise since 2004," Johnson said.

That rise has now lead to women only classes and leagues which are
being offered around the Midwest.
Any one of us girls can learn the skill.
"The people I teach who have no background in shooting are the easiest
and the quickest to learn and pick up techniques that I'm trying to give to them," Johnson said.
To see if he's right, I decided I wanted to take a shot at it -- no pun intended.
I've never even picked up a handgun before so before I could shoot,
Johnson showed me the basics.
"As long as it feels natural but no death grip. What we want is 30%
with this hand and 70% with this hand," Johnson said.
So once I ditched the death grip, it was onto learning the proper positioning.
"Both arms bring them up evenly and have even recoil management," Johnson said.

How to properly insert the magazine.
"Your right hand, the one that will be shooting should always be on the pistol for loading," Johnson said.
Then I was ready to chamber a round.

Reporter: "That's hard." John: "Almost. It's gotta be a quick snap."
After the third maybe fourth try, I finally got it.
"Just pull it back and feel the resistance. Just like that," Johnson said.
Now I was ready to shoot -- well, sort of.
"Then I want you to look more at the front site and center it on the target," Johnson said.
Let's just say the first three shots were not great.
"The first shot was here on the mound, second shot ripped the paper,
third shot," Johnson said but the last two were pretty good.
So not bad for my first time.
"You're well on your way to being a natural," Johnson said, but so
are many other women. Johnson thinks the reason more women are
getting involved isn't only because they want to get into the sport.

Don't let pink guns fool you.
"Personally protection is really becoming more of a gender-less aspect," Johnson said.
When it comes to protection, Johnson says you should first start with education.
"To know exactly and under what guidelines and what criteria need
to be present for ever, ever using your handgun and only in it's
strict sense your life is in danger and that's it," Johnson said.
All in the hopes never having to use it for protection but only for fun.