One of the great perks of being a writer for Bearing Arms is the opportunity to meet new people and watch new shooters bloom! I had just such an opportunity this morning when Cam Edwards invited me to the NRA Range to meet my (social media) friend Julie Gunlock of Independent Women’s Forum in person for the first time.

Julie brought a few fellow IWF ladies with her this morning and while all the women had shot some guns either growing up or in some capacity, this was truly an opportunity for them to do it on their own. We talk a lot about being “second party gun lovers”, whether it’s our dad’s or husband’s or significant other’s gun, but women are now truly moving into becoming gun owners and embracing the training and camaraderie of the shooting sports.

And it’s great to see.

After a short interview with Cam, we took the women to the range to shoot several guns; a .22, 9MM handgun, a DDM4 V5, shotgun with slugs, etc. It was wonderful to watch the women move from timid to enthusiastic within a matter of about 10 minutes! From not sure of themselves to embracing the training, then shooting new guns and becoming excited to try every gun, this is exactly the kind of excitement I live for.

We did another short interview after our time in the range and you really could see the ladies light up with confidence after their time handling guns efficiently and safely. This is what we aim to do – get new shooters, and even people who haven’t shot in awhile back into the range and comfortable with gun safety and firearms.

Taking people to the range and watching their confidence grow is just the best, but to be able to do it at the NRA Range with NRA News’ Cam&Company and ladies from the Independent Women’s Forum is just off the charts – but you can do it in your hometown, too. Take a new shooter to the range with you next time you head out and watch what a difference it makes in their confidence. It’s a great thing.