Last night on 12 News at 10, Valley moms were locked and loaded to protect themselves and their families.
For these moms, a day at the range is home away from home.
“I just love the aspect of shooting and the thrill of it, the empowerment of it” says Kippi Leathan, a retired competitive shooter.
Kipppi Leathan and Debbi Keehart are co-owners of Her Handgun. It’s a firearms training course designed for women—taught by women.
For some women, the idea of shooting a gun is intimidating, and even met with fear. But Kippi says getting rid of that intimidation is all about “education and unveiling the secrets.”
I got a chance to take part in a Her Handgun class.
Before pulling the trigger, I get familiar with a plastic gun - learning the parts of the gun, how to stand, how to load, and proper grip. Then, it was time to pull the trigger with live ammunition.
Debbie Keehart, Co-owner of Her Handgun, says when it comes to learning how to shoot, women are often better than men.
“We don’t have any preconceived ideas” says Debbie. “Women are like, 'hey, I’m a blank canvas, show me how to do it.'”
Sandy Thoms turned a hobby into competitive sport, taking first place in a Pro Amateur three gun competition.
“It’s a lot more going on with multiple firearms...it’s a lot of fun,” says Thoms.
For these women, the range is a place to bond.
“Oh yeah, I was referring to my shooting friends as my second family just the other day,” says Debbi.
While friendships are being made on the range, Leathan says it’s also about safety and knowing as a woman you are capable of defending yourself or your family in a life-threatening situation.
“We don’t wish that on anybody, but the other side of that is not being able to and that’s not a good option.”
If you would like to attend a class, practice session or upcoming event, you can visit Her Hangun's website or email info@herhandgun.com.