I’ve given birth, broken bones, had major surgery and now I can add this to my list of physically challenging accomplishments: I completed Anthony Navarro’s tactical pistol class at Colorado Shooting Sports in Northern Colorado.  (Full disclosure: Anthony is one of my show sponsors)

The class is scheduled for 8 hours but went closer to 10 1/2 and was chicks only– eight including my 17-year-old daughter Ann.  Using 9 mm Glocks, we learned to shoot, reload and clear jammed weapons when moving, lying in the fetal position, lying down and with multiple targets.  We practiced to fire when attacked from behind, from the side or when bad guys are very close.  We loaded all of our magazine ourselves which led to swollen hands and blistered and sore thumbs.  Most of use got at least one finger caught in the chamber or some other part of the Glock.  At least half of us wound up with bloody hands, me included.

By the end we were hot, thirsty, exhausted and sore but incredibly proud of what we accomplished.  Anthony lectured most of the morning about the legalities of carrying a weapon and defending yourself.  After lunch we went to the shooting range.  I was a bit skeptical of having women with little or no gun experience wielding a loaded weapon right next to me and my daughter.  By the end of the day, I had complete confidence in myself and my fellow classmates.  Caught in a situation where any of them needed to defend themselves, I’d put money on any one of these ladies that she would come through while the bad guy would find himself six feet under.  I was so proud to be a part of this class with these women!

When Anthony teaches he isn’t fooling around and doesn’t plan on building a student’s self esteem with constant praise.   If you do something wrong, he tells you in no uncertain terms.  If you do something right, he tells you that as well.   Anthony is very clear that he has to go home at night with the knowledge that his students could be attacked and must draw on what they have learned.  Therefore, he doesn’t worry about hurting someone’s feelings or egos.  He is right.  I think I speak for most of the women when I say we all left incredibly proud of having completed such a challenging class.  Too bad the public education system doesn’t subscribe to the same philosophy.

All of us were there for different reasons — practice, need for self defense, sounded like fun — but whatever the reason, we all left with an incredible feeling of accomplishment and confidence in our abilities.  I’m looking forward to the tactical shot gun class and free follow up training .

Completing the class is just one of the requirements for getting a concealed weapons permit in Colorado.  I can now carry my firearm with confidence.  We are proof that girls just want to have guns!