The air was cool and dry as we pulled off the highway and onto an abandoned gravel road in the rocky desert terrain. The sky was slightly overcast but provided just enough light to allow our final destination to live up to it’s name: The Valley of Fire. We knew we were going to have the perfect backdrop to a perfect day at the Bullets and Bombshell Desert Range Day as the sun cast its rays upon the magnificent sandstone formations and reflected back what appeared to be an endless horizon of fire-consumed mountains. This was going to be a day we would all remember for years to come.
The day was spent with an incredible group of women who got together to exercise some of our most important fundamental rights as Americas, freedom and firearms, as we spent hours blowing through round after round of 9 mm, .223 and 5.56 ammo out the end of various full automatic rifles. I can honestly say that no matter how many 30 round magazines I go through, the smile on my face is still the same and my appetite for more is never satisfied.
The day in The Valley of Fire was one of my favorite memories from Shot Show 2017 as I spent the day with fellow GunTV hosts, ambassadors for Bullets and Bombshells, female business owners, journalists, mothers, law enforcement officers, former and active duty military personnel and even women in the entertainment industry. What I loved about this group is that everyone was able to come together regardless of race, religion, background, and status and rally around our common love for our rights as women, our love for our country, and our love for firearms. You see we all entered the firearm world at different levels and by different paths but the journeys all ended up at the same place. At the end of the day we all understand that the fundamental right to own firearms and use them in safe, responsible ways empowers us to be women of confidence, self- reliance and independence.
Another thing that amazed me from this day was the continued affirmation for my message to women everywhere that you can in fact Look Great and Shoot Straight. The women at this event amazed me with their ability to destroy stereotype after stereotype. No one out there looked like a “typical gun owner” ( insert whatever image you want) but every single one could sure as hell stand 25 yards away from a target and nail round after round into the critical zones. Not only that, but we all knew how to load our own magazines, insert the mags into the mag well, load the ammo into the chamber and even convert the firing action from single shot to full auto. Pretty awesome!
My final take away from Range Day was how the fashion at this event was on point as well. Not a single lady had to sacrifice fashion for function. I chose an ensemble of my Archer London James Jacket, 5.11 Raven Range Leggings and my very own #LookGreatShootStraight tank top (links to all clothing at the end of this post). When I go to the range I am thinking of several things. Yes I want to look good at the range but beyond that I want to know: Will the garments provide me with an adequate range of motion for active drills? Will they allow me to get a quick site picture in a comfortable position without restricting movement or getting in my way? Will my outfit provide protection from the weather elements, hot brass, or any other unforeseen hazard? If the answer is “yes” to these questions, I will usually don the attire, if not, it stays at home unless I am actively practicing for a real life scenario and need to be dressed accordingly. Yes, if you plan on carrying a firearm while wearing heels, you should actually practice in your heels sometime.
Now, aside from this James Jacket being an excellent choice for my day at the range here is a quick outfit idea to convert the jacket from range wear to every day conceal carry wear. Since the jacket is cropped make sure you pair with a great high waisted jean like the ones I have below. And yes, you can thank these jeans for brining back the infamous “mom butt”. Last, being the sneaker head that I am, I threw on my favorite new pair of Adidas kicks, tucked in a graphic tank and I was ready to go. In this photo below I am carrying my Smith and Wesson Shield in my custom black carbon fiber, IWB ( meaning in the waistband) injection molded, Alpha Concealment Kydex holster.
For me, the Bullets and Bombshell desert range day was the perfect way to kick off Shot Show, meet new lifelong friends, and continue furthering the message of women’s empowerment with a group of likeminded women. If you are curious about starting this journey into firearms I am here to answer any questions. Leave me a comment below or shoot me an email at TheAmyRobbins@gmail.com and I will do my best to respond in a timely manner.
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