ARCHIVE - ISSUE FOUR - OCT 2013                            TRAINING   -  COVER  -   FEATURED PICTORIAL  -  REVIEWS               ARCHIVE - ISSUE FOUR - OCT 2013 

by Christina Vaca

In 2010 I visited Red’s Indoor Range for the first time, to fire off some rounds with my father while he was out for a weekend visit from Virginia.  While I was there, I saw a flyer in the window for a ladies pistol league.  My first thought was, “Great!  I wonder if they compete.”  My second thought was, “I wonder if they all look and act like a bunch of dudes.”  Haha…okay, maybe not the second thought.  Okay…yeah, I really did think it.  Ha!  So I made a mental note of the idea and enjoyed some quality father-daughter range time. 

Sure Shot Christina is all geared up!

Later that week, while winding down from the busy semester I had in my last year of grad school at UT, I remembered how awesome it felt to shoot again after being out of the military for nearly five years.  So I googled “ladies pistol league Austin”.  I found a brief article online about a group of ladies who came together to practice shooting and to learn about weapon safety and shooting techniques. I also saw that range fees were half off and rentals were free for Austin Sure Shots.  Bonus!  

To give you a little background on me, I grew up with a father who was a police officer.  I was a member of the rifle team in High School.  And I was a Security Forces member in the Air Force for four years.  So yeah, I was slightly familiar with how to shoot when I first heard about the Austin Sure Shots.  But I wanted to meet other women who loved the feel of a pistol in their hands and the smell of Hoppe’s No. 9 in the air as much as I did.  So I decided to show up and see what it was all about.  
Since I live 40 minutes South of Red’s and work about ten minutes East, it was better for me to come straight after work.  For a girl who was used to only walking around in a military uniform while carrying my M9, M16, M203, M249, or wielding a mortar or MK19 grenade launcher…it felt mighty unusual for me to stroll into Red’s in my cute little business dress while carrying my Glock case and ammo.  Mighty unusual indeed…but also REALLY GOOD!  So I b-lined to the counter, set my weapon and ammo down, and asked, “this is where the Sure Shots meet right?” 

Keep Calm and Keep Gorgeous!

The Red’s staff was super helpful and explained everything I needed to know about the group.  They gave me a range sheet to fill out, asked if I knew how to shoot, told me which lane I was in, and sent me on my merry way.  

 As I was about to put on my new pink ear protection, I met a sweet lady with a pink Sure Shots shirt and gorgeous blonde hair.  She smiled, introduced herself as Niki Jones, and welcomed me to the pistol league.  At this point, more and more ladies were lining up to get into the range and I noticed lots of inviting smiles.  

Spotlight on a Sure Shot

This issue's Spotlight is on Sure Shot Amanda La Pistolera!

Amanda La Pistolera is a woman of many facets. Her introduction to firearms started when she joined the Army and the M-16A2  was the weapon that soon became an extension of her (and every other enlisted soldier's) body. Her MOS, military occupational specialty, was 45B, small arms artillery repair. Don't tell her she was an armorer, she's quick to correct you that she was echelons above the arms room armorer. 

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They don't make a gun too big for Amanda!

She repaired every military weapon from the Beretta M9 all the way up to the M242 machine gun (the large 25mm gun protruding from the Bradley Fighting Vehicle) . She was trained to fix and maintain the Howitzers as well. She says she absolutely loved fixing military weapons, but transitioning to civilian life in 2004 and landing a job in the firearms industry took her over 7 years. In 2011 Amanda  got the job of her dreams at Lone Star Gun Range in Lockhart, TX. Owners Sandy and Matt Billingsley hired her and "treated [me] like family". The unexpected passing of Matt (due to a heavy machinery accident) really affected everyone, she said, and made them all pull together to be an unstoppable team to run the range in a way that would have made Matt proud. Not long after, Amanda attended Glock armorer school and became a Glock armorer courtesy of Lone Star Gun Range. In 2012 she attended her first SHOT Show with her range family, and said it was one of the most amazing things she had ever attended!

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Though she no longer works in the firearms industry, Amanda still enjoys shooting and troubleshooting firearms. But performing is in the blood of this girl who has been playing music since age 19 (most notably as the drummer for the band The Skeletons). She has recently transitioned to owning a home business as a visual artist. Her company, Bite The Bullet Artwork, makes all kinds of strange and unique art using different mediums, like animal skulls, clay, and reclaimed materials, to create one of a kind pieces. Her main focus these days is performing art. With a competition gymnastics background, Amanda is a performance artist who goes by the name Lux LaRoux. Her passion and favorite performing art is aerial silks (or aerial tissue, as its commonly called). It had all started one night while attending fellow Sure Shot Carrin's burlesque hula hoop performance, when Amanda  watched a silks climber perform in the show. Before the aerialist was done with her routine Amanda was on her phone looking for a place to learn this artform.  She found a place, but because of her work schedule she only attended three beginner classes and then became self-taught (which she admits is not the normal or best route to take). She's performed on tour with Revolution Circus for a month all over the U.S. and now mostly stays local to central texas. She taught herself to eat and blow fire (which she claims is very dangerous and blowing fire requires lots of education, correct technique of throat closing and even proper way to spit fuel). She is now a performing silks artist, fire acrobat, and a member of an all female sideshow called Le Strange Sideshow. She works as a duo performer as well, with a black belt martial artist named Mary Massacre, and they go by the name The Hellcats.  One of their craziest feats is for Amanda to put a match from a matchbox in her teeth, light the match, and Mary uses her nunchucks to knock off the tip of the lit match! Amanda is also teaching herself contortion at the age of almost 37, and with that she is starting archery training with a gentleman who teaches archery to disabled and blind children. She is the only adult he is willing to teach and in two years she will be able to not only shoot blindfolded but using her feet while her legs over her head in a handstand!

To say the least, Amanda is a very busy woman and constantly training and performing. So when she does get free time her favorite things to do are photography, riding her motorcycle, and shooting. All of her performances and info is on her facebook sites. Check out Lux LaRoux, Amanda LaPistolera and Le Strange Sideshow, Bite The Bullet Art to keep up with her latest endeavors, find performances, and even book this whirling dervish of a gal!

Women in the Industry 
- Gun Goddess  [continued from cover]

Athena Means, the owner of GunGoddess.com

SSM:  Wow! South Africa!  I don’t know much about South Africa’s gun laws, so did you grow up around firearms? 

GunGoddess.com:  While I had been exposed to firearms in a very limited way growing up, I had not had the opportunity to learn to shoot. And when I was older, guns just weren’t something I was drawn to enough to make the time for. I was over 30 when I first learned to shoot, and I definitely regret not starting younger.

SSM:  What made you choose to start GunGoddess.com?

GunGoddess.com:  A couple of years ago, I started shooting IDPA and USPSA matches. So I was spending more time at the range, and needed more gear. I wanted my gear to be feminine, and had a hard time finding it. So I thought if I could find the gear and bring it all together in one place, then other women shooters wouldn’t have to do all the legwork - everything they needed would just be there available on one website.
So it started with a personal need for feminine shooting gear and morphed into a desire to find that gear and make it easily available to other women. It seemed to me that women had been neglected a little in terms of availability of accessories and apparel, and I wanted to give them that attention and bring them those products - basically letting them know that they could stop sharing the hubby’s grimy, black, range bag, because there were products available just for them! I wanted women to be comfortable with their gear, to feel that it represented their personality and femininity, and to bring fun and function together. I also wanted to play a part in encouraging women to shoot more, to try competitive shooting sports and to become gun owners for self defense. So I wanted to be a resource where they could easily find shooting leagues, training, and other like-minded women to connect with. 

SSM:  What is the best part of your job?

GunGoddess.com:  Interacting with brand, new shooters, when they’re looking for their first holster or gun case, or just getting ready for their first training course - they’re always so excited to be a new gun owner. I love chatting with them!
I also love playing my small part in spreading the word about guns and shooting among women. As more and more women do become gun owners, and in the face of anti-gun sentiment, it becomes more important for us to stand together and support each other. It’s very fulfilling to just be a part of that support system. 

SSM:  What lessons has your work life taught you?

GunGoddess.com:  Always do business in an honest, ethical way and always take care of your customers. It’s fulfilling, and I believe it’s how a business survives, grows and succeeds. Everything comes full circle. 

SSM:  Ok here is a tough one for you: If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?

GunGoddess.com: I have to pick Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos. He’s an entrepreneur, and innovator, a savvy business man and places a huge emphasis on customer service and on making people happy. It’s something I strive for with GunGoddess. His employees are happy, his customers are happy, and his business is incredibly successful. A shooting mentorship "merry-go-round" would also be a dream! That's where I get to train with all of the industry's top female shooters, covering their specific fields of expertise. What a great way to train in every aspect of the shooting sports - and way more interesting than just having one mentor!

SSM:  What are some important lessons you have learned while running GunGoddess.com?

GunGoddess.com:  No matter how much work you think it’s going to take to run your own business, it’s going take a LOT more work than that, LOL!
You have to maintain a balance between your work and personal life. That has been a hard lesson for me to learn and I don’t quite have it worked out yet, but I’m trying!
It IS worth it. 

SSM: Amen to that! Alright, lets get back to guns….what is your primary weapon and why?
A handgun. It’s what I carry when I go out, and there’s always one immediately accessible when I am at home, so it’s what I rely on for my protection. I currently carry a Springfield XDS .45. 

SSM:  What is the best shooting advice you have been given that you feel might be important to share with our readers?

GunGoddess.com:  Don’t buy a gun unless you’ve actually shot it. It’s not enough to just handle it in the store. You have to shoot it. 

SSM:  What do have to look forward to in the future from GunGoddess.com…new products? Training opportunities? Possibly a GunGoddess.com shoot? 
GunGoddess.com:  Definitely new products, and more of them under the GunGoddess brand - I have a lot of product ideas! No idea what else might be around the corner... I am taking things one day at a time!

SSM:  Where do you see GunGoddess.com in 5 years?

GunGoddess.com:  I want GunGoddess to be “the” brand for women’s shooting gear. I’d love for it to be a household name!

SSM:  Lastly the one thing that everyone wants to know….If you could be any Superhero who would it be & why?

GunGoddess.com:  Lol! It has to be Wonder Woman, because she was the first female superhero that I fell in love with as a kid - I remember walking around the house jabbing my arms in the air, deflecting bullets. She is gorgeous, feminine AND she is one powerful warrior. What more could a woman want? :)

I somehow already felt a comraderie with this group of ladies I had just met.  As I fired off my box of ammo on the paper targets, I felt completely in my element.  The smell of gun powder, the familiar peace you get when you exhale and find that perfect sight alignment at the spot exactly where you want to hit the target. Then, slowly squeezing the trigger until your round flies down range, followed by the recoil and the smooth follow through, taking you back to your starting position.  
 And finally, the tiny jump for joy your inner marksman does when she sees you tore the paper exactly where you intended.  Ahhh…love it! And to top it all off, friendly ladies everywhere and helpful instructors standing by to assist anyone who should run into any problems.  At one point, in the middle of it all, some hot brass flew straight back from my Glock and fell down the front of my dress. It left a tiny, temporary 40mm ammo-brand (primer mark and all) right in the middle of my chest! A uniquely Austin Sure Shots memento to remember the night by.  

Soon afterward, Niki came by to check in on me and to take a picture.

Sure Shots Third Anniversary Party - August 17, 2013

Ain't no party like a Sure Shots Party… or so the legend says! On Saturday night, August 17, hundreds of Sure Shots, friends, family, sponsors and fans threw down in usual Sure Shots style at the Red Shed Tavern in South Austin. 

The infamous DJ Manateemann spun classic dance music and old school hip hop, and the dance floor was packed all night long! We even had a special Sure Shots cocktail, which was hot pink, courtesy of Sweet Revenge, who also provided gifts and swag. And, like at every Sure Shots party, Polywog Design's epic photo booth was there to capture and document the madness!

AR-15 Build Project

The Sure Shots AR-15 Build Project is an ongoing project where the ladies of the Sure Shots build our own rifles—basically, our "dream guns"! 

We feature a rifle from the Sure Shots AR-15 Build Project in each issue. Here's Sure Shot Karen H’s build, named "The Black Stallion".

• Anderson Mfg lower receiver in .223/5.56
• Palmetto Arms premium lower parts kit
• Advanced Technology (ATI) buffer tube kit
• Yankee Hill Upper receiver
• Forged aluminum flat top upper with forward assist
• 16” steel barrel heat treated to RC 25-32.  Chambered in 5.56.  1:7 Twist
• Phantom 5C2 Flash hider/compensator
• Lightweight railed hand guard
• Front and rear flip sights
• Magpul MIAD grip
• Magpul STR butt stock
• Magpul Enhanced rubber butt pad
• Custom Magpul Gen M3 30 rd PMAG (customized by Scalpel Arms for Austin Sure Shots)
• Crosstac Ambi Sling BOLD in Turquoise

I was on such a shooting high, I’m pretty sure I had a Smeagol pose as if I’d found “my precious!”

After satisfactorily finishing off my rounds and pulling down my target, I said goodbye to my new friends and decided to call it a night.  But what a great night it was!  It felt wonderful to get back into the swing of things, to reinforce my muscle memory and training, and to see that I hadn’t lost it.  I certainly still had room for improvement…everyone always has room for improvement, but I knew I’d definitely be back to sharpen my skills with the Austin Sure Shots!  Next time though, I’d be sure to wear a dress with a higher neckline.  

Christina has been a Sure Shot since 2010. She is a U.S. Air Force veteran who honorably served six years stateside and overseas as a Security Forces member and as a Personnel officer. She currently works with the Department of Veterans Affairs to serve fellow veterans. In addition to shooting, Christina also enjoys skydiving, karaoke, half marathons/full marathons, and mud runs.

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Check out these Honorary Sure Shots from all around the country!