11 Year old Girl Defends Herself with a Pink Rifle!

Here is a “Guns Save Lives” Story.  A Brave 11 Year old Girl Defended Herself Against 3 Armed Burglars with a Pink Rifle.  The lesson here is teach your children about Firearms Safety and Shooting Fundamentals because you may not always be there to defend them!

I came across this story and was so proud of this young lady.  Alyssa Gutierrez was left home alone briefly one day when 3 armed burglars broke into her home.  She tried to hide and avoid confrontation but the bad guys eventually saw her.  When she was left with no choice she ran to get her mom’s pink rifle and confidently pointed the rifle at the thugs.  That was enough to send these criminals a message.  The burglars ran out of the house, jumped the fence, and were quickly apprehended by the police.  Thank goodness this story had a happy ending and highlights how guns can be used for good.

Students that come to me for firearms training often wonder if they should bring their kids to the range.  I tell them “YES!” Start educating your kids about firearms at an early age.  We really underestimate how smart kids are when it comes to firearms.

If children are trained at a young age to respect a handgun, rifle, or shotgun, they are less likely to do something dangerous out of curiosity.  Just think one day they will be teenagers.  They have been exposed to violent video games, cop shows, and military themed action movies in the years when their minds are the most suggestible.  They have been idolizing action starts and the Hollywood version of gun fights and tactics which are usually unrealistic.  They go to their friend’s house one day and their buddy tries to sneak a little show and tell with daddy’s gun.  If your child had been trained to respect guns early on they would know how to make sure the gun was unloaded, field strip it or leave it in a safe condition, then go tell an adult in the house. 

The young girl in this particular story was lucky that she had been trained to use the Pink .22 Long Rifle only a few days before this home invasion took place.  If she didn’t take such quick action she could have been badly hurt or worse.

Share this video with your kids and spouses.  Leave your comments or questions here.  I hope this post will inspire a serious discussion about starting to teach your children firearms safety fundamentals.  Don’t leave your child’s safety to chance.  You won’t always be there to protect them.

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

Sept. 2013 – 4 Day Defensive Handgun Class is SOLD OUT!

Attention brothers and sisters, and friends of The Urban Survival Chick.  My next 4 Day Defensive Handgun Class taking place September 20-23, 2013 is officially SOLD OUT.  A group of students and I will be in the Nevada desert for 4 days of intensive instruction with our handguns.  If you missed out this time but you still desire to have the ability to take care of your family….do what you can to be at the next event .

Even if you are looking to start with a 3 Hour Introductory Firearms Training class check the calendar for the next dates.  My goal is to train as many people as possible to understand and respect firearms, and to use them properly.  If you have a group, family, or business team you would like to bring for a select date not on the calendar send me a private message to mary@urbansurvivalchick.com.

The link to sign up for my firearms training is here: http://CodexDefensive.com.

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

We Need Guns Because Running is NOT always an Option!

Why do we need guns anyway?  I have spent thousands of hours at different shooting ranges and I have seen a lot of people that have no business holding or shooting a gun.

However, I still believe that gun ownership is a God given right.  Our Founding Fathers knew that we have a fundamental duty to protect ourselves from any threat, foreign or domestic.  A firearm is a tool that evens the playing field between a good upstanding responsible citizen, and a big ugly angry thug.

Let’s focus on a realistic threat that could happen in your community.  After all, according to national crime statistics 1 in 3 people will be the victim of a violent crime.  If you don’t train yourself to have a defensive mindset the odds are that you or someone you  know will be a victim.

Take a look at the woman in this picture.

She has three young kids she is raising and molding into young independent thinking adults.  As a mother her most important duty is protecting her children from the evils in this world and being a model of strength for her kids. 

After a long day of running errands, working, and taking care of the kids she might be tired and maybe even a bit distracted.  A criminal could see this as an opening to approach her at a vulnerable point.  She has her hands full with kids, bags of groceries to unload from the car, and her children are asking her a thousand different questions.  

If a bad guy were to walk up to her in the driveway at gunpoint, try to force her into the house with the kids, and do the unimaginable…..how does she fight back?  Can she run?  Not with three kids and not into her house where the criminal will most definitely follow her.  Does she drop her kids leave them all alone and duke it out with the bad guy using her bare hands?  That is not an option when Mr. Psychopath has a gun, is probably bigger and physically stronger than her, and is most likely high on some kind of drug. 

She doesn’t have time to yell for help, call 911, and wait for police to arrive. Sometimes running is NOT an option and you have to face your attacker.  In that instance the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. 

Her kids give her 3 powerful reasons to own and carry a firearm.  As a mother it is her duty to be vigilant about protect her children.  She also has a duty to ferociously defend herself with greater force than an attacker so her kids still have “Mommy” in their lives.    

I owe it to myself and family to do what it takes to stay alive because I know that running is not always an option.  Keep that in mind as you make your decisions about purchasing a gun, and getting trained to protect your family when it matters the most.

To learn more about my seminars and workshops and train with me click here.

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

Who is on Your Zombie Apocalypse Survival Team?

If the economy collapses or we get hit by a solar flare and the power grid goes down you might have to bug out or shelter in place.  The sheeple that never prepare for anything will turn into zombies very quickly looking for food and water.  If the zombie apocalypse happens in our lifetime I know you will be excited but….. do you know who you can count on to have your back and fight off the zombies while you try to rebuild society?

Take a lesson from the hit TV show The Walking Dead.  You can’t fight zombies all by yourself so get a group of people you trust with different survival skills and start building your survival team.  If you are watching your perimeter on a security detail can you do it for 24 hours straight and hunt for food, and treat wounds, and maintain a fire?  NO WAY!  You need to have several people to help out in shifts and do a good job in all your areas of survival need.

Your team should include experts in the following areas immediately: medicine, weapons and security, farming, engineering, hunting, canning or preserving foods.  It’s cool if your team members have expertise in several different areas but you need to know who they are ahead of time.

Eventually you might take in weaklings that have no other skill than to be good zombie food.  Hey, everyone has a purpose in life they need to fulfill.  Just decide who you will invite to be part of your inner circle survival team and start developing communication and action plan ASAP!

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

Teen Mom in Oklahoma Shoots Armed Intruder and Protects her Baby!

Here is a “Guns Save Lives” story from Oklahoma that I pulled out of the vault.  Sarah McKinley, an 18 year old widow and mother of a 3 month old baby shot and killed an intruder on New Year’s Eve 2011.

The bad guy was trying to get into her house for several minutes and then started to break down the door.  This young mother put her baby down in the bedroom with a bottle, grabbed her shotgun and pistol, and called 911.  While she was on the phone with the 911 dispatcher the criminal busted through the door and came after this young mother armed with a knife.  She acted quickly and fatally  shot the scumbag.  Oh and he had a friend waiting outside that was forced to run away but was eventually caught by the police.

Sarah MacKinley told reporters the following about her experience.

“I wouldn’t have done it, but it was my son,” McKinley told ABC News Oklahoma City affiliate KOCO. “It’s not an easy decision to make, but it was either going to be him or my son. And it wasn’t going to be my son. There’s nothing more dangerous than a woman with a child.”

This mom deserves big props for having the right protective mindset and taking action to protect her child.  I bet bad guys in that area will think twice about knocking on her door after hearing this story.

You can read the full article here.

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

Happy Birthday to the Urban Survival Chick!

Some people believe birthdays are a great time to reflect on what you have accomplished and celebrate your life.  I say they are just another excuse to get out to the shooting range and have some fun.

I don’t throw big parties or soirees for my birthday because that is not important to me, but it is nice to see the people closest to me go a little out of there way to do something special on my birthday.  My man Jorge hit the jackpot and gave me one of the best gifts in the world.  He took me on a little trip down memory lane.  Check out the graphic he created celebrating my 35th birthday and our relationship.

From the salsa floors to the shooting range we have done everything together.  Oh yes I do have a sentimental side and I remember the exact moment when we were dancing in this picture.  I cherish those early days.  I also cherish the days we spend now at the firing range doing our tactical training, getting dirty outdoors, and working two man team drills!  Our survival and tactical training has made our relationship stronger.  I know he has my back, and he knows he can count on me to stand beside him if someone threatens our family.

Men if you are an avid shooter convince your ladies to go to the range with you.  Ladies, if you still haven’t experienced a day at the range learning firearms safety and shooting fundamentals you must get some training ASAP!

If you would like to find out more about my upcoming Firearms training courses click here!

Whatever you do, get some good quality firearms education and keep up your training on a regular basis.  It makes a great Birthday present. Trust me I know!

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

What Type of Handgun Should I Buy?

When people find out I am a firearms instructor the questions about guns start flowing.  Even before they take a class with me they start to wonder “What type of firearm should I get?”

           That is definitely a personal question.  Your choice of firearms should be based on what you intend to use it for and what feels good in your hands.  You may want to use your firearm to carry a concealed weapon with the proper permit of course, then a more compact style gun would be appropriate.  If you want it for home defense you may carry something a little larger at home.  There are styles of handguns better for competitive shooting if you are looking to get into the shooting sports.  Let’s not forget about our hunters out there.  Hunters will have their own favorite firearms depending on the animal they are hunting.   Handguns come in different sizes and calibers so my best advice for you is go to a gun range and rent several different models and calibers and see what feels best to you before you make a commitment to any gun.  Don’t just start out with a revolver or a .22 caliber because people tell you it is easier or better for women.

          I personally like my Glock 17, it is a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol.  That is what I train with most of the time.  I have other calibers but my Glock 17 is my preferred pistol.  Glocks are very reliable and used by 70% of law enforcement agencies nationwide.  I would not go with a revolver because that limits the number of rounds you can use.  A 9mm pistol is great because the ammunition is less expensive than .40 or .45 caliber ammunition so that makes training more cost effective.  Also, the stopping power of a 9mm round is not that much different than a .40 caliber, especially if you train well and are a good shot.

          Whatever you chose has to feel right to YOU.  Don’t invest in a firearm blindly based on someone’s recommendation.  And don’t just stop at the purchase.  Getting some good quality training is essential.  An untrained armed citizen is about as effective as a fancy lawn ornament to deterring crime.  Without the proper training you are more likely to cause an accident and hurt yourself than prevent a criminal from hurting your family.   Also plan on investing in a gun safe.  Whatever happens with your gun is your responsibility.  So you should have a secure way to store your firearms that is easily accessible to you.  Quick access safes for the nightstand are good if they are bolted down.   If all you are purchasing or own is one or two pistols then a small gun safe is fine.  You can get into larger heavier safes when you expand your collection.  Make sure you read up on the laws on firearms storage, firearms transportation, and gun use for home defense and personal defense for the state or area in which you live.

         If you already own a gun at home and are starting to build your collection duplicate what you have already so you can use the same parts in case something breaks or wears down and needs replacing immediately.  It is important to have duplicates in case you get into a shootout with zombies trying to break into your home and your husband runs out of ammo because he is not as good of a shot as you.  That way you can just toss an extra magazine to him.  Remember two is one and one is none so have backups for your backups.

         Whatever gun you do invest in learn how it works, how to take it apart and clean it.  You don’t have to become a gun smith, just get well versed in the guns you own or plan to own.  Your guns need maintenance just like your car.  They run better when they are well taken care of. Do your research and make an educated decision.  

          If you have any personal experiences or questions to share please post them.  Positive comments and constructive discussion are welcome.  

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick 

Proper Shooting Stance!

There is a lot of debate about what is the best shooting stance to use when you are out on the range. I have tried several different shooting stances over the years and my “go to” standing shooting stance is the what has been called the “Combat Shooting Stance” or the “Tactical Shooting Stance.”

Here I am doing a drill at an advanced carbine class where I am running to my right between stations and I stop briefly to engage 4 targets.

My mentors have taught me well.  I seek the best in the firearms training industry to help advance my own skills when I am a student on the range.  My boys at Charles Ferrera and Anson Beck at Falcon Operations Group have drilled the tactical shooting stance into my head and it makes sense.

To assume the Combat Shooting stance you square up to your target, extend your arms forward with your firearm using a nice firm firing grip, your center of gravity should be slightly forward, and the weight on your legs should be slightly staggered with your firing side leg slightly behind your other leg.

There are several reasons I like the Combat Shooting Stance.

1. In a fight or flight situation your body’s natural response will most likely be to square up to your target, rather than contort your body into a sideways or weaver position.

2. When you square up to your target more of your body-armored chest is facing the target rather than exposing your vital organs on your uncovered side. 

3. In the tactical stance your firing side leg is positioned slightly behind the other leg.  This gives you approximately a 60-40 split to how you bear the weight through your legs.  Most of your weight will be on your forward leg.  Not only does this give you a wider more stable standing platform, but it also allows you to move quickly and change positions easier. 

You want to be able to “Get Off the X” as James Yeager would say. 

Consider trying the Combat Shooting stance your next time out on the range. 

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

Urban Survival Chick Valentine’s Day Wishlist!

Does your lady ask for flowers and chocolates on Valentine’s Day?  Do you try to impress your girlfriend with a fancy dinner and some overpriced jewelry?  Have you ever asked yourself what a real woman wants for Valentine’s Day?

My man knows the straightest way to my heart.  This image shows how well he knows me.  Check it out.

Flowers and Chocolate are for amateurs and little girls.  I am not like most women and that’s fine by me.  I’ll take a gun and a case of ammo over a necklace any day.  Consider thinking outside the box and getting you man or woman a tactical gift on your next special occasion.

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick

Fight Back like Chuck Norris!

I love to channel the spirit of Chuck Norris.  You might remember the famous scene of Chick Norris’ long running show Walker Texas Ranger where he fought a bear with his bear hands.  In the United States an actual polar bear attack is not likely, but a physical attack or assault may feel like a ferocious beast is about to eat you for dinner.

As you can see the polar bear is not alive.  Maybe I am stating the obvious but I was having fun at my favorite shooting range and I thought this would be a good metaphor to talk to you about the fighting mindset.

In this instance I have a threat in front of me in the form of a polar bear.  The fight is on but do I back down? NO!  When you are confronted with a threat your instinct might be to run.  If you can safely get out of harm’s way do it.  Don’t let your ego tell you you have to puff up your chest and show off for your buddies. 

However, if a criminal is charging at you full steam ahead the best thing you can do in my mind is fight back and let them know you won’t be easy prey.  You might get hurt but your chances of living to tell your story are far greater if you fight back.

I would rather end up with a black eye or a broken rib and have the criminal laying on the ground wondering what the hell happened than the other way around.  Give the criminal the beating of their life or if you are trained to carry a firearm and you feel using it is justified, you are within your rights to use it appropriately.  It is your right and your responsibility to protect yourself. 

Too often people tell me, “MaryAnne, I don’t want to hurt anyone!” I say that is too bad for the criminal.  They are the one who made the dumb decision to come after you.  They don’t deserve your kindness or mercy. 

Fight back as if a Polar Bear were attacking you.  You owe it your family to do whatever it takes to get home safe.

To Your Surviving and Thriving,

MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick