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Before You Need That Phone Call: Understanding Self-Defense Legal Plans and Insurance

Self-defense is about more than choosing the right firearm and learning how to shoot. Understanding self-defense legal plans, concealed carry insurance, firearms instructor insurance, and the potential legal and financial aftermath of a defensive incident is another important part of being prepared. Using data from 1,239 A Girl & A Gun members, this guide explores what women gun owners are actually choosing, the common self-defense legal protection and instructor insurance brands they encounter, what these products may and may not cover, and the questions every gun owner should ask before spending her money. Whether you already have a self-defense legal plan or are among the nearly 62% of surveyed members who said “None or not yet,” this guide will help you understand your options and make a more informed decision before you ever need to make that phone call.

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Ready Position vs. Defensive Display: What Every Responsible Gun Owner Needs to Know

Understanding when you can legally and responsibly present a firearm is one of the most important parts of self defense training. This article breaks down the critical differences between a ready position, a defensive display, and unlawful brandishing in clear, real world terms. Learn how your intent, body language, movement, and decision making can shape the outcome of a defensive encounter both tactically and legally. Through relatable examples and practical insights drawn from modern self defense training principles, you will gain a better understanding of how to stay prepared without escalating danger unnecessarily. Whether you are new to concealed carry or an experienced shooter, this guide offers valuable lessons on awareness, de-escalation, firearm presentation, and use of force. Understanding these distinctions could help protect not only your safety, but your freedom as well.

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Heading to Missouri for Fall Fest? What A Girl & A Gun Members Need to Know About Firearms Laws

Fall Fest is right around the corner, and we’re excited to welcome more than one hundred A Girl & A Gun (AG & AG) members, sponsors, and friends to Missouri for a weekend of camaraderie, training, and competition. Whether you are driving across state lines or flying in from afar, understanding the firearm laws in Missouri is essential to ensure your trip is both safe and lawful.

As proud partners of A Girl & A Gun, U.S. LawShield provided this essential legal travel guide to help you navigate the rules with confidence.

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Situational Awareness in a Digital Age: 8 Smartphone Safety Tips

Being aware of your surroundings is the first step in taking responsibility for your personal safety. Situational awareness means learning to scan your environment, anticipate others’ behavior, and remain alert, whether you’re out running errands or relaxing in a familiar place. At A Girl & A Gun, we continually remind women to keep your head on a swivel. And it’s equally important to apply that same vigilance to your digital presence.

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Top 10 Tips for Flying with Firearms

Flying with firearms for the first time can be a stressful experience. The combination of unfamiliar policies, security procedures, and the importance of ensuring everything is properly packed can be overwhelming. However, with a bit of preparation and knowledge of TSA and airline regulations, the process can be much smoother and less daunting. By understanding the requirements and following the right steps, traveling with firearms can become a straightforward and hassle-free experience.

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Review: Liberty’s 50gr Carry Ammo

I asked a couple of our favorite instructors and friends to test out Liberty Ammunition’s Civil Defense and Ultra-Light 9mm +P rounds and give us the down-and-dirty on it. It’s incredibly lightweight, which makes it attractive for EDC, but how does it perform?

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A Look at Legal Coverage

For the last decade there have been a significant number of organizations established that provide traditional style insurance or membership programs with access to attorneys

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Applying the Tueller Concept

At the 9th Annual A Girl & A Gun National Conference, RISE 2021, instructor Morgan Ballis of Defensive Tactics and Firearms led 48 women through exercises to test Dennis Tueller’s research on the human response time. He set out to test the ability of A Girl & A Gun members to cover 21 feet so that they could relate this information to potential threats. By understanding their own abilities and limitations, the women could determine their own minimum safe distance if faced with a hostile threat. In addition, the women would learn their ability to effectively employ a handgun from a holster while taking into account how quickly a potential threat can reasonably cover an estimated distance. This knowledge would allow them to better articulate their actions if their decisions during a self-defense encounter were ever called into question.

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Review: Left of Bang

In Left of Bang, authors Patrick Van Horne and Jason A. Riley outline the principles of the US Marine Corps’ Combat Hunter program. This program gives soldiers a way to identify and communicate pre-incident indicators. Being able to do this before an attack, or left of bang (as pictured on a linear timeline) can mean life or death in combat. While the authors use the context of combat, they do provide civilian examples at times in the book. At several points I noted how observing villagers in Afghanistan isn’t much different from observing people at the local mall. The framework of this program can definitely apply in many different walks of life.

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Gun Rights & Freedom

Be Afraid: Federal Gun Laws

In this video, firearms attorney Edwin Walker reviews federal guns law: past, present, and hopefully not the future. Students will learn the history of firearms laws in the United States, as well as the proposed federal law HR 5717 (SB 3254) the “Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety Act of 2020 to End the Epidemic of Gun Violence and Build Safer Communities by Strengthening Federal Firearms Law and Supporting Gun Violence Research, Intervention, and Prevention Initiatives.” HR 5717 is the most far-reaching and egregious legislation ever proposed. It would fundamentally alter and append all current federal gun laws. It never sunsets and would be law forever.

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Threat Identification

Joshua White will teach you how to identify and address a threat! In this video series, you will review the fundamentals of shooting, and then go further into target identification and the aftereffects of possible deadly force situations. Shoot/No Shoot drills will challenge the students’ OODA loops and understanding of the responsibility if weapons are used in defensive situations.

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Action Pistol Sports

6 Defensive Concepts That Competitive Shooting Teaches You

Competitive shooting may not be a direct substitute for self-defense training, but it comes pretty close to being the ultimate proving ground for real-world firearm skills. While paper targets don’t shoot back and a shot timer isn’t life or death, the benefits of competition go far beyond scorecards and trophies. If you want to build the kind of gun handling, awareness, and confidence that can truly prepare you for a defensive encounter, stepping into the world of competitive shooting might be one of the smartest decisions you can make. This article shares the reasons why competitive shooting is a game-changer for defensive firearms training.

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Legal Considerations

Dispelling Self-Defense Myths

In this video, Massad Ayoob dispels common myths about armed self-defense in America. He defines lethal force and the legal requirements for its justified use.

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When Disaster Strikes — And You’re Unarmed

When disaster strikes, it can be very motivating to buying your first gun. We find ourselves vulnerable to Mother Nature, our infrastructure (power, levies, etc.), and the unknown. You may have never considered getting a firearm, but now feel open to the idea. Your story is mine.

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Carry & Self Defense

How will I know when to use force or deadly force?

The most important question you can ever ask is, how will I know when it is time to use deadly force? If and when you ever find yourself in that moment of truth, here is a checklist that will run through your head. Your fight-or-flight will do a quick inventory of your options and depending on your circumstances will determine your permissible level of force.

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Lethal Force Is No Laughing Matter

Part of being a responsible and safe gun owner is understanding how you can hurt your defense by something you might be doing unknowingly and unintentionally. If you ever have to use lethal force to save your life or protect a life of another, your character will be called into question. Your persona on social media will paint a portrait of your character. The memes that are somewhat inappropriate, controversial, or what you think is funny will be used to describe your mindset. Inappropriate signs in your home or bumper stickers on your car will sabotage your defense as you are trying to prove your analytical mindset and your understanding of the law and Use of Force.

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Documenting Your Training and Practice

If you have to use your gun in self-defense, you will find yourself in a lengthy legal process. How will you demonstrate that you acted appropriately? How will you prove that your decision was based on knowledge, rather than panic or over-reaction? Could you articulately convince a judge or jury of your peers that your actions were justifiable?

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The Gun Carrying Lifestyle

If you are new the idea of using a firearm for home defense and/or daily personal defense there are several things to consider, but let’s

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