Over 1200 Ladies Get Gun Safety Training in Detroit Area
Firearm instructors and range safety officers from Michigan and 13 other states came together at the end of July to give free shooting lessons to 1,222 Detroit-area women. The annual program, now in its eleventh year of continuous operation, was the brainchild of Rick Ector. Ector is a NRA Training Counselor and credentialed Chief Range Safety Officer (CRSO).
Ector launched the program after watching a local news story in 2012 in which it was disclosed that a local woman was brutally attacked, raped, and murdered. Ector convinced a handful of fellow local firearm trainers to join him in providing free shooting lessons for women. The first iteration of this annual program trained just 50 women. But over the last 11 years, Ector’s training program has experienced remarkable growth, assisting 1,222 women this past July.
Last year, the program trained more than 1,000 women. And in 2020 almost 2,000 women were trained in fundamental firearm safety, given a range safety briefing, and were given a free 20-round shooting lesson with a 9mm pistol. The all-time tally of total women trained in the program now exceeds 7,400.
Firearms Training for Ladies supported by Michigan Gubenatorial Candidate
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Gun industry groups and two local ranges made this event possible. Top Gun Shooting Sports (Taylor, MI) and Recoil Firearms (Taylor, MI) provided free use of their gun ranges and meeting rooms. Top Gun also provided free use of 9mm pistols for women to use during their training while American Tool and Engraving (ATEi) provided 9mm pistols at the Recoil Firearms range. Gun Owners of America (GOA) provided 8,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition and 1,000 bottles of water. The NRA/ILA donated 1,000 pairs of shooting glasses, and made a financial contribution. Firearms Legal Protection (FLP) provided catered food and refreshments for event volunteers.
Erich Pratt of the GOA shares why he supports the annual free shooting event in Detroit: “The Gun Owners of America has been grateful to help sponsor the ladies shooting event in Detroit for several years. Rick Ector’s team of firearm instructors are helping to train women to feel confident and empowered in how to use a gun … their very best means of self-defense.
GOA’s Eric Pratt (left) with Rick Ector (right).We live in dangerous times, and many cities around the country are experiencing record-breaking violence. But that’s why Rick’s efforts are so important. He is helping to take away the ‘Fear Factor’ for thousands of women. This important work, and it’s why the GOA helps sponsor this event every year.”
Past “Top Shot” champion Chris Cheng traveled to Detroit to see the program: “I flew all the way from California to see Rick’s event because I’ve heard so many great things about it over the years. I look forward to returning and also thinking about how we could replicate Rick’s success across the country. We sure could use more free training events like this for new shooters to help continue building our ranks.”
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Tags: Detroit, Gun Owners America, Rick Ector, Shooting Lessons Detroit, Women Pistol Training
