Laurie Five! When I visit my chums in California, I practice my firearms skills at the National Shooting Club in Santa Clara. Pictured here are some shots of me demonstrating the proper use of a typical pistol; my favorite is the 9mm 4-inch Smith and Wesson with 15-shot magazine. As always, all of me are wearing proper ear and eye protection (Two and Three are wearing earplugs instead of earmuffs).

Laurie One loads the magazine. One loads magazine with bullets.

Laurie Two loads the gun. Two loads magazine into stock and snaps it in. Notice the slide is pulled back to cock the hammer and prevent the gun from firing while loading.

Laurie Three releases the slide.  The gun is now ARMED. Three gently pulls the slide back and lets it spring forward to free the cocked hammer. To unlock the hammer, all I do is pivot the safety lever. Notice I always keep my forefinger away from the trigger and gun straight forward down the shooting range when not firing.

Laurie Four commences firing stance and fires. Four releases the safety lever, takes aim, and fires. In this picture I demonstrate the most common firing position: my free hand cupping my firing hand for steadiness of shot, and my firing arm slightly bent to absorb the recoil.

Laurie Five unloads the empty magazine. Five has finished her magazine and releases the spent magazine by pressing the release button on the side of the stock. I know the magazine is spent and empty because the slide has locked back after the last shot with no more loads and the chamber is clearly empty.

Laurie Five!

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