For ALL my non military FRIENDS out there, this may or may not help you understand those of us that served in the Military.

We Are Veterans.

We left home as teenagers or in our early twenties for an unknown adventure.

We loved our country enough to defend it and protect it with our own lives.

We said goodbye to friends and family and everything we knew.

We learned the basics and then we scattered in the wind to the far corners of the Earth.

We found new friends and new family.

We became brothers and sisters regardless of color, race or creed.

We had plenty of good times, and plenty of bad times.

We didn’t get enough sleep.

We smoked and drank too much.

We picked up both good and bad habits.

We worked hard and played harder.

We didn’t earn a great wage.

We experienced the happiness of mail call and the sadness of missing important events.

We didn’t know when, or even if, we were ever going to see home again.

We grew up fast, and yet somehow, we never grew up at all.

We fought for our freedom, as well as the freedom of others.

Some of us saw actual combat, and some of us didn’t.

Some of us saw the world, and some of us didn’t.

Some of us dealt with physical warfare, most of us dealt with psychological warfare.

We have seen and experienced and dealt with things that we can’t fully describe or explain, as not all of our sacrifices
were physical.

We participated in time honored ceremonies and rituals with each other, strengthening our bonds and camaraderie.

We counted on each other to get our job done and sometimes to survive it at all.

We have dealt with victory and tragedy.

We have celebrated and mourned.

We lost a few along the way.

When our adventure was over, some of us went back home, some of us started somewhere new and some of us never
came home at all.

We have told amazing and hilarious stories of our exploits and adventures.

We share an unspoken bond with each other, that most people don’t experience, and few will understand.

We speak highly of our own branch of service, and poke fun at the other branches.

We know however, that, if needed, we will be there for our brothers and sisters and stand together as one, in a heartbeat.

Being a Veteran is something that had to be earned, and it can never be taken away.

It has no monetary value, but at the same time it is a priceless gift.

People see a Veteran and they thank them for their service.

When we see each other, we give that little upwards head nod, or a slight smile, knowing that we have shared and
experienced things that most people have not.

So, from myself to the rest of the veterans out there, I commend and thank you for all that you have done and sacrificed for your country.

Try to remember the good times and forget the bad times.

Share your stories.

But most importantly, stand tall and proud, for you have earned the right to be called a Veteran. 🇺🇸
If you are a Veteran, please copy, paste and share.

My dearest friends 🇺🇸❤ 

​God Bless

Your tip of the day coming from Thunder Ranch.

If you are protecting your property or family, make sure to have a safeword or call out a password to your family.  The adrenaline rush will cause good intention family members to make bad decisions in the moment.  The video below explains it well below.

WHAT: NEW Concealed Carry Class SCHEDULED
WHEN: August 1, 2020.  9:00 AM
WHERE: Benders Bar and Grill, Silver Lake, WI 
​
Ready to take your 2nd Amendment Rights more seriously?  Sign up for this concealed carry class.  Learn the ultimate responsibility of gun handling and safety.  We will teach you everything you need to know to be a responsible firearm owner.  Learn everything from life preservation to laws so that you can be confident.  We are a family owned and veteran operated business.  Our students have fun and you will not want to miss out if you have been considering carrying a firearm.  

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​First of all, gun safety should be exercised before proper shooting techniques are even thought about. When you pick up a gun, always point it in a safe direction. This usually means down range. You want to check for yourself that it is unloaded. For a pump shotgun, simply pull the pump back and look into the chamber. On semi-automatic shotguns, pull the charging handle located on the bolt and check the chamber. You check the chamber on a break barrel shotgun by pressing the lever that “breaks” the shotgun. You should see an empty chamber. Whenever you are done shooting, make sure the firearm is unloaded before setting it down or handing it off to someone. Also, never place your finger on the trigger until you are about to shoot, even if you believe the gun is unloaded. For purely your own safety, make sure you have proper hearing protection. 

The general rule when on the range is to treat firearms as if they are loaded. Be aware of your surroundings, engage in best practices, and everything should be smooth.

​The recoil on shotguns is significant, but it is manageable. If it isn’t managed correctly though, you can hurt yourself. 
For a start, firmly rest the buttstock in your shoulder. The exact positioning will depend on what is comfortable to you, but in general you want it nestled in the fold where your shoulder meets 

your torso. If you rest the stock on the top of your biceps, you can end up with bruised shoulders or arms. If it is not firm and stable, then the recoil will send it into your shoulder. Think of the principle like this: In boxing, MMA, and other combat sports, it is the punches you don’t see coming that rock you the most. This is because when you see a punch coming, you tense your body and brace for the shot. This allows you to absorb the impact better. When you don’t see it coming, your body is loose and is more readily knocked around which can cause unconsciousness. 
It is similar here. You want your body positioned in a way to absorb the impact. Also, if the shotgun is not firmly pressed to your shoulder, it will fly into and smack your shoulder instead of being absorbed by it.

Make sure your hands are gripping it firmly. First time shooters will sometimes grip too loosely which can allow the gun to leave their hands. You don’t need to squeeze with all your might. Just make sure you have a firm and stable grip. It also helps with holding it if you get a shotgun that is sized well for you. When you go to the gun shop, feel free to try and shoulder different ones. Everyone has a different combination of height, arm length, and build, so it helps to make sure yours is a good fit. Also, pick a shotgun suited for what you need. If it is for home defense, you want something short and maneuverable. If it is for bird shooting, you probably want something long and steady. If it is simply for shooting on the range, it is basically up to what you enjoy.
​
This all may sound scary, and it may sound like shooting is a tight rope walk between safety and injury. It really isn’t so bad. You’ll realize how quickly you learn the right ways, and how quickly it all becomes second nature once you’re on the range.

​Learning to handle firearms safely and how to shoot with proper form are necessary steps but being able to hit what you’re aiming at is the real fun part.

Carrying on with the combat sports analogy, footwork is crucial. Your dominant hand will be holding the trigger and “pressing” the stock into you, and the other hand will be out in front supporting and controlling the front end. You also want to stand canted, with your dominant foot  

behind your other, or “lead”, leg. Your feet should be around shoulder width apart, and your lead leg should be slightly bent at the knee. You want to lean on your lead leg, but only slightly. 

Proper stance will make you stable. You can pivot your aim left and right and up and down while maintaining stability. When pivoting to change aim, try to keep your feet, arms, and upper body stable. Most of your movement when aiming at different targets should come from the waist.

Once the basics are down, it really comes down to practice. You can start with stationary targets. Try shooting at different distances. Eventually you can try moving targets, such as clay pigeons. Accuracy and speed will come with time and practice.

Mark your calendars!

When:
Sunday, June 14, 2020 at 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Where: 
Benders Bar and Grill
409 E Northwater St,
Silver Lake, WI 53170

How much:
$50 per person

How do I sign up?  
CLICK HERE
​
Who?
Kirbey Hook will teach you all the safety, responsibility and laws so that you can apply for the Wisconsin concealed carry weapons license with confidence.  You can rest assured in Kirbey's life long training and passion of firearm safety and him teaching you.  You will learn the ultimate responsibility of your constitutional right - it is not to be taken lightly.

This class will be very full, considering current events and interest in people protecting their life and property.  Sign up soon, there are not a lot of seats left!

 Mark your calendars for:

Sept. 12, 2020. 

Check out more details on our NRA Basic Pistol page and the NRA Instructors website.

To accomplish a proper grip, get your dominant hand to rest high on your gun’s back-strap while using the other hand to cover the gun’s bottom portion and placing your strong hand’s thumb over the non-dominant thumb. Make sure both thumbs are pointing towards your target. Keep your trigger finger resting on the trigger guard’s side and remain in that position until you fire the bullet. Don’t hold the slide lock or the top of the gun to avoid sustaining grave injuries to your hands. Ultimately, using the correct grip to hold your gun is a great way to reduce recoil effects. ​

Wondering what the prone position is? It’s simply aiming your shot while lying on your stomach. If you are using a rifle, the prone position is the most accurate as well as a natural position to master – much more effective than the standing position as well as other firing positions. If you wish to make meaningful progress with your long-range accuracy as a beginner, you should practice the prone position until it becomes second nature to you. Thereafter, you can move on to more difficult shooting positions. The right practice is to pick your gun from the ground while standing and not to stand up with the rifle. So, place the rifle on the ground first, then stand up and take the gun in your standing position. ​