A dozen women from A Girl & A Gun Women’s Shooting League literally took their group to new heights—and distances—as they traveled to Grand Junction, Colorado, for the inaugural Sniper School event. There the AG & AG Sniper School attendees participated in the riflecraft and fieldcraft instruction blocks, utilizing several areas of the Cameo Shooting and Education Complex. The mountainous desert terrain served as the perfect setting for learning the ins and outs of sniping, such as internal and external ballistics, wind, mirage, concealment, movement, angles and more. Sniper/spotter teams engaged targets up to and beyond 2,000 yards.
“It’s common to see military and law enforcement working in these conditions, but A Girl & A Gun was proud to offer this experience to everyday women,” said AG & AG Executive Director Robyn Sandoval. “Some of our participants had never recorded DOPE before or had the thrill of ringing a steel target that was over a mile away. The ladies came a very long way in just a matter of days and gained a solid foundation of long-range shooting. I’m very proud of their successes!”
Adam Winch, lead instructor of Defenders USA, which presented the course material, said they’d never hosted women in their Snipercraft or Sniper School courses, “… yet when 12 showed up from AG & AG, we knew it was going to be an epic experience,” he said.
Firearms instructors Russell Anthon and Hank Ownbey were assisted by Myles Standish, who served as an infantry sniper in the U.S. Army with multiple deployments to the Middle East. Anthon worked with the students to have a clear understanding of ballistics and atmospheric factors that affect bullet trajectory. He provided calculations to help ladies dial-in faster and record accurate DOPE for known and unknown-distance targets.
Participants of the A Girl & A Gun Sniper School constructed their own ghillie suits. (AG & AG image)
Standish led discussions on camouflage and oversaw the construction of participants’ ghillie suits. He was on glass trying to find our student snipers as the ladies did reconnaissance from their hasty hides in the terrain.
“The ladies worked like crazy, pushed themselves, their gear, and our instructors hard, learned a ton, and showed grown competence and skill throughout the tough course,” said Winch. “They came away with lessons that apply far beyond the training itself, with memories of a lifetime, a bond between them grown deeper through the mutually-shared demanding experience, and grew as people. Send it, ladies!”
Guns and Gear donated by sponsors:
- Savage Arms custom 110 rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor w/Savage Arms actions
- MDT stocks; camo dips provided by Veil
- 10 Athena optics donated by Primary Arms
- Stag Arms AR-10 rifles in Flat Dark Earth
- Vortex Optics donated two Razor Gen II scopes and Carbon tripods
- Voodoo Tactical mats
- Rite in the Rain provided waterproof DOPE books,
- Daniel Defense contributed Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition
For more, visit agirlandagun.org.
