By Dana Cerbone, Prepared Pacifist Personal Safety • Firearms Training www.PreparedPacifist.org There are a lot of great firearms on the market. So how do you choose the one that’s right for you? Choosing a firearm is a very personal decision—actually, a lot like choosing a bra. What works beautifully for someone else may be completely wrong for you. The right choice depends on your intended purpose, your size and proportions, comfort and fit, experience level, and, of cour

By Dana Cerbone, Prepared Pacifist Personal Safety • Firearms Training www.PreparedPacifist.org Lead exposure is manageable when shooters make informed decisions and follow consistent safety protocols. The goal is not to scare anyone away from the range. It is to understand an invisible hazard, learn the habits that actually reduce your risk, and recognize when personal habits alone are not enough. The guiding idea is simple: control the source, control the space, control the

Dana Cerbone • August 2026 I want to share something with you all, because I recently got a terrific question from one of our A Girl & A Gun chapter members — one so good I think it’s worth answering publicly, in case it helps others too. The question was about stance for dominant-hand shooting. During one of our informational sessions, I demonstrated a few different stances for learning to shoot with your dominant hand only. Later, out on the range, one of our fabulous Range

by Dana Cerbone, www.PreparedPacifist.org, March 2026 Learning to shoot well isn’t about being fearless or naturally talented. It’s about guidance, practice, and building skills step by step. Private instruction—whether on the range or through dry-fire training—offers something group classes and solo practice simply can’t: personalized coaching focused entirely on you. For many students, especially women entering the shooting world for the first time, that kind of focused at

Why is it Important to Know How to Protect Yourself and Family Now? It feels like there’s a new headline every day about another violent incident. Another place that used to feel safe, suddenly, isn’t. Whether it’s a shopping center, a parking lot, or a quiet neighborhood, many people are asking the same question: How do I protect myself and the people I care about? The truth is that danger doesn’t announce itself. It doesn’t give you time to prepare at that moment. But you c

by Dana Cerbone, www.PreparedPacifist.org February 2026 Choosing a self-defense tool is a lot like planning a trip. Let’s say you’re heading from New Jersey to Long Island. You’ve got options. You could ride a bike. Take mass transit. Drive. Maybe even fly. None of those choices are automatically right or wrong. They’re just… tools. Step One: Know Yourself Before you decide how to travel, you think about you. Are you physically capable of walking or biking that distance