Julie G’s Blog

Calendar features top stars of USPSA shooting.

Julie is on the cover of the 2009 USPSA Calendar!  Pre-orders are being accepted now.

From the USPSA Store:

Plan out the year in shooting with our 13″x9″ calendar featuring photos of the top stars of USPSA shooting. Our unique monthly layout leaves room for a larger photo covering both pages of each month. A great gift idea that will look perfect in a reloading room, at the shooting club or an office.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness M&P’s are shipping to dealers.  I am thrilled to have my name associated with such a worthy cause and one of my favorite firearms.  S&W came out with the following press release today.

Smith & Wesson Expands M&P Pistol Series With New Julie Goloski Model
M&P9 JG to Help Raise Money for Breast Cancer Awareness Charity

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (October 1, 2008) – Smith & Wesson Corp., announced today that the company has expanded the Military & Police (M&P) Pistol lineup with the introduction of the M&P9 JG (Julie Goloski), as part of the new Smith & Wesson Champion Series.

Designed in collaboration with Smith & Wesson Professional Shooter Julie Goloski, the polymer frame pistol incorporates several competition-specific features requested by the champion shooter. The M&P9 JG is engraved with the ‘Awareness Ribbon’ on the slide of the pistol and is packaged with two pink grip inserts (small and medium) along with the three standard black grip inserts. A portion of the proceeds for each pistol sold will be donated to a breast cancer awareness charity.

“Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women after lung cancer and over two million women have been treated for it in the United States,” said Julie Goloski, Smith & Wesson Consumer Program Manager and Champion Shooter. “This is a tragic statistic, but one that can be changed. The money raised from this new pistol will help support research, increase education and promote early detection among both women and men.”

Chambered in 9mm, the M&P9 JG features a fiber optic front sight along with a Warren® Tactical rear sight on top of the 4 π-inch barrel. For enhanced durability, the M&P9 JG has a Zytel® polymer frame reinforced with a ridged steel chassis and a through-hardened black Melonite® stainless steel barrel and slide. This combination of features provides unparalleled shootability and dramatically reduces felt recoil. The M&P9 JG has a capacity of 17+1 and is shipped with two magazines. The striker fired action trigger system features a 6 ∏-pound trigger pull and has been designed with an overtravel stop for enhanced performance. Another distinct feature that separates the M&P line from other polymer pistols is that it does not require the user to press the trigger in order to field strip the firearm.

“In recognition of breast cancer awareness month this October, we encourage everyone to support the various charities and cancer centers through any means they can,” said Goloski. “For those who share a strong connection with the shooting sports, the purchase of a M&P9 JG is one way that you can give back.”

About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation, a global leader in safety, security, protection and sport, is parent company to Smith & Wesson Corp., one of the world’s largest manufacturers of quality firearms and firearm safety/security products and parent company to Thompson/Center Arms, Inc., a premier designer and manufacturer of premium hunting rifles, black powder rifles, interchangeable firearms systems and accessories under the Thompson/Center brand.  Smith & Wesson licenses shooter protection, knives, apparel, and other accessory lines.  Smith & Wesson is based in Springfield, Massachusetts with manufacturing facilities in Springfield, Houlton, Maine, and Rochester, New Hampshire.  The Smith & Wesson Academy is America’s longest running firearms training facility for law enforcement, military and security professionals.  For more information on Smith & Wesson, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com. For more information on Thompson/Center Arms, log on to www.tcarms.com.

I was recently asked to write for The Women’s Outdoor Wire, a weekly newsletter for women on all things outdoors.  I am excited to have the opportunity to introduce the various shooting sports I have come to love to WOW subscribers.  On the heels of the USPSA Nationals, I thought it fitting to start with information on how to get started in USPSA. Read more here, or better yet consider subscribing to WOW.

For those of you who aren’t NRA members or know someone who isn’t, American Handgunner and Guns Magazine are offering free memberships to the NRA when you subscribe.  Keep in mind this is only for new members, not renewals.  The free subscription is part of the Insure Your Gun Rights program.  Here are links for more information:

American Handgunner

Guns Magazine

I had the opportunity to visit one of my favorite gun shops, Virginia Arms, this weekend and to my surprise, saw an M&PJG.   I was excited as it was the first time I had seen one in a shop.  The Breast Cancer Awareness models are shipping to dealers so if you are interested in checking one out and can’t make the trek to Virginia Arms, contact your local dealer and let them know.

A tribute to all of the victims of the horrible 9.11 attacks on America and a heartfelt thank you to all our troops and law enforcement officers who serve to protect our freedoms, our borders and our lives.

Congratulations to my teammates Jerry Miculek and Annette Aysen for their winning performances at the Smith & Wesson Limited, Production, Revolver Nationals this week.  Jerry had another phenomenal match performance winning 12 stages and placing in the top 3 in all but 2 of the 19 stages.  Annette, the reigning ICORE Ladies Limited Champion, took high lady.  Video of the revolver super squad can be seen here.

I spoke/wrote too soon!  Click here for live streaming video of the Smith & Wesson Limited Production & Revolver Nationals on ustream.tv.  What I love - coverage of the Ladies Super Squad!

As someone not shooting the USPSA Nationals this week, I was excited to learn that updates would be posted on the Down Range Blog.  Photos of the phenomenal USSA ranges, weather reports, results and interviews have been posted already. It’s the closest thing to live coverage the sport has seen yet and I hope this is just the beginning.

Good luck to all the competitors for a safe, fun match!

Unfortunately during the changeover to the new website previous blog posts are no longer available save for the exceptions below. Apologies for any inconvenience!

NSSF First Shots - Centreville, VA
7:20 pm on Monday, August 25, 2008

I had the pleasure to work an NSSF First Shots® event in Centreville, VA this weekend. The volunteers at the Izaak Walton League were a fine group of individuals to work with and I want to thank them and NSSF for having me. Read more about the event…

It’s not always easy to introduce new people to shooting depending on where your live and your resources. Next time you come across someone interested in shooting, remember the NSSF First Shots program. From FirstShots.org:

When it comes to learning about handguns, shooting and firearms ownership, not knowing how or where to start can be an intimidating hurdle for newcomers. First Shots provides opportunities to get started and the support to continue in handgun shooting. First Shots also offers shotgun and rifle seminars at select ranges across the country. Find one near you.

In Loving Memory…
9:00 pm on Tuesday, July 8, 2008

My Aunt Dee has passed away after a long battle with cancer. She was a strong fighter and despite it all, she was ever kind and warm to loved ones. Though she will be missed, her struggle is over and I am thankful to have had her in my life.

Breast Cancer Awareness M&P9 JG at the NRA Show
10:09 pm on Friday, May 16, 2008

I am very proud to say the Julie Goloski M&P will be in the Smith & Wesson booth at the NRA Show this weekend. The M&P9 JG comes with a Warren Tactical rear sight, fiber optic front, 5 interchangeable Palmswell grip sizes (3 black grips in small, medium, large and 2 pink grips in small and medium). The slide is also engraved with an awareness ribbon and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to a breast cancer awareness charity.

Happy Locks-Giving!
12:08 pm on Tuesday, April 22, 2008

I am mailing my hair this week! This marks my third donation to Locks of Love and is something I am very proud of…
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From LocksofLove.org:
Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.
Our largest number of children live with alopecia. Alopecia is an auto-immune disorder that causes the hair follicles to shut down. This disease has varying degrees and affects 4.7 million people in the United States alone. Alopecia areata affects both sexes equally and may, but does not always, progress to significant hair loss. Currently, there is no known cause or cure for alopecia.

Cancer constitutes the second highest percentage of our recipients. Every year approximately 2,200 children under age 20 are diagnosed with brain tumors. Radiation treatment to the brain stem as a treatment for cancer can cause permanent hair loss. Chemotherapy may also cause hair loss to be long-term depending on the length of treatment needed.
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Many times the monetary donations to charity we make don’t always make it directly to those who need it most. Being able to donate something of yourself to help others, especially children, is so rewarding. If you are able, considering growing your hair for a great cause. I highly recommend it! For more information visit www.LocksofLove.org

Great Source for Shooting Information…
1:51 pm on Sunday, March 30, 2008

For some thought provoking topics on shooting, articles and drills visit pistol-training.com. A totally free site with no “member’s only” areas or fees, this website is unique in that it is a resource for “anyone interested in learning about the science, art, and/or joy of shooting pistols.”

The site has a growing store of information for anyone involved in teaching and/or learning about shooting skills whether for competition, self-defense or law enforcement. Interact and share your opinion by posting comments with other registered users.