Why I Shoot

​“The stippled grip of her pistol rubbed against her palm like sandpaper.”
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• KILL NOTICE by Marta Sprout

AR-15 at 200 yards.

Thriller Fans,
People know me as an animal lover and a person who cares about others. That I also spend time at the range shooting sometimes surprises people.
So why do I shoot? Today we’re going behind the scenes to answer that question.
My friend David Morrell, who wrote the Rambo series, says, “I became a private pilot to research the aerial sequences in my novel THE SHIMMER.” (see his post on Facebook) Dave is right. There’s nothing like firsthand experience. Thrillers often involve characters in law enforcement or the military. If I just made-up stuff, that would discredit the service members I write about. Credible stories require doing genuine research.
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This means traveling, which is for fun and for writing. My recent trips have included everything from whitewater rafting to feeding and petting a huge bison (more on that in my next post), and shooting everything from a 1928 Tommy gun on full auto to a Gatling gun, and a lot more.

Yes, my research is an adventure.
I’m currently doing research for my upcoming book, 31 BRAVO. As some might recognize, the title of this book is the Army’s designation, or MOS, for Military Police.
Like law enforcement, military life is not easy. To portray these fields well, we must go beyond their uniforms and acknowledge the risks these men and women take. Last year, Officer Kyle Hicks, one of the cadets I had taught at the police academy, was shot and killed in the line of duty. We were all heartbroken by his passing. Kyle’s life is a model of courage and commitment. He will always be missed, and never forgotten.

Then there are the unseen sacrifices that officers, soldiers, and agents know all too well. The job demands more of you than you ever thought you had in you to give. And your family experiences that with you. It changes you and how you see the world.

A Navy Seal once told me about his experiences. He said, “The one truth is this: Freedom isn’t free. That sounds cliché,” he said, “but it’s the truth.” Despite the personal costs, this man had no regrets. He is a hero.

When I write about people like Officer Hicks and the Navy Seal, I’m compelled to go beyond choreographed fight scenes crafted purely for entertainment value. Any good story is really about our humanity.

Therefore, my duty is to do meaningful research, which includes understanding the weapons these men and women use. The only path to that kind of knowledge is to shoot them myself. I make every effort to load, shoot, and understand every weapon used in my stories.

The only weapon I have not fired is the Coast Guard’s .50 cal machine gun on one of their Hitron helicopters, which is seen in my book, ISLAND OF BONES. If I get that opportunity, I will surely film it and share!

My life is an adventure thanks to the call of research.
My recent trips started in Waco, Texas, with the legendary Sheriff Parnell McNamara, who was at the Waco siege. He introduced me to the Tommy gun. As I held it, I was eager to fire one. My husband and I set off to a place near Yellowstone in Wyoming, where I fired a Tommy gun on full auto. Warning: Tommy guns are not for the faint of heart.

They are incredibly heavy and the stock that had been polished smooth by time. I aimed in at the target. To start, I put it on semi-auto to sight in the first few shots. Then I went to full auto. The first burst took my breath away. The second left me laughing. After that, it became a tool I now knew how to use. I worked at it until my grouping was decent.

It was an exhilarating experience.

Then, I picked up the MP5 for two reasons. Bowers uses this weapon in my soon to be released book FETISH FOR MURDER. The MP5 is often used by SWAT teams and military tactical teams such as USMC Special Reaction Teams.

As I lifted the rifle and sighted in on the target, it hit me that I was facing a paper target. What must go through the minds of men and women on tactical teams in the seconds before they confront violent offenders?
It takes a stunning amount of courage to do that.

On a lighter note, every so often I shoot purely for the fun of it. A few weeks ago, we found an indoor range that had a Gatling gun. As a history buff, I couldn’t pass that up. Instead of a trigger, there’s a crank. The faster you crank, the faster it shoots. Think of it as a precursor to a machine gun.

I’ve shot all kinds of guns. My favorite is the AR-15. Going to the police range with the range master to shoot his AK-47 was quite the experience. And firing a .308 Sniper rifle with a SWAT officer was amazing. I’m known for having fairly tight groupings. Local officers get a kick out of that and tease me endlessly.
 
My focus on accuracy has more to do with the safety of those around me than bragging rights. But let’s be honest, it feels great to hit the bullseye.
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And there’s another thing I’m teased about. Hand me a .308 sniper rifle or MP5 any day, but don’t ask me to open those canned crescents from the grocery store that go pop!

My characters also use pistols. Bowers’ favorite is her 9mm Glock. My favorites are the Glock and the Smith and Wesson M&P. Both are used by military and police. Knowing what it feels like to draw a weapon from a holster, become comfortable with the recoil, how hard the trigger pull is, how to clear a jam, proper grip, knowing what weapon would be used in different situations, and even knowing what part of your hand will get sore after firing a lot of rounds are details that help create realistic scenes.

Now you know the reason I shoot is to understand these weapons. And I do that out of respect for our police officers, law enforcement agents, military, and for you, the reader.

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