FEATURE
I was totally hooked, this time managing to remember a thank-you for my tutor. I spent the rest of the day politely asking different gents if they could give me a tour of their rigs, many of whom graciously invited me to test them myself. Afterward, I immediately sought the help from industry veterans to build a custom .260 with all the trimmings. I spent every spare moment on the range, spent my meager annual bonus on a five-day training course, and even entered a few competitions— where I didn’t finish in last place. Next came experimenting with shotguns and pistols and rayguns, oh my! If someone would let me touch it, I would shoot it, and then proceed to ask too many questions about it. Recently, an unsuspecting friend of mine entrusted to me a brand-new Daniel Defense DDM4, having no idea I would later form my autobiography around it and leave his name completely off-record. So let’s continue to ignore his existence and dive into the sexiest part of this novel. The Daniel Defense M4 V7 SLW is one of the lightest, fastest-handling rifles available in the DDM4 lineup, tipping the scales at under 6 pounds. Built around a cold hammerforged, 14.5-inch, lightweight-profile barrel, What’s funny is, despite any accolade I
just wanted to be appreciated for their kind
pistol. Without any real knowledge of how
trying to start a precision rifle competition
.50-cal with an incendiary round the length of
the V7 SLW has an extended flash suppressor
deem to be a gender stereotype crusher, the
forethought. Who knows? Regardless, if I’m
they worked, we enjoyed some target practice
(whatever the hell that was), and my company
my hand next to it. “They listen to directions
that’s pinned and welded to reach the NFA-
most Ooooh and Ahhhh praise comes from
ever hungry to feed my own ego, I simply
at a local indoor range. In the next lane over,
blindly became one of their first sponsors.
and don’t try to muscle the damn thing.” To a
required 16-inch minimum barrel length. Are
the fact that I shoot. I’ve never been able to
drop “competitive precision rifle” as a casual
Philip Seymour Hoffman’s twin watched me
“What exactly is a long-range rifle?” I asked
newbie it felt totally illegal, but I was definitely
you jelly yet?
put my finger on why this is the pinnacle of
hobby, and it brings all the boys to the yard.
fumble through a few rounds that somehow
a fellow observer during that first event. He
going to do it anyway. Listening intently to my
managed to hit paper before graciously
laughed and told me it’d be easier to just
instructor—who turned out to be the head
provides smooth and reliable cycling
show me.
of Barrett sales—and closing my mouth as I
under any conditions and reduces both
was told, I felt the ground float and the target
perceived recoil and wear on moving parts.
explode in slo-mo.
A free-floating MFR 13.5 handguard offers
badassery. Maybe it’s because our founding
I’m from California and I didn’t grow up with
fathers wrote the Second Amendment
firearms. The first time I fired one was after my
asking my father if he might teach me a few
knowing that in the future we would stream
grandfather passed and my dad inherited his
tricks because, in his words, “Women are the
chicks in bikinis unloading full-auto and they
old-school hunting rifle and home-protection
natural deadeyes.” He took the .38 Special
“Women are better learners,” he grinned, placing me in front of a brand-new Barrett
The carbine’s mid-length gas system
away and pressed his daughter’s Kimber 1911 into my hand, assuring me it would be easier to grip. Then, with patient instruction, he explained how a gun worked and how to handle one safely. He had me open both eyes, bend my knees, lean forward, and breathe deeply, exhaling at the same time I gently squeezed the trigger. Bullseye. Due to early onset Daria syndrome, I was furious when I couldn’t reenact my first
UN0012 / CARTRIDGES FOR WEAPONS, INERT PROJECTILE or CARTRIDGES, SMALL ARMS —
performance. I sadly remember storming out
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and never thanking PSH for his assistance. My dad and I put some rounds downrange a few more times after that, but once I graduated school I realized I hadn’t shot anything but booze in over a decade. Enter my first out-of-college job that required me to attend SHOT Show. It reignited my curiosity, so I networked with a few guys
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Trial by fire—the author’s formal introduction to firearms was behind the thundering action of a Barrett Model 82A1 50 BMG rifle.
Spending some downtime at the range, where Raquel Donati has been known to compete in 3-Gun and precision rifle matches.
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The author at home in her workshop, where she assembled her first personal firearm, a custom Remington .260, in her spare time.
Donati credits her no-nonsense personality to the men in her family who nurtured her sense of selfempowerment.
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