Most of the time, the shooting range is a man cave with guns where the women look really out of place. It is not unusual to be the only woman in a shooting competition or on a shooting range. Fortunately, it is less and less, but when that is the case, it is very possible that you will not be taken seriously. Girls aren’t supposed to play with guns. I’ve discovered a few things that help girls earn a little more respect behind the line of fire.

1. Dress for the occasion. You don’t have to wear a long-sleeved button-down shirt, baggy jeans, combat boots, and a baseball cap, but you should look like you’re up for the activity. You can save the mini skirt and stiletto heels for the nightclub. No one wants to burn a shell casing on their cleavage either. Having the right attire hints that you are serious about what you came here to do, which makes people take you more seriously.

2. Have a gun that fits your frame. It is very important to have the proper fit. Your trigger finger should be able to comfortably reach the trigger without affecting your grip, and you should be able to easily access any other functional buttons or levers on the gun, such as magazine release and safety. You also want the correct gauge. If the firearm throws you back 10 feet when you fire it, it’s too big.

3. Learn to handle your firearm. Practice at home. This can go a long way in making you look and feel much more confident. Know how to load and unload your pistol and magazines, as well as perform basic operations. Blocking the rear slides and using the manual safety shows everyone how self-sufficient you can be and earns you a lot of respect even if you may be struggling. Everyone appreciates safe gun handling skills.

4. Don’t walk in with a chip on your shoulder. Inappropriate jokes and salty language are often more than most of us would like it to be. Responding with your best will probably make you more “one of the guys” than crying or running to someone to complain. That kind of drama just shows that you really are a girl. No one is asking you to put up with bad behavior or lawlessness, but calmly calling someone face-to-face usually earns everyone’s respect that much more. Most of the time, people make fun of you to draw attention away from themselves.

5. Hit the target. Put your money where your mouth is. When you can shoot, people tend to shut up. You don’t have to be a “fantastic” shooter, but there are certain people who are best targeted by showing them that they just got hit by a girl. Use this as your motivation to practice and learn to be the best shooter you can be.

6. Go alone. People will see that you are there strictly for yourself. They will see that you are there to improve as a shooter and nothing more. You’re not there on a date like the helpless girl! You are there because you are a proficient weapons handler who is going to practice hitting the target.