From: California

Occupation: Actress

Why do you have a gun?

I initially started getting into guns because, as an actress, I wanted to move more toward the action-film world. I like adrenaline—I love that adrenaline rush. I love adventures, I ride motorcycles, I shoot guns, I snowboard—I mean, act like a guy. I just like looking like a girl. I got into it in order to go that route with my acting career, and I got hooked on that adrenaline rush that gives me the most pleasure in the world. It’s that, but then the discipline behind it, I think, is what kept me there. It’s so much discipline, and it’s a lot harder than people think it is. And that just got me addicted…and then I started competing.

Jade Struck (from previous portrait): We met on the range. She came out as an actress—one that we were teaching—and we loved her so much we were like, “Can we keep you?” She has so much potential. Especially [as an] action star.

C.A.: When I get into something new, I always want to be proficient at it.

What do you say to people who question the value of a private citizen owning a gun?

C.A.: I also understand. I respect everybody’s opinion, but that doesn’t mean that my own is going to change. I’m very strong in my opinions, and I will never knock down someone for believing a certain thing or thinking a certain way—that’s the beauty in life, that we don’t all think alike. My own personal belief is that I do feel safer with a gun.

J.S.: The confidence you learn on the range—it gives you more to work with in life. Even without a gun, I feel safer knowing I know how to protect myself.

C.A.: Also being a woman. Physically, men are stronger than women. In a situation where my life is at risk, I want to be able to know I can handle my own.

J.S.: It’s a last line of defense, but if we can deploy it when necessary, that makes me feel safe. I don’t even carry a gun, but I’m like, “Look. You don’t want to mess with me.” Laughs. We shouldn’t have to feel like that as women. I don’t want to hurt anybody…. I’ve been in situations where I’ve needed to defend myself. Martial arts is one of my forms; so is knife work and guns. Gun owners don’t necessarily want to deploy their weapon as a line of defense, but to have it on the back burner is really comforting.

When mass shootings or school shootings happen—like the one this week—does it ever make you rethink your position?

C.A.: It will not change my stance. It’s very unfortunate that these things are happening and that people are the way they are. I’ve heard this said a million times, and I’m a strong believer that it’s not guns that kill people; it’s people that kill people. You can basically use any object if you really wanted to get the job done. That’s horrible, but people are the way people are, and people are always breaking laws. If they want to go off and do something negative with a gun, and give the gun world a bad name, that’s their thing, but that’s definitely [not] going to change my stance and what I believe should be.