A 2018 Battle Ground graduate-turned-entrepreneur has taken to less-lethal measures for her own self defense and now promotes and sells the solution she found.
Miranda Reeves first started her event florist business at 17 years old, which sent her alone into the world as a young woman.
“So when I turned 21, I got my concealed carry license and started carrying [a gun] and realized that I wasn’t actually comfortable with the idea of having to shoot somebody if it ever came to that,” Reeves said. “So my dad started looking at options for other things, and of course there are tasers and knives and pepper spray and all that stuff, but you have to be super close to that person, and so he found Byrna.”
The Byrna Technologies handgun is a non-lethal self-defense weapon that uses compressed air to launch projectiles that can stop an attacker without causing permanent harm.
When she got one, Reeve’s mother’s friends, who also weren’t comfortable with using a traditional firearm, decided to purchase some, as well, but some didn’t know how to use it. Reeves took on the opportunity to develop a practice range for her mom’s friends at a barbecue, which led to her next business venture: Reeves Precision Matters.
Reeves and her father, Ron, developed a mobile testing range to take to events, like the Founder’s Mercantile Outdoor Market in Battle Ground.
Miranda Reeves said she enjoys being a young business owner.
“I like having my own schedule, and it’s kind of fun to impress people,” Reeves said, adding that people in the field don’t expect her owning the businesses. “Last April, my dad and I went down to Vegas for the law enforcement training, and that was really fun being a 24-year old female with all these, like, 50-year old men that have major law enforcement backgrounds. It was really fun. If my dad is there or what have you, they always expect him to be the owner, and he’s like, ‘No, no, it’s her business.’ ”
She started the self-defense business roughly two and a half years ago as a side-dealer for Byrna, Miranda Reeves said. Now, they’ve taken their show on the road as of May with a trailer that allows those interested to test and get hands-on experience with the less-lethal option.
She said the feedback has been positive, and the clients can test the non-lethal firearm on the spot to see, feel and utilize it.
The Byrna gun can be used to stop a threat at a far more comfortable distance than most self-defense options outside of a lethal firearm. She added that a knife could be deemed excessive force in some cases, and pepper spray has to be used up close.
The Byrna handgun can be utilized at 60 feet, with another model providing 80 feet of distance from the target. Reeves also said they sell 12-gauge shotgun rounds for in-home protection, which has a range of 100 feet. The ammo consists of projectiles, including pepper, similar in size to paintballs.
Reeves Precision Matters will be at the Founder’s Mercantile Outdoor Market from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 16, and Friday, Sept. 6, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17 and Saturday, Sept. 7. Founder’s Mercantile is located at 317 E. Main St. in Battle Ground.
To learn more about Reeves Precision Matters, visit reevespm.com.
