SHE SHOOTS - Episode 32: Colleen Piper - Locked and Loaded

This month we are welcoming Colleen Piper, Owner of The Bullet Shop.

About Colleen:

Colleen's desire for shooting came at an early age. Her family hunted like most families back in the day and as she grew older, shooting was put on the back burner. Then she met her husband of 44 years, Ed. Their love of the outdoors had them out deer, elk, moose, bird game and migratory hunting.  It didn’t take long before she stole his 270 Ruger Bolt Action rifle (which she still uses today!). As soon as their sons were old enough, they got involved with hunting too.

Colleen's passion for IPSC started when she attended the Calgary Gun Show in 2004. Off in the back corner I could hear gun fire and she just had to go see what was going on. There was a booth with 4 smiling guys so eager to sell this new passion called IPSC. Her interest was sparked! 2 years later a gentleman move to their home town and started IPSC at their local club - the Brooks Pistol and Small Bore Club. Here was her chance to get her feet wet. In the spring of 2006 Colleen and Ed took their Black Badge Course which is required to shoot IPSC.

In 2007 Colleen and Ed competed in the Alberta Provincials at their home range. No doubt, They had both gotten the shooting bug!

As one would know most hobbies are expensive; no different than with IPSC. Colleen and Ed's passion for shooting and attending matches quickly out-paced their finances. What else to do than to buy a remanufacturing handgun ammunition company!

Colleen and Ed purchased The Bullet Shop in 2008. Since then, their business has grown in leaps and bounds over the years. Collen and Ed feel truly blessed to be able to do something they are both passionate about. The Bullet Shop has helped fellow competitors earn National titles, including Amanda Fisher, who competed and won Top Production Lady in 2024 and Justin Thomson, who won Top Production Optics on the National Team in 2024.

Colleen started to compete in 2006 and since then has had to work hard to achieve and hold onto top lady in Alberta for years. She has achieved titles of Top Lady in Standard at the Alberta Provincials and Canadian Nationals, as well as Top Production Optics Lady in Alberta.

Colleen's biggest reward in the world of IPSC is watching her friends, new and old, participating in something they are passionate about. Watching how all their hard work in practice has paid off at matches. The smiles, laughs and tears are all a part of this wonderful world called IPSC.

About SHE SHOOTS PODCAST:

SHE SHOOTS is a podcast for women in the shooting community and for those interested in learning more about it. It is hosted by women who shoot, hunt, and instruct and most importantly share a passion for introducing new ladies to the sport.

Coming to you on the second Tuesday of every month, the objective of SHE SHOOTS is to showcase various activities in the shooting sports and highlight the people who participate. We hope this will help you find something you are interested in learning more about and various ways to get involved.

Did you know the shooting community proudly boasts over 250,000 licensed women who participate across Canada? This sport has something for everyone and it's easy to get out and give it a try.

Join us every month when we host SHE SHOOTS on a variety of social media platforms. This exciting collaboration is brought to you by the Canadian University Shooting Federation, Project Mapleseed and LadyGuns.