I had wanted to take my friend Monica and her roommate Annie to the range Thursday evening. We started plans for our shooting excursion in the midst of a series of commiserating Inauguration Day facebook messages.
It went something like this:
Annie: "I'm a little scared."
Monica: "Me too."
Me: "It's going to be a long 4 years."
Monica: "Yeah. Hey, can we go shooting again sometime? I suddenly feel the need to practice."
Me: "Sure! Anytime!"
Annie: "Can I go too?"
Heh.
But when I got to the range I found only Monica waiting for me, Annie had something unavoidable come up and couldn't join us. Totally fine with me, I said. That means there's going to be a next time.
I really enjoy taking Monica to the range - she doesn't just show up to shoot, she shows up to learn. She asks a lot of questions, wants to be shown how to do everything herself, and will shoot anything you give her. I had a smorgasbord of firearms for her to try (or, as the guy next to us said, "quite an arsenal")...we started small with .22s, shot a few rounds from my Bersa .380, and worked our way up to an H&K 9mm and a S&W .38. Monica loved the Ruger MkII, and asked if she could practice a bit more with that.
She even shot it one-handed, something I love to have new shooters do, especially women. It opens up a world of brand new possibilities and gives them something to boast about to their friends. (I shot a gun! One handed!) I think it's might be one of the things that makes them want to come back, that sense of accomplishment, that feeling of "Wow! I can DO that!" It's only recoil, after all.
I returned to the range Sunday afternoon with Mike, planning on trying a little contemplative slow fire with the Ruger Mk II. I was excited about trying something new. I ran my target out to 50 feet, loaded up my magazines and began. Breathe, front sight, front sight, inhale, exhale, hold, front sight, squeeze...and then someone two lanes over started firing a rifle - BOOM! - and a girl started cussing out her boyfriend and...ugh. Not good for the shooty zen.
Anyway, here's the best of my 5 targets. The red dot is 3 inches across.
I think the one in the middle was pure luck.
6 comments:
You make your own luck.
No, that is the one that was right, the upper left ones are in grip and squeeze, and the lower set is in faulty focus on front sight, you started looking for the hit and hadn't fired yet. Just kidding kind of. But it does show two different problems on the same magazine. Were you agreeing with the ladyless about her boyfriend or just not focusing on your shooting? I think you and your pistol are on that one you called luck, everything else was out of your zone.
gasted - wv (like guessed?)
I have long since decided not to question or disparage luck stepping in whenever it wants to. I can take all I get :).
Either way, good job spreading the good word :).
Wait.... you got to go to the range on Thursday and on Sunday, and you are still not satisfied?
Go back tomorrow for some more recoil therapy.
Scissors? That's hardcore.
I usually do my hobo-hunting with a nice length of rebar. But that's because I'm a wuss. Plus, here in SoCal, we have a LOT of hobos. You have to be careful about having them gang up on you.
The one in the middle was pure goodness, not luck! :-)
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