Range time

[cjsmith]

Last Saturday I headed out to the range for the first time in... okay, I'm way too embarrassed to admit how long. Let's just say I was there to take the basic course again, without which I didn't feel I would even be safe showing up.

Beyond the obvious safety refresher, the most powerful thing I got out of the course was a new stance. (For the target shooters out there, I'd been shooting isosceles and I learned a modified Weaver.) A close second was the reminders about follow-through. I was surprised and pleased to see how small my groups were after so much time away. I am certain the stance and the follow-through were key.

I was less pleased to notice how quickly I got tired. Apparently I have an enormous amount of excess tension. By the end of it my left arm was shaky and my fingers were curled into claws. None of that should be necessary. (I was like that learning to fly planes, too. White knuckles. No need for it.) Obviously I could use some dry firing practice. I feel very stupid for not picking up a spent casing while I was at the range. Durrrr.

I was proud of myself for violating no safety rules whatsoever when a hot .45 casing lodged itself against my eyebrow, propped up by my glasses. I fidgeted, I squeaked, I danced, and the muzzle never wavered from downrange nor did my finger leave its place alongside the frame. Of course, with a few more IQ points I would have let go with my support hand and wiggled my glasses. Oh well; no harm done.

Bestest thing I saw that day: a Springfield 1911. It was very smooth and there was almost no motion on the reset. Fortunately for my wallet, I am nowhere near good enough to justify that kind of expenditure. I will almost certainly never be any better than the equipment I now own.

With some practice, I could become good at this again. Especially if I could wear something a little more stable than a pair of see-saws under my feet.

Comments

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

a hot .45 casing lodged itself against my eyebrow, propped up by my glasses

Owie!

I haven't been to a range in a couple of years, when my friend M and I went out to use up a bunch of his expiring 9mm and .22 ammo. Back in HS and college I learned with some other friends how to fire a muzzle-loading rifle. That was cool, but what I'd really like to have time for is to get better at archery.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

It wasn't so bad, actually - they cool off quickly.

I'd love to get better at archery too. AFTER surgery ;-).

[layer.livejournal.com]

i would love to go do this with you some day. (though i'd need to start with the very basics, i've never actually touched a gun before.)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I would be happy to go over the basics with you -- or accompany you to a basic safety class from Real Instructors -- and take you to the range. Scheduling will probably be the hard part!

I am Ashamed...

[shoutingboy.livejournal.com]

I haven't shot in years. Haven't even taken my .22 out of its case in years. I'm not sure if I'm even allowed to vote now.

I really ought to (a) Take my Ruger to the shop for a nice thorough scrubbing and tune-up, and (b) scare the hell out of some pieces of paper. I was Quite Adequate a few years back.

Re: I am Ashamed...

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's the state I was in, too. I think you're allowed to vote in a blue state. ;-)

[dangerpudding.livejournal.com]

I keep saying that I need to get in regular practice between my seasons of bear-watching. Plus, it's fun. Saying that pains my little pacifist girl heart a bit, but oh well. :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I reassure myself that pieces of paper do not, as best we can tell, feel pain. :-) It IS fun, isn't it? For me it's the focus: I can't be thinking about tomorrow's work or yesterday's argument. I have to "be here now".

[jtidwell.livejournal.com]

I haven't been to the range in ages, either. Mostly that's due to lead concerns, seeing as how I've been either (a) pregnant or (b) nursing/holding a baby a lot, for 19 months now. And counting. I really do want to go shooting again, but not enough to endanger Matthew! Clearly we need to find a babysitter...

Oh, wait. We have one. HE'S IN DAYCARE RIGHT NOW! Time to make plans! :-)

I alternated between isosceles and Weaver for a while, and I think I like Weaver better too. Not sure why. It just feels more rock-solid in my lower arms somehow.

Nice presence of mind on the hot shell! Hope it didn't hurt too much when it hit you.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I didn't know babies were more susceptible to problems with lead, even in utero. Wow.

I think Weaver makes me more stable w.r.t. recoil, and what with the see-saws, I need all the help I can get. Practicing the level of tension between the arm that's pulling and the arm that's pushing is going to take me a while, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to stick with Weaver once I've got the hang of it.

Fortunately, even a .45 cools off pretty quickly. Phew!

[jupiter29.livejournal.com]

I've never been to a range and have only held a gun once. There are two main reasons for this, I guess. 1) I just never found the time. 2) I am sitting here laughing hysterically at the thought of you with a casing lodged against your glasses. And I have to assume that makes me either a jerk or a sociopath, and neither one probably suggests I should be trained to carry a gun. ;)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Nah, you should avoid going shooting only if your hands twitch uncontrollably when you laugh. ;)

[jupiter29.livejournal.com]

Or when other people laugh at me. :)