A Good Day at Work…
Posted by Hazel Stone | Filed under Shooting Sports
…is significantly less fun than a good day at the range. And yesterday was a good day at the range.
The PPK was outstanding, smooth action, not even the slightest hint of stovepiping. I had a Kel-Tec years ago that would stovepipe every third shell, and even my old Glock 23 would stovepipe now and again. The snotty little boys at the gun shop told me I had a weak wrist. I told them they were jerks. Not one of them bothered to compare the guns I was using to the size of my hand and suggest maybe trying something smaller. The PPK is narrower in every measurement than the 23, which…guess what…means I have better control over it when firing, and no stovepiping. Walla.
We practiced point shooting from about 20 feet away. First shot was low (took out the femoral artery), second shot was higher (stomach wounds are nasty), and the third shot was dead center X. Yeah, I’m MORE than satisfied with this gun.
Oh, the one thing I do not really care for is the roughness of the factory grips. When doing a good bit of shooting, they tend to act like sandpaper on your hand between thumb and forefinger. But that’s ok, easily remedied.
Ted exhibited his usual deadly accuracy with his monster Glock 27. Combined with the red laser sight, just the sight of that monster pointing at you ought to deliver the proper sort of PSH to the bad guys.
We also test drove for the first time my beautiful cowboy gun, the Marlin 30-30. Sweetest. Action. Ever. That gun is almost 40 years old and was well-loved by somebody. It kicked like the proverbial mule (I sport some nice bruising on the shoulder this morning), but is ridiculously accurate even from an un-propped position. The barrel does get quite hot after shoving 40 rounds through it, and we have some nice little burns to show for our learning curve.
On the recommendation of a local gunsmith, we tried a box of Remington’s Managed-Recoil loads for the 30-30. We started with these, then loaded two MRs (125 grain) and the normal load bullets (usually 150-170 grain) after it (holds 6 total). I did feel a difference between the second shot (last MR) and the third shot (normal load) but it wasn’t huge enough to justify the price difference. Besides, we’re not hunters (though Ted is starting to get that look in his eye), so the only accuracy/velocity really required is on the range.
Yesterday was also the first day we took #1 Son to the range. He’s almost 11, and (being our child) has A) a temper, B) double our stubbornness, and C) is at that age where questioning everything is some sort of compulsion, so we’ve been reluctant to proceed just yet with the firearms training. His first trip was just as a spectator, staying behind the yellow lineTM and watching both the shooting, and how every other person out there absolutely followed the rules of the range. And he did great. He listened to everything he was told, helped put out targets and did not miss the fact that there were at least two other kids out there learning to shoot, and swept up brass. It helped, I’m sure that the range master is an excellent guy, absolutely in charge but very convivial at the same time. (Unlike some shaved-headed, frustrated-ambition-having bastards that we could mention.) So it looks like we’ll be dragging out the .22 plinker next time we go.
Speaking of learning to shoot, there were at least two other kids there, and a goodly number of chicks, including one giggly brunette who was apparently getting quite the kick out of shooting her boyfriend/husband’s AK-47. The entire range stopped to watch, in combined horror/fascination, I think. I, personally, was very glad *we* were already in the car. Oh, she wasn’t dangerous, she kept it downrange, but the thing bucked in her hands with every shot, kind of nerve-wracking to watch. But hey, at least she wasn’t frightened of it, I count that as progress.
MUST remember to bring the camera next time.
Tags: 2nd amendment, guns are good, yes this is how we relax
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March 16th, 2008
Well, I’m in the process of building the EBR* and the upper should be in within the next 10 days or so and from what I’ve seen, the 6.8 Remington SPC (Special Purpose Cartridge) is a decent hunting cartridge.
Which means I could go hunting again. Not that I’ve been since I was in my teens (and that was a while ago), but I’m sure I could pick it back up quickly.
Not much around here though to shoot at ‘cept Key Deer and squirrels and I think the squirrels would have more meat on them, anyway.
So, he’s got a hunting buddy if he needs!
*Evil Black Rifle.
March 16th, 2008
Whitetail deer, wild pigs, and turkeys galore. We’ve been out there several times times on photosafari and have seen all three. It’s apparently a good enough hunting site that it has dedicated skinning stations and gut pits. Bleh. I’ll stick to paper.
March 16th, 2008
*horrified gasp*
Don’t you DARE! For the rest of the world who has never been through the Keys (and seen the place) to see the Key Deer, they are… well, see for yourself:
National Key Deer Refuge
The Key deer are the smallest of the 28 subspecies of Virginia white-tailed deer. Bucks range from 28-32″ at the shoulder and weigh an average of 80 lbs. Does stand 24-28″ at the shoulder and weigh an average of 65 lbs.
The biggest are about as big as a two-year-old human child, but considerably less aggressive.
March 17th, 2008
I’ve only met Robb once, but I’m fairly sure he was joking about the Key Deer, especially because the little bastards are federally protected.
>>The biggest are about as big as a two-year-old human child, but considerably less aggressive.
*snerk*
March 17th, 2008
With the firepower I carry, there’d be nothing left but a mist and a partial pelt. So no, I’d not shoot Key Deer.