New Shooter Report!

What a way to start a Monday (even better since it's Labor Day and I've got the day off...) - a new shooter report!

A few weeks back, Bill contacted me with some questions about getting back into the shooting sports (posted here). Naturally, I wasn't about to pass up a golden opportunity to help bring Bill back to the gunnie goodness, as well as to help get Liz started along the path to gunnervana... A little back-and-forth over dates and times, and we decided on last Saturday. I packed up my representative samplings from the G. armory for a new (and returning) shooter (seen in this past Friday's gun pr0n). Got to the range and we were literally the only people there, which was fortunate, as we pretty much took over the pistol range... :)

We started off with a brief overview of gun safety; basically the four rules (which Bill had been kind enough to pass along ahead of time), a quick overview of some of the range regulations, and then a brief tutorial of the manual of arms [mental note: need 9mm snap caps]. I brought along two revolvers and three semi-automatics; I laid out one of each unloaded and we practiced loading/unloading with snap caps to get a feel for it. Quick primer on different stances and how to hold the pistols, and we were off to the races.

I feel that in this case, the pictures really do tell 1,000 words, so I'll present the day in pictures:

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Here's Liz's first time with a firearm:

Ah, yes. The medium-framed .22LR target pistol. Mssrs. Smith & Wesson's gift to reduced recoil and noise. With the open range and double plugs, there was little-to-no report to startle or vex the new shooter (not that Liz is of the easily-vexed sort, mind you, but more of a general statement). Good to ease a new shooter into the sport.

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Moved up to the 422 with the red dot sight - it took a little getting used to (and I need to sight it back in...), but it's just a super-fun little plinker to play with.

I believe Bill's comment was something along the lines of "this gun is just too much fun!"...

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At this point, we were ready to move up to something with a little more oomph. I chose the Ruger Security Six over other .357 Magnums in my collection for the longer barrel/heavier weight - the longer sight radius means an easier time aiming; the extra weight makes shooting .38 special wadcutters quite easy, and even takes the bite out of full-power .357 Magnum rounds. How was the more powerful handgun received? You tell me:

She doesn't look intimidated by a .357 Magnum, does she? What's missing here, mind you, is the laugh that accompanies the picture. It was a lyrical cross between a giggle of happiness and a quasi-maniacal all-out laugh fest. It was easily the quote of the day, something along the lines of HehhehehehehehehMUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *g*

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Next up was the wonderful world of centerfire semi-automatics. The first offering was the SigSauer P226 in 9mm, a good, solid, hefty steel-framed auto chucker with a 15 round magazine (and I only scratched the surface of the whole clip-vs.-magazine issue, leaving it only as a "this is the subject of much debate...)

I'm going to let Bill take this slot, because he deserves recognition, too. I had to admonish him with his very first shots (after a 12 year absence) - had to tell him that it was generally considered poor form to out-shoot a man with his own gun... Seriously, this dude is good. Makes me realize just how much more practice I need to get...

(Yeah, in case you can't tell, Bill's a biker, too. Scooter gunnie trash. Best kind of people).

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The last gun of the day, and I'll be so bold as to presume it was everyone's favorite, was, of course, the Colt 1991A1. Why do I think this was the favorite? Well, this should decide the issue right here:

That looks like a woman who's intimidated by handling a firearm, doesn't it? Heh... I think I can safely say that the best-known creation of John Moses Browning (PBUH) was a hit...

I caught a one-in-a-million shot with my cheap-ass Canon Elph of Bill shooting the 1991A1 and catching it in mid-recoil:

And they were even kind enough to get a picture of me with the 1991:

Just call me Mr. Weaver... I think this is going to become my new profile pic. Yeah, I like it enough to replace the maniacal shotgun-wielding me... ;)

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I think I can safely say that we have a new shooter joining the ranks of MA gunnies as well as a returning one... I'm now in the process of helping them jump through the myriad hoops and rings of fire necessary to obtain LTCs in MA.

Smell that? That GSR? That's the smell of freedom. Breath deeply, folks. It's a beautiful thing.

That is all.

UPDATE: ETA - we've already scheduled a tentative second outing... Heh heh heh...