I've been to range a couple of times in the last week, trying to get the hang of shooting handguns. Most of my experience with firearms has involved rifles of some form or another. M16A2's in the Marine Corps Reserve, SAW's, 60's, and MK19's. Small caliber .22's in the civilian world and the occasional shotgun. About half a decade ago, I embraced owning my own bolt action rifle and the transition seemed natural. It wasn't difficult to go from shooting 2" groups to sub-1" groups at 100 yard with the aid of a bi-pod and proper form in the prone position.
Recently, I acquired a Ruger GP100 with a 6" barrel. I have been shooting my wife's handgun for a number of years and I was never impressed with the accuracy. When one is used to shooting sub-1" groups at distance, it seems less than impressive to put together a 4" group at only 7 yards with a pistol. Granted, there are reasons for the reduced precision. Barrel length effects the bullet travel itself. Shooting from a standing position is unsupported and results in sheer physical strength being solely responsible for maintaining sight picture and follow through. One of the largest effectors of performance with a handgun, seems to be recoil.
On my last two trips out with a handgun, I performed a bit of an experiment. With my wife's handgun, we had the option of shooting two kinds of ammunition. Factory .40 S&W and a reduced hand load that contained roughly the half the powder of factory loads. Generally, I can assemble 6" groups with regularity out of the compact .40, with the reduced loads, 3-4" was fairly easy to obtain. Yesterday, I took the new .357 out for its second outing. I had purchased two kinds of .357 ammunition. One in 125 gr. and one in 158 gr. The first thing I noticed was that non-hollow point seems to pack a good bit more recoil than the hollow point I had shot a week ago. After putting through a few cylinders of 125 gr., I switched to 158 gr. and ran a few cylinders of that as well. My best shots touched, although the overall group was in the 2-3" range. Usually with a flyer, falling well outside my intended shot cluster.
As I continue to shoot, my groups continued to grow. To borrow from Chris Titus' comedy, it was if my inner-retard was screaming, "flinch now dumbass, this is gonna hurt!" Now, it's important to realize that my .357 absorbs the recoil quite well. Weeks of reading on handgun technique has improved my form significantly and I am focused on natural point of aim. I was getting quite disheartened when my shooting buddy suggested I run a cylinder of .38 Special through it. The first group was a four shot group that shared the same hole. It was right there in black and white, recoil, thus causing anticipation, was responsible for my miserable patterns.
Just as it was necessary to practice, practice, and keep practicing with my rifle. It will take some time to get these shots under control with the new handgun. As much as I like the power and the authority the .357 magnum loads express when I pull the trigger, there might be some wisdom in shooting .38 special for practice. Knowing your gun can shoot is important for your mental game and its necessary to have that mental focus if you intend on putting good groups together.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Gun People Aren't Nearly
as Intimidating as They Seem
If you're new to the world of guns, and by association, gun people, you might find the experience a little bit threatening if not overwhelming. It's true that most hunting parties are comprised of people who have known one another for decades. It's also true that the appearance of the relationships between most gun counter staff and their clients or customers seems to be the result of a long and well-maintained friendship. For someone just getting into the sport, it can be quite threatening to try and find one's place. I can tell you from experience, I am always put on edge by approaching the gun counter or going out shooting with a new group of people.
Having only been actively shooting on my own for the last four or five years, I can tell you I have had a lot of new experiences. I knew going into it that I would be the new guy and that I would have to embrace meeting a bunch of old pros who are very set in their comfort zone with a very particular group of shooting buddies.
My first adventure was when I decided to purchase a rifle. I had done my homework and had a rough idea of what caliber I wanted. I knew what I wanted a rifle capable of long range since my goal is to one day shoot in long range competitions. What I didn't know was ANYTHING about bolt action rifles. My brief childhood experience was with a heavy hitting .30-06 that had knocked my 76 lb. ass completely off the bench, leaving a nice shiner as a memento of the occasion. I asked around work and began discussing my desires to shoot with other people I knew to be gun enthusiasts. Before I knew it, I had an invite to go out and shoot bolt action rifles with a group of locals who had been shooting their whole lives. They were happy to share their sport with me, and their rifles. If you have a desire to shoot, tell those you know who shoot. Someone will be willing to take you on your first outing.
Having learned that my adult body could handle the recoil of bolt-action rifles, I set out to purchase my own. I read everything I could. I did internet search after internet search and read nearly every link that had anything to do with long range shooting or bolt-action rifles. The majority of information came from shooting forums. I didn't join any until recently, but most will allow you "lurk" their threads without logging in. One of the best ways to learn is to learn from those who "do". The forums are a wealth of information and people who are eager to share it.
Once I purchased a rifle, I needed to find a place to shoot it. Thankfully, I worked at a newspaper. One day, while asking another co-worker about scopes, a gentleman spoke up. After a few minutes it became evident that we were both building rifles for the same purpose and he offered to take me out shooting. He also provided me with a ton of information, as well as web-links, for optics. It turned out that we were both pretty good shots. After a few outings, I had the confidence to venture out on my own. Later finding a free range closer to my house. The take away here? Don't be afraid to talk to your co-workers, your neighbors, and friends from your past.
Shooters all seem to have evolved from a common place. Nearly every time I am at the range, now, I meet someone who is not only willing to visit for a few moments, but is happy to share their wisdom - and usually their weapons - with a total stranger. We are all enthusiasts, interested in rifles, pistols, or marksmanship. More importantly, if you ask anyone of us who taught us to shoot, or if we remembered the first time we fired a gun, we'd all be more than excited to tell you all about it. Half the fun of our sport is the camaraderie of those who share an interest in shooting. Most of the intimidation of the crowd comes from the power their firearms. Do your homework, know your weapons - or as much as you can about the weapon you are interested in, and don't be afraid to approach the old pros. They were noobs once, too.
Having only been actively shooting on my own for the last four or five years, I can tell you I have had a lot of new experiences. I knew going into it that I would be the new guy and that I would have to embrace meeting a bunch of old pros who are very set in their comfort zone with a very particular group of shooting buddies.
My first adventure was when I decided to purchase a rifle. I had done my homework and had a rough idea of what caliber I wanted. I knew what I wanted a rifle capable of long range since my goal is to one day shoot in long range competitions. What I didn't know was ANYTHING about bolt action rifles. My brief childhood experience was with a heavy hitting .30-06 that had knocked my 76 lb. ass completely off the bench, leaving a nice shiner as a memento of the occasion. I asked around work and began discussing my desires to shoot with other people I knew to be gun enthusiasts. Before I knew it, I had an invite to go out and shoot bolt action rifles with a group of locals who had been shooting their whole lives. They were happy to share their sport with me, and their rifles. If you have a desire to shoot, tell those you know who shoot. Someone will be willing to take you on your first outing.
Having learned that my adult body could handle the recoil of bolt-action rifles, I set out to purchase my own. I read everything I could. I did internet search after internet search and read nearly every link that had anything to do with long range shooting or bolt-action rifles. The majority of information came from shooting forums. I didn't join any until recently, but most will allow you "lurk" their threads without logging in. One of the best ways to learn is to learn from those who "do". The forums are a wealth of information and people who are eager to share it.
Once I purchased a rifle, I needed to find a place to shoot it. Thankfully, I worked at a newspaper. One day, while asking another co-worker about scopes, a gentleman spoke up. After a few minutes it became evident that we were both building rifles for the same purpose and he offered to take me out shooting. He also provided me with a ton of information, as well as web-links, for optics. It turned out that we were both pretty good shots. After a few outings, I had the confidence to venture out on my own. Later finding a free range closer to my house. The take away here? Don't be afraid to talk to your co-workers, your neighbors, and friends from your past.
Shooters all seem to have evolved from a common place. Nearly every time I am at the range, now, I meet someone who is not only willing to visit for a few moments, but is happy to share their wisdom - and usually their weapons - with a total stranger. We are all enthusiasts, interested in rifles, pistols, or marksmanship. More importantly, if you ask anyone of us who taught us to shoot, or if we remembered the first time we fired a gun, we'd all be more than excited to tell you all about it. Half the fun of our sport is the camaraderie of those who share an interest in shooting. Most of the intimidation of the crowd comes from the power their firearms. Do your homework, know your weapons - or as much as you can about the weapon you are interested in, and don't be afraid to approach the old pros. They were noobs once, too.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Pistol Pro's Failures
are Reassuring for Pistol Noobs
One of the things I enjoy about watching Top Shot is that these contestants have rough days too. I've been working at developing better handgun skills for quite awhile now. My wife, too, is honing her pistol talents. We've spent hours at the range together going over the basics of target acquisition, sight alignment, breathing, and trigger control only to go home somewhat frustrated with our larger-than-they-should-be groups of two inches or better. When your primary skills involve rifles that are highly regarded for shooting sub-minute-of-angle (sub-MOA), or better than 1" at 100 yards, it seems counter-intuitive to be proud of bigger groups at much smaller distances.
In the last two weeks on Top Shot I've watched in disbelief as some of the strongest pistol shooters in the country struggled to make what appear to be reasonable pistol shots. One was a world champion speed shooter, International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) Champion, and a United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) Champion. With all those qualifications, it was a pure shock to watch as she missed every pistol shot she took in competition. Another extremely strong shooter, a Junior World Champion, two time National USPSA Champion, 50 time match winner, and professional pistol shooter also failed to hit any targets in competition and found himself in the elimination round.
Apparently pistol shooting requires an incredible amount of focus. There are few supported shooting positions. The intensity of competition adds a significant amount of stress. Stress increases your heart rate, muscles strain burns additional oxygen, breathing rate increases - especially with running, and controlling the breathing and trigger squeeze while maintaining proper form becomes more than just difficult. Shooting under stress accurately takes significant self-control.
Judging from the way our television pistol pro's have fared in the last two weeks of competition. It's not only pistol noobs that have trouble remembering the basics when staring down the sights on the pistol range. Hell, if world champion pistol shooters can miss every shot they take in competition for two solid weeks, there may be hope for our future success as a husband and wife pistol team yet!
In the last two weeks on Top Shot I've watched in disbelief as some of the strongest pistol shooters in the country struggled to make what appear to be reasonable pistol shots. One was a world champion speed shooter, International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) Champion, and a United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) Champion. With all those qualifications, it was a pure shock to watch as she missed every pistol shot she took in competition. Another extremely strong shooter, a Junior World Champion, two time National USPSA Champion, 50 time match winner, and professional pistol shooter also failed to hit any targets in competition and found himself in the elimination round.
Apparently pistol shooting requires an incredible amount of focus. There are few supported shooting positions. The intensity of competition adds a significant amount of stress. Stress increases your heart rate, muscles strain burns additional oxygen, breathing rate increases - especially with running, and controlling the breathing and trigger squeeze while maintaining proper form becomes more than just difficult. Shooting under stress accurately takes significant self-control.
Judging from the way our television pistol pro's have fared in the last two weeks of competition. It's not only pistol noobs that have trouble remembering the basics when staring down the sights on the pistol range. Hell, if world champion pistol shooters can miss every shot they take in competition for two solid weeks, there may be hope for our future success as a husband and wife pistol team yet!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Firearms as Therapy
When I was a teenager, I ran with a group of guys who really enjoyed the sound of breaking glass. Anytime there was an opportunity to dispose of a broken appliance, or a busted television, there was almost a stampede of young male feet trying to get the thing loaded into a vehicle and driven out to some chunk of public land so that all of the group could share in it's violent demise. Sometimes it was hammers, or bats, or crow bars that did the killing. There was something about loud and destructive noise, the sharp crackle of shattering glass, that seemed to bring some kind of release for all of us. Regardless of what was going on in our lives at that point in time, that release was therapeutic.
There is the pursuit. Well past the age of consent and settled into behaving like an adult, I made the decision to purchase my own firearms. I've started to build on the collection that I always dreamed of. I take a great deal of care to do my homework before each purchase. Researching manufacturers and calibers, lurking gun forums to draw on the expertise of experience. Owning one is a huge responsibility and not one that can be taken lightly. That said, I enjoy a good obsession and performing these kinds of investigations into things I'm interested in has always eased my mind.
There is the adventure of the hunt. Venturing out for months of observation, days of hiking, and receiving only mother nature's gift of freezing temperatures and snow. While it seems a huge effort and significant expense for the chance at putting meat in the freezer, there is just something about being out in the wilderness that is relaxing. Learning to track or becoming familiar with animal behavior is an awesome experience all on its own.
There is the gun itself. I like taking things apart only to try and put them back together again. There is an excitement in seeing exactly how something works or at least admiring what makes it tick. Firearms are complex in their simplicity. The springs and mechanisms that operate their actions are fascinating in their detail. The purity of their tolerances set to thousandths of millimeters make even the act of disassembling them, cleaning, oiling, and reassembling them feel like an act of meditation.
The real therapy comes from shooting. Loading a clean, tight chamber with a perfectly shaped round. Closing the action around it and trapping it inside. Potential energy bottled up with nowhere to go, but out. It's not unlike the frustration that wells itself inside my stomach on days when annoyances run high. As I assess the target, I clear every thought until all that remains is the perfect view of the cross hairs hovering over it. My focus shifts to maintaining a steady and rhythmic breathing pattern. When the time is finally right, I slowly squeeze the trigger igniting the explosive and fire-y release of an incredibly powerful bullet. A bullet that carries my worries and anxieties hundreds of feet away from me in split second. For a moment, I am in complete control and the stress disappears with the smoke from the barrel.
There is the pursuit. Well past the age of consent and settled into behaving like an adult, I made the decision to purchase my own firearms. I've started to build on the collection that I always dreamed of. I take a great deal of care to do my homework before each purchase. Researching manufacturers and calibers, lurking gun forums to draw on the expertise of experience. Owning one is a huge responsibility and not one that can be taken lightly. That said, I enjoy a good obsession and performing these kinds of investigations into things I'm interested in has always eased my mind.
There is the adventure of the hunt. Venturing out for months of observation, days of hiking, and receiving only mother nature's gift of freezing temperatures and snow. While it seems a huge effort and significant expense for the chance at putting meat in the freezer, there is just something about being out in the wilderness that is relaxing. Learning to track or becoming familiar with animal behavior is an awesome experience all on its own.
There is the gun itself. I like taking things apart only to try and put them back together again. There is an excitement in seeing exactly how something works or at least admiring what makes it tick. Firearms are complex in their simplicity. The springs and mechanisms that operate their actions are fascinating in their detail. The purity of their tolerances set to thousandths of millimeters make even the act of disassembling them, cleaning, oiling, and reassembling them feel like an act of meditation.
The real therapy comes from shooting. Loading a clean, tight chamber with a perfectly shaped round. Closing the action around it and trapping it inside. Potential energy bottled up with nowhere to go, but out. It's not unlike the frustration that wells itself inside my stomach on days when annoyances run high. As I assess the target, I clear every thought until all that remains is the perfect view of the cross hairs hovering over it. My focus shifts to maintaining a steady and rhythmic breathing pattern. When the time is finally right, I slowly squeeze the trigger igniting the explosive and fire-y release of an incredibly powerful bullet. A bullet that carries my worries and anxieties hundreds of feet away from me in split second. For a moment, I am in complete control and the stress disappears with the smoke from the barrel.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
How to Make Your First Firearm Purchase
Certainly, there are decisions one has to make. Let's start with the easy questions. What do you intend to use the weapon for? If your answer is plinking or target shooting, this can drastically narrow the field. Consider the length of your normal range. Will you be shooting at other ranges that offer a longer distance to shoot at? Will you use the weapon for hunting? Is it primarily going to serve for self-defense or home defense? Are you intending to defend your home against ground squirrels or the inevitable zombie apocalypse?
Each caliber has features that make it desirable for a specific purpose. A .22 or .22 long rifle (lr) has very low recoil, is readily available, and quite inexpensive. The firearms that shoot .22 caliber are also very inexpensive. In addition, there are modification barrels and actions available for many other firearms that allow a shooter to convert their firearm into something that can shoot and cycle .22 lr for practice purposes. Large calibers or what I will call specialty calibers like the .338 lapua magnum, or the .50 BMG, might be attractive for intimidation factor alone, but can cost nearly $7/shot. The firearms that shoot these calibers often start at over $5,000. Cost alone might deter someone from even considering these firearms for any legitimate use.
Then there is the consideration of recoil. Larger calibers have more stopping power in most instances, but along with stopping power comes a heavy recoil. For a small person, recoil can be a very strong deterrent from the desire to purchase, "too much gun."
Largely, a firearm decision comes down to your personal decision about what you will use the firearm for. For a first purchase, a shotgun is an excellent choice that allows for hunting, home-defense, and target practice without breaking the budget. Different barrels make it possible to hunt waterfowl as well as large game and the sound of cycling the action on a pump shotgun is understood in every language as a sign that the person behind the weapon means business.
Don't be afraid to lurk firearms forums and see what experienced shooters like and don't like about specific manufacturers. Like anything else you will get what you pay for and there's probably a reason that discount .45 auto loader is only $100 while the one beside it costs ten times that. In the end, it's up to you what you will go home with. Make sure you get what you want by asking yourself the right questions before hand.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Develop a Relationship with Your Firearm
The Marines required us to name our rifles. They suggested that we give them female names. When we were in the field with these weapons, we slept with them. Arms and legs wrapped around both the rifle and the sling in a manner that would make it difficult for one to take the rifle without waking you as you rested. Back then, I took this as the only, and primary, reason for the task. Last week it became evident that there is probably a little bit more to it.
A firearm is a tool. A tool for sending a projectile down range at a high rate of speed in a very precise and accurate manner given the skill level of the shooter. It is because the precision is dependent upon both firearm and shooter, that there has to be a close personal relationship between them. Just like a baseball player has a preference for a particular kind of bat, wood or metal, wrapped or unwrapped, a specific weight, every shooter - especially the really good ones - has a very particular preference for their firearms. They have specific calibers and very specific loads for these calibers. They prefer certain stock shapes, weights, and materials over others because of the way they feel to the shooter.
Competition shooters also spend an incredible amount of time with their weapons of choice. They know all of the nooks and crannies of every part of the gun. They can take it apart and put it back together, blindfolded if necessary, and they know when things are right just by touch without even having to look at the weapon. When they shoulder their firearms and ready for the shot, they have done this so many times that they have a very well developed natural point of aim (NPOA). So natural are their shooting positions that their muscles return to the position by muscle memory alone without necessity for thought.
After thinking about all of this for a couple days and really processing it, my best piece of advice for anyone who wants to become a better shooter, is to spend a lot of time with your firearm. Get comfortable with it in every shooting position. This doesn't require firing your weapon. Spend time with it doing nothing more than shouldering it, acquiring a site picture, practicing your breathing, trigger squeeze, and follow through. Visualize every shot, using snap caps if necessary, and follow through as if you've just fired a shot in competition, or taken a world record trophy. Know every line, curve, and protuberance of your guns. This will help you to develop a very personal relationship with your firearm. You will know every one of it's qualities as well as your ability and you'll be more effective as a team the next time you have the opportunity to take a shot.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
"Best Shooter In the World" Eliminated First
The second season of the History Channel's "Top Shot" aired this evening. As you might expect, I have been waiting for another season of this show since the last season ended. It's not that I'm a huge fan of reality television, mind you. I truly enjoy shooting and watching what television executives can concoct for a course of fire to challenge some of the better shooters in the country is exciting to me. I'm guessing that I'm not the only guy who fantasizes about getting all of the people he has ever shot with together and trying our own luck at shooting a shot glass off a fence post, or picking off pool balls at varying distances. That's where Top Shot found an untapped pool of viewers dying to see something impressive.
The downside of this show, or any reality show, is the focus on idiotic drama. We all get enough of that in our real lives, we don't really need to see that a house full of random adults can't find a way to get along for 8 to 12 weeks. I have to give it to the History Channel, though. It turns out they seem to have a really great plan for recording the ridiculous things that come of the mouths of people fueled by ego when they know they are about to be broadcast on national television.
Let's say, the first episode didn't disappoint. While talking with some of the competitors about why they thought they made it, one of them actually says, "I believe I'm the best shooter in the world." Well, as you can guess, this kind of attitude has a tendency to leave a pretty bad taste in the mouths of people who like to believe they can shoot. I spent the next hour hoping, if not praying, that this guy would be the first one up for elimination.
The first round is shooting pool balls off of fence posts at staggering distances. To make things tougher, they are to shoot only the solids with the 8 ball being farthest away. The stripes are staggered in front of the solids so that the shooters have to shoot around them to hit their targets. Pool, played with a .45 Colt 1911. Teams are picked, and the red team shoots first. They have their misses, but finish the course in a respectable thirteen and some odd minutes. The blue team seems eager and confident. They lose at nearly double the amount of time. As the show goes, they are up for elimination.
At this point, I'm on the edge of my seat because "the best shooter in the world" failed to hit ANY targets. Along with three others, he is now singled out by his team. The team decides that those who made their shots are immune. The team is called to the voting challenge, and guess what? Our friend, the best shooter in the world, is selected to compete. The competition is on timed moving targets that fall off of their string when the shooter has waited too long to hit the target. Needless to say, at this point I am on the edge of my seat. I can hardly wait to see our humble competitor get eliminated. They step up to the line, one by one. Firing a Smith & Wesson .44 magnum revolver. The first, a pistol marksman, shoots 5 out of 8 targets. The second, our friend with the ego, shoots 3. Just like that, he has fired his last shot for the second season and is sent home packing.
I don't know that I can replicate the course of fire on Top Shot. I do know that I would love to have the opportunity to attempt to keep up with some of the best shooters in the country. Maybe, just maybe, with enough practice, I could make it past the first round ahead of "the best shooter in the world."
The downside of this show, or any reality show, is the focus on idiotic drama. We all get enough of that in our real lives, we don't really need to see that a house full of random adults can't find a way to get along for 8 to 12 weeks. I have to give it to the History Channel, though. It turns out they seem to have a really great plan for recording the ridiculous things that come of the mouths of people fueled by ego when they know they are about to be broadcast on national television.
Let's say, the first episode didn't disappoint. While talking with some of the competitors about why they thought they made it, one of them actually says, "I believe I'm the best shooter in the world." Well, as you can guess, this kind of attitude has a tendency to leave a pretty bad taste in the mouths of people who like to believe they can shoot. I spent the next hour hoping, if not praying, that this guy would be the first one up for elimination.
The first round is shooting pool balls off of fence posts at staggering distances. To make things tougher, they are to shoot only the solids with the 8 ball being farthest away. The stripes are staggered in front of the solids so that the shooters have to shoot around them to hit their targets. Pool, played with a .45 Colt 1911. Teams are picked, and the red team shoots first. They have their misses, but finish the course in a respectable thirteen and some odd minutes. The blue team seems eager and confident. They lose at nearly double the amount of time. As the show goes, they are up for elimination.
At this point, I'm on the edge of my seat because "the best shooter in the world" failed to hit ANY targets. Along with three others, he is now singled out by his team. The team decides that those who made their shots are immune. The team is called to the voting challenge, and guess what? Our friend, the best shooter in the world, is selected to compete. The competition is on timed moving targets that fall off of their string when the shooter has waited too long to hit the target. Needless to say, at this point I am on the edge of my seat. I can hardly wait to see our humble competitor get eliminated. They step up to the line, one by one. Firing a Smith & Wesson .44 magnum revolver. The first, a pistol marksman, shoots 5 out of 8 targets. The second, our friend with the ego, shoots 3. Just like that, he has fired his last shot for the second season and is sent home packing.
I don't know that I can replicate the course of fire on Top Shot. I do know that I would love to have the opportunity to attempt to keep up with some of the best shooters in the country. Maybe, just maybe, with enough practice, I could make it past the first round ahead of "the best shooter in the world."
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Shooting the NRA's Pistol Course for Handgun Qualification
A couple weeks ago I wrote about the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program. I don't know whether or not my excitement was evident in that post, but I can assure you I did everything in my power to conceal it. Let me start this post by saying that this program is not only an awesome opportunity to achieve NRA qualifications, it's also incredibly fun.
Although today was a bit overcast, my wife and I ventured out to the range with the gentleman I shot with on Friday. It was sprinkling a little bit and cold. The coffee was just barely enough to keep me motivated to even make it. When we pulled in, we discussed our options. I explained that I had printed out the course of fire for working towards the pistol certifications. We read through it together, assessed our ammunition and proceeded to hang targets.
The first requirement is met by completing "the practical exercise conducted during the NRA Basic Pistol Course." Having met the basic requirements, we moved on to shooting towards the Pro-Marksman rating. The Pro-Marksman rating is achieved by shooting 10 standard 9-inch paper plates with 5 shots on each plate. The shot grouping must fall inside 1/2" from the edge of the plate. Shots are fired two-handed. In addition, the course of fire is supported meaning that the shooter may be shooting from a bench rest. The targets are shot from a distance of 15 feet. I can proudly report that all three of us have met the requirements for certification as Handgun Pro-Marksman.
Having met the requirements for Pro-Marksman, we moved on to the third course of fire, shooting for Marksman certification. Marksman is the same course of fire only instead of shooting from a bench rest, the shooting is done from a standing position. The other change is that twice as many shots are placed. 10 plates with 10-shots are to be acquired with the groups falling inside a 1 1/2" ring inside the outer edge. It's important to note that not all 10 plates must be shot successively or on the same day. Another course of fire complete and two more qualifications. Marksman down, we can proceed to Marksman 1st Class.
After shooting for qualification, we moved on to ventilating zombie targets at 50-yards and using half-size man-size targets. We pulled out the .308 rifle, AR-15, and a Russian made Mosin Nagant in 7.62x54. I have to say, I think we discovered my wife's strength in shooting when it came to the scoped rifle. We'll definitely have to get her her own! Only one shot fell outside the 9-point ring with the majority well inside the bull. All in all, the rifle and it's shooters were all on fire today. Half inch groups were common and the zombie definitely did not survive.
Admittedly, we lost track of time and our new shooting partner was almost late to work. My wife and I finished the day by doing a very thorough clean of our firearms. It's important to make sure they are cleaned, dried, and lightly lubricated anytime they come in contact with water. I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday. You can learn more about the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program at Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program.
The first requirement is met by completing "the practical exercise conducted during the NRA Basic Pistol Course." Having met the basic requirements, we moved on to shooting towards the Pro-Marksman rating. The Pro-Marksman rating is achieved by shooting 10 standard 9-inch paper plates with 5 shots on each plate. The shot grouping must fall inside 1/2" from the edge of the plate. Shots are fired two-handed. In addition, the course of fire is supported meaning that the shooter may be shooting from a bench rest. The targets are shot from a distance of 15 feet. I can proudly report that all three of us have met the requirements for certification as Handgun Pro-Marksman.
Having met the requirements for Pro-Marksman, we moved on to the third course of fire, shooting for Marksman certification. Marksman is the same course of fire only instead of shooting from a bench rest, the shooting is done from a standing position. The other change is that twice as many shots are placed. 10 plates with 10-shots are to be acquired with the groups falling inside a 1 1/2" ring inside the outer edge. It's important to note that not all 10 plates must be shot successively or on the same day. Another course of fire complete and two more qualifications. Marksman down, we can proceed to Marksman 1st Class.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Friday's range day
The blog has successfully yielded the author his first new shooting buddy. A gentleman I met a few years back in a introductory chemistry class responded to my last post and suggested he might like to join me. On Friday, we loaded up and headed out to the local municipal range for target practice. He had recently acquired a new AR-15 clone and wanted to see how it would shoot out of the box.
I took my standard load out, a Remington 700 in .308, a Remington 870 12 gauge, and a Glock 23 in .40 S&W. When my new shooting partner arrived, I learned quickly why it's fun to shoot with a member of law enforcement. We had one heck of a wide assortment of weapons to shoot with.
Our day started with .40 caliber handguns at 25 yards and setting a battle sight zero on the new AR-15. We stepped the target back to 7 yards for some more pistol work. I was happy to stay competitive. My groups didn't look too horribly bad compared to a member of the Sheriff's posse, and it was nice to have a competent person to shoot with for an afternoon. We traded jokes, fired through box after box of ammunition, and thoroughly ventilated 6 50-yard man-sized targets at varying distances from 7 yards to 85 yards. Unfortunately, the 100 yard range was in use when arrived.
After three hours the sun was well into it's descent and it was starting to get a bit cold. We decided it was time to pack it in. We fired over 300 rounds of ammunition and had an incredible time. Turns out that blogging about shooting has an added perk, finding new shooting partners.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Take someone shooting
My goals for this site are to improve marksmanship skills and give people fun ideas for getting the most out of their shooting experience. As a shooter, I am constantly looking for people to go shooting with who might have better shooting skills than my own. By watching people who have incredible talent with a rifle or a handgun, I can improve as a shooter. What I failed to realize was that other people stand to gain from my shooting experience.
In the last couple months I have had the pleasure of being the "noob" in a group of extremely talented long range shooters. I got to be the guy getting the most of the experience as I watched, listened and learned tips from a professional marksman as well as a few hobby shooters who simply enjoy putting shots on target at ranges that would make most dizzy to even think about, 785 yards to be exact, or nearly a half mile. I've also had the pleasure of taking an inexperienced shooter to the range.
I know there are those that might read this and cringe, but there is a lot of joy in taking someone who is new to the sport to the range. Once we got past the safety discussion and placed the targets, I got to watch someone embrace a firearm with all the excitement of a kid opening a new toy on Christmas morning. I got to be the one who helped him get the hang of shouldering the rifle and learning how to compensate recoil by leaning into the weapon. I helped him work through trigger squeeze and taught him the basics of sight alignment. Before the day was over, I had the pleasure of watching him shoot the centers out of clay pigeons at 100 yards.
This friend of mine may never come to be a firearm enthusiast. He may never fantasize about spending all of his money on new guns or accessories the way I do. I do know that this person had a great time going to the range and won't likely turn down and invitation to go back. It made me realize, as an enthusiast, that the best way we can protect our rights as gun owners and our sport is to take someone shooting. It doesn't matter whether they are skilled with a firearm or if it is their first time actually pulling a trigger and sending a projectile screaming from the barrel. Taking someone shooting is a great bonding experience and one that neither will be likely to forget.
In the last couple months I have had the pleasure of being the "noob" in a group of extremely talented long range shooters. I got to be the guy getting the most of the experience as I watched, listened and learned tips from a professional marksman as well as a few hobby shooters who simply enjoy putting shots on target at ranges that would make most dizzy to even think about, 785 yards to be exact, or nearly a half mile. I've also had the pleasure of taking an inexperienced shooter to the range.
I know there are those that might read this and cringe, but there is a lot of joy in taking someone who is new to the sport to the range. Once we got past the safety discussion and placed the targets, I got to watch someone embrace a firearm with all the excitement of a kid opening a new toy on Christmas morning. I got to be the one who helped him get the hang of shouldering the rifle and learning how to compensate recoil by leaning into the weapon. I helped him work through trigger squeeze and taught him the basics of sight alignment. Before the day was over, I had the pleasure of watching him shoot the centers out of clay pigeons at 100 yards.
This friend of mine may never come to be a firearm enthusiast. He may never fantasize about spending all of his money on new guns or accessories the way I do. I do know that this person had a great time going to the range and won't likely turn down and invitation to go back. It made me realize, as an enthusiast, that the best way we can protect our rights as gun owners and our sport is to take someone shooting. It doesn't matter whether they are skilled with a firearm or if it is their first time actually pulling a trigger and sending a projectile screaming from the barrel. Taking someone shooting is a great bonding experience and one that neither will be likely to forget.
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