Sunday, July 4, 2010

At The Range

Brigid has a spectacularly jocular post detailing the .38 things she learned from shooting.

I can relate to #14: "The most skilled shooter at the range is usually not the talkative person with the fancy gear, $200 range bag and tactical clothing. It's that quiet guy or gal in the T-shirt with the ammo cans. Watch them and learn."

Now, I am not the most skilled shooter at the range, but I can hold my own. I usually like to go to the range alone. It is my quiet time, if you can call it that, what with all the bullets going off around me. But seriously, when I'm at the range, I'm zoned out. Nothing stands between me and the bullseye. Nothing except the voice of the range officer. Somehow, my ears are trained to listen for her voice, even with earplugs and over-the-ear muffs. I generally keep to myself and concentrate on my shooting form, unless someone approaches me for help. Otherwise, I find a secluded shooting bench and set up my gear. Then I go to work.

My serious shooters are my Browning A-Bolt .243 Win. and 7mm Rem. Mag. rifles. These are my hunting rifles and are sub-M.O.A. guns. At 100 yards, they make one ragged hole. Breath control is extremely important and I learned that from shooting my air rifles at home. The rifle is only as accurate as the steadiness of the person behind the trigger. Having good equipment to start with doesn't hurt either. Either gun was under $800 and I think I got the better end of the deal.

But, getting back to #14; the guy at the gun range in a t-shirt with the ammo cans and doesn't talk to anyone is usually me. Except that one time when I met up with Newbius and OldNFO in Virginia and we went to the NRA range together, I usually go to the range alone.

1 comment:

  1. Too often, I treat a range trip like a party anymore. I do enjoy treating it like my 'quiet time', but it seems like I often get together with other folks to have a good time making noise. Now, when I get the opportunity to shoot out at the farm, it's the full range of stuff. We'll set up scenario shoots, blast some clays, explode melons with magnum calibers, and bounce a 20-oz bottle with iron-sights at +100 yards. Sometimes, I like to sit in a chair and hit some 50-100 yard targets with .22 shorts. You don't even need ear protection for that last one.

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