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February 11, 2006
I love Saturdays like this
Today, we had a very Red-State kinda day.
First, we stopped at Horse Country, our local feedstore/tack shop to get some Purina Equine Senior Horse Chow and some nice pine bedding for the horses. Then we drove over to the Ft. Leavenworth stable to muck out our horses' stalls. It was snowing, and when I took Petey and Willie out to the paddock so we could clean up after them, they snorted and rolled in the snow and mud. Lovely - they are a mess now!
Then we decided to go to Waffle House for a very late breakfast, well, maybe more of a lunch (I made some coffee this morning, early, but didn't feel like cooking breakfast).
After that, we drove up to St. Joseph, Missouri and joined an indoor shooting range. A year long membership is all of $20 a person, plus $9 a day of shooting. And of course, we stayed to do some shooting.
I have only shot a handgun once before, and I really want to learn, so John taught me how to load and shoot an Ingles Hipower 9mm.
When we first got there, it was really cold, so I kept my coat on until the room warmed up.
At first I was pretty nervous, I have some problems with getting used to the recoil, and my aim can definitely use improvement. It's so much easier to aim with a rifle!
But in the end, I did manage to hit the target every time, just not in the center :)
But I think that I'd still damage an intruder pretty seriously!
Update - Mr. Completely linked to me here.
I have turned off trackbacks, but if anyone links to me, let me know, and I'll put the link in the post!
You can read John's side of the story here.
Posted by Beth at February 11, 2006 6:22 PM
Comments
I promise *I'll* be announcing my arrival when I come home late (I'm also worth more alive than dead, so that'll stay her hand even if she's annoyed with me)!
Posted by: John of Argghhh! at February 11, 2006 7:05 PM
Nice! Now that I see that, next time your in Philly I won't worry about being out after dark! ;)
Posted by: ALa at February 11, 2006 9:17 PM
Good Job Beth, any intruder better think twice before messing with you.
Posted by: keewee at February 11, 2006 10:11 PM
Excellent grouping there S4UBO. A little tugging on the finger to the right and below is to be Xpected.
Posted by: Boquisucio at February 12, 2006 11:06 AM
Welcome to the wonderful World of Gunniness! Many more Range Days to you.
It looks like you're cross-eye dominant (right-handed, left eyed), just like me. I get much better groups when the pistol is straight in-line with my right arm...I just have to cock my head to the right a bit (chin on right bicep) to line up my left eye. Seeing your target pic: your flyers to the right might be due to getting too much finger onto the trigger. Shifting to the in-line grip might fix that. And careful with your left thumb! I keep mine to the left of the gun to keep from getting slide-bitten (but you haven't mentioned a problem, so I guess it's okay if it works for you). Hope you don't mind my advice; I'm sure John's a capable teacher, but sometimes Significant Other's moderate their coaching so they don't appear to nag. I'm under no such onus. :)
Posted by: Cowboy Blob at February 12, 2006 12:20 PM
Great shooting! Makes me want to get back to the range...!!
Posted by: pam at February 12, 2006 1:02 PM
Cowboy Blob - actually, my thumb did get dinged twice.
I am trying to figure out how to aim - John can do it with both eyes opened. I tried that, but I honestly could not see the target and the aiming thingie at the same time - I'd see two targets.
I tried with my left eye and my right eye - when I use my right eye, everything goes way over to the left, or so it seemed. I was also really tense, and I'm sure that is why I was not terribly accurate.
But it is fun, and I plan on practicing until I get a lot better. I'm not sure the gun is the right one for me - we have others I can try, too.
Posted by: Beth at February 12, 2006 5:28 PM
Please, please, please get that weak hand thumb along the left side of the frame.
With it across the back like that, the slide will cut grooves into it as soon as you move it higher into a more correct grip.
Posted by: sendarius at February 12, 2006 10:06 PM
See? I told ya so! Obviously, John was daydreaming when he could have saved some skin off your thumb! BAD JOHN! Now, he's probably told you that a .45 is too much for a lady....
Use your left eye, Luke....
Posted by: Cowboy Blob at February 12, 2006 10:28 PM