Weekend Range AAR

Caution:

If you are a hoplophobe and/or a firearm bigot and the sight of people shooting causes you to run for your medication, this post is not the one you want to open.

Likewise, if the sight of women either learning to shoot, possessing firearms and/or taking charge of their own self-defense has caused you to faint or get the vapors in the past, you definitely do not want to click the ‘More’ button.

For all others, welcome.

On Saturday, I met my co-worker, Christina and her friend Jessica for lunch. As we ate and conversated, I went through the rules of firearms safety and the specific rules for the range. When we finished eating, we made our way to the range and got signed in and our shooting lanes assigned.

I had brought a few of my own pistols for them to try and started them out with the Ruger MKII. To say that the Ruger was a hit would be an understatement. Not too long after loading the first mag we had to go rent one of the range’s MKIIs so that there wasn’t any waiting.

Jessica is on the right, Christina on the left. (all pics are click for bigger)

Much to my joy, it didn’t take too long for them to start grouping their shots,

Jessica

Christina

We gradually moved into centerfire pistols, starting with my CZ83 and then moving into some of the pistols the range had for rent. While Jessica liked the CZ, Christina like the Ruger P-95. We ran out of time before making it to the revolvers in the rental case, but you have to save something for the next time out, right?

On Sunday I met up with the lady who does the tattoos for both myself and the Analog Wife. Her professional name is Majenta and she is quite the character to say the least. This is her website, if you’d like to take a look around.

I brought along a couple of my shotguns and we went on down to the local trap range to use their shot pattern board. After a box of ammo (or maybe more) Majenta said that she really didn’t mind the recoil from the 12ga and I agreed that she was handling my Rem 870 with the close range barrel pretty well. We then proceeded on down to the local firearms retailer (and one of my personal favorite shops in the area) to see what they had in stock.

The stars aligned and they had just gotten a used Mossberg 500 in stock. I checked it out for safety and function and she checked it out for fit. She gave me the nod and I gave her mine and the paperwork was filled out and the stupid phone call was made and the cash traded hands.

We took the Mossy back to her place and I gave her the basic disassembly and maintenance show. The gun was then loaded and put in its preferred spot for its new role as a home defense firearm.

Later in the day, Majenta was to be heading out to practice for her motorcycle endorsement on her drivers license so, before the loading and racking she wanted a shot of her, her first motor-scooter and her first shotgun.

How cool is that?

So there you go folks; one new, first-time gun owner and two future ones.

Every gunny should take someone who isn’t a gunny to the range at least once per quarter/season. Hopefully that equals out to four new shooters per year, or at least two new gun owners per year, figuring that the percentage who will actually buy a gun for defense is around 50%.

Not to be sexist, but since women are disproportionately not shooters, try and make half of those you take to the range women.

Heck, after this weekend, I’ve met my quota for up to the first half of 2006. Good thing I don’t actually have a quota, because if I can do this again, I’m going to jump at the chance.

Chicks with guns. Very Kewl!