[painted_klown]

Hey all!

Well if any of you remember my last post regarding shooting pistols, it was a negative experience for me.....Well today was a completely different story!

I was out with the same friend actually. He just put a new scope on his Ruger 10/22 rifle and was wanting to sight it in. Well he was out shooting before I left the house and I asked what he had brought with him. He happened to have his Ruger 22/45 mkII .22 lr with him. I said I would be there shortly with a box of ammo. lol.

So, I grabbed my ear plugs (learned that lesson the last time out) a box of ammo (actually ended up coming back for another box as well) and off I went.

At first I must admit that I was pretty uncomfortable with the pistol. Since it is a .22 the recoil is almost none, so that was relatively easy to get used to but for some unexplainable reason I was just not in my comfort zone. It's difficult to explain, like I was going to accidentally hurt myself or my friend.....I suppose I am just weird like that.

Anyway, I spent the entire day asking beginner questions. How to hold a pistol? Do you tighten your wrist in anticipation of recoil? And of course how to properly operate the pistol you are shooting. (safety, magazine release, bolt hold open, ect...) And I shot and shot some more.....I ended up running through about 700 rounds today!

By the end of the day I was having more fun than a kid in a toy factory. My confidence was up regarding proper handeling and safety of the pistol. The recoil was a non-issue. (not much to speak of anyway) And I think I found a new love. HA! I must admit that I am a terrible shot though...

We are planning on going out shooting again tomorrow....I feel like I am ready to give that 9mm another try!

[ScottG]

Good. Keep shooting. I think the next couple of times I go out I'll just take the .22s.

[painted_klown]

Well gang, today we took the 9mm out. Along with earplugs that only I ended up wearing. For some reason the other guys just seem to not be bothered by what I consider to be insane volume levels.

A friend and I went in halves on a 100 round box and I was able to get in some real time with a 9mm. I had a really good time with the pistol all day long. Since I was able to play with the .22 Ruger all day yesterday I felt pretty confident from the start. Nothing at all like the first time out with that gun and a Ruger .45 acp.

I was still a terrible shot with it but had fun either way.

I started out by just loading up the magazine and firing the pistol down range to "get a feel" for the recoil and things. I became acclimated with the feel of the gun rather quickly and actually grew to really like the feel of it quite a bit. Even more so than the Ruger 22/45 from the day before, and honestly I would love to get one of the Rugers (nice gun and it ate a LOT of cheap ammo without a hiccup).

Today I was shooting an Arcus, I forget the model number but I must say that it was definitely a comfortable gun to shoot. The grip was sort of contoured to fit a hand. Kind of like finger grips in the stock. And it was like hard rubber that had just the right amount of "give" to its consistency making it a natural fit for my hands. The recoil was sort of "snappy" feeling to me. Not too bad but you definitely want to have a good grip on it.

Well anyway, yeah..........today was my second time ever out with a 9mm pistol and THIS time the fun factor was through the roof!

Edit: I forgot to add that I shot a 12 gauge shotgun for the first time today. I sort of equate it to being punched in the shoulder by a guy with bony hands! Not too bad but I would prefer a pad of some sort for taking multiple shots in a row or a day of out shooting a 12 gauge for fun. It was a Mossberg 500 pump action shotgun btw.

[ScottG]

Seems like the only smart, safe one there was you! Here's a fun trick, start talking to your friends during the lulls in shooting and and keep lowering your volume, then just mouth the words. Let 'em think they're going deaf. Then remind them to wear ear protection....

I seldom go shotgunning, but I have a slip on Pachmayr that stays on it at all times. You can shoot for hours and feel no pain the next day.

[painted_klown]

HAHA! That "sounds" like a good gag to pull. (pun intended)

And thanks for the shotgun tip. Although I currently do not own a shotgun I was thinking I would like to own a 12 gauge some day....

[Mark F]

Originally Posted by painted_klown

Hey all!

Well if any of you remember my last post regarding shooting pistols, it was a negative experience for me.....Well today was a completely different story!

I was out with the same friend actually. He just put a new scope on his Ruger 10/22 rifle and was wanting to sight it in. Well he was out shooting before I left the house and I asked what he had brought with him. He happened to have his Ruger 22/45 mkII .22 lr with him. I said I would be there shortly with a box of ammo. lol.

So, I grabbed my ear plugs (learned that lesson the last time out) a box of ammo (actually ended up coming back for another box as well) and off I went.

At first I must admit that I was pretty uncomfortable with the pistol. Since it is a .22 the recoil is almost none, so that was relatively easy to get used to but for some unexplainable reason I was just not in my comfort zone. It's difficult to explain, like I was going to accidentally hurt myself or my friend.....I suppose I am just weird like that.

Anyway, I spent the entire day asking beginner questions. How to hold a pistol? Do you tighten your wrist in anticipation of recoil? And of course how to properly operate the pistol you are shooting. (safety, magazine release, bolt hold open, ect...) And I shot and shot some more.....I ended up running through about 700 rounds today!

By the end of the day I was having more fun than a kid in a toy factory. My confidence was up regarding proper handeling and safety of the pistol. The recoil was a non-issue. (not much to speak of anyway) And I think I found a new love. HA! I must admit that I am a terrible shot though...

We are planning on going out shooting again tomorrow....I feel like I am ready to give that 9mm another try!

This is where it ALL STARTS! You're ADDICTED!

[painted_klown]

Originally Posted by Mark F

This is where it ALL STARTS! You're ADDICTED!

HAHAHA! That's for sure. After two days in a row out with pistols I am REALLY wanting to get one now. At first I wanted to get a pistol just because it was something completely different than what I have. (a rifle)

Now after really getting an opportunity to shoot a couple of different ones I want to try to become a good shot with a pistol. I was a terrible shot with both the 9mm and .22lr but it didn't wasn't really discouraging to be honest. I saw it as a new challenge to overcome. A fun competition with my own skills I guess.

With my rifle, I purchased a scope and once I get it zeroed (I like to use shoot & see targets) I can hit what I am aiming for on nearly every shot using cheap ammo and a stock Marlin mod 60. I actually considered myself a good shot.......that is until I tried to shoot pistols with accuracy.

Now for the challenge and new shooting fun. Although I am considering a red dot for it, my eyes must be horrible because I literally cannot see the target very well from 25 yds away. It's like I am just sort of shooting in the general direction. Oh well......

What is the distance from the target you should get proficient at with a pistol? I don't really know. We were just standing in random (close) places shooting. At 25 yds, I couldn't hit ANYTHING!

[Dillinger]

painted - Good for you! I am glad to hear that you are having more of a positive exprience in handgun shooting this time around.

As for specific pistol "training" questions, we have several NRA Instructors that are members here, G21.45; Robo10mm & Mr. Clean I know of for sure, so perhaps one of them will stop by and be willing to weigh in on your questions. If not, send one of them a PM, I have known them all to be very open and willing to help.

From what I have read, and mind you I have yet to get into a face to face pistol fight - thankfully.

But, from FBI Stats over I don't know how many police/criminal shoot outs, the average distance of engagement was 7 yards. 21 feet, give or take.

25 yard pistol shooting is great - but at that range, how many places in your house, in your garage, or in your office work environment do you have 25 yards between you and what you might be shooting at?

I don't have a big house, it's average for this area, and I don't have 25 yards, in a straight line, except from my house to my back fence, and if I have to shoot at someone at that distance, I can close the door and make my way upstairs to get one of my ranged weapons instead.

Personally, when I was teaching my fiancee to shoot, we started with my .22 cal 1911 at 10 feet. She had never shot a pistol before and I didn't want her to get discouraged. We probably spent 500 or 600 rounds shooting over a span of about 4 trips to the range shooting at targets at 10 and 12 feet.

I am sure there were other people in the range that thought it was ridiculious, but she got to where all 9 rounds from the mag were in the 10 ring on the target, and not just once, but plenty of times.

After she got comfortable with that distance, we moved the target back to 15 feet and then to 21. She shot slowly, with the .22, over and over again, but concentrating on using the same sight picture each time and doing it safely.

Eventually we moved up to a 9mm in a rental gun from the range. Then we got her a 9mm Sig, which only lasted about 6 months before she was dropping subtle hints about liking the 1911 more than the Sig. Now she has her own 1911, in 9mm, that has been customized for her likes ( pink grips were not my first choice.. LOL ) but she is now a very formidable pistol shot.

Start with a small caliber, and at a comfortable range so you don't get discouraged, and slowly work your way out. It takes a bit of time, but the results will speak for themselves.

Best of luck and keep on shooting!

JD

[BigO01]

Just wondering JD but were you able to adjust the sights so the POA and POI were the same for your lady at such close distances when you started her out with the 22 ?

I've never heard of a gun sighted in for 10-15 feet before ?

For an absolute newbie especially women and kids I have always started them out on a rest as I'm more concerned with just getting them use to firing a gun and removing any fear they may have of them then we move on to sight picture and trigger control also slow fire and on a rest .

[Dillinger]

Nope. We didn't concentrate on POA & POI. She had never shot before, so everything was new and she was worried about everything all at once. She doesn't process one thing at a time, she processes everything at a million times a times, including her doubts and fears.

What we worked on was using the same sight picture each and every time, so that the groups were good and tight. We didn't worry about where on the target she was hitting when she started, we worried about hitting the same part of the target, each and every time, but doing it with the same mechanics.

After we had all the important stuff, like safety and trigger control and everything else she was "worried" about down, then we moved the target back and worked on the proper sight picture at distance. Everything else was a good, solid base, and now it was only "worrying" about the sights and the target.

JD