Shooting

[Collierx6]

We're at the SKP park in Bushnell and I just picked up a Kimber Pro CDP II yesterday that I'm dying to try out.

 

A fine piece of equipment! (If I do say so myself!) I wanted the 1911 Kimber that the LAPD SWAT team approved, but knew we would be out 1200 bucks. We happened to be in a gun store in North Grand Forks (on the MN side) and they had the EXACT one I wanted (even had been modified at the factory!) Got the whole thing, including case and 22 conversion for under $700.00. (someone say HAPPY DANCE!!!)

 

Hubby went for a PARA but his little bugger BITES your thumb and stings your wrist. He can keep it!

[Collierx6]

My DW surprised me by asking to attend small arms training and purchasing a revolver. She has never fired a weapon in her life -- got her a Ruger LCR. 38 Special (+P). We are going to start going to local ranges during our travels. We see this as an opportunity to jointly participate in a sport and hone our weapons skills.

 

Last but most certainly not least. YEY FOR YOU MARILYN!!!!! I didn't think I would enjoy shooting as much as I have. Though his black powder or military rifles I kinda stay clear of!

My dad was a sharpshooter in the Army, and "It has been said" that I inherited his eye! that is, once I understood that I was LEFT EYE DOMINANT and right handed. As soon as I figured out that I had to look over my arm and look with my left eye, I can nail it!!!

 

Happy shooting! And I wish you much enjoyment!!!!!

[Jack Mayer]

Most women shoot better than men. At least in my experince. Derek, since you have a lot of training experience (way more than I do), what have you found?

 

I wish I could shoot as well as some of the women I have taught. I'm just an average shot now - age does not help. I do great with a reflex sight, but have more trouble than I used to with any "standard" sight. Focal issues, and all.....

[Nick Russell]

Miss Terry can outshoot me with a handgun any day of the week. She's only fired a rifle a few times and is not as good there. I have known many women who are excellent shots.

[mscans]

Miss Terry can outshoot me with a handgun any day of the week. She's only fired a rifle a few times and is not as good there. I have known many women who are excellent shots.

 

First time I brought my daughter to the range at age 9 - 10 (her not me ) she amazed me. Shot the .44 mag. with the best of 'em. I saw several of the "men" at the range pack up and go home after she riddled the center of the center of the target. This was her first time shooting and the mag didn't bother her at all, all 5'1" and 95 lbs. ( present specs, much smaller and lighter then), soaking wet.

 

I shot a Kimber once years ago and the gun is MUCH more accurate than I am. My carry is an inexpensive Taurus (.45) and is good at self defense range, that is what the tool is for, so it works.

[RV_]

Jack,

I actually have an opinion on that based on decades training people in both military and civilian settings and many women. I agree that equally trained women will generally out shoot men for the same reasons they do well in many jobs and situations that would drive us crazy! The repetitive and patience demanding jobs. Heck despite Rosy Grier and the like men generally don't do the cross stitch and knitting that seems to relax my wife but drives me nuts. And not all women are that way either or men. My SH out shot me with the 1911 Colt Gov't model. I taught many women in my defense handgun 1 week long classes that came in frightened of them and left able to shoot double taps in under 3 seconds, recover and repeat, for six shots into a six inch circle at 20 feet. These were folks that came in and never shot before.

The key here is equally trained.

 

I also enjoy reading about the gals here who fire decent calibers. During my break in service for college I taught at a local indoor range that also sold guns. That was here in LA. I would see big, really big guys buy a .45 or .40 or .357 for themselves, and then a 25 auto for their wife. what I called the little lady little gun syndrome. I would comment that when, not if, the "pix off" gun did not stop the attack (my definition of self defense shooting) who would be better able to duke it out with the assailant? I suggested he carry the .25 or .380, and let her take my class and carry the .40.

 

BTW I used to suggest the Charter Arms Bulldog Pug in .41 special for ladies. It did kick a bit but was very concealable and a quality gin back then for half of other quality handguns, and fairly concealable. My SH back then was 5'2" and 105 lbs. She could and did handle anything I had or her Dept. issued. I asked the City Marshall if she could carry anything other than the Ruger security six .357 he issued to her. For defense I just don't like the .357 or the .44 maggie. I liked the .41 special because it had about th same ballistics and knock down as a 45.

 

In the military it was a dead heat with all weapons. But some of the women were really excited to shoot the big guns even more than the guys in some cases. I can teach a very small person to handle a .44 mag one handed single action and not have issues with accuracy out to 25 yards. (Edit months later: I had 256 yards there instead of 25!)

 

One last comment on women shooter versus men. They usually didn't come to me with bad habits ingrained for years like men do. The ones that overcompensated for jerking the trigger, flinches etc were the guys who shot "Since I wuz knee high to a tadpole!"

 

I had them tell me that the Vietcong could fire out 5.56 in the 7.62 AKs (right! ) and that bullets actually rise defying gravity and a host of other what I call the gun "mythconceptions." What made me credible is that I could take them to the range and prove whatever. But guys tend to have giant egos about their shooting and unless they ask I have found it wise to keep my mouth shut and just shake my head. And anything their Dad taught them is gospel. I had one guy tell me that no rifle fired at 3200 feet per second when were discussing the M-16 and he swore that his range sergeant told him different in the Army and I was full of it. I bet him 20 bucks and put him online. Guys are as funny about their weapon expertise, or lack thereof, than anything I have yet seen. I know they are the minority but as the guy doing the training I run into more than my share. Never had a woman play any of those games. They just hit the target.

 

They probably were the ones that Mike saw leave when his kiddo was shooting.

[Jack Mayer]

They probably were the ones that Mike saw leave when his kiddo was shooting.

 

 

I always figure that I have something to learn...I'd just watch what that little lady was doing to try to figure out why she shot better than me. But something about age does cause the shooting to suffer - at least for me I'm nowhere near as steady as I once was. I put thousands of rounds through a Ruger Mark III this summer and improved immensely, but I still can't shoot like I could. Maybe I just need a good instructor

[mscans]

I always figure that I have something to learn...I'd just watch what that little lady was doing to try to figure out why she shot better than me. But something about age does cause the shooting to suffer - at least for me I'm nowhere near as steady as I once was. I put thousands of rounds through a Ruger Mark III this summer and improved immensely, but I still can't shoot like I could. Maybe I just need a good instructor

 

Come to Florida, I'll see if I can get my daughter to give us both pointers.

[RV_]

[tjones1935]

I had not shot anything since the mid 70s and then it was the old 38 revolver (S&W?) the Air Force used. I bought a couple of guns this year and am trying to remember the things I once knew about shooting. It is coming around though now that I have figured out the Glock sights. Last gun purchased was a single action Ruger Vaquero 44 special that I used a cowboy load in and really smoked up the indoor range I use but was able to do pretty well with it.. My granddaughter thought it felt funny since she had only shot automatics before.

[techiej]

I love getting to the range (or outdoors). You can check my gun/range info on my blog (see my signature).

[rv-voyager]

I am glad to find this section of the forum. I have just one thing to say, " Cocked and Locked!"

[RV_]

Glad to see this thread rise again as I have some news. I really thought I was through buying guns when I sold almost all of my pretty exotic collection after retiring and going fulltiming. I kept only my Beretta 96 .40 S&W, my Savage 24C Camper's Special 20 ga. over .22 LR, and that was it. Since then I bought a five shot North American Arms Stainless 22 Mag Black Widow with a 22LR cylinder http://northamerican.../bw-1/bwca.html , and about five years ago I bought a Ruger 10-22 with four of the Ramline 30 rd magazines and two of the stock rotary mags.

 

But last week I broke down and bought my last gun because I could not pass it by. I was the CATM (Combat Arms Training and Maintenance) guy for the last 20 of my 27 years in the AF (Originally SAMTU Small Arms Marksmanship Training Unit.) I shot, taught, and gunsmithed on only one weapon that never changed during my entire active career and with good reason, it remains the best designed and longest in production pump shotgun in the world. The venerable Remington 870. I do some computer work for a local pawn shop and the owner is always trying to get me to come out of retirement and work there either in a back room with entrance as a computer repair station or as a clerk for him. I tell him I am better on the buying side of the counter.

 

Anyway I just set up their imaging back ups and external drive which took all of two minutes and he knew I loved 870s but had not found one at my price or condition. Well he knew a like new one was coming out of pawn and I saw it on the shelf for $175.00 when it was retail a bit over 300? It was the express magnum in 20 ga. with a full length adult stock not a juvenile one as most are bought with. I don't want any more 12 ga guns and was always thinking about a 20 ga 870. Well the buddy said that he decided to sell it to me for 125, would that be good enough? I had the money on the counter before he finished going to get it! I like parkerizing and it is a cheap stock; no fine furniture on this one, but showroom. I don't think it was ever fired. It is exactly what I wanted, a durable low maintenance 20 ga 870! They had a recall on them in the mid to late 70s on the hammers and/or firing pins (I forget, a lot of years and beers since then) and I had to replace all of them at the AF Academy where I was at the time, I have peened thousands of their shell latches, and can do the carrier dog jam clear in my sleep, or used to, awake is probably safer these days. I have lots of boxes of 20 ga around I need to shoot up and buy some fresh anyway and this gives me an excuse to take them all out back, see how bad my shooting is this time, and do some detailed takedowns and major cleaning and inspections maintenance on them all.

 

I know, it is a lot of time but somebody has to do it.

 

[brianwl]

Excellent. Those 870s are sweet.

[Jack Mayer]

Derek, that Ruger is as nice a .22 as you will find. I still have my 1966 original. And I've been building up a customized version - new trigger group (2.3 lbs), new extractor and bolt, and the next thing is a custom thumbhole stock. After that a 920 barrel. It currently is shooting a little bigger than quarter size groups at 50 yds. A better shooter could do more.... lots of fun to play with and cheap to shoot.

[RV_]

I know Jack. It bears explanation that I worked for so many years 365 a year with Small Arms that I am more than a little amused by the tactical/military current "fashion" in rifles handguns and shotguns. My generation of shooters and competitors liked "furniture" great looking and feeling stocks that increased or decreased the value of each one by the quality and grain in the stocks, and the bluing/engraving added later or from the factory. Now everything is pickatinny rails and black parkerizing like finishes with plastic or rubber everywhere. It is nice to hear you're taking one and really going full bore with a good stock and real performance and accuracy mods rather than show. I still have my tactical holster set from active duty and dang if they aren't letting them use the low slung pistol holster extensions that we fought so hard to get and were refused. I still have mine that I bought and was told to take off. Funny thing is when I noticed it for the first time last week, the young SrA at the gate said that he preferred the high riding holster and they were forced to use the low slung gear! It appears then and now the grass is greener . . . Not that I am immune as I was thinking of doing mine with the newest rage stocks and accessories, but I think the wood stock is just fine by me. I might, might, go ahead and get a short barrel for it, but likely not. Hey post some pics of it when it is done! If I ever decide to do some mods to mine I will too.

 

BTW Jack, the reason I won't buy a weapon unless it is a steal price is all my career being the "Range Guy" when a young troop had a hot date with a cold woman they would come out and try to sell me their guns. I had no need and told them so, and that they could get a better price from even a Pawn shop. But they knew I had cash and would give me a price that was ridiculous. Especially overseas where we had to re-import all the weapons we brought over from the states all over again and do all the paperwork with BATF to bring our guns from the US back! And that was long before 9/11. Se the young folks would not get the paperwork done on time or at all and then realize they could not sell them to a local national only another American, since they could not bring them back and another can't do it for them without trouble. Examples. I bought a then $1200.00 LAR Grizzly 45 Winchester Magnum, a Ruger Mini 14 with the high dollar folding camo stock and scope, and a 1917 Matching overstamp serial number luger in 9mm. $400.00. A S&W Model 29 44 magnum with a four inch barrel and the upgrade sights for 75 bucks. I kid you not. I could go on and on. I sold them all including many other pistols revolver shotguns and rifles. The only ones that never came to me were M-16s and 870's. Those always held their value.

 

Anyway I would appreciate your telling me how it comes out I may want to copy you. BTW that little Savage 24C single shot over under will take any game in North America if the shooter is good enough as the slugs will take larger game and the shot and .22 camp meat and birds. That .22 will hold a quarter sized group at 100 yards. But I like to zero .22s at 25 yards which puts them close enough to dead on for small game ranges. Like you I can't shoot anywhere like I used to. But at least I can step out the back door and set up a target frame and practice anytime I choose. It is hard to focus on the front sight without my glasses now, and soon I will need a drop down lens to shoot best.

[Jack Mayer]

Derek, I'll email you the outcome of my little modification adventure. I'm not going stainless or anything exotic. I like the black receiver and barrel. I will probably do an 18" barrel without any tricks on it. The .22 simply does not need muzzle brakes and cool looking things like that. At least MY shooting does not. This gun is a plinker.

 

Oh, and about those iron sights......they do not exist on my long arms.....I can't see the sights well enough to hit anything On this .22 buildup I'm using a Mueller 4-14 APV scope. This is one SWEET scope for this rifle....it has an adjustable objective lens and I swear I can read the fine print on the targets at 50 yards.

 

Even the .22 pistol has a reflex sight on it....can't hit a barn door with the irons.....Now the fiber optic fronts I can handle....kinda. But with the reflex on a Mark III I can hit the 3" - 4" spinners almost every time at 50 YARDS....well, not every time...but a lot.....The guns are WAY MORE accurate than I am....I'll blame it on age...but it is also innate skill - or lack of it...

[roadhousecharley]

Glad to find this string. Any tips on RV gun safes? I'd like to carry a couple of long guns and probably 4 handguns.

[grumpydoc]

Charley, I have two of the guns safes like those that go in the back of an SUV in the basement of our 5er. They are lockable and could be bolted to the frame(which I haven't done yet, lazy!) They are big enough for two skeet guns in hard cases and two hunting guns in soft sided cases. I'm not sure how much protection they would be from a really determined thief but they clearly should satisfy most laws about being locked up and inaccessible. Ammo is usually under the back seat of the big truck or in the wife's Expedition. As yet we have never been searched or asked about firearms at any stops so I can't tell you if they would pass muster with LEOs, Best wishes, Jay

[Mike and Claudia]

We were staying in the LoW-Hi RV Park in Deming and a nice sweet gray hair lady nest door asked if we would like to go with her and the "girls" the next day to go to the "Shootin' Range to "Pop a few caps".

 

That was a first!

[stevec]

Just my opinion, but I think RV, Jack and Nick are asking for trouble when you adevertise your inventory of guns in public. This is particularly problematic since you are high visibility persons. After all, the SKP forum is available to anyone.

[roadhousecharley]

Thanks grumpydoc. I was focused on inside the coach but will think about the basement too.

 

stevec: I know what you mean. We have a couple of newspapers in VA that consider it their civic duty to publish the names of people receiving CCW permits. In a similar vein I have always refused to wear LE clothing in public. I used to not talk guns with anyone until I got to know them but have slowly started wearing gun oriented clothing. In this case I'm accepting some risk in hopes of some good information. Or maybe my give a "care" meter is dropping as I age...LOL!

[grumpydoc]

Charley, if it wasn't for shooting oriented T shirts I would have to go half naked! Over the past 30+ years I've accumulated so many shirts and ball caps from shooting and hunting sports that is about all I have in the 5er here for the winter. Right now we are having a little cold spell in South Texas(47degrees) and the only warm jacket I have is one of my duck hunting coats which I have been wearing. Our summer home is in Madison Co. VA and there it might be easier to publish the list of people without a CCW permit! If you add in all the hunting guns, the percentage of homes with firearms is very high here in rural VA. I remember when they published that info and at the time thought it was a dumb move, still think so. Some of our skeet shooting friends have coaches and use the gun vaults in their basements and seem to be satisfied with that for their long guns. As I said before these are not as secure as my big safe at home but better than nothing. I don't worry much about it in the summer when we are traveling a lot from home to shoots and not in one place very long. Here in So. Tx were we sit for the winter I only have a few guns and most everyone in our resort know those of us who hunt and shoot. We very rarely leave the park overnight and most of the time if the rig is unattended during the day it is only for a short time. I do worry a little about the risk but not enough to make me leave them at home. The duck hunting is just too good down here and I'm getting older so I intend to take advantage of it as long as I can. ( I am thinking about getting an airboat with a wheel chair ramp for later in life!! Just kidding) I recently went through my gun collection and gave a bunch to my son, sold all the collectibles, and anything I was no longer actually using on a regular basis and was able to reduce it to less than half and got rid of one safe. I must say that my guns turned out to be a better investment than I ever expected! All those guns at home were a bigger worry than the ones with me when we were here for the winter. With almost all of them gone I don't worry nearly as much about what is going on back in VA. Just a few thoughts from a grumpy old duck hunter, Best wishes, Jay

[roadhousecharley]

Jay,

 

Your summer home is not far from me. I'm in the Class of 2013 and plan on this being the last winter for me in Stafford, VA. I'm retiring at the end of June 2013 and having an Independence Day party on 7/4/13. Anybody who would even joke about buying an airboat is welcome.

 

Do you always winter in TX?

[grumpydoc]

Charley, we know your area well. We shoot skeet at the Fredericksburg gun club. After we retired in '07 we started wintering here at Port Aransas TX. The Boss wanted to be at the beach, we both wanted to be warm and I wasn't willing to shovel snow anymore. I discovered very good duck hunting down here so that has replaced my VA deer hunting for a winter activity. There is a nice gun club in Corpus Christi were several of us here in the park go occasionally to "pop a few caps". Fishing is also good here but is mostly salt water rather than the fresh water fishing I am accustomed to back in VA. Airboats are popular down here with many of the hunting guides since much of the marsh area where the ducks are is very shallow and not accessible in conventional boats. We haven't transitioned to fulltime, but just being Winter Texans 6 months of the year. We wish y'all the best in your transition to retirement and fulltiming. We have spent time in FLA and AZ but have found So TX more to our liking but its a very personal decision picking a place for your "winter feeding grounds" as I like to call it, Best wishes, Jay and Kathy