Guns and shooting advice?

[Diamondback]

About the only thing worse than a wheelgun obsession is when you get your first 1911....

So true, and even worse when that 1911 is your first firearm, period...


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[KittyT]

[QUOTE="Skeet" McD] If heading this far north is not an issue, there may be a few other possibilities. Drop a PM if you'd like.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, Skeet! Heading North is definitely not an issue. I drive to Haverhill pretty often to go rollerskating. It's really not that far I've been to the range up in Manchester, NH and while I do like it, they don't have may rental guns available that are suitable for me.

I've unfortunately not gone shooting for several months, because I always have derby games on the days of my SAS practices, and a couple hours at the range is quite expensive! My fella and I do have a date planned in a few weeks to go up. He has never shot before but is familiar with some of the basics, so hopefully I'll be able to help him get a decent introduction. Of course I'll be forwarding him much of the helpful information provided here before we go! Luckily I'll also have no derby game next month, so I'll be able to attend SAS practice (with fella in tow), so I'll have some more targets to post soon. Twice in one month - what a treat!

I feel like it's been forever since I've been able to shoot! Maybe it's time to revisit the idea of taking the class and trying to get my license

 

[irb]

So true, and even worse when that 1911 is your first firearm, period...

This actually explains my revolver bigotry for many years, since nothing in semi-auto pistol felt right afterwards. Since then.... well, that's a thread for a different board. *grin*

Kudos to Kitty T for getting involved; I tend to prefer ranges that err on the side of safety even if that does make for unfortunate incidents like the one you described. I agree that could have been handled better by the range, and was glad to hear that they tried to make good on it. I'd like to think that further incidents could be ameliorated by becoming a regular at the range...

 

[Diamondback]

Kitty, if you decide to go all the way with this, to invest some serious cash in training and don't mind the drive, it's not cheap but Ayoob's LFI school is based out of NH--looks like this year he's doing classes in Enfield, NH and Wallingford, CT for your part of the country.

Good luck with your guy in this! You know what they say...
"The couple that shoots together, stays together... and has interlocking fields of fire."
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[Viola]

Speaking of wheelguns. I have fallen in love with the Ruger Vaquero and want it soooo badly, and if I was staying somewhere with reasonable gun laws it would be mine. Oh yes, it would be mine. In .357 probably.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Ruger makes a good revolver. I love my SP101 in .357 mag. Small enough to carry and 'big' enough to be effective.

 

[Viola]

Everything I've heard about Ruger's revolvers has been pretty complimentary. Well, I've heard complaints about sizes but not durability. I eyed their nifty little .17 they have because I heard complaints it was "far too small to be comfortable" - I have annoyingly micro hands. (Don't wear Ladies' gloves, wear Youth...my mom finally found kid-sized in dark brown and I was so happy...)

 

[Undertow]

Ruger makes a good revolver.

I have to agree with this, although I'm partial to Smith&Wesson. I've fired Ruger .357's and, although they do have a different feel, they are equally as pleasant.

Personally, I would pick a Ruger or a Smith over Taurus any day. I've fired Taurus and even though they are good guns in general, there have some quality issues I feel could be greatly improved (both revolver and semi-auto).

 

[KittyT]

Kitty, if you decide to go all the way with this, to invest some serious cash in training and don't mind the drive, it's not cheap but Ayoob's LFI school is based out of NH--looks like this year he's doing classes in Enfield, NH and Wallingford, CT for your part of the country.

Thanks for the tip, Diamondback. I'm definitely going to look into classes, but need to wait to have the money first. One good option I do have is through SAS - our state coordinator is a certified instructor and will offer class discounts to her SAS gals.

Good luck with your guy in this! You know what they say...
"The couple that shoots together, stays together... and has interlocking fields of fire."

haaaahaha i do imagine that the shooting will probably go much better than when he tries to come rollerskating with me!

 

[KY Gentleman]

Speaking of wheelguns. I have fallen in love with the Ruger Vaquero and want it soooo badly, and if I was staying somewhere with reasonable gun laws it would be mine. Oh yes, it would be mine. In .357 probably.

I have a Vaquero I bought back in 2000-01-ish.
I got it in .45 LC and it is by far my favorite pistol.
The Ruger Redhawk in .44 Mag is a close second, you can not go wrong with a Ruger in my opinion.

 

[KittyT]

I'm waiting to get my LTC in the mail!!!

I took the NRA class through SAS a few weeks back, got everything I needed, got fingerprinted at police headquarters, went to the Boston Police Department firing range for my test.... if that test isn't enough to deter most folks from pursuing their LTC, I don't know what is! At least the City of Boston has done away with their gun club membership requirement.

Of the 5 people there taking the test to obtain or renew their LTC, I shot the highest score. The officers gave me lots of compliments. Now I just have to get the thing in the mail.

One step closer to being able to post in the "Show Us Your Guns" thread

 

[Diamondback]

Congrats, Kitty! As noted previously, if you're interested in borrowing training materials from my personal library, they're just a PM and a trip to the post-office away.

One thing to stay away from, though: Army pistol manuals. They're OK on basic safety and administrative-handling (launching pencils out my 1911's muzzle is kinda funlol), but they're downright SUCKtacular as far as actual firearms "technique", particularly in an "applied" context. (It's more like they were written for bullseye-shooters than serious weaponcraft students.)

 

["Skeet" McD]

Grand News~!

I'm waiting to get my LTC in the mail!!!...Of the 5 people there taking the test to obtain or renew their LTC, I shot the highest score. The officers gave me lots of compliments. Now I just have to get the thing in the mail.

One step closer to being able to post in the "Show Us Your Guns" thread

First-rate, Kitty! We're all proud of you, and I'm glad to have another shooter able to pull a voting booth lever as well as a trigger here in Massachusetts. You're still more than welcome to head up North for some shooting; you'd have my good wife along for company...she's the handgunner in the family.

Keep us posted...and post yourself, and SHOW US YOUR GUNS.

"Skeet"

 

[Pilotguy299]

KittyT,

I am surprised that it is so crazy with guns in MA now. I lived near Ft Devens years ago and back then it wasnt so stringent.

You have been given a lot of good advice about different guns. I have way too many safe queens myself, and in reality only shoot a couple of them semi-regularly.

out of all of them, one of the ones I find the most fun to shoot is a Ruger Mark III .22lr with a cheap red dot sight on top. I actually have two of them, one for the oldest boy and one for the girl. my youngest boy isn't as interested yet, but I am sure I'll have a third one in the next couple of years.

the best thing is the ammo is so incredibly inexpensive. a box of 550 is $18 at walmart, so a day of shooting wont break the bank.

 

[John in Covina]

Most people that are good shots started out with a 22, the low recoil and ease of handling allows one to concentrate on form. When that is engrained moving up in caliber is easier as the form is well set and getting used to the recoil of the bigger guns is easy to learn.

 

[Undertow]

Most people that are good shots started out with a 22, the low recoil and ease of handling allows one to concentrate on form. When that is engrained moving up in caliber is easier as the form is well set and getting used to the recoil of the bigger guns is easy to learn.

Too true! I'm so fortunate I happened to pick up target shooting with a .22LR before trying my .30-06. I would have been pretty sore and possibly lost interest had I not first understood the mechanics of aiming on an easier gun.

Speaking of which, I just sighted in my Burris scope on my .30-06. My shoulder is sore as heck, I even have a bruise on my forehead due to a really amatuer mistake, but by golly, that thing can drive tacks!

 

[John in Covina]

Shooting a powerful rifle from the bench can be punishing. I have often taken a small towel to fold and use as a pad between the shoulder and the buttstock. Standing or seated you can roll with the recoil so it's often not as bad as the bench.

 

[JimWagner]

Ruger makes a good revolver. I love my SP101 in .357 mag. Small enough to carry and 'big' enough to be effective.

:arated:

I have the GP100 and a SP101, both Rugers in .357. They were originally bought as "his and hers" but the SP101 ended up as my concealed carry choice in a Milt Sparks IWB.

 

[Tommy Fedora]

Shooting is TOO much fun

Sold my Ruger .357 a number of years ago and I've regretted it every day since. In fact, I've regretted every gun I ever sold.
My son should be getting his pistol purchase permit soon and it will open up a whole new chaper of father/son coolness.

 

[KittyT]

Working at the SAS Annual Ladies' Shoot this past weekend. Black powder, archery, shotgun, rifle and pistol. Here I am absolutely killin' it with a .22.

The tshirt says "Firearms: The Ultimate in Feminine Protection" lol