Here is the range at Toledo Trap and Skeet where we shot. The photo is deceptive and doesn't do justice to the real distance, but it should give you some idea of the difficult task ahead - killing that paper!
Here's the first 3 clips out of my .22. Not too bad, but there are a few stray shots that I can't account for.
I took the next ten shots one handed. The stray shot at the bottom is yours truly torching one off at the wrong time. I knew it was bad when I squeezed the trigger that extra millimeter.
Here's my .22 pistol. This is a Ruger Mark II Government with a bull barrel. The pistol is far and away more accurate than I'll ever be. Worse, I haven't come up with a good name for this one, and I've had her for years.
Here's my first 5 shots with Betsy. I'm a little off, but my real problem is trying to see black on black at what looks to be 400 yards. The sights are black as is most of the target. That's fine when I steady Betsy on the pretty orange center, but when my nerves start shaking I can't hold her steady.
I put another ten down range. The pattern of pulling to the left stayed with me all day today, and while it didn't ruin my day I've had times when I've done better.
Here's Betsy. She is a .45 Springfield Mil Spec (built to military specifications) that I bought in Florida. I was driving home from work and saw an advertisement on the reader board of a gun store I passed twice a day: 45 Mil Spec $400. Who could resist? When I came back to Toledo three months later Marge Cleland was offering the same pistol at $450 and calling it the deal of the century.
I switched pistols and shot a few clips with Big Nose Kate. As you can see, my shots started to drop at the end. I think I was getting tired by this time.
This is Big Nose Kate, a .45 caliber Springfield V-16 Long Slide. Kate is capable of eating any kind of .45 ammo there is, including the rare .45 magnum/high power loads. I bought Kate from Teton River Traders Gun Shop, where The Poor but Honest Gun Trader of South Dakota, Cody Williams, strives tirelessly against government communist bureaucracy, damned thieving liberals and crazy animal rights activists to bring his loyal customers the very best gun prices anywhere.
Here are the results from my .357 Colt revolver. I shot this using a two handed grip, single action with .38 special ammo. Not bad. The target is the invention of Big Mike, who suffers the same eye problems I do. The main difficulty is that black iron sights wash right out against a black target, which is generally what I have to shoot at. After a great deal of thought and a few drinks, Mike began experimenting with various target shapes and colors, and this is the result. When I tried this target, my stress level headed South and my shooting picked right up as the sights no longer wash out.
This is my .357 Colt Trooper. I bought this revolver at a gun show some years back. The vendor was packing up and hadn't sold much that day, and so made me a good price on her. I don't have a name for her just yet, which isn't a good thing.
The revolver on the left is Mike's carry piece, .357, five shot, double action only with a fully shrouded hammer. I've shot this in both .38 and .357 and it doesn't kick as bad as you think.
Naturally we had to have some lunch somewhere. This isn't Guinness, but is actually Boddingtons Pub Ale. We went to the Claddagh Irish Pub over at the Westfield Mall. We didn't see any riots, gang fights or unsupervised youth in search of opportunity for economic advancement, but we were ready if we did see them.
If it matters, I had naked chicken tenders with Jack Daniels sauce and Pots O' Gold. Mike had fish and chips. The food was good, the beer was better.
Should anyone think of a good name for my Ruger or Colt revolver, don't hesitate to sound off.
No comments:
Post a Comment