Range Report

Squeeks (who has the pics) and TD have already posted up their accounts, and I have to agree with everything they said. It was a total blast, the Kel-Tec is still a beast, and anything in .30 Carbine = fun.

The first thing I want to do is thank them for coming out. It's quite a drive from Memphis to Brighton, add snow flurries and stoopid Memphis drivers to the mix and you have yourself quite a task. I wish we had more time and better weather so I could've showed off my grill skills. Next time, I guess.

Some observations:

Squeeks has really improved her marksmanship. More on her technique later. Suffice it to say, if she's shooting at ya, you'll wind up shot.

TD knows a lot more about guns than I do. He was naming names and models left and right. I'm sure glad he said P90 before I said "That gun from Stargate SG1". Although they mean the same, one is not like the other....

One gun that made the trip but didn't get shot was the Garand. I brought it along for the gunsmith to check out, figuring it would take come time. Lo and behold, the gunsmith grew up with Garands, so I had it back in no time. Actually, it took more time for it to make it through all the employees who wanted to look at it than it did for the actual check out. I didn't have the adjustable gas plug installed yet, so I had to let it sit this one out. Looks like I have to go shooting again soon. Shucks.

I had an interesting exchange with an elderly chap who had been watching us (mostly Squeeks). He motioned for me to come off the firing line, so I went back to where he was sitting. Things got off on the wrong foot from the start:

Old Guy: Is that your family?
Me: (thinking) Family? I'm not that old! (saying) No, just some friends.
OG: That gal's technique is wrong. She's holding her arms out too straight. I used to be an instructor for the police. For the feds, too.
Me: (thinking) Oy vey, another expert at the range. (saying) Uh-huh.
OG: She should hold her pistol like this (shows me the "cup and saucer" technique). She's climbing up and to the left when she shoots.
Me: Uh-huh
OG goes on and on about how he was a cop in another state and how he invented a stance that all criminals hated because they couldn't disarm him and blah blah blah.
Me thinking: Damn, I am that old, aren't I?

I have to add, while this exchange was going on, Squeeky was busy decapitating her target from 10 yards. I'd better not show her that "cup and saucer" technique. She might try and take over the world.

Also, I was really impressed with both Squeeks' XD9 and TD's CZ85. I've never shot a poylmer gun before, and that XD was pretty awesome. The fit and finish on that gun was astounding. Pushing the magazine in gently, with my pinkie, amazed the hell outta me. The CZ was sweet as well, I really liked the sights and the way it fit my hand. Don't get me wrong, my Smith is a good gun, but theirs were newer, and it showed. They also hold four more rounds than mine does, which is always a nice thing.

Someone please tell Nancy Pelosi that there will be a gun sale taking place this Saturday at a gun show that will not involve a background check. Squeeks is diving into her wheelbarrows full of cash in order to purchase a .38 snubby. Of course, if this weren't a play on PSH, it would simply be a sale between two private parties, but where's the fun in that?

It was the most fun I've had standing up in a long, long time. Good times, good company.

I was gonna set up a "bloggers I've met" blogroll, but by the end of May it'll hopefully be bigger than my regular blogroll, so maybe I can get by with just renaming it.