Range Report from 7/25/2013

Since I live way out in the county, I can shoot on my property without any legal issues other than being sure I have a good backstop.  On the property where my house is, I don't have a backstop, so we only shoot the air rifles here.  When I want to shoot the larger calibers I have to either go over to my family's other property about 200 feet away across the back, or drive several miles and pay a range fee.  For just plinking or teaching someone how to use a handgun, we just go over to the other property where the back stop is a large drainage ditch that we shoot down in to.  That is what I did today.

My daughter's boyfriend Matt has fired a shotgun before but no other types of firearms and he really wants to get a handgun.  I'd rather he learn more about firearms in general before he purchases one for himself.  So today I loaded up several different types and calibers of handguns a couple rifles and some shotguns to start his firearms education.

First we went over to the property and set up the range.

Several disposable plates with orange stickers from Amazon, such as Carteach discussed on his blog tacked to wood shims then stuck into the ground.  Add some 3 liter diet coke bottles filled with water and you have the targets.

The firearms used for the training.  Yes there is a .22 Beeman Air rifle there.

I started him off by going over the 4 Rules, and proper handling.  Then I discussed proper sight picture.

I started with my Heritage Arms .22 LR Single Action revolver.  After 24 rounds over coaching and stressing proper sight use he got a nice target.

He got all 6 on target after his first 24 rounds.  Then we moved up to one of my my Taurus 82's.

He figured out how to use the sights properly and to take his time.

Then we moved up to one of my Tokarevs and my FEG.

Shooting the FEG

Shooting the Tokarev

Then I put 3 mags through my FEG.  2 Mags, 14 rounds at one target and 1 mag 7 rounds at another, to check just how accurate I can get with it.  We are about 25 feet away from the targets.

Rapid Fire 14 rounds, 1 shot double action the remainder single action.  You can see I missed with 1 round and clipped the outside edge of the plate, one of those holes is actually two.

Rapid Fire 7 rounds, 1st round double action the rest single action.  Distance 25 feet.  I'm pretty sure that one round on the bottom right is my first double action round.  I wasn't trying to be super accurate, I was just trying to get all seven on the target as quickly as I could.  I think I did ok, so the FEG is now Designated EDC.

I've never claimed to be an expert pistol shot, I'm much better with rifles and shotguns, but those are 9 inch disposable plates at 25 feet.  That is Center Mass.  I'm happy.

Next up, my daughter wanted to shoot some shotguns and the Sears/Savage .22 Pump rifle.  So we got those out.

Here she is with the Maverick 88 with an ATI folding stock so it fits behind the seat of the truck.  No Taktikewl attachments, although I might be putting a mount for a Mini-Mag light with a remote touch switch base.

Here I am shooting my Rossi Side by Side 12 Gauge.  I LOVE this shotgun.  I really need to find a place to learn how to shoot Trap and Skeet.  My only complaint is it only has an extractor, not an auto ejector like my other Rossi and my New England Firearms single shots.

Below is a demonstration of Hydrostatic Shock I gave to Matt to explain the lethality of a firearm.

After Matt finished his soda I had him fill it with water, then I used the Sears/Savage .22 Pump to shoot it with 1 round from 25 feet away.  This is the result.  I explained to Matt, how most of the damage from a bullet is from the Hydrostatic Shock causes damage to the internal organs of the body through the shock wave propagating in the body tearing and damaging blood vessels and organs.  He thought the .22 would just punch a hole in the can, not rupture it and send it flying 6 feet.  This was not a sealed can of soda, it was just a can we filled with water.  So the fluids were not contained, and still the can ruptured.


A weird jam we had today.

Yes that is a Winchester .45 ACP case stuck in the chamber BACKWARDS.  A cleaning rod and my daughter Mary's multi-pliers took care of it real quick. and we finished off a 100 round box of Winchester White box.

So today I introduced a young man to shooting, the 4 Rules and how to correct a Malf in the field.

Now I just need to get him some more practice as the ammo situation allows before he decides which firearm he buys for himself.


Any day I can go out and shoot with my daughter and help someone else on the road to responsible Firearms Ownership is a Good Day.