Posted on 07/09/2010 7:00:40 AM PDT by marktwain
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - I can think of no other way to begin this blog post than being completely honest: I hate guns. More accurately, I think, I am afraid of guns. I have no qualms with the second amendment, but the last few days leading up to tonight's police academy class have filled me with a mixture of about 25 percent excitement and 75 percent anxiety.
About two hours ago, I locked and loaded a .40 caliber handgun and fired a bullet for the first time.
It was at once scarier and easier than I expected. Through Purdue's police academy I fired 12 rounds (six at a distance of seven yards and six at a distance of fifteen yards), and from the first jolting pull of the trigger it confirmed for me the power of a firearm.
This is what went through my head:
"Please don't misfire, please don't misfire. Ok, push with the right arm, pull with the left. Keep my left eye shut, line up the three squares. (Lieutenant John Moore tells me to squeeze of the first round.) Sloooow squeeze. Wow, that looks like a fireball moving away from me in slow motion! Holy cow, did I actually hit the center of the target??"
Not to brag, but it turns out I'm kind of a shooting ace. All 12 of my rounds hit the target and seven of those were within the three center-most rings.
I bragged to Lieutenant Moore that I play a lot of video games. But in reality, we're not talking about Duck Hunt here. The handgun I shot was just as powerful as I anticipated, if not more. I was surprised to see what looked like fire come out of the gun and to see just how rapidly I recoiled, when I looked back at our video footage of my shooting experience. I can't imagine how painful it would feel to be in the line of one of those bullets.
And I was amazed by the sheer strength and concentration it took to fire off an accurate shot. I asked Lieutenant Moore about this after our session: How do you manage to get an accurate shot when you're on duty, under pressure? He laughed and said that's exactly why they spend time practicing at the shooting range. He said statistics show most police shots are from a distance of 3-7 yards, and yet police miss 80 percent of the shots they fire.
While today was exhilarating and I'm proud of my shooting accuracy, I don't see myself running off and buying a gun any time soon. I think Sergeant Matt Rosenbarger hit the nail on the head last week, when he said, "If you don't like guns, I want you to know why you don't like them." After today, I have such a better understanding of how guns work and when they're effective. And I have so much appreciation for the people who can use a gun properly, accurately and with respect.
Exactly.
In the past two years alone, I’ve initiated no fewer than six people to the joys of shooting.
Four of them have purchased their first handgun.
You are doing the right thing in getting professional firearm training. Listen to the instructor and when you are OK to shoot and feel comfortable; Practice, practice, practice. And don’t hesitate to continue seeking more training so that you are not just reinforcing bad habits.
Remember just like other sports such as golf, there will be all sorts of people at the range who may tell you what supposedly you are doing right or wrong, and that even includes a few posters to FR. Again just do what you are trained to do and stay safe!
No matter what. It is important to enjoy and have fun and get others involved in shooting.
THERE’S NEVER BEEN A MORE IMPORTANT TIME FOR YOU TO JOIN NRA.
I support gun rights, but don’t own a gun.
I have shot guns before, but don’t find them to be all that interesting. Not everyone will fall in love with shooting. But, there is absolutely no reason to dislike or fear guns.
As I age, and my children move out, my gun ownership status will change. And I’m glad ownership is an option.
I would start with a .22 calibre pistol. I don’t particularly like to shoot large calibre pistols. Rifles are something different. A person has to learn a lot to shoot well, why add all the racket and recoil at the beginning?
Wonder if this guy ever used a powerful router, a large table saw or drove a “hot” car???
A firearm is a tool, in addition to often being a valuable piece of history or even a work of art.
More than that, GUNS are what made aristocrats obsolete and Democracy possible.
The NRA is in the doghouse around here...
support for the “Disclose Act”
and endorsing Reid in Nevada
Good point.
The first thing I do is suggest a local, NRA-certified guy for professional training.
The only thing I don’t hesitate to correct fellow shooters on is SAFETY.
I’m just looking out for my own ass ;)
‘THERE’S NEVER BEEN A MORE IMPORTANT TIME FOR YOU TO JOIN NRA.”
Why? So they have more money to support Harry Reid and unconstitutional laws like the Disclose Act?
What! Join the pro-Harry Reid organization? Though I've been a long time NRA member, am looking for an alternative group- - but one with some political clout. Any recommendations?
Join the GOA or Gun Owners of America. The NRA supports Harry Reid and other liberal things. The NRA came off the rails. Senior Board John Milus (and movie director) also support pedophile Roman Polanski.
I used to be a huge NRA support but after Harry Reid they can forget it.
I started my,(then future), son-in-law out on my .375-338 as a joke! I was amazed that, even though he had never fired anything larger than a paint ball gun, the boy sat on that cannon for 15 rounds without a whimper, putting all 15 inside of 4”. How can you say no to talent like that when they ask for your daughter?
The local SWAT team that was practicing took note of his shooting and offered to let him shoot a .308 they were praticing with. He felt like it was “too small”.
We were talking about this last night. Some of my favorite times at the range are listening someone’s guest who is an anti whine about guns, people that like guns, blah, blah, blah.
You get them up to the line, shoot a magazine and then they turn around with the biggest **it eating grin you’ve ever seen. :-)
Another unbiased reporter.
And it usually gets them addicted...
The lesson is, don’t start a new shooter out with a .40 caliber. Hand them a .22 and it’s way more likely they’ll actually enjoy it.
ESPECIALLY a woman, in general we have smaller hands and frame and .40 is just too big for a first shot.
My experience was like this guy’s, except, to my disappointment, I’m a lousy shot.
I do not like guns, and am very afraid. Mental illness and substance abuse runs in my family, and I would never consider it safe to have one around, for those reasons.
But my brother trotted me out to the informal “practice range” (i.e., a certain hillside out in the country and let me have a try.
I’m glad I did. I found out that I need more strength, because I was too wobbly when holding the surprisingly heavy handgun out in front of me.
I have more interest in and respect for shooting as a sport. I would not object to my son learning shooting through 4-H (although I would want him to store the weapon off-premises.)
But I am not more relaxed about guns. Killing somebody would be very easy. I am very impressed with people who have used guns safely all their lives and never pointed them at anyone they were angry with.
I have evolved from being very pro-gun control to where I consider myself merely a learner on second amendment issues. I never post on those threads because I don’t have any wisdom and such limited experience on the subject. I just read and think.
and continue with one, even after you graduate up to a larger size gun. The pure economics of it all make it plain common sense. In my case, bulk .45 ACP ammo runs around 38 cents apiece; roughly, and bulk .22 rimfire costs about 4 cents apiece.
Note; I am aware that you can find both at cheaper prices than listed in the example, I just used a quick net search for rough average prices.
are you a girl?
I’ve always had the impression that Chucky was “getting off” in a not particularly healthy way ...
“The lesson is, take a non-shooter to the range. It will educate them and change their views.”
Maybe conservatives should start an Adopt-A-Liberal program! LOL! It could work.
Reload.
Cast your own bullets.
You can get it down to five cents or so a round.
CC
For me personally, it's a great stress release. I have a Ruger 10/22 rifle I've customized that I use to shoot 2" groups at 100 yards. I love the precision and feeling of accomplishment when you can pull off an accurate shot.
Read it again. He posted something someone else wrote.
It talks like a girl.
It should change handle to MaryTwain
No offense to the girls. I like girls but Hoosier Girlymen are to real men what Dan Rather is to the truth.
I am impressed with your self knowledge. Guns are not for everyone, but you are showing an open mind and the ability to learn. Very impressive. Not a lot of people are willing to step outside their comfort zone.
The line under the title shows the author. The line under that shows the person who posted the article.
I took my 12 year old daughter out shooting for the first time yesterday. Not to the range, but to the desert. She fired 50 rounds thru the 22 rifle (my old Ruger 10/22 - the first gun I owned, and still a nice gun after 30+ years), then 6 thru the 22 revolver. If truth be told, she’s a terrible shot, but she needs instruction on how to shoot well. She enjoyed the 22.
She fired 1 round of .38 special thru my Model 60 Lady Smith...then called it quits. Liked the 22, but not anything bigger.
Then she watched me shooting a snub nosed 44 Mag. She doesn’t even want to get CLOSE to it!
Now that she has a basic understanding of the safety rules and what a gun can do, I’ll enroll her in a shooting class to learn to shoot 22 rifles. A 10/22 isn’t normally thought of as a home defense weapon, but I’m convinced the best weapon for self defense is one you enjoy practicing with and shoot a lot. And the 10/22 put a smile on her face...
I took my neighbor to the indoor range, and for a private lesson with my instructor earlier this week. She hunts deer, and has familiarity with rifles, but had never fired a handgun.
She did very well, was perhaps a bit overwhelmed with all the info she was getting-picture sight, front sight, DAO, single action, revolvers, semi’s, different calibers.
The first time on my 642, she just couldn’t seem to pull the trigger, despite assurances..I think it was the long trigger pull. with a CZ 75, she didn’t have that problem.
She ultimately did well, though, and is interested in purchasing her first handgun, and obtaining her CHL.
I hope she will continue trips to the indoor range, and meeting with my instructor..I think the biggest obstacle for first time female handgun shooters is all the what if’s that go through one’s head, recoil, gun could go off magically, or blow up in your hand kinds of things.
Don’t impugn all of us Hoosier men, based on few sissies. Most of the sissies are concentrated in just a few areas, just like every other state.
I agree with that assessment. My wife started with a .22. She can confidently and accurately fire anything up to my .454 Casull. As a rule, we find plenty of amusement shooting .22LR and 38SPL at the range. We can reload 38SPL with ease. My wife has a huge box of Wolf 9mm that was just not cycling properly in her Sig 225. It works very well in her PC9 rifle. She can fire that PC9 accurately without a rest.
Sure you are. The pistol had nothing to do with it. Probably 180 degrees out from your former way of thinking about guns: Eight people dead in a massacre...musta been the guns fault; couldn't be that the shooter was something of a criminal.
Shooting things has consequences. How would you feel about your son hunting? Anyone that's ever shot a deer understands what a gun can do. And I've never met anyone that shot a deer because they were angry at it. OK...maybe for raiding a garden....
After I awoke to the fact that Liberal Democrats and Republicans wanted to eliminate my 2nd Amendment rights and seriously restrict several others. I exercised my 2A right by joining as many 2A rights organizations as I could find, buying several handguns and taking an NRA course in how to use them. I involved my wife and several friends who did the same.
I’d like the NRA to actively oppose the DISCLOSE Act but I support it for what it does. I won’t oppose the NRA because it doesn’t do everything that I’d like it to do. There are many other organizations, gun related and others that do actively oppose DISCLOSE. I support them. I will continue to support the NRA...and the GOA and the SAF and the SAS and the JFPO and my local RPC’s and the many other organizations that oppose the Communists that have been allowed to take my country; organizations that are fighting to take it back and restore my rights as an American citizen.
The fight at this stage isn’t all or nothing, an approach that (fill in the blanks: L_D T_ O____A’s E______N”)
p.s Would you please supply the link to the NRA’s endorsement of Reid. I haven’t been able to find one. Thanks.
How did you train your children in the safe handling and responsible ownership of firearms?
“How did you train your children in the safe handling and responsible ownership of firearms?”
Do you really want to go there?
>>As I age, and my children move out, my gun ownership status will change.<<
As a father I found this an odd statement. I wanted to be the person who introduced my girls to firearms. Why? Because I could give them whatever amount of time was required for them to become comfortable, proficient and knowledgeable with the self defense usage of firearms.
There’s a lot to learn about safety. I don’t feel you can ever be comfortable with a weapon until you are positive that your behavior is not unsafe with it.
Then there’s proficiency levels. I didn’t want them carrying weapons until they were able to master everything about the particular choice(s) they chose to own/carry. Who else is going to insist that they shoot in a completely dark room to learn the effects of muzzle flash on their night vision. Most attacks happen to women at night and I felt this was an important facet of their self defense education.
The other thing that bugs me about your statement is the fact that you don’t own a firearm to protect your home, your children’s home, from intruders. I understand your statement to mean that you intend to purchase a weapon when they move out of the house. Why on earth would you wait? They need protection now. Are you going to leave it up to the mass media to educate them about the hazards of owning a handgun or shotgun?
If you reply, I hope you will answer all of my questions.
Have a nice day.
She’ll be in the gunshop on Saturday.
Seriously, are you impressed with people who have driven safely all their lives and have never intentionally run over other people? What about knives?
I'm puzzled about where the doubt comes from? Are you personally unable to control your anger such that you MIGHT unjustifiably point a gun at someone?
Many of us have a suspicion that many gun-control supporters do experience such fears. It would be helpful to know how to communicate with such people.
Liberals, as Rush would say, live their lives through fear and ignorance.
Why not? I'm not a strong swimmer, but I recognized that it was my responsibility to do what I could to make my children safe in the water. Handling guns safely is no different.
“Why not? “
Because we both know that you and I have different views of the role of weapons in our lives. That’s why you asked the question. So now I can expand on my view, you can tell me I’m wrong, I can tell you I disagree, at some point one of us can percieve insult and go off on the other.
How about we save time and drop it?
Do you read "America's First Freedom", the NRA publication?
VERY favorable article in there on Reid. He "brought home the bacon", you see, for a very fancy gun range outside of Vegas.
Why is it that gun enthusiasts feel a need to stress how important guns are in everyday life? I’m 52 and do you know how many times I’ve needed a gun? Zero. I know, I’m lucky, living on borrowed time, right?
It’s a choice. You have taken a more expansive approach than the poster I answered in post #47. But the bottom line is the same.
Look, I’m sure you’re a great father. I’m sure you feel that it’s critically important for everyone you care about to be fully armed at all times. I’m sure you are ultra safe, and nothing would ever possibly happen that you didn’t allow to happen. But, I was a kid once. And I did a whole bunch of stuff my parents didn’t know about. God forbid I would have a weapon locked away that my kids would have gotten their hands on and done serious harm to themselves or someone else. I know, that only happens to bad, careless parents. Guess what? I only know of One individual who didn’t make mistakes.
My son and I are big enough that an intruder would be in danger. I figure when I’m alone, and not as robust, some backup would be nice.
I don't know anything about what you believe is the role of weapons in your life. I all I know about you is what you have posted on this thread.
brownsfan also said: "As I age, and my children move out, my gun ownership status will change. "
This is the comment that has me puzzled. You are implying a future use for gun ownership. Doesn't that imply that your children, when they age, are also likely to experience such a "change of status"?
I'm trying to figure out what it is that will become important to you later but which is not important enough to teach your children.
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