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I went to the shooting range for the first time yesterday
I have never shot a firearm before this weekend, and in the last year or so I decided it's something I should learn how to do. I've shot pellet guns at Boy Scout camp, but that's not quite the same game. Anyway, I called up my buddy Marcus, since he's been shooting since he was a kid.
He gave me a good safety lesson and some instruction on how to operate a pistol (with his HK .45) before we went to the range. He's pretty anal about gun safety, so I figured he would be a good person to learn from.
We went to an indoor gun range where I rented a .22 Ruger to use (I just told the guy I wanted something to start on, and he picked it). Not surprisingly, it all went just like Marc said it would. The brown target paper was my first bunch, and the white one was my second. I was at 7 yards for everything except one group at 10 yards on the first paper. Marc shot a clip on his .45, but was pretty unhappy with his results. When I ran through two boxes of the .22, I moved on to his .45. The first time, I loaded just one round; I figured that way if I dropped it because of the recoil, or something equally stupid, I couldn't hurt too many people. It turned out not to be an issue; though the recoil was a LOT more than the .22. My grouping with that wasn't nearly as good,
There were some guys with their shotguns firing slugs when we got there, and later some guy had a "snub-nose .38-super revolver" (??) and a Magnum .44. Damn, when that thing went off the first time (right as I closed the slide on the .22) I just about fell over. Huge compression wave. He couldn't shoot worth a damn, though.
Anyway, not so bad for a beginner! The black on the first one is about 6" diameter, and the 6 ring on the white paper is about 6".
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"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it."--Thomas Jefferson
Cool thanks for sharing. Ive always wanted to go shoot at a range, but I havent. Maybe Ill get a buddy of mine to go, Im in the same boat you were in no experience. How much was it for the gun rental? How much ammo is included for the price if you dont mind me asking. Im trying to get an idea how much it would be if I went to the range nearby.
I wish there were a rifle range around here within an hour's drive. I also wish I could own a pistol or an "assault" rifle (vague word usage in the law) here in Chicago.
I have very little experience shooting pistols but I have shot some rifles, including a military spec M16A2 with and without MILES gear. I'd like to learn how to shoot pistols but I can't own one.
I'm not totally sure about the breakdown; my buddy picked up the tab, and there never was an itemized list. The gun rental was about 10, and the range fee and 2 boxes of .22 rounds (100 total, I think) was about 20. He picked up two boxes of .45 rounds at 15 bucks a box, and the total was 64 and change. He had estimated that it would cost me about 30, and he was pretty much right.
It really helped to have him explain everything to me before hand, cause the guy there seemed to assume I at least knew how to use the gun (which i didn't before Marcs lesson). The range does offer classes that covers basic gun saftey etc, so you could look into that.
In any case, I had fun with it.
.22 =
.45 =
shotgun 3 lanes down =
.44 magnum in the next lane =
__________________
"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it."--Thomas Jefferson
Shooting pistols is fun....My first pistol was a 9mm Beretta but I had military instruction to go with it which helped. Of course we shoot out to 25 yards with the 9 mm. I qualified Sharpshooter my first time out (means I was average) Expert next time it. It definitely takes practice to get good. I also found the Weaver stance to be better for me anyways. Firing rifles though is MUCH more fun. At 500 yards with open sights I can do 9 of 10 on a chest up profile target. The M16A2 is pretty damn accurate at that range.
__________________ I live my life one quarter pounder at a time...for that ten bites or less....I'm free
2k4 Silverstone Z: Turbonetics Owners Club, Apexi WS2 exhaust, Motordyne Iso Thermal Spacer, etc I'm so JDM I sleep on the right side of the bed
Shooting pistols is fun....My first pistol was a 9mm Beretta but I had military instruction to go with it which helped. Of course we shoot out to 25 yards with the 9 mm. I qualified Sharpshooter my first time out (means I was average) Expert next time it. It definitely takes practice to get good. I also found the Weaver stance to be better for me anyways. Firing rifles though is MUCH more fun. At 500 yards with open sights I can do 9 of 10 on a chest up profile target. The M16A2 is pretty damn accurate at that range.
Man, that's pretty good at 500 yards!! All I have ever shot is the famous .22 and an assortment of hunting rifles, and the Barrett .50 on video games (I would love to shoot one of those in real life). If you don't mind me asking, what did you do in the armed forces, I have read some of your adventures in other threads, just wondering.
Shooting pistols is fun....My first pistol was a 9mm Beretta but I had military instruction to go with it which helped. Of course we shoot out to 25 yards with the 9 mm.
Man, that's pretty good at 500 yards!! All I have ever shot is the famous .22 and an assortment of hunting rifles, and the Barrett .50 on video games (I would love to shoot one of those in real life). If you don't mind me asking, what did you do in the armed forces, I have read some of your adventures in other threads, just wondering.
Well I was in the Marines for about 5 and a half years. My primary MOS was 2811 (changed later 2847 I believe) which is Field Telephone/Switchboard tech. Well as you can imagine in the real world of modern warfare you aren't stationary long enough to fix anything until the war/batlle is over. Since I had a 5 ton/7 ton/Tram/EBFL/Forklift liscense I actually spent about 1/3 of my time fixing equipment in the field and the other 2/3 driving convoys all over Iraq...the only time I actually fixed equipment was after the war was declared over and when I wasn't driving or gunning on a truck. Any Marine will tell you that we aren't just are job...we are expected to do everything. It makes it kinda of interesting though. Never a dull day
__________________ I live my life one quarter pounder at a time...for that ten bites or less....I'm free
2k4 Silverstone Z: Turbonetics Owners Club, Apexi WS2 exhaust, Motordyne Iso Thermal Spacer, etc I'm so JDM I sleep on the right side of the bed
...shooting an M16 on single-fire from the prone (laying down) position...
Is there any other way I dont think I put my M16 on burst more then 5 times in the 5 years I was in. best score on the range (Marine standards) 53 of 65 IIRC. The 500 and 200 being my best two spots.
__________________ I live my life one quarter pounder at a time...for that ten bites or less....I'm free
2k4 Silverstone Z: Turbonetics Owners Club, Apexi WS2 exhaust, Motordyne Iso Thermal Spacer, etc I'm so JDM I sleep on the right side of the bed
>> If you shot a pellet gun at Boy Scout Camp, that had to be the Cub Scouts, man.
>> Boys Scouts use shotguns and .22's
I fired a .22 in cub scouts when I was in the 3rd grade. I also went shooting with my dad (a gun collector) when I was 6, and fired all kinds of guns. But, alas, those are the only times I've gone shooting in my whole life!
Mmmm guns!! I shot in competition for years in air rifle and smallbore rifle. I set a national record in the mid 90's for three position air rifle. Most people don't think it's that big of a deal until they see the size of the 10 ring. I wanted to be a sniper for a few years back then. My how times have changed.
Not yet, no. I've got that money earmarked for either a brand new strat (am. deluxe HSS) or an A-spec suspension install on my RSX.
I'm still trying to track down the legalities of the Garand in Chicago. The Chicago gun ordinance is unbelievably tough and they may consider the Garand an "assault" - they seem to think any military-ish weapon is "assault" - rifle and it may be prohibited.
Firearms are my first hobby and I've been shooting for better than 25 years now. There's a peaceful feeling that comes on the open range when it's you, a powerful rifle, and a target a couple hundred yards away. Since I retired from the Navy I don't get out to shoot as often ... and then I started driving the Z and that seems to be eating up my loose change and time.
A couple of my toys:
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Super Black 2005 35th Anniversary
I'm working on getting my butt into some kind of gradschool so I can make more $$$, marry my chick, and get the fack out of Chicago and into one of the burbs that doesn't outlaw guns outright.
I'll have to look into more about the Garand. I'm probably going to contact that civilian Garand club and see if they know what's up with the Chicago laws.
I went to the shooting range for the first time yesterday
It turned out not to be an issue; though the recoil was a LOT more than the .22. 
My grouping with that wasn't nearly as good, 
(I would love to shoot one of those in real life). If you don't mind me asking, what did you do in the armed forces, I have read some of your adventures in other threads, just wondering.
