Hey.. this pistol thing is pretty cool after all!

[Kaylee]

So after I really started learning about firearms, I almost exclusively stuck to rifles. They just felt more natural to me.. and I enjoyed being able to hit something way out there, as opposed to only a few yards out.

Pistols were to me, well.. a necessary evil (well no, not evil.. a bother perhaps). I carried one, I practiced enough to be proficient (though not expert by any means) ... but I can't say it's something I really enjoyed after my initial few outings.

Last month or so though, I started visiting a friend of mine who works at the local shop/indoor range. She invited me to the lady's night shoot she set up, and I said "sure, why not? Besides, the rifle range is cold these days, and I'm always busy weekends and can't make it there often enough."

Well hey, 25 yards ain't much for high-power rifle, and them .30's can get downright painful inside. So.... I started doing pistol more. And lo and behold, I found I actually liked it. Then tonight I decided to really put a 1911 through its paces, and ran several boxes of .22 through a target pistol...

That's the neat thing about this hobby.. there's just so many different worlds under one umbrella to explore. Great fun! This handgun thing is pretty darn neat.. good practice to, I suppose. Odds are if I ever need I weapon, I reckon, it's a pistol that'll be close at hand.

-K


(But I still spend a fair amount of time those nights with a .22 rifle ... )

 

[CZ_]

I personally like shooting handguns the best. Its more challenging than rifle shooting. I like challenges.

 

[MuzzleBlast]

She invited me to the lady's night shoot she set up, and I said "sure, why not?

Dear God, why aren't there more ranges and women like this? If every city had at least one indoor pistol range, with female instructors and women-only classes, gun control schemes would evaporate along with rape and wife-beating.

 

[Rickmeister]

I was told by a local armorer (armory attendant? gun guy? weapons dude?) that the natural (observed) progression for most firearm newcomers is from pistol, to rifle, to shotgun.


I have made no progress whatsoever

 

[C.R.Sam]

In ascending order of difficulty.
Rifle, shotgun, handgun.

Welcome to the darkside Kaylee.

Sam

 

[Ala Dan]

Hey K,

It's kind'a odd for a "backwoods girl" from the hills of East
Tennessee not to like handgun's. LOL

With that said, the more you shoot 'em; I believe the more
you will enjoy them.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Fatcat]

Cool.

But, I've got to disagree that rifles are the easiest to shoot. I think most people are just shooting rifles at non-rifle ranges (100 yards, anyone? ). The most fun starts when you can bearly make out the backstop..

 

[C.R.Sam]

Fair number of folks that earned their living shooting say the rifle is the easiest with which to become proficient.

Sam

 

[Eric Larsen]

Hey Kaylee.....I liked your post. We do need more female shooters and more are starting all of the time...I will proudly say
"my mom has trophies from 30+ years ago, from pistol competitions...she used to out shoot my dad...who has trophies too...pretty cool"

I have to back Sam on this one...all of the way. Rifles are the easiest even at 100+ yards, then Shotguns and finally, darkside, handguns......

Have you ever tried to shoot skeet?

Shoot well

 

[croyance]

Fine, to retaliate I guess I have to get started on rifles like I've always said I would. Maintains symetry in the universe.

 

[blades67]

I've found that it is quite easy to spend a whole lot of money on any of the three. (Just gettin' 'em past the Boss Lady is more difficult than any thing else. )

 

[Kaylee]

Dear God, why aren't there more ranges and women like this? If every city had at least one indoor pistol range, with female instructors and women-only classes, gun control schemes would evaporate along with rape and wife-beating.

Good idea!!!
Anyone know of women in your city you can ...ahh.... persuade to help?


Secondly... I'll agree that rifles are cerainly easier to become functionally proficient in than pistols. But "functionally proficient" and "expert" are entirely different things. For example, "even" and "100+ yards" dont really belong in the same sentence with a rifle.

If rifles don't sound enough of a challenge, try hitting a 1' wide steel plate at 400 yards.

With iron sights.

Offhand, standing, no sling.

After you ran to the firing line from 20 yards back.

I think in the end, pistols are more "body knowledge" and rifles are more "head knowledge + body knowledge." Once you start having to compensate for wind drift, bullet drop, etc.... THEN you start getting into the fun part with 'em.


That said... pistols are pretty darn neat to.

-K

 

[blades67]

Try 100 yard target practice with a handgun,

standing,

offhand,

fixed sights,

and then see if you still think rifles are more challenging than handguns.

Both are tough as he!!, but you get to use two hands with the rifle.

 

[Salt]

If you like handguns, look into Cowboy Action Shooting competition. It is a blast!

http://www.sassnet.com/

 

[Kaylee]

Salt -- looks like a lot of un, yes! Folks at the local indoor range I mentioned are WAAaaay into it. Heck, everytime I pass by one of the dudes with anything made after 1890, he looks at me dismissively and says "so when you getting a REAL gun?"




In time, maybe. Wanna get the "got tos" down before I get into the "for fun"

-K

 

[WESHOOT2]

HANDGUNS ONLY

Need free hand to hold smoke.

PS "If it ain't belt-fed it ain't ****".

Got it?


Your results may vary.