Forgive me father for I have sinned. It has been three months since my last...
...Ok, I'm not really a religious man, I have my beliefs mind, but they're not for hive being personal and not open for discussion. So...In what manner has the G-dog sinned? Ok, I'll confess.
Well, y'all know I'm an angel, so I don't sin (much) but it has been three months since I went handgun shooting! Yeah I know right?!
You're probably like, who cares G-dog, but for me, a shooter who would normally send 300-400 rounds down range each week, three months of not shooting is a long time. The reason is the virus lockdowns of course, so it's been completely out of my control, but that doesn't make it any easier to accept.
Ranges are opening up slowly and we'll be able to resume shooting as normal at some stage although I fear that we will not be back to normal operations until next year. It leaves me doing very little as far as handgun shooting goes because it can only be done at a registered range. I have ample opportunity to shoot on private property however handguns are treated differently than rifles and it is not legit to shoot them any old place.
I've been to the range a lot in the last few months as we have been doing improvements; Maybe the one positive to come out of the virus is having the time to do the work without disrupting shooting which has been a luxury; We have been unable to shoot though.
I've put a few sneaky rounds down range and it felt a little odd being holstered up and shooting again after so long off...I can feel my skills are a little rusty too, despite all the training I've been doing at home. There's nothing like live-fire to keep a person sharp. The shooting I've done is minimal really, only a handful of rounds just to test some of the barricades we constructed. Not very satisfying.
I've been shooting for almost thirty years now and it would take more than a few weeks of inactivity to make me shoot badly, although shooting is something than needs to be practiced regularly if one is to be good at it and, for me, good isn't good enough; I'm always seeking to be better and that's why I shoot a lot normally, and why I miss doing so.
I guess it would be a similar feeling to someone who loves drawing; Take the away ability for them to do it and they would miss it, and probably feel odd coming back to it after a break I'd say.
Anyway...Back to my shooting sins...I'll be doing my penance for not shooting for three months on Wednesday. It's a self-imposed penance of course. What you ask? Well, shooting of course!
I'm off to the range tomorrow to shoot a few hundred rounds. I'm going to set up some run and gun stages, and shred it up Keanu Reaves/John Wick style...You can see what I mean in the video here of you do not know what I mean. I mean the handgun stuff he is doing, not the rifle and shotgun...That's for a later time. It is a penance I will be glad to do.
I'm not sure when we will be able to resume competition shooting however for me shooting is not just about my sport; It's about keeping my skills sharp and the enjoyment factor too; Like any hobby really. If you want to come up to the range and send some down range let me know in the comments. I'll be happy to take you.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised.
Be well
Discord: galenkp#9209
Good evening G-dog :)
I guess once you've reached a certain level of skill and knowledge, it's going to take more than a few weeks off to forget.
And yes, book me in for the range, 2025 looks open :)
Hey bro, how are you?
Yep it takes a while to lose the skills but what I find is diminished is the muscle memory, the quick draw from the holster, finding the right grip first time, acquiring the target quickly and sending the first accurate round. I normally do all of that in about 1.2 to 1.3 seconds...I'm a bit afraid of what it's going to be tomorrow. There's so many little nuances to being a good shooter, efficient and accurate, and it takes consistency to make it smooth. It's like building a hive account...Consistency.
Ok I'll pencil you in for 2025...Don't stand me up. Wear enclosed shoes, I'll provide everything else broo...My treat.
Doing OK thanks, yourself?
What's this about enclosed shoes? Is the punishment for performing badly a toe stamp? :D
I'm ok, back into the grind of the week, but Faith has a pizza in the oven and we're about to settle in for some couch time and the TV so all good.
Not sure what the enclosed shoe thing is at the range, but it's a thing. Now I'm curious and have to ask someone. Lol.
Pizza and TV, can't be bad :)
I was wondering if hot shells were a concern?
Hot cases certainly, get one of them between the toes and you'll hop around for a while. To be honest I think it's more about risk-mitigation in general than in respect of anything else. A stubbed toe through inattentiveness can result in litigation these days I guess . Ear-pro and glasses are essential though, for obvious reasons.
Actually, a good story...Two of my friends were shooting at falling steel plates from about 10m away, practicing. Beep, draw, shoot etc.
All of a sudden one dropped her gun and fell to the ground clutching her face. She caught a piece of lead (bullet) in the cheek. An inch higher and to the left and she would have lost her eye. (She had glasses on though). The lead often gets pulverised on impact and with the falling plates it's usually ok...The plate didn't fall though, was faulty, and the lead (ragged piece of it, bounced back into her cheek.
That range was closed for use right away of course. Lucky lady huh? She had closed in shoes too. Lol.
(This is a true story.)
Damn! Very lucky lady. As I read metal plates I had a feeling what was coming, that doesn't sound right at all.
Perhaps it is to avoid a stubbed toe - those hurt like a bitch and send me postal!
Yeah, a break can slow down the sharp body movement, just like when you drop a sword or blade for a while it gets blunt.
I guess so :)
This will be so much fun.. is John wick not too high up there?
Yes, it always is. After several weeks off it will be good to strap the gun back on and send some lead down range.
My dad really enjoyed shooting, he started the gun/clay shooting club, in Toowoomba a very long ago. We all have an energy outlet, I love to do a multitude of things like yoga, meditation, walking riding, walking etc. So enjoy your hobby @glaenkp.
Hi there...Yeah, I like to walk and hike too...I do many things and don't let one thing define me, I am all of them and engage with each passionately. I like Toowoomba, been there a few times. We went antiquing around that whole area some years back. Such good fun.
Ooooo awesome, I am sure your rust will get lost as soon as you get back to your normal routine. You have a point with the drawing, it does feel weird to make a long pause and return, that is why constant disciplined practice is the best. Super happy for you, bam bam bam the sheriff is back in town hihihi
Oh yeah, I'm sure I'll get back to my best after a few hundred rounds...I'm a little worried that my draw will be slow, but I will start off that way anyway, intentionally, to make sure I get the technique right as that's the main thing. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. That's a shooters motto...Well, shooters who need to shoot quickly anyway.
I am sure you will have no problems with this,so many years of experience are behind you 💪
Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm just overstating how bad I'll be because it sounds modest. In reality I'll be magnificent, no doubt. 😂
Galenk The Magnificent. Oh now I have all sort of heroic pictures in my mind😂
Haha, I'm not magnificent by any stretch of the imagination...Mediocre maybe. I can fucking shoot good...Still just mediocre all around though. I'm ok with it.
I have a rich mind and it only takes one word to trigger rivers of imagination😂 We are trying to be our best version, somedays we succeed, somedays we don't. We are cool humans and that's ok.
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It's going a take a really long while of inactivity for you to forget your shooting skills. Good to see you are back on track.
Yes, I agree...It's doubtful only several weeks off will affect me too much. We will find out tomorrow I suppose. Thanks for commenting.
!ENGAGE 20
ENGAGEtokens.I may just stop for myself, and turn some money into noise at the range. There is a pistol combat range there, may play there. I will concentrate on reloading mags, and clearing blockages. Need more of that right now, in my muscle memory!
:)>That's what I mean...Those are the skills that suffer when not practised often. I do a lot at home, but live practice can't be beat. I'm taking 500 rounds. Might use them all. Lol..
My concealed pistol is small rnough that 500 round at a time is a little much, LOL! But the trip is easy, so several trips are coming....
I reload the 45, so 500 rounds there is likely. The 300 win mag doesn't get that many either, hard on the shoulder.
♡♡♡♡I feel exactly the same way about my cameras. I'd love to put a few flashes down-range - (down studio?) - but it is something that is slowly starting to be a thing again - just got to make sure my leg muscles stay in one piece!
It's been a shit year dude...Sure, people can talk it up and spin positives, but in truth it's been pretty crap all round. I'm hoping it improves but I think it will be 2021 before we see any real improvement. Still, things will pick up bit by bit and we will just have to make the most of it. That's why I'm going shooting tomorrow.
We'll see - looking forward to seeing how this all new-brand of "new normal" continues to develop - and looking forward to having a good old chinwag with you over a warm beverage again some time soon!
Yeah I agree...On both counts. Looking forward to a catchup.
Heh, great video. Now if we could just get JW to attend one or two of the Antifa riots we're having here in the U.S. I think it would maybe put an end to the nonsense.
Lol...My thoughts exactly.
Hehe, John Wick style, that's what we want to see!!! Get in the G-Dawg!!
G-dog Wick. :)
Have fun at the range! Three weeks is quite a long time, so hopefully your trigger finger won't be rusty enough to get bullets flying into trees and buildings behind the target XD
All good. Me shooting badly doesn't mean missing just means I may be a little slower and the bullets may be a centimetre away from where I intend them to be. One can't shoot as much, and for as long as I have, and be terrible after several weeks. :)
Yeah, it's fair to say that your years worth of experience isn't likely to be broken too terribly at all, even if you've emerged from your bunker 10 years later to find that aliens have invaded, before proceeding to kill them all. A weird thought, but I'm sure that's a movie somewhere.
Don't try to have too much fun, lest it makes the rest of us jealous :-D
Sorry...Had loads of fun! Lol.
Damn it.
Lol.
Yes! I hated enclosed shoes, but, have great respect for the range rules. Having had a close relationship with the military for many years, I understand it.
You know it will take more than a few months off to scape the muscle memory off. It's like memory foam. :) Have fun. Ranges open here in two weeks. I want to see the first and 50th targets.
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1000 rounds of penance should be enough, my son. Only because you had the excuse of the lockdown.
And no, I don't follow religion, either. I got that from the movies...
We have at least 5 'informal' ranges within 5 miles of me. My buddy and I have been out just once during the 'stay at home' dictum. I never was a 'competitive grade' pistol shooter, but just generally speaking I can hit what I aim at and like to stay real good and current with my pistols.
Also within 5 miles of me is the 'big range'. It's a county park, and there are at least a dozen separate ranges there. Police and Sheriff's office has a range, as does ICE (Immigration). There is a public pistol range, a 1000 yard range, a 500 yard range, black powder, trap, skeet, small caliber, and even archery. All outdoors. It's a pretty cool place... There's also a place for RC airplanes and drones and such.
Glad you are able to get out and get some bullets in the breeze. It's no doubt been long enough...
Yeah, I think 1000rds will be fine...
Seems like you have no shortage or ranges around the place. There are many here too, all have been closed. Still, I get to shoot a lot on various properties so it's all good...Shooting some handguns today, run and gunning was nice.
Hope the penance isn't too terrible. :)
Look, it's going to be difficult to get through it...It's a 15 degree sunny day (or will be when it warms up as now it's 6) and I'm going to be at the range shooting. I'm not sure how I'll make it through, but I will soldier on.
:)
Possibly a bit chilly, but better than when I say it is 15 degrees. (Celsius vs Fahrenheit and all that)
Lol, yes 15F is not toasty and warm. I used to do the conversion from C to F but can't be F'd these days. Lol.
!ENGAGE 20
ENGAGEtokens.You really do love shooting in the same way I like surfing, though they'd be completely different pass times. As you know, I desperately want to add shooting to my list of apocalypse skills. Looking into it whilst in hotel quazza. I'm in Australia again, so can legit shorten shit, can't I?
You're in-country? Welcome back!
Yep, you gotta have SHTF skills girl, and this is one of them. Security, hunting etc...It's the easiest way. You don't need to be John Rambo, just proficient. Your local club will sort you out
Hope quazza is bonza! How long left?
What's TF in the SHTF?
Yeah, I'm back - just wrote a post about journey if you'r einterested.
I'll check the post, just writing one myself though...Won't be long.
Shit Hits The Fan
OHHHHH - of course!!!!!
Can you grow vegetables? Coz I'm bad ass at that - I need a gun to protect them though, haha. xx
I'll be writing more in quazza I guess - what else am I meant to do? It was hard to write much in the beautiful English countryside. Miss it already!
You proposing an enclave in a SHTF scenario? That's the best way you know. Each element represented, skills shared and crossed over.
Well, enjoy all that room service...Tell me, do they make you pay for everything or are you a guest of the government?
Are you going to film your runs too? :)
Have fun penancing! Penanting? Hm. Have fun XD
No video. It's not really my thing to be honest, videoing stuff. I don't for training purposes usually. Yesterday was more of a fun day, just blasting away. Lol.
Wow, you are really dedicated to shooting.
I wonder if you tried a career in shooting as a sport?
Like olympics and all, they have shooting games right?