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Target
matches can be as exciting and dramatic to the spectator as
they are for the shooter. Winners are often decided by fractions of a second or millimeters from the bullseye. However, it takes
more than holes on paper to be a shooting champion. It's all
about dicipline, responsibility, and classy sportsmanship.
To participate in competitive shooting
is to carry-on an American tradition.
But most of all, guns are freakin' cool!
There's nothing like rattling off a few
hundred rounds. In a hair of a second,
all of your senses are electrified by
the bang of the bullet, kick of the recoil,
and flinging of smoking brass. And when
your brain catches up to what's really
happening during target shooting (i.e.
the mechanics, physics, ballistics, etc.)
you'll find it even more amazing.
Below,
you'll find articles on equipment and accessory reviews. Links
to more in-depth sources of information are provided in the
sidebar. I hope this gives you a rudimentary feel for sport
and I encourage every reader to try shooting at least once.
It's not just for hillbillies anymore.
Gearing
Up
To buy a rifle or shotgun, you only need a firearms ID card
from city hall. It costs around five dollars. To buy a handgun,
first get a firearms ID card, then ask city hall for a permit
to purchase a pistol. Your first application fee can cost as
much as $75 bucks and there's no guarantee (based on your background
check) that it'll be granted. And unless you have friends in
office, your pistol purchase permit may take months to process!
If
or when you make a purchase, do not exit the gun shop without
fully understanding how to safely operate the firearm. Gun manuals
can be confusing to those unfamiliar with gun jargon, so take
as long as you need with the sales rep. Ask questions such as,
"How do I unload it," and, "How do I clear a
jam?" Make 'em earn your money.
You
must also understand the responsibilities involved in modern
day gun ownership. Upon purchase, your ass becomes legally and
spiritually attached to the firearm. *FLOOMP* If the gun is
stolen and used in a bad bad bad way, you'll be in a world of
shit. Keep 'em locked and unloaded and you'll be fine.
Choosing
the Proper Firearm
All right, let's get to the nitty gritty.
Let's talk about guns, an' shit. Guns
are alot like guitars. They're available
in different shapes, sizes, and colors
with varying wood finishes. Firearms and
guitars are also similarly priced ($200
gets you entry level, $700 for professional-grade
reliability, $2000+ for a timeless collector's
piece). Choosing the right one depends
on what you want to do with it. Are you
going to hunt? Shoot bullseye? Shoot sporting
clays, rimfire silhouette, action pistol,
or IDPA competition? Or are you going
to get your permit to carry? With this
in mind, here are some recommendations
that I've read on other websites:
For
home defense or concealed carry, beginners
should try a .38 caliber revolver. Revolvers
have inherent safety features (such as
a long trigger pull and decocking hammer)
and are simplistic in design. Intermediate
shooters might check out the Beretta 92F
or Glock 17. Some say that the Glock 17
is reliable enough to fire after being
buried in sand or submerged under water
(it's probably internet folklore, but
who knows). High end users will opt for
a .45 caliber model 1911 or SIG P220 (the
SIG is used by Navy SEALs).
I don't know much about hunting rifles,
but I hear the Mossberg 500 is one of
the best shotguns. That's just what I
heard.
Before
you run out and buy the heaviest piece behind the counter, don't
forget to really think about everything you want to do with
that first gun!
As
for me, I neither hunt, nor shoot competitively,
nor carry for self/home defense. I plink.
Plinking is the most casual of shooting
sports. Essentially, you line up some
shit (paper targets, beer cans, computers,
cars, whatever) and fire copious amounts
of lead on it from varying distances at
your trigger finger's leisure. It's bliss.
And
because I take part in such diciplined
and skilled marksmanship (haha yeah right),
my firearms of choice are .22 caliber.
The .22 caliber is a great choice for
plinkers worldwide and here's why:
For the same price of fifty rounds (or five
10-round magazines) of 9mm ammo, I can buy
500 rounds (or fifty 10-round mags) of .22!
And ammo disappears quicker than you expect
(especially when you're the only gun owner
in your circle of friends).
Without
further ado, here is how my first two
guns looked when they were fresh from
the factory.
Ruger MK
II Government Target pistol
.22 caliber semi-automatic
6 7/8" bull barrel
MSRP $400
To
this day, I am greatly pleased with the
MK II. It is reliable and relatively accurate.
See how the grip meets the receiver at
a 55 degree angle? This makes the gun
very natural to point. The barrel is a
heavy 6 7/8" which helps steady aim.
'Tis a superb design and I'm glad it was
my first handgun.
Little
did I know, pistols get lonely. So, after some rifle research,
I picked up a Ruger 10/22.
Ruger Standard 10/22 carbine
.22 caliber semi-automatic
18 1/2" sporter barrel
MSRP $200
Look
at that plain-Jane plinker. Brown stock
and un-scoped— that's a family man's
rifle. Wait 'til you see how wicked-bad
my 10/22 looks after a few modifications.
BTW, the term "carbine" is a
fancy word for a short rifle.
The
Ruger MKII Gov't Target coupled with a
10/22 is a perfect starter kit that can
easily grow (via minor modifications)
into serious contender guns. They're legal
and widely available in all 50 States.
Conveniently, they both use the same ammunition.
There are hundreds of after market accessories
for both guns, meaning an endless array
of custom configurations. And if you ever
found yourself growing apart from the
sport, Rugers have decent resale value.
Practice
There are assholes running amok outside
right now yelling, "practice, practice,
practice!" That is just plain wrong.
You need some coaching, too. If all you
do is practice-practice-practice the mistakes,
you get really good at making the mistakes.
It should be worded "fundamentals,
fundamentals, fundamentals." How
bout a round of applause for my anus...
Evolution
of Equipment
After you learn the ropes and click with
the fundamentals of good safe accurate
shooting, you may want to look at some
equipment upgrades. I'll tell ya, attaching
big aftermarket knick-knacks, bipods,
and lasers sure is fun. Let's start with
the MK II.
Installing a Tasco
electronic red dot sight was the first
modification.
That required removing the iron sights
and adding a B-Square
scope mount.
Next, I replaced the grips
and purchased the mother of all MK II
upgrades: a Volquartsen
LLV barreled action.
CNC machined from "aircraft quality" aluminum,
the LLV features a match chamber, match
bore, and a 6" tensioned barrel topped
by a unique match crown. Note the integral
Weaver-style mount.
This pistol is complete. Blammo!
Below
we see the 10/22 decked out with an Advanced
Technology dragunov-style stock, muzzle
break/flash hider, Tasco
4-16X scope, olive green canvas sling,
and Butler Creek Hot Lips 10-round magazine.
It's an impressive makeover that's as
functional as it is formidable.
The Harris bipod folds neatly.
Inevitably, I switched over to the Muzzelite
bullpup stock. This configuration puts
the receiver behind the grip/trigger.
The stock improves the weight balance
of the rifle and dramatically shortens
it's overall length. Say, that red dot
scope looks familiar.
This rifle is complete, but will it be
a permanent fixture in my collection?
The answer might shock you!
Turns out, these things are like tattoos
and potato chips— ya can't have
just two. So, I ordered one of these Romainian
M1969 bolt action .22s. It has a five
shot removable magazine and it's alotta
fun. I sanded the stock down and painted
it flat olive green. Pretty slick.
Then, Walther came out with the P22, a
smaller scale .22 caliber look-alike of
their P99. When I first heard about this
pistol in early 2003, many people were
having big technical difficulties with
it (e.g. misfires, failures to feed, parts
loosening, etc.). Nevertheless, I picked
one up. I was using CCI Blazer ammo exclusively
at the time because it worked well in
my Rugers. That ammo was absolute shit
in my P22. But because I read so many
stories about manufacturing errors, I
thought that the problem was my shitty
pistol, so I kept tinkering up the wrong
alley. Then, my brother got me a brick
of Winchester Wildcat .22 ammo. Holy shit,
what a difference. Not only did the P22
come to life with the change in ammo,
I was now seeing a huge orange muzzle
flash with every shot. Kick ass. Now that
it works so well, my P22 is one of my
favorite guns to shoot.
Dude, there's only one proper thing to
do with that sweet integral accessory
rail. The Walther-brand laser costs about
$75 bucks and take it from me— it's
the ultimate accessory (next to a suppressor, which ain't allowed in 'Jersey).
And
now, at long last, I have sold my beginner's
Ruger 10/22. Here's why:
DPMS
Panther Arms has engineered a dedicated
.22 caliber AR style rifle. It totally
and whole-heartedly kicks ass.
Once you go AR, there's not much that
a Ruger 10/22 can do for you. It's like
graduating, y'know?
The red dot scope sits on an A.R.M.S.
mount. The foam cheek pad on the ACE skeleton
stock is nice and comfy!
Schpla'dow, that's some uber leet gear,
no doubt about it.
Coming soon: an A to the french-fried
K . . .
.22
Caliber Fact & Fiction
The .22 rimfire is a great cartridge. First off, it's the cheapest
ammunition in production, tolling in at less than a nickle per
shot. So, while your magnum-toting friend is hitting the ATM
machine after two clips, you're hitting bullseyes with plenty
of ammo to spare. Secondly, rimfire bullets have less gunpowder
than larger calibers which means they're less harmful to your
reproductive system (insert fetus golf clap).
.22
is even available in hollow point, tracer/incediary, fragmenting,
and shot shell configurations. How's that for versatility?
However,
it has limitations. Noob loser sniper wannabees on the internet
rant on and on about how their Ruger 10/22 is magically accurate
out to 300 yards ever since they installed product X and performed
modification Y. These people are good writers and even better
imagineers. The icy cold hard fact is this: If God and the late
Carlos Hathcock (the most legendary Marine Corps marksman of
all time) came down to Earth and hand crafted a 10/22 out of
materials humankind has never dreamed of, the .22 caliber bullet
would travel an accurate path between 50 and 100 yards. End
of fucking story. Why? Because the .22 rimfire bullet is small
and light weight and therefore succeptible to all kinds of physics
that do not allow for practical and consistent accuracy beyond
100 yards. Bigger and better rifle bullets can do 300 yards
and beyond with ease. The .22 cannot.
It
don't bark like a .45, and it ain't the
most accurate over distances, but it packs
a wallop (just ask Abe Lincoln). So, whether
you're hunting small game, plinking, training,
or looking for a self-defense round that
won't penetrate three walls behind the
crook, the .22 delivers.
For
strange and bizarre tales of rimfire mayhem,
check out this
thread at Rimfire Central.
Robots
and Firearms: A Recipe For Disaster
About ten times a day, someone will come
up to me and say, "Let's build a
robot that can carry." It's true,
it's true. And no matter how many times
I explain the dangers of robots with opposable
thumbs, relatives, friends, and co-workers
insist on learning the hard way. All robots
are lible to destroy their creators. Remember
this and teach it to your children: Never
ever let a robot of any kind (toaster
oven, answering machine, automobile assembly
line hydraulic arm, etc.) near a gun.
Ray Bradbury was not kidding around.
You
know you're a gun nut if:
You've ever bragged about the size of
the groups your semi-auto throws with
its empty brass.
Your primary cubicle decoration at work
or on your fridge at home is your best
target group.
Your guns are cleaner than your home.
You tag pages in SGN/GL for later reference.
You'd rather have a $10,000 PSG-1 and
drive a $600 car rather than drive a $10,000
car and have a $600 gun.
You rather ban alcohol than hi-cap clips/mags.
If a topless joint with free admission
is half a mile away, and instead you drive
40 miles to the shooting range on a Saturday
night.
You alternate silvertips and hydra-shocks
in your magazines because they look prettier
that way.
You watch La Femme Nikita just to see
the HK MP5s.
You can't figure out why your non-shooting
friends laugh when you say "Bushmaster".
You collect brass even though you only
buy factory ammo.
If "Miller Time" means plinking
at beer cans.
If the highlight of your week is discovering
that six .40 SW hollowpoints fit perfectly
in a plastic 35mm film canister. (5 up/1
down in the middle).
You ever had to explain "It's not
the SAME gun, it's a different VARIANT".
You read the sports section/classifieds
just for the gun ads.
When someone talks about 12 gauge steel,
you wonder if it has anything in common
with shotguns.
You can spot spent brass at 50 paces.
You pick up brass in calibers you don't
shoot, just in case.
You have a drawer full of holsters that
weren't quite right (don't we all?).
You watch old WWII movies and can identify
and look at all the rifles and handguns
but can't remember who starred in the
movie or what it was about.
You buy a gun that is a duplicate of
one you already have because the original
one might break someday.
If 30.06 or 8X57 to you is just as appealing
as 36-24-36.
You drive over fifty miles to buy anything
gun-related.
You own more than two loading presses.
Your non-handloading friends bring you
their empty brass instead of throwing
it away.
You start feeling uneasy if you have
fewer than 500 rounds on hand for your
favorite shooter.
You reflexively count the number of shots
fired by every weapon in the film,then
gripe to your friends when the guns exceed
the capacities.
You
make $50 per hour at work, but spend 30
minutes on your knees at the range looking
for that last piece of reloadable brass.
You read 300-400 messages on rec.guns
every day, in addition to being subscribed
to the Glock, SIG, HK, Kahr, Tactics,
IPSC, and IDPA mailing lists, and you
still wish there was more to do in the
Internet firearms community.
Your telephone number is: 223-2250 or
308-3006 or 303-3040 or some other combination
of three + four digit calibers.
You think there is some special significance
when you glance at a digital clock and
it shows 3:08, 3:57, 2:23, etc., no matter
how many times you see it.
You go to the range just to hang out.
You consider concealed carry every time
you shop for clothes.
You order a new model HK handgun BEFORE
your H&K stocking dealer has even
heard about it, and BEFORE there is even
a set wholesale price on the gun. :-)
If your wife/girlfriend starts using
Hoppes No. 9 instead of perfume to get
your attention.
If all your computer passwords are firearms
related.
You read "rec.guns" before
your morning coffee.
You tape American Shooter so you can
pause, reverse and fast forward to do
a complete analysis of the show.
You visit the range more then twice a
week.
Your wife says to buy a gun she would
like you to sell one first (not funny
but common).
You teenage daughter's next date is introduced
to you while your sitting at the loading
bench cleaning your M-1.
You approach total strangers and ask
if they're going to keep their brass.
You've ever photographed your entire
gun collection, but "insurance purposes"
never entered your mind.
You let your wife go out and blow all
kinds of money on junk she'll never use
just so she won't gripe when you buy that
latest piece you really need for your
collection.
You're
in the army reserves, and they can't figure
out why every time they send you out to
shoot the M60 with 100 rounds, you return
with a shot-out barrel. It never dawns
on them you're bringing your own ammo.
Coming
soon: potato
cannons, rail
guns, and microwave
blasters.
For
more info on shooting, check out the rec.guns
newsgroup.
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