Ammo and the Range

Went to the range yesterday. I was supposed to meet a friend of mine from work there, but for some reason he never showed up. I arrived about 4:00pm, and luckily there were very few people there. The air was a little cold, but a nice day overall.

First thing I noticed was a fellow with several handguns firing indiscriminately at several targets, jumping from one range corridor to the next. Personally, I don't care, but stay out of my lane, buddy. I ended up doing all of my reloads right in the lane. I hung several clean targets up and commenced firing.

It amazes me how quickly you can go through rounds. I took roughly 150 rounds with me, and was done shooting in just under a 1/2 hour. I did experience a few misfires, which shocked me a bit (the gun didn't go boom like it should have and ejected a live shell.) These were Wolf 9mm ammo from Russia, steel jacketed, and, finding out after the fact, known for their inaccuracy and many misfires. Of course that explains why the rounds were so cheap. Let that be a lesson to me. Yes, they were just for target shooting, but nonetheless, a bit unsettling when the gun doesn't do what you want it or expect it to do. There was actually a dimple in the primer cap from where the firing pin hit it. Russ (owner of the range) said I could recycle the round through the barrel, but he wouldn't recommend it. This brand of ammo is dirty.

1)Projectile (the actual piercing round)
2)Casing (holds it all together)
3)Gunpowder or propellant
4)The rim, part used for loading
5)Primer or powder ignitor

Picture compliments of wikipedia




The next time I buy ammo, I'm going to be sure to use a better brand. I've heard Independence is excellent, and Federal firearms. A bit more pricey, but worth it in less rounds wasted.

As far as my accuracy goes, I am getting better, having adjusted my grip and stance a bit. I use a somewhat modified Weaver stance. I was told, based on my grouping, that I'm tightening my support hand a little too much which is throwing off my aim just before the trigger is pulled. Preparation, perhaps? I'll make some adjustments the next time I go.

BULLETin Board Forums

I love to read, love to learn things, and even love to shoot, now that I've started actually understanding how a firearm works. I set out to find a decent bulletin board that met my needs in terms of safety, knowledge and know-how. I've found it in FirearmsTalk.

As I researched, I found there are a LOT of forums advocating their own personal interpretations of the 2nd amendment. What their agenda's might be, I don't know, and it didn't take long for me to abandon forums who believed shoot to kill was a god given right. As I've said before, I don't want to shoot anyone, but hope that in my heart I'll be able to pull the trigger if I ever need to in defense of home or family.

There are bad people in the world, no doubt about it, but there are also lots of good people too. A lot of these good people, with guns, attend this particular forum. They have no qualms about calling out liars and fakes, people impersonating military personnel, law enforcement officers and the like. (As reprehensible as it sounds, they're out there) They believe in safety, in responsible gun ownership and taking responsibility for your actions.

On a side note, I've joined the NRA, associate member. I haven't received my decal, number or card yet, but once I do, it's going in my wallet right next to my nursing license and eventually my CPL.

Cleaning the weapon

I looked forward to cleaning my weapon for the first time. There's something about tearing an instrument of self-defense apart, making it gleam like new (albeit it an oily residue on certain surfaces) and putting it all back together. After firing 50+ rounds at the range, my hands covered in spent powder and smelling of smoky potassium nitrate, charcoal and just a whiff of sulfur, I knew it was time. What kind of responsible gun owner would I be going to the range with a dirty weapon? Sakes!

Once again, I turned to the interweb to instruct me in the proper cleaning of my handgun. I had purchased a handgun cleaning kit (for $32.00) that didn't have any solvent or gun oil, nor instructions, so I had to spend a bit more getting that stuff. It did have a lot of neat attachments, most of which I still have no idea what they do. I grabbed several cleaning rags, spread everything out on the table on a clean towel and got to work.

Granted, 50 rounds is not a lot. In fact, I've heard of people putting several hundred rounds through their handgun before cleaning it. Todd Jarrett fired 1000 rounds in 10 minutes Why? as a personal record. Considering the guy's accuracy, the strength and stamina required to pull off such a feat, I'm the last one to question why any gun owner does what he does with his weapon, but I can't imagine what the bore of his handgun looked like. But for me, my handgun had visible powder residue on the slide, and friends, that just won't do.

For the most part, cleaning the handgun is a simple process. Take it apart, and clean the individual parts. Use the scrub brush (some people use a toothbrush) and solvent to clean the barrel then scrub and rub. My particular handgun is half high-tech polymer plastic, half metal. Don't ignore the polymer half. I found crud in the slide, more than I thought there would be. I was also very stingy with the oil, and avoided putting it in the barrel. Apparently doing so can cause problems such as jams and poor accuracy due to a buildup on powder and oil making a sludgy mess.

The hardest part was cleaning the spring. I did my best to remove the spring, but it just wouldn't come off. So, I used solvent, scrubbed, then a clean cloth with oil and wiped it down around the springs, then just a plain cloth, rubbing until it came away clean.

Putting it back together with a cha-chink as the slide engaged signalled it's readiness and willingness to be fired once again. Soon, my little friend... soon.

As an added bonus, yesterday I found a great deal on 9mm ammo. 12.99/box of 50, so I bought 100 rounds. Also, I learned, while at the range, that my mag actually holds 15 rounds plus 1 in the chamber. I wonder if that's going to cause problems for me down the line because the paperwork I received from Classic Arms said it was a 6 round mag (what?!) and that's what I turned in to the LPD. I should have paid more attention to it, but I only recently discovered this error while reviewing my paperwork.

More soon, bullet-heads.

Home on the Range

I finally had the opportunity to take my weapon to the range today. Old Sargeant Major Sealander would be proud, I think, wiping a tear from his eye with a calloused finger. I did a lot of research about stances, handgrips, background on the weapon I was using and basic handgun safety. Well prepared is well armed. (ha ha) Anyhow, I went to a little shooting range called The Family Shooter's Corral in Eaton Rapids, MI. I was surprised at the ease in which the trigger could be pulled, not that I was caught off guard. In fact, one of the guys there said, "It ain't gonna bite ya!" Well, this dog does bite, and I'll handle it accordingly, thanks.

I practiced firing a few shots at a few metal plates quite a distance away (at least 20 yards away) and hit a fair number of them, though in truth, shooting anyone from that distance wouldn't be considered self-defense, at least I don't think it would. Anyhow, after about 25 shots I decided to try it on a few paper targets at 10 yards. I waited for the next cease fire, grabbed a couple targets and applied them to the pallet board used as backing. The cool thing about this range is they provide ear plugs and paper targets for free, with what I considered a decent fee for range time ($7.00 a half hour). Plus the owner is a friendly fellow with a handgun holstered on his waist. :)

In target 1, I fired off 9 rounds (heh... thought there were 10 in the mag) and hit the target, which for me, was surprising enough. While 10 yards truthfully is not a great distance, someone out to get you will probably do so in less than 10 yards. In target 2, my groupings were a lot more focused. I held the target, bullet holes and all up to my chest, and chuckled, whispering "center mass".

Not bad for my first time out. Plus, I learned a few things. First, there were a few guys down the row from me that had really loud (my ears are still ringing) rifles. I had originally purchased these "military grade" earplugs from a PX near me, and they were crap. If this is what the military uses, then I fear for our soldiers hearing. I ended up using foam inserts that made me practically deaf. Second, I had considered purchasing a laser site that mounts to the end of the barrel, but after witnessing another handgunner and the unsteadiness of the human hand, plus the accuracy with my handgun sans site, I'll just stick to the basics.

Cool day, rain and all.

You bought a what?!?

Exercising one's second amendment right is not as easy as it sounds:

A well regulated militia, being the best security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

The original statement in the Bill of Rights differed greatly from this watered down version, and is as follows:

That a well-regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.

It's an interesting read, that historical document we call the constitution. I reviewed it carefully before purchasing my current firearm, which I'll get to in just a moment. Even more interesting are the attempts by government to subvert the amendment, to change it to suit their needs. After all, what government in its right mind would want to arm the very populace they are attempting to control? I know, it all sounds very conspiracy-ish. But no other amendment has been re-interpreted so many times to suit the individual attempting to justify their particular agenda.

Whew. That was a mouthful. I hemmed and hawed for quite some time before purchasing my weapon, something I have wanted for a long time. No, I have no desire to shoot anyone, or kill small animals, or stop signs, or even Welcome to! signs dotted with buckshot spread across this country of ours.

Buying a handgun is not as difficult as you might think. You must purchase a permit-to-buy from your local police department (in my case, $5) then take that form with you to the gun dealer. There is a portion they are required to fill out, and then you must return the document to the police department within 10 days. Being the anal retentive individual I am, I got everything done in one day. I bought my Ruger P95PR semi-automatic 9mm dual action handgun from Classic Arms, the epitome of what a gun store should be. I walked in and was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer number of weapons available for sale. Handguns in several cases, rifles stacked neatly along the back wall. A gunsmith on site, ammunition for practically every make and model, eye and ear protection, targets, clothing, sights, scopes... the list goes on and on. If you live in Lansing and are interested in obtaining a firearm for sport or defense, or just cuz you like to shoot stuff, you should definitely check them out.
I was shown a large number of handguns, starting with a simple .22 caliber that was good for "shooting pop cans or paper targets" all the way up to the pricey, but still impressive Glock 17. This weapon, however, was a bit outside my price range. At nearly $600 (a deal for a glock, apparently) it was just a wee bit too much for what I was looking for.

So what was I looking for? I had asked myself that several times before even venturing into the "gun store" and had decided that definitely home defense, something with stopping power (I don't want to shoot someone at all, much less more than once) accurate at close range, and intimidating. I found all this and more in the Ruger.

The company Ruger that is based in Prescott, AZ gave birth to my handgun, their corporate site can be found here. I like Ruger. They're an upstart, an underdog that the biggies like Remington, S&W and the other large gun companies didn't think would make it. Online videos I have watched all praise the P95.

In this blog, I'll be detailing my experiences with the Ruger, my time at the gun range, my targets, posted with much humility and apprehension, and other tidbits regarding my foray into this strange new and exciting world.