Range Days...

[fm2176]

...start tomorrow.  I'm packed up and ready for an hour or so at the pistol range after work.  It's 9mm day, so I'm bringing a couple Caniks, a couple Rugers, a couple Glocks, and the trusty Beretta M92F.  

 

My schedule varies week to week, but when I open there's ample time to put a few rounds downrange after work.  It's free for military and law enforcement, not to mention employees, so why not start investing in some ammo and actually getting a little more trigger time?  The backyard is good for occasional plinking and once the berm is in place maybe the occasional live-fire defensive training, but for now most actual training (drawing from a holster in various positions, etc.) is all dry fire or with a cold gun.  After the NRA Range Safety Officer Course I attended a few weeks ago, though, I'm planning to pay out-of-pocket for formal defensive and professional training.  The instructor was highly knowledgeable and professional, while at the same time being down to earth.  And hey, it can't hurt to network in case I want a more direct job in the firearms/self-defense industry.

 

I've invited some coworkers to join me if they want to try a few different calibers or pistols, asking only that they consider chipping in on ammo.  More than a few are interested in the Caniks, while some are devout Ruger or Glock haters.  I figure I can help them overcome some of their biases about certain brands or guns, or at least reinforce those prejudices if we have multiple malfunctions or stoppages.  😃 

 

Tying this into typical TIA chat, Packout may become the basis for my pistol range kit.  I'm thinking of the rolling box holding range and cleaning supplies (ear and eye pro, tools, mats, range bag, etc.) along with ammo, a medium box getting fitted with foam inserts for pistols, and organizers holding magazines and spare batteries for optics and lights.  

[Eric - TIA]

Not going to lie, I am jealous.  We don't have many places by me and the ones that are up here are always packed, especially because of winter.  I know I keep saying this but I have to get out to a range soon.  Every time I get out to a range, I always have fun and wonder why I didn't do this sooner.  Have a good time.

[fm2176]

My range day fell through, so I guess I'll get some trigger time Sunday.  A used gun purchase was finalized, so we had a few dozen guns to manually acquire with all attributes.  Weight, length, type, etc.  I ended up working a couple hours over but, being retail, get to cut that time tomorrow to avoid overtime and messing with management's bonuses.

 

So far I have three of our new acquisitions on my radar.  An M1 Carbine, an original Winchester 1892 (made in 1894 based on the serial number), and a Winchester 1897 Riot (made in 1899 based on serial number).  There's also a Steyr M1886 straight pull in its original 11×58mm clambering.  Otherwise, a bunch of sporting shotguns and so on.  It's neat knowing that I may/should soon have one or two guns that may have actually seen the Old West.  The 1892 was the quintessential lever action, being a refinement of the 1886 which replaced the 1873.  The 1894 was the first Winchester lever action designed for rifle cartridges.  I have a modern one in .45 Colt, while my .30-30 was stolen during the burglary I've mentioned before.  The 1897 was popular as both a sporting and defensive shotgun, with the trench gun variants being used in WWI.  

 

The M1 Carbine should be good to go at the range.  Our used gun guy set aside a couple of boxes of .30 Carbine ammo we got in, so those are here at the house waiting for the gun.  The two Winchesters will be taken to a gunsmith for inspection and, if deemed safe to shoot, get a few round put through them in the backyard.  If I decide to get the Steyr it will be a wall hangar.  It was obsolete when adopted by the Austrians (blackpowder large bore cartridge the same year as the French M1886 Lebel with its smokeless 8mm) and only made for a year or so before the M1888 was adopted.

 

The three I'm looking at will come in at around $1000.  The 1892 alone may be worth more than that, so my lack of a range day was well worth it.