# Just got done shooting for the first time ever!



## Fred40 (Jan 7, 2008)

Well I shot my first handguns today. Went to a local sportsman's club that has an indoor range. The were finishing up some competition shooting (22LR) when I got there. 

Shot a Victor .22 (similar grip to a 1911) with a red dot on it. Shooting from 50ft at a regulation target (damn that black area was small!). Took five shots.......Two in x ring one in the 10 ring and two outside the black.

Then he let me shoot his Colt 1911 .45 (also with a red dot). First shot inside the black.....the rest missed the black but were all on target.

It was fun.....the 45 had more kick of course but nowhere near has much as I would have thought. The difference in the size of the holes is comical. 

Oh.....the Victor had a 2lb trigger and the Colt had a 3.5lb. Which might explain some of the difference. Of course I have a long way to go since I'm not used to ANY kind of trigger. Think I was spoiled by the red dots though. Crazy to see that dot dancing around the black area of the target. All in all I think I did alright for my very first time.........wonder what I could have done had I started 20 years ago (I'm 40). 

My guess is that a Double Action trigger and no red dot would be a whole new ballgame.


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## BeefyBeefo (Jan 30, 2008)

Fred40 said:


> My guess is that a Double Action trigger and no red dot would be a whole new ballgame.


That would definitely be the case, especially since the triggers you were shooting with had very light pulls. But, with practice and more practice you'll get used to pretty much anything :smt023 Welcome to the beloved addiction :smt1099:smt033 Keep on shootin'

-Jeff-


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## Wyatt (Jan 29, 2008)

Though I could be wrong, it sounds like you are hooked.

BTW, there is one other minor difference between 22's and 45's: *THE PRICE!!! :mrgreen:*


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## Fred40 (Jan 7, 2008)

Wyatt said:


> Though I could be wrong, it sounds like you are hooked.
> 
> BTW, there is one other minor difference between 22's and 45's: *THE PRICE!!! :mrgreen:*


Yes indeed (to both being hooked & the price!)

I'll pick up a 22 to start for two reasons:

1) Price (Both of the gun and the ammo)
2) Best to learn the in's and out's with a 22 and see just how much I really do like it before I go out spending big bucks on something larger.

This particular club does not allow anything over 850fps in the indoor range. It's the only indoor range in town. So I'm somewhat restricted on a larger caliber gun if I plan on shooting all winter.


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## gmaske (Jan 7, 2008)

The best thing you can do now is learn as much as you can about the right way to handle that new .22 you're gonna buy. It's a fun as hell sport but there are some responsibilities you need to learn about safe firearms handling and such. Welcome to the club :smt023


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## Wyatt (Jan 29, 2008)

Wow. From a glance at the FBI gelatin tests that means no 9mm, no 357, no 40, and no go even on some 45 and 38 cal.

Yeah, I'd say the 22 is a good choice. :mrgreen:


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

Fred40 said:


> Yes indeed (to both being hooked & the price!)
> 
> I'll pick up a 22 to start for two reasons:
> 
> ...


850 FPS blocks a pair of significant pistol rounds unless you reload. Do they have some magic .40 S&W and 9MM rounds that will function in all guns readily available at their sales counter or are you required to shoot 1911's in 230 grain .45ACP?

:smt1099


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## Fred40 (Jan 7, 2008)

TOF said:


> 850 FPS blocks a pair of significant pistol rounds unless you reload. Do they have some magic .40 S&W and 9MM rounds that will function in all guns readily available at their sales counter or are you required to shoot 1911's in 230 grain .45ACP?
> 
> :smt1099


Well I can tell you that virtually ALL of the guys shooting handguns there are shooting reload 45's (or their shooting 22's....or both). They all shoot red-dots as well.

Outdoor they shoot 25 and 50 yards. These boys are into accuracy at the expenses of everything else. These are not "tactical/defense" shooters. They stand with both feet on the line when shooting two-handed and right foot forward when shooting one handed (if right handed).

That being said I can shoot whenever I want to once I become a member. They simply give you the code to the lock and you are free to shoot whenever.


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

Sounds like you better like .22's and .45's if you want to shoot auto's.

There are several Revolver rounds that pass muster and can handle much hatter loads in other locations.

Where are you located?

:smt1099


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## fivehourfrenzy (Aug 12, 2007)

It's a great feeling after that first time. And it only gets better. Start out with the .22LR, get a feel for it, and when you think you're mentally (and financially ready) to take on a bigger gun, go for it. And even once you move on to a larger caliber, you'll still love knocking out little holes with the .22.

There are plenty of options for .22LR handguns. I'm not familiar with a lot of them, but I know they're out there. I bought a Walther P22 just for cheap plinking and small game hunting. Best $300 I ever spent. You can shoot all day for next to nothing, and it won't wear your hand out after a hundred rounds.


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## john doe. (Aug 26, 2006)

Shooting is like using crack. One hit just won't do and you want more and more and then you spend more and more money to get a fix and then the wife nags ya so you get her hooked too so you both go shooting and she stops nagging about the shooting (notice I didn't say the nagging stops- that goes on till the day you die). A good parent would get thier kids hooked too.


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## fivehourfrenzy (Aug 12, 2007)

tnoisaw said:


> A good parent would get thier kids hooked too.


Word...I had about a 30-minute talk with Mom today and reiterated all kinds of stuff about firearm safety, gun control, etc. Basically explained why guns shouldn't be viewed as monsterous, vicious beasts like they are. Guns don't kill people...they're just tools that someone could use to kill.

If and when I have kids, they'll learn how to use a firearm early on. They'll learn about firearm safety and so forth, and won't grow to be gun-illiterate, or have a negative opinion on guns. They'll know what a gun truly is, and how to respect a firearm instead of fearing it. There's a very gray area between fearing something and respecting it.


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## Fred40 (Jan 7, 2008)

TOF said:


> Sounds like you better like .22's and .45's if you want to shoot auto's.
> 
> There are several Revolver rounds that pass muster and can handle much hatter loads in other locations.
> 
> ...


Would a .357 revolver shooting 38's qualify?

I'm in a small town in northern Michigan.....but not UP northern.


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## Wyatt (Jan 29, 2008)

Fred40 said:


> Would a .357 revolver shooting 38's qualify?
> 
> I'm in a small town in northern Michigan.....but not UP northern.


Some would but it also depends to an extent on barrel length. Check out this chart:

http://www.gunsandammomag.com/ballistics/38_special.html

You'd have to find out how they monitor/approve what you shoot.


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## Fred40 (Jan 7, 2008)

Wyatt said:


> Some would but it also depends to an extent on barrel length. Check out this chart:
> 
> http://www.gunsandammomag.com/ballistics/38_special.html
> 
> You'd have to find out how they monitor/approve what you shoot.


Thanks for the link. Looks like it could work. I can't imagine there is much kick using 38's in a medium frame 4 or 6" 357 revolver.

Now I just need to decide if I want to get a 22 or just get a 357 and practice with 38's. The 357 would cost roughly double what the 22 would. But the 357 could be used has an HD gun where the 22 really can't......I mean it could but it's not what I would want to grab if I really needed to protect the family. I'm drawn to the 357 revolvers.....don't know why. Just something about the simplicity and utility of a good revolver. But if (IF) I want to compete with these guys I don't think I could use a revolver if they are shooting 22's or 45's.

Decisions, decisions.........


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## PanaDP (Jul 20, 2007)

Fred40 said:


> Thanks for the link. Looks like it could work. I can't imagine there is much kick using 38's in a medium frame 4 or 6" 357 revolver.
> 
> Now I just need to decide if I want to get a 22 or just get a 357 and practice with 38's. The 357 would cost roughly double what the 22 would. But the 357 could be used has an HD gun where the 22 really can't......I mean it could but it's not what I would want to grab if I really needed to protect the family. I'm drawn to the 357 revolvers.....don't know why. Just something about the simplicity and utility of a good revolver. But if (IF) I want to compete with these guys I don't think I could use a revolver if they are shooting 22's or 45's.
> 
> Decisions, decisions.........


Is shooting speed a factor? I'm guessing not if the guys shooting .22s are in the same class as the guys shooting .45s. If that is the case, revolvers can be shot very accurately.


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## Fred40 (Jan 7, 2008)

Ok......call me stupid. I just figured out these guys are all "Bullseye" shooters....AKA "Conventional Pistol Competition". 

It's all one handed shooting. 50ft indoor, 25 & 50 yards outdoor. Both slow shooting and speed shooting. The "bullseye" is about the size of the bottom of a coffee can at 50 yards and these guys hit it shooting 45's one handed. Sounds like an expensive hobby if you get serious about it. No "off the shelf" 45's here.


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## babs (Nov 30, 2007)

And the fact you're telling us about it means you were successful at it. hehe.. Congratulations!!! The more you shoot, the more fun it is.. Just remember the rules.. Ah you probably know them but what the heck, I got 'em saved so I'll post 'em here just for giggles. :mrgreen:

RULE I:
ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED.. Period!

RULE II:
NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY

RULE III:
KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET

RULE IV:
BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT'S BEHIND IT


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## PanaDP (Jul 20, 2007)

Fred40 said:


> Ok......call me stupid. I just figured out these guys are all "Bullseye" shooters....AKA "Conventional Pistol Competition".
> 
> It's all one handed shooting. 50ft indoor, 25 & 50 yards outdoor. Both slow shooting and speed shooting. The "bullseye" is about the size of the bottom of a coffee can at 50 yards and these guys hit it shooting 45's one handed. Sounds like an expensive hobby if you get serious about it. No "off the shelf" 45's here.


I see no reason why someone couldn't be very competitive with a nice 4-6 inch double action revolver in competition like that.


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## Wyatt (Jan 29, 2008)

I have an S&W 686 4" and I shoot mostly 38's through it, just enough of the magnum loads to stay sharp with the HD round. It's a great gun and quite accurate actually. Fun to shoot too. I know pistols are all the rage and I own a nice one, but revolvers have their own different kind of cool. There's a timeless beauty to a good revolver.


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

Fred40 said:


> Would a .357 revolver shooting 38's qualify?
> 
> I'm in a small town in northern Michigan.....but not UP northern.


Yes. .38 special should yield 800 FPS give or take a bit

:smt1099


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## JeffWard (Aug 24, 2007)

Somthing tells me MY Buck Mark would not qualify???

Aren't CCI Blazer Hyper Velocity 22LRs out of a 7.25" barrel a LITTLE quicker than 850fps???

Just guessing.

JW


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

PanaDP said:


> I see no reason why someone couldn't be very competitive with a nice 4-6 inch double action revolver in competition like that.


Revolvers haven't been seen in conventional pistol is decades, and are simply not competitive in that game. They are more difficult to use than autos, especially in the Rapid Fire stage, because they must be thumb-cocked for each shot. This is not only slow, but it means the shooter's grip must be readjusted after every shot, often leading to inconsistency in a game that values consistency above everything else.

Still, if one is not taking competition seriously, a good 4" .357 revolver is a great first gun.


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## gmaske (Jan 7, 2008)

You just can't beat a Smith & Wesson 586 or 686 revolver. My first new to me hand gun was a 6" 586 and it is a tack driving sun of a gun with the right .38 special ammo and the weight will negate a chunk of the recoil. If I was to do it over I think I'd be happier with a 4" barrel just for the handiness. I hear tell that the Ruger double action revolver is a keeper too!
The Ruger Mark I, II, and III .22 pistols are wonderful and cheap to shoot. Browning has a sweet .22 simiauto target type pistol too.


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## Fred40 (Jan 7, 2008)

The competition requires a 22, then a 32 or greater and then a .45ACP. A revolver could be used but would handicap you during the rapid fire portion. Virtually everyone shoots just two guns instead of three (using the .45ACP for both the middle portion of the competition in addition to using it during the required .45ACP portion).

The most popular 22 is the S&W 41 which goes for around $900. And custom _accurized_ 1911's that probably start at $1500 and go up from there.

Scopes (Both Red Dot and traditional) are allowed, but no lasers.

The goal is to shoot a 2700 in the completion (90 shots during each portion) with each bullseye hit being worth 10 points. A score of 2700 has never been accomplished. In fact a perfect 900 on a single portion has never been shot....but some have come very close. Oh I was wrong earlier.....the bullseye is 3.3 inches at 50 yards! With the x ring being only 1.7 inches at 50 yards.....shooting standing up.....with one hand.


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