# New range, rented a dream gun, got my LAZOR on!



## Gruesome (Apr 30, 2013)

My wife went to some crafty fair and expo somethingorother, so I had to go do something manly.

I only took my CZ P-09 Duty in 40 because I wanted to A) get more experience with my newest gun and 2) work with the laser sight I just put on it. I had never worked with a laser sight so I had some learning to do. I went to a new range, Gat Guns in East Dundee IL. Cool place. BIG place. Lots of guns for rent, and lo and behold one of them was a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan! Oh yeah! I didn't want to ruin my hand with 50 rounds of 44 mag so I just bought 44 special and took that little sweetheart for a test drive.

Alaskan - NICE! I actually shot well with it, for a 2.5 inch barrel. I think my revolver technique is better than my semi-auto technique. Of all my guns I shoot best with the Smith & Wesson model 66. The 44 special rounds were smooth as buttah and my 50 rounds were over far too quickly. I still wont pay near a thousand dollars for that thing, but it was nice to spend a little time with it. 

CZ P-09 - NICE! I still wish I could have this in 9mm but the commies in my home town say 15 rounds in the limit. I put a few mags through the iron sights and really slowed down to try to isolate my bad habits. I shoot infrequently enough that my bad habits keep creeping back because I don't build enough muscle memory through constant practice. But 45 rounds later, after slow and careful practice, I had them fairly well under control. Then I flipped on the laser and used it as my aiming device, still holding the gun largely s I did before. 4 inches low, but tight groupings, so I fished out the dainty little gonna-get-lost-some-day hex wrench and adjusted the laser. 1 inch low. I can live with that as it is within my own sloppy limits.

Then I started to get tired and my bad habits started reappearing. One great thing about the laser is that you can totally see your recoil anticipation. Of course, you can see that when the bullet lands 6 inches south of the bull, but the quick dip of the dot is another tell tale sign. I think it helped me identify and fight the anticipation. My results were mixed the rest of the day until I quit way too tired and quit after 250 rounds.

So what did we learn class? The laser does NOT make me Buck Rogers. Dangit. Nor does it automatically make me a better shooter, but I didn't expect it would. I understand what the laser/light combo is for and I have realistic expectations. Actually, I just wanted a light, but this Streamlight TLR 2 was a freaking STEAL so I go the combo. The laser is a novelty, but if it can help diagnose and cure my bad habits at the range then it will have served it's purpose.

Also, Gat Guns is a great place. I felt very well attended by friendly and knowledgeable staff. Gun stores can be a bit stiff and unfriendly but those guys are very good. Shame it is an hour away from me. :-(

-Gruesome


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