2003 - The Year in Shooting

[Brass Balls]

What were your shooting related highlights this year?

 

[ChiefPilot]

Started again

I guess the big thing this year for me was a renewed interest. I had last been seriously interested in shooting perhaps six years or so ago, and at the time had a couple of .22 rifles and a Ruger Mk II (still have them all). This year, I got back into it and purchased some additional hardware :

1) Bushmaster A3 Carbine (because I've always wanted an AR-type rifle)
2) Ruger P89 (ugly, heavy, but reliable)
3) Springfield MilSpec 1911 (stainless - my 'carry' gun)
4) Springfield MilSpec 1911 (parkerized - might sell it)
5) Browning Hi Power (Polished blue 'Capitan' model - simply wonderful)

I also got a Minnesota carry permit, and get to the range perhaps once a week.

 

[Ryder]

I took a couple of ignorant Canadians to the gun range for their first time shooting. They learned a lot and had a great time.

What about you?

 

[Brass Balls]

What about you?

The one that stands out the most was going big game hunting for my first time. Three friends and I went to Wyoming and two of us harvested elk. Perhaps it was beginers luck but I was one of the guys to get an elk.

The trip was really enjoyable in beautiful country and the icing on the cake was getting home and sharing the meat with my family. They all, like myself, found the meat to be delicious!

 

[CZ 75 BD]

2 events...

CRFFL and Florida permit arrived last week.

 

[P95Carry]

Guess it depends a bit on how I define ''Highlights''. Bought way too many guns for a start ....... but did achieve one goal which was to expand the hand cannon selection.... .454 Raging Lunatic and .454 SRH. Too little range time tho.

Also added some more oddments to loading accessories ... and now have to get going on what could well be ..... hmmm .... a week's reloading! So many cals!

Otherwise ...... purely cos I was so delighted to get it .... this pic (which many have seen) of my Raging Lunatic .454 muzzle flash .. it had to have been partly luck but .. it was for me a highlight - of sorts!

 

[Preacherman]

I had a number of highlights.

First, my collection grew too big for my gunsafe, so I had to buy another one - I now have a gunsafe at either end of the house!

Second, my milsurp and military-type collection expanded nicely. I now have (in alphabetical order):

AK-47 (7.62x39mm);
AR15 (5.56x45mm);
K-31 Swiss (7.5mm);
Krag-Jorgensen 1898 Infantry rifle (.30-40);
M1 Carbine (.30 Carbine);
M1 Garand (.30-'06);
Mauser 98K (7.92mm);
Mosin-Nagant 91/30 (7.62x54R);
Mosin-Nagant carbine (model 44?) (ditto);
SKS (Russian and Yugoslavian) (7.62x39mm).

Third, my overall collection went up by about 50%. I traded and sold quite a few guns, and got a whole lot more - a very successful trading year, probably my best yet. Tamara and I were working this out the other day, and it looks like I've finally equalled the size of her collection!

 

[Correia]

I actually won some matches.

 

[longtom4570]

My highlight was getting back into 1911s whoohoo

 

[stevelyn]

My 2003 highlights include a FN BHP, a Gazelle Arms O/U 12ga, and a .54 caliber Lyman GPR.
2004 is starting off with a C&R application.

 

[timbo]

I bought my first gun, but just one of what will be many.

 

[JonnyB]

Minnesota became a Shall-Issue state, and I received a Florida license to carry a concealed firearm and weapon. I can legally carry in 26 states!

JB

 

[Steve Smith]

Getting my Master classification at Camp Perry, and my first Leg points. Those two weeks were phenomenal.

 

[BerettaNut92]

Bringing in some plaques (ok it was only for C class but still....) at the steel matches.

Discovering Scott Reitz's school.

Getting my CCW.

 

[Denny Hansen]

Bought a few more firearms and attended quite a bit of training.

Thanks to the efforts of Rich, Dennis, Betty, and a great staff of writers S.W.A.T. increased from 80 to 100 pages and going stronger than ever.

Hosted a lot of CCW classes and brought quite a few fence-sitters strongly into the RKBA camp.

Denny

 

[ojibweindian]

My highlights for the year;

1. Bought a Winchester Model 70
2. Reloading equipment, and my first .30-06 hand loads

2004 preview
1. A good Nikon 4x or Weaver K4

 

[ACP230]

I was able to hunt deer with both my sons in November.
The older one has been at school and too busy to get into the woods much, for the past two years. I was glad he could be there this fall.
My youngest is going to start hunting small game and deer with a bow next year, so he came along to see what happens in deer season.
We had a fine time, even though no deer showed up.

A couple of months earlier I organized a combination picnic and private subgun shoot one evening. We shot quite a bit and even hit some of the steel targets. After the finale, which involved Tannerite, we were standing around talking before going home. As we were talking a pack of wolves started howling within a couple hundred yards. That capped the night off very well.

 

[Monkeyleg]

Finally got a new pistol after a two-year hiatus, and I shoot it better than any of my other handguns. Hey, I'll take any good news that I can get!

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Lessee, this year I picked up:

1. Euroarms 1858 Remington repro .44 cap & ball. (Still need to shoot it.)
2. S&W Model 14 .38 Special.
3. Ruger GP-100 .357 Magnum (Via a trade.).
4. Ruger Blackhawk .357/9mmP.
5. Savage 93GL .22 Magnum (Via a trade.)
6. EMF/Rossi Hartford Model 1892 Short Rifle .357 Magnum.
7. Underwood M1 Carbine (Thanks Dad!).
8. No.4 Mk.II Lee-Enfield (Ditto.)
9. No.1 Mk.III Lee-Enfield (Ditto.)
10. Colt New Service .44 WCF (since traded off).
11. CZ-52.
12. Century G3 clone (Via trade.)
13. M1891/30 Mosin-Nagant.
14. Norinco Trench Gun (Traded off to get the GP-100).
15. 5 20-round PMI mags for my Mini-14.

Wow, it's been a good gun year!

 

[Bainx]

What were your shooting related highlights this year?

glad you asked.

Started reloading for Trapdoor 50/70. What a hoot
Started shooting black powder rifle
Started shooting 9mm after much resistance
Started shooting a 1911 after much resistance
Started shooting air rifles

All-in-all, a very good shooting year!

 

[dukeofurl]

Went from no-nothing novice to total gun nut/match director in less than a year

Dec 26 - Fired first gun. A .22.

Bought my first a few months later.

Shot competitively for the first time in May.

Bought 15 guns, started doing the gun shows, adding to my collection, etc

Awarded the match director title in October, ran first match in November

It's worked out well.

 

[lee n. field]

Started off the year getting a nice nickel plated Model 19-4. "Pinned and recessed." "Ohhhh, shiny!"

Finally went to a class, and got some formal handgun training, after many years of blasting away in ignorance.

 

[Brass Balls]

I became a life member of the NRA.

 

[sully]

A few that come to mind:

1. I was able to teach more carry permit courses since Minnesota became a shall issue state. I even got to have Oleg at my course. Got to travel across the US to teach more courses to Law Enforcement.

2. Got to train with BJ Johnson at the APT Academy.

3. Got to shoot with Rob Leathum in Montrose Colorado.

4. Got to spend 2days with Mike Aultman from Warrior Mindset.

5. Got to train with Max Joseph from TFTT.

6. Got a mention in the December issue of SWAT Magazine.

Stay Safe,
Greg Sullivan "Sully"
www.thedefensiveedge.com

 

[Trebor]

Steve Smith Said: Getting my Master classification at Camp Perry, and my first Leg points. Those two weeks were phenomenal.

Congragulation Steve! I know what an accomplishment that is. Now for Distinguished! (Next year, right? )