Well, I just walked back in the door after my first shotgunning experience.
After my post here of a couple weeks ago looking for some pointers on getting started in the shotgun sports, our very own Dave McCracken invited me out for a morning shoot at the Prince George's County Skeet and Trap Range.
First off, this is a beautiful facility behind the Goddard Space Flight Center and right in the middle of one of the most anti-gun counties in one of the most anti-gun states in the country (there's some poetic justice there....but that's destined for another thread). Even with copious amounts of snow and ice covering every surface at the facility there were a fair number of people there brave enough to face the cold and WIND on a Sunday morning.
After a brief talk in the clubhouse we headed on out to the range where Dave showed me the manual of arms of the Model 870 he was kind enough to bring along for me to use. We went over the basics of trap shooting...stance, point shoot, follow through and I shot out a round by my lonesome.
By this time we needed to warm up so we headed back to the confines of ol' blue, my 1990 Dakota for some heat and great conversation.
Over the next hour or so we shot two more rounds together along with some other folks interspersed wth some more trips back to the truck.
I can't think when I've had a more enjoyable couple of hours. I know I say this a lot....but THR may be the single most valuable resource that I've encountered as I've become involved in firearms over the last year. Far beyond the seemingly endless print information found on the board, there is a comraderie that I don't see being replicated anywhere else in the shooting community (OK....in Maryland at least
).
Having a mentor with the range and depth of experience of someone like Dave McCracken actually take time out of their day to introduce a newbie to another shooting sport is a special thing. This guy knows his stuff and made a half-decent trap shooter out of me...even with high winds making those birds jump all over the place!
So a public thanks to you Dave....like Ahnold says in the movie, "I'll be back"
p.s. If you guys have not read Dave's 101 series of posts here on THR, you're missing out. Just do a search on 101 and sit back and learn.
After my post here of a couple weeks ago looking for some pointers on getting started in the shotgun sports, our very own Dave McCracken invited me out for a morning shoot at the Prince George's County Skeet and Trap Range.
First off, this is a beautiful facility behind the Goddard Space Flight Center and right in the middle of one of the most anti-gun counties in one of the most anti-gun states in the country (there's some poetic justice there....but that's destined for another thread). Even with copious amounts of snow and ice covering every surface at the facility there were a fair number of people there brave enough to face the cold and WIND on a Sunday morning.
After a brief talk in the clubhouse we headed on out to the range where Dave showed me the manual of arms of the Model 870 he was kind enough to bring along for me to use. We went over the basics of trap shooting...stance, point shoot, follow through and I shot out a round by my lonesome.
By this time we needed to warm up so we headed back to the confines of ol' blue, my 1990 Dakota for some heat and great conversation.
Over the next hour or so we shot two more rounds together along with some other folks interspersed wth some more trips back to the truck.
I can't think when I've had a more enjoyable couple of hours. I know I say this a lot....but THR may be the single most valuable resource that I've encountered as I've become involved in firearms over the last year. Far beyond the seemingly endless print information found on the board, there is a comraderie that I don't see being replicated anywhere else in the shooting community (OK....in Maryland at least
).Having a mentor with the range and depth of experience of someone like Dave McCracken actually take time out of their day to introduce a newbie to another shooting sport is a special thing. This guy knows his stuff and made a half-decent trap shooter out of me...even with high winds making those birds jump all over the place!
So a public thanks to you Dave....like Ahnold says in the movie, "I'll be back"
p.s. If you guys have not read Dave's 101 series of posts here on THR, you're missing out. Just do a search on 101 and sit back and learn.