results of long-anticipated private lesson

[old lady new shooter]

Happy to report that I finally went for my long-anticipated private lesson yesterday. They did not have any 6" revolvers (except a .44 magnum which I was not about to try!), I shot 4" 686's with two different grips, also tried holding a Ruger I think GP101 which had such a heavy trigger I could not even complete the trigger pull with it unloaded (!), and the instructor said anyway the gun was too small for my hand.

By the end of the session I was happily shooting quite accurately (albeit with a slight bias upward and to the right) at 5 yards. Even tried a few shots one-handed (dominant hand only) and was pleasantly surprised that they were just as accurate and that one-handed actually seemed easier just from the POV of the act of shooting, however my arm got tired from holding the gun out so I went back to two-handed.

I have a zillion questions now but I'm going to break them up into separate posts.

 

[Sam1911]

You GO! Nice job! Fun, isn't it?

 

[Reloadron]

Well, apparently looking at the target, you were paying attention during the lesson(s).

Very nice shooting, especially for a new shooter. What is important is you managed the gun! All in time with practice the shots will improve and the size of the groups will shrink. So congratulations on the milestone and a fine target.

EDIT: Wow that Sam gets around and beat me to it!

Ron

 

[old lady new shooter]

You GO! Nice job! Fun, isn't it?

Not only fun but very empowering.

And thanks for the encouragement.

 

[old lady new shooter]

"Well, apparently looking at the target, you were paying attention during the lesson(s). "

Actually, I would say where I've been paying attention is HERE. In the class I took they didn't spend much time on aim, and really the instructor yesterday also didn't, beyond telling me the top of the front sight has to be level with the top of the rear sight. Since I started hanging out here I've been absorbing everything like a sponge... like some people's sig here says, "Mindset, skillset, toolset, in that order", these several months since the class I've been getting the mindset.

And thanks for the encouragement.

 

[mgkdrgn]

re: the target

I think you got him!

 

[old lady new shooter]

re: the target

I think you got him!

<ggg>

 

[Phaedrus/69]

Well done!

 

[stu1ritter]

If you really like being a sponge and absorbing information, might I suggest http://tinyurl.com/ozrlky2 which is a link to the US Army Advanced Marksmanship Guide. There are 11 chapters plus an Annex and they make excellent reading for anyone interested in the real mechanics of placing an accurate shot. All advanced techniques derive from the basics and these are the basics in detail.
Stu

 

[old lady new shooter]

If you really like being a sponge and absorbing information, might I suggest http://tinyurl.com/ozrlky2 which is a link to the US Army Advanced Marksmanship Guide. There are 11 chapters plus an Annex and they make excellent reading for anyone interested in the real mechanics of placing an accurate shot. All advanced techniques derive from the basics and these are the basics in detail.
Stu

Thank you very much! I read part of it and plan to spend more time with it, I like the clarity and organization.

 

[JTHunter]

OLNS - nice grouping.
If you do that well at 5 yards, try backing off to 10 and see how you do.

BTW - I shoot a 4" GP100 in .357 Magnum, but I started at 50 feet as I prefer to keep them at least that far away.

 

[old lady new shooter]

OLNS - nice grouping.
If you do that well at 5 yards, try backing off to 10 and see how you do.

BTW - I shoot a 4" GP100 in .357 Magnum, but I started at 50 feet as I prefer to keep them at least that far away.

Thanks.

At the very end I decided I wanted to try shooting from further away, so he moved the target to 7 yds, but I only fired 5 shots because I suddenly realized I was exhausted -- 3 went in the 10 area, 1 on the border of the 10 and the 9, and 1 in the 9. I definitely want to try it again when I'm fresher. But first I have to figure out a better grip.

 

[JohnKSa]

...a Ruger I think GP101 which had such a heavy trigger I could not even complete the trigger pull with it unloaded (!), and the instructor said anyway the gun was too small for my hand.

That would be a Ruger SP101. It's a compact version of the GP100 and because it's smaller (less leverage) and the design is slightly different, the trigger pull is typically stiffer than that of the GP100.

You might see if you can handle a GP100 Match Champion. The one I handled had a pretty nice trigger and was, overall, a nice gun. A standard GP100 isn't quite as refined, but it's one you might want to get your hands on as well. The large S&W revolvers (586 & 686) are also very nice and would be a good choice if they fit your hand and shoot well for you.

In my opinion, a 4" or 5" barrel is a good choice for a typical home defense revolver.

 

[old lady new shooter]

That would be a Ruger SP101. It's a compact version of the GP100 and because it's smaller (less leverage) and the design is slightly different, the trigger pull is typically stiffer than that of the GP100.

You might see if you can handle a GP100 Match Champion. The one I handled had a pretty nice trigger and was, overall, a nice gun. A standard GP100 isn't quite as refined, but it's one you might want to get your hands on as well. The large S&W revolvers (586 & 686) are also very nice and would be a good choice if they fit your hand and shoot well for you.

In my opinion, a 4" or 5" barrel is a good choice for a typical home defense revolver.

They didn't have too many rental revolver choices, I think for this caliber just the two 4" 686's, the Ruger, and a snubbie which I didn't even look at the make or model of because I want a full-size one. The 686 with the Hogue grips seems to me to fit my hand but I'm going to carefully do Jeff's test when I go back so I can report back here.

 

[TomJ]

Outstanding. Maybe you can teach me how to shoot

 

[boatdoc173]

Happy to report that I finally went for my long-anticipated private lesson yesterday. They did not have any 6" revolvers (except a .44 magnum which I was not about to try!), I shot 4" 686's with two different grips, also tried holding a Ruger I think GP101 which had such a heavy trigger I could not even complete the trigger pull with it unloaded (!), and the instructor said anyway the gun was too small for my hand.

By the end of the session I was happily shooting quite accurately (albeit with a slight bias upward and to the right) at 5 yards. Even tried a few shots one-handed (dominant hand only) and was pleasantly surprised that they were just as accurate and that one-handed actually seemed easier just from the POV of the act of shooting, however my arm got tired from holding the gun out so I went back to two-handed.

I have a zillion questions now but I'm going to break them up into separate posts.

good job. so much fun--so little $$

our first real lesson took plac e on a close d range--just us and our teacher-- it was a great time--money well spent--keep up the good work

 

[old lady new shooter]

Outstanding. Maybe you can teach me how to shoot

You're being silly but thanks for the encouragement.

I have to admit that I am already fantasizing a little about teaching other old ladies though.

 

[old lady new shooter]

good job. so much fun--so little $$

our first real lesson took plac e on a close d range--just us and our teacher-- it was a great time--money well spent--keep up the good work

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[thump_rrr]

Great shooting but why does that target give me the impression that you are shooting someone in the back?

 

[old lady new shooter]

Great shooting but why does that target give me the impression that you are shooting someone in the back?

That was the target they gave me. They have some other ones there, I didn't check to see if any of them look more like an actual person, but it looks to me like if that were the front, then anywhere in the 10 area would get at least a lung and maybe also the heart. I'll look more closely at the ones they have next time I go (maybe tomorrow, my hand is thankfully way better but I think maybe waiting one more day would be most prudent), and also ask if they have limitations on ones I would bring myself. I've heard some gun ranges don't allow targets that look like real people. When I get ready to start practicing head shots I figure if necessary I can just draw a correctly-sized round-cornered inverted triangle on a paper plate, nobody should be able to complain about that.

At the introductory class I took a few months ago (my only previous shooting experience), which was not at this range, we first had ones that looked like a real person and included a light outline of the vital organs, I'd love to find those somewhere, no luck so far. After that we had the one of the BG slightly crouched forward holding a handgun, I have seen that one all over the internet. My "success moment" in that class was we were going to shoot .45's at that one and just as I was about to take my first shot my assigned partner yelled "Shoot the gun out of his hand!"... I didn't get the gun but I got him in the knuckles, I couldn't believe it.

 

[Jeff White]

That is a newer designed target that is supposed to teach the shooter to aim for the upper torso where the heart and lungs are located and a better aiming point for a faster stop.

Older targets had the 10 ring located lower which isn't as optimum an aiming point.

 

[old lady new shooter]

That is a newer designed target that is supposed to teach the shooter to aim for the upper torso where the heart and lungs are located and a better aiming point for a faster stop.

Older targets had the 10 ring located lower which isn't as optimum an aiming point.

The stylized one I shot the other day is the newer one?

 

[Jeff White]

Yes, several years ago they started making training targets with the X ring higher as the science now says the optimum place to hit someone to stop their hostile action is between the nipples. There are still plenty of targets with the X ring lower but many agencies are training to make hits higher now.

 

[boom boom]

FYI, the Ruger GP100 can have grips as narrow as you want them if you want a better fit to your hand. Design of its frame allows perhaps the narrowest grips that can be put on a full size revolver without frame alterations. I have small hands so that boot grips on a J Frame Snubbie Revolver are about perfect. Std Grips on the GP100 feel like gripping a two by four which affects my accuracy. My wife on the other hand has long fingers and finds them just fine.

Not sure about whether the Ruger SP 101 has the same frame type.
S&W and most other revolvers have a frame that limits how narrow the grip can be without major alterations.

On heavy triggers, use the power crease rather than the tip of the trigger finger (crease in first joint of the trigger finger) in order to control the heavier trigger better. Gives you more leverage--it may slightly diminish accuracy at distance but might not. Try finding videos and/or books of old school trainers such as Tom Givens or Mas Ayoob who carried revolvers on duty. Jim Cirillo and Bill Jordan also have good insight in their books on use of the revolver. The best of the new breed of trainers is perhaps Grant Cunningham with his revolver books--one introduces you to revolvers and the other on how to use them in personal defense--I can recommend both of Grant's books as well as the authors above.

 

[danez71]

You're being silly but thanks for the encouragement.

I have to admit that I am already fantasizing a little about teaching other old ladies though.

I applaud your efforts and dedication. And the results show.



Don't discriminate against the young ... teach them too, please(!)

Seriously. Good job....Way to GO!!!!!