Understanding.

[sm]

They call it understanding
A willingness to grow
I'm finally understanding
There's so much I can know
-Understanding
-Bob Seger.

http://www.thesonglyrics.com/songlyrics/segerbob/segerbobsonglyrics94.html

Maybe I should have used Humble Pie’s” Thirty Days In The Hole”.

No matter, I can do this in 30 days. Some say there is a fine line in being confident and being cocky. Damn I am good, I have done this before, I can do it again.

Lady asked about Shotgunning, my name referred.
“I had a really bad experience the first time I tried a shotgun, I’m told you like a challenge, you got one if you want me.”

She bought a BB Gun today and some ping pong balls. She did not wince, or make a fuss when I busted off the sights. She listened.
When asked if I could put hands on her body, she knows my reputation, permissions granted. I was positioning her body correctly.
She started Brister’s Book today.
I will have her breaking targets using Correct Basic Fundamentals in Thirty Days.

Mutual lady friend, whom I taught back when, recommended me. Explained how better women to teach women. Former ‘student’ is capable of teaching, the part about being friends getting in the way…I was recommended.

This new student does not have a shotgun of her own. I have access to some to use for her. She understands learning before she buys; she understands trying before she buys.

Most likely I will start her out on an 1100 in 28 ga.

I assure you in 30 days she will break targets, she will feel confident, and she will not feel inferior.

Interesting timing.

I will be busy with a new semester. I will be busy as an instructor to a receptive student.

She is probably right now online looking for 3 books I said she had to have. She had to do 25 Correct mounting to face with her BB Gun first. She will read from a Borrowed Brister book as so assigned by me tonight as well.

She is thanking me; it is I that is thanking her.

Understanding.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Paying back by paying forward. That's the only way some debts can be squared up, life lessons learned early paid for with life lessons taught later, always students of one teacher becoming teachers of their own students in time. So it goes with most things that for humans are really worth knowing. Passing it along, keeping it going- only way to go.

Good for you again, Steve, keep it up.

lpl/nc

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Passing forward...

Thank you Steve.

I wish I had known Brister's methods when teaching my own son to shoot, although he's a passable wing shot today (better than me )

You can bet I'll use his methods on my grandchildren when they come of age. Of the eight of them, Tyler and Sadie are almost sure to be shooters, and probably the twin girls too (being Jimmy's girls). I hope to turn the other four into shooters too, but they are city kids whose parents aren't much into shooting.

 

[TrapperReady]

Steve - You're a good man!

Although I truly love shooting, nothing brings a bigger smile to my face than helping someone else along. I don't have the experience yet to truly coach someone, but I have been very succesful in "providing a spark".

Newbies get the basics of safety (4 Rules, eyes and ears, gun handling). Established shooters get a safety refresher. Both get fitted to a gun (one reason I've got a pretty broad collection) and suitable ammo. I also make sure to check eye dominance and describe its importance.

We then work from the ground up, starting with stance, then mount, then swing. I then have them shoot some going away targets and help them make corrections until they're breaking them with some consistency. This usually comes pretty fast and generates big grins all around.

I'll often bring them around for a full round of clays, mostly to show them how relaxed and social the game can be... and also to give them a taste of the different targets. I make sure to pick courses which are heavy on easy going away targets and make SURE to wrap up the round at a station where they get several hits.

 

[sm]

Never say die, never say no
You got to look 'em in the eye and don't let go
When it's your own blood you'll bleed
And your own tears you'll cry
When you're brought up to believe
That it's the strong who survive
Never say die, never say die... (that's right)

-Never Say Die
-Bon Jovi

Update: Ahead of Schedule.

As shared with some off-forum, this lady had "bad experiences" with a shotgun, from being behind one and from muzzle view.

So not only are we learning about how to shoot a Shotgun , we are also overcoming some other matters.

Safety, Communication, Willingness, Desire, and Respect.

These are components needed by both Instructors and Students.

As Staff and Mods know, I started to share, with the student's own words earlier. I decided it was not best to post and deleted it. She was fine, in fact comfortable with posting- I explained why I thought best not to.

She understands why after we discussed this - she is beginning to understand how I think out of the box and why my attitudes are what make me - me.

She knows all too well how one cannot buy skill and targets. One has to hit their own bottom before they can be receptive to some things in life. Bad stuff happens to good folks.

She is working very hard at this, doing everything assigned and then some. We do have some fun with all this, one has to let the brain rest and absorb everything as well.

I/we decided to not post how we are going about matters. I simply shared anyone that wanted to know could use a search feature and learn from various threads by Dave and many others here. Dave posted many links and 101 threads.

The reality is, many folks really do not want to learn. Instead argue, be a keyboard kommando, or buy skill and targets.

This lady,like many of us, has seen the gates of hell, felt the heat, smelled the brimstone.

This is why this lady WILL : If she can see it - she will fell it.

For instance see has observed Skeet. She had never seen anyone use Low 8 for a Tueller drill until I demonstrated.

Be it clay, critter, or criminal - Earned, Learned and Practiced Skills - not store bought.

Dave knows the following story:

Mr. Tom Givens-
- one of a dozen books you were so gracious to sign many years ago for me - found its way to this lady. Your book is what allowed her to heal , and get the grit to fight smarter.

She sends a big Thanks to you sir. I thank you again as well.

Regards,

Steve

 

[sm]

*Grin*

Do I know how to show a lady a great time or what?

We finally rec'd some much needed rain here. So what do I do? I get the lady out in the rain, in her new tennis shoes.

In a perfect world it would be 70 F , no humidity, with the perfect lighting. Since the world ain't perfect...

All that reading, correct mounting of gun to face, repetitions (50 min a day now, she has done 75 some days), the slivers of orange "targets" in the house, the mat with foot position I made for her, and mini skeet field in her garage...paying off. Oh she still shoots ping pong balls with the BB Gun. She couldn't find a Sharpie to write "can't" on them...put it this way, if some guy is buck naked comes in her place wielding a weapon and she is in immediate danger, his last words will be many octaves higher. She has this ping pong ball dealie down pat.

We have down some patterning with 9" and 6" paper plates. When asked why I told her to put these up to her COM and look in the mirror. "OH!".

Naked guy wearing a paper plate aint' got a prayer either.

So she is out shooting and learning with the Physical stuff taken care of at this point - she Mentally Focused right thru the rain on her shooting glasses. I told her she would, she doubted me at first.

Lee Lapin shares an analogy. Get a video and watch a Cheetah focused on prey. Eyes, head focused, body doing all sorts of twists and turns, eyes and head focused on prey - even doing 66 mph. Cheetah has his Physical stuff down pat - using his Mental game to get prey.

Well you would have thought I had taken away her most favorite toy, in a way I did, the 870 in 28 ga had to be somewhere else. She now is using a 870 in 20 ga fitted to her.

Well she was doing most of her reps with wrist and ankle weights of late, stamina is getting such the 20 ga was not a big transition. Dang women " you suggested the weights for more that one reason didn't you?"

Now would I do something like that?

We reviewed some things and again she shot with a .410 single shot with no bead at low 7 like targets from a trap thrower. Just basics. I loaded the gun, she closed action and shot. One bird "broke funny" - I ignored her and loaded her gun again, that one "broke funny" as well.

She hit two flying birds like low 7 using .410 slugs.

That is when I took the gun and held it as she did the Teaberry Shuffle...in the rain. Gene Kelly ain't got nothing on this gal.

" I was just focusing on bird and my technique from low gun mount...all that basic stuff I am trying to ingrain..."

Self Esteem shot through the roof needless to say. So for fun well earned I set up Clay targets on coat hangers and let her shoot these stationary as I called out which one to hit...and tossing nerf balls to distract. She never lost focus even when I tossed out a rubber chicken. She laughed after hitting targets, not while focused.

I bet you don't get rubber chickens with Awerbuck - huh?

So yep, lady is hitting moving targets. She patterned the 20 ga all by herself. I even let her use some copies of Submasking homework I had on typing paper...I needed to see them IP addys and subnets shot at.

She learned how important this Physical stuff is in freeing up the Mental. It was downright chilly. She wore Cuddle-Duds as first layer and all she need was a light rain resistiant jacket and pants. I used a pipecleaner to hold her ponytail in place...she likes this as getting a rubber dealie out of wet hair is difficult.
"You should market these to ladies and inflate the price - you'd get rich".
Nah...some stuff you just pass forward and not do for money.

She broke down the guns and cleaned oiled and such. I cleaned her new tennis shoes. Told ya I was a gentleman.

So now the lady comes up with freezer burned hams from - umm...she is letting these get to room temp and wants to observe some loads and performance. She has taken Anatomy and Physiology and knows there is a difference in tissues and bones. Hey, she is learning and I have no problem with this.

Rain is supposed to hit here again. If schedules allow, we will work on other moving targets. At the moment Low 7, High 1, H2 H3 L6 she has the hang off.
She has no problem if we have to shoot in the rain.

Bone stock 870 20 ga with a stock better fitted to her. She is getting right good with this shucking.

"Did you know that having to actually shuck this thing it makes me aquire the second shot better and I hit it better than I did with the 1100 in 20ga?"

I let the lady student be the instructor and explain to me as to the "why".
She does a good job of being an "instructor". No matter how old I get, I will always be a student myself.
Like I said, it is I thanking her.


Life is a journey - not a destination.

s

 

[BedPimp]

Rubber chickens and IP subnets? I think I may have found my shotgun guru.

If you ever decide to write a book, or go on the Practical Tactical Shotgun and Improvised Weapons roadshow, please sign me and my girlfriend up. Until then, I think I'll need to collect some of these ideas in a notebook so we can play along at home.

 

[sm]

Porky takes a dirt nap...

Lady student had aquired 4 freezer burned shank hams. She did one of them "ladies head nod and tilt" and not only did she get these free, even had them toted to her vehicle.

Room temp, and they get shot. I am just the instructor remember, a guy, I am out numbered by one lady student and 4 hams. She had a plan, she discussed with me all this...she had a plan.

She had figured from pattern board which #3 buckshot and which slugs worked best as far as pellet density and grouping from a 870 20ga.

"#3 buck is good, slugs are gooder" She shares with me as she points with a knife, shows me the paper plate pattern/groups and how compared to hams, and , has this "head nod with tilt, knife weilding smirky grin".

Being the Southern Gentleman I am...I string up a ham in a burlap tote, and rig up a Tuller drill. Well she had asked, she is coming along better than expected...why not?

First she watched the ham approach. Then she did some dry fire to get the hang of all this. Seems when something is coming at you is affects one in areas of basic fundamentals, and such.

To save the ham ( best could) and to be sure she was safe, she was to shoot birdshot and be out of ham's path. I do not want to sensory overload her at this point. She got beat the first two times. Hung head, gritted teeth, and said "smooth is good, I just have to be smoother faster".

She got to where she could get a shot off before the ham reached her. Now I didn't have a stopwatch, using a wristwatch this ham varied from [best could time] 1.5 - 2.5 seconds. I was going for Principle and mindset.

Her face when she asked to "do it for real" told me she was ready. She insisted on using a slug. "I gotta know". She hit the ham before it reached her, her shot was in COM...on the edge, not where she has shot a paper plate conistently with slugs.

Took a break and watched her take all this in. She had to see the ham, and to replay in her mind.

"Coming at you and what it represents really changes things - fast!"

She wanted to shoot handguns at the hams too. Stationary , load performance testing. I did not want to sensory overload with too much on the Tueller drill at this time.She is getting some education in that brain of hers. I can see the wheels turning, and her mind working and light bulbs clicking on.

She had to shoot a ham with a .410 slug...I cannot type that grin and revelation of hers. She then took after a "chunk" of ham with a Marlin 60...examined the ...what was left.


"Ya know, shot placement is so important, I knew that, but that .410 slug and them Winchester PowerPoints ain't nothing to sneer at".

Somehow I got roped into pulling a ham in a burlap bag (think football size by now) across the ground "really fast" and she did 3 shots shucking and shooting that 870 20 ga with birdshot.

Rope around tree, me back in a safe area ham going from her left to right. We repeated this a few times more...
Changed perspectives when I later stopped, yanked, pulled steady, speeded up. She kept focused on target and NOT trying to shoot where she thought it would be. She is coming right along with using the human computer and eye - hand coordination. NOT interfering with them - using them as she is supposed to.

Yeah we cleaned up the mess, she made more notes in a notebook.

I keep learning so much from this lady student. I wonder what she will teach me next.

s

 

[Fred Fuller]

Definitely unorthodox training methods.

But then, life in the fast lane is anything but orthodox. Weird stuff happens when dances with the netherworld get started.

Sounds as if she's doing very well. And so are you, Steve. There is nothing so rewarding as a serious student. And serious teacher too.

It is a relief to shoot stuff that reacts. Reactive targets are very good. I'm looking forward to the day I can set up three lollipop gongs adjacent to each other and yell at student, "LEFT! RIGHT! LEFT! CENTER!" and have them smite each as ordered with birdshot from a safe distance. Later paint each one different colors and yell colors. And later designate one color as a 'no-shoot' and yell that color in sequence too.

Can do the same thing on the cheap with a string of balloons. Be nasty, use longer string tied to ballons, let them dance in the wind a little as they hang from the string.

Charging targets are a great thing, cheap and easy to rig, wonderful training tool. No one had used one with my wife till I set one up on a range trip a few years ago. She LOVED it. Got started with handgun and then used shotgun, I had it set up as a 'falling target' with a balloon on thin wire holding up the cardboard box through a hole small enough not to allow the inflated balloon to go through. Pop balloon, box drops, SUCCESS and great feeling of relief too. I had the box draped in a 'bin liner' sized black plastic trash bag, she called it Casper the Unfriendly Ghost. Good way to teach someone to 'get off the line of attack' IF you have a square range or at least a 90 degree berm to shoot against so they can move and shoot. Good way to teach COM shooting and to KEEP ON shooting too, gotta get the balloon to drop the box. Bad when the Ghost gets to you and you have to knife it.

Keep on having fun, y'all, keep on reporting progress here too, please.

Or be really nasty and invite her aboard here- when you think she's ready...

lpl/nc

 

[Bob F.]

I've said before: I'm tired of saying "excellent post, Steve!". So I'll just ask which books by Brister (more than one?) and Givens?

Thanks, for everything!
Bob

 

[sm]

Fighting Smarter-Tom Givens

http://www.rangemaster.com/

Mr. Givens was kind to sign a dozen of these I ordered back when...one of these found is the book passed forward - again - that found its way to my student. This is what she needed to get over a bad deal and get the gumption to what she is now able to do.

Shotgunning : The Art and The Science-Bob Brister.

Score Better at Skeet and Score Better at Trap -Fred Misseldine

Shooting From Within J. Michael Plaxco.

 

[sm]

We have taken care of a LOT of the Physical [10%] one needs to be a better shooter. Some equipment she is borrowing, fitted to her , or fitted best can. When times comes to acutally purchase her gun, and some other Physical needs, she will be able to make the correct choices for her.

I am not supposed to know somethings, I may be a "dumb male" - then again I do consider myself pretty good at reading folks, I even dare say of the female species - whispering when they think I am not listening. Hey, this bit about guys "never listen" - pshaww - let them gals think as they wish. I know she has shotgun "selected" and what it is, and such. Being a guy I can play dumb really well until such time I am "informed". Yes I approve of her selection...heck she is shooting one just like it....very similar...I wonder how that happened?

Mutual lady friend and student made over 100 primer only shotgun shells. We have a gun that fits "real darn close", she has shot moving targets a bit with live ammo. I share, go back over what covered, share a bit more, cover previous shared things re-enforce and allow a student to grow, and apply lessons, build upon a good basic foundation.

Repetition becomes habit - habit becomes faith.

We arrive at a private skeet field [redneck for pasture with a skeet field] and Mutual Friend shows up. Okay actually Mutual friend was ahead of us on the two lane blacktop...I also shared the fine art of powersliding on wet farm roads in case my student ever needed to know how to evade trouble. We arrived first. I share a whole package when I share with students, not just firearms...

Mutual student [grinning] greets Student at the back of her car with a yellow ski rope with a loop that gets put onto Students wrist. Attached to yellow ski rope is step-up dealie.

"We gonna do aerobics? This is a..."
"No, Steve is taller than you, how are YOU going to instruct him on how to hit skeet targets being shorter?"
"I'm gonna do what?"
"You have read Misseldine's book on how to shoot all the stations. You have read Misseldine explain why one misses a station. I don't think Steve has shot a regular round of skeet is quite sometime. So, instruct him".
"Huh? I thought Steve saying to be a better student - be an instructor, was him being...whatever he is. I have to ask, last time out what the hell was he doing anyway out here? It was a..."
"Steve can't dance, so don't think that. He just snuggles up standing up , hold on and lets a girl lead, we gals make him look good. The ear whispering is funny as hell sometimes though...oh that dealie, not actually seen it in person, rumor his he went out and made up his own game(s)...back when he pulled a Galt..."
"Oh Gawd, I thought this being a Rebel was...".
"You only thought, as time goes on you will better understand and be a Outlaw too...".
"Oh my Gawd <laughs> hey noobie, get your skinny butt out on station 1".

"What is a station 1?" I replied. Toting gear, Mutal Friend toting gear, and student dragging a step-up dealie with yellow ski rope...

I get lessons on gun safety. How to trap machines work , how targets are regulated ( heck yeah I had her put the hoop up, I'm a noobie remember?) and the whole nine yards as she was "instructed earlier".

<drags step-up gets behind me> " Permission to put hand on you to position your body if need...any smart remarks I shoot you". Being as I am allergic to 158gr LSWC-HP, I made no smart remarks, I was being a good student.

NO live fire, just she having Mutual Student pull targets, and her going thru all 8 stations with me getting hold points, low gun, mounting gun to face, aquiring and swinging thru as she had done before being "instructed" by me earlier on another visit. Dragging step-up all around a skeet field.
I guess you had to be there...
She even made me keep going when it started to rain and told me to focus and by doing so I would not notice the rain on my glasses. She assured me I would not melt,she and mutual friend might, no way in hell I was going to melt...

"I'm not sure if wearing them weights to build up stamina on wrists and ankles while doing my drills were for shotgunning or dragging a step-up around...but I gotta admit, I do not feel tired or have any aching muscles from all that..."

" I am not a Fair Weather shooter, not going to be one anyway...ready?"

Using all them primer only shotshells, she "shot" 4 rounds of regulation skeet. Just as one is supposed to. Mutual Friend pulled, I played coach/ instructor.

I do this so a student can focus on form and correct basic fundamentals. The gun makes a noise, no recoil, the workings of a gun ( in this case working a pump as well) , how the targets fly, how the game is shot...everything. I want them to take all this in without recoil, or worrying about scores. The brain remembers the flights, speeds, angles and such.

Now I had had her just watch targets without a gun before. Most students comment how "fast" they are at first. Especially if told ~ 55mph. Given time the targets 'slow down', the brain using it computer does this. This information gets sent to eye and hands, the rest of the body too.

So the first round, being a bit nervous, which is normal, the targets appeared faster to her at first. About station 5, they slowed down to her.

Concentration in mentally keyed up - physically relaxed. -Misseldine

Student quoted this to me as she shared about how it was going to take experience, repetition of doing these shooting , drills, and all to accept the butterflies and manage to HER advantage.

We stopped after this. NO need to sensory overload her. Mutual friend had to be elsewhere. Student was making notes as headed back in her notebook.

Later, dry, and out to eat, she commented on how taking care of Physical stuff, she was able to focus on not only instructing me, and how that helped her a lot, she was able to focus on Mental and everything else.

We discussed other matters, including footwear, and clothing for other weather conditions.

"Did you have to drag that step-up all the way back and hit every mud puddle on the way back?"
"Yeah, I'm a boy, boys do that".
"Where is that thing anyway?"
"I left in in the rain of course".
<chuckles> "Why?"
"'Cause that way the rain would wash off the mud and be clean and ready to go next time we need it...".
"Must be a boy thing..."
"You girls leave bikes, wagons, dolls and stuff out in the rain too..."
"That is different".
"How?"
"It is a girl thing and boys don't understand girls".

I'll say.




We are getting there, like I said I am learning a whole bunch, can't wait to see what I learn next...



s

 

[sm]

...about them games...

Understand a buddy of mine Phil, whom some have met- may have participated in some "non sanctioned" events using shotguns and other firearms. Lee Lapin has a name for these things.

Phil had accomplished for HIMSELF some things He had set out to do. He had had some Mentors & Elders all his life, many had passed away. HE was betwixt and between a dimension his life. He wanted more of *something* and not sure what.

Now Phil had always gravitated to older / more seasoned folks. In that other life he was doing some stuff and had a lady business partner if you will They also shot together. They were approached to ...get involved in another dimension of shooting. This was put on hold as Phil was involved in an 'incident(s)" of sorts. Really bad deal. e had to heal up, stay lower profile for a bit, and do some other work until such time He could continue. His lady partner as well fell out of view and waited.

Lady partner , though younger has passed. In fact being as they were of the youngest, a lot of folks are now gone. Only a few of "them " remain one might say.

Rumor is Phil got a email and is going to be somewhere soon and in a private type setting pay respects to those folks now gone. Phil is gonna play one of his games. His way to pay respects. Takes a special puller to do this game, and requred use of more than one, and more than one scorekeeper. Not after scores, about Respect. Seems a certain Granddaughter and her Momma want to do this thing...some know Phil was a running buddy to this Grandpa/ Daddy.

Student ( she deserves it) and a few others are going to see something...some have never seen, some had wished they had never been a part of, and Phil knows some looking down are gonna be grinning ear to ear about.

Run 'em.

Phil is gonna Run 'em again...

I have been invited of course, maybe...just maybe I can talk Phil into sharing this game he does, being as some have asked.

 

[sm]

Update

Lady Student is...is...determined.
Seems since her "instructor" is not one to abide by the rules...why should she?

-Instead of doing 50 repetitions a day, she is already doing 100 correct mounting gun to face.

-Gotta do two "rounds" of Skeet in her gargage instead of one.

-Dang Student is addicted to that BBGun without sights and putting the hurt on ping pong balls. Just "had" to...she tapes some on a string and hits the things while they sway in the slight breeze. "Folks say you cannot learn to shoot a shotgun with a BB Gun with no sights shooting ping pong balls...you said you broke rules...".

Okay fine.

She is to a point now, so we shoot Outgoers first. Then she shot Incomers. Then we worked on Station 8 - both High and Low.

Gal has grit. I think low 8 broke just from being stared down.
Have I mentioned this "Teaberry Shuffle" she does. Not sure whether her hitting the target or watching this gal express herself is most rewarding for me.

I have a method passed down to me, I pass forward on hitting H8/L8 and it works. Oh she had the grit to get these down.

"Can I step in toward the house to shoot it quicker like you demonstrated?"

Oh why not, good student.

I gots to see the Shuffle some more.

She went all the way around the field shooting only Outgoers and only missed low 5.

Rested, debriefed, and she wanted to do the Incomers only. She rode H 5 too long, only miss.

So we went back to Station 5 worked on H and L. All these repetitions, and besides ingraining correct basics - she has stamina. She wants to continue..."not tired, not fatigued...and you would stop me before I started getting into bad form and messing up my learning...". Yeah well she is right...

One round of "ladies skeet".

Hell I did the shuffle !

Lady Student nailed them suckers!! I mean the butterflies were swarming on that Station 8 low. I got a very determined, teeth-gritted, PULL-IT! DUST PULL-IT! Dust.

"You shot my hat...you shot my hat".

She deserved it.

*Somebody* " forgot" to mention the hat bit, and what better way to learn about it?

She then shot her own hat and will save what is left in a baggie for Mutual Friend to shoot. She could not attend ...dang you should have heard them two over the phone...

Lessons - now we get to move back a bit, then forward some more. Then she gets some of ...err...secrets of shotgunning. Some things one does not share, especially on a open forum. *ahem*

Run 'em

And that she did.

There is a reason I nicknamed her HBR. Ought to see her with a shotgun. Ought to see how she is with a handgun.

Shotgun gets hot just from shucking and dry firing. She has the right mental attitude, and she is training herself in more than just responsible firearm use, also ownership.

HBR - stands for Hot Blue and Righteous.

Yeah she likes the nickname.

We are going to be busy with life stuff, studies , lessons and such. Gotta get ready for 'company', seems she is looking forward to meeting Phil and being a part of something.

Run 'em

s

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Gotta get ready for 'company', seems she is looking forward to meeting Phil and being a part of something.

Dang! I'd sure love to see that.

Run 'em, Phil.

 

[sm]

Gun Getting Time...



Lady Student has been a really good student. She has been taking everything in, listening, reading, taking notes, asking questions. This included waiting on getting a shotgun. She shot a variety of guns, she expressed a real interest in a pump, meaning all along she wanted to learn the pump.

She did accept and use a 1100 in .410, 28 ga, and 20ga. She did try a 12 ga, but this one was set up with too long of LOP, and set up for Trap...(shoots higher POA/POI) still she wanted to shoot it a time or two to better understand Gun fit and the whole bit.

28 ga...err...seems another one has been smitten by this gauge, wonder how that happened. "Eventually" she will have one...I have heard this a lot from her...and others....and from those that have been thru this...

Well as shared before I knew she had a gun already picked out and in mind. Being a "dumb male" - I played dumb.

She finally shared the fact she ...

Wanna see MY new Shotgun!!!

Heavens to Betsy, excited...err...you could say that...

"You knew I had a gun coming didn't you? You didn't fuss, or let on...for a guy you play dumb really good".

Hey she had some assistance from Mutal Lady Friend, and another gun guy. She has been shooting one like she got herself that she and I agreed on. Gun Guy knew of this one and let her have first dibbs. Read her a Mutual Friend probably did that "head tilt and nod" and the Gun Guy didn't have a prayer...

Older 870 Wingmaster in 20 ga. 26" fixed IC choke, 26" Rem-Choke, and 21" with Rem-Choke.

Yeah, Great Gun with 3 bbls.

She already had ordered a Decelator recoil pad. [wonder who influenced this choice?].

So between her taking notes and measurments, some input from the Gun Guy she has been using, my "brain being picked" ...Gun Guy is tweaking the fit. Toe and Heel area being cut so as not not hang for instance. Actually the Stock is being "bent" a bit for cast, and the forearm is being "customized" a bit.

I mean this gun has character, carried , but not shot a lot.

Student went "ooh" and "ahhh" over seeing a Lyman Trulock swivel set up I showed her. So that is going to be installed on buttstock. An extra mag cap set up for swivel.

She wants the gun to look "great", the Truelock is "cool". Hey I like these Trulocks, used them a lot myself... and she is getting a leather sling to use.

Sometimes the sling is to "get to" and "come back" - not used while shooting. This set up allows one to detach real easy.

Mid bead on the bbls , tweak the adjustment once the gun is fitted and tried.

Going to get external knurled chokes and working on that. NO wrench to keep up with, protects muzzle from dings. Yeah kinda obvious I had something to do with this...so the patterning , choke, forcing cone, load testing is yet to come. She fully understands no matter what something is marked, the pattern board tells the real truth.

Then she shares she got a second gun. I figured she would someday, she has had too much fun shooting one already.

Older H&R Topper single shot .410. Gun guy mentioned "where" and she told him to call and tell them "on my way".
"Kinda smelly , had a bit of moldy crap...".

So she and Mutual friend were messing with refinishing some furinture anyway...
Took this H&R apart, stuck the metal in gasoline to soak, sanded and refinished the wood, used a stain with satin poly and looks great.
Rinsed the gas , cleaned with mineral spirits, and lubed it up.

I am not sure about the part " I took it a blew out the gas and spirits". See she does not have an air compressor. I asked about this...I got this smirky look and "wouldn't you like to know...".
For some reason I picture this gal at night with a attachment at a fillin' station blowing out a shotgun...

So far, this is the image I have and she is not going to tell me...

"Told gun guy I needed a new pad dealie, to find me one off an old H&R, and he better not mess up my refinish job or I'll kick his butt".

Goodness! Seems *someone* has overcome some stuff besides learning shotguns...

This is funny...I asked how soon until her gun is ready.
She replied "real soon".

*ahem* The story goes, she asked how soon and the Gun Guy who does a great job of timely work, said he got behind on somethings due to parts being backordered and had a time crunch. Apologized said he would do his best. I mean he felt bad, he has enjoyed watching and hearing of her progress.

"I'll bake you a cake, a pie, brownies...Please do best can I have a time crunch too".

'My wife would kill me , not supposed to eat them kind of desserts..."

"Okay - how about I call your wife and tell her we have been having an affair?"

That is when the Gun Guy pinched his finger in a vise and dropped a tool or three.

Him picking up tools, bleeding from a pinch and cut, her standing there with a smirky grin...both bust out laughing. Mrs.Gun Guy comes in to see what the deal is - and she cracks up after being told.

Mrs. Gun Guy says for brownies her husband will have her gun ready in "a hurry...won't you dear?".

These folks know each other, and tease and rib all the time. One guy , two women, not good odds.

Student went out with our Mutual lady friend and her husband. Husband not able to shoot long guns at the moment. Seems he fell and broke both wrists [ouch]. So he tagged along.

Regular round of skeet, and...and ...Lady student shot 20, and then 21. !!



All students are great. I always learn from a student. Just once in awhile you get the pleasure of a student like this. Someone who has a lot to overcome besides the shooting part. Then to watch and be a part of the transformation. Sometimes there is a special attitude, mindset, determination, willingness...and natural abilty. Both the student and instructors get surprised. This is one such experience.

Gun Case:

Wellll...it is like this. The barrel are in Sack-Ups. Another Sack-Up for the assembled gun. Another Sack-Up cut into - see a baseball bat carrier with bbl off works fine.

She also has a ugly worn out gun case that the zipper is partially missing. Rawhide strips and a bungie cord keeps it together. No handles.

Yes - there is a reason she will use this remnant of a gun case. Matches the reloaded hulls with electrical tape and candle wax to keep the shot from spilling out...

Got her fixed up on "some other stuff" like shooting pouches, belt...

So much more to this Physical [10%] and Mental [90%]

Like I said - I share a "total package" when I share.

HBR...I am really proud of you, Thanks for teaching me!

Run 'em

Steve

 

[sm]

Shotgun is ready!

Must have been the brownies...

Anywho, Gun Guy was "putting finishing touches" on HER new gun. Great Googly- Moogly...this lady is about as excited as can be. "STOP the world...I gotta a gun to go get".

She is counting the seconds until she can run out tonight and get it. This is gonna be good...

 

[sm]

Lady Student has her shotgun, oh my goodness- ain't she something!!

The deal was we had 30 days to accomplish something, today is the 25th day.
She took the gun out and patterned it without me. In time some other refinements will be done, such as the external knurled chokes and such. Priority within the next five days are some things we must do to get her ready for something she must do. I respect her privacy, all I will share it she has to spit in the devils eye , and I have no doubt in my mind she will do so.

She did this, she earned everything. It is I that learned from her.

Now we have spoken of the 10% [physical] and the 90% [mental] - Well some of that mental is not only for the shooter themselves - but against an opponent, adversary, or situation. Anyone that has competed or been in a serious situation understands this mindset.

I have a few things to share with her yet.

Focus has been and always will be on Safety, Correct Basic Fundamentals, Mindset and having fun (serious or otherwise).

We will have some matters to address, I have a couple of different ways I like to handle this part with a student - this situation is kinda different, not sure what I will do. I'll think of something...

Now she has been invited to a special tribute. See the deal is for ~ 40 years there has been a spot in the middle of nowhere very few folks know about. Private Range if you will.

Time has come as happens in life for this range /skeet field to pass on. There have been others, that have passed on as well.

Not so much the range itself, though this one has special memories - instead the tribute is also for the folks that have also passed.

Mentors and Elders, Friends, special folks that all believed in the same things and played a certain role.

WE participated in some special games. I am one of the few left of the orginal bunch. I have to do something in memory of and pay tribute to. My role to pass forward to some kinfolks and special folks that need to know.

I remember looking up to Mentors & Elders. Now the babies and kids are no longer little, and I am the one they are expecting to look up to on this tribute.

I better understand that 'dimension' my Mentors and Elders spoke of.

Some folks passed younger than me, life does not always do the expected.

Now this used to be just a "pasture skeet field"...used to be.

When a bunch of us broke away, well some things got changed. We had a Texas Ranger for instance, Some Special Forces, Rangers, Deputies, and those that had served in Korea, Vietnam.

They shared how being raised to shoot, including shotguns had been very beneficial in combat.

We had folks known, a few have written and published works. We had our Doctors, Ranchers, Oil folks too. Ladies...oh yeah, some served in these conflicts. Hell hath no fury like a Surgical nurse with a Ithaca 37....Country girl, knew shotguns, and used the one handy in SEA.

We practiced extracting folks with vehicles, and shooting from moving vehicles on stationary and moving targets. Akin to what a certain Uncle named Sam taught.

Berms were added, so one may have to "fight" with a handgun to get to a shotgun. Dang Texas Ranger...he liked his lever guns, so we added that too. He seemed to like shooting from a moving vehicle , not that he did not enjoy shooting from a horse.

He tells of using a Pump shotgun to shoot Firebombs before they got to him and his in a conflict. Just a country boy raised to shoot quail, doves and such...principles of shooting the same, only the targets were more serious.

Now when a tornado come thru, caused some damage...well we did have two traps from a range we had clsoed elsewhere.

I made the suggestion we add one trap to each house. Grins ear to ear. We had had our fill of "regulation" and "sanctioned" anyway. So we repaired and remodeled with two trap machines at low and high house.

Now I had already come up some "games" of my own....Mentors and Elders just grinned, and nodded in approval. This additon of traps to houses...yeah well never said I was one to walk the road most traveled.

Lady Student earned the right to be in attendance. She had gotten wind of these things from Mutual Friend.

This old set up will have the machines removed and other stuff. Tradition means we bulldoze some stuff , have a bonfire, and such. Some stuff is private, deserves respect, and if we can't use it for what it stands for - nobody else will either.

Lady Student has been invited, a tad more revealed to her.

<HBR>

I'm excited!!
Steve is trying to be cool, don't let him fool you. He is having mixed feelings. Sad to see this range pass, Sentimental, looking forward to seeing some folks, and trying to accept all this. He thought this tribute was just only to honor some folks at first. When told the plans of the range - he had to go outside and be alone.

By the way, Steve gets into a mindset that is hard to explain when he thinks back on these games, and people. When he gets on a field, he just transforms into another person. His eyes get more green and his body movements ..."fluid" come to mind.

He gets "lost" in some music. So mesmerizing to see him doing his repetitions to Bob Seger, ZZ Top, Allman Bros....Oh , his warm up song he listens to before he heads out to shoot for sure- "Turn The Page" his signature song. He is psyched and in another world.

<sm>

*sigh*

Don't you have some drills to do or something...don't tell everything you know...

Yeah these folks know I hide behind humor, and other coping mechanisms. I'll be fine, just part of something I have to do. I ain't that big of a deal. Just had my Mentors & Elders, raised a certain way, got my druthers, Ethics Principles and my role was to be what it is. *shrug* Passing it forward is all.

Well, I have this Lady Student to deal with, other folks are getting the Tribute set up.

See we had plenty of ROs and SOs. We participants did not get a walk thru, we shot it cold. There are "variations" of my "games" as not only did I come up with ideas, others did too. So I really do not know what all I will be shooting.

I am the one that kept saying Run'em The name stuck, and this is what the games are referred to.

<HBR>

Steve has some folks that has been bugging him to know more, I know a little, so since I met Phil , I am going to try and talk Phil into sharing.


<sm>

Yeah well this thread is about HBR, her learning the correct basic fundamentals and getting ready in 30 days time. I read this Lady Student correctly - she is gonna be ready. She did it, she earned it. I am the one that learned.

Oh great, ya'll can't hear this, she is racking that new gun of hers and holding out toward the monitor for ya'll to see. Oh great, now she wants me to move the monitor so you can see her stance and mounting from low gun...

<HBR>

Blame Steve!!


<sm>

*sigh*




Run'em

Steve

 

[Fred Fuller]

sm,

Please tell HBR that I have rendered a chorus of the Special Forces Hymn on her behalf for the devil in whose eye she must spit, and wish her every success in the short term and the long term. You do good work my friend.

Give my regards to all at the upcoming festivities, please. Wish I could be there, it will no doubt be a sight to see.

lpl/nc

 

[sm]

Lee,

HBR and I both appreciate this.

[Lee and a few know more about this gal and needs to spit in the eye of the devil]

We rec'd rain with BIG wet sloppy snow. Oh yeah, HBR was out in this stuff with her new shotguns . Johnson's Paste Wax just a beadin' and protecting.
This stuff just stuck to grass and vegetation...

Shooting despite the rain, wind, snow, chill...Now if I could whip up some lightening, sleet, ice, blistering heat,humidity, sand blowing...and a tornado I could instruct on some other stuff having BTDT...

I was running around in old tennis shoes, light jacket and having a ball...she thinks I am nuts...she was just as red-nosed and wet as I was...

She even hit the white targets I threw amidst the snowflakes...
Called "concentration" , "staying focused"...that 90% [Mental] ...I mentioned a few times...

Time to come back in, and around here the mere mention the word "snow" and folks go into panic mode , meaning bread, milk, hamburger meat, chili fixings, smoked oysters...fly off the shelves...

I whip into a Dollar Store and get 3 / $1 Burritos...hey she said she was hungry, in the mood for junk food....scratch that "Feed Me"...forgot the universal female words for " I am hungry" are "Feed Me".

She snags chips, dips sodas...

Big wet sloppy snowflakes out shooting, Eats from the Dollar store...do I know how to show a lady a great time or what?

 

[AStone]

Steve,

Friday night here. Just stumbled on this thread. (Yeah, I know. I don't always keep up with the shotgun forum as well as I should, given that my interest also extend to handguns & rifles, and given my recent attempts to find a new deer rifle to complete my tool kit (here)...

So many guns, so little time.

But very glad to see you still amongst us.

A recent thread raised the (unpleasant) specter that you may have left.

THR would have been the worst for it, as we would have lost one of our creative writers.

When I think of THR, the names that first come to mind include about 20.

One of them is yours.

Keep on keepin' on.

Nem

 

[Spinner]

Steve

Regards and respect to HBR .... I now have a new hero to try and emulate. Only wish I was half as motivated and hard working when it comes to learning to shoot a shotgun. Sounds like she's deserved every target she dusts.

You certainly know how to pay a tribute in style. Have fun and do your thing. Sounds to me like this tribute at the private skeet field is just a part of the larger tribute of paying it forward. No better way to honour mentors and teachers than to do it like they taught.

Run 'em

<hums quietly to self> On a long and lonesome highway, east of Omaha ...

Spinner

 

[sm]

This ain't your Grandpappy's Skeet Field...

...game(s) damn sure ain't sanctioned either!

Broke away from that and them kinds too many years ago...

--

One of the things I learned a l-o-n-g time ago, do not be predictable, that'll get one in trouble, hurt or dead.

HBR did this bit in 29 days, I was around to be a part of this journey. I learned a lot!.

Bright and early we headed out, I could not only sense her emotions, I could hear them butterflies just a fluttering...

Concentration is mentally keyed up - physically relaxed. - Missledine

Mutual Friend pulled targets, we just watched the birds, moving around to take 'em in, get the human computer "booted up". Got back in the truck and I slipped in Turn The Page -cranked up of course- get one's mindset "right".

Snagged the guns off the rack, and we asked permisson to "shoot two", Mutual Friend [puller] gave approval. We fumbled and dropped our first shells, one's reloaded one time too many, hers had candle wax, mine had electrical tape. We grinned, each loaded up two more of these "shells" and fired downrange to make sure safeties off, and to get a feel of any wind affecting POA/POI.

HBR wanted to lead off, if'n you gonna lead off, walk onto them stations like you own them suckers! Own that field! -Misseldine (paraphrased).

She loaded two, looked at me and said Run 'em - called for the bird, dusted it, called again and dusted it. Reloaded two and took her pair, off the station quickly, my turn.

No dilly-dallying, we come to shoot and dust birds. I took note of them butterflies, they were gone by the second pair on station two. Low 5 had been giving her fits, and when she called for it, strong confident PULL-IT (dammit!) - nothing but dust. NO smile, no smirk, when she exited, gritted determination she was gonna run this round, one bird at a time.

NO Hesitation on High 8, just like the tip I shared, I said go ahead take your station 7, loaded two, again a very determined call, first bird dusted and a split second later she called the second one, dusted it.

Serious Look on her face I stepped up and shot my turn.

Dumped more shells into our pouches, she asked to see a pair. Asked okay to me, I nodded. She loaded up two...

50/50

"Don't think about my scores - you still gotta shoot yours" As I stepped onto station 8 to shoot and then take my pair on 7.

Back to the table, guns in the rack safely, glasses off, earplugs out...

Then she run up and damn near knocked me down jumping up into my arms...Mutual Friend got all caught up in the pull cord...made it over and three of us just hugging and grinning...

As I let her down, I snagged that bandana off her head, tossed to Mutual Friend, HBR just excited, Mutual Friend tied up a couple of clays into the bandana, eyes and ears on, Mutual Friend and I shot HBR's bandana...

"Give us a shuffle" HBR did. She had been so focused on shooting , the pace, she had not during our two rounds.

Retreived what was left of that bandana...then I as I handed it to her, I also handed her a old AA 50 straight patch of mine. She earned it, don't take a sanctioned shoot to earn something like this...

Sipped some coffee, and I grabbed the pull switch...

"You are not going to shoot?"
"Nope, time for you ladies to have a go".
"But..."
"No. Way it is, you earned it, don't need me, it is I that needs to learn from you gals...pass it forward to me and never stop passing it forward every chance you can..."

"You'll be..."
"Yeah, you know where and how to find me, and we do have that bit to do, just take care of what you gotta do - I'll see you at the Tribute for sure".
"You gonna get to come to my deal?"
"Can't promise what I don't know...remember we killed "can't" early on...you'll be fine...".

I pulled for two ladies, getting lost in the rhythm of movements, birds flying, shotguns, noise, smell of gunpowder, dusted birds. I had a great time...

<HBR>

I want to say thanks to everyone. Steve said by sharing my experiences I was passing forward to someone even though I might not know it - I hope so!
Steve brought his Old SX1 out of "retirement" for my graduation day. I have seen pictures of his Custom SX1s, and these are now being used by some special folks. Rumor is , he will see them again soon. He also may see some other SX1s and other guns.

Steve kept one SX1 , hard to describe it, it is not pretty. Field Grade with Character and Soul. One can feel this gun, one of those guns one wonders about a scratch there or a nick elsewhere. I got to shoot it, even though it does not fit me. Even shooting it one can sense something about this gun and what all it has been thru and seen.

Steve gave me package I am not supposed to open until later, he would prefer I wait until I get to where I have to do something. I am not sure what all is in there, knowing Steve as I have learned, it will be special and sentimental.

Steve is a gentleman, just has his own thoughts about things. We look around and there is off messing with a dog , find out later he gave the dog peppermint. I've heard stories and understand why some folks attribute some songs to him, I have some that remind me of him and his ways.

Again Thanks to everyone, hope this sharing does help. HBR.

<sm>

Dang wimmin'! Gimme back your keyboard. Don't you have a gun to clean or something?

I just happen to be the person at this time to assist someone that had somethings inside of themselves that needed a nudge is all. HBR did all the work, all the reading, repetitions, dry-fire, getting the correct basic fundamentals down...etc.

They call it understanding
A willingness to grow
I'm finally understanding
There's so much I can know

-Understanding
-Bob Seger.

 

[kudu]

Well done... to both of you. I would have liked to have seen this, maybe one of these days I'll get down that way....

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

*Salute!*

Congratulations, sir!