No, not what you think. Do you remember recently when my assistant had to saw apart an MGW sight pusher because I outsmarted myself? Well, the end result did leave the desirable LPA rear sight on the gun, and after letting it sit for a while, I was finally able to get to the range yesterday and sight it in. I expected to have to adjust it, because the goal was to end up with a six o’clock hold on the x-ring of a Bianchi Cup target at 25/50 yards. Here’s the target:
Everything fired standing, unsupported slow-fire. I joked on FB that I’m really good at shooting slow fire groups when I’m off the clock and there’s no pressure to perform.
It is nice to see that the gun shot exactly where I wanted it to shot without having to adjust it. That puts away one of the little fears that’s eating at the back of my mind about shooting this gun at the Cup. Fear #2 is that the sight is going to magically fly out of the dovetail from being shot, but the only way to find that out…is to shoot the gun.
Honestly, it was just one of those little things that made me smile. I was having a rough day, and one of the few things that really calms me down is shooting slow fire groups. I reckon it’s from my bullseye background, because it allows me to contract my world to my index finger and the front sight. Nothing else matters, not recoil control, not even really my stance…just a good trigger press and a good sight picture.
Do you find a particular part of shooting more relaxing than others? What’s your “go-to” when you just need to take some time on the range and not worry about all the other stuff going on?
Shooting steel plates at 75 or 100 yards with a handgun. Once a group of my friends were sighting in rifles a few points down from me at the range as I practiced slowfire at 50 yards (bullseye). When I was finished I shot a few plates with my 45. One friend said I should try one at 100 yards. I estimated elevation and hit one on the first shot. I stopped while I was ahead. I’ve been hooked on trying all sorts of “regular” guns at it since.
I’m trying to help along a new action pistol shooter. Always going to the range to shoot drills. He brings out some tin cans and bouncing targets and I’ve rediscovered the soul-soothing fun of plinking again. Plinking is, probably, the best.
Shooting falling plates. The ringing sound and the feel of knocking something over are very satisfying.
Wingshooting.
The whole act of “See the bird, kill the bird,” I find very Zen-like. No thought, just reaction and muscle memory. It’s like the trigger pulls itself.