A New Hobby

I completed my NRA Certified class "Basic Pistol Shooting" this past weekend. It was a great learning experience and I've gained knowledge and confidence in handling and shooting guns. I didn't own a gun during the class, so my instructor provided me with several choices of handguns to use. On the first day, Saturday, I used a Smith and Wesson .38 revolver with a four inch barrel. It was a nice shooter. That day we first did bench shots, which I did quite well; I managed to consistently shoot within the target with tight groupings.

The next day I used his Dan Wesson .387 Magnum; 4 inch barrel. That gun was literally smokin'! We stood and did two handed and one handed shooting in various positions. I find that I do well with the Weaver position, and managed to hit bullseye with the one handed frontal position!

There was a lady there who had the handgun I had contemplated buying. The Smith and Wesson .38 special Airweight with the snub nose. Weighs only 11 oz! She let me try it and I didn't like its recoil. Because of the gun's lightness, it couldn't absorb the shock of the recoil, which made shooting painful to one's hand. I decided I wasn't going to buy it.

However, today I bought a Ruger SP101 .357 Magnum. I love its satin stainless steel finish and the grip is perfect for my hand. It has a 2 1/4 barrel - good for conceal carry - yet has some heft to it. It weighs almost 2 pounds. I have a five day waiting period then I can pick it up. In the meantime I'm waiting for my Concealed Weapon Permit.

Since I enjoyed target shooting so much, I hope to eventually buy a .38 with a four inch barrel - maybe a Colt I saw at my local gunshop. I'm joining the local Gun Club in January and plan on practicing a lot! And later on, I hope to buy a rifle!