I spent about three hours at the range at Roush Lake today. Despite it being overcast and cold most of the time, it happily didn't rain. The place was dead, only me and two other shooters at peak. For a few minutes it was only me, so I was able to change targets or collect brass at will. That was very cool.
My purpose was to do handgun work at short range, specifically the 'maiden shoot' on the G19 I acquired recently through the INGO Classifieds and to see if I could make any progress with my S&W 40VE, which I have previously shot rather poorly.
First up, the G19. I took 100 rounds of Federal Champ and 50 rounds of WWB -- all 115 grain FMJ -- I had bought at Walmart. Blew through all but 10 rounds of it. Now sure why I didn't use the last ten, but they will get their turn soon!
After my first mag, not only did I want to drink more Glock Kool Aid, I wanted to know where the garden hose was so I could set up the Glock Kool Aid bong! The thing shot like a dream. I got a little cocky with the next couple of mags and my shots started to drift low and to the left, but that is my MO/problem. I know I need more discipline on the trigger and after some trail mix and a drink of water, I was back where I wanted to be. The overwhelming majority of my 100 shots on the silhouette were in the X, 10 or 9 ring. I've never shot like that before. Ever. Also managed to get about a dozen head shots, with a few missing the mark, striking the neck/collarbone area. All in all, I was very pleased with this weapon. It made it easy for me to hit the mark and that gave me confidence that I could, can and will improve my pistol marksmanship. To summarize: Glock über alles!
After that, it was time to move on to the warthog in my collection: my 40VE. I've put several hundred rounds through this pistol and everything you hear about the trigger is true: it sucks big hairy ones. Some people say S&W created the trigger that way on purpose to help transition LEOs who were used to the triggers on revolvers. If that is true -- and I hope it's not -- I feel bad for any human who ever had to use a revolver. I don't mind a heavy trigger, but the damn thing is like the line for the men's room at a beer drinking contest: way too damn long. I know I'm not the most experienced or skilled shooter on Earth, but holy cow, that pull is long and wrong! After about 20 rounds of putting my new silhouette's hip bones out of commission, I pulled a Cool Hand Luke: I got mad at dat' Sigma!
I resorted to putting one round in each of several magazines and just focused on making one good shot. I tried to apply anything I'd ever read about good marksmanship: firm grip, breathing properly, don't jerk the trigger, focus on the front sight, etc. Soon, rather than putting them on the poor target's hip bones, I was working on his appendix. More trail mix and water...one round per magazine again and again. Next thing you know, I was nipping at the rib cage, with the occasional flyer. To shoot 75 rounds (a mix of American Eagle and Federal Champion FMJ @ 180gr) felt like it took years, but I was getting better. Still mostly low and to the left, but now it was within 3-5" of POM, rather than 12-15" off center hip or crotch shots.
I had always heard people talk about 40S&W as being "snappy". I always wondered, "WTF do they mean, snappy?" Well, at a point in this exercise, I thought, "Damn, this thing is snappy!" and knew what it meant. As my shot placement improved, my wrist and hand in general started to smart a little. To me -- and I may be wrong! -- it made me think I was finally getting the grip right and feeling the full "force" of the 40S&W cartridge. Maybe I'm nuts, but I have previously shot 200 rounds consecutively with this thing and never picked up on the recoil or snappiness or had any fatigue in my hand. Of course I was always way off POM, so maybe I wasn't doing it right? Anyway, as I reviewed my target, I could see visible progress from earlier strings of fire. Of 75 rounds at the silhouette, I put maybe half in the X, 10 or 9. Many more were in the 8 or 7 ring. Out of maybe a dozen attempts at head shots, I scored on about half, with a couple of flyers and maybe two or three low to the neck.
As delighted as I was with the Glock's performance, now that I think about it and have double checked my targets, I'm very pleased with the Sigma's performance. Aside from pouring my heart and soul into the discipline of firing each shot, the only other change I made was to put a Hogue Handall grip on it. I found it helped me to get a more consistent grip on the weapon, which was very helpful since I've only really had one official class (NRA) and that was about 15 years ago.
To finish the day, I broke out the Federal JHP (gray and blue box) and went to work on a Dirty Bird 12" x 18" target I bought from the RO for $1.50. Never used a "splattering" target and figured I had earned it.
Out of 35 rounds, I put four in the X, six in the 9, eight in the 8, five in the 7 and five in the 6. The other seven were like a bad curve ball -- low and away, but having put ten shots in the X or 9 ring after 250 rounds in 40-something degree weather, I was pleased, especially after how poorly I had shot the thing before.
And no, I'm no Rambo or Marine sniper, so I hope none take this post that way. I'm just a fellow who is working hard on his skills. Like the Guns & Roses song, Mr. Brownstone, "I just keep tryin' to get a little better, a little better than before!"
I hope you guys enjoyed this AAR, I had fun writing it!
p.s. Never give up, you CAN SHOOT BETTER!!!
My purpose was to do handgun work at short range, specifically the 'maiden shoot' on the G19 I acquired recently through the INGO Classifieds and to see if I could make any progress with my S&W 40VE, which I have previously shot rather poorly.
First up, the G19. I took 100 rounds of Federal Champ and 50 rounds of WWB -- all 115 grain FMJ -- I had bought at Walmart. Blew through all but 10 rounds of it. Now sure why I didn't use the last ten, but they will get their turn soon!
After my first mag, not only did I want to drink more Glock Kool Aid, I wanted to know where the garden hose was so I could set up the Glock Kool Aid bong! The thing shot like a dream. I got a little cocky with the next couple of mags and my shots started to drift low and to the left, but that is my MO/problem. I know I need more discipline on the trigger and after some trail mix and a drink of water, I was back where I wanted to be. The overwhelming majority of my 100 shots on the silhouette were in the X, 10 or 9 ring. I've never shot like that before. Ever. Also managed to get about a dozen head shots, with a few missing the mark, striking the neck/collarbone area. All in all, I was very pleased with this weapon. It made it easy for me to hit the mark and that gave me confidence that I could, can and will improve my pistol marksmanship. To summarize: Glock über alles!
After that, it was time to move on to the warthog in my collection: my 40VE. I've put several hundred rounds through this pistol and everything you hear about the trigger is true: it sucks big hairy ones. Some people say S&W created the trigger that way on purpose to help transition LEOs who were used to the triggers on revolvers. If that is true -- and I hope it's not -- I feel bad for any human who ever had to use a revolver. I don't mind a heavy trigger, but the damn thing is like the line for the men's room at a beer drinking contest: way too damn long. I know I'm not the most experienced or skilled shooter on Earth, but holy cow, that pull is long and wrong! After about 20 rounds of putting my new silhouette's hip bones out of commission, I pulled a Cool Hand Luke: I got mad at dat' Sigma!
I resorted to putting one round in each of several magazines and just focused on making one good shot. I tried to apply anything I'd ever read about good marksmanship: firm grip, breathing properly, don't jerk the trigger, focus on the front sight, etc. Soon, rather than putting them on the poor target's hip bones, I was working on his appendix. More trail mix and water...one round per magazine again and again. Next thing you know, I was nipping at the rib cage, with the occasional flyer. To shoot 75 rounds (a mix of American Eagle and Federal Champion FMJ @ 180gr) felt like it took years, but I was getting better. Still mostly low and to the left, but now it was within 3-5" of POM, rather than 12-15" off center hip or crotch shots.
I had always heard people talk about 40S&W as being "snappy". I always wondered, "WTF do they mean, snappy?" Well, at a point in this exercise, I thought, "Damn, this thing is snappy!" and knew what it meant. As my shot placement improved, my wrist and hand in general started to smart a little. To me -- and I may be wrong! -- it made me think I was finally getting the grip right and feeling the full "force" of the 40S&W cartridge. Maybe I'm nuts, but I have previously shot 200 rounds consecutively with this thing and never picked up on the recoil or snappiness or had any fatigue in my hand. Of course I was always way off POM, so maybe I wasn't doing it right? Anyway, as I reviewed my target, I could see visible progress from earlier strings of fire. Of 75 rounds at the silhouette, I put maybe half in the X, 10 or 9. Many more were in the 8 or 7 ring. Out of maybe a dozen attempts at head shots, I scored on about half, with a couple of flyers and maybe two or three low to the neck.
As delighted as I was with the Glock's performance, now that I think about it and have double checked my targets, I'm very pleased with the Sigma's performance. Aside from pouring my heart and soul into the discipline of firing each shot, the only other change I made was to put a Hogue Handall grip on it. I found it helped me to get a more consistent grip on the weapon, which was very helpful since I've only really had one official class (NRA) and that was about 15 years ago.
To finish the day, I broke out the Federal JHP (gray and blue box) and went to work on a Dirty Bird 12" x 18" target I bought from the RO for $1.50. Never used a "splattering" target and figured I had earned it.
Out of 35 rounds, I put four in the X, six in the 9, eight in the 8, five in the 7 and five in the 6. The other seven were like a bad curve ball -- low and away, but having put ten shots in the X or 9 ring after 250 rounds in 40-something degree weather, I was pleased, especially after how poorly I had shot the thing before.
And no, I'm no Rambo or Marine sniper, so I hope none take this post that way. I'm just a fellow who is working hard on his skills. Like the Guns & Roses song, Mr. Brownstone, "I just keep tryin' to get a little better, a little better than before!"
I hope you guys enjoyed this AAR, I had fun writing it!
p.s. Never give up, you CAN SHOOT BETTER!!!
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Awesome! Congrats on the G19, great gun! Sounds like a great day! I love that place, hope to make it again this Sunday. If you ever go on a weekend let me know, myself and a few other INGOers go their about every other weekend, and we are always meeting fellow INGO members as well. Nice report, thanks for sharing.
