What I learned at the range yesterday

[TCinVA]

I learned a lot during my trip to the range yesterday, and I thought I would share these valuable lessons with the members of PF.com:

1. Shooting at 15 yards is bad because nobody can hit anything that far away with a handgun.
2. Shooting at a person who is more than 7 yards away is murder.
3. .40 S&W does not use an "aerodynamic" bullet, and as such is completely unable to hit anything past about 12 yards
4. Shooting "fast" is dangerous and destructive and completely unnecessary in real life
5. It's impossible to hit anything more than 3 yards away with a Ruger LCP.
6. Clearing a room by attempting to "pie" a corner is stupid.
7. My 9mm P30 doesn't have a prayer of actually stopping a bad guy.

[Jay Cunningham]

I learned a lot during my trip to the range yesterday, and I thought I would share these valuable lessons with the members of PF.com:

1. Shooting at 15 yards is bad because nobody can hit anything that far away with a handgun. True for 95% of gun owners.
2. Shooting at a person who is more than 7 yards away is murder.
3. .40 S&W does not use an "aerodynamic" bullet, and as such is completely unable to hit anything past about 12 yards
4. Shooting "fast" is dangerous and destructive and completely unnecessary in real life True for 95% of gun owners.
5. It's impossible to hit anything more than 3 yards away with a Ruger LCP. True for 95% of gun owners.
6. Clearing a room by attempting to "pie" a corner is stupid.
7. My 9mm P30 doesn't have a prayer of actually stopping a bad guy.

At least here in Western PA.

[TGS]

I learned a lot during my trip to the range yesterday, and I thought I would share these valuable lessons with the members of PF.com:

1. Shooting at 15 yards is bad because nobody can hit anything that far away with a handgun.
2. Shooting at a person who is more than 7 yards away is murder.
3. .40 S&W does not use an "aerodynamic" bullet, and as such is completely unable to hit anything past about 12 yards
4. Shooting "fast" is dangerous and destructive and completely unnecessary in real life
5. It's impossible to hit anything more than 3 yards away with a Ruger LCP.
6. Clearing a room by attempting to "pie" a corner is stupid.
7. My 9mm P30 doesn't have a prayer of actually stopping a bad guy.

I don't get it....why do you talk to these people? How does this happen? Do these chumps literally come out of nowhere and stand over your shoulder making comments? You may find it beneficial to use 33NRR non electronic muffs if you're overhearing this stuff. I never turn on my electronics at the range unless I'm with someone.

[ToddG]

I recently received a very stout lecture from a long-time industry insider about how the 9mm is a bad choice for personal defense. This is someone who, in his own words, "can't think of a reason to shoot as fast as those bullseye rapid fire stages." For those unfamiliar, rapid fire in bullseye means five shots in 10 seconds.

Let's face it, the folks who take the time to discuss these things and learn online are ... well...

[TCinVA]

I don't get it....why do you talk to these people?

It's unavoidable when the person is the "rangemaster" and he's spending all his time focusing on what I'm doing instead of watching the people who are doing other things...like pointing guns at other people. Apparently shooting at a target that's "too far" (requiring me to show 9 out of 10 shots in the 10 ring with one barely in the 9 before he'd shut up about it) or at a pace that's "too fast" (despite demonstrating that I can shoot that fast and still hit a target) or, god forbid, drawing a handgun from a holster is more attention grabbing than, say, pointing a Ruger at someone's face.

How does this happen?

Because God hates me and because "He's a moron" isn't a sufficient justification for assault in Virginia.

[Tamara]

Let's face it, the folks who take the time to discuss these things and learn online are ... well...

I can't remember who the comedian was who commented that, with Jeopardy! coming on right after Wheel of Fortune, it was like going from being a genius to an idiot in one commercial break.

Like going from the local range, where I am like unto a ninja, to AFHF, where I am tickled pink any time I am not the suckiest at any given drill...

[Al T.]

Tom Givens remarked over dinner last spring that the training audience (folks that actually attend courses) is (IIRC) less than 15 thousand people, coast to coast. That discussion came about by playing "do you know" with Tom about a few folks I know. We had one guy from Georgia who remembered being in class in Indiana with Tam.

[Bratch]

Tom Givens remarked over dinner last spring that the training audience (folks that actually attend courses) is (IIRC) less than 15 thousand people, coast to coast. That discussion came about by playing "do you know" with Tom about a few folks I know. We had one guy from Georgia who remembered being in class in Indiana with Tam.

This doesn't surprise me if I dont know over half the people in a class in the OK area I'm surprised. I've met people only to realize I was in a class with them 5 years ago.

[ubervic]

It's unavoidable when the person is the "rangemaster" and he's spending all his time focusing on what I'm doing instead of watching the people who are doing other things...like pointing guns at other people.

Appalling.

[Tamara]

Tom Givens remarked over dinner last spring that the training audience (folks that actually attend courses) is (IIRC) less than 15 thousand people, coast to coast. That discussion came about by playing "do you know" with Tom about a few folks I know. We had one guy from Georgia who remembered being in class in Indiana with Tam.

Heck, at the Awerbuck Pistol/Carbine class here in Boone Co. last August, I knew two of the guys in the class from back in Knoxville (buzz_knox from TFL/THR and his brother-in-law.)

Of course, I knew they came up here to train a lot, because I sold 'em some Arsenals to take up to a Pat Rogers AK class back in '06 or '07 when I was still at Coal Creek.

It's a small world, after all.