Guns International

Planning to go to the gun range for my first time tomorrow

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  • jrbfishn

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    Aug 9, 2013
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    If it happened when you pulled the slide back it could be you riding the slide foward. When you load, pull it back and let it go foward by itself. Mine do that if I ride it. Could be dry too. Clean it it, lube it good and have more fun.
    Nice you got out shooting though.
    Lynx Defense
     

    Moonpie

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    Gunz are icky.
    It felt good to go. I was about to end up not going, I got some really bad news today, but decided I wasn't going to let it stop me. I think it kinda helped. You can't really do much thinking when you're there shooting a gun, because you have to concentrate on what you're doing. As short as it was, it gave me some level of peace to take my mind off all my problems. It also got me a lot more comfortable with my gun, as in actually shooting it. Before today if someone decided to bust in my front door there's really no telling what would happen.

    I worked a lot on trial and error, what worked, what didn't. The best stance that gave me the best accuracy, I learned that keeping my elbows bent rather than locked gave me the ability to make more accurate follow up shots and deal with less recoil. Just general stuff like that. I didn't just go emptying mags, I was actually there teaching myself. I also learned to clear an actual jam. There was one jam where I couldn't drop the mag back out. I managed to remedy it on my own through common sense.

    I learned a lot of confidence today.

    See. It ain't rocket surgery.
    Now learn how to strip down the firearm and clean/lube it properly. Don't forget to clean inside the magazines too.
     

    IAmSupernova

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    Mar 20, 2015
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    Yeah I still need to clean it. Haven't gotten around to it since I got back. Been dealing with the 'bad news'. I cleaned it before I went because I read that a new gun should be cleaned before you take it out for shooting. So I know how to strip it down and all.
     

    GlockOwner

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    Someone already mentioned possible limp wristing the gun. Just in case you aren't sure what that is, it is bascially leaving your wrists relaxed, and allowing the recoil of the gun to snap the gun upward. When you do this, the recoil spring inside the gun doesn't compress enough for the slide to go all the way back like it should. You said it didn't happen until after 100 rounds, which means your wrists could have been a bit fatigued, especially since you haven't shot very much and aren't use to the workload. Of course, this is just one of many possible issues that have already been mentioned. If for some reason it is an issue with the gun, Ruger now has excellent customer service from what I hear. Glad you got out and had fun while learning and gaining confidence!
     

    robertc1024

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    Good deal you got out - thanks for the range report. As others have said, I wouldn't worry about it - yet. Going out with some experienced shooters can teach you a lot though. Glad you had fun!
     

    IAmSupernova

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    So there are some things I haven't addressed that have been brought up that I don't want to feel like they've been ignored. As much as I'd love to go to this Hicksville thing, it's a 4 hour drive (one way) for me. There's honestly no way I can really do that. My schedule is no longer constrained, the bad news I got today is the fact that I lost my job. I had already bought the ammo for my trip days prior, so that's why I went anyways. But when I got the news I kind of just wanted to go home and forget about going. I decided screw that and went away. As of this moment we're not in danger of being homeless, we do have money saved, but we're far from rich. So I couldn't afford such a trip. Maybe I'm laying too much on people by bringing this up, but what's worst that could happen lol. If people are close to me, I know there were a couple of names mentioned and I plan to PM them at some point just to talk/figure things out. But I would absolutely love to not go alone and get help from people who know what they're doing.

    Given what I had heard not even an hour before loading up my first mag, I found the experience very therapeutic. So I plan to keep doing it. Maybe not as often as I'd like, but there was just something about it that seemed to clear my head. I was in the moment and only that moment. Not worrying about my future or whatever. I think if I hadn't decided to just go and put myself out there for once, things might not be going so well for me at the moment. Nothing changes if nothing changes. I'm a very shy, introverted person terrified of new experiences and I pushed it all behind me for today. I honestly believe it helped.

    Until I can find a job, my schedule is a lot more open now. I can't afford to drive 2 hours to meet up with people, but if anyone near me wants to meet up, I'm open for it. You should know that I am a very quiet person until I know you though. I've just always been that way. Internet is one thing, but in person, I'm not much of a conversationalist. You ask questions, I answer, I have questions I ask. But small talk has always been that one thing I'm not very good at.

    Paranoia be damned. I live in Baytown, for the record.
     

    IAmSupernova

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    Mar 20, 2015
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    Don't really have any. I'm waiting to get a job as a radiographer with a friend. There's a strike right now and they aren't hiring but he assures me he can get me in, we're just waiting for it to end. My only skill is being told "this is your job, go do it". I don't have much in the way of work experience. Job I lost was Shiftlead at Walgreens.
     
    Last edited:

    BIGPAPIGREG

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    Mar 21, 2013
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    well then, if push comes to shove..........ya shouldn't have any issue with finding work. Still, might put some feelers out to the TGT community, might be surprised what ya find...........or not, worth a shot Bigun.
     

    Major Kong

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    Condolences on the job loss.

    Don't let the bastards get you down. Something will come up when you are least expecting it.

    I am on the other side of Houston in Katy and will keep my ears out for something. It's the way we roll around here.

    You may want to check out Kroger. They have signs up all over Katy that they are looking for people. Not sure about your neck of the woods, but it can't hurt to look.

    Stay strong.

    Sent from a B-52 flying over Russia.
     

    Glockster69

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    Sorry about the job but glad you went for therapy. Shoot as often as you can with as many TGT people as you can.
     

    acorneau

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    Make sure you let everyone you know that you're looking for work. Networking is a major component to finding a job. As they say, it's not what you know but who you know.

    There's a sub-forum here for jobs so make sure you post up there: Job Search

    Hang in there, something will come along.

    And welcome from another newbie that's just a little farther down the path than you are. I bought my first rifle just a little over a year ago and I had the same first-timer anxiety that you do.

    Good luck.
     

    K.O Kid

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    Oct 26, 2012
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    Good job on your first solo range day. I just noticed this post I was free this weekend and live about 15 mins from Crosby. There good people at high noon haven't been in a while on account of the price raised, if u live closer to liberty you should check out rives rifle range.
     

    Pawpawc

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    Mar 24, 2013
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    Supernova, sorry to hear of the sudden unemployment. File immediately for unemployment it's not much, but if your entitled to it get it. We work our entire lives and a very small percentage ever use it.

    Congrats on making solo gun range appearance. The ice is broken and it only gets easier and more fun every time out now. Like others have said, and I use this in my rifle and archery shooting religiously. At first don't so much worry about moving sights and trying to hit the bullseye. Concern yourself with form and grouping. Once you become very consistent with your form and your group is in the same place everytime, then work on moving sights to zero in pistol. I only move one direction at a time. After a few shots of moving Horizontally and grouping in center then I go to the vertical adjustment. It usually takes 2 to 3 trips to gun range to get zeroed in.
    Hope this helps a little. Do take up those offers of fellow shooters to go with.

    Prayers for a quick job find.
     
    Every Day Man
    Tyrant

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