Ode to shooting ranges!

[BarbarossaParticipant 27]

Must post on this.
Shooting ranges are great!

Naturally, shooting is incredibly fun!
But, for me it’s also very much about social life and meeting great personalities who share my values.

Our range is such a pleasure to visit every time.
Great discussions on the sport itself, politics, relationships, work, finance etc..

It is a great place to meet gents of all ages.
From very young to pretty darn old.
There are the youngsters, and even some kids with their fathers, middle aged guys, older guys and all possible ages in between. Also, I have found that the most sane females can also be met there. Usually with their spouses and dads.

I have actually met many of my now best friends on our range. This has led to many great moments just shooting, hunting or even travelling with these fantastic people.

I usually shoot rifle and sporting clays.
Both have been equally great for the social part of the hobby.

Similar experiences?

Man with a red beard.

[PistolPeteParticipant 27143]

As a gunsmith and avid shooter I agree. Nothing brings like minded folks together quite like firearms. Often I go to guns shows not so much to buy or sell but just to sit and chit-chat and learn new things.

This is especially true if you bring a rare, or historic gun to a range. Every time I break out my C96 Broomhandel it starts a conversation. GREAT POST!

[Knight ErrantParticipant 179]

I always wanted to visit one, and this year I finally will. I have to go abroad to do it, but it’s finally going to happen this year. I can’t wait, I’m going in the summer. If I lived in a country that allowed guns I would definitely have one. Enjoy it, I envy you 🙂

I'm no white knight, Sir. Give me a strong suit of armour, a swift steed and the open road and stick the hand of the princess up your arse. I've no ring to put on it and I'm fresh out of fucks to give.

[Faust For ScienceParticipant 22521]

PistolPete wrote:

Every time I break out my C96 Broomhandel

You must be a skilled gunsmith to work on such a pistol. Those German pistols are not easy to put back together.

[BarbarossaParticipant 27]

PistolPete wrote:

As a gunsmith and avid shooter I agree. Nothing brings like minded folks together quite like firearms.

Indeed. When I joined this great forum, I was pretty sure you and I would “click” soon or even sooner.

There is true comradery on the ranges. I feel there are few places in the modern world where this can be had so spontaneously.

Shooting old guns is something else!
Rifles…I mostly shoot rather modern hunting rifles.
On a rifle range even one of my newer lever guns tends to cause a minor scene (in the most positive way possible). But, my true love is shooting antique shotguns on a modern range against state of the art competition shotguns.
Usually the competetive shooters beat the crap out of me, but that is hardly relevant.
Shooting Victorian shotguns with modern ammunition having pretty good results is priceless!

I wish we could go shooting together. There is a mighty pond between us though. Might still happen. You never know.

Man with a red beard.

[PistolPeteParticipant 27143]

AMEN Faust! The first time I did it—took almost all afternoon. The hardest part is getting the rocker in place WHILE the trigger spring is depressed…need three hands or a good vise! Its amazing though after all the decades that the parts have such narrow and exacting tolerances and yet still function perfectly. Its amazing given the complexity of the design…no computers, no lasers…Just a guy with an idea and a pencil.

[FrostByteParticipant 19005]

Agree agree
I have two outdoor ranges I frequent, and an indoor range for pistol that rents. Renting is a good way to test drive a gun. My next is will be a S&W .38 special for CCW. I just have to find the right one.

PistolPete wrote:

Every time I break out my C96 Broomhandel it starts a conversation.

I’m sure it does. What great one to have in a collection.

If you rescue a damsel in distress, all you will get is a distressed damsel.

[PistolPeteParticipant 27143]

Barbarossa wrote:

Shooting Victorian shotguns with modern ammunition having pretty good results is priceless!

Be very careful man. Many older guns were designed for black powder (even cartridge guns) and they can’t handle the pressures generated by modern smokeless powder. Like you I really like the older military rifles. My favorite is the Schmidt-Ruben—in terms of accuracy at long range I’d stack it up against almost any modern gun. BUT there are guys who have re-chambered it to fire .308 Winchester in place of the original 7.5 x 55 swiss. There have been cases where the end of the barrel blew out. I just made some specialty ammo for a friend of mine for his Schmidt. 150 gr. .308 with about 42 grains of 4046. I figure the muzzle velocity at about 2700-2800. Given the rifling twist and the lighter bullet it should have EXCELLENT long range and a flatter trajectory. He said he’d let me know.

On your old shot guns—remember many of them are silver soldered between the barrels and that can’t take a lot of over-pressure. Please do not blow yourself up!

[BarbarossaParticipant 27]

No worries! I only shoot reproofed guns with modern loads.
Poms luckily do this on regular basis, so I’m good.
Only blackpowder gun I have shot recently was an old german pin fire 12gauge.
Great fun to shoot, but the actual results were not so good. Brass shell 12gauge loads were a pretty good show though.
All my rifled guns are modern enough to take modern loads.
For these I reload myself.

Thanks for the concern.

Man with a red beard.

[PistolPeteParticipant 27143]

FrostByte wrote:

S&W .38 special for CCW. I

Excellent choice but even used old smiths are almost as expensive as the new stuff. If you have any questions just ask. BTW I’ve got a friend with a S&W model 38-2 he wants to sell. Let me know and I might be able to hook you up.

You might also want to take a look at Ruger, Taurus and Astra. The Taurus model 85 usually comes in below/or at $300. I own one and its as good as any smith I have. Try out this site:

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/21/Handguns

If nothing else it will give you a good idea about going prices!

[PistolPeteParticipant 27143]

Barbarossa wrote:

For these I reload myself.

Thank you—if you are a re-loader—then all my concerns are put to rest–you know what you are doing! Excellent man!

[BarbarossaParticipant 27]

Thank you Sir.
Running solid.:-)
Just about to “pull a trigger” on one pretty cool twelwe. Will gloat and send you pics when available.

Extremely pleased to make your acquintance, Sir.

Man with a red beard.

[FrostByteParticipant 19005]

PistolPete wrote:

You might also want to take a look at Ruger, Taurus and Astra. The Taurus model 85 usually comes in below/or at $300. I own one and its as good as any smith I have. Try out this site:

Thanks for the tip on the Taurus.

If you rescue a damsel in distress, all you will get is a distressed damsel.

[BarbarossaParticipant 27]

Knight Errant wrote:

I always wanted to visit one, and this year I finally will. I have to go abroad to do it, but it’s finally going to happen this year. I can’t wait, I’m going in the summer. If I lived in a country that allowed guns I would definitely have one. Enjoy it, I envy you

Good for you.
I can pretty much guarantee you will meet people there who share many if not most of your values.
If you like good old fashioned common sense, shooting ranges are likely to provide.
You will surely like the shooting too.
Have fun!

Man with a red beard.

[Faust For ScienceParticipant 22521]

PistolPete wrote:

AMEN Faust! The first time I did it—took almost all afternoon. The hardest part is getting the rocker in place WHILE the trigger spring is depressed…need three hands or a good vise! Its amazing though after all the decades that the parts have such narrow and exacting tolerances and yet still function perfectly. Its amazing given the complexity of the design…no computers, no lasers…Just a guy with an idea and a pencil.

I will keep that in mind. The most complicated pistol I put back together in working order was the Ruger Mark II. Getting those levers in the proper position back into the grip of the pistol can be a pain in the ass.

On that matter. I find it interesting Ruger changed the latch release on the Mark III magazine compared to the Mark II magazine.

[PistolPeteParticipant 27143]

Faust For Science wrote:

On that matter. I find it interesting Ruger changed the latch release on the Mark III compared to the Mark II.

HA HA YES! it only took them 30 years to fix that!

[Faust For ScienceParticipant 22521]

PistolPete wrote:

HA HA YES! it only took them 30 years to fix that!

Better late than never.

[amb6zParticipant 19]

I grew up in TN, so I was shooting really early on. .22 rifles mainly. Shot for a few years, went into the Army, then afterward spent a good amount on training classes over a decade or so. My shooting tends to focus more on the self defense aspect of it, mag changes, clearing malfunctions, rifle and pistol transition, ect.

It’s a good skill to have, and I hang with a lot of other vets, and we go to the range together on occasion. Ammo isn’t cheap, but it is worth it to me.

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