Easter Sunday & Shooting Practice

After Mass on Easter morning I decided to take a quick trip to the range for some pistol shooting practice. (There are just so many snarky remarks I could make here about "clingers.") I've been wanting to get in some focused practice, basically for trigger control and watching the sights, and shooting steel plates at a distance seemed a fun way to do that. Being a breatiful Spring day, and Easter Sunday, I figured the outdoor range would be well-attended, but surprisingly I had the place to myself.

I set up my 10" steel plates and moved to the 15 yard line. My plan was this; if I hit the first shot from the draw, I'd reward myself wih a swing to the second plate and then shoot it. If that was a hit, swing back to the first plate. Or alternately, shoot a follow up shot on the first plate if the first shot was a hit. If I missed on the draw shot, I'd reholster and start again. So here goes: Draw. Shoot. Hit. Transition. Shoot. Hit. Too easy.

I needed to make it a little harder. So, I moved back to the 25 yard line. I still managed a high percentage of hits.  At the Black Creek Steel Match just a few weeks ago I was having trouble hitting even 24" plates at 25 yards. Must be the pressure of competition. There are days I shoot well, and days I do, um, otherwise. This day it was the former.

I enjoy practicing with the steel. I instantly know that I called the shot correctly, and there's no walking back and forth to paste the target. Sure, the "A zone" isn't the same size or shape at the standard USPSA target, but shooting steel is an easy, not to mention fun, way to practice basic skills. Maybe I need to get one of these steel A zone targets from this page.

Now, by posting this I've probably jinxed myself for the next time I have to shoot for a score. But, it was certainly a fun afternoon. Later that day as I was grilling a leg of lamb for Easter dinner, I still had a smile on my face thinking about the afternoon's fun.