Ladies night in Dallas!

DFW Gun range in Dallas has a Ladies Night on Tuesdays. A group of us from work made a trek over there last Tuesday. All told we had three males and four females and I was the only one who had experience with shooting handguns. I don't know how DFW Gun Range is most nights but this night it was very busy. And a lot of the customers seemed to be first time shooters.

I was impressed by how the staff was able to be patient and professional under the somewhat crowded conditions. One of the staff gave my companions a '5-minute' briefing about basic gun safety and handling. He also took the time to answer their questions and allay some of the expressed fears/nervousness.

I had my Glock 19 (Gen 4) and I think the other male who shot (the third observed) also got a Glock 19--not sure if it was a Gen 3 or 4. All of women started sharing a .22 (Ruger Mark III),  and then I loaded one round into the Glock and let them try it. Two went back to the .22 and the other two rented their own Glock and got another lane.

All of the first time shooters said they had a good time. Some didn't feel a need to do it again soon while others do want to do it at least once a month.

I will say it was a bit warm (hot) and crowded. The air conditioning at the indoor ranges in the DFW area isn't really keeping up that well with the 100+ temperatures we've had for the last 30+ days. The fantastic deals ladies get on Tuesdays may have something to do with the crowding--they get free range and gun rental so they only have to pay for ammunition and targets. So for the ones paying for 50 rounds of .22 and one target I think the whole outing cost less than $6!

Range session

Last weekend my wife and I went to our favorite indoor range -- Lone Star Guns, Gallery and Gear in Weatherford, TX. That made two visits in the month of July. This time we rented a couple of smaller 9mm pistols -- a Kahr PM-9 and then a CZ (I didn't get the model number). My wife didn't care for the Kahr but liked the CZ. I liked the Kahr more than the CZ. The Kahr trigger pull is pretty long but no worse than a double-action revolver trigger.

I also 'rented' one of the new Springfield XDm 5.25 (the range is letting people rent it for free if they fill out a survey form afterward). I really liked the 5.25. It was more accurate for me at 15 yards than my Glock 19 (4th gen). But I was disappointed in the fiber optic front sight. I didn't discern any benefit from it with the indoor lane lighting. The longer sight radius and the fact I still have the stock Glock sights on my 19 are probably most of the difference.

Texas has 6 points ...

on the Brady Campaign scorecard. But we may be able to drop that to four since SB 321 [parking lot exemption] was also voted out of the house with modification. And the state senate has not yet given up on Campus carry -- which would get us down to two.

I find it interesting how they frame the issues:

• Employers not forced to allow firearms in parking lot
• Colleges are not forced to allow firearms on campus

[Emphasis mine]

GSSF Match in Carrollton, TX

I just got back from shooting my first ever competition. It was a Glock Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF) match in Carrollton, TX.

The first thing I shot was the steel plates ('GLOCK the Plates'). Six plates at 11 yards. This is the only stage for which you shoot four strings (max 11 rounds per string). I *did* manage to drop all the plates. I wasn't sure going into it that I would be able to since I'd never shot steel targets before. I don't think I used all eleven rounds during any of the strings, but on at least three of the strings I had to shoot at one or more plates more than once.

Next I shot the "GLOCK 'M'". In this stage there are four cardboard targets engaged with two round each and one steel target that needs to be hit for each of the three strings. Accuracy counts because if you aren't in the 'A' or 'B' ring, time gets added to your score. I had a slight brain freeze on my third string. In the previous two strings I engaged the steel as my third target (I worked from left-most to right-most). On the third string I totally skipped it and the RO was yelling 'Steel! Steel!' And I shot the steel. (My time for that string was about 4 seconds longer than the other two).

Last I shot the 'Five to GLOCK'. Five cardboard targets at various distances. Two rounds on each. I went in telling myself it was important to slow down. Didn't happen. I shot all three strings faster than my third string on the GLOCK 'M'. (Not a lot faster, but still evident I didn't take my time).

Total 'C' hits (+1 second each): 14.
Total 'D' hits (+3 seconds each): 12.
No misses.

Here is my fifth (furthest) target on 'Five to GLOCK' (1 A+B, 2 C, 3 D):

I can see why people recommend you shoot more than one division (I just shot my Glock 19 in Amateur/Civilian)--I wanted to shoot again! But I packed up and came home. (Hmmm, can I wait till December and the San Antonio match?)

Thanks to the Dallas Pistol Club and the GSSF.
All the range officers were very helpful and made this a great experience for me.

Glock 19 at the range

I finally got my new Generation 4 Glock 19 to the range and put 100 rounds of 115gr. FMJ range ammunition and 5 rounds of 147gr. JHP through it. Absolutely no problems.

First 10 rounds through my Glock 19. 7 yards.

Rounds 36-45. 15 yards.

At 15 yards I knew I let the first one off high. (The hole under the ruler was a high round from my rapid-fire at 15 yards at the target beneath it.) As you can see in the next target to the right I started shooting low-left so I was probably starting to jerk the trigger a bit.

I'm still here

While I haven't posted since the New Year, I haven't been totally inactive.

A lot of my range time has been trying to decide what firearm I wanted to purchase.

I joined the GSSF program. One draw is being able to purchase one Glock a year at a discounted price. [Above is my Gen4 Glock19]
(This program is changing as of May 1st! After that you will have to have been a GSSF member at least a year before getting a discount).

I attended a Friends of NRA banquet in Weatherford (Parker County Friends of NRA).

There is a GSSF match coming up at the end of April in Carrollton, TX.

April 30 - May 1, 2011

Carrollton, Texas
Dallas Pistol Club
Lone Star Classic XVII

You have to be a GSSF member to compete (there are two matches in Texas in 2011) but the fee is quite reasonable: $25.

The range my wife and I shoot at in Weatherford (Lone Star Guns Gallery & Gear) will be hosting an IDPA match on the 4th Friday of every month. (Cross Timbers IDPA club)

Let's start the New Year right!

The Original Fort Worth Gun Show is at the Will Rogers Memorial Center today and tomorrow. My wife and I went to the gun show today and maybe we'll be able to get to the range tomorrow!