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.

Last range session of 2010

My wife wasn't able to go to the range with me so I focused on trying some guns she may want to shoot at a later time. I shot a total of 100 rounds (50 .45ACP and 50 .40S&W) using six pistols (3 .45 and 3 .40).

Now, THAT'S a Happy Thanksgiving...

Our niece and her husband came into town for the Thanksgiving weekend and brought some firearms.

• .380 Walther (his James Bond gun)
• Glock 27 (her gun)
• Ruger 10-22
• 12 gauge pump-action shotgun
• .44 lever-action rifle

We also rented a 9mm CZ-75 and a Glock 19 from the range.

My wife had never shot a rifle or shotgun. I had never shot a lever-action rifle or a pump-action shotgun. The .44 with target rounds was easy to handle but when the magnum cartridges were put in there--that was fun! (And left my shoulder a bit sore the next day).

My wife liked the Walther and the CZ. I didn't like the CZ just because of how light the trigger was in single action. I guess I'd gotten used to the safe-action of the Glocks I had been shooting recently because I let off at least two rounds early on the CZ. I would NOT want to use the CZ as a home defense weapon.

On the rifle side my wife liked the Ruger 10-22 (what's not to like?) but one magnum round through the .44 was enough for her. She did well with the shotgun.

After a hiatus...

My wife and I got back to the range for the first time in over a month. We shot two 9mm pistols: a Glock 26 and a Springfield Armory XD(m).  Since I had not really liked shooting the Glock 17 a while back, I wasn't sure how I'd like the subcompact version--but I really liked it. It performed very well for me at 3 and 7 yards. I didn't do so well at 15. I was really surprised that I didn't miss my little finger on the grip--it felt completely comfortable with just my middle and ring fingers holding it.

The XD(m) performed OK. Not appreciably better than the Glock 26.

I'm going to also try a Glock 19 soon. Several of the podcasters I listen to seem to think pretty highly of that model.

More Springfield Armory action

Another Saturday trip to the range. My wife and I shot 100 rounds of .40 in the XD and XD(m). Earlier that day we'd gone to the gun show in Fort Worth and felt we preferred the grip styling on the XD to the XD(m), but actually shooting both I didn't have a strong preference in the ergonomics.

Next time we'll try the XD compact in .40 and some different .45 pistols.

Tried a .40 today

At the range on Saturday my wife and I tried a Smith & Wesson .40 and a Springfield Armory XD .40. She also got to try the Glock 9mm I shot the previous week.

We probably should have started the session with the Glock. Her comment was she thought the .40 had a really strong recoil, but then after shooting the Glock she wasn't sure. It would have been easier for her to compare the recoil by shooting the 9mm first.

Neither of us liked the S&W that much. To me the trigger pull seemed very heavy. We both really liked the XD. I think the range also has a .40 XD(m) and I'd like to compare them.

I still want to shoot the XD or XD(m) in .45.

Sig, Springfield, CZ, Glock?

I've now rented a few 9mm semi-autos at the range in Weatherford, TX. I really liked the SIG. Not so much the CZ (it was a compact and that may have been the major factor). The Glock was nice as well and I was fairly accurate with it at 7yds.

I really want to like the Springfield Arms XD(m) 9mm. It has a grip safety and I found I wasn't gripping high enough at the start of the session. It is also DAO and I didn't realize that. I'm definitely going to shoot it again to see whether I can come close to the accuracy I got from the Sig and the Glock.

One reason I want to shoot it more is so I can compare it to the XD(m) in .40 and .45 that are also available for rent. That will give me (I think) a valid basis for determining the caliber I want for my primary handgun.