SO MYSELF AND MY SHOOTING BUDDY HUGH WENT TO THE RANGE LAST NIGHT TO GO SOME BLASTING.
TRUE TO FORM, HE AND I TEND TO LET/GODE PEOPLE INTO SHOOTING OUR BIG BORE HANDGUNS.
WE WENT TO THE RANGE TO TEST FIRE SOME NEW LOADS WE ARE WORKING ON. AND AS MUCH FUN AS IT IS TO FIRE MY 50 AE DESERT EAGLE WITH 300GR/30.5GR WIN-296, AND 325GR/32.5GN WIN-296, IT'S EVEN MORE FUN TO WATCH OTHERS FIRE IT.
JUST TO SEE THE LOOK ON THIER FACE THE FIRST TIME THEY PULL THE TRIGGER. THEY TURN AROUND WITH EYES ABOUT EIGHT SIZES TOO BIG, AND A SMILLE THAT GOES EAR TO EAR.
THEN AFTER THEY SHOOT MY HAND CANNON, I TAKE THEM OVER TO HUGHS LANE, AND THEY GET TO FIRE A TAURUS IN 454 CASULL.
AND MORE SMILES, AND SHOCK.

I JUST LOVE DOING THAT. WALKING PAST SIX OR SEVEN LANES OF FIRE AT OUR INDOOR RANGE. EVERYBODY SHOOTING 22S AND 9MMS.
THEN LOAD UP AND LET LOOSE WITH SEVEN POWER LOADS OF FIFTY. THEN I TURN AROUND TO SEE TEN OR FIFTEEN PEOPLE STANDING THERE ASKING "WHAT WAS THAT?"

THEN ONE BY ONE, WE LET PEOPLE TRY OUR GUNS/LOADS, JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT.

SO, ANYBODY ELSE OUT THERE LOVE TO INTRODUCE NEW SHOOTERS TO NEW CALIBERS AS MUCH AS WE DO?

I get a blast (pun intended) out of introducing people to big bores myself. I do try to give most of them adequate warning before hand.

Big eyes and big grins!

While I agree with you completely about enjoying watching people shoot a large caliber handguns for the first time, I have to say you might be carefull.

One of my most vivid memories from when I was a kid was from one of our deer hunting trips. One afternoon near camp we were shooting some handguns just for fun. My mom and some of the other wives were along.

This other wife kept saying she wanted to shoot my dad's 44 Magnum. Now this is one of the first issued S&W 44 Magnums and was (and is) my dad's pride and joy. My dad kept telling here she really did not want to shoot it.

She persisted and my dad gave in. He kept telling her to hang on to it. When she fired that thing she simply let go of it and it sailed through the air and landed in a mud puddle. She ran around holding her ears and screaming. (We did not know much about hearing protection then.)

I thought my dad would kill her on the spot. He was SO mad. I will never forget it.

So be carefull, R F

TRUST ME, I'M MORE THAN CAREFUL WHEN IT COMES TO LETTING PEOPLE SHOOT ANY OF MY GUNS. MORE SO WITH GUNS THAT COST ME A MONTHS WORTH OF PAY!!!
I NEED TO SEE SOME SORT OF SKILL, AND EVEN THEN I WATCH THEM LIKE A HAWK.
I KEEP SOME SOFT LOADS ON HAND, SEE HOW THEY DO, AND ONLY THEN WILL I LOAD THEM UP WITH THE HOTTER STUF.

THAT'S A FUNNY THING WHEN IT COMES TO MY DESERT EAGLES(4). I'VE SEEN 6' 200LBS GUYS SHOOT MY 357 AND TAKE TWO STEPS BACK. AND THE SAME DAY, A 5' 95LBS LADY ONE HAND MY 50AE WITH FULL POWER LOADS, AND THEN WANT MORE!!!

I TAKE THE TIME TO TEACH THEM HOW TO ACCEPT THE RECOIL, IF THEY LISTEN THEY ENJOY THEMSELVES. IF THEY DON'T, THEY HURT THEMSELVES WITH THE ONLY ROUND THEY WILL EVER SHOOT OUT OF ONE OF MY GUNS.
I TEND TO START NEW SHOOTERS OFF WITH 22S IN REVOLVER AND SEMIAUTO. THEN MOVE THEM UP TO MY DESERT EAGLES IN 9 AND 40. THEN COMES THE NORINCOS IN 45 AND 7.62 X 25. THEN ONTO MY DESERT EAGLES IN 357 AND 50.
AND THEN ON TO MY RIFLES.

YA KNOW, EVERY TIME I OPEN MY GUN SAFES, AND DO A QUICK COUNT OF THE DOLLARS I'VE SPENT.... IT JUST SENDS A SHUDDER UP THE SPINE.
BUT AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, AFTER ONLY A SHORT WHILE OF PLAYING OR CLEANING, OR JUST THE LOOKS OF MY "LITTLE" COLECTION, I'M ALL BETTER. LOL

OOPS, I FORGOT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR REPLYS.
HEY R FLOWERS, THANKS FOR THE TALE ABOUT YOUR FATHER. IT REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED HERE IN EDMONTON A FEW YEARS AGO.

ONE OF THE LOCAL NEWS REPORTERS DECIDED TO GOTO THE INDOOR RANGE TO DO A STORY. THIS WAS BEFORE ALOT OF THE HOOPLA AND REALLY NEGATIVE PRESS ABOUT FIREARMS.
SO, THE RANGE STAFF BEING THE HELPFUL TYPES THAT THEY WERE, GAVE HER A FREE FIREARMS COURSE, AND THEN TOOK HER OUT TO THE RANGE.
THE COURSE WAS A QUICK ONE BECAUSE THE STAFF WAS GOING TO LET HER SHOOT SOME ROUNDS FOR FREE, AND SHE COULD DO IT LIVE ON AIR IF THEY WERE QUICK ABOUT IT.
SO, AFTER THE COMERCIAL BREAK, THEY WENT LIVE IN THE RANGE, AND THEY LET HER LOAD A 9MM.(I THINK IT WAS A BERETTA)
SO SHE DID HER LITTLE TALK TO THE CAMERA, TURNED AROUND, LOADED THE GUN, AND PULLED THE TRIGGER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE.

LONG STORY SHORT, AS THE GUN STARTED TO RECOIL SHE SCREAMED AND THEN LET GO OF THE GUN AS IT CAME OVER HER HEAD, ALMOST HITTING THE CAMERAMAN. BY THE TIME THE GUN HIT THE WALL, HE HAD PANNED OVER TO SHOW THE REPORTER RUNNING OUT OF THE RANGE.

SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT TIME INVESTED IN THE SAFETY COURSE. DIDN'T PROVE TO BETO HELPFUL TO THE PRO GUN MOVEMENT EITHER.
ARGH.

One of the last times out at the range, my 3 y/o tagged along, and he kept asking to shoot my 480. The mildest load I had was 310 gr @ 950 fps. I finally relented, and helped him hold it. The recoil really isn't that bad, especially with the scope, but he didn't ask to fire it a second time I really need to get a 22 rf, or load up some really mild loads for the 357 blackhawk.

Oh yeah, eagle 357, kill the caps lock, it makes the post difficult to read.

I think Saeed knows how you feel there eagle. Check out some of the clips of people shooting his big bores! Especially the T-Rex. Too funny!! Be sure to check out 'Ben and the T-Rex'. That's got to be the best one.

http://www.accuratereloading.com/videos.html

Turok

[ 05-23-2003, 21:51: Message edited by: Turok ]