Most of the last couple days, I haven’t been home much, except for this crazy episode that involved some shotgun shooting. Which we’ll get to in a minute.
First, today I took a concealed carry class and got my certificate to apply for a concealed carry permit!
This will make me feel like Batgirl.
I think, however, what I really need to work on is my shotgun handling.
The Remington 870 Magnum Special Purpose Deer shotgun is quite impressive, especially with 2000 fps Hornady slugs. I was practicing with some cheaper 1400 fps slugs then tried the Hornady. It about blew me away. I wasn’t expecting the kickback, after shooting the cheaper, lower-powered slugs, and I lost my grip on the shotgun and it reeled off my shoulder and flew at my face. As you can see in the below video, I was suffering post traumatic Hornady syndrome and every time I shot one, I threw my head back in advance for fear I was going to lose my grip and get hit in the face. Which never happened again, of course, because I paid attention to my grip. My friend Jerry was taking this video without my being aware of it, because he wanted to show me what I was doing wrong. (So, you know, I already know. Just enjoy it.)
Ha.
Okay.
I’m working on it!
You can order Chickens in the Road: An Adventure in Ordinary Splendor now!
folkwoman says:
I love the background music! ha!
On November 15, 2013 at 4:00 pm
lattelady says:
Wowie, you do have a nasty flinch. Stand straighter, hold it a bit higher, tuck it in as tight as possible. Attend a gun class.
I am more of a handgun fan, but it reminded me of the first time I fired a .357 mag. The recoil kicked my hand straight up in the air! After that I sought help.
Headset!
On November 15, 2013 at 4:25 pm
jodiezoeller says:
Practice makes perfect.
On November 15, 2013 at 6:29 pm
boulderneigh says:
Where’s your ear protection, woman? You don’t want to be a little old lady going, “Eh? Eh? Speak UP!”
On November 15, 2013 at 8:08 pm
MMHoney says:
If you ever needed instruction you need it now!!!!!!
On November 15, 2013 at 8:33 pm
holstein woman says:
You are suppose to keep your eye on the target until the gun is fired. It doesn’t shoot backward.
On November 15, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Cousin Mark says:
CONTACT YOU GUN SHOOTING COUSIN ASAP FOR TIPS
On November 15, 2013 at 9:37 pm
TracyT says:
I’ve never really been around guns, rifles, shotguns or the like, so I’m an ignoramus on the topic. Do you want a concealed carry permit because you’re worried about safety? Why does one want this? Is it hard to get? Like the new hair length, by the way.
On November 15, 2013 at 11:20 pm
Suzanne McMinn says:
Tracy, I really want it just because I’d like to carry a little handgun around with me on the farm. I’m alone here a lot, and it’s pretty remote. I don’t really want to have to worry about whether it’s concealed or not. If I’m wearing a jacket, it’s probably going to be concealed just because of clothing. I also would like to carry it in the car with me, but you can’t even put it in the glovebox without a concealed carry permit.
On November 16, 2013 at 6:50 am
Journey11 says:
Wow, what a kick. I bet you’ll be sore tomorrow. Good for you going for your CC permit. :shimmy:
The grass is so green it looks like Spring! You have a good place to target practice with all those hills there.
On November 15, 2013 at 11:21 pm
Joell says:
:happyflower:
I took the class last fall and purchased a shot gun this pas summer, it takes a while to get used to but I fell more secure knowing I know how to use both guns.
On November 16, 2013 at 6:46 am
falnfenix says:
lean into the gun. whether it’s a long gun like a rifle or a shotgun or something short like a pistol, your accuracy will increase significantly if you lean in.
i tell my students to counterbalance like they’re holding a fancy-pants DSLR camera. helps if you do a lunge, as well. it might feel funny but it works. 🙂
and practice, practice, practice. hell, you have the property – set up a range with an earth berm (to ensure projectiles stay where you want them). just make sure you practice frequently, as a gun is useless if your use of it isn’t second nature.
good luck in this journey. 🙂
On November 16, 2013 at 7:28 am
Lana says:
When I first used a shotgun, my shoulder was yellow and purple mush! And I was scared of the thing. After I learned to “step into the gun,” and hold it into my shoulder, I actually enjoyed shooting it. I got pretty good at it, too.
On November 16, 2013 at 9:10 am
bonita says:
{{dragging soap box to comment window}} The first thing to learn is SAFETY FIRST. Please get some eye and ear protection. Practice with the 1400 fps slugs ’till you master shooting. And for goodness sake, get your hair out of the way of the gun. This is way more important than your hair on the cover of the book. Pin it back. . . tuck it under a cap, but get it away from the shotgun. [{dragging soap box back to storage]].
On November 17, 2013 at 1:59 pm
Debbie @ Swampbilly Ranch says:
I’m sure you are tired of advise on how to shoot your new toy, but here I go anyway. You have gotten great advise so far. I was going to mention the hair as well, very important. Don’t stand facing straight into the target. Turn 45 degrees to your right. Lean your upper half slightly forward so your body has room to recoil with the impact and it won’t reverberate through your body as much. Also, don’t drop your head down to the scope. Look at your target. Pick a spot, then bring the gun up to your eye. And as everybody said, practice. It really is a lot of fun the more comfortable you become. I also think it’s a great idea to get your concealed permit! Enjoy your new guns, but be careful. They are addictive!!!
On November 18, 2013 at 7:47 am