One shot

[drycreek]

Me, my son, and one of his friends were shooting hand thrown clays with shotguns at my pond. I told my boy to throw me some slow ones over the water where I could see where my bullets hit. At the time I was carrying a Randall Raider .45 ACP, a Commander sized 1911 for those that might not be familiar with Randalls. I hit the clay bird on my third shot, just knocking a big chip out of it right before it hit the water. I stopped then, it seemed to be a good time.

When I was young, I was a pretty good shot with a handgun, now, not so much. I guess it helped that I shot constantly, but I really slowed down when I began to lose the clarity in my right eye. 

[rjtodd]

Doesn’t it suck that you are finally able to afford some of the nice toys you wanted in your twenties, and now you can’t make them perform like you want!!

My miracle shot was a squirrel headshot at 118 long steps with an iron sighted .22 training rifle from WWII. Luck no doubt, and between me, my 13 yo best friend, and the squirrel I’d be afraid to say who was most surprised.

Randy

[brant]

Good shooting!

[reb]

I was told once that a hole in one on the golf course was not luck. After all it is what you were trying to do.
Now, if it bounces off a tree first, that's luck!

[drycreek]

Jun 24, 2024 14:47:19 GMT -5 rjtodd said:

Doesn’t it suck that you are finally able to afford some of the nice toys you wanted in your twenties, and now you can’t make them perform like you want!!

My miracle shot was a squirrel headshot at 118 long steps with an iron sighted .22 training rifle from WWII. Luck no doubt, and between me, my 13 yo best friend, and the squirrel I’d be afraid to say who was most surprised.

Randy

It’s especially bothersome that I never wanted to shoot at short ranges. I like to stretch it out and especially like reactive targets. That’s the Elmer Keith education coming out in me I expect. I remember shooting at gopher mounds on my brother’s farm years ago. They were on a hillside and I would rest my forearms on my truck toolbox and shoot at the white spots a hundred to a hundred fifty yards away. Holding up the front sight and perching that white spot on top of the post. That Ruger Super could lay them in there when I did my part. 

I can still shoot decently off a bench using my left eye and closing my right, but my days of killing rabbits and squirrels with my High Standard or my Model 53 Smith are long gone, just like the guns themselves. I still have guns that can do it, but not the shooter. My Bisley Super in the avatar pic is still minute of hog or deer though !

[blackmamba]

I got my first rifle at 14, a Ruger 10/22 with iron sights ($54 at Woolworths). I used to empty a 50 round box of .22s into my pocket, throw the empty box on the ground, move back about 25 steps and start shooting. I could make that box dance pretty good out to about 40 yards. I sure miss having good eyesight!

[rjtodd]

There was an old of washing machine body dumped in a ditch to stop erosion in a wash about 270 yards from Dad’s back patio. It was tons of fun to shoot with rifles and pistols as a kid. There was a long delay before you heard the thwack. No records set, it lots of smiles none the less. In the end, the good memories last longer than the plaques and trophies. We never appreciated it when we had it.

Randy

[drycreek]

Jun 25, 2024 15:04:35 GMT -5 blackmamba said:

I got my first rifle at 14, a Ruger 10/22 with iron sights ($54 at Woolworths). I used to empty a 50 round box of .22s into my pocket, throw the empty box on the ground, move back about 25 steps and start shooting. I could make that box dance pretty good out to about 40 yards. I sure miss having good eyesight!

I miss the eyesight more than any other bodily function that I have lost or I’m in the process of losing.    Bad knees, bad shoulders, and an electric shock like a cattle prod in my toes at odd times. But if my right eye was as good as my left, I would still be a happy camper. It sucks not to be able to see your sights !