An Afternoon at the Range

My introduction to the pleasures of target shooting came early.  I was about 10 years old, and spending my first summer away from home at Viking, a sailing camp on Cape Cod.  I enjoyed learning to handle their various small sloops, but it was on the rifle range that I felt most at home.

I started at the bottom rung of the NRA's Marksman Qualification Program, and over the ensuing summers -- first as a camper and then as a rifle counselor -- I worked my way to the top, an accomplishment that still brings a smile of satisfaction. You can read more about that here.

After I got married, my firearms activity dropped virtually to zero, and it wasn't until my dad's death, when I inherited his pistols, that my interest started to pick up.  In the fall of 2007, Jon Weaver and I went up to French Creek, he with his black-powder side-by-side 12-gauge, and I with my .22 Colt Woodsman and .38 Smith & Wesson revolver.  After that experience, I was hooked -- again.

Fast forward a few months: 

• I joined Delaware County Field & Stream, a wonderfully unpretentious club with ranges for all sorts of weaponry
• I found a used but pristine Beretta AL391 Urika trap 12-gauge online and had it shipped in from the Midwest
• I added a couple of new handguns to my small collection
• And alone or with friends in tow, I began to spend more time at the club.

At this point, I think my skill level may have peaked, but my enjoyment continues to grow.  And sharing these sports with others only enhances the pleasure.  In this video I've just posted, Jon brought along Caroline, a friend of his son, for her first-ever experience with a firearm.  I'll let the images speak for themselves.

I'm a huge supporter of our Second Amendment rights, and very glad I live in a country (and a state) where those rights are acknowledged and protected.  If you agree, I recommend you consider joining the NRA.  I'm a Life Member.

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