Firearms Friday: Time For Competition?

For the past two years I have been interested in participating in one of the many competitions that can be found at ranges throughout the area. It is one of those things where I just want to see how well I would do against not only others but against myself. This is especially true now since it has been way too long since I have gotten in any significant range time and while I am certain that I can be effective I would be much slower and not as accurate (I am not hitting the ten ring at speed at this point).

With no real significant plans in the books for the summer it might be possible to practice a bit and spend the day at a competition somewhere nearby but there aren’t any real long term certainties these days. And, at this point, given the limited opportunities that I have to get on the range would it be time well spent to dive right into a competition or would it be to simply feed my curiosity. The more practical option would be to spend the time practicing and also doing a few range tests on some firearms.

This year will also be the time to get back to building as there are several projects that I would like to complete with one of them being to outfit my 5 inch Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Pro CORE. I’m not talking about any major changes as the items that I will be adding include extended base plates, extended magazine release, co-witnessing optic, and maybe a new trigger. With the exception of the trigger, I have everything ready to go. It should be pretty nice by the time everything is complete and I am really looking forward to taking this competition gun to the range. Maybe some friendly, informal, match ups with friends are in order.

Moving forward it is all going to come down to time management with regard to this sport. Practice comes first, builds and maintenance second, and competitions are third. That is the general prioritization that I have to work with now that life has become full of interesting events, unique experiences, and once in a lifetime opportunities. Competitions would be nice as I could test my limited skills and maybe travel a little but, in the end, it wouldn’t be worth the time as, given my schedule, it would have to replace something else. Now if I were paid to compete, that would be a different story altogether… but I don’t see that happening in this lifetime.  

Firearms Friday: Competition

There are a few types of competition that can be found on nearly every range. Some are obvious while others are completely foreign to those who have never been on a firing line. And, for many of us, despite our lack of success we continue coming back hoping to improve with each round down range.

The first competition is with yourself. You look to quite the rest of the world, focus on your mechanics, and perform well on the range. Sometimes the target shows you are able to focus while other times it is clear that you are thinking too much or you are unable to focus intensely on the objective at hand. For many of us who see ourselves as novices, it is a constant routine that we go through each time we walk up to the firing line.

The second type of competition I see every time I walk into a gun shop or step foot on a range. There are always firearms on display that you would like to have for yourself. I don’t care who you are, that thought always runs through your mind at least once. Sometimes it sprints, sometimes it is a brisk walk, but it is always moving through your mind. Thankfully, the majority of gun owners will let you fire a couple of rounds just to satisfy the mental itch. But it usually doesn’t last long and there are some people I see walk onto the line the next time with the same firearm that they were eyeing the previous week.

The third type of competition is the most obvious and the one that I am looking to pursue in the future. There are numerous clubs and competitions of all kinds in the area and even though I don’t expect to place well, I am eager to get out on the range and see what I am able to do. While I was never a precision shooter, my combat accuracy is pretty good so I would like to see if the range skills I have developed will translate to the steel plates.

However, the issue that many of us face with this third kind of competition is that is actually involves all three kinds at the same time. We compete with ourselves and with others as we look around and covet the high end competition guns and optics all around us. But, that is all part of the sport and part of the hobby as well as the common threat that ties us together as a community.

Some Assembly Required

It really is that simple!

These days, unless you are buying high end furniture, there is going to be some assembly required whenever you purchase larger items for your home. Over the past week, I have been putting together all kinds of items for the new place and while time consuming, it might be the most relaxing part of the move. There is something that seems to be lost on some people when it comes to using your hands and building something.

I have always been this way even though my career doesn’t require physical labor I still enjoy the actual act of creating and watching something take shape. This is part of what drives the writing process for me because whether I am typing of actually writing, it is still using my hands to shape my creation. And although I do so without an instruction manual, the results have been decent thus far.

But that doesn’t satiate that urge completely. There are times when I look forward to really working with my hands and building something or putting something together. I can, most of the time, turn my brain off for just a little while, follow the instructions, and watch the desk, couch, table, chairs, bookcases, etc. take shape. It is the simple process that relaxes me while also rewarding me with something useful in the end.

These are the moments when I can take my time and make sure things are done right. There really is no debate on how something so simple is put together. The odd thing is that whenever I say something like this I usually get weird looks from people especially the ones that firmly believe that anything that you have to put together your self will fall apart before you get any good use out of it. This is definitely untrue.

Like many projects, if you take the time to put things together correctly, tightening every screw and fastening all the joints, these pieces of furniture will last for years. While I cannot dispute the superiority of solid wood furniture over particle board, the basic fact of the matter is that if you ensure that the structure is solid, they will last. I have seen many instances where things fall apart regardless of material because of shortcomings of the constructor not the structure.

Some boxes remain in our home waiting for me to set aside the time to put them together. Others have already been emptied and the items built. So there has been some assembly required over the past week but nothing that I haven’t done before as many of the pieces that we had moved I put together years ago and they are still just as sturdy as when I first constructed them. That might be the most satisfying aspect of the whole thing.

Range Time Equality

In the beginning every target looks the same. 

After reading an amusing article on Sass, Brass & Bullets I took some time to think about the stereotypes that she discussed. When talking about going to the range or firearms in general, the view from the outside is completely different than that which we, as enthusiasts, experience. In fact, it is pretty much the complete opposite of the judgmental views that many people have of the sport and of us as individuals. So I wanted to take this time to talk a little about what my experiences have been like with the sport.

It is interesting to me when I go to the range, look around, and see the different people walking off the firing line as well as those in each lane. While there are many people with tunnel vision out there who would like to paint a picture that encapsulates every gun owner out there, that is simply an impossible task. Heck, just in the people I know personally, there is a tremendous variety of those who enjoy the shooting sports. It doesn’t matter what race, gender, orientation, social standing, financial stature, or background, there is a wide variety of people on the line at any given time enjoying the same right afforded to all of us.

On the range, some people may have the nicer firearm, but that doesn’t matter. Just like the aforementioned diversity doesn’t matter. It all comes down to putting holes in paper or shots on target, everything else doesn’t mean crap. And many times we take the time to learn from one another, we look out for each other, and we admire the talent that some people have (I am certainly not one of those being sought after for tips).

We all go to the line, focus, and block out the rest of the world with a basic relaxing task that we all enjoy. Granted there are some people that go to the range and shouldn’t but, the majority of the time, those of us that respect firearms and truly enjoy the sport are there to either guide or ‘kindly correct’ them. This is not a sport where ignorance and stupidity are tolerated. Sure you can have a little fun or, within certain parameters, ‘kid around’ but this is all with safety and respect in the forefront of our minds.

The main thing to remember is that the stereotypes that are bandied about by the anti-gun, anti-equality, people out there are simply untrue in just about every sense. I have enjoyed having great conversations with a wide variety of people on a number of different topics all stemming from our common interest in firearms. At the same time, it is a great way to share time with friends within the social atmosphere of the range.

Firearms have always been the great equalizer but most people have lost sight of the fact enjoyment of the craftsmanship, skill, and talent that can be found at the range is also a tremendous means of equality. Those that truly enjoy and appreciate the shooting sports understand this and many of us go to the range seeing talent on the trigger not the differences in the person behind the butt stock. In the end, if you want to find utopia, go to the range.

Draining My Patience

I know, your already jealous with anticipation.

With a busy day planned (as has been previously mentioned), I was up and out of the apartment early so that I could get to the office in time to pull some plans together an prep for a couple of calls. Nothing like a full day ahead of you to ensure that your entire morning routine is completed in about 15 or 20 minutes… showered, dressed, packed, and coffee poured. As is a known rarity lately, I was actually running on time and was on track to get everything accomplished on my list by the time I went back to sleep that night.

Just like the day before, Wednesday, my phone betrayed my progress at the office. As I read the text from my wife I knew that it wasn’t going to be an early evening. In my rush to get out of the apartment in the morning I didn’t notice the fact that the shower drain was completely blocked and so when my wife got home, looking forward to a relaxing shower, she found herself in anything but a relaxing situation as the water level was still a quarter of the way up the side of the tub. This wasn’t the first time so toward the end of the work day we agreed to meet out for dinner and I would pick up a couple of bottles of Drano on my way home.

When we got home, ceiling still in shambles by the way, I headed to the bathroom, made a quick and unsuccessful attempt to snake the drain, and poured about half a bottle of the clog dissolvent in the tub. Per the instructions I waited about thirty minutes and checked the progress. With the water level unchanged it as time to escalate the attack so I pulled off the plate below the spout and attempted to run the snake down the trap. Once again, unsuccessful. Finally, I poured the other half of the bottle directly down the trap and walked out of the bathroom to calm my exhausted wife while we waited the thirty additional minutes. These apartment issues have really been a drain on my patience (embrace the pun).  

Thankfully this final attempt was indeed successful and we were able to resume with our usual, but slightly adjusted, evening routine. An hour until midnight and I was finally sitting down at the computer to get some work done. Not a great end to the day especially given the number of things on my to do list and the fact that I have to crawl out of bed and be awake enough to participate in a conference call at 7am. I guess it is a good thing that I am able to function on four hours of sleep for an entire day. I am sure that skill acquired during college and, more recently, working the overnight shift will continue to pay dividends.  

Seeing Yourself On TV

Those of you that are reading this that are also television addicts understand the disappointment when a season ends. Those of you that are sports fans will find this familiar as it is similar to the experience of a season ending as well. To me, competition shows seem to fall in between the two which is why I think a lot of the sports fanatics I know seem to be the most loyal reality competition show viewers that I have come across.

I know a lot of people that watch all different kinds of these programs. My wife happens to be a Big Brother addict. A few of my former co-workers are Survivor fans. While most of the people I have known over the last few years never miss an episode of the Amazing Race. I have watched all of them and have enjoyed the episodes and seasons of those shows to varying degrees. I was even heavily into watching Amazing Race for a couple of years but that was more to see where they were going rather than what they were doing.

However, there is one competition show I never miss and unfortunately the season just ended leaving a hole in my Wednesday night viewing. The Top Shot competition came to a head last night as Phil Morden defeated Chris Cerino to conclude season five of the History Channel series. Regardless of your feeling regarding firearms if you watch the series you have to appreciate the skill that these men and women possess.

The final was the finest example of that skill and athleticism especially in the second and third challenges of the program. Both competitors were quick, safe, and precise throughout the show and while I had my favorites going into the program I was rooting for both men for different reasons.

Cerino demonstrated a level of calm and control that was only matched by his talent. He was a favorite of mine in season one and in the current all star season that just ended. I admired the intangibles that he has and his ability to use any firearm he put his hands on. All of the competitors could do the same to a certain degree but he seemed to do it with greater easy and confidence when it counted. I believe it was due in large part to his focus on fundamentals which came across more evident in his performance over many of the others.

I don’t think that Morden had the same level of skill and adaptability entering the season but I quickly got on the bandwagon as I watch him progress and eventually surpass the field. I guess the clincher for me was the fact that he is a self taught shooter like me. I think he summed it up best in his bio posted on the Top Shot page on History.com. “Shooting has nothing to do with your credentials,” he says. “If you pick up a gun and you’re good at it, it can take you anywhere. And I’ll be proof of that.” It is inevitable that no matter what show you watch, fiction or reality, you are going to relate to and root for someone you have something in common with.

While I would have been content regardless of who won, I was happy to see someone representing the self taught community take the title. In the end though, the show serves a much greater purpose. In a time when an irrational fear of firearms is prevalent, the show puts on display true talent, athletic, and skill based aspects of the responsible and sporting use of firearms. This is a sport. It just turns out that this is a sport with a real world application that can save your life. Now get to the range and practice.