Those
of you hoping to read all about silencers are going to be highly disappointed.
While they are legal in my state and I do plan on purchasing in the future,
this post has nothing to do with those over regulated and wonderfully useful
devices. I am actually talking about something completely different and a
little beyond the norm for this series of rambling posts. This is an
opportunity for me to talk about my first experiences with target shooting and
the hope to return to that much simpler time.
While
I was first introduced to firearms while in college thanks to my former ex-Navy
Seal roommate, the majority of our time spend shooting targets wasn’t at the
range… and it wasn’t with firearms. We did climb up the old ski slope every now and again with our 7mm Savage rifle and Beretta M9 but the majority of our time peering down the
sights was on that of a few air pellet rifles and BB guns that we picked up at
Wal-Mart. We decided to save a few pennies so that we could use those pennies
for target practice… literally.
Most
of those early moments pulling a trigger were along the rural highways of
Vermont with pennies perched atop and embedded in a snow bank. It was hours of
relaxing, and sometimes frustrating fun, taking aim, splitting copper, swapping
out CO2 cartridges and generally having a good time with some interesting
conversations in-between shots. There have been several moments over the years
when I would pass a Wal-Mart and hesitate for just a second before continuing
down the road.
Now
that my wife and I have some space to enjoy the outdoors and we live in an area
were people respect the right to so whatever you want on your property so long
that its legal, I have been tempted to partake in some of the quieter
alternatives to firearms. While there are a few neighbors that, from time to
time, will take their rifles into the back yard, I want to at least be
considerate should I find this to be a regular routine. It is with this in mind
that I have been thinking about picking up an inexpensive air rifle or
crossbow.
It
would be nice to head out the back door, set up a target, and send a few quiet
rounds across the property. After all, I can’t always get to the range despite
several options located within 10 minutes of our house so that might be a means
to keep my limited skills from becoming completely dull. Not to mention that it
would simply be nice to return to a simpler time and enjoy not just being in
front of a target again but, at the same time, remembering those first few
shots that got me hooked into this hobby.
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