Competitive Shooting
When I was about 12 or 13 years old I went to an organized shooting event (I think it was Boy Scouts) and we shot some clay pigeons and handled some different kinds of long guns. When the day was over the sponsor gave a “Safe Shooter Award” When they announced it was me, I thought to myself, “what did I do?”
I wasn't consciously thinking about “being safe”. I didn't walk around that day nervously reminding myself, “don’t forget to point the gun in a safe direction”, or “keep your finger off the trigger until your ready to shoot”. I just did those things because that was what you do. I guess respect and safety for firearms instilled in me by my dad must have paid off
I still have that trophy somewhere; it’s a tiny little gold guy on a plastic base holding a shotgun (only now the barrel is broken off). That trophy symbolizes what we should all strive for, safety being second nature. Of course we should never get complacent and think that we know it all. That is when accidents happen. Stay diligent and alert but make gun safety second nature.
I don’t know why I thought of that story but I did and there it is! I kind of like it. But it does sort of tie into my original thought about competitive shooting.
A few months ago I started going to an IDPA-type shooting match at Heartland Outdoors in Edmond , OK
Even though I was raised with guns and have been shooting continually in some form since I was 8 or 9 years old, this organized shooting event has taken my gun handling and safety to another level. I don’t shoot at the matches to win. I do it to better familiarize myself with my gun and situations where you may be forced to use your gun when you don’t have time to think about what comes next. It should be second nature, kind of like my little “safe shooter” award.
If you are looking for a way to be able to shoot more and actually improve your abilities and confidence with a pistol, find a place to shoot in a competitive match. Find a small local match and sign up with no expectations and you will learn.
Do it for yourself.
"When they announced it was me, I thought to myself, 'what did I do?'"
ReplyDeleteI LOL'd at this! But yes, our handling of firearms does have a lot to do with training and our exposure to it. In a violent neighborhood, you'll grow to fear guns, and maybe even use them to instill fear on others. But if you grew around people who respect guns, then control may become second nature.
- Alex Galletti
Right on Alex.........
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