Didn't get to shoot a single round.
It could have been a frustrating day, instead it was exhilarating!
My regular practice place was occupied much of the day by a family of four, so I didn't get to shoot at all.
But better than shooting - for me - was watching a husband and wife team eschew the new tax-free-school-clothes shopping days frenzy in Texas and bring their 10 and 12 year old children to the range to have the entire nuclear family shoot the grueling IDPA classifier match instead.
The whole family shooting together, in 100 degree weather under the hot Texas sun for three hours and actually enjoying it was special.
We're talking about raw new shooters... the Dad is pretty good with his .45, but the Mom is quite petite and has no business shooting a .45 with a PF of 190+ (we fixed that)!
And the children are, well, children sized. Some of the guns they showed up with are more than their frames can handle right now, but NOT more than their intellect can handle.
The 10 year old exhibited excellent trigger control with his .380. His 12 year old sister wasn't as fast with her 9mm, but was very, very, very accurate.
The enthusiasm was there. And the family group hugs they gave each other when any one of them shot well was enough to make a bystander glad to be wearing sunglasses, lest one be considered weakly emotional.
Anyway, the point is that a family who shoots together, IS the hope of all of us who value our freedoms, and is a fine thing to behold.
It could have been a frustrating day, instead it was exhilarating!
My regular practice place was occupied much of the day by a family of four, so I didn't get to shoot at all.
But better than shooting - for me - was watching a husband and wife team eschew the new tax-free-school-clothes shopping days frenzy in Texas and bring their 10 and 12 year old children to the range to have the entire nuclear family shoot the grueling IDPA classifier match instead.
The whole family shooting together, in 100 degree weather under the hot Texas sun for three hours and actually enjoying it was special.
We're talking about raw new shooters... the Dad is pretty good with his .45, but the Mom is quite petite and has no business shooting a .45 with a PF of 190+ (we fixed that)!
And the children are, well, children sized. Some of the guns they showed up with are more than their frames can handle right now, but NOT more than their intellect can handle.
The 10 year old exhibited excellent trigger control with his .380. His 12 year old sister wasn't as fast with her 9mm, but was very, very, very accurate.
The enthusiasm was there. And the family group hugs they gave each other when any one of them shot well was enough to make a bystander glad to be wearing sunglasses, lest one be considered weakly emotional.
Anyway, the point is that a family who shoots together, IS the hope of all of us who value our freedoms, and is a fine thing to behold.