I don't really get weekends off, so when I woke up Sunday to find there was no work for me, there was only one action to take! The better half confirmed with her mother we were headed to the ranch and we loaded up the kids, guns, and ammo. The weather was frigid with blowing snow but the highways were not impassable and by afternoon there was gunpowder being burnt!
Mama is not a stranger to guns by any means but is displeased with the large frame glock that she's had for years. I've been itching to see if there were better options to trip her trigger for some time but never had the right days off to let her try a variety before her next purchase. This opportunity was a wonderful excuse for us all to get together even if the weather wasn't the most cooperative.
We started with informal targets at roughly 15-25 yds. We first loaded .38s into the better half's model 60 pro series and my dad's 19-3 that a certain lady of the house has decided must belong to her. Mama decided immediately that the J-frame was an improvement on her glock. The model 19-3 impressed even more. (The revolvers were reloaded from the comfort of the heated SUV as the 10 yr old daughter and I worked on her open sights skills with a 10-22 and my .22 revolver). In the name of being thorough, full house .357s were loaded into the 19-3 and were still fired off with a smiling demeanor. Next, 18 rds were emptied through my canik for a general comparison, and after all the gals taking a few more cylinders with the .22 and 19-3, I half jokingly offered for mama to take a few shots with my .41 blackhawk...... and she accepted. After a few admonitions about recoil and how to work the single action, she put 4/5 rds right where they were supposed to go! Her trigger control was beautiful through out the entire day, with the semi autos faring much worse off than they had started.
I still need to get new grips on the blackhawk but she was VERY interested in a single action, and the interest only increased when I explained she didn't HAVE to have such a large caliber to get a blackhawk. Compared to the cowboy sights on my .22, she fared much better with the adjustable sights of the ruger, so I think we're either looking at a blackhawk 4 5/8 .357 or a single 7 .327 (same barrel).
All in all, it was a great day. Hearing a lady whose complaint about her glock included her wrists say that the .41 was decidedly rough but MANAGEABLE and actually enjoy some target practice with a classic 19-3 that served its time in a Montanan sheriff's posse more than made up for the windchilled knuckles and finger tips. It also opened a very nice window for a certain feller to discuss adding a blackhawk .357 and single 7 .327 to his arsenal (you know, for friends and family to learn on/test).
Now we're addressing the dilemma of whether we need the blackhawk before we need the single 7 and whether or not we need them before certain other planned rifle purchases. Life is good and the wheel guns gain yet another member in the fan club.
Mama is not a stranger to guns by any means but is displeased with the large frame glock that she's had for years. I've been itching to see if there were better options to trip her trigger for some time but never had the right days off to let her try a variety before her next purchase. This opportunity was a wonderful excuse for us all to get together even if the weather wasn't the most cooperative.
We started with informal targets at roughly 15-25 yds. We first loaded .38s into the better half's model 60 pro series and my dad's 19-3 that a certain lady of the house has decided must belong to her. Mama decided immediately that the J-frame was an improvement on her glock. The model 19-3 impressed even more. (The revolvers were reloaded from the comfort of the heated SUV as the 10 yr old daughter and I worked on her open sights skills with a 10-22 and my .22 revolver). In the name of being thorough, full house .357s were loaded into the 19-3 and were still fired off with a smiling demeanor. Next, 18 rds were emptied through my canik for a general comparison, and after all the gals taking a few more cylinders with the .22 and 19-3, I half jokingly offered for mama to take a few shots with my .41 blackhawk...... and she accepted. After a few admonitions about recoil and how to work the single action, she put 4/5 rds right where they were supposed to go! Her trigger control was beautiful through out the entire day, with the semi autos faring much worse off than they had started.
I still need to get new grips on the blackhawk but she was VERY interested in a single action, and the interest only increased when I explained she didn't HAVE to have such a large caliber to get a blackhawk. Compared to the cowboy sights on my .22, she fared much better with the adjustable sights of the ruger, so I think we're either looking at a blackhawk 4 5/8 .357 or a single 7 .327 (same barrel).
All in all, it was a great day. Hearing a lady whose complaint about her glock included her wrists say that the .41 was decidedly rough but MANAGEABLE and actually enjoy some target practice with a classic 19-3 that served its time in a Montanan sheriff's posse more than made up for the windchilled knuckles and finger tips. It also opened a very nice window for a certain feller to discuss adding a blackhawk .357 and single 7 .327 to his arsenal (you know, for friends and family to learn on/test).
Now we're addressing the dilemma of whether we need the blackhawk before we need the single 7 and whether or not we need them before certain other planned rifle purchases. Life is good and the wheel guns gain yet another member in the fan club.
