mini14jac,
Thanks ... and you're right, I've put a lot of rounds downrange with my 642-1 ... a LOT more than I ever did with my older nickeled 3" 36 or my 649 Bodyguard. Of course, that's because I just used to "carry" those as a younger cop, and frankly, after I became a firearms instructor in 1990 I had a lot of "motivation" from the head instructor.
Seriously, J-frame guns, and their like, DO require a lot more dedication and effort in order for most of us to achieve anything more than "adequate" occasional range skills. For me, it's a combination of the little grip frame, the heavier DAO trigger, and the smaller sights with a much shorter sight radius (And these are the IMPROVED iron sights, a lot wider than the older ones
) that makes things so "interesting".
Since I ordered the 642 to serve as an off duty weapon for those times when I found myself not feeling like carrying a larger weapon, I just couldn't NOT devote the extra time and effort required to bring my skills with it up to some standard "acceptable" to both myself, and the head instructor ... who owns a couple Ti & Sc/Ti guns himself. He's one of the those "old school" guys that simply requires the best effort of his staff of instructors and armorers ... and he doesn't cut anyone slack in this regard.
He's heard of the old saying that "those that can't do, teach", but NOT at HIS range ...
Cranky fellow ...
... and relentless on both his staff, and WHY we're down there, in the first place.
Anyway ...
The grip frame I simply learned to accomodate ... I use the Bantam grips, which help a bit ... and I use some bright neon orange sight paint on the front sight serrations to help me see the front sight. Naturally, which type of sight picture is "better" ... aligned sights, versus sight alignment ... is something that each of us has to determine for ourselves with these little guns.
I started on a program to fire a LOT of rounds, both standard pressure and +P, through the gun. I started with the "basics" of simple range practice at distances of 2-15 yards, and then working out to 25 yards ... and then shooting the pepper poppers at 25-50 yards. Then, after spending time on the stationary CCW course of fire, I moved up to the regular duty weapon courses of fire, which includes all the variable courses of fire we require of our folks with their full size and compact issued weapons. Close combat, multiple targets, moving targets, shooting & moving, shooting while moving, shooting moving to cover, shooting behind cover, failure drills, "precision" shooting at 3-11 yards (Head shots), reloading, reloading, reloading, etc., etc. ... that sort of thing.
I finally reached the point where I can consistently qualify as Master in our various, evolving courses of fire ... but it take a lot more effort with the J-frame ... a lot more .... But it's worth it.
Shooting is a Perishable Skill in L/E, in the best of circumstances, and with diminutive guns it requires even more attention and practice.
Of course, shooting more than 50 rounds of +P ammunition during a timed course of fire can really beat up my trigger finger.
That's where the recoil hammers me with these lightweight guns, on the "bottom edge" of the distal joint of my index finger. Oh well ...
When I shoot the PM9, I find the perceived recoil impulse to be "gentler" to my hand, but the combination of the polymer frame and itty bitty overall size (technical jargon
) of the pistol combines to allow a "brisk" muzzle rise ... more so than the J-frame with +P loads, for me ... which slows my target reacquisition. This isn't a pistol with which I feel comfortable ... yet, anyway ... performing "hammers" while shooting. Other folks might feel differently ... and that's fine. We all have our strong and "less strong" points when it comes to skills ...
'till she saw a new single six with the case-hardened finish and "bird's head" grips
KR, you gotta good woman ...
I wish mine would feel that way about one of those Ruger Sheriff Models I want ... I could accept calling it "cute" if that's what it took.