Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
The range I call PGC here is Prince George's County Trap and Skeet Center, located in MD near DC. Once owned by Beretta, it's a fine facility. And, it seems I'm a marked man there...
I shoot trap on weekends now, and am known to most of the staff, including the latest crop of rookies. These last are Job Corps grads or something, mostly "Disadvantaged" youths who get the jobs because few people with marketable job skills want them.
I'm not slamming them or the facility. A gun friendly place run by local government in MD where the State Mascot is Sarah Brady is an oasis to be treasured. Everyone has to start off somewhere, and most are decent folks. But clams know more about shotguns than some of them. And few of them shoot recreationally.
So lately, by the time I get set up and ready to shoot, oft there's one of these kids in front of me with an imploring look on his/her face, and a pair or trio of non-shooters who wish to learn.
You may know that I'm a sucker for kids and new shooters, so you know what happens next. My 870 of the day goes in the rack, and it's Shotgun 101 Live again on Range 8.
Most of these newbies use rental guns, issued with scant attention to fit or weight.
One would think that an employee of a range would know that a trap model 391 with 30" barrel and standard stock with the thick pad might not be the best shotgun for a 90 lb female rookie versus a 20 gauge 391 with the Reduced Length stock. Once again theory and reality diverged. The Beretta 680-something SBT toted by her not much bigger male companion was lighter, but still inches too long for either of them. Anyway, she listened, did her best to follow my directions and was rewarded with some hits, though she didn't break 50%.
Her companion insisted on doing it his way, had enough co-ordination to make a few more than she did, and left the line convinced thet he was one heckuva bad dude with a shotgun. At departure, he was still leaving most of the butt above his shoulder, standing 90 degrees to the line of flight like a Medieval Archer, and aiming. He could burn up a railroad car of ammo and not progress much beyond his present level. My guess is that 25 rounds left him purplish and ouchy this AM.
After they thanked me and departed, I got in a pair of rounds before the next bunch arrived. Three this time, young fit men who eagerly awaited me showing them the path to Shotgun Enlightment. The bloom left the rose quickly as they realized that meant doing it MY way, not how they figured it should be.
After showing each of them the proper stance at least three times, two were still doing that sideways thing. One with mixed eye hand dominance was steadily missing with dogged determination, and ALL, despite several efforts on my part, were sticking their index finger into the trigger guard as far as possible and yanking away merrily.None of these broke 50% either.
American males believe themselves to be great shooters, drivers and lovers. Can't say much about that third, but considering how the average US male shoots and drives, I understand why the divorce rate is so high.
I still can't figure out if the Knucklehead Gene is Y chromosome linked, but by G*d a connection is highly probable.
I'd really like to figure out why the average guy needs a 2X4 betwixt his eyes to get his attention when he's making a mistake.
Maybe the radfemlibbers have it right and Testosterone limits intelligence. I know this, teaching shotgunning to a bunch of rookies have shown me there's two types of problem students.
The first one is any female who's been told she couldn't do something so many times she believes it or that there's Men Only things.
The second is male.
I'd rather teach a roomful of women than a similar number of men. A lot less frustrating and much better progress gets made.
Now I'm off to PGC again for some trap practice. Wish me well....
I shoot trap on weekends now, and am known to most of the staff, including the latest crop of rookies. These last are Job Corps grads or something, mostly "Disadvantaged" youths who get the jobs because few people with marketable job skills want them.
I'm not slamming them or the facility. A gun friendly place run by local government in MD where the State Mascot is Sarah Brady is an oasis to be treasured. Everyone has to start off somewhere, and most are decent folks. But clams know more about shotguns than some of them. And few of them shoot recreationally.
So lately, by the time I get set up and ready to shoot, oft there's one of these kids in front of me with an imploring look on his/her face, and a pair or trio of non-shooters who wish to learn.
You may know that I'm a sucker for kids and new shooters, so you know what happens next. My 870 of the day goes in the rack, and it's Shotgun 101 Live again on Range 8.
Most of these newbies use rental guns, issued with scant attention to fit or weight.
One would think that an employee of a range would know that a trap model 391 with 30" barrel and standard stock with the thick pad might not be the best shotgun for a 90 lb female rookie versus a 20 gauge 391 with the Reduced Length stock. Once again theory and reality diverged. The Beretta 680-something SBT toted by her not much bigger male companion was lighter, but still inches too long for either of them. Anyway, she listened, did her best to follow my directions and was rewarded with some hits, though she didn't break 50%.
Her companion insisted on doing it his way, had enough co-ordination to make a few more than she did, and left the line convinced thet he was one heckuva bad dude with a shotgun. At departure, he was still leaving most of the butt above his shoulder, standing 90 degrees to the line of flight like a Medieval Archer, and aiming. He could burn up a railroad car of ammo and not progress much beyond his present level. My guess is that 25 rounds left him purplish and ouchy this AM.
After they thanked me and departed, I got in a pair of rounds before the next bunch arrived. Three this time, young fit men who eagerly awaited me showing them the path to Shotgun Enlightment. The bloom left the rose quickly as they realized that meant doing it MY way, not how they figured it should be.
After showing each of them the proper stance at least three times, two were still doing that sideways thing. One with mixed eye hand dominance was steadily missing with dogged determination, and ALL, despite several efforts on my part, were sticking their index finger into the trigger guard as far as possible and yanking away merrily.None of these broke 50% either.
American males believe themselves to be great shooters, drivers and lovers. Can't say much about that third, but considering how the average US male shoots and drives, I understand why the divorce rate is so high.
I still can't figure out if the Knucklehead Gene is Y chromosome linked, but by G*d a connection is highly probable.
I'd really like to figure out why the average guy needs a 2X4 betwixt his eyes to get his attention when he's making a mistake.
Maybe the radfemlibbers have it right and Testosterone limits intelligence. I know this, teaching shotgunning to a bunch of rookies have shown me there's two types of problem students.
The first one is any female who's been told she couldn't do something so many times she believes it or that there's Men Only things.
The second is male.
I'd rather teach a roomful of women than a similar number of men. A lot less frustrating and much better progress gets made.
Now I'm off to PGC again for some trap practice. Wish me well....
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