I went out to the range this morning to work strictly on my marksmanship. (trigger pull and follow through) I took three guns, my T/C Contender Carbine in .22RF, my Sportster .17HMR, and my Ultra .223. Most (almost all) of my time was spent with the .22 Contender at 25 and 50 yards. Shot after shot after shot, practicing my trigger pull, and follow through. I put up six targets at 25 yards and six at 50 yards. With 20 little yellow one inch dots on each target. Three shots only at each dot. Any more and you have trouble distinguishing each shot.
When a clear was called for shooters to go down range and check their targets, I just sat there, I could see each of my hits through my spotting scope. During those breaks some people that had not gone down range would come up and ask what I was doing with a .22. It's hunting season, and everyone was shooting large guns, getting ready for their hunts. They would laugh at the way I am practicing, thats OK, they seldom shoot beyond 100 yards. Anything out 300 yards or farther is out of range as far as they are concerned.
One Teenage girl was interested in what I was doing. She took a look through my scope and saw the tight groups I was shooting, with most of the holes touching. She decided she wanted to learn to shoot that way. So she sat and watched everything I did for the next 20 minutes. When I finished with the .22, I asked if she would like to give it a try. I sat her down and explained everything to her. How to empty and reload the Contender. She had already had Hunter Safety and knew the basics. I left her to practice, and see how she could do. I moved to the next bench and started working with the .17HMR at 100 yards. During the cooling periods needed for the Sportster, I would watch her and give her some advice. The next clear I went out and put up a target at 200 yards and threw a dozen clay targets up on the back stop bank.
The girl's Grandfather was working with his two grandsons, getting them ready for their hunt. They were using one of those new Short Magnums, and not doing very well either. Mean time their Sis and I were shooting away. We had to put up some new targets for her when she ran out of dots to shoot at. Then I gave her the .17, and had her shoot the 100 yard target. Her Grandpa got frustrated with the boys and came down to see what his grand daughter was doing. I pointed out the clays on the bank, and dialed the scope to 300 yards. I told her to take her time and do just like she had been doing with the Contender. The young lady took her shot and first shot she busted a clay. She was excited, and her Grandpa was impressed. The old man went back to give his grand sons a few words about how their sister was shooting, and he wanted to see some improvement in them, ignoring their flinching.
Mean time I switched her to the .223 Ultra. Three shots at 100 yards then set it aside to cool and back to the contender. Then after a cooling period three more shots with the Ultra. Third time with the Ultra I had her shoot at 300 yards. First two shots were misses, but she connected with her third shot, busting a clay. By then Grandpa was ready to go, and was yelling for her to come on.
I felt it was a good productive day at the range.
