Well, I don't have to struggle to remember mine - it was this last Saturday!
We're new to Moriarty, NM (though I gre up in Albuquerque), and the Mrs. and I are over to the local Wells Fargo to get a safe place for our $$$, and in the course of gettin' the paperwork done, the lady behind the desk asks if we'd be interested in comin' to the local SASS club shoot/match the next day.
We ride our own horses, and dress Western, and I'd seen this on TV, and love to shoot and...the Mrs. is even interested!!!
She likes the idea of the period dress, and EVEN WANTS TO SHOOT!!
<faints>
We got directions...the range is maybe 2 miles away (Founder's Ranch is like 7 miles away, maybe?
), and she told us to be there "about 9".
Next morning, I'm sittin' by the door about 7:30, ready to go! Jeans? check. Felt Cowboy hat? Check. Oldest, most beat up, "I been there" cowboy boots? Check!
I am soooo ready!!!
Well, to say we were early would be to understate some. Others arrived though, all in proper dress, and many "in character" already. Gun carts out, a more thorough range safety brief then I ever saw in 26 years in the military, and then they comenced to sashayin' up to the loading table.
I am facinated. The only SA I'd ever seen was my dad's Ruger Blackhawk. The only lever action rifle, his Winchester 73 (in a rifle caliber...not sure which), and...side by side shotguns??? HUH??? They MAKE those still??
So I watch a few of the old hands load and shoot - crammin' those bullets into that little feed door, leverin' those smokin' cartridges into the air (and onto their hats!!
) and I thought...this looks like FUN!!
Well, it was time for us to go. We volunteer at a local horse rescue, and the day was getting on, and we "should" be going...One of the pards says...you ARE going to shoot, aren't you?
GULP! Me? Shoot? Today? But, I'm not ready, and these are strangers, and the sun is in my eyes, and...
"Here. These are my best vaqueros. This gun belt fits. Lets go over to the loading table..."
Next thing I know, I'M stuffing bullets into that little feed door, and I'M learning about "Cowboy Port Arms" and I'm finally looking at the only harware I recognize - a Pump action shotgun!
<Trip back in history time...I was in Navy Law Enforcement for part of my 26 years, and shot perhaps 10,000 round of 9mm 229 Sig, .45 1911, Mossberg 500 pump, and even some M14, M1, AR-15, M-16 and even some M2 .50 cal., and shot pretty well, earning perfect scores with all arms with both hands/sides. NONE of that - other than basic breathing and the notion of what a sight picture ought to look like prepared me for what was coming>
Well, now I'm standing out there at my new found stance of cowboy Port Arms, saying something like, "Put that cow down, you varmit!", and there's a buzzing in my ear, and I bring the rifle up and...what? huh? Where do I put the front sight in the rear sight on this? Here, I guess...lever i na round...ooooh! that was smooth!...what order? Nevada sweep, he said....Hmmmm....point, aim, clickBOOM!...no recoil! That was verra nice...next?....ah! Left to right! Got it!...point clickBOOM!...etc. Out of targets, out of bullets (how nice that they added up that way)....run over to the pistol place, draw, gun up...sights! There is NO BACK SIGHT HERE!!! Just that giant shark fin on the front! Holy c.rap! Targets are huge though, and only 10 yards away...finger on the trigger, cock the hammer...also verra smooth, very nice...mental note...ask who did this work...squeezeBOOM!...another note to self..."hairtrigger"...12345 put that gun back, get the other one, lather, rinse repeat 12345 and done, in the holster, start to move...run to staging table...shell in, receiver forward, gun up, can't miss at this range...BOOM! Ah! 12ga.!..eject...next in, up BOOM!...old home week....eject, shoot, eject shoot...
DONE? Already? Really?
Shot clean, but the timer had time to have an early lunch, read the Tombstone Times, floss, and clip his toe nails.
BUT WHAT FUN!!!
And then the bride got talked into givin' it a go by the banker lady, and she did, and she loved it, and now we have the winter to do our homework, try some different guns and loads, and get ready for the spring!!!
I can't say enough good things about the wonderful and generous people we met, the Safety-First attitude, the "this is supposed to be fun. If it ain't fun, yer doin' it wrong" approach. Awesome.
We can't wait!