Sweet smell of cordite in SF

chino65 SG

Just back (to SH) after 2 weeks in San Francisco.

One afternoon was spent at an indoor range wiith my gf.

The range was called Jackson Arms http://www.jacksonarms.com/index.html and according to their website was the closest range to downtown SF.

It was quite easy to find once we had instructions on transportation etc.

It was a unassuming looking shop with a glass cabinet of pistols - mostly Glocks - and a few long guns. California does not allow AR-type weapons apparently. So all they had was a couple of shotguns, a MAC-10-type with long barrel, a scoped hunting rifle and some others I can't remember.

chino65 SG

Since I was quite unfamiliar with pistols (apart from realistic bb guns), and becos I was with my gf, we decided to sign up for their "novice shooter" course.

While waiting for our instructor to show up, we observed the people running the shop and the customers that came in.

A lot of orientals - some Koreans, some Chinese - and some caucasians showed up to shoot, or simply to just talk about their pistols which they carry in black plastic cases.

chino65 SG

Our Novice Shooter package costs USD50 each including a 100 rounds of .22 ammo each.

A very friendly young latino chap was our instructor and he sat us in a room and gave us the basics of firearms handling and shooting using a .22 target pistols that looked like this one:

The instruction was thorough - especially about safety aspects. It is a good refresher even for someone like us whom have shot thousands of 5.56 rounds.

After about 20 mins we proceeded to the indoor range and the guy basically handed us a pistol, 200 rounds of ammo, assigned us a lane and left us to our devices after supervising a couple of mags and is satisfied we're not gonna harm ourselves or anyone accidentally.

The .22 is a joy to shoot as it is very accurate and very low recoil and report. And loading the magazines were easy as you can pull the light magazine spring down and just slot the little rounds into the mag.

chino65 SG

We had a 100 rounds each to shoot and after a while it got really boring. The .22 pistol was relatively light so holding it up and shooting 100 rounds was no problem.

For a first time pistol shooter, I was putting 95% of my shots into a 10-inch area at 15 to 18 m no problem. My gf, shooting for the very first time in her life, was doing equally well at 5 to 8 m.

As you can see the co.ocking action of our .22 pistol is like pulling a pinball plunger and not like a slide action semi-auto.

After about 150 rounds the action became sluggish and there were several IAs.

The bunch of oriental teens we saw earlier with their personal pistols were shooting next to us. One had a nice Colt 1911 .45 type pistol. They stayed only for a short time and some of them were probably being introduced to shooting by their more experienced friends for the first time. Shots were landing on the floor etc and I think that may have explained why they had to leave so soon. You couldn't hear much with the ear protection on.

Later on, a middle age oriental man was shooting in the lane next to us with some really big calibre pistols including a scoped magnum revolver. LOUD!!

chino65 SG

The range itself was quite well-maintained.

It has many lanes all equipped with the electrical pulley system for pinning up your own targets. It is supposed to be about 22m long.

After finishing off the 4 boxes of .22, I went out to the store front to get myself a 9mm.

Predictably, I picked the Beretta 92F as I like the "exposed hammer" type of pistol, which allows you to co.ck the hammer with your thumb.

It was a no-frills black model and quite worn, as were most of the weapons for rental, but it worked well.

The weapon, together with a 50rd box of 9mm ball costs around USD14.

chino65 SG

By now my gf had stopped shooting as the 9mm was a little too loud.

I'm sure even those who have never been in an indoor range can imagine how loud it is.

The first thing I found surprising about the 92F was... how bloody difficult it was to load a double-stacked 9mm magazine. The spring was STRONG!

I think the pistol I used was a regular 92F and the capacity is 15rds, or even if it was the compact 92FS model it is still 13rds in the mag.

The first time, after much struggling, I managed to load in 9 rds.

Loading 29 rounds into a M16 mag is a breeze compared to this. The 9mm rounds are small and smooth making it hard to grip. My fingers were never very strong and that my left thumb was cut earlier when loading the .22 magazine didn't help either.

At the end, I was loading in only 6 rds into the mag before I gave up and started shooting at the USD 1 paper targets.

Meia Gisborn SG

Glad to hear you enjoyed your short time at the range! Very Happy

Going by the picture, the 22LR pistol you shot was a Ruger 22/45. It's a very reliable and accurate plinker with a sweet trigger; I don't own one but I've shot my colleague's numerous times.

Did you like shooting the 92FS? It's a bit oversized for a 9mm pistol, but it's heft helps to absorb what little recoil the 9mm cartridge has, making for a very soft-shooting gun.

Here are a couple of images of my 92FS:

chino65 SG

By now, I had been at the range nearly 3 hours and my stomach was growling and my gf was impatient to go somewhere else with things she can buy.

I would like to thinjk that anyone not used to holding out 2 hands for more than 3 hours would be tired at this point. I certainly was.

And my aim wasn't so good with the 9mm and my shots started to wander all over the target.

The recoil and report was considerably louder and due to my tiredness, I was beginning to "anticipate" the shot as the instructor (Kevin or Kelvin) said we shouldn't.

At only about 1kg loaded (with 5rds : P ), the 92F was manageable but did make me miss the lightweight .22. Of course, if you're a 200 lb Marine, this shouldn't be any problem.

I shot the 50 rds of 9mm in about half an hour. Loading the mags took the most time and effort.

...

PS I wonder if DaveC or MG has anything to advise about loading pistol mags.

chino65 SG

I did find the 92F big. My hands are average sized for a 1.73m tall Asian.

I certainly wouldn't want to be carrying a 92F as a concealed weapon, but I have always like the looks of the 92F and like I said before, the exposed hammer. Glocks have hidden hammers and are probably more practical, though.

The .22 I shot was similar in many ways to the one I pictured, but the barrel is not exposed like this one and sits in the receiver.

Meia Gisborn SG

chino,

Loading a pistol magazine to its full capacity can be a bit of a bear. In order to get the last couple of rounds in, I normally use a plastic magazine loader that slips over the top of the mag body and, when pressed, forces the rear of the top cartridge down enough so the next one can be slid in.

chino65 SG

Is this true of all pistol mags - being hard to load?

Nice 92F you got there. Are all your pistols black or do you own some silver/chrome ones?

I shure did enjoy my time at the range and "kid in a candy store" doesn't even come close to describing the feeling.

Meia Gisborn SG

Depends. If the magazine is new and the spring not quite 'broken in' yet, then yes, it can be hard to load the last few cartridges against the almost-fully-compressed mag spring. As the mag gets used, the spring loosens up some and loading the mag to its full capacity becomes easier.

(The flip side is that a overly-worn mag spring may not exert sufficient upward pressure on the stacked cartridges, causing them to not feed reliably into the chamber.)

Most of my autoloaders have black finishes on them, the sole exception being one of my CZ 75Bs which is finished in satin nickel. My three revolvers have stainless steel finishes.

Trust me, that 'kid in a candy store' feeling that you get when walking into a gun store doesn't go away even for someone who's been involved in the sport for many years. Too many guns, too little time and money! Very Happy

chino65 SG

Further risking separation with my gf, I decided to go for one last firearm experience.

No price for guessing... I went for the baddest cat on the rack - the Winchester 12-gauge shotgun. This gun will normally encourage rational thinking at the business end.

It looked very much like this one except the barrel is shorter:

Again, Mr arms instructor taught me how to load the weapon and I was soon walking away with a piece of hand-held artillery and a box of 5 shells at one USD per shell.

Better than the "candy store" feeling, having a shotgun in your hand is like going to bed with your favourite movie star and getting paid for it.

chino65 SG

I have to try to conceal my glee as people cast glances at me and my selection. Of course they must be thinking "stupid chink" or something.

Loading a shotgun is as sexy as they make it out to be in Hollywood films. First round in the chamber, following rounds into the tube mag. Smooth as silk.

And of course, the pump action.

I didn't try co.cking with a one-handed jerk like in Terminator though I must say the thought crossed my mind about 5 times.

(Dropping a co.cked shotgun with barrel pointing up may be damaging to more than just my ego.)

At the range, I realised that I didn't quite know how to aim a shotgun or what the correct stance was, though the instructor did give a few pointers.

See the shotgun doesn't have a rear sight and the instructor said to just align the barrel, the foresight post and the target.

Simple, right?

But the thing I wasn't sure was where do you put your cheek since there was no rear sight?

I placed my cheek on the stock near my right hand but when I fired, it felt like someone punched me in the cheek. I tried other ways but still instinctively returned to resting my cheek on the stock and got punched 5 times.

Again, can anyone advise on correct shotgun posture?

chino65 SG

The 12 gauge kicked like a mule. I have shot 40mm M203 and the kick was also quite big but it is not as loud and you don't have to put your face near any part of the weapon.

I remember thinking about those old-fashioned double-barrel shotguns like in DOOM. You must be a 200-lb burger-eating farmhand to be able to shoot both barrels at once without hurting yourself.

At the end of the day, we have sent over a hundred USD down range and I walked around with a silly grin on my face to show for it the rest of the day.

So if you are going to the US, you might want to google for a shooting range and make that a part of your itinerary.

I tried to look for a range when I was in Vancouver last year and met with no success.

chino65 SG

Me and the boss - Winchester 12-gauge. And note shot holes in the heart and head area of the target which was placed about 15m away.

My gf holding the .22 with the "plunger" pulled back to reveal the empty chamber. "CLEAR"!

chino65 SG

Anyone know if there’s any way to shoot firearms in Singapore? SAFRA etc? Has to be open to public, of course, I’m not a member.

Alphapunk2 SG

YAAA!!!!!!! I ALSO WANT TO KNOW!!!

Alphapunk2 SG

But i think can only shoot the kind of shotguns used in competitions….And shooting at stupid clay things they shoot up into the air…... Why cannot have a shooting range in singappore that only allows to rent the weapons in the range???

chino65 SG

Don't diss what you have never tried.

Clay pigeon shooting is a very highly-skilled sport.