Went target shooting yesterday

**jennielynn1970** · 04-06-2009, 11:33 AM

I just have to say, wow, what a rush!! My new boyfriend was an instructor for a group of kids that do target shooting, he was also a marine and had training in handling guns and all that good stuff.

He surprised me yesterday by taking me target shooting. I got to learn how to shoot a .45. What a freaking rush!!! I was GOOD too!! I was about 25 feet back, at least, and I was hitting hairspray cans and things as skinny as that! I think I shocked me and Dave, lol.

I think I'm going to like learning this!

**Taz_Zoee** · 04-06-2009, 11:51 AM

I went to a shooting range YEARS ago and I loved it too.

It is a rush.

**Puckstop31** · 04-06-2009, 11:57 AM

Woot!

Glad you had fun.

FWIW, shooting at hair spray cans is not wise. When you tell you boyfriend guy this, he will probably call me a wuss. LOL But shooting at anything metal with jacketed ammo can be dangerous. Not to mention that hairspray cans can, well, explode. LOL

Put holes in paper... It's safer and adds the benefit of being able to take a pic and share your marksmanship with others. (read: woof it up at how good a shot you are.)

Again, glad you had fun! It is a hobby that can become addictive. Just when you think you are "good enough", you want to get better.

**jennielynn1970** · 04-06-2009, 12:06 PM

All the cans that were there already had holes in them, but I was wondering about the cans and exploding myself.

It was just really cool, and I can't wait to do it again! Want to learn more gun safety as well.

**lvpets2002** · 04-06-2009, 12:24 PM

Well it sounds if you & this Gent are hitting it off very good.. So glad you had fun.. Yes it is fun & good for the pratice..

**Puckstop31** · 04-06-2009, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by jenn_librarian

All the cans that were there already had holes in them, but I was wondering about the cans and exploding myself.

It was just really cool, and I can't wait to do it again! Want to learn more gun safety as well.

OK, so they won't explode...

Let me explain more about the "jacketed ammo" thing. Jacketed ammo is when a (generally) lead bullet is coated with a copper alloy coating. There are a lot of reasons why this is done. Anyway, what can happen is the bullet is going really fast. It hits metal, thus slowing down really fast. The jacket can splinter and the splinters can fly off in all directions, including back at you. Injuries from this are more common at indoor ranges, but can happen outside... Especially at short range, like when using a pistol. Just a FYI.

Consider this a first safety lesson. Not THE first. That rule is set in stone. NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER point a firearm at anything you do not intend to destroy. EVER.

Have fun!

**Donnaj4962** · 04-06-2009, 12:48 PM

Oh Jenn, I am so envious. My boyfriend goes shooting periodically with some of his buddies, and I keep asking to tag along. I grew up with my Dad hunting and there were always guns in the house. I just was never allowed to go with Dad. My bf keeps telling me that he will take me, and I am going to hold him to that!

JOKINGLY.... he called me one day and left me a voicemail telling me that he and his buddies were going target shooting and they were wondering if Tabby and Sasha could come along to be their moving targets! Believe me, he was only kidding! He knows how much I adore my girls! It was funny, but he knows not to joke about it again!

Have fun! And keep us posted on this new relationship! Sounds like a great guy!

**Medusa** · 04-06-2009, 12:51 PM

It is fun, isn't it? The last guy I dated belonged to our local gun club and he was a sharp shooter. He took me into the woods and I shot a 357 Magnum. I had the time of my life. We used paper targets and we also used beer cans. After reading Puckstop's post, I can see that shooting at beer cans probably wasn't a good idea but I had a blast. Glad you had fun.

**Puckstop31** · 04-06-2009, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by Medusa

It is fun, isn't it? The last guy I dated belonged to our local gun club and he was a sharp shooter. He took me into the woods and I shot a 357 Magnum. I had the time of my life. We used paper targets and we also used beer cans. After reading Puckstop's post, I can see that shooting at beer cans probably wasn't a good idea but I had a blast. Glad you had fun.

Shoot all the beer cans you want with unjacketed ammo.

Most .22LR is unjacketed. I have fun "plinking" at beer cans with a .22.

But most centerfire handgun ammo is jacketed. Jacketed ammo will either say so, directly on the box... Or have a acronym, FMJ (Full Metal jacket) on it.

**jennielynn1970** · 04-06-2009, 01:26 PM

I had a casing, I think that's what it's called, bop me in the head twice yesterday, lol. I was like OW! I didn't think it would do that!

**jennielynn1970** · 04-06-2009, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Donnaj4962

Have fun! And keep us posted on this new relationship! Sounds like a great guy!

I just keep saying I'm amazed at how well things are going. He's such a nice guy, very down to earth, soft spoken a lot of the time, but funny and a great sense of humor. He accepts me for me, and that just makes such a difference.

I want to see myself thinner and healthier, and he is all for that, but also said he has no issue with my weight as it is.

We've got a lot in common, being from the same area growing up. We met when we were about 16 when we went roller skating at a local rink. We almost dated at one point, but another guy got in the way of things, and then he got married.

I think things happen for a reason. I know we never would have made it past a few months with the way my head was on back then. I was having emotional issues and not really dealing with them, and I think it would have ended badly. We're both older now and we both appreciate what we've each gone through.

I'm just enjoying what we have right now. I'm not holding my breath, because I don't like to have expectations, but something long term would be lovely.

I'll keep you guys up to date.

**Husky_mom** · 04-06-2009, 03:17 PM

hubby has been wanting to take me there sometimes but I'm nervous I mean I want to but I don't wanna end on my butt LOL... or with bruises in my shoulder... oh yeah that means BIG stuff

I'm so glad you had fun!

**RICHARD** · 04-06-2009, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by Husky_mom

hubby has been wanting to take me there sometimes but I'm nervous I mean I want to but I don't wanna end on my butt LOL... or with bruises in my shoulder...

Get a tan first.

Or tell people Chris Brown was at your house on the weekend?

---------

Gather milk jugs, fill them with water and food coloring.

That's wild!

Also, old fruit is good..

**smokey the elder** · 04-07-2009, 07:47 AM

I remember when I went shooting around 30 years ago with some buddies from college. I got to try all sorts of weapons. The folks I shot with were very safety conscious; we had hearing protection and goggles, and they admonished us of the "zeroth rule" (Don't point a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot.) If more folks were responsible like that there wouldn't be the gun trouble that there is now.

**kuhio98** · 04-07-2009, 10:28 AM

I remember when I was a kid and shot a rifle for the first time and it knocked me on my a$$. My dad either forgot to tell me -- or I wasn't listening -- to butt it up against my shoulder.

I was on the rifle team in Middle School -- yes, I'm so old that schools actually had shooting teams.