For years now I've been a shooter, more years that I'd like to count I guess...but...yeah, fucken hell, it's almost thirty four years now since I first pulled the trigger on a real gun. I fired many water pistols in my youth but that doesn't really compare, no matter how much fun it is, to squeezing the trigger on a firearm and from the very first moment I knew it was something I'd want to do over and over. As it turns out, I had that chance and have since sent thousands and thousands of rounds downrange to land on and in things, targets of various types; I add to that tally weekly and haven't lost my enthusiasm for shooting.
People say, "you must really love guns," but nothing could be further from the truth.
I use a frying pan but don't love it. I use soap but don't love it, I use the garden hose but don't love it - they're all just tools that allow me to do a job just like a firearm is. So no, I don't love guns at all.
What I love is pouring effort into learning how to shoot at an expert level and honing those skills, keeping them sharp, learning the physics, mathematics, aerodynamics and chemistry that goes into shooting - especially long range shooting - and into making my own ammunition. I love teaching others and passing on thirty four years of skills, the camaraderie that being a shooter in various scenarios has given me, the travel, lasting friendships and achievements, and all of the peripheral elements, skills and understandings around shooting that I have gained *because of being a shooter.
No, I don't love guns, but throughout thirty four or so years of shooting I have come to love what being a shooter has given me...and still gives me.
I've shot some big guns for various reasons and I own some now that, to my great shame, I don't shoot much at all; things just get in the way and the rifles I'm talking about can't be used at a range meaning I have to go to private properties which takes time and effort...(time is what I lack, not effort.) With this in mind, I've scheduled in a week or so, five days, in which I'll be bringing out the big guns.
I shoot all sorts of guns, handguns, shotguns, rifles and others, but my passion remains long range shooting.
There's something satisfying about sending a round downrange with accuracy enough to strike its intended target. Watching that round through the scope arcing through the air knowing it'll land on its target is a good feeling. (It's not the bullet one sees folks, it's the bullet-trace - refracted light caused by the different air pressures in front of and behind a bullet travelling at supersonic speeds, one can only see it from directly behind the flight path.)
It's a nice moment, a light squeezing on the trigger and one or two seconds of flight as the projectile flies 1,000, 1,200, 1,500, 1,700 metres and more to its target...a nice moment that is brought together over years of effort, theory and practical learning, and the sharpening of one's skills. Nope, I don't love guns, but I love the culmination of all that effort, the drawing together of all those different elements to get that projectile to impact its intended target at the point of aim.
So, I'm taking two long range rifles, one is an Accuracy International AXMC in 300WM and the other I'll not say on here, it's a bigger calibre and made by a different manufacturer. Both are extremely capable to great distances and both deliver a projectile to the target with brutal effectiveness. The other two guys have similar rifle-systems but different brands and configurations and between us I think we'll have plenty to keep us occupied.
I'll have two good friends with me, guys who also shoot long range of course, and will be camping; we'll shoot during the day then evaluating, discussing, cleaning guns and planning for the next day's shooting at nighttime...along with talking shit around the campfire and eating seared flesh cooked on the same fire. I can hardly wait to get those big guns singing.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
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Image(s) in this post are my own
We're not allowed to have guns of course, especially if we happen to have a very old conviction for membership of a proscribed organisation, but there's not a can or a bottle that's safe when we're out playing with our replicas:)
Yeah, it's quite strict in the UK for some reason...I think shotguns are ok right?
Yeah, I get it...Irish and all.
Nutbag. 🤣
UK? Wash your mouth out!:)
Here in IRELAND, you can have a shotgun for fox control if you live in the countryside and are a person of good standing with the local Garda. I just live in the countryside:)
Yeah, I thought shotguns were permissible with the right purpose of use. I meant UK/Ireland...ok, not really I just said UK because I was in a hurry and didn't think.
Ok, ok. Since you're such a cuddly bundle of fluffiness, I'll let you away with it...this time.
Naww...you're so sweet.
Sounds like fun.
We had the waters, do you also remember the paper "cap guns"
Those were a hoot with the little bubble of gunpowder on a red paper roll. Blanks I guess you would call them..?
I remember paper cap guns, the little roll of red paper one would feed into the cap gun. I bought @mrbonkers one of those and a heap of "ammunition" a while back. So much fun. I remember saving up my chores money as a kid to stock up on caps for my Smith & Wesson cowboy-style "six shooter." Ah man, those were the days!
I absolutely loved the smell of those caps !!
Bring them back, I say! Let kids be kids, not brainwashed robots.
Your excitement is palpable and understandably so. Some time away, doing what you love with friends who are also passionate and knowledgeable is always eagerly anticipated. The seared flesh is a huge draw too lol. Here's hoping we get a story or two upon your return to civilization!
I need some time off and my big guns need some action so it seems like a good blend right?
Dude that’s some legit firepower!
I agree, nothing in particular to love about guns in and of themselves - but absolutely I love taking pride in maintaining my ability to use them accurately and proficiently.
People don't get it, they hear guns and it conjures a whole lot of negative thought and often judgement of those who use them probably based on the very limited information they have from the "news" services. If only they knew huh?
Anyway, fuck 'em, I don't care what people think, it's a legit thing and I'm looking forward to some time away and some big guns. I'm spending this weekend getting them ready and my kit as well, and then...see ya!
Hahaha! Hell yeah man, fuck ‘em! Have fun out there!
When saw the picture I went "oooooooh" but then reading, you don't mention that gun at all.
I know you are a long range marksman. It's quite the craft and you have a passion for the subject.
What is the story with the vehicle in the picture though?
Yeah, I purposely don't mention it.
The vehicle is a friend's vehicle we sometimes use for hunting, (pigs mainly) and it's a lot of fun although one gets rather dirty... although it has air conditioning. Lol. I fell out of it once...I was having a good time until then. My rapid and unplanned exit gained a lot of laughter though and the event still is still talked about these days. We all have a laugh about it although at the time I must have rolled fifty times before I can to a stop. I blame the driver.
🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️ ieee, I have fallen from the back of a vehicle myself as well. It is not that fun!
We were kids and the driver was driving like crazy to make us hold on for dear life. So when he slowed down, I jumped off. lol
I was screaming for him to stop because at one stage my legs were in the air and my hands were hold on to the back of the tailgate of the pickup truck. I was not having a good time.
Lol, Hunting pigs you say? We have a wild boar that fucks up crops here in SA so the farmers often go out and cull them before they dig up and destroy too much of the crops.
Haha, well...I'm laughing at you because it's funny...but I can imagine it wasn't funny for you at the time.
Yeah, same thing, wild pigs, Razorbacks and so on. Dangerous really, and they fuck up the land and natural habitats and also crops. They are feral, not native, so have a kill on sight order on them really. A farmer will go out of his way to shoot one and hunting is encouraged.
lol. It was not such a great time.
This is what our pesty pigs look like:
(But they are tasty too!)
Source
Yeah, similar here. All the photos I have are of dead ones though. 😉
!LOL
Perhaps not great for everyone's viewing pleasure.
Damn, this is something to be proud of. Good work, and thanks for sharing..
Yeah, it's going to a blast...and I don't just means guns blasting, I mean generally too! 😉
Jeeze. I'm agonizing over a new frying pan. I think I know which one I need, but it's such an effort to buy the right one. Know what I mean? Typically, the old one becomes a target at an 'informal range' that I visit periodically.
So. I'm about to expose my extreme ignorance: Is that a Hotchkiss .30 cal?
Enjoy your time. I'm sure you will. Wood cooked meat is obviously the very best option...
Still thinking. I don't love guns, like I don't love motorcycles (maybe a little for some of them) but I genuinely love riding. The rest is mostly pleasant prep work for actual riding.
Frying pan target! Lol. I've shot at a few makeshift targets in my day too.
You're so close.. it's a Browning M1919.30 cal produced from 1919-1945 and used all the way to the Vietnam War until replaced with the M60.
Happy shooting mate!
Yeah, it should be...unless something goes wrong and...
Let's just leave that unsaid. 🤐
Bon voyage Galen. There must be few things better than after an entertaining day with good friends, ending it around a campfire in the middle of nature sharing stories.
Tha ks mate, I'm looking forward to it...I'm in preparation mode currently, a lot to get organised.
Hi Galen, around here we say that "he who wants something; it costs him something". That said:
Around here it's about 7:00 am, and we have good weather.
Best regards.
We are getting used to all the guns in Alaska. Signs are always shot up, and you often see people walking around with their handguns. The first time I shot a gun was in Darwin at a range, using a shotgun to shoot at pellets. I really enjoyed it, and I'm really looking forward to shooting guns again. I can definitely feel your excitement—I would shoot guns any day of the week.
Yeah, there's parts of the world where they're commonplace every day. I mean, they are for me here too I guess, but most people who don't have them don't think of guns from day to day...other to fear what they don't actually understand.
I hope you get to shoot again soon.
The night i saw the bullets...
I remember as if it were yesterday, even though more than 20 years have passed, when I was in the army.
A truck drove us to the parking lot of the shooting range, and we walked for kilometers to the shooting position, in full military gear, on uneven and dusty terrain...
A helmet on my head, a backpack on my back, an M70 AB2 rifle (a Yu copy of the AK47, with a collapsible stock) over my shoulder, and a bag full of ammunition hits my thighs. 3 full cartridges...
It's dark. that's why they gave us glowing bullets.
In a magazine that holds 30 bullets, we packed 3 then 1... 3 ordinary, one luminous...
Yes, let's go to night target shooting at 100, 200 and 300 meters...
They arrange us in the trenches and show us where our knockdown targets are.
The task is as follows: with single fire, the first bullet being illuminated, follow the path to the target and shoot down the target with single fire.
Both the one at 100, as well as those at 200 and 300 meters.
It shouldn't be difficult... But right before the command to fire, they give us the command "Battle poisons".
Put gas masks on the face.
Helmets are already enough trouble for shooting, and the gas mask totally kills the hope that our shooting will be accurate and successful.
But still, by the end of the first round, almost all the targets had been shot down.
We took off our masks with the command "Poison passed".
The command followed, "Burst fire, free target shooting at 300m".
Oh, what a firework the trajectory of the luminous bullets was, 12 of us at the same moment thunder from long pipes and send light beams into the field at 300m...
I understand you when you say that you can't wait to go shooting... Snd I would if I were you...
I don't like weapons, I know what their purpose is, a pile of metal... But the feeling of hitting a target, along with the sound of thunder and the smell of gunpowder, is what raises adrenaline...
Yes, tracer rounds can be rewarding to use, that brightly glowing pyrotechnic composition burning at the base of the round as it flies leaves a nice light trail.
What a toy! I am passionate about guns as well but that's the next level of everything I had in mind to try out haha.
Yeah, it's a bit next level I guess. I hope you get to shoot some guns sometimes soon as it's a good experience...warning: It's addictive! 😁
I feel the addiction slowly capturing my life as well since I started buying knives for my boyfriend lol. Sometimes I feel like I want more than him to have that collection get even bigger haha
Haha, yeah knife collections can get out of hand indeed. I have many, and want more.
I thought you were shooting the gun in the picture, which I've only ever seen used in movies. But reading you shooting some long range guns with friends is pretty nice. I usually have a better time doing what I love when I do it with friends or family. Is there going to be a competition on who's the better shot?
It's always good to have some friends around although I really enjoy my own time as well, being out there by myself, no distractions and all. I think it'll be a really good time and it's been far too long since we've done this...so...bring it on!
As for the best shot contest, we usually have a bet on it although the skills we each have are pretty much the same, all of us are trained long range shooters. It'll be fun though, win, lose or draw.
Oh, that's cool. Good luck!
"We" would love to be joining you on that trip! Sounds like a great time.
Send one for me!
All are welcome, big guns only! Yours qualifies. ✅
Sounds like it is going to be a really good time. I think if I had to pick a favorite kind of shooting it would probably be trap. I've always found something really enjoyable about it. When I was in university my friends and I would go out to state land with a box of clays and a thrower and shoot all morning until we ran out of shot shells. Many years later I actually got to go pheasant hunting and that was a blast. I'd do that again in a heartbeat!
I didn some trap shooting, I'm not great at it but good enough. Not bad fun. I do sporting clays now and then who his pretty enjoyable.
I'm not great at it either, but I find it fun. It's challenging enough for me to keep me trying to improve.
I saw a real gun from the police and security guards, but never try to touch or hold it. Is it okay for the civilians to have gun in your country Sir @galenkp ?
I'd not suggest you try to touch a police officers firearm...that might not end well for you.
And yeah, private citizens, civilians, can own firearms in Australia.
Shooting the gun and hitting the target is fun, it's like a game. Shooting practice outside with a friend is a good time
It's fun indeed, although we take it all very seriously as bad things can happen if it's not done safely and responsibly.
Not everyone likes guns, however, that doesn't stop them from being used in a variety of ways. Now, you are a shooter and even if you like them, you use them because you feel very passionate about shooting. Well I hope you enjoy shooting the heavy artillery with your friends. Regards
Yeah, it should be a good time, I'm looking forward to it.
Get some roos in the process. Moving love targets. Maybe. Do it.
I cull kangaroos on a cattle farm weekly but do not use heavy calibres such as those I speak of in this post, it's a waste of ammunition and far too unsafe. I use .243 for culling.
Also, as part of my culling permit I'm obligated under law to make head shots on kangaroos so shooting them on the run is not something that's done.
That should like an awesome trip man. Both parts, shooting shit during the day and shooting the shit at night!
It's normally a pretty good time and considering I've not done it with the big guns for a while I'm pretty keen. Nothing like shooting shit and eating seared cow flesh huh?
The best cow flesh is the finely seared cow flesh!
It will be all the better for it having been a while. Hope you have a blast man.
...with chips and mushroom gravy.😀
Lol. Indeed!! 😀😀
OK, so there won't be chips...probably (definitely) no mushroom gravy...but we'll have Heinz tomato sauce! The plan is to bake some potatoes in the coals, wrapped in foil. Lashings of butter too. I'm looking forward to this trip, can you tell?
It must be great to see the result of the shot, I mean the trace of the bullet, the refracted light.
I hope you have a great time with your friends those days, it sounds like a great plan and it's also a break from work. Have a great time!
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