Monday, October 20, 2008

My Anniversary...

Yesterday was our 17th anniversary and except for that one year where we mostly wanted to kill each other, they've been wonderful years! :D (Oh come on, everybody has times like that! Don't pretend you don't!)
Last year for our anniversary Jon took me to dinner and the Symphony and it was wonderful. I loved it and felt so fancy.

This year we did something a little different; we went shooting!

Over the past several months I've gotten into shooting handguns and I've found I really like it. We have a membership at a range that's not too far from us and we try to get there a couple of times month. It's nice because it's something we can do together that we both really enjoy.

Well, for our anniversary yesterday we went into Everett to Sam's Gun Shop and Range and my darling husband rented out the .45 caliber handguns for me. I got to shoot any and all of them that I wanted and it was so fun! He's such a gentleman that he would let me shoot them first and when I wanted a new one he'd go get it for me.

These are the guns I got to shoot yesterday:

XD45 Tactical: Really liked this one but it's a bit too big for my hand. I love the way it shoots; recoil is nice and it's very accurate.

Smith & Wesson M&P: This one has the changeable backstraps but I think they had the medium on the one at the range. I've held it with the small backstrap and that fits me much better. Jon liked the cocking serrations but wasn't impressed with it. We both liked the XD better.

Kimber ProCarry 3" barrel .45: Sigh. I have a love affair with Kimbers. This one was a bit sassy being so small but I still liked it well enough that I sent Jon back to the counter to get it for me to shoot again after I was done with the others. The one they had was plain black so of course I'd want a prettier one but as far as shooting, it was a nice little gun. Fit me almost as well as my EMP. DH liked it so well that he said if he didn't already have the ProCarry II with a 4" barrel he'd be wanting that one.

FNH .45 (but I haven't a clue what model it was!) I didn't like this one. The checkering on the grip chewed up my hand so it hurt to shoot it. I also didn't like the trigger. It was a long pull and very spongy. I kept squeezing it wondering if it was ever going to break! The reset was short but then you had the long spongy pull. (It felt like there was a marshmallow behind the trigger.) Jon only put four rounds through it and I only did three.

Kimber Custom Carry 5" barrel .45: It was nice but we both liked Jon's Kimber a little bit better. Maybe it was because it's a range gun and has taken some abuse, maybe it's the difference in the grips that were on it. I don't know but while I didn't hate it, I didn't love it like Jon's Kimber.

Kimber ProCarry II 4" barrel .45: Jon owns this one and was gentleman enough to let me shoot it again. Sigh. I love this gun. It feels wonderful in the hand, nicely balanced, beautiful trigger and the recoil isn't a big deal. He's got a stainless frame and slide so it's pretty too! Lovely, lovely gun. (He's not real sure he likes me referring to his gun as "lovely" though.)

Springfield EMP 9mm: This one is my baby and I'm still loving her. It fits my hand beautifully and shooting it is fantastic. I am looking for a .45 but this one will never be ignored! Very accurate and I haven't had one issue with it. I don't think I've ever had a FTF or FTE on this little gun. She's still my favorite.

Sig P229 9MM and .40: We love them both. I had to shoot them, I still had ammo! As always, I love the Sigs. They both shoot great and feel wonderful in my hand. The frame is a teeny bit large for me but I just really don't care with these! lol The 9 mm was my first gun and you know how it is with your first love! They've just come out with the .22 conversion kit for these and I'm wondering how long we'll be able to hold out. We have the Mosquito .22 that is designed just like it's bigger counter parts but neither of us like to shoot it as well as our bigger ones. Since my 14 yo has pretty much claimed the Mosquito as her own I need the conversion kit, right?

We had a great time playing with all of these guns. Then we went into the store and ogled all the guns in the case. When we were done we went and got a big steak dinner. All in all a perfect anniversay date. (Well, near perfect. I didn't come home with a new gun or anything so there is that. )

When I was shooting last night I was thinking back to when I first shot at Sam's. I was very nervous and scared because it was afterall, a gun. It counted every bullet out of my 9 mm that day and was relieved to be done but since I used to shoot (and like it) I was determined to enjoy it again. Like anything, once you learn some basics and get used to the whole process you can relax a little and enjoy yourself. It was cool to be standing there shooting any .45 I could get my hands on when just a few short months ago I was barely able to make myself shoot the 9 mm!

If you live in my area, lots of ranges have ladies night on Mondays....see you there! :D


3 comments:

suzzanne said...

I am LOL!! I love your anniversary story. And I love you!

Kim said...

:D You crack me up. Thanks for all the info though- way cool! I'm glad you both had a blast. :) We'll have to see if we can get to the range one of these Mondays. Love ya!

CulyQFun said...

Wow, I am VERY impressed. Bill is getting ready to do some duck hunting and I am not the bit interested in shooting his rifle or any other gun. He will be impressed as well - Way to go Fran.