Tag: Mosin-Nagant
Thursday, December 16th, 2010
Last night, a friend of GB’s drove in for a visit. They haven’t seen each other in about a year and they’ve missed each other a lot. They stayed up late last night, talking and catching up. I couldn’t stay up with them because I had to get up early this morning, so I headed up to bed around 10 p.m. Before I turned in, I gave the guys a run-down of my guns so they could take them to the range with them tomorrow.
The Bersa’s out of the safe, there’s a box of mag for it in the mag dresser upstairs. The Walther, Marlin and Mosin are all in the safe. Ammo for those are upstairs as well. I only have one mag for the Bersa. Extra mags for the Walther are in its box with it. The Marlin’s extra mags are in my range bag. I figured if they’re going and I can’t, they might as well take mine with them. The more guns to shoot the better, right? I told them all goodnight and went to lay out my clothes for the next day when, GB hollered at me. “Honey!”
GB called me back from the bedroom to prove to his friend that although I just gave a run down of my collection and sounded like I’ve been a gun girl all of my life, that in fact I wasn’t gun-gung-ho until I met GB and even then he had to work me up to it first. He said to his friend, “Before she didn’t like guns, now she knows more about guns than I do.”
Aww. That’s so sweet. My baby’s bragging on me. 
Tags: 2nd Ammendment, Activism, Bersa, Carson City Rifle and Pistol Range, CCW, firearms, Girls and Guns, gun ownership, guns, Marlin, Mosin-Nagant, rifles, shooting range, Walther
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Tuesday, September 14th, 2010
My alarm went off at 7:00 a.m., later than it goes off on a workday Friday, but still entirely too early. Meeting new people and traipsing all over Cabela’s before ditching dinner and conversation for college courses apparently can make one very sleepy! But, as we all repeated to ourselves over the course of the rendezvous, in the words of Mr. Completely, “if you’re not exhausted by the end of Gun Blogger Rendezvous, you’re not doing it right.”
After the pep talk, I got out of bed and got ready. The agenda for today says:
Friday, September 10th.
- 8:30 a.m. NRA Sponsored Breakfast and Rachel Parsons in the “Silver Baron B” Hospitality room of the Silver Legacy.
- 9:30 a.m. Leave the Silver Legacy Hospitality room to car pool up and head out to the Washoe County Regional Shooting Facility for rifle and pistol target shooting out to 900 yards.
- 10:15 a.m – 2 p.m. At the range.
- 3 p.m. – Major Announcement at the Silver Legacy Hospitality room.
- 3 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Show-N-Tell at the Silver Legacy Hospitality room.
- 6 p.m. Leave the Silver Legacy Hospitality room to go to the ground floor to Gecko’s BBQ Restaurant for dinner.
- Friday Evening until midnight: Refreshments and conversation at the Silver Legacy Hospitality room. Bring your own refreshments and munchies.
What a full day! At least we’ll start it out right with a hardy breakfast courtesy of the NRA. Too bad there wasn’t any NRA at the NRA breakfast! Poor Rachel became so ill she had to go to the emergency room and so wasn’t able to attend the delicious breakfast that she and the NRA provided to us. And thank goodness for this breakfast because after it, we drove up to the range and stayed there all through lunch!
It was worth forgoing food, though. Shooting always is, but this was an exceptional shooting experience because it involved shooting enthusiasts from all over the United States and their toys. As a new shooter, and one on a tight budget, I’ve only shot a handful of handguns and rifles. I was like a kid in a candy store at the range.
First, I started out with The Packing Rat‘s delicious collection of toys. In his sexy range bag, with seemingly unlimited pockets, which he won at last year’s Gun Blogger Rendezvous, he held a seemingly unlimited number of handguns. But I didn’t shoot any of those. Instead, I shot two of the three long guns that decorated his shooting bench. He asked me which would I like to shoot first. I said I wasn’t sure and asked the guys around me for advice. The Smallest Minority asked if I was recoil sensitive. I didn’t know if I was or not. I had shot GB’sMosin-Nagant M-44 Carabine rifle and my Mosin-Nagant 91/30 sucessfully, so he suggested I go ahead and try The Packing Rat‘s M1A. Boy am I glad I did. That thing was fun to shoot. It did kick more than my 91/30, but it was more comfortable to hold onto, so it all balanced out.
The second of The Packing Rat‘s firearms I man-handled was an AR. It was fun and easy to shoot and was very light. I understand why many people take them to Appleseeds.
Also at our range escapades, I shot a firearm chambered in .45 for the first time and a revolver for the first time as well, thanks to The Smallest Minority and to D.W. Shooting the revolver was nice, but my short little fingers couldn’t reach the trigger when firing it double-action, so I had to cock the hammer between each shot to use the revolver single-action instead. It was very comfortable and fun to shoot. This experience has me pondering the possibility of getting qualified to conceal carry a revolver and now that I know that larger caliber handguns can be shot comfortably, my options are wider open than they ever have been before.
I used two pistols with red-dot type sights on them. First, I shot Joe’s Crabby Shack’s .22 target pistol. It had a Leupold sighting system on it which projected a small, red triangle on a glass lens, letting you see on the target exactly where you were going to hit. I had fun shooting it, but I didn’t see the red triangle like I was supposed to. Then, I shot Keewee’s Hi Standard highly customized target pistol equipped with C-More sights. Now that was awesome. I could see the little dot and I knew exactly where each shot was going. I shot the tightest group I have ever shot. Thanks little sights. Now I’m craving you.
Tags: CCW, concealed carry, Female Shooters, firearms, Gear, Girls and Guns, guns, Mosin-Nagant, NRA, rifles, shooting, shooting range, Washoe County Regional Shooting Facility
Posted in Gun Bloggers Rendezvous | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
I am pleased to announce a second Gardnerville, Nevada shoot will be held this year. Our first was back in May. It was a three day shoot over the Memorial Day weekend and it was a great success! Due to the great turnout at the May event and interest displayed by those with whom we interacted at the Big Reno Gun Show in August, we’re doing it all again!
When: October 30-31-2010
Where: 2449 Leviathan Mine Rd. Gardnerville, NV
Directions: From Gardnerville take Hwy. 395 south approx. 10 miles to Leviathan Mine Road. Turn right to the range site at 2449 Leviathan Mine Road. Watch for signs.
GPS: 38*47’56.06”N
119*37’40.60”W
To register: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/829002569
Why this shoot is special: This shoot marks the first time in Nevada Appleseed history that we will have two events on the same weekend. Northern and Southern Nevada will be both shooting simultaneously in an excellent show of how far Nevada Appleseed has come and in promise of where we can go.
This inaugural simultaneous shoot is scheduled on a special weekend for Nevadans: the weekend of Nevada Day. Nevada is the only state which throws a yearly celebration in honor of its entry into the Union and it does so to keep its citizens informed of American history and to foster the community spirit of patriotism. The Nevada Day charter is “preserving Nevada History through education.”
I challenge all Nevadans to celebrate being a Nevadan and to honor U.S. history through education by coming out and participating in this simultaneous Nevada Day weekend Appleseed shoot!
For information about Gardnerville’s sister shoot in Las Vegas, please see their forum posting here: http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=16224.0/.
The range: This range is on Featherblue’s private property and he and Mrs. Featherblue do not charge any range fee for us to go out and use their land. The range is absolutely beautiful. You will not regret coming out to shoot with us even if the only thing you do once you get here is stare at the mountains which surround our shooting line.
This promises to be an excellent shoot at a DAR site. With ranges out to 600+ yards, shooters are welcome to bring the center fires. The firing line can handle 50 shooters with room for more easily added. No tracer or ammunition that is attracted to a magnet is allowed due to fire hazards. Additionally, for this October shoot, please do not bring steel-cored projectiles (i.e. Spam can ammo for Mosin-Nagants). The range is dried out now due to the arrival of autumn and these types of ammo can present fire hazards.
Lodging: The Featherblue’s welcome private camping on their range for Appleseed event participants, but hardy campers only need apply for this event. Nevada weather is temperamental at best, but historical October averages put possible temperatures down in the 30’s. If you come out to camp, and you are more than welcome to, remember to bring with you everything you need to stay warm and healthy no matter what our Nevada weather may throw at us.
Potable water and porta-potties will be on site for campers and shooters to use.
For those not camping, local hospitality offerings include (but are not limited to!):
- Topaz Lodge and Casino, RV Resort. They have full hookups and are the closest motel to our range. Their phone number is 1-800-962-0732.
- Holiday Inn Express, Gardnerville, NV. 775-782-7500
- Topaz Lodge and Casino, RV Resort 800-962-0732
For More Information:
Leave a comment here or head on over to the Appleseed forum at www.appleseedinfo.org/smf/ and send me a Private Message. My user name there is gglovesguns.
Tags: appleseed, guns, Mosin-Nagant, Rifleman, rifles, shooting, shooting range
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Saturday, August 28th, 2010
On Monday after work, I went home and threw off my beautiful work ensemble in exchange for old jeans, old tennis shoes and a ball cap. I grabbed my purse, my Walther and my range bag and headed out the door for a 30 minute drive over to the League of Lethal Ladies after work shooting night event.
The drive was my favorite kind of drive: uneventful. I did not get lost. When I pulled up, several cars were already there. We all got out of our cars and stood around. No one was talking. This was my first league night so I was nervous that no one was talking. Finally, Jenny and Jesse showed up, the Queen of the league and her husband and they got the show on the road.
We started off with going over rules and range commands and signing liability waivers. Then, the fun began. We shot two 5-round practice sessions, one 5-round right hand only session and one 5-round left hand only session. Then, the games began.
We played Top Shot.
First, we had three rounds to shoot down three bowling pins, then we had two rounds to shoot two playing cards placed sideways in a target backer and finally, we shot flying orange clay targets. I went first. I missed everything! Although someone said they thought I hit the pins, but a 22 wasn’t strong enough to knock them over. Who knows. Who cares? It was fun! And on the bright side, having me go first and miss everything lessened the pressure on those following.
The winners of the Top Shot competition got to shoot exploding targets with either an AR or a Mosin. Nice!
We had a photographer at the shoot and she had never shot before. I offered her the use of my Walther and at the end of the night, in the dark! She took me up on that offer. And she shot very well.
At some point in the evening, Jenny noticed my Appleseed shirt and hat and asked me if I had gone to a shoot and how was it. I told her I had and that it was awesome. I gave her some Greenies, a trifold and the California schedule and invited her to come shoot with us in Sacramento or Red Bluff at the next two upcoming shoots. It turned out, she was on the waiting list for the Gardnerville shoot and if she had gotten in, I would have met her a long time ago and would have been able to go to more of these league nights she puts on. Darn!
She doesn’t have a car and so going down to Sacramento and Red Bluff would be hard on her. I told her I would work on getting more Gardnerville shoots scheduled so she could get her chance to go to an Appleseed. I gave greenies, trifolds and schedules to everyone else present as well and they all asked for more local shoots!
I had a blast at league night and look forward to more of these events. It was fun to see so many female shooters all in one place and to realize that I’m not alone in Reno.
Tags: appleseed, Female Shooters, Girls and Guns, League of Lethal Ladies, Mosin-Nagant, rifles, shooting, Walther
Posted in Activism, Appleseed | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010
Part II
Goal: Getting me shooting.
GB didn’t plan on taking me to an empty, indoor range, staffed by a female range officer for my first range experience, but it worked out that way. And I’m glad it did. The range officer was able to give us her undivided attention as I learned how to maneuver a loaded gun. GB was very patient and kind with me. The cool selection of targets and the closeness of the targets really made a difference for me. If he had taken me to one of the other two ranges we’ve shot at since for my first time, I’m not sure I would have taken to guns as well as I did. They’re dirty and full of trash, noisy, windy, full of men and their big toys, sell cheap and ugly targets, the target stands are far away from the shooting line, etc. What a great first time this trip was! It was so perfect, it’s nearly a romantic experience for me looking back on it.
From there, GB accompanied me to two other outdoor ranges. He always babysat me and made sure I didn’t feel scared, alone, frustrated, stupid and more importantly, didn’t do anything unsafe. He was always willing to pack it in and go when I had had enough, even though inside he wanted to shoot longer. But by making sure each of my experiences shooting were positive ones, even at a sacrifice for him, he was making a smart long-term investment in building me into a range buddy.
The final step in winning me over to shooting was when I decided to go to an Appleseed. I had to break in my two new Appleseed guns and GB and I didn’t have any days off together between then and the shoot, so I had to go to the range alone. I knew what I was doing, I had my gear, I knew when to ask for help from the range master. I knew guns. I knew shooting. Awesome! Then Appleseed itself polished me off as a shooter. Now I didn’t outshoot any of the experienced shooters there, but I did keep up. I did improve. I handled my gun and my gear solo.
Lying three days in the Nevada dirt from dawn till dusk with my rifle was the most intimate shooting experience I could have possibly had. That Monday sunset marked a transformation in my life. Although I did not score Rifleman, I became a Rifleman.
Tags: appleseed, Carson City Rifle and Pistol Range, guns, Marlin, Mosin-Nagant, Rifleman, Safe Shot, shooting, shooting range, Washoe County Regional Shooting Facility
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Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010
This Memorial Day weekend, I spent my time honoring America’s veterans by laying face down in the Nevada dirt for three days straight. It was awesome! It’s called an Appleseed (see appleseedinfo.org). Below you’ll find a brief synopsis of my time in Gardnerville, shooting redcoats and learning about the Revolutionary War and the founding of America.
Continue reading Appleseed After Action Report
Tags: appleseed, guns, Marlin, Mosin-Nagant, rifles, Ruger, shooting, shooting range, slings
Posted in Appleseed | 4 Comments »
Saturday, May 22nd, 2010
Today as I was preparing to leave for the gun range, I remembered what happened to GB and I the last time we went to the range: wind. It was a nice day in town, but the range was 30+ minutes away and just that little bit of time and geography change made a huge difference in the weather. The wind at the range was blowing hard enough the range master called us “brave” for being willing to shoot in it. We were the only range patrons there, but we never did get to shoot in the wind. The wind wouldn’t let us. Well, it wouldn’t let GB and since he couldn’t I couldn’t.
I duct taped my target to my target stand and placed my stand. I put it in the closest slot since I was shooting the Walther P22. GB duct taped his target to his stand and traipsed off to install his target stand three berms down because he was shooting his rifles that day. His target tore in the wind while he was walking down there, but he fixed it with duct tape. Once he had his target stand secured, his target blew away. The range master and I giggled while we watched him run down the range to get it back. When he gets it and gets back to his target stand… the stand is gone! The target stand was mounted into concrete and metal holes and the metal portion had bent so badly the stand was laying over backwards. He moved over one more hole and stood his target stand back up again. He walked back to explain to the range master that the metal was bent and needed to be fixed and she offered him a staple gun. GB’s like “Ummm… Why do I need a staple gun?” The range master just points down range where his target stand
is still standing but his paper target and cardboard backing are running down range again. She and I giggled as GB ran the length of the range, again.
I met GB at his target stand with the range master’s staple gun and we fixed up the target, but we decided to turn our stands back in and call it a day. As we walk back to the tables, we notice the range master is holding down GB’s rifles. The wind was blowing hard enough to push his Mosin-Nagant across the table! Whoah. We collect my target stand, which was unharmed by the wind and turn it in too. The range master giggled the whole time she was helping us pack up and was refunding our money. It was disappointing that we didn’t get to shoot, but I had plenty of fun watching GB run around the range, so I didn’t
mind. : )
Tags: guns, Mosin-Nagant, rifles, shooting, shooting range, Walther, Washoe County Regional Shooting Facility, weather
Posted in Range Time | No Comments »
Saturday, May 22nd, 2010
What to bring to an Appleseed Event Checklist
http://www.appleseedinfo.org/pdf/what_to_bring_shoot.pdf
Not everything listed here is necessary. This list was compiled from the experience of those who have attended an Appleseed. It includes those things that did or would have made their experience more enjoyable. Remember that you need to bring whatever it takes to learn to shoot better.
Personal items
➢ A teachable attitude (most important thing)
➢ Elbow pads or shooting Jacket
➢ Ground cover (Rug remnant works well)
➢ A hat
➢ Little notebook (those little 2.5 X 3.5 work well) don’t have
➢ Pen
➢ Sun Screen
➢ Lots of water (Must stay hydrated)
➢ Light Lunch
➢ Snacks
➢ Folding Chair (not necessary but nice)
➢ Wet wipes
➢ Bug spray
➢ Aspirin or Ibuprofen
➢ Necessary clothing for any kind of weather
➢ Ear protection Muffs and plugs *
➢ Eye protection *
➢ Fred’s Guide to becoming a Rifleman (if you have it) don’t have
Gun related stuff
➢ Rifle preferably zeroed for 25 meters
➢ 400+ rounds of the same type and brand of ammo
➢ Sight adjustment tools don’t have
➢ GI style web Sling have for Mosin, not for 22
➢ 5 Mags unloaded if not more. 20rds works well if State law allows don’t have
➢ Gun cleaning supplies and lube don’t have
➢ Instructions for your rifle (if you have them) don’t have
➢ Know your rifle note to self: get to know the Mosin and Marlin.
➢ Something to cover your rifle to keep blowing sand or rain off it. don’t have.
➢ Staple gun (if you already have one) don’t have.
➢ Staples don’t have.
➢ Know the laws of the State you are going to and only bring that which is within the
law.
➢ Back-up rifle (if you have one).
Tags: appleseed, guns, Marlin, Mosin-Nagant, rifles, shooting
Posted in Appleseed | No Comments »
Thursday, May 20th, 2010
When I first met GB, I had a deep distrust of guns. I knew his favorite hobby was going out to the range and shooting around for an afternoon with his best buddy and his buddy’s girl and son. I didn’t ever think I’d be out shooting with him, that I’d allow him to keep his guns in our future house or that I’d have guns of my own in my house. And guns are so expensive; I just couldn’t see myself spending at minimum a half of a paycheck on something that just went bang. Now I own three guns: a Walther P22, a Mosin Nagant 91/30 and a Marlin 795SS. I have two holsters and two carry belts. I own my own range bag and have several sets of eyes. I’m still using the loaner ears from GB, though. What a difference just a few months makes.
Continue reading I’m Going Through Changes
Tags: guns, Marlin, Mosin-Nagant, rifles
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