The rain has gone and the sun has come out over clearing skies and heavily-gusting winds. I’m thankful for the sun, the early-bug killing chill in the air, and I’m very thankful for all of the precipitation.
The day’s major discovery came when I noticed that our pond was full from the heavy rain and quick run-off– more than a foot of regained depth over more than 2500 square feet of surface area.
It’s been down for well over six months, and it went from having a 36-inch dirt ring around it to being up to the rim in just one day. What a fantastic blessing– so much more than I could “ask or imagine.”
That’s much more important than any target practice results, but I had the added pleasure– privilege!– of spending a few minutes of my morning with a faithful old friend, my Glock 19C.
It’s one of the first firearms I bought back in the early days of the 21st century (sounds like a long time ago in a way). I shopped it hard and chose it carefully, and I’m reminded every time it fires that I picked the right one.
Today, I grabbed three mags I’ve kept partially loaded for months and went out to spend 25 rounds on another pizza-cardboard perforation project. The tools were up to the challenge. It’s just Brown Bear ammo (but I got it cheap!).
The first round stove-piped in mid-ejection, and that’s actually something I was testing for. I wanted to see how the mag springs and the gun’s cycling action would do after many weeks (months, I think, is more like it) of sitting idle. That first glitch was the only one, and the results from 20+ feet are just fine for the first day of refresher training.
Like most every Glock I’ve ever heard tell of, this gun is big-fun to shoot, and I had even more fun than usual today. I think it might be due, at least in part, to the fact that I spent so much time last month working with the higher caliber cartridges. The 9x19mm is so much more manageable that today’s recoil is almost not worth mentioning.
As always, the 4th generation (3rd? I’ll have to double-check that) design grips easily. It’s comfortable and target-settles naturally. My hold
control is definitely stronger and my re-acquisition speed are both better than I remember. The Kimber time paid off in more ways than one, it seems.
Shot o’the Day is that ragged, multi-shot hole just inside the 2 o’clock position. That is the picture I’m visualizing for the rest of the upcoming groups. I want to see that dozen or so outside the center target,in future attempts, all moved in and bunched up in little cluster-groups like that one. I’m positive that the gun is up to the challenge of that goal, and I want to be up to it as well.
And after today’s session, I have some ideas about how to be even faster and more accurate. The white dot sights line up well, and I was finding the “lollipop position” more easily quickly as I went along.
This group is nothing heroic, but it works well as a baseline measurement. I know how to shoot the gun, and I can manage some level of general-vicinity accuracy and the occasional 10-ring hit. I got to the Shoot-n-C fairly late in the set (except for one or two of the first 10). My technique and repeatability in sighting placement got better– came back to me– as I went along.
The next few days should be equally fun and instructive as many more rounds are spent on a variety of defensive scenarios and at greater distances. One will be a “just do your best, son” session at a full 25 yards, but 30 feet will be the regular practice spot.
The Glock itself will, of course, do just fine– that’s almost literally guaranteed. If the Lord tarries, and I’m physically able to pull the trigger, I have no doubt that the Glock will go.
There is real intention behind these plans. If I’m ever blessed with the time and money to do any competition shooting, this is the gun I’d like to use.
The comparison point is established, and the opportunity to learn and improve is waiting out there for me. For me and my 19, that is.