Well, life is never easy, but I just like saying those words with the arrival of each new summer season. Gone are the halcyon days of a three-month vacation from school. Our adult lives require that we work 12 months a year, but these three months of relative warmth and sunshine provide us plenty of opportunity … to train.
Living in Wisconsin, I have, in the past, gotten stuck trying to get out to the range or stomped down the snow on the range with my snowshoes. I’ve trained with heavy gloves and big coats. But I must admit that I prefer to shoot when the weather is fair. I think we all do. When working with my law enforcement partners, we often uttered the line: “Raining still means training.” But that is another story for another day.
Summer is coming. It’s time to start planning your range time. Here are some quick tips.
Stock up on Ammo
The outcome of the Presidential election is no reason to stop buying ammo. In fact, if the actions of those young people in Berkeley are any indication, perhaps we all need even more ammo. But I digress. For ammo purchases, start looking for deals on mail order and internet ammo sales that include free shipping. When you see such a deal, never pass it up. That’s why I bought that little J-Frame revolver. I got a good deal on free shipping of .38 Special ammo. After the ammo arrived, I figured I should have a firearm that uses such ammo. Luckily the local gun store had one!
Targets of all Types
We do that little feature in Concealed Carry Magazine called “In the 10-Ring” just to show people there are targets for everyone thanks to this thing we call the free market. I look for targets that include accurate depictions of human anatomy or target zones that accurately represent the areas on a human that you must hit in order to stop the threat. The 10-ring on an old B-27 target is in a terrible spot. From waterproof paper to portable target stands that hold 2-liter bottles, if you can’t find a target you like, you are just not trying. Don’t let that kind of negativity creep into your life.
Consider Your Kit
Too many times I’ve gone to the range with the bare essentials — and that has really impacted my ability to train. So make that list of all the little things you need, like screwdrivers and other tools for your guns, a stapler to hang targets, tape or stick-on dots to cover your holes and conserve targets, extra eye and ear protection, bug spray, sun block and, of course, a first-aid kit.
Seriously, get a first-aid kit. Actually, call it what it is: a trauma kit. Make sure your kit has two tourniquets and enough bandages to deal with two gunshot wounds. I say two wounds because most of the time, self-inflicted gunshot wounds also include an exit wound and sometimes if a shooter puts a round through his hand or arm, it also might hit his leg. Of course, this kit is not for you. You are safe and would never need a first-aid kit. This kit is for that other guy over there, maybe your brother-in-law, who doesn’t know what he is doing. Regardless of how you justify carrying a first-aid kit, please carry one to the range.
Now you are ready for summer fun on the range. All you need now is a plan of action on how you will train. Create such a plan for every time you visit the range. I’m betting we can help with that.
