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Apparently it wasn't a fluke
So we went shooting again this evening. Bill had carefully prepared me for the possibility that I might not do nearly as well my second time, but everything turned out fine. I started out at 10 feet just to reassure myself that I remembered how to do it, then moved out to 25... and at the end of the evening, just for the hell of it, tried two clips at 50 feet.
I killed the hell out of the target. Most of my shots are falling just below or beside the X in the middle. I lost a bit of accuracy when I tried to speed up a little - Bill told me that I'll want to look away from the sights and relax for a moment in between shots, or my vision will cloud and I won't do as well, and that certainly seems to describe what happened. But I didn't go outside the black until I sent the target out to 50 feet. And even then, only four missed the black.
This time I had much less of an adrenaline high - probably because I wasn't as scared. (Maybe also because the range was much quieter, so there was less extraneous stimulation.) I was much better able to focus and stay aware. Last time, Bill kept having to tell me that my magazine was empty, because I wasn't noticing the slide coming back. This time, that wasn't a problem. I feel much more confident that I know how to handle the gun correctly - that I would be okay firing on my own, without a range coach hovering over my shoulder to give me step by step instructions.
I also feel much less ambivalent, this time. I was a little worried - still am, actually - about making Misha feel bad. He's doing fine, and enjoying himself, but I find myself alternating between excitedly wanting to talk about how well it's going for me and feeling that I ought to be quiet about my success so he doesn't think I'm bragging or trying to show him up. Honestly, I think my frozen right elbow joint gives me a huge advantage, because once I have my arms set in position they can't really go anywhere - even to tremble, except at the wrist or shoulder. So it's very much an apples-to-oranges comparison. But... well. I just don't want to be a jerk about it, and I feel as though I'm having a hard time finding the line between "obnoxious" and "proud and excited."
But I really enjoy this. We may need to look into getting a membership at the range, if we want to stick with it. *bemused headshake* I still maintain: what a strange, strange thing for me to be doing. What a strange, strange thing for me to enjoy.
I killed the hell out of the target. Most of my shots are falling just below or beside the X in the middle. I lost a bit of accuracy when I tried to speed up a little - Bill told me that I'll want to look away from the sights and relax for a moment in between shots, or my vision will cloud and I won't do as well, and that certainly seems to describe what happened. But I didn't go outside the black until I sent the target out to 50 feet. And even then, only four missed the black.
This time I had much less of an adrenaline high - probably because I wasn't as scared. (Maybe also because the range was much quieter, so there was less extraneous stimulation.) I was much better able to focus and stay aware. Last time, Bill kept having to tell me that my magazine was empty, because I wasn't noticing the slide coming back. This time, that wasn't a problem. I feel much more confident that I know how to handle the gun correctly - that I would be okay firing on my own, without a range coach hovering over my shoulder to give me step by step instructions.
I also feel much less ambivalent, this time. I was a little worried - still am, actually - about making Misha feel bad. He's doing fine, and enjoying himself, but I find myself alternating between excitedly wanting to talk about how well it's going for me and feeling that I ought to be quiet about my success so he doesn't think I'm bragging or trying to show him up. Honestly, I think my frozen right elbow joint gives me a huge advantage, because once I have my arms set in position they can't really go anywhere - even to tremble, except at the wrist or shoulder. So it's very much an apples-to-oranges comparison. But... well. I just don't want to be a jerk about it, and I feel as though I'm having a hard time finding the line between "obnoxious" and "proud and excited."
But I really enjoy this. We may need to look into getting a membership at the range, if we want to stick with it. *bemused headshake* I still maintain: what a strange, strange thing for me to be doing. What a strange, strange thing for me to enjoy.