New Gun to the Range
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 11:07 pm
I took a new gun that just showed up for my collection down to the Range today, which was also my first trip to the range in a good while. Health, Weather, Farm Commitments... you name it, seems like something was always stopping my trips to shoot. It's been nearly a year. The last time I was on the range was to teach, and the student fired 100 rounds, I fired seven. 
Today, I took my new Colt SAA down to test, bought from a friend reducing his collection. New unfired from the back of his safe. It was one of my Bucket List Guns. Low round counts will be my norm for each gun. I plan to shoot often, but low round counts to build my skills back up. I used to be a VERY good shot, I don't know yet if I still am. This isn't a fair test, new gun, arthritis acting up. I only brought 18 rounds to the range today. 45 long colt ammo is pricey.
Here it is, Colt Single Action Army... even Miss T said "Ohhh" when I pulled it out of the gun bag.
All today's shooting was done at 7 yards since it was a new gun and I had no idea how it would shoot... (Or I would shoot since it had been a while.) Loaded up six rounds and shot 3 rounds shooting one handed at seven yards, aiming center mass on the black dot. Not too bad for an old guy.
Hmmm, let's try two hands... Two hands, three shots, still at seven yards.
Um... I forgot that Single Actions are best fired one handed, letting the gun roll in the hand to dissipate some of that recoil. 
The two handed grip increased the felt recoil and caused me to shoot low to the left. Won't do that again.
I shot six more rounds one handed and was happier with the result. If you look at the pic below, the three shots left of the bull marked with the number 7 are the two handed shots. Those circled in red are those next six fired one handed.
I brought 18 rounds to the range so I fired the last six carefully, one handed, at the head.
Yup, six shots in the head. I was happy. Eighteen fired, eighteen on the target. The six in the head ARE a group. The first two shots, aimed center mass, were high. For the last four I used a six o'clock hold on the head, aiming at the throat and got a better group.
Overall I'm happy. With practice I'll learn to shoot this gun well and enjoy it. Especially in the summer when arthur is on vacation. The gun shot high, but this was seven yards, I'm betting when I move back to fifteen and twenty five I see it more at point of aim / point of impact.
I really enjoyed the first session back on the range, and look forward to many more. Happy to scratch another item off the Bucket List.
Today, I took my new Colt SAA down to test, bought from a friend reducing his collection. New unfired from the back of his safe. It was one of my Bucket List Guns. Low round counts will be my norm for each gun. I plan to shoot often, but low round counts to build my skills back up. I used to be a VERY good shot, I don't know yet if I still am. This isn't a fair test, new gun, arthritis acting up. I only brought 18 rounds to the range today. 45 long colt ammo is pricey.
Here it is, Colt Single Action Army... even Miss T said "Ohhh" when I pulled it out of the gun bag.
- 01 The Colt SAA.jpg (371.05 KiB) Viewed 571 times
All today's shooting was done at 7 yards since it was a new gun and I had no idea how it would shoot... (Or I would shoot since it had been a while.) Loaded up six rounds and shot 3 rounds shooting one handed at seven yards, aiming center mass on the black dot.
Not too bad for an old guy.- 02 first three one handed.jpg (289.39 KiB) Viewed 571 times
Hmmm, let's try two hands... Two hands, three shots, still at seven yards.
Um... I forgot that Single Actions are best fired one handed, letting the gun roll in the hand to dissipate some of that recoil. The two handed grip increased the felt recoil and caused me to shoot low to the left. Won't do that again.I shot six more rounds one handed and was happier with the result. If you look at the pic below, the three shots left of the bull marked with the number 7 are the two handed shots. Those circled in red are those next six fired one handed.
- 04 six more one handed.jpg (348.27 KiB) Viewed 571 times
I brought 18 rounds to the range so I fired the last six carefully, one handed, at the head.
Yup, six shots in the head. I was happy. Eighteen fired, eighteen on the target. The six in the head ARE a group. The first two shots, aimed center mass, were high. For the last four I used a six o'clock hold on the head, aiming at the throat and got a better group.- 05 last six are head shots.jpg (390.21 KiB) Viewed 571 times
Overall I'm happy. With practice I'll learn to shoot this gun well and enjoy it. Especially in the summer when arthur is on vacation.
The gun shot high, but this was seven yards, I'm betting when I move back to fifteen and twenty five I see it more at point of aim / point of impact.I really enjoyed the first session back on the range, and look forward to many more. Happy to scratch another item off the Bucket List.