West End Gun Club Range Day, 2/18/22

[BassCliff]

Friends,

It was an excellent day today. Lee and I have been working together for about a decade in the same building, he in the Public Safety Department and me in the IT Shop (before I retired). When Lee found out I had started training with firearms he has had an open invitation for me to visit at the private range where he is a member, at the West End Gun Club. It's in the same area as the Lytle Creek Firing Line, where I frequent, just not nearly as far up the canyon and much closer to the freeway.

It's a bit of an adventure getting to this range. You have to drive across the Lytle Creek Wash in order to navigate the dirt road up in to the foothills where this range is located.

Lee was waiting for me at the range office when I pulled into the compound. I followed him to a private bay.

We got our own 25 yard bay. It was appointed with shade, a couple of tables, even a couple of small bleachers for observers. Since it was pretty windy today, Lee brought steel targets. I brought my target stand, staked it down and used rocks and sand bags to keep it from blowing down. It stayed up.

Lee is an avid and experienced shooter, as is his wife. He and his wife are going to Mesquite for a competition next weekend. They compete a lot.

Lee was testing today, loads (he rarely shoots factory ammo) and zero-ing a revolver for his wife. He brought lots of pistols, M&P, G19, a Ruger .380, a couple of 2011s, a 9mm revolver and a .357mag revolver. He let me shoot all of them, even his race guns.

I had only my XD9. This is my third range trip without cleaning it. Oh! The horror!

Lee is lightening with a revolver. He's got lots of tricked-out kit, special holsters and moon loaders and such. He can reload his revolver faster than I can do a mag swap.

This looks like his .357mag. He shot mostly his revolvers today but he did break out a couple of his 2011 race guns and let me shoot them too.

This is Lee's 9mm revolver, 8 shot. This shoots really well and the trigger is smooth and light. I was amazed.

We ran this drill quite a few times with different guns just 'cause it was so fun. We had three shooting stations. From the left station, put one shot on the first two steels. Move to the middle station, on the paper put two shots in center mass and two in the head. Move to the third station, put one shot on the last two steels. Then we'd reverse direction, or start ten yards away and run up to the first station.

You see those steel targets on the outside are quite a bit lower than the other targets. That was giving me trouble today. On one of these runs, Lee was impressed with my improving quick-draw time.

Of course, I didn't video any of our really good runs, but this is what this particular "5 target" drill looked like.

I ran one of these drills with Lee's Infinity 2011 (WOW! What a nice gun! 1.5lb trigger pull, pinned grip safety, auto-slide forward when the magazine is loaded, and great shooting!). I'm sorry the timer is fuzzy but Lee was impressed with my quick-draw again, and my improved run time.

Toward the end of our session I wanted to run a few more 10-10-10 drills. Lee was getting ready to zero his wife's revolver so I had time to practice this a few times.

In this video you'll see my first 10-10-10 drill shot cold. My score was OK (93?) but I missed the par time with a 10.72. The next time I take video I'll do a better job with the cinematography. The other three runs were just meh.

Lee is taking time to zero his wife's revolver. He says, "She'd better get out her and shoot it now! I zeroed it for me. Hopefully it'll work for her." Lee says his wife is a better shot than he is.

Then Lee let me load up some of my factory ammo and shoot is 9mm M&P and G19. For grins and giggles I shot both of these at steel with my weak hand only. I was surprised how well I did, missing only one shot from each mag from 10 yards.

Lee also set me shoot his .380 Ruger. That's a great pistol for concealed carry, or even a concealed backup gun. With only a barrel swap it can also shoot 9mm.

We had our fun so we said our goodbyes and made our way back across the wash. We're going to try and get together one more time before I leave town.

I realize I have a lot of work to do. Many thanks to Mr. @TSiWRX for his virtual coaching. I think it's mostly his fault that I'm doing as well as I do.

Next weekend I should be shooting at the Boulder Rifle and Pistol Club near Vegas. That will be a blast too. Thanks for letting me share my fun.

Be kind, act justly, love mercy, walk humbly, fear not, stay free!


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[Annihilator]

Wow, looks like a great place, I have been looking for a long time in my area for a S&W 9mm revolver to got with my 625 and 610, hard to come by, looks like you guys had a great time.

 

[Bassbob]

Looks like you had a great time and it looks like you have good friends to shoot with.

 

[Old_Me]

that is so funny, "west end gun club"

for at least 2 reasons.

1) i actually live in the "west end" of my city

2) there actually IS a private gun club down the street from me (that i will NOT go to) since, well, the natives that live near there, know what the place is, and they ain't savory natives.

 

[TSiWRX]

I realize I have a lot of work to do. Many thanks to Mr. @TSiWRX for his virtual coaching. I think it's mostly his fault that I'm doing as well as I do.

Not at all -

Folks, @BassCliff 's getting only what I charged him - which is absolutely nothing. As the old adage goes "you get what you paid for!"

As a result, while I can absolutely lay claim to his errors , any and all improvements are his own.

Cliff is the real deal. It is my sincere belief that in less than a year's time, he'll be shooting better than me. Way better.

 

[BassCliff]

Wow, looks like a great place, I have been looking for a long time in my area for a S&W 9mm revolver to got with my 625 and 610, hard to come by, looks like you guys had a great time.

Hi all,

It's not the fanciest place but it's got all the essentials. Lee brought a couple of really nice revolvers, "highly evolved" and well behaved. He told me about his gunsmith, that "everyone" uses. He does excellent work, an artiste, but because "everyone" uses him sometimes it can take months for a turnaround. Lee tells me he's worth it. I was really impressed with every one of his pistols, especially the race guns.

Looks like you had a great time and it looks like you have good friends to shoot with.

Yes, thanks. Lee is good people. I'm going to miss all my friends when I leave the Left Coast. There will be a few things I won't miss.

that is so funny, "west end gun club"

for at least 2 reasons.

1) i actually live in the "west end" of my city

2) there actually IS a private gun club down the street from me (that i will NOT go to) since, well, the natives that live near there, know what the place is, and they ain't savory natives.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean but, certainly, if a range is not safe it's best to avoid it, be it unsafe inside or outside. I frequent the Lytle Creek Firing Line range often for training, but only occasionally do I visit the main public firing line. I've had some friends roll their eyes when I mention that range. The few times I've shot on the main line I've noticed the RSOs to be watchful and helpful. They are very clear about range etiquette. But I've also noticed a couple of yahoos who could ruin someone's day.

Thanks for stopping by and letting me share my fun. God bless.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[BassCliff]

Not at all -

Folks, @BassCliff 's getting only what I charged him - which is absolutely nothing. As the old adage goes "you get what you paid for!"

As a result, while I can absolutely lay claim to his errors , any and all improvements are his own.

Cliff is the real deal. It is my sincere belief that in less than a year's time, he'll be shooting better than me. Way better.

Hey!

Don't sell yourself short. I'm getting every bit of my money's worth.

The cool thing about virtual instruction, I'll still be able to pick your brain after I move.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[Old_Me]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean but, certainly, if a range is not safe it's best to avoid it, be it unsafe inside or outside. I frequent the Lytle Creek Firing Line range often for training, but only occasionally do I visit the main public firing line. I've had some friends roll their eyes when I mention that range. The few times I've shot on the main line I've noticed the RSOs to be watchful and helpful. They are very clear about range etiquette. But I've also noticed a couple of yahoos who could ruin someone's day.


BassCliff

very often, we referred to the people in the hood, as "the natives", as in, "the natives are restless",

the gun club i spoke about here in "the west end" where i live, "the natives here are not ones to trust at any time" and being they live literally across the street from that very old gun club, (been there for decades upon decades) no telling that they are "scoping out" who goes in, where they park, when the come out, and head for thier cars.......

 

[Old_Me]

@BassCliff , you never heard that old saying..."the natives are restless"...????

i heard it many times in western movies, African Safari movies, and.......i think even in a couple of John Wayne movies....

 

[BassCliff]

@BassCliff , you never heard that old saying..."the natives are restless"...????

i heard it many times in western movies, African Safari movies, and.......i think even in a couple of John Wayne movies....

Hi,

I'm familiar with the phrase, just didn't know who you were referring to. I get it now, the local residents (natives) are, shall we say, ne'er do wells.

Stay safe.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff