Where I make my dad proud… again.

By curiousillusion ( October 17, 2009 at 10:41 pm) · Filed under personal, ,

When I was about 13 years old or so, my dad decided to take me and my younger brother and teach us how to shoot a gun.  He bought a revolver (and later a rifle) for us to practice on and we would go to the shooting range and aim at targets.  He was all about safety and teaching us how to shoot properly – my dad used to shoot in competitions, so he knows a thing or two.

One day some guy walked over to where we were all shooting and started to talk to my dad.  I happened to overhear the conversation… my dad explained that, yeah he was teaching us how to shoot and he said something to the effect about how his daughter (aka me) was picking it up pretty well but his son, on the other hand… and he kind of shook his head.  I never forgot that… my dad doesn’t express himself often so knowing that I was making him proud was a big achievement for me.

Anyway, that was over a decade ago and I haven’t been shooting since.  But my brother and his girlfriend are in town this weekend and so we all decided to go out to the shooting range.  My dad spent some time teaching the girlfriend how to shoot since she had never picked up a gun before and then, after reminding me how it’s done, hands me his new 9mm Glock and basically lets me have at it.

So I pick up the gun, aim and shoot… and literally yell out a “wow!” because the kick back (when the gun jerks back on you) was so powerful, it took me by surprise.  But what do you know, my very first shot… right in the middle of the target.  Hello bullseye.

However, that kick back kind of sucked and made me a bit nervous.  But I continue shooting, trying to do my best to keep my bullets in the same general area.  My dad leans over to me after a while and tells me that I’m pulling the trigger too fast… I should be pulling it very slowly and smoothly.  So, after realizing what he means, I adjust my shooting technique… and hello, I have 3 shots in a row literally right next to each other.  When I turn to see the smile on my dad’s face, I can tell I’ve done it right.  (If you go shooting with my dad, the goal is not to have a bullseye every time, the goal is more to have all your shots clustered around a small area.  Means you’re being accurate and consistent, I think.)

Anyway, we’re there for about 2 hours and I can feel myself improving (and I have the paper targets to prove it) and getting more comfortable with the gun.   My brother’s girlfriend is also improving as well… but my brother I think gets a little overeager and so when he shoots, he’s kind of all over the place.  When we leave, my dad tells my brother’s girlfriend that she did a good job, especially for it being the first time she’s picked up a gun.  And then my dad literally puts his hand on my shoulder and tells me I did very well.

And for the rest of the night he’s been teasing my brother how he doesn’t know how to shoot a gun properly.   You couldn’t wipe the smile off my face if you tried.  :)

Share and Enjoy:
  • Print
  • Twitter
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Google Bookmarks

Related posts:

  1. De-stressing… kinda. You may remember that I was super stressed a while...
  2. Under the weather. And a cat. Kinda. 6pm on a Saturday and I’m just now turning on...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

« « That whole gym thing…| Oh blah. » »
  • i will never understand, why the American are so fascinated about shooting and fighting. i don't know, if someone in our land have the idea to teach a "child" ... shooting?
  • I find it sad that you think that. It's not that I'm being to shoot a person. It's just a skill to have, a hobby.
  • i am pretty sure that YOU are not a person who wants to kill someone. but basically i find it problematical to teach a child to shoot. is a child able to understand the meaning of shooting? ... i think no. so - in my opinion - its a form of responsibility to keep away a child from weapons.

    because, you can't be sure how the child will develop.
  • =)

    Sometimes I wish I could make either of my parents proud of me.
  • Oh pfft, I'm sure they're over the moon proud of you!
  • Good job!
  • Thanks!
  • Wow Ari!!! I am VERY impressed. I've never held a gun in my life. I think that would totally freak me out. You might have to teach me one day. It's probably a good skill to have.
  • Thanks Beryl. Yeah it is a bit freaky at times but my dad is all about safety so I never feel like I'm going to do something wrong.
  • Hahaha, I'm a daddy's girl so I like making my dad proud too almost as much as I enjoy doing anything better than my brother! Sounds like we have a lot in common :) .
  • Ha ha yup we sound exactly the same! :)
  • leaky_tiki
    Great post Ari! And yes, the goal is to keep your shots in as tight a group as possible. When you have done that, you know you are consistent and then can adjust the sights as needed to bring the grouping back to center. When I was in college I was a member of the University of Arizona's Army ROTC Rifle team. Those were some Good Times! Good job!
  • Thanks! And oh okay, that makes sense about the sights... my dad's told me about that but it didn't make sense.

    And wow, sounds like fun.
blog comments powered by Disqus