Going to the range can get expensive...

Went to the range today.  I brought 5 guns, and forced myself to leave my two favorite ones, my CZ and my lever-action .357 at home. 

I didn't do any serious long range stuff...I set a target up at about 50-yards, so I could try out my muzzle-loader for the first time in a long time.  I'm a bad gun owner...I haven't treated that gun very well.  I purchased it a few year ago, used it one season, and then it sat in my gun cabinet.  I cleaned it pretty good last night, because boy it needed it.  Other than to move, I really haven't touched it in three years.  That's not good...

The gun still shoots really good...it just doesn't shoot every time.  I didn't have one percussion cap go 'bang' the first time I hit it.  There is a good chance that there might be some 'gunk' somewhere in the bolt that is keeping the firing pin from going forward as strongly as it was designed to.  Well, never mind 'good chance'...there is gunk there, and it's my fault...

Hi I'm Greg...and I'm a gun abuser.  'Hi Greg!'

So...I will have to decide whether it is something I can disassemble and clean, or look at ordering a new bolt. 

Other than that...it was a good range trip.  While there, one of my buddies called and said he was done in the practical shooting bays if I wanted to come visit.  Last time I did that, I left quite humbled, and more than a little jealous of some of his toys.

Today was no better.  My buddy had another one of his friends up from Oregon, and they were testing some new loads and setups for an 'Outlaw' 3-gun Match they have coming up.  Being kind gentlemen, they let me try a few of their guns, and, once again, I got quite jealous.  One of them was a fully auto 9mm AR, with a Handy little 9-inch barrel.  Not exactly something you are gonna get a chance to use every day...I could see that being useful in many different situations. 

Because of all the legal hoops one would have to jump through to own something like that though...while it was neat, I don't yearn for it the way I yearn for the pistol I got to try.  Built as an open class gun, it's got a STI 1911 in 9mm as it's base, with a compensator, a 'Big Mouth' Magwell, and a slick Leupold Deltapoint Reflex Sight mounted on it.  Plus, I'm sure there had been a ton of non-visible work done to this pistol to turn it into a dedicated race gun. 

The end result is a pistol that is a kick in the ass to play with.  Plinking at an 8-inch swinger at 100 yards isn't something I thought I would do with a 9mm pistol...but, I hit on 2 out of 20 shots...I know...that's only 10%...but it's not even something I would think to try with my beloved CZ...

I'm certain, from looking at similar complete guns online, that the pistol I held in my hand cost upwards of $4,000...which means if my house ever does sell, I can start saving what I've been losing on mortgage and buy one in like 4 months! 

I've just got to get my wife to the range to try this one...it's not something you can justify with words...but if I she got a chance to shoot this, she wouldn't want to go back to her Firestorm...