As if unicycling isn’t bad enough, I’m experiencing the strong desire to learn how to target practice with a real handgun. Three of my female friends, upon hearing of my interest, are all for it and we’re going to go to a shooting range somewhere this summer. I don’t know anything about it but hope they have guns there for rent because my girlfriend would kill me if I bought one.
Not only that, I was walking by a mall store the other day with a going out of business, 50% off everything sign. One of those knickknacky stores with Native American art for sale, biker stuff and medieval swords hanging on the wall. I thought, hmm, I used to collect pocket knives as a teen, maybe they’ll have something in here for cheap. Well I didn’t see anything in the case that interested me, so I look at the swords and came this close to buying one with a bunch of skulls and dragons on the hilt. I even said to the guy, what’s a 40 year old woman doing looking at useless fantasy swords? What am I going to do with it? Where would I put it? I sucessfully left the store empty-handed, but went back later to offer $30 for it (it was $100 marked down to $50) but he said no. So 2 days ago I go on ebay to see what such things are going for and today I am the successful bidder on a William Wallace Braveheart sword with real brass fittings, leather wrapped handle and stainless steel blade! Cost me $35 with shipping.
Coming soon - me dressed up like Xena at the next fantasy con.
Take up fencing. It’s good exercise, intellectually challenging, and elegant, and as physical strength is not directly relevant, you can compete with males or females on equal terms in a way that is difficult in most other combat sports.
Most ranges have pistols and revolvers that you can rent there. They will give you a brief intructional as to the operation of each device but will require you to buy their ammunition. Maybe they will require you to take a course, I don’t know about NY.
I would recommend going with someone who knows what they’re doing. If you know someone who owns firearms it is much more instructive to have their operation explained outside the extremely noisy environment of a shooting range. Then you know some gun safety, what the various controls do, and what to expect before you actually fire one.
It is also more comforting to see someone else fire the pistol or revolver that you are going to use before you do. Starting with a small caliber like a .22 is a good idea because it is not at all brutal and still allows you to learn the fundamentals.
Girls are usually better first time shooters than boys because they are not hung up on the “I’m a guy, I know how all this stuff works” thing. That means they can be trained correctly from the beginning.
Good luck. You’ll have a ball. My wife fired full auto in Arizona and loved it. She fired a Thompson .45, an Uzi 9mm, and an H&K MP5. She owns an SKS rifle, a 20 gauge shotgun, a Smith and Wesson model 13 revolver, a Walther P39 9mm, and a Star Firestar .40S&W.
It shouldn’t make any difference that you are female. If it interests you and it’s legal, go for it.
And Xena on a unicycle with a sword in one hand and a 44 Magnum in the other would be something to see. And I doubt anyone would be making circus jokes.
i collect knives…tis neat cuz you can find them anywhere…alot are from various garage sales that only cost me 2 bucks…but i have a select few that cost upwards of 100 bucks. itvaries.
That’s cool. Going from ex-pocket-knife-collector to bidding on a midieval sword during a trip to the mall. And now you’re almost set to liberate Scotland.
Yes I will be going to the shooting range with a friend of a friend who is very experienced and owns several guns.
It was quite the fateful day, going to the mall…I got the sword within 2 days, it’s pretty damned cool for $35. I held it up next to a pocket knive I spent $10 on and thought I got a pretty good deal.
The funny thing about the Internet is that I feel like I swing between the extremes of posting too much or posting not at all, and in either case I do so for the same reason–because I have nothing of real value to add.
I remember my old man had a fascination with swords and knives too.
He kept them all mounted on a wall.
My Mum always said that if someone broke in it would have been a bloodbath.
Not sure if she meant our family, or the burglars.
Glad he eventually got rid of them.
I would while away the hours conversing with the flowers, conferring with the rain
I could while away the hours
Conferrin’ with the flowers
Consultin’ with the rain
And my head, I’d be scratchin’
While my thoughts were busy hatchin’
If I only had a brain.
I’d unravel ev’ry riddle
For any individ’le
In trouble or in pain
With the thoughts you’d be thinkin’
You could be another Lincoln,
If you only had a brain.
These posts are truly inspirational. Who wants to go with me to see the Wizard?
