(no subject)
Well I changed my mind an' bundled up my foot and drove to Port Clinton with my brother Patrick. Port Clinton, Ohio is on Lake Erie and is now a bit of a resort town. However Camp Perry, Home of the National Rifle and Pistol Championships is right there on the Lake. Bullets missing or passing through the targets splash safely into the lake maybe a half mile out. That amazingly attracts morons on boats who figure that all those little splashes in the water must be fish! This causes a cease fire at the range while the "Ohio Navy" goes out and escorts the suicidally inclined boaters safely away. Remember that this has been an army rifle range for a hundred years.
Now my ankle is pretty worthless so I could not compete. I am on crutches and will be for some time. So I went in and picked up my stuff for the match and handed them to Pat, so he could shoot. Our younger brother Mike, (gee Pat and Mike, do you think we are Irish?) had gotten off work at Detroit Metro and driven on down. It's only a couple of hour drive. He's a very good shot and despite a total lack of practice had a near medal score. Pat didn't come in last, but had trouble with his "off hand" shooting. In offhand, you stand and shoot, with out use of the rifle's sling, generally much more difficult than lying prone on the ground and using the sling.
I spent the day exhausted from crutching around, and chatting with folks I met and looking at rifles and rifle parts. That was ok except of course I couldn't buy anything. Can't carry anything. Going to Camp Perry is a little like being being a kid in a candy store. With exotic chocolates at good prices, and everyone there is a chocaholic inviting you to take a bite. I had the hots for a brand new M1, not 50 years old, with a chrome lined $500 barrel. 10% off. No shipping charges. Only $1450! That's 5 times what I paid for the rifle I shoot. I couldn't quite do it, but Mike says to me " I see somebody's buying "your" rifle".
It's also one of the friendliest gatherings of people that I attend regularly. People I've never met inquired as to how my ankle was doing. I tell people it's kind of like a "Woodstock for former marines and guys who assemble jeeps in Toledo or Fords in Dearborn". A fairly white male gathering, however women are well treated and youngsters are treasured.
So I came home a little frustrated, but glad that I had gone.
Now my ankle is pretty worthless so I could not compete. I am on crutches and will be for some time. So I went in and picked up my stuff for the match and handed them to Pat, so he could shoot. Our younger brother Mike, (gee Pat and Mike, do you think we are Irish?) had gotten off work at Detroit Metro and driven on down. It's only a couple of hour drive. He's a very good shot and despite a total lack of practice had a near medal score. Pat didn't come in last, but had trouble with his "off hand" shooting. In offhand, you stand and shoot, with out use of the rifle's sling, generally much more difficult than lying prone on the ground and using the sling.
I spent the day exhausted from crutching around, and chatting with folks I met and looking at rifles and rifle parts. That was ok except of course I couldn't buy anything. Can't carry anything. Going to Camp Perry is a little like being being a kid in a candy store. With exotic chocolates at good prices, and everyone there is a chocaholic inviting you to take a bite. I had the hots for a brand new M1, not 50 years old, with a chrome lined $500 barrel. 10% off. No shipping charges. Only $1450! That's 5 times what I paid for the rifle I shoot. I couldn't quite do it, but Mike says to me " I see somebody's buying "your" rifle".
It's also one of the friendliest gatherings of people that I attend regularly. People I've never met inquired as to how my ankle was doing. I tell people it's kind of like a "Woodstock for former marines and guys who assemble jeeps in Toledo or Fords in Dearborn". A fairly white male gathering, however women are well treated and youngsters are treasured.
So I came home a little frustrated, but glad that I had gone.