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Archive for the ‘Recreational Shooting’ Category
Stay Active!
For All Ages!
There are good, healthy outdoor activities for all ages. This includes but is not limited to Hunting, Fishing, Camping, Hiking, Birding, or even those things closer to home such as gardening. The point is to stay involved. A person’s physical and mental health affects their ability to do most everything. Therefore, staying active and engaged in life is essential to keeping the body, soul, and mind healthy.
Limited finances do present a problem for some. However, advertised frequently are free outdoor events or activities that can be enjoyed by you and your family/friends. But, as with all activities, participation should depend on a person’s overall physical/mental health; with overall consideration given to their interests, mobility and physical limitations.
Outdoor Protection!
Even with "Camo"!
Gun Cases are important to all gun owners. A good quality case will allow you to transport your guns without fretting their safety. There are a number of different type gun cases made from a variety of materials including plastic, leather, aluminum and others that in-part combine these materials as-well-as other components.
However, the main aim for most gun cases is to be rugged and provide maximum protection for its content. Your consideration should include:
- Get a case that fits your gun. It should not be too loose but considered a firm fit.
- If you travel with your guns, you might give thought to cases that disguise their content.
- I would recommend a hard gun case with locks for gun owners who are also parents of young children.
Shopping On-line!
Convenient!
We have a tendency to shy-away from things that are unknown or we don’t understand. I for one went into the electronic age dragging my feet and screaming/hollering all the way. But, the more I got into it, the more I realized its true merits. This includes researching and shopping for things on the Internet. If your intent is to purchase a quality item at the lowest price, you should do your research on the Internet.
There are many Internet search engines (Google, Bing, etc.) that will help to simplify the buying process. They will assist in developing the data needed to determine product quality, as-well-as the information required for cost analysis. It has been my experience that prices on-line are normally a little cheaper than like items bought at the corner retail store. If it is a high dollar item you‘re purchasing, the tax savings alone could save you a bundle.
One of the nice things about shopping on-line is that the items are normally sent to your front door. Shopping for things like camping gear can be both fun and educational. If you are a show-me person, many times there will be video tapes/subject experts showing and further explaining the product.
Camping Gear Replacement Items!
Perfect!
I’m in the process of doing my end-of-season camping gear inventory. Inventory reflects that there are several items that need to be replaced. This includes a tent (4-5 person), a couple battery operated lanterns, and possibly a new 4-burner stove (propane). Total cost of these items will be several hundred dollars. However, being a prudent shopper, I want both quality and savings.
As Granddad used to say, there has got to be “method too this madness. You don’t go food shopping when you’re hungry”. The same principle applies when buying camping gear. You need to first determine exactly what you want as compared with the maximum price you can afford. This preliminary research can be done by going to a local sporting-goods store or referring to the respective Manufacturer’s website.
Experience has shown that bargains in camping gear can be obtained but you need to do some leg work. Once you have determined the item wanted (can afford) by Nomenclature (name), Manufacturer, and Model Number – you can go-out with confidence and buy the item needed. Whether it be a seasonal sale at the local sporting goods store or a reputable on-line shopping site, you are prepared to make item price comparisons. Make sure the prices compared include taxes/shipping and handling.
Bird Hunting!
Beautiful!
Last evening, I stepped out on the deck and noticed a light/white circle around the moon. In the past, this has always signified that you had about 30 days before seeing the big flocks of both ducks and geese heading north to Canada.
It is time to get out the packing lists, take inventory, and in the interest of upcoming bird seasons shoot a few rounds of skeet. I’m not really satisfied with my repertoire of bird calls. Duck is better than goose but need to practice on both of my “come-back” calls. I did go out and buy a couple of calls last year but didn’t really have an opportunity to practice.
Think this year, I’ll stay with the bird calls I’ve got but definitely try and get-in some additional calling practice. Other than buying a couple boxes of shotgun shells and a few decoys, think I’ll be ready – Wish me luck!
Safety First!
Eye Protection!
A good friend of mine recently had a shell malfunction when he was shooting skeet with his 12 ga., pump Shotgun. It was really unfortunate, in-that, he is probably one of the most safety conscious shooters I know. He had been wearing safety glasses prior to the incident, but he had taken them off to make a gun adjustment and failed to put them back on. Some-how, the weapon discharged prematurely, and the unprotected explosion caused facial burning and the embedment of small material flecks in his right cheek.
My friend considers himself lucky. He has been assured by doctors that only minimum damage was done to the right eye, and there is a strong possibility that sight clarity will return to 100 percent. However, his eyebrows and lashes were singed, and there will be some minor scaring on the right cheek.
Incidents like this reinforce the need to pay attention to what we’re doing. Safety must come first. These precautionary considerations should become part of our routine. My friend would be the first to say that he had no control over the weapon malfunctioning; but, good shooting glasses would have prevented most of the injuries – BE SAFE!
Don’t Get Caught Short!
State of the Art!
During my earlier shooting/hunting years, I was not a big believer in the need to wear hearing protection when firing a weapon. I carried to extreme, the notion that you shouldn’t wear it because doing so restricted your hearing and created a safety hazard. Also, you told yourself, the fog that the firing created in your head/ears would only last a couple days and then go away - so why sweat it?
Not quite, I have been diagnosed with Tinnitus and am currently being fitted with hearing aids. The Doctor said that this is a direct result of being exposed to loud firing noises for an extended or sustained period of time. There are presently sounds and tones that I’ll never be able to hear again.
Even-though I accept full responsibility for my hearing condition, there is no consolation when forced to tell someone to “say it again”, because you couldn’t hear/understand them. I do, at this point, wish that I would’ve paid more attention to the Hearing Protection advocates/literature back then, and as mama would say, son – “NOT TOO SMART”!
Gun Safes
Multi-Purpose Safe
The ultimate protection for weapons at home would be a built-in Gun Vault. This might be a justifiable option if your collection’s diversity, weapon size, and or the quantity of weapons so dictated. But, for the average “Joe” with a couple rifles, shotguns or pistols, they’d probably be better suited with one of the many other safes on the market today. Generally speaking, there are two types: Large and Small.
The Large gun safes are used for long barreled firearms and usually designed to stand vertically. They have racks on the inside to hold the guns side-by-side without leaning on each other; additionally, some have shelves for ammo and smaller handguns.
The Small gun safes are used for handguns, revolvers, and/or automatics. However, to be burglar proof, they must be secured to the floor, wall or something permanent. Regardless of the safe’s size, if properly installed, it should provide protection from theft, unauthorized entry, and some fires (depending on time length of burn and sustained maximum heat). BE SAFE!
Weapon Security!
Be Safe!
While most people think that shooting is only for serious minded hunters, recreational shooting should change that perception. This includes the sport of trap and skeet shooting as-well-as the popular paint ball and air gun variations. Sling-shot shooting is also part of this category along with soft air gun shooting.
Regardless of the weapon’s potential lethality, home weapon’s security is important, and should be respected whether children are involved or not. Owner responsibility for proper security can be executed by providing item storage in a locked cabinet or safe. Security can be further supplemented by placing individual gun locks on applicable weapons. BE SAFE – NOT SORRY!
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