Saturday, September 27, 2008

Low-light stuff


One of the advantages of having your own ranges out your front (and back) doors, and no neighbors, is that you can shoot whenever you want.

I don't know what the stats are, but I would bet that there are about four or five to one odds that a self-defense incident involving firearms will occur in poor light. So about every month I go out around dusk and burn a few. I have 2" and 3" steel swingers and a 12" gong that I work with from 7 to 50 yards. My goal with the freshly painted gong is to put about 100 rounds on it and have them centered for the most part in a 5-6" dark grey cluster for all ranges.

Tonight I worked 'til the muzzle flash was distinctly distracting (a good thing) and I could not see the sights any longer (not so good). But it was a good session and I recommend that sort of thing to anyone who carries a handgun, even occasionally, for defensive purposes. Shooting in well-lit circumstances all the time is dangerously misleading. Shoot in bad light regularly, if you can.

4 comments:

Ryan said...

I've just shot pistols at night one time and know I need to do it more. The only thing that helps is self defense situations tend to be up close and personal.

Anonymous said...

I have found that in poor light my geriatric eyesight needs help. My handguns are getting Crimson Trace grips as fast as I can afford them. They really make a difference. They work even in bright light.

I am presently building (assembling actually) an AR specifically for low/poor/no glasses available shooting.

In my early 60's I need all the unfair advantages I can get

Harmony Hermit.

Rio Arriba said...

There's no doubt that a pistol devoted to s/d as its declared, sole purpose should probably wear a set of laser grips. For what they are designed to do they are simply awesome.

Carteach said...

I have only had the opportunity to do some serious after dark practice once, and that time we burned over 500 rounds and shot till dawn.

Since then.... just no place to shoot at night but indoor ranges, which I dislike, and they won't turn off the lights for me anyway :-(