I thought this group might appreciate a story, but first the requisite picture:
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Years ago in law school, I discovered that the University of Texas had an underground shooting range on campus for its shooting teams. At night, a person could purchase 100 rounds of .22 for $1.00 and plink. It became my go-to study break. Close the books in the library around 7PM, walk over, send 2-300 rounds down range, then get back to the books.
The range was staffed by volunteers, and one regular volunteer was the crustiest, grumpiest, ex-Marine shooting team old timer - complete with a patch over one eye. He rarely spoke.
After months of me coming in at nights and shooting single-hand, I go to buy a second box of ammo and he speaks: “you want to learn how to really shoot?” I felt like Yoda has finally spoken. “Of course.”
He instructed me to (1) take one of the competition pellet guns, (2) turn the target to its blank side (no markings) at the requisite 10m, and (3) use a sandbag rest to shoot from. He then said, “when you can send 5 pellets into a blank target at a group smaller than a nickel from a sandbag, I’ll tell you the next step.”
My impression of crusty Yoda’s instructions was that he thought it would take me several months to be able to meet his challenge. I set into it. While I had never done real precision shooting competition, I was an above average shooter.
So I was very proud of myself when it took me only 20-30 minutes to get that nickel-sized group at 10m on a blank target from a sandbag. But I thought I’d play it cool.
I walked over to his station, and without saying a word slid the prize target in front of him.
He slowly leaned over and looked at it, much cooler than I was, then slowly leaned back. Without looking at at me and turning back to whatever else he was doing, he says, “well, now you know what the pistol is capable of, and that the rest is just you fucking up.”
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