Shamrock Shoot
On Monday, March 17, the SLV Rod & Gun Club held the second annual Shamrock Shoot. This year was just a little more challenging than last year since there was a slight breeze. Since the targets were balloons hanging from strings, the breeze made the targets move—adding another level of difficulty. Finally, after shooting the four balloons, each shooter tried to shoot a 2” diameter green plastic shamrock coin—adding one final level of difficulty. Once again this year there were two distances from which shooters could choose to shoot. The longer distance was for those who were “experienced,” had won a previous competition, or who believed they were good shooters. The second distance was closer and was for those shooters who were less experienced, or beginners. The goal was for everyone to have a chance at success.
Attendance was excellent with almost 20 shooters participating. The competition came down to a “shoot out” between two people at each distance. Robert Campbell held off Dennis Erickson to win one of the Leprechaun prizes. The other Leprechaun prize winner was Len Azzarano, who outshot Josh Sandt.
What Gun Should I Buy?
On March 4, Len Azzarano conducted a workshop open to all SLV residents to provide information on what gun might be a good purchase. The room was at capacity with 40 attendees. Len is a retired law enforcement officer who served in several capacities during his career, including 26 years as a detective in Philadelphia, PA. He has a strong interest in helping shooters be better shooters, as well as safe shooters.
The main focus was to provide guidelines for when someone wants to purchase a gun. The first thing to think about is to find something that will fit in the shooter’s hand. Along that line, the purchaser needs to think about the weight and size of the gun—how it is going to be carried. A suggestion was made that sometimes purchasing a gun with a smaller caliber would be beneficial because it would be a little easier to control when shooting. Never let someone pressure you into buying something with which you are not comfortable. It is better to find someone who is knowledgeable about guns—the sales clerk at your local sports store might not be the best person to help you—instead find someone who will work with you, let you try several guns, and can possibly provide training after the gun is purchased. Those attending the workshop took home handouts which covered the topics which had been discussed.