The Guns & Ammo Network

What’s Your Excuse for Not Shooting?

by James Tarr • April 30, 2012 • 28 comments

Missing half of his index finger, USPSA competitor Greg Panzl uses his middle finger to operate the trigger.

“You know how hard it is to blow your nose with only one lung?”

 

These words of wisdom were spoken to me at a recent USPSA match by Mike Dame, a nationally-ranked Canadian practical shooter who comes to Michigan matches quite frequently.  I’ve known him for ten years, and quite frequently he says things that surprise me.

 

Turns out Mike woke up one day recently with a collapsed lung.  No injury, no car accident, just a collapsed lung.  Knowing Mike, I asked if perhaps this was a side-effect of Canadian beer I hadn’t heard about, but he informed me that collapsed lungs sometimes just happen to very tall people (he’s 6’5”).

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Why am I mentioning this in a Handguns blog?  Mike suffered a collapsed lung on Tuesday, and the tube they put in his side to re-inflate it didn’t come out until Thursday.  He was shooting a USPSA match on Sunday, 3 days later, because he needed to practice for the USPSA Single Stack Nationals (More words of wisdom from Mike—“You know how much it hurts to cough with a tube in your side?  They give you morphine for a reason.”)

 

Also at this match at my local club was Greg Panzl, and it’s his photo you see at the top of the page.  If it looks like he has a weird grip on the gun, that’s because he’s missing half his index finger, and has learned to shoot by pulling the trigger with his middle finger.  He hasn’t just learned to shoot, he’s earned an A-Class rating in USPSA.  That means he’s really good, even compared to people who have all their fingers.  I don’t remember how he lost half his trigger finger, whether it was a gunfight, shark attack, or an ambush by a horde of rabid Oompah-Loompahs, but the fact is he hasn’t let it keep him from showing up at the range and kicking butt.

 

In the Detroit area we have a lot of people who shoot USPSA or IDPA matches (or both) and Greg and Mike aren’t exceptional.  I shoot with Chuck, a retiree who only has one foot, but he doesn’t let that slow him down.  In a rare display of tact I haven’t asked Mark what he’s suffering from, but from the state of his legs and the cane he needs to get in and out of the shooting box I’m guessing it’s cerebral palsy.  I shoot with cancer survivors, people who have lost their businesses in Michigan’s horrible economy, and guys going through messy divorces.  Yet they still show up.

 

I’m not just talking about showing up to the range to plink at some cans, everybody I’ve mentioned here puts on their game face and shows up to compete.

 

I don’t know what excuse you might be using for not practicing or shooting, but whatever your excuse, I shoot with someone who has a better one.

In Carry On • Tagged , ,
  • https://www.facebook.com/D.PatrickMcNally Dan McNally

    My job gets in the way . . . but come January, when I'm retired, I believe I'll be shooting a whole lot more often!

    • DocRod

      Since I retired, I spend a lot more time at the range honing my shooting skills. This new lifestyle has allowed me to dramatically improve my pistol and rifle accuracy while having a lot of fun in the process. It makes a huge difference when you are able to spend all the time that you want concentrating on improving your shooting and not having to worry about getting to 10-15 other items on your must-do list that day, picking up the kids, getting groceries, etc. Another benefit is that I've made a lot of new friends, mostly other retired folks who come to the range as often as I do, and we all share this passion for shooting. We help each other improve our skills by pointing out small discrepancies in our styles that we may be making but don't often notice on our own. Whether we like it or not, age takes a certain toll on our physical prowness, and we don't always take that into consideration. Enjoy your upcoming retirement Dan, I have a feeling that you will.

  • Doug

    I don't have a gun… yet!

    • Alan_T

      Well Doug …. you'd better get on that , my friend . We need all the shooters we can get !

    • Rickyace

      What are you waiting for dog? I mean Doug. You don't know what you're missing. So get out there and have a blast…………………Literaly.

  • Joe Collar

    Thanks. I needed to read about Greg Panzl. I lost my 'trigger finger' to a table saw a few years ago and have taken up shooting. It's stragne but I can manage OK and I can shoot with my left hand also but it takes more practice.

  • Mark

    I live in a small town. There is no shooting range within a hundred miles. I collect, buy and trade handguns all the time. I'm retired and would shoot several times a week if had the property but I don't. Any suggestions?

    • TimothyJ

      I live in a county that's not gun-friendly, but allows shooting within a private indoor range. So I set one up in my basement workshop by building a bullet trap: a 24" x 36" x 1/2 inch steel plate (a piece of scrap from a metal shop, doesnt have to be pretty) mounted at a downward angle in a tall wooden box with sandbags underneath to catch the shrapnel; plus a small ventilation fan behind it to suck out the smoke and dust. It's all in front of a poured concrete wall to protect the neighbors and cut the noise outside. Google 'bullet trap' for plans.

      I can shoot anything up to and including a 7.62×39, and no driving or waiting for a lane. Hope this helps.

  • David

    When shooting I tend pull down and to my right I am right handed what am I doing wrong

    • Joe

      Sounds like a trigger pull issue to me. Make sure that the grip you have with your thumb and lower three fingers are independent of your trigger finger. What I mean by that is when you are pulling the trigger the only finger that should be tightening is your index finger, the rest of your hand should already be holding the gun.

      Hope that makes sense and helps, it was something I was doing at one time and once it was pointed out to me it solved allot of my consistency and accuracy problems.

    • Lee Sundquist

      I suspicion that you are gripping the gun like a ball bat. It has been my experience with a 1911 that a fore and aft grip prevents the muzzle movement in any direction other than that which is desired. Try it. If it does not work I apologize for using your time. (Ex Sailor – ex-Naval pistol team)

    • Alan_T

      I'm glad you had the sense to ask David , I gave you a " thumbs up " . Many people won't ( men mostly from my experience instructing ) ask because they are afraid of how they think other people will perceive them . Without seeing you , I'm guessing that when you squeeze the trigger , your other fingers are squeezing sympathetically with it causing your whole hand to pull to the right . There are NO dumb questions , if you don't know , ask . Congratulations David , you just proved yourself smarter than a lot of people !

      • Philip

        IMHO, I believe your reply would help 'pull' the gun to the 'right'…. not left. I ask what the lb. pull is on the trigger? If it is over 7 lbs. it can cause you to pull your gun. I would check out a 'trigger kit' and go to around 5 lbs. [a thumb 4 asking :) ]

        • Alan_T

          Well , no Phillip , I meant what I said . I've been a firearms instructor for close to 30 years and when with the right hand , you squeeze the grip in conjunction with pulling the trigger , it causes ( with the vast majority of people ) the wrist of the right hand to flex …… to the right . Take a simple test : place your left thumb against the bottom 3 fingers of the right hand , then make a loose fist around the thumb . Now squeeze the thumb with the 3 fingers and you should see that the wrist flexes to the right .
          You are correct that a heavy trigger COULD cause the effect , especially if David has short fingers . In the same vein , a too long of a distance for the pad of the trigger finger to the face of the trigger which can be remedied with some autos by installing a " short " trigger . But since David didn't specify the size of his hands nor was he specific in regard to revolver or pistol , size or type handgun(s) he's using , I elected to tell him the most likely cause to his problem rather than confuse him or others who may read this . By the way , there are no trigger kits that would lighten the trigger pull for some handguns , also , too light of springs can cause ignition failure .

  • Joe

    Mine is strictly financial. I am on disability, with a wife 3 kids a mortgage and bills to pay. I would rather spend what little money there is on my kids and things they need.
    I can't even afford the ammo let alone the range fees. Maybe one day after the kids are gone (my oldest is 15 my youngest is 8)…but for now they are the priority not sending lead down range. I did get a pellet gun so we shoot that in the back yard it's fun, safe for the kids and at 1,200 fps is great for rabbits, skunks, chipmunks and ravens that come to destroy my wife's garden. :-)

    • Alan_T

      Sorry for the hardships Joe , but you sound like you've got your priorities straight .

  • Jonny A

    I live in Communist Illinois!

    • Alan_T

      Yeah , so do I !

  • bill

    from cancer my right eye is sewn shut. this results in stares at the range. i shoot low to the left but still not a bad shot with a handgun.rifle forget it

    • Alan_T

      People can be rude bill , I'm sorry for your misfortune . Have you considered an eye patch or a pair of glasses with the affected lens blocked out ? Has your doctor discussed prosthetics with you ?

    • http://www.facebook.com/denise.shortnieves Denise Short-Nieves

      Shoot lefty with a long arm. I lost vision in my right eye due to a blood clot and that has been my fix. I shoot with less accuracy but I just love the feel of the punch of a long arm. I also shoot low and to the left with a hand gun. Can't figure a way to stop that.

      • Alan_T

        Ms . Short – Nieves , did you have that problem with your handgun before you lost your vision and were shooting right – handed ? If you didn't , you might try going back to using your right hand and canting your handgun to about the 10 o'clock position and turning your chin toward your right shoulder to use your left eye . That helps some people with vision problems like yours . If that doesn't work for you , try finding a competent firearms instructor in your area and ask them to observe you while you fire your handgun , it could be a trigger control problem . If that isn't the case , you can always go to adjustable sights or have a qualified gunsmith regulate your fixed sights . Sorry to hear of your troubles .

  • Alan_T

    I don't have a range time problem myself , but because of The Peoples Democratic Republic of Chicago , Illinois as a state , is about as hostile to shooting ranges as you'll find .

  • Jake

    I work evenings and am lucky enough to have the range/club at the next intersection from my night job.

    Easy to leave a bit early to stop at the range and spend about half an hour or so before leaving for work.

    Regards

  • Jeepers Creepers

    I'm lucky I built my house 200 yards from a large shooting range. But since I moved 26 miles closer. I only shoot 25% of what I used to shoot. Maybe becuase now my ammo cost is $5.00 per round. I did pick up a 9mm has a door prize. 9mm ammo is low cost to use. When I had my 22 LR pistols I would shoot 12 bricks a week. I no longer have any 22 LR firearms. Did not like the returning projectiles. I would like to get back to firing at least 60,000 rounds per year and my past average of 140,000 rounds per year. Those 22's were cheap to buy and shoot.
    I love the shooting sports and very glad that I live in a state that lets every law abiding person carry a gun if they want to. (anti gunners don't move to the 4-corner states. If they do they change real fast).

  • Guest

    In Australia we have to shoot a minimum number of times a year, its part of your licensing requirement. If you don't shoot enough you will loose your license and firearms so we have no excuse to not shoot.

  • K. Lee

    I can't go because I lost mine to the Federal Police at the VA Medical Center. Going to court this Thursday to try to get it back. Wish someone was here to help me out. I'm a medically retired USAF Captain with prior enlisted service. I practice at my range every month or more often but my weapon's been in lock up since the incident. I wasn't using my wheelchair as suggested by my pain mgt physician, was attending a new opening of a rehab clinic, and had a friend drive me in instead of driving myself. He didn't have a gun vault in his vehicle. My entire routine was disrupted so long story short, I found myself with a concealed weapon in the basement of the VA. By the time I found out I had it someone saw it and reported it. I was heading out when they approached me. So, my Auto Ordnance US Army 1911 is getting dusty while my skills are getting dusty too. Wish me luck. Hopefully I'll be at the range this weekend. If not then I'll have my first blemish on my record. I have one driving violation for going 1mph over the allowed limit in over 36 years of driving. Why do I feel like a criminal? I miss the range.

  • Dave

    With the price of ammo going through the roof, and reloading component costs at an all time high, "free" cash for range fees that continue to spiral like the price of gasoline force many shooters to decide to keep what ammo they have instead of practicing as much as they should. With that, I cam empathize completely.
    I've had to cut back on the number of "good citizen" shoots I sponsor trying to get more young people exposed to firearms in a positive manner, just to keep my own skill set at an acceptable level that would enable me to defend "me and mine".