Sticks, String, and Shooting

A blog for knitting, spinning, and shooting.

[shootersknitwear]

Shooters, please be sure to test your lead levels.  If they are too high it is very unhealthy, and it’s really good to be aware of what they are so you can see if habit changes make a difference.

Case in point: in July of 2016, my blood lead level was at 9.2.  The boundary for requiring treatment is 10.

So I made some pretty significant changes in my shooting habits.  I switched local ranges and started going only to the one that’s newer and very well-ventilated and has deleading soap in the ladies room.  I brought lead-off wipes to the outdoor range and ignored the funny looks while wiping down the inside of my nose before leaving.

The test results for 2017 are in.  My lead level is down to 2.4, within the normal healthy range.

Be careful with this hobby.  It’s not just a bullet hole that can hurt you.  Some simple changes can make a big difference.

[rodsandrifles]

[st4t3s-deactivated20170505]

Look everyone, it’s a picture of everything I won’t ever have.

[john-paul-jonesing-for-liberty]

Yeah, my ass will never look that good in 5.11 range tights.

[plumber-with-a-gun-deactivated2]

Mine would.

[unclebeanbag]

Pics Blake

[hell0-there-lady]

I want some!

Range tights, not pics of Blake’s hiney.

[shootersknitwear]

I have the capris.  They’re very comfy!  

Word of warning though - the sizing is really unforgiving.  The size small fits me like floppy pj pants, but the extra small doesn’t quite perfectly line up the reinforced part with my knees.  I can’t wear the long tights at all because apparently skinny people automatically also have short legs.

I wish 5.11 would make these in multiple lengths like they do their other pants.  That would have been the smart thing to do.

[shootersknitwear]

I finished knitting my #brrskal project and finally wove in all those dang ends.

Remind me that I hate doing that next time I mention starting a project with a ton of stripes.  I need to not do this to myself.

That said, it’s going to be so comfy to wear!

[colionnoir]

😂😂😂😂😂

[hell0-there-lady]

Guilty ✋

[shootersknitwear]

And there’s the day you called your clip a “magazine”...

[ebrpl-deactivated20230614]

We have all sorts of makers setting up for the Baton Rouge Mini Maker Faire at the Main Library - come out and join us! #brmakerfaire #makerfaire #batonrouge #GoBR #maker (at Main Library at Goodwood)

[shootersknitwear]

Check it out, the library used a picture of me.  :)

[ebrpl-deactivated20230614]

We can’t wait for the Baton Rouge Mini Maker Faire this Saturday at the Main Library! Click the link in our profile to get your FREE tickets! #makerfaire #maker #BatonRouge #GoBR (at Main Library at Goodwood)

[shootersknitwear]

I’ll be there with my wheel!  Come hang out with the BR Red Sticks yarn usergroup for knitting and spinning demos.  :)

[shootersknitwear]

Baton Rouge Red Sticks Knitalong

The Baton Rouge Red Sticks knitting group is holding a designer knit-along to help out Emily Ringelman, a local designer who suffered damage in the recent catastrophic flood.  If you want to join in, knit one of her patterns between now and November 30th and post a photo of your finished project in the group.

There are prizes that will be given away at the end.  Check out the group page for more information.  :)

[shootersknitwear]

Still working toward 250

Stage 1 was not terrible.  Scored a 46 even with my sweaty cheek sliding on the stock.  I knew to take a rest when I felt one drop into the 3.

This one was a really bad stage 2.  Scored a whole 40 points thanks to slippery stability issues.  I might have to wait until winter to make a solid 250 attempt just so I can hold onto the dang rifle.

Stage 3 could have been better.  The grass was so tall that I couldn’t really see the targets very well.  That didn’t seem to matter as much for targets 1 and 3, but target 2 really opened up.  I can see that I’m probably gripping the rifle too much instead of letting it lay gently across my palm.  This is something I can work on.

I’ve shot a better stage 4, but I’m actually pretty proud of this one even if it is just a 96.  The tall grass meant that I couldn’t actually see the center targets at all.  I was mostly blind, shooting using my memory of the distance to transition rather than really seeing through the scope.

Focus on the crosshairs, focus on keeping them steady, breathe, caress the trigger, and the shot goes off.  By some miracle, that’s a sub-moa group right where it needed to be.  I did better shooting blind than the targets I could see.  Maybe I do know what I’m doing some of the time.  :)

This is a body-sense-memory that I can use on my next run through.  I’ll be less of a puddle on the next one too.

Total: 228, but not bad for shooting through heat exhaustion.

So a quick disclaimer: A 228 is a very good score.  I’m not knocking anyone who’s scoring less.  This is my drive toward a standard that nobody is holding me to by myself.  

[shootersknitwear]

If you’re a knitter and would like to help out a designer whose home has been flooded, Emily Ringelman is offering a discount code for her patterns.  The sale is intended to help her recover what was lost.

Thanks!

[shootersknitwear]

EAPS 7/17/16

This month’s match was a classifier.  The stages were all super short so that we wouldn’t have to spend too much time out in the heat.  Sadly, our squad was right behind the one where they stuck all the junior shooters so we were delayed and did not finish before the afternoon thunderstorm swept in.

On stage one I actually outscored my husband!  That’s what happens when you don’t miss and you don’t get any penalties.

Stage two wasn’t terrible.  Still need to work on reloads and moving faster, but it’s progress.

Stage three was actually pretty darn okay.  If I’d just remembered that I can shoot and move at the same time it’d have been pretty darn good instead.

Stage four was my worst of the day.  Apparently I just can’t pick up a gun from a table and shoot quickly.  Luckily, this is the one thing I definitely can practice at the local indoor range.  So I know where I need to spend practice time.

I didn’t get to shoot stages five and six because the heavens opened up and the deluge began.  On the plus side, I didn’t have to shoot in the rain.  On the minus side, I’ve now got just enough new scores to lose my two highest of the most recent eight and can’t make class C just yet.  It’s within reach, so if I just keep practicing I’ll make my goal of C class by next year.

Overall: #36 | Completed: 6 | Possible: 485 | % Possible: 17.20 | Match %: 23.26 | Match Pts: 83.4369 Production: #8 | Completed: 6 | Possible: 485 | % Possible: 18.59 | Match %: 22.30 | Match Pts: 90.1745

[shootersknitwear]

EAPS 6/19/16

I’m suffering from either the allergies from Hell or a terribad sinus infection, so I wasn’t scooting along all too snappily this week.  That said, I stayed safe, didn’t disqualify myself, and came in Not Last.  So it was a good match.  :)

Stage six, all the way in the back bay was one of the longer ones this week.  I felt like I did okay all things considered.

Stage one wasn’t all that bad either.  If I’d have seated that magazine better the first time this would have been a pretty good run.

Stage two continued the mag seating issue that seems to only happen at matches - I’ve been doing okay during practice.  I was able to catch some of these targets on the move thanks to the confidence built from having to do that at the IDPA match the week before.

Stage four is the only stage this month where I beat Alan.  Not on time, obviously, what with my string of misses on the steel, but on points.

Stage five was my worst - which wasn’t entirely unexpected.  I don’t shoot well with either hand all by itself on a good day.  On a bad day like this, there was no way I could expect any different.

While I was miserable the whole time, it certainly could have been worse.  I was told that it would rain, but we had 99% humidity, totally calm wind, and mostly clear sunny skies instead.

Overall: #52 | Completed: 6 | Possible: 650 | % Possible: 33.32 | Match %: 34.98 | Match Pts: 216.5812 Production: #11 | Completed: 6 | Possible: 650 | % Possible: 40.90 | Match %: 44.43 | Match Pts: 265.8517

[shootersknitwear]

SLIDPA 6/12/16

Since I was the only one there who signed up as CCP and I didn’t want to compete against nobody I shot in SSP this week.  My CCP handgun is so stock that it’s GSSF legal stock, so that wasn’t a problem.  I just loaded two more and rolled with it.

I really need to scoot along faster when I’m not shooting.  Outside the sights I need to be going just as fast as when I’m in the sights.  This was probably the hardest stage of the weekend with lots of complicated cover to work around.

And this was probably the easiest stage of the match.  It was certainly the most straightforward.  It was a good one to end on since there wasn’t any more running.

This stage is supposed to represent a bookstore.  I don’t know why I’d be reading Tactical Journal when there’s comic books around, but I did know that I didn’t want to step on it and slip in the damp grass.

It’s such a Louisiana stage setup: sitting on the dock while fishing.  Some brass bounced down my back and ended up down the back of my pants.  It hurt like crazy, but my shooting didn’t suffer.

I placed third overall, first in SSP, and won High Lady for the match.  That wasn’t as surprising as usual because a lot of the regulars were out this week to shoot in the first 3-Gun match in our area.  That said, I beat the people I usually look up to, which tells me that either my practice is paying off or they were succumbing to the heat.

Raw: 125.42 | Penalty: 10 | Down: 82 | Final: 176.42

[explainguncontrolandsafespaces]

Any LBGT that want gun lessons in South Florida

Let me know. No charge. Reblog with your area of you will teach gun safety and usage to a member of the LBGT community. Hets welcome too!

@therevenantrising @armedandgayngerous @armedpacifistashley @krispykremedealer @bill-11b @whatdoallthesewordsmean @roninart-tactical @texasgunnersmate 

 I am sure there are more, please reblog yourselves. 

[12-g-deactivated20171009]

Oklahoma here.

[woodlandenjoyer]

Michigan, same deal.

[guactactical-deactivated2017040]

Maryland, same deal. Located in the Baltimore area.

[gallows-walker-deactivated20170]

Idaho here.

[thefiveandahalfminutehallway-de]

Kentucky here

[coffeeandspentbrass-deactivated]

Colorado here

[call-me-remi]

Washington State. (Seattle area)

[arizonagunguy-deactivated201805]

Arizona!!! Hit me up!

[kasaron]

Illinois. Give me a ring.

[collegearsenalofficial]

Jersey / delaware / east PA here

[tinytxbelle-deactivated20170331]

This is amazing 😭😭

[explainguncontrolandsafespaces]

Law abiding citizens standing up for LBGT. Gun nuts aren’t bad people. Criminals are.

[spec-ops-ready-deactivated20161]

Another PA/DE here

[canadian-carbine]

This is why I love gunblr

[thoughathousandmayfall]

Montana/Ohio depending on the time of year. Far from an expert, but I’d be more than happy to pass on what I know.

[hellyeahvan]

Louisiana good to go.

[armedpacifistashley]

South Louisiana good to go!

[shootersknitwear]

I’m a certified pistol instructor in SE Louisiana.  I’ll add my name to this list happily.

[ivegot1911reasons-deactivated20]

😅 #girlsthatshoot #firearms #gifts #gunstore

[shootersknitwear]

Yes, yes this is true

[shootersknitwear]

SLIDPA 5/8/16

This was a fun match!  I always like shooting with SLIDPA, and I was really excited to put the stuff I learned at AG&AG conference the week before to good use.  There was a glitch with PractiScore that caused me to only find out that I was shooting in SSP after I’d done the whole match using the CCP capacity limits, but that apparently didn’t slow me down too badly.

I’ve been working on my draw, and I think it helped in this one.  I’ve also been really focusing on shooting on the move more and feel like I’ve improved a lot.

I ended up getting a reshoot of this stage because someone called stop.  So instead of having a recording of a great run of the stage I have a recording of an appropriate response to a stop command.

But I also have a recording of a great run of this stage. ;)  That barrel was supposed to be a horse.  I sat askew like no horse would allow so that I would avoid sweeping myself on the draw.  In the results ranking, I’m second overall on this stage and first in SSP.  First on this stage was my husband.  Someday I’ll beat him.  Someday! :|

The person filming this stage couldn’t figure out my camera, so he missed the first string.  It was good shooting!  Only down 3 for the whole stage.  Just like the Dude Ranch stage, I came in first in SSP and second overall for this stage.

Shooting the right division would have made a difference on this stage for sure.  I know that the shooting is at the right speed, but everything else for sure needs to be faster - especially presenting to the target.

One more stage was filmed and is up over on YouTube here.  It features my old nemesis: one handed shooting.  This is the number one thing I need to work on between now and the Mississippi regional match I’m headed to in September.  I’m just so terrible at it that it’s inexcusable.

That said, I took 7th place overall this week and High Lady for the match.  That really gives me courage for the regional.  Plus, it’s a helpful reminder that I’m actually qualified to teach this stuff for real.  In the last week in April, I passed the NRA basic pistol instructor course and I’m looking forward to starting to offer private classes to beginners sometime in the near future.

[shootersknitwear]

EAPS 2/21/16

The local club match this week was a fun one.  Extra challenging with lots of no-shoot targets and not a lot of steel.  I have videos!

Stage 1

Time: 41.84 Num: A 14   B 5   C 2   D 1 Pens: M 4   NPM 0   NS 0 Points: Raw 102   Stage 13.6164

I don’t have a video for stage 1 because it was a mighty unpleasant stage.

Stage 2

Time: 27.41 Num: A 21   B 0   C 4   D 2 Pens: M 1   NPM 0   NS 0 Points: Raw 119   Stage 48.8924 I’ll be honest, I loved this stage.  I know, I’m not fast yet, and I know I could have scored better, but that was just plain fun.

Stage 3

Time: 19.18 Num: A 5   B 3   C 4   D 0 Pens: M 0   NPM 0   NS 0 Points: Raw 46   Stage 17.596

The dang classifier.  I’m still flubbing the reload by failing to seat the magazine.  It might be time to see if that spring needs replacing.

Stage 4

Time: 22.97 Num: A 6   B 3   C 0   D 0 Pens: M 1   NPM 0   NS 0 Points: Raw 59   Stage 17.3129

The setup for this one was odd, and I should have done a better job of figuring out where I needed to stand to get a sight picture on the far left paper target.  It wasn’t bad though!

Stage 5

Time:48.99 Num:A 8   B 5   C 10   D 5 Pens:M 0   NPM 0   NS 0 Points:Raw 100   Stage 48.4324

Another long stage on the back bay with lots of scooting around.  I shot this one in the opposite direction that everyone else on my squad ran, but I don’t think it really hurt me.  I didn’t want to risk disqualifying by breaking the 180 while running toward my weak hand and I was the only correct-handed person this week.

[shootersknitwear]

Working toward 250

I’ve been shooting with Project Appleseed since the winter of 2009, and have scored Rifleman with my rimfire bolt action at the simulated distance targets, and my centerfire semiauto at the known distance targets.  To keep my shooting skills up while learning to be a better instructor, I’m now aiming to shoot a perfect 250 with the rimfire.  So I took a target to the range and drafted my husband to film each stage so that I can watch for my own errors.  I shot one sighter group with the CZ and then rolled right into this AQT.  

In case you’re wondering: CZ452lux LH, Redfield 3-9x set to 3, Wolf match target .22LR.  The sling was the original stolen off a Yugo SKS and is significantly older than me.  No mods to the rifle other than popping the rear sight off to fit a lower scope mount.

Stage 1

I should probably take a break at the halfway point while shooting the first stage.  There’s absolutely no need to rush this one and finish in under a minute when I have two whole minutes on the clock.  This isn’t a terrible run, to be honest, but I can do better.  Score: 46

Stage 2

I need to tighten up my breathing during the target transition to maintain cadence.  I also need to not let a slowdown on the bolt throw wreck my bubble.  The first target has a decently tight group with just one dropped into the 4 ring (I’m not giving myself the .30 cal rule in a practice run) but the second target’s group opens up significantly. On the second target I actually dropped one all the way out, which is downright shameful.  That’s the round immediately after the flubbed bolt throw, which I called as definitely rushed.  The first shot I also called as low due to breathing error.  Score: 41

Stage 3

I barely squeaked by on the time limit for this stage.  The hubs points out that I finished in 58 of the allowed 65 seconds.  There was a minor malfunction, but that was my fault for short stroking the bolt out of haste.  I also need to remember when to reload better.  My target tells me that my first two shots were nigh perfect, but the first shot after the reload is significantly off - still in the 5 ring, but on the opposite shoulder.  The transition to the second target was spot on, but I over-adjusted for target three: my hits are all on the right side.  Only two dropped into the 4 ring, but the other two are consistent with the group being right of center.  To best this stage I’ll really need to rehearse the transitions thoroughly so that I can feel my NPOA immediately and trust that it’s centered correctly.  Score: 48.

Stage 4

This is not a stage I have trouble with.  I know that I can clear it.  I have cleared it.  That’s what inspired this whole quest for 250.  On this run through, I should have taken a little more time adjusting my NPOA to a perfect center hold for targets one and two.  The hits are a hair low.  Only one actually fell all the way into the 4 ring, but a smidgen of extra time taken would have rescued it. It’s possible that the .30 cal rule would set this one in, but like I said, I’m not giving myself that leeway.  Shooting in cadence definitely helps. Score: 98.

Total: 233.  Not my best day, but a fair showing.  Let’s do this again in six months and see how I fare after more practice.