Cross-hairs

I like to target shoot. My favorite weapons are a .22 Smith and Wesson Model 41 semiautomatic target pistol and a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver with a six inch barrel. I belong to the Smith and Wesson range, which allows me to borrow any weapon that I want. I like the .22 because I can shoot all afternoon and only spend $15 on ammunition. I like the accuracy of the .357, particularly when I shoot it single-action. Does this make me dangerous? Not really; I have no interest in shooting anything that can bleed. I like the precision of punching holes in paper from a distance. Target shooting exercises my self-control, not merely in terms of, “Don’t shoot things that annoy you,” but in terms of practicing the ability to coordinate all of the elements of my body - my hands, eyes, core muscles, brain, and respiration - all for a single purpose. I was never an athlete; this is the only Olympic sport in which I am ever likely to be competitive. I don’t use a scope; I shoot by eye, only aided by my normal prescription glasses and the original sights on the weapons. I’m told that I’m fairly accurate. And I like to shoot.

Shooting appeals to me on several levels. As I said, it requires self-discipline, something that normally annoys me immensely! I also like to shoot because I am not what one expects when one imagines a typical member of a shooting range. I’m not a Republican and I don’t belong to the NRA (I think they disavow the need for real responsible gun ownership). Shooting sports are not just for knee-jerk neo-cons. Liberals need to exercise all of their constitutional rights, not just free speech. To shoot well requires thought – consideration of distance, wind speed, length of the barrel, amount of powder and size of the bullet - all are variables that affect accuracy. People of all political persuasions are capable of these calculations. I’m attracted by the precision. And practice helps, too.

Many people think that accuracy is something that one can acquire by learning how to be perfectly still. This doesn’t work. The only time you can be perfectly still is when you are dead; you can hold your breath but you cannot stop your heart from beating and that pulsation prevents you from holding still. Men are more likely than women to try to overpower their body’s cycles – it’s how they’re wired. But, it’s silly. You can’t hold still! The more you try, the more you will shake. The trick is to learn how your body moves throughout all of its cycles and to shoot when you can line up all of the variables - the sights, your arm, your heartbeat, and your breath. When all is in perfect harmony, it is time to shoot, but if you miss the moment, be patient. It will come again. Don’t try to force it unless someone is shooting at you! If they are, you’re both likely to miss but you won’t feel as helpless as you might by waiting.

At the range, I find myself waiting a long time for my first shot, then, I continue through the rest of the magazine rather quickly as I discover the timing that works for me. If I stop in the middle, it takes some time and thought to start again, almost like the first pedal did as a kid, to start riding a bicycle. I am reminded of the centipede’s dilemma – in a fairy tale, when the centipede was asked how he managed to coordinate his feet, he could never walk again! Thinking too hard about shooting is like that. You just have to wait until it feels right.

Shooting should be thoughtful. Just blasting away is a hazard to anyone or anything within range. Considering all of the elements involved in shooting properly is, for me, a form of meditation. Once I get into a groove, I am no longer conscious of all of the elements and am shooting from the core of my being. I am one with my weapon and with the target. I am merely causing the projectile portion of the machine to meet the paper of the target part of my world. It feels right. When I finish and have shot well, I am at peace.

Yes, I know how contradictory this all sounds – I shoot to be at peace? Who am I kidding? All I can say is, it works for me. Try it for yourself! Initially, I merely felt a sense of accomplishment, but that was a good thing, because I often feel like a total screw-up (we all have those days but lately, I’ve had more than my fair share). Later, with practice, I started to feel more in control of both the weapon and of my life. As I found control, I also found peace. It’s that simple. Shooting give me peace of mind and body. I know I’m not a stereotypical slavering gun-toting right wing freak, but I’ve always prided myself on not conforming to anyone’s prior expectations. My hobby mildly disturbs my liberal friends but my politics really upsets the gun crowd! And I just smile and punch some more holes in my target.