Well, the Learn to Shoot class at the Bull Run Shooting Center was most informative. I hit 2/8 on skeet, and 3/11 on clays using a semi-automatic 20 gauge shotgun. In short, I sucked, but not so massively as to completely rule out ever having fun at the sport.
I learned about the rules for playing at the BRSC, too, which were fairly easy to remember. Generally, it was all safety stuff–carry your weapon with the breech open (and empty), only point your weapon downrange, etc.
However, my right shoulder now sports a beautiful bruise. I mean, this is truly painful. D’oh!
The first order of business after my class was getting proper ear protection, because the little earplug things were not really cutting it. We went to a sporting goods store and picked up a bicycle helmet for Rebecca, ear protection for me, and a knife because the whole running to Matthew to borrow his paratool every time I needed a blade was getting old last year.
When we got home, I started washing up the dishes and Matthew opened up packages. The look on his face when he put on the hearing protection gear… I can tell I’m going to have a hard time getting him to not wear them when the kids are having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
While I iced my shoulder, Matthew finished installing the remaining shingles and peak vents on the shed roof. He then kept going and put up the French doors, swept out the shed, and installed a doorknob so that he could lock his tools up _in the shed_. Finally.
Next weekend we’ll probably end up installing the window and siding the whole thing. Joy.
The tighter you hold the stock to your shoulder, the less you’ll get bruised. A padded stock and/or jacket doesn’t hurt though.
That bruise is almost on par with my snowboarding bruises. Almost, but not quite. Mine looked like various animals and inverted colored clouds.