Last week I was working the counter at the range. A young lady came in, carrying a Glock case. She wanted a box of 45s. One of the other instructors who was also working the counter asked her if she had ever shot a 45.
The instructor is a good all around fellow who is very experienced. All of it military. And he made a big and common mistake among "gun guys". He prejudged the shooter. Based on her small size, small hands and the fact she was female. It surprised me, a little.
Anyways, this tiny woman took his question well and she smiled and said "Oh yes! I've shot this Glock 21 a few times." Glock 21 - which belonged to her brother and was almost as big as her. And she can shoot it too! 3 inch groups out to 20 yards. But she admitted it was too big for her. She wanted a small 45, to carry. As the smallest 45 we have for rent is an m&p compact, I told her that she should try to find a range that had a G36 or a CW45 for her to rent.
The other instructor told her he had a G36 that he would loan her (see - he is a good fellow!
) and I told her I had a CS45 and a 457 she could borrow to try. She signed up with me for a lesson and I brought both pistols. She liked them both. She thought the CS45 - wearing the excellent TercGen grips with a rubber grip sleeve - was too much for her small hands to shoot well. Even though she had no problems maintaining the 10 ring on a B27 with it.
But my BMCM customized 457, with Novak night sights and OEM grip, also with a rubber grip sleeve, was just the pistol she was looking for. She shot it VERY well. In fact, she shot the 457 better than I do. Which made me grin and make a mental note to work with that gun some more! That tiny girl got more than one cloverleaf ragged hole in the B27 with the 457. At 3, 5 and 7 yards, she didn't miss. She did vertical string shots a few times. But I attributed that to her getting tired, hand fatigue and maybe a little bit of recoil anticipation.
So, she will be back next week. To shoot the G36 and she asked me to bring the 457 again. I did caution her that the 457 had some work done and she would not find one EXACTLY like it, but they were out there. For rather ridiculous prices, currently.
The thing I walked away with from the encounter with this tiny female, new shooter was this - reinforcement of my belief in not prejudging things. Don't prejudge the shooter OR the pistol. Most handguns are FAR more accurate than the people shooting them. And tiny little people can handle hand cannons too! IF they so choose.
I have always regarded the 457 as an overlooked and highly underated 45. The young womans reaction to it reinforced that view too. And yes, I will be practicing with the 457 more in the coming weeks - "onset Arthur-ritus" be damned. I mean, who wants to be bested with their own pistol.......by a girl. Regards 18DAI
The instructor is a good all around fellow who is very experienced. All of it military. And he made a big and common mistake among "gun guys". He prejudged the shooter. Based on her small size, small hands and the fact she was female. It surprised me, a little.
Anyways, this tiny woman took his question well and she smiled and said "Oh yes! I've shot this Glock 21 a few times." Glock 21 - which belonged to her brother and was almost as big as her. And she can shoot it too! 3 inch groups out to 20 yards. But she admitted it was too big for her. She wanted a small 45, to carry. As the smallest 45 we have for rent is an m&p compact, I told her that she should try to find a range that had a G36 or a CW45 for her to rent.
The other instructor told her he had a G36 that he would loan her (see - he is a good fellow!
) and I told her I had a CS45 and a 457 she could borrow to try. She signed up with me for a lesson and I brought both pistols. She liked them both. She thought the CS45 - wearing the excellent TercGen grips with a rubber grip sleeve - was too much for her small hands to shoot well. Even though she had no problems maintaining the 10 ring on a B27 with it.But my BMCM customized 457, with Novak night sights and OEM grip, also with a rubber grip sleeve, was just the pistol she was looking for. She shot it VERY well. In fact, she shot the 457 better than I do. Which made me grin and make a mental note to work with that gun some more! That tiny girl got more than one cloverleaf ragged hole in the B27 with the 457. At 3, 5 and 7 yards, she didn't miss. She did vertical string shots a few times. But I attributed that to her getting tired, hand fatigue and maybe a little bit of recoil anticipation.
So, she will be back next week. To shoot the G36 and she asked me to bring the 457 again. I did caution her that the 457 had some work done and she would not find one EXACTLY like it, but they were out there. For rather ridiculous prices, currently.
The thing I walked away with from the encounter with this tiny female, new shooter was this - reinforcement of my belief in not prejudging things. Don't prejudge the shooter OR the pistol. Most handguns are FAR more accurate than the people shooting them. And tiny little people can handle hand cannons too! IF they so choose.
I have always regarded the 457 as an overlooked and highly underated 45. The young womans reaction to it reinforced that view too. And yes, I will be practicing with the 457 more in the coming weeks - "onset Arthur-ritus" be damned. I mean, who wants to be bested with their own pistol.......by a girl.
Regards 18DAI
