[JoeWilliams]

Yesterday was a great day for a family trip to the range!! Chilly, but pretty. Wife put about 150 rds through her XD-9 Tactical and I put 50 through it, plus another 60 through the Ruger Security Six she recently bought for herself, but which I've adopted. She should have listened when I told her how much I'd loved the one I had years ago. She's tried telling me I could have it for my birthday present, but I'm not having any of that. It's "officially" her gun, because if I let her give it to me, she'll get the next new one, and it's MY turn. Saving up for a Government Model of some sort or a CZ-75, can't decide which. On top of that, we burned up a couple hundred .22 rounds.

My wife, Cathy, got to try out the Taurus Model 970 I got her for her birthday. She wanted a .22 specifically for small game handgun hunting next fall, and for target shooting. Among the guns we could afford that fit the criteria, the choices were really limited to the Ruger Single Six and the Taurus Tracker Model 970. After handling them, she chose the Taurus, and after shooting it we are both most pleased with the choice. Single action trigger is light and crisp, and allows very tight groups. I've read some reviews, here and elsewhere, that take the double action trigger to task. I don't know if Taurus has just flat out improved them, or if we got an exceptionally good example, but I thought the DA trigger was absolutely beautiful. Quick, smooth, and reasonably weighted. The picture below was the last group I fired of the day. 28 rounds double action at 10 yards. I should have stopped at 21. Up to that point, all the hits had been well inside the 9 ring, but those last 7 my arm was actually starting to wear out. That thing is heavy, and decidedly muzzle heavy at that. That muzzle heaviness will be nice when settling down on a squirrel. The pistol is more than accurate enough for shots at 25 yards, and I'm willing to bet it'll be good for 50 once we try it out there.

My boy, age 8, spent his time firing the old Sears Model 1 .22 I traded him for the Cricket he's outgrown. That old rifle was given to my Dad by Mom shortly after they married, then it was mine, now it's on to it's third generation of target shooters and hunters. Still shoots well, but is in desperate need of a new scope, which we'll take care of soon. It was a big day for Sean. The first time in the three years he's been shooting that I didn't stand guard directly behind him the whole time. Gave him a big speech about the responsibility, then kept an eye on him without making it obvious.

pic 1 = 5 rounds Cathy fired out of her XD9
pic 2 = 12 rounds double action, rapid fire out of the Security Six
pic 3 = 28 rounds double action from the Taurus 970

All at 10 yards.