Squeaky Wheel Seeks Grease

Those of you who follow me on Twitter probably noticed that I got my rifle today.

To those who don’t follow me on Twitter - Guess what?  I got my rifle today!

I was originally supposed to get this one, and got a rain check for it, because they’d sold out pretty much as soon as they put the deal in the newspaper ($158.99 for a gun retailing for $180.99).

I called back a couple of weeks later, as I wrote in here, and they told me it’d be at least another month before they got any more in.

Today, Tex suggested that before we go to the range, we go to Bass Pro to try to get some more ammo, and while we were there, I dug out my rain check and headed over to the firearm counter to see if they had “my” gun - if they did, I’ve had the money set aside since the day I went in there the first time, so I was going to go ahead and buy it.

I saw an old friend’s husband at the counter, and he waved me over, took one look at my rain check, and said, “They discontinued this gun.  I’m surprised nobody’s called you.  This rain check is over a month old.”  Then he started to walk away.

“Where are you going?” I said.

“Oh, well, since they’re not making that one any more, and we have to honor those rain checks with SOMEthing, we’re upgrading everyone.  So you’re getting a newer model for the same price.”

“Neat!”

He grabbed the gun (I ended up getting the display model, because the only other one that’d been in the back in the stock room had scratches on the stock - I didn’t ask, he switched it for me, anyway), did my background check (I’m always immeasurably happy when they come back clean, and I don’t know why, because I haven’t done anything illegal), and then came the payment.

The newer model of the rifle was on sale for something like $212.  So there was a significant amount of confusion with the cash register, since apparently that was too much of a discount for a rain check without a manager’s approval.  When it was all over, I got “my” rifle for $158.99, just as the rain check said - $60 off, bitches.  Oh, yeah.

While we were at the range, I decided to give it a go with the new rifle.  I’d bought some .22LR hollow points, and set to trying it out.

I got someone at the range to check it to make sure that I didn’t need to preliminary-clean it first.  I mean, I would have waited, but I’m impatient.  Luckily, he told me I could go ahead and shoot it without any issue - to just be aware that it was new, and that it might be a little rough as a result.

The first 10 rounds went through like a dream, and I got used to my stance and the sights, and it was great.  I was in *squee* mode, enjoying my purchase, when I tried to put the second 10 rounds through.

Apparently the spring got stuck, and the first round wasn’t pushed up far enough to be advanced into the chamber.  Instead, when I pulled the lever back to chamber the round, all it did was mash the front of the bullet into the front of the clip.  Erm.  That was a problem.  Then the round got stuck in the magazine, and I had to get someone from the range to dig it out for me.  That was a little irritating.

Thankfully, THAT particular problem didn’t happen again.  I had a couple of bad chambering experiences, but pulling the lever back and re-cocking it to eject the mid-fed round fixed it, and I was able to continue with little incident.  And the more I shot, the more I noticed things going more smoothly.

I also shot my XD and my S&W, but I focused on trying to get my rifle broken in a bit today, since I had it.

Then a couple of tournament shooters sidled into the lane next to me, and while I can appreciate their form and ability, it always kind of makes my self-esteem cry to see them shooting a .45 and consistently hitting a spot the size of a quarter from 25 feet.  These two (male and female in rockabilly clothes with shooter’s gloves and tattoos) gathered something of a crowd for a minute, and I was shooting my XD at 10 feet and not doing an awesome job (I was also tired - having sent probably 150 rounds through the rifle and 50 rounds through my S&W at that point, as well as 80 rounds through my XD before this point), so I just popped off the rest of my rounds and decided to call it a day.  Besides, Tex’s parents had invited me to come along for their Memorial Day BBQ (we had ribs.  it was awesome.), so we had to get going.  The range’s BBQ joint was closed, so I guess it’s good other plans came up.

After lunch/dinner, I fell asleep for approximately four hours.  It was nice.

It stormed, and I woke up to pretty lightning.

Aside from the heat, it was a nice Memorial Day.