got off work early (got in early, so it evens out), and headed out to the range to see what this Metropolitan Pistol League thing is all about...and was immediately recruited onto the Stars And Stripes team. We went through all the basics, how the league is structured, what the commands are, some of the finer points (like only loading five shots per magazine at a time). One thing I noticed: it's all old people. Not just older people--old people. With gray or white hair. Like, Bruce Furr is on my team--he's an old guy, probably mid-to-late 60's. The guy who talked me through the basics is a retired Marine of 20 years ago...
So I sign up for the 4th relay, and my relay comes up. Me and three other S&S people go out to our adjacent lanes and I look over at their equipment. The (old) guy to my right is using a High-Standard ($$), and the husband and wife to my left are shooting matching Pardinis ($$$$$). Holy cow! These guys are serious! Other people down the line have fancy boxes that hold all of their stuff, plus the lid flips up and has a place to mount a spotting scope! Hardcore! I'm feeling a little outclassed. Or atleast, I'm feeling my equipment is a little outclassed--all I'm using is a basic Ruger Mk. II Standard with the tapered, 4.75" barrel, non-adjustable sights, and the non-anatomic grips.
We load up and shoot: first the slowfire (20 minutes to put 20 rounds into a target at 50 yards), then the timed-fire (four 5-shot strings at 25 yards, 20 seconds to shoot each string), and finally, the rapid fire (four 5-shot strings at 25 yards, 10 seconds to shoot each string). 60 rounds in all.
When it's all said and done, I scored 155 on the slowfire, 142 on the timed fire, and 152 for the rapid fire (I shot the rapid fire the same way I shot the timed fire, so I had figured out how and where to aim for that). A total of 449 points out of a possible 600--pretty good, according to my teammates, since I needed a 320 for it to count. Unfortunately, scoring so high means my handicap is low (it's kinda like bowling in this regard).
It was definitely an interesting activity, and a good way to focus my shooting sessions--I'd definitely do it again.
I think I definitely want to try IDPA/IPSC next...
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Remembering back, the Hi-Standard guy was the then-team captain, Laurin Ajer. The husband and wife with the Pardinis were Betty and Lacey Farley. The retired marine was Jim Hix. None of them shoot with MPL anymore (the Farleys moved to shooting Trap/Skeet exclusively and actually sold their Pardinis; Jim Hix has spent the last few years taking care of his wife and her dementia; I dunno what happened with Laurin; Bruce moved his shop to become Fairfax Rod & Gun Club's "Signal Hill Supply", and then ultimately retired altogether and moved out of state).
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