Dodging Bullets

We've got this niece.   Every now and then, she'll say she wants to learn how to shoot or wants to practice with her bow and we say OK.    We make plans and tell her that we can take her to the trap range on such and such a day or to the indoor pistol range on ladies night or pick a weekend and we can go shoot whatever at wherever.   We've never actually gone shooting because she's always doing something with her pack of girlfriends instead. 

I got tired of it and told The Lovely Bride that if she ever gets something set up, I will go if I can but I'm not making any more plans and I'm not changing any plans I've already made to fit the little socialite's schedule.  The niece is a cute kid but too much a modern teenager.  All into cheer leading, going to the mall,  Facebook and selfies.

Yesterday, the niece was out riding around with her cousin, the step-niece, and the step-niece wanted to go shooting.  The niece and step-niece are "best fraaaands," whatever the hell that is, so suddenly, shooting fit into her schedule.  She texted TLB to ask her if we would take the two of them shooting.   Right that minute.

First of all, its time the kids learned that adults don't just sit around waiting to be asked to provide entertainment; at least not these adults.

Second:   Two giddy teenagers giggling and taking selfies around loaded guns?   No way I was going to be their Range Officer.  Not their first time out.   Three dogs become a pack but it only takes two teenage girls to get giddy and start acting like idiots.

  "Local Teens Shoot Selfie - Kill Uncle." 

No way do I want to be around both of them the first time they handle  firearms.   Well, maybe if R. Lee Ermey is the Range Officer.  

As it turned out,  TLB was taking some kind of a test on line that was related to her work and I was killing a few minutes before leaving to inspect a house.   We actually were doing job-related stuff on a Saturday so we couldn't have gone even if we weren't scared realistically cautious.  Who knows, maybe they learned something important without going shooting.

It did get me in the mood to load up a few rounds  of .32 S&W Long so today  I cast and lubed 200 round nose 90 grain bullets.  I have a little H&R .32 Magnum with a bull barrel and a curved grip that is perfect for young shooters.  They think they are shooting "a Magnum" and they seem to take it more seriously.    Its cheap to shoot with handloads and I find that kids tend to take more time and shoot less with a center fire than with a .22 LR.   I don't know why but the nephews will burn through 200 rounds of .22 LR and never hit anything but they take their time with their new 9mm  and shoot darned well for beginners. 

We will probably take the nieces shooting some day, if all our schedules, and The Gunny's are clear.