F
Field Ethos
Guest
By Andrew Court
There’s something special about shooting your own gun for the first time.
It was high noon at the Warrior Range in Doral Florida, and I had the Walther PDP’s iron sights fixed on the colorful skeleton’s skull. While I’ve shot a handgun a few times, I don’t feel super comfortable with them. I tried to breathe slowly and relax as my mind raced back to the myriad of YouTube videos I watched. How to place your hands, how to load the gun, trigger discipline and stance. Would it even fire or had I done something wrong?
With a deep breath I pulled the trigger, and it went bang. A hole appeared just to the left of what would have been the skeleton’s earlobe.
Like a lot of people, I moved to Florida in the early days of the pandemic from the Northeast, and new possibilities opened up for me. Suddenly the winter sky was bright blue and the temperature warm. I bought a sports car and cruised with the top down.
I also became interested in firearms. Fearing social unrest and fancying myself a sort of 2021 Mad Max, I went down to the Bullet Hole gun store in Sarasota and picked out the meanest looking short-barrel shotgun I could find. I thought the bird’s head grip on the Charles Daily Honcho looked fucking cool. I took it out to a friend’s junk yard in Okeechobee to test it. The first shell fired, missing the target and leaving a big bruise on my hip. The second shell jammed.
At the same time, I started contributing to Field Ethos. While I’m not an avid hunter and my favorite outdoor activity is drinking High Noons on a friend’s boat, the magazine spoke to me. It was refreshing to be part of a media project that wasn’t female coded.
Following the IG account, I became increasingly interested in guns. I saw the FE crew on hunts and zeroing their red dots at the range. “Precision sports” became one of my recommended tabs on YouTube, and my earbuds consistently vibrated with the plinking of lead on metal targets.
After a couple years chewing on the idea of gun ownership, I decided it was time to, in the words of Field Ethos writer Dr. Will Dabbs, join “The Holy Order of American Rugged Individualists.”
My first move was to call Charlie Benton. Despite the fact that he does a job which would’ve taken an entire floor of Condé Nast employees in the 2000s, Charlie was generous with his time. We spoke about what I wanted to accomplish, a mix of home defense and range fun, and he walked me through the options.
I’m not going to lie; I was pretty excited when he brought up Walther. As a huge James Bond films fan the brand was already in my sights. He recommended the PDP Pro SD Compact 4.6 inch and even connected me with a rep from Walther to get one.
This is clearly not an authoritative review since I’m a newbie, but so far I love shooting the pistol. The textured grip fit perfectly in my slightly above average hands. The trigger is as crisp as 007’s martini. Something about the Walther feels correct.
The Walther was intuitive to use, and every component had Swiss watch-level finishing. It’s a great looking gun, and I must confess I find myself looking at it all the time. On the trip to the range, I brought a European friend who rented a Staccato. By the end of the session, we were both far more excited to shoot the Walther.
Overall, the PDP seems perfectly suited for my goals. It is well made and easy to operate; I would feel confident grabbing it if an intruder burst into my home.
One of the reasons I held off on acquiring a gun for so long is that I didn’t want to go down the rabbit hole. We recently had a son, and I am doing my best to hold onto the hobbies I already have. It’s too late now and I can tell my firearm journey is just beginning.
Beyond the practicality of personal defense, I am beginning to see why this is such an awesome hobby. When shooting, your mind is quiet and your focus is complete. An hour at the range is an hour away from the stresses and pressures of the world. Studies are even coming out that say it boosts testosterone. It’s a mini vacation.
After unloading a magazine, I feel mentally equipped to tackle even the non-tactical challenges of life.
The post You Always Remember Your First appeared first on Field Ethos.
Continue reading...
There’s something special about shooting your own gun for the first time.
It was high noon at the Warrior Range in Doral Florida, and I had the Walther PDP’s iron sights fixed on the colorful skeleton’s skull. While I’ve shot a handgun a few times, I don’t feel super comfortable with them. I tried to breathe slowly and relax as my mind raced back to the myriad of YouTube videos I watched. How to place your hands, how to load the gun, trigger discipline and stance. Would it even fire or had I done something wrong?
With a deep breath I pulled the trigger, and it went bang. A hole appeared just to the left of what would have been the skeleton’s earlobe.
Like a lot of people, I moved to Florida in the early days of the pandemic from the Northeast, and new possibilities opened up for me. Suddenly the winter sky was bright blue and the temperature warm. I bought a sports car and cruised with the top down.
Cherry Popped
I also became interested in firearms. Fearing social unrest and fancying myself a sort of 2021 Mad Max, I went down to the Bullet Hole gun store in Sarasota and picked out the meanest looking short-barrel shotgun I could find. I thought the bird’s head grip on the Charles Daily Honcho looked fucking cool. I took it out to a friend’s junk yard in Okeechobee to test it. The first shell fired, missing the target and leaving a big bruise on my hip. The second shell jammed.
At the same time, I started contributing to Field Ethos. While I’m not an avid hunter and my favorite outdoor activity is drinking High Noons on a friend’s boat, the magazine spoke to me. It was refreshing to be part of a media project that wasn’t female coded.
Following the IG account, I became increasingly interested in guns. I saw the FE crew on hunts and zeroing their red dots at the range. “Precision sports” became one of my recommended tabs on YouTube, and my earbuds consistently vibrated with the plinking of lead on metal targets.
After a couple years chewing on the idea of gun ownership, I decided it was time to, in the words of Field Ethos writer Dr. Will Dabbs, join “The Holy Order of American Rugged Individualists.”
My first move was to call Charlie Benton. Despite the fact that he does a job which would’ve taken an entire floor of Condé Nast employees in the 2000s, Charlie was generous with his time. We spoke about what I wanted to accomplish, a mix of home defense and range fun, and he walked me through the options.
Feels So Right
I’m not going to lie; I was pretty excited when he brought up Walther. As a huge James Bond films fan the brand was already in my sights. He recommended the PDP Pro SD Compact 4.6 inch and even connected me with a rep from Walther to get one.
This is clearly not an authoritative review since I’m a newbie, but so far I love shooting the pistol. The textured grip fit perfectly in my slightly above average hands. The trigger is as crisp as 007’s martini. Something about the Walther feels correct.
The Walther was intuitive to use, and every component had Swiss watch-level finishing. It’s a great looking gun, and I must confess I find myself looking at it all the time. On the trip to the range, I brought a European friend who rented a Staccato. By the end of the session, we were both far more excited to shoot the Walther.
Overall, the PDP seems perfectly suited for my goals. It is well made and easy to operate; I would feel confident grabbing it if an intruder burst into my home.
One of the reasons I held off on acquiring a gun for so long is that I didn’t want to go down the rabbit hole. We recently had a son, and I am doing my best to hold onto the hobbies I already have. It’s too late now and I can tell my firearm journey is just beginning.
Beyond the practicality of personal defense, I am beginning to see why this is such an awesome hobby. When shooting, your mind is quiet and your focus is complete. An hour at the range is an hour away from the stresses and pressures of the world. Studies are even coming out that say it boosts testosterone. It’s a mini vacation.
After unloading a magazine, I feel mentally equipped to tackle even the non-tactical challenges of life.
The post You Always Remember Your First appeared first on Field Ethos.
Continue reading...
