When Nephi returned home from work, he treated Bradley to dinner at a local steakhouse to celebrate the job offer and a fresh start. Bradley couldn’t wait to start his job. While they ate, Nephi’s mind wandered as he thought of his own fresh start. He was excited to see Alex on Thursday. His mind snapped back to Bradley when the server interrupted to ask if they would like to see a dessert menu. Nephi figured that Bradley’s new job warranted dessert as much as anything and they split a chocolate eruption cake at the end of the meal.
The next day passed quickly and before Nephi knew it, Alex was pulling in to his apartment complex, ready for his first trip to a gun range. Nephi hopped into the Prius and navigated Alex to his parents’ house where his family stored the guns.
“My dad keeps my firearms in his safe,” he explained. “I don’t really have room for them at the apartment and don’t have money for an expensive safe, either.”
They entered the house and Nephi said a quick hello to Darla on their way to the gun safe in the garage. The safe was larger than Alex expected. It stood about seven feet tall and was four feet wide and about three feet deep. Nephi pulled a backpack off of a rack on the wall.
“These are our eyes and ears,” he said. “Whenever you use firearms, it is important to use eye and hearing protection.”
He pulled the plastic goggles and the earmuffs from the bag, showing them to Alex.
“Before we get the guns and ammo, I will go over some safety rules with you. I’ll review them again at the gun range, but it gets loud there so I am going over them here to make sure we are clear.”
Alex nodded.
“First, you always store guns and ammo separately. Notice that the gun safe has only guns and no ammunition. There is a separate lock box in my dad’s closet where he stores the ammunition.”
“Got it,” replied Alex.
“Okay, next, it is very important that whenever you handle a gun, assume it is loaded even if you think it isn’t.”
“Makes sense.”
“Good. The next gun rule is that you should never place your finger in the trigger guard or on the trigger until you are ready to fire.”
Nephi typed the combination into the gun safe, turned the wheel, and pulled it open. He took a small rifle from the shelf.
“See, here is the trigger guard. When I hold the gun, I extend my pointer finger here, above the trigger guard keeping it away from the trigger.”
“Thanks for the demonstration. I get it now.”
“Rule number four, never point a gun at anything that you are not willing to destroy. And finally, know your target, what is in front of it, and what is behind it. A bullet will pass through your target and move on to whatever is behind it so you must know both what is in front and what is behind.”
“I understand.”
“Awesome, we are almost ready. Not that you would, but never, ever handle a firearm while you are using alcohol or drugs of any kind. That is a deadly combination.”
Nephi pulled a second rifle from the safe. He pulled back the action and locked it open.
“Today we will be shooting .22 caliber rifles, he explained. These are both semi-automatic rifles. Once loaded, you don’t need to take any action such as cocking a lever or cycling a bolt to make the gun ready to fire again. The force from the round you fire cycles the action and loads the next round for you, so you just need to pull the trigger again to fire.”
“Do they kick hard?” asked Alex.
“.22s have a very slight kick, but it isn’t bad. It is a good caliber to learn to shoot with and to practice fundamentals but don’t make the mistake of assuming that means they aren't dangerous. A .22 caliber rifle can kill just as well as any other firearm and it is critical that you follow the safety rules at all times, no matter what firearm you are holding.”
“It is a lot to process and I’m kind of nervous but I think I understand.”
“Don’t be nervous. As long as you follow the rules, a gun can be an effective tool. Every gun accident that I have ever heard of resulted from someone breaking the basic safety rules. If you follow the rules, you will be safe.”
Nephi handed a rifle to Alex and showed him how to hold it and how to aim.
“These rifles have open sites. To aim, you want to line up the post at the end of the barrel with the notch at the back of the barrel. The top of the post should be level with the top of the notch and the post should be directly in the center. You want to place your target immediately above the post so it looks like it is resting on the post. You will leave your index finger extended above the trigger guard until you have your target lined up and understand what is behind it. Once you are lined up and ready to fire, you will move your finger carefully down into the trigger guard. Hold your breath either right after you inhale or after you exhale, whichever is more comfortable, and then squeeze the trigger gently. Don’t pull a trigger, squeeze it in a way that you’re not sure when it will fire.”
“Okay, I think I’ve got it,” stated Alex.
“Alright, I think we’re ready. Let’s go get the ammo box and head to the range.”
They proceeded up the stairs and took a locked ammo box labeled “.22 LR” from the closet. They went out to the car and Nephi opened the hatchback and placed the rifles in the back before placing the ammo box on the floor of the back seat.
Nephi acted as navigator while Alex drove a few exits down the freeway to the indoor shooting range.
“Hi, Nephi,” called out a man behind the counter as they entered.
“How’s it going, Bill?” replied Nephi.
“Not bad. We’ve got lane twelve all ready for you. Do you need any targets?”
“Yes, please give me two self-painting targets.”
Turning to Alex, he explained, “The self-painting targets make it easier to see where you hit at a distance.”
Alex nodded.
“This is my friend, Alex,” Nephi told Bill. “It’s his first time shooting.”
“Welcome,” said Bill. “You’ve got yourself a good instructor here. I hope you have a good time.”
“So do I,” mumbled Alex under his breath.
Alex could tell by their familiarity with each other that Nephi was a frequent visitor to the range.
Nephi paid for the targets and handed Alex goggles and earmuffs. “Put on your eyes and ears now,” he said.
With protection for both eyes and ears, they walked through double doors that led to the range. Others were already there shooting and Alex could hear their shots through the earmuffs but he could tell they were doing their job. Nephi led him to lane twelve where he pressed a switch that brought the target toward them. It hung on a mechanized line connected to a pulley system that allowed the shooters to easily send and retrieve their targets without going out onto the range.
Alex observed that the other shooters were following the rules that Nephi had explained to him, keeping their finger out of the trigger guard until they were ready to fire.
Nephi stapled a target onto the hanging target holder and then sent it out on the range by flipping the switch in the other direction. Alex watched as it glided past the distance markers on the wall. It zoomed past 10, 20, and 30, eventually coming to rest at the far end of the range at the 50 yard marker.
Nephi pointed to a sign on the wall with numbered rules. It read, “1. Treat all firearms as if they are loaded. 2. Never point a firearm at anyone or anything you are not willing to destroy. 3. Keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard until you are ready to fire. 4. Know your target and what is behind it.”
Alex read over the rules and nodded in acknowledgement. Nephi opened the ammo lockbox and loaded the rifle. The magazine was a small cartridge that held ten shells. Once full, Nephi placed the magazine in the rifle and pulled back on the action, letting it snap closed.
Nephi told Alex to watch as he raised the butt of the rifle to his shoulder, resting his cheek on the stock while he lined up the target directly above
the post centered in the notch. Now ready to fire, he crept his finger from its extended position down into the trigger guard and gently squeezed. Alex heard a pop and looked down at the target to see a hole about an inch above the bullseye.
Nephi rested the rifle, keeping it pointed downrange on the shooting bench, and motioned for Alex to take it. Hesitant, Alex picked up the rifle. He carefully raised it to his shoulder and laid his extended index finger above the trigger guard while he lined up the sites as Nephi had instructed. When he felt ready, he moved his finger to the trigger and began to squeeze. Expecting a bit of recoil, he flinched a bit as he jerked back on the trigger. The bullet hit the target, but was about six inches high and to the left of the bullseye.
“You started off just right,” explained Nephi, “but you anticipated the shot and flinched. You can’t do that. You need to stay right in there on the target the entire time and squeeze slowly so you don’t know when the gun will fire. Don’t anticipate it, just hold that breath, stay on target, and squeeze gently until it fires.”
Alex nodded and tried again, remembering Nephi’s instructions. He lined up the target, took a breath and then held it on the exhale while he moved his finger into the trigger guard and gently squeezed. He was surprised when the rifle fired and even more surprised and delighted to find that he had hit the bullseye. His shot was even closer than Nephi’s.
Excited, he continued shooting while Nephi loaded up a few more magazines. After about fifty shots, there wasn’t much left of the bullseye and Nephi flipped the switch to bring the target back in. He removed it and asked Alex to mount the new target.
Alex stapled the second target to the board and flipped the switch to send it out to the 50 yard marker. This time, Alex loaded the shells into the magazines and then resumed shooting. By the time they finished, both targets had shredded bullseyes with a few stray holes here and there. Alex had done the bulk of the shooting and admired his handiwork as he held the targets in his hands.
Nephi double checked the rifle to make sure it wasn’t loaded and locked the action open before sealing the ammo box and exiting the range. Once in the lobby, they removed eyes and ears and Nephi showed Alex to the washing station.
“After shooting at the range, it is important to wash with cold water because the bullets have lead in them. The cold water closes your pores so that lead particles don’t get in. The soap here also helps with lead removal. Don’t eat or drink anything until you wash thoroughly,” Nephi explained.
They both washed up and returned to Alex’s Prius.
“Well, what did you think?” asked Nephi.
“At first, the thought of shooting a gun terrified me, but I actually ended up having a lot of fun. I didn’t expect to enjoy it that much. Thanks for taking me.”
“I’m glad you liked it. On Saturday morning, we are going to an outdoor range. The indoor range is only 50 yards and the maximum caliber is .223, which isn’t a big enough caliber for hunting elk. The outdoor range goes out to 300 yards but we will shoot on the 100 yard range. The guns we will use have scopes instead of open sites and they are bolt action so you have to cycle the action before each shot. I will use the 30-06 that I use for elk hunting to sight it in, and I will bring a .243 for you to shoot. It is bigger than the .22 we used today but it still doesn’t kick too badly and the mechanics are the same. I’m impressed with your shooting. You’re a natural.”
“I didn’t think I would ever say this, but I’m looking forward to it,” replied Alex.
“Do you want to grab a bite to eat before you head back to Salt Lake?” asked Nephi.
“I would love to. Why don’t we get the guns back in your dad’s safe and swing by to pick up Bradley?”
Nephi was enjoying his alone time with Alex and didn’t want it to stop but didn’t like the thought of Bradley all alone in the apartment, either. After cleaning the guns and putting everything away, they picked up Bradley and headed to Arctic Circle, a Utah based fast-food restaurant with fresh, high quality burgers, chicken, and salads.
Nephi ordered a taco salad, Alex a fish sandwich, and Bradley got a kid’s meal with a cheeseburger. Growing up, his family never went out to eat, and he was jealous of the kids that got kids meal toys. He was almost nineteen, but he was still excited for the toy. They enjoyed the meal while they chatted about the range and the upcoming hunting trip. Bradley played with his toy as they talked.
“Won’t I need some hunting clothes and camping supplies?” asked Alex.
“Don’t worry about any of that. We have more camping supplies that you could imagine and my dad saves all the hunting clothes we have ever bought hoping that the grandkids will use them some day. Some of Jacob’s old things should fit you or maybe some of Tiffany’s stuff.”
“Your sister hunts too?”
“She sure does. She’s good at it, too. I have personally never taken and animal but Tiff has taken at least ten. I think she brought home more meat for the family than my brothers combined.”
“Impressive,” replied Alex. “What about food. What will we need for the trip?”
“I’ll bring a backpacking stove and a percolator to boil water. We’ll eat mostly freeze dried meals that we rehydrate with the boiled water. Most of them are better than you would expect.”
“It sounds like you have it all planned out,”
“When you have hunted as much as I have, or with my lack of success, maybe we should just call it camping, much of the preparation is routine. It’s almost automatic.”
The conversation shifted to Bradley’s job search and Bradley shared his good news with Alex who congratulated him.
After dinner, Alex dropped off Nephi and Bradley at the apartment before returning to Salt Lake. He enjoyed the shooting range and the two Mormon gay greenies were growing on him. He looked forward to seeing them again on Saturday and was eager to see what the hunt would bring.
Friday came and went and Saturday arrived, bringing with it a chill in the air. Twenty degrees Fahrenheit would make for a frigid morning at the range but it would be good practice, too. Hunting weather might be even colder and it would likely snow.
Alex arrived, and they went to Mike and Darla’s garage to retrieve the rifles and ammunition. Nephi demonstrated how to cycle a bolt and reviewed the safety rules again, making Alex repeat them.
They loaded the guns in back of the car and drove up Provo Canyon to the outdoor shooting range. On such a cold morning, there weren’t many people at the range, but a couple of lanes were in use. There was a range safety officer, or RSO, there running the range and directing traffic. When they pulled up, Alex noticed a red flag hung on the range.
“It looks like the range is hot,” said Nephi. “That means that people are actively shooting. I’ll go check with the range safety officer but we should be able to get set up now.”
Nephi exited the car and spoke with the RSO before they touched the guns. He confirmed that the range was hot, and they were safe to set up their firearms. Nephi carried his 30-06 and the ammunition box while Alex carried the .243. As soon as they finished setting up the guns, the RSO called a ceasefire and declared the range cold. Everyone stopped shooting and moved behind the yellow line unless they were setting up or checking targets.
Nephi and Alex stapled their targets onto a wooden target stand and walked them out to the 100 yard marker while another man swapped out his target. Once they returned, the RSO declared the range hot. With eyes and ears in place, Nephi showed Alex how to load the .243 magazine and stayed next to him while he fired the first four rounds, all on target.
Giving Alex a thumbs up, Nephi moved over to his bench where he shot his 100 yard target with the 30-06. Alex could tell that it was louder than the .243 that he was shooting and looking over as Nephi took a shot, he could also tell that it kicked harder.
Both of them continued shooting until they had each spent a twenty round box. Nephi pulled another 20 round box for each of them while the RSO called the next ceasefire. With
the range cold, a man who just arrived set up his target. The range hot again, he set up on the bench next to Alex, whose shooting was interrupted by an ear breaking boom. Even with ear muffs on, the shot was loud. It startled Alex, causing his round to miss the target.
While finishing the remainder of his ammo box, Alex thought it best to wait until the man took a shot to take his own so the booming noise wouldn’t throw him off. By the next ceasefire, Nephi and Alex had each polished off two full boxes of ammunition. They collected their targets, both had tight groupings around the bullseye.
When the RSO declared the range hot, they moved the rifles to the car and headed back to Mike and Darla’s place.
“What kind of gun was that guy next to me shooting?” asked Alex. “Even with ear muffs, it was way too loud.”
“It was a .30 caliber rifle similar to mine,” replied Nephi, “but he had a muzzle brake.”
“What’s that?”
“He installed a muzzle brake at the end of the barrel. It redirects a lot of the gases released by the round to the sides rather than straight out the end of the barrel. It reduces recoil and muzzle rise but the bang is much louder.”
“I figured that part out. It threw me on one of my shots.”
“One of mine too,” confessed Nephi. “Did you have fun?”
“I had a lot of fun but honestly, I think I prefer shooting the .22 at the indoor range.”
“I can’t blame you. Plinking with a .22 is a lot of fun. I always enjoy it.”
Back at Mike and Darla’s, they cleaned the guns and locked them back in the safe and went into Nephi’s old bedroom where plastic bins full of hunting clothes sat in the closet. Alex tried them on and found three pair of camouflage pants that fit him nicely along with four shirts, a coat, and two orange vests.
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