If you’ve tried to buy ammo lately, then you know what it feels like to do without—especially at a reasonable price for .22 LR—it’s as rare as hens’ teeth. The disruption in the supply has no end in sight.I shoot on average about 200 rounds a week at my rifle club. Recently, the club announced that it has reached its membership cap—demand has been unprecedented. At the national level, the government has purchased billions of rounds and has scared gun owners into a buying frenzy. Locally, the Newport city council attempted to pass a resolution recommending tighter gun control at the state level.
I attended the meeting in Newport. You should have seen the looks on the faces of a few council members visibly uncomfortable with the high number of pro-gun supporters at the meeting. That’s what made the difference in the council dropping it all together, which they did. One councilwoman with a license to carry said our support made the difference and mouthed a thank you as we were walking out.
So while federal, state, and local governments threaten Second Amendment rights, scaring gun owners into buying as much ammo as they can, the supply/demand disruption creates a problem for your training. You still need to practice, but at the same time not exhaust your precious supply. I was speaking with a gun shop owner not too long ago. He told me that one of the most important areas of training, and one that is often overlooked, is the physical strength it takes to shoot a pistol. Why not focus on building strength and saving ammo?
Do the wall drill, but without a pistol. Try holding your arm out in front of you, then focus on a point on the wall, and try not to shake. My 9mm Sig 226 MK25 weighs about two pounds, or the equivalent of two cans of SPAM (25% less sodium). Do the wall drill with SPAM once or twice a week. You’ll reap the dividends the next time you shoot.
Originally posted on April 9, 2013.
