We had a gunsmoke luncheon and social today: Todd 'n Laura, Brian,
Dave (works with Todd, new to us), Mary 'n me.

Dave is a quiet guy, probably mid 40's, works at Medtronics. Very
probably a senior engineer or IT guy. Todd is working there on a
project of some kind. I think I can guess the general nature knowing
Todd's general area of expertise, but I also suspect that Todd would
prefer I'd not guess and it doesn't matter anyway.

Dave didn't bring any guns, but he's obviously a shooter. The idea
to invite Dave might have occurred to Todd only this morning. Our
gunsmoke luncheon social group always has plenty of guns,ammo, and
willingness to share any and all. Dave was interested in
collecting Todd's spent brass and, upon inquiry, said he reloads. I
expect his pistol is a Glock, probably .40, because Todd's Glock .40
seemed to be what he was shooting most and that was the brass he was
interested in collecting. He did try Doc, our stainless Smith &
Wesson 686 .357 magnum, with full magnum loads that fetched a big
grin. I don't even make powderpuff rounds anymore, just magnums.
That revolver is much more fun with magnums. I just love the
quizzical looks when the routine popping of .22's 9's, 40's, and
..45's is punctuated by the boom, flash and cloud of smoke from that
..357, as in "what the **** was that?" Everyone of either gender
who shoots it loves it. It doesn't hurt and it's a hell of a show.
Dave's muzzle control with a .40 is excellent but the .357 was
rockin' him a bit. Didn't affect his accuracy, just widened his grin.
That's how it works with nearly all who try it.

Everyone was shooting well today. Laura wasn't as jawdroppingly good
as I've seen her when she's really cookin', but she was doing OK
with her .40. .40 is not an easy caliber to shoot well, but she
does. She enjoyed trying out my Para Carry 9 and Mary's Lil' Sig
..380. Nobody I know can shoot that little Sig like Mary does. She
can shoot about anything respectably, but it's like that little Sig
was custom-made to fit her hand.

Gunner, we don't regard .380 as a poodle-shooter round because we've
never encountered a poodle we wanted to shoot. We like dogs. As for
predators, pick a nostril or eye from which you'd shrug a .380 hit.

OK, though range-realistic that's a silly postulate for a **** sit.
You know that .380 is 9mm short. How about 8 rounds of 9mm 90-grain
bullets accurately delivered to center of mass with some head shots?
You know that ****sits are not range-like aimed-fire sits, they're
point-and-shoot sits with both threat and shooter in motion.

If you can hand-hold a .50BMG like Sly Stallone in the movies, then
that'd be a good choice for you. Mary can't do that, nor can I at age
68.

At one point, Brian suggested a little competition. That would be
Brian, he's a competitive guy. Each of 5 of us wrote our names on
one target on a 5-bull sheet. Quietly understated Mary was quite
content not to join the competition. Range that Brian set was
quite short, possibly as little as 15 feet. I'd been shooting my
Carry 9 semiauto 9mm, but when it was my turn to shoot at the
competition target I brought Doc to the firing line. Doc is so named
because I bought it from a professor at Central Michigan University
whose web nym is Doc. Doc is fitted with a laser embedded in the
grip that puts a red dot on the point of aim. My presbyopic old eyes
have a bit of trouble focussing on sights and target at the same time,
but I can sure see that red dot. When the smoke cleared, it was clear
that I'd shot the 1" dia orange center right out of that target
with 6 rounds in about 9 seconds. I got a bunch of "boo, hiss,
that's cheating!" "Whaddya mean cheating?" Todd held up his hand
with splayed fingers, took a pugnacious forward-leaning
drill-sergeant stance, ticked off the charges on his fingers: one:
REVOLVER! Two: LASER!" He has a big, square face and is built
like a rainbarrel fulla ferroconcrete It was hilarious, especially
from Todd who is one of the gentlest (and brightest) people I know.
"I din't hear no rules saying no revolvers or lasers, and anyway
lasers aren't cheating for shooters over 65. And besides that , it's
foolish not to cheat in a gunfight." That got a chorus of "um, yeah,
err, well all right then."

Brian's target was about unbelievable. He was shooting a Springfield
XD .40, had four holes touching. I didn't think that pistol could
shoot that well even off a rest even at that short range and he was
shooting offhand. He tossed a fifth round clear out of the black
and then I think he decided to quit while he was ahead, but those
first four were quite remarkable. I think the XD .40 holds 12
rounds.

Winning is important to Brian. We all understand that, not a problem
at all. He's good company and he shares well.

Todd said he and Laura are on to shoot at the Sherriff's range soon.
They make a significant contribution to charity to shoot with the
Sherriff's deputies. If they can shoot better, then they get a
sweatshirt that proclaims "I OUTSHOT THE SHERRIFF". I think they'll
both get sweatshirts.

Lunch was excellent. There's a Mex joint about a mile from the Circle
Pines range. I'm glad this group has decided they like that one
better than the one in Robbinsdale, because I sure do. It's a bit
further drive from their workplace ... ah, but Todd's working at
Medtronics which is about 6 blocks from there and Brian worked at home
this morning until they got the roads plowed out in Isanti county
after the snowstorm.

There's a convenient Greek joint right next to Bill's in Robbinsdale,
but driving a mile for lunch from the range in Circle Pines is
acceptable. I had a Chimichanga which may have been the best I'ver
ever had. Mary gives them top marks too. Not a fancy venue, but
very good grub.

Winter has arrived in Fridley. Mr. Toro the snowblower started on
the 2d pull after his summer vacation. We got maybe 5 or 6 inches,
not a huge dump but definitely "plowable" as they say. It drifts near
the house and between the cars. Roads were passable and traffic was
moving but things were a bit slickery here and there. I thought I
was gonna have an eau chitte moment when I tried to make a right turn
at an intersection but the car kept going straight. Fortunately, the
front wheels did eventually find purchase just in time. It was one of
those time-slows moments when ya sit there thinking, "I wonder how
this is gonna turn out."

Temp right now in my back yard is 4 F. Windchill is probably about a
million below zero. I like Minnesota a lot but I dislike winter.