Any given Saturday

It didn't feel odd as I gripped it, just familiar and like it belongs there - That's a feeling only time can generate and no matter how much time passes it's not something I think will ever feel strange to me. I refer to having a firearm in my hands which, usually, happens at least a couple times a week and almost every, and any, given Saturday. But lately it's not been that way at all.

I have some things going on currently that I've not written about on Hive; nothing good. It takes up a lot of emotional and mental capacity, disrupts my sleep and takes up a lot of time.

I've had to put a few things on hold and shooting at the range is one of them; I've just not had the time and, if I'm honest, the right mindset to run and gun blasting rounds down range like I'd normally do each week; I've continued my culling duties on the cattle farm, but that's about it. The problem is, what I do at the range is really enjoyable but one needs to be on-point to do it well, and safely. Not having my head in the game when shooting isn't something I'm willing to risk.

Last night, I decided I was going to make it happen this morning, go to the range I mean. I felt like I needed the release, the distraction I guess one could say, and I felt I was ready, so I gathered my kit and headed to the range and shot around 300 rounds in a series of run and gun scenarios that simulate real-world military and law enforcement situations. Did I have fun? You fucken bet I did! Did I fuck up and shoot anyone? You fucken bet I didn't!

But after the fun comes chores, gun cleaning, and once home the fun stopped rather abruptly. I've never loved gun cleaning, shh, tell no one, and whilst I'm really good at it I find the task to be an onerous one.

You can see some of the cleaning things in these images. This is not all the stuff, but I had to take some photos before I got going because it's bloody messy and touching my phone to take photos when in the middle of gun cleaning is not something I'm prepared to do.

I cleaned the 9mm CZ Shadow 2 handgun I used today and a couple others...I tend to do a few at a time so that my fingers don't smell like solvents and oils every day of the week...and after a couple hours I was pleased with the result. It's difficult to get too excited about it though, relieved is probably a better word; relieved it's done. My hands will smell like gun cleaning solvents for a few days, but I'll not have to clean guns for a couple weeks now and it'll wear off.

I go into auto-pilot when gun cleaning. I've cleaned so many in my life I've lost count and rarely need to think about it; I just sort of go through the motions, although affording it some degree of attention is required of course. Generally though, it allows me time to think, or not think, and today it was the latter.

I hope you folks are having a good weekend so far; feel free to drop a comment below and left me know what you're up to if you like.