17_Gun Practice

Jimmy stopped shooting, and Noah practiced shooting on the side. Noah's marksmanship was very good, with a high hit rate in rapid shooting at a 15-meter head target. In contrast, Jimmy's shooting was rather dismal, with about half of the bullets missing the 10-meter chest target. Although understandable for someone shooting for the first time with a large caliber, it was still disappointing for him as a police officer.

Bored, Jimmy picked up various handguns on the table to feel them. He was particularly interested in the revolver, especially the classic Smith & Wesson .38 revolver on the table, one of the commonly used handguns by American police in the past. The other was a Ruger GP100, currently used by only a few police departments.

When his arm and wrist had recovered enough, Jimmy picked up the Ruger GP100, loaded a bullet, and hit the left chest area of the 10-meter body target. Noah stopped him, added more bullets, and taught him the correct grip and shooting technique for the revolver, as using a revolver was entirely different from a semi-automatic handgun.

Bang x4. Including the initial shot, a total of 5 shots were fired, with 4 hitting the target, 2 of which struck the heart area. Noah, looking pensive, signaled Jimmy to pause. After thinking for a few minutes, Noah went to the administrator and had more guns brought over. He handed one to Jimmy, loaded it, and said, "Try this one, shoot all the rounds."

Jimmy aimed and shot, feeling a significant recoil and muzzle jump. After firing 6 rounds, 5 hit the target, with 1 hitting the heart area. Noah handed him another gun, and this time, Jimmy shot 5 out of 6 on target but missed the vital area. As Noah continued to switch guns, Jimmy's performance suddenly declined, with only 3 shots hitting the target. Noah had Jimmy stop, realizing that his arms and wrists could no longer control the recoil of the handgun.

After collecting all the guns and bullets, Noah took Jimmy away from the shooting range. Back at the station, after returning the patrol gear, Noah drove Jimmy home and then went back to the office to speak with Chief James before heading home again.

Upon reaching home, Jimmy immediately changed clothes, took a shower, and massaged his arms with warm water to relieve the soreness. Muscle soreness was not new to him due to regular workouts, but experiencing it from shooting was a first. Playing with guns and feeling sore was a new experience for him, as he needed to quickly familiarize himself with firearms for his new professional skill, which added a lot of pressure.

The next day, Jimmy woke up with some lingering arm soreness that did not hinder his daily activities. After buying a burger and coffee, he took a taxi to the police station since his place was quite far and he did not own a car.

Noah accompanied Jimmy on patrol that day, handling minor disputes in the morning and resolving a high school fight incident in the afternoon. At the shooting range, Noah had the administrator bring out the revolvers from the day before for Jimmy to try again.

With his arms now recovered, Jimmy felt more comfortable and accurate using the revolver the second day, hitting all chest targets at 10 meters, with 4 shots hitting the heart area. This result was much better than his accuracy with a semi-automatic handgun the previous day.

"Jimmy, it seems you have a talent for shooting. Take a break and try the Beretta 92F later," Noah suggested. While Noah practiced shooting nearby, Jimmy sat at the shooting stand, feeling more inclined towards the revolvers after two days of use, especially towards a sense of familiarity with the Smith & Wesson M627 on the table.

Noah stopped after two magazines and asked Jimmy, "Which one feels more comfortable to you?" Jimmy selected two revolvers, and Noah examined them. "Smith & Wesson M627 and Ruger GP100. Which one do you prefer?"

"In terms of shooting, I prefer the Ruger GP100, but for the feel, I like the M627."

"Understood." Noah had another revolver brought over, the Smith & Wesson M686. After trying it, Jimmy said, "I like this one." Noah reminded him that this was the only short-barreled 686 available at the range, in .357 Magnum, and encouraged him to practice more with it.

After some intermittent shooting for almost an hour, Jimmy felt increasingly comfortable with the revolver's recoil, finding it more natural and enjoyable to handle. At the end of the training session, Noah advised Jimmy to expedite his handgun training, as shotguns and M16 rifles were next. He suggested Jimmy buy his own gun, register it at the station as his personal firearm, as the issued Beretta 92F was not suitable for him.

"Okay, do I need to apply for a concealed carry permit?" Jimmy asked.

"Not needed. In our state, police officers are allowed to carry off-duty as long as you have your badge," Noah explained.

"So, in some states, police officers are not allowed to carry off-duty?"

"Yes, each state's Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission has slightly different rules."

"Got it. I'll buy a gun later, for now, I'll use the issued one."

"Noah, is our department's policy this relaxed? Can officers use different guns? How are the bullets handled if I use my own gun? Can I get reimbursed for them?"

"What are you thinking? Of course not. If you use your own gun, you'll receive a small firearm subsidy, but you'll still have to pay a lot. Using the issued gun is less complicated. Based on your performance with the guns these past two days, you clearly have a talent for revolvers, with a much higher hit rate compared to the 92F."

"I understand. I'll practice for a while longer before buying one, try out a few more guns, and test my shooting talent."