Life has happened to many ways I wasn't expecting the last few years. I became severely depressed...
In the last 2 days I have shot over a hundred pellets at cans, tomatoes, cans with holes, the leg of a metal chair about 30 yards out, ragweed (cool reactive target), my rusty old smoker, the handle on (well, off of) my rusty old smoker about 25 yards out, you name it... Well I didn't shoot the car. I made sure to split the load of cocking effort, 10 times right arm, 10 times left arm, repeat. I tried different front sight apertures and found I like the dot if my nomenclature is correct
I can not believe how much better my whatever is, whatever I have spent on airguns in the last year is a bargain in comparison to how much a head doctor would have charged... Although he would have prescribed plinking if he was on top of his game.
And, thanks for putting up with my OCD posting behaviors.
For fun reactive targets and a real challenge, find yourself a pond with cattails. Here's the challenge part: use a BB gun to avoid putting lead in the pond. When you hit a cattail, it gives a VERY satisfying puff of fluff, and each one can take many hits. Great way to spend a fall afternoon.
teleamp,?
I'm glad you are part of our community!
We all struggle with things at times, "life" being a the top of the list.
?Airgunning is a help to you during depression.
And for me airgunning has helped me against workaholism — for decades I had no hobby, no real "play time" — work and work alone was my hobby.
? For years I condemmed virtual friendships (social networks). I classified them as "less than normal" and "less than healthy." (And sure, face-to-face relationships are extremely important.)
BUT now look at our world, a year and a half into the pandemic!!:
All my classes are virtual. All my work meetings and committees are virtual. Meetings with friends are virtual. We even "eat virtually together." Church meets virtually.
And where I live (Peru) it's been like that since March (not 2021, but the year before that!).
And it will still be mostly like that till the following year. ?
⭐ ➔ So, yeah, I have enjoyed the virtual community of airgunners on different forums worldwide, each forum with their very own flavor and emphasis. ?
? teleamp, hang in there. Don't give up. I believe in a God who has a plan, even if my own didn't work out.
Matthias
PS: Do me a favor. Today go out and shoot something! ?
I have to agree. Therapy is my main reason for shooting. It helps me de stress. I don't take it too seriously. If I hit my target I grin, if I miss, I just load and shoot again. And, like you said the forum is just a group of friends shooting the breeze about airguns.
David Enoch
Don't know how many times I've said this, but it is true: Best part of airgunning is the airgunner community.
🙂
Glad to hear that:
1.- You have recognized the problem
2.- Taken steps to have your needs met effectively
3.- Asked for help
4.- Appreciated the help you have been given
All these are steps to get the community "fabric" more closely linked and working better as a support structure.
Like Matthias, I used to think that depression was something that happened to others; then I gave refuge to a niece and her condition has taught us all (even the 4 and 5 YO's) that the mind is a powerful thing, for both: better and worse.
Keep a positive attitude and read on "DBT" (Dialectic Behaviour Therapy), it will give you a lot of pointers and skills to pre-cope (have the energy, resources, and focus, to change the things you CAN change), cope (Change those things you CAN) and finally accept (wisdom to know) that there are things that are out of your control, and therefore you cannot change.
Congrats on taking head on the rest of your life.
😉
HM
Well said, Hector!
My friends, plinking is it is, pure joy no worry be happy. I plinked today, yesterday and tomorrow I will, if alive. Happy plinking life! ?
Teleamp
The amount of focus needed to achieve a great target is equal to a chess match IMO. The concentration and breathing are like doing meditation. The added anticipation gives one Hope...even if just for a few seconds. Lol. And the satisfaction of a great target is gratifying and rewarding creating a positive well being.
It's no wonder that you are feeling better about yourself...which is the cure for low self esteem which is the root of most depression.
Being part of a large community of like minded people changed my life view. I can't thank God enough for the Airgun Community!!!! Awesome people! Except for the scammers....there's a hot spot in He'll for them.
I really enjoy plinking.. I got back into air guns about 8 months ago after going to a air gun show here in Ohio. I am now hooked and enjoy shooting my Beeman P1’s and Smith Wesson 78G / 79G I shoot at least 100 rounds a night and really enjoy and destress after a long work day.
Therapy it is indeed what it is on many levels. I also like watching others shoot.very relaxing
wiz
Therapy it is indeed what it is on many levels. I also like watching others shoot.very relaxing
wiz
Therapy it is indeed what it is on many levels. I also like watching others shoot.very relaxing
wiz
I agree... airgunning is very relaxing... and easily done indoors and outdoors... Probably the main reason why I fell in love with airgunning over 30 years ago... I only wish I would have discovered it much sooner !
I've been trying to go out almost every evening after dinner to setup some targets at various distances and shoot until it gets dark.
I'll miss the outdoor shooting once the weather gets cold and snowy, but I still have a 14 yard indoor range to enjoy, but it's mainly paper targets.
I could very easily shoot firearms on my property, but I haven't in many years... mainly because it is not as relaxing !
I hear all kinds of firearms being shot in various areas around me, and it's mainly constant semi-automatic AR-15 shooting... nothing about it makes me want to join in and add more noise to the "neighborhood".
I love reactive targets, and my bell targets... the sound of a bell dinging & ringing once in awhile is kind of soothing... at least to me... doesn't seem to bother my wife either.
Ken,
so great that you have a property large enough for shooting your airguns. ?? Some of us aren't as fortunate.
Enjoy!! ?
An idea — to keep you shooting in the cold months....
Would you be able to put up a tiny shed, just enough to barely fit you and a shooting table, nothing else? Since the shed is so small, you could heat it easily with an electrical heater. And keep shooting comfortably through a small opening pointing down range...! ?
Matthias
@airmojo The sound of the bell ringing once in a while? Sounds like someone I know, nice response.
@jungleshooter I probably could, but I live in the snow belt and get way too much snow... I don't mind the cold so much... dressing for the snow and cold isn't fun either... bad enough when I have to clear snow for a couple of hours or more !
Can't say that I have even shot any of my airguns (rifles or pistols) when it is below 50F... they are mostly spring piston and a few pneumatic pumps.
I do have a detached garage that I have often sat in and shot when it was raining... that's nice to be able to do !
@bf1956 I found some 6-inch bells while treasure hunting with my wife this past weekend... Future airgun bell targets !
Have to order some more 1/4" thick steel angle plate to make some similar to this 4-inch one I recently made... I'll use different size holes.
@airmojo Thats a huge score, those are hard to come by. And thanks for target idea, I will be making some of those. For some reason or other I thiught they had to be in boxes. When I get my head around an Idea it's sometimes hard for me to let go.
@airmojo Neighbor Lady had a set like that on the right. Bells I mean, they were on here barn. She had the barn renovated and they were removed. Caught up with her 1 day and asked what had happened to them thinking I would be able to buy them. No way she would part with them. Surly O'le Gal, it's no wonder she's single. It's a shame I could be spendin here moolah if she would lite'n up some. Just kidding...
@jiminpgh Huh! That's sumthin, when ever I hit 1 They take off like a raped ape.
@bf1956 I have better luck at the "junkier" antique shops... I found the black set first, $27... then later at a different shop, I found the gray set, $15... and while walking across the street I found a $5 bill on the street crosswalk, so I got an even better deal ! ?
A few years ago, I found a 6-inch on a road trip of antique shops at a big warehouse type antique mall... when I went to pay for it the owner said he has another somewhere, and went and got it for me... I think I paid $10 for the both of them.
I buy the steel angle plate from Speedy Metals online... they cut it desired lengths... mine have been 8-inches.
Here is the 1st one that I made using one of the 6-inch bells... I made another just like it, and gave it to my brother... it can be set either vertical or horizontal... these were IBM bells, and I made use of the metal plate that each one was bolted to.
I found the 4" bells on ebay pretty cheap... to use with the steel angle plate that I originally bought for the 1st two 6-inch bells, but they weren't quite the right size, being 3.5" x 3.5".
The next ones will be similar to the 4-inch ones that I just made... I made a "model" of the steel angle plate using cardboard to make sure the dimensions would work, which will be 1/4" x 4" x 4" (8 inch length)... really helps !
I usually just set them on a small cardboard box to elevate them some, and not sitting directly on the ground.
@airmojo Working in the trades most of my life I had access to all sorts of building materials. And at 1 point I was renting an old barn for work shop & storage. Bought a house, had to get rid of barn. Threw my Iron stock pile in the iron dumpster. No place to go with it. Fast forward sveral years later It was hard to get anything off a job(out of the dumpster that is). Got busted a couple of times, damn cameras every where. Oh and if I may? What dia. for the bell hole?
I use various size holes depending on how close or far I want to set the target.
On the 1st two 6" bell targets that I made, I used 1" holes.
On the two 4" ones that I just made, I used a 7/16" hole, and a 3/4" hole.
I had a hard time finding large diameter drill bits... I have a 1 1/4" that I plan to use on at least one of my next ones... got it off ebay.
I had a beater 1" in my tool box, probably found it the first house that I bought... I sharpened it on my one inch belt sander... seemed to work pretty good... oil always helps !
I chamfer the hole with one of those stepped hole drill bits.
I had an idea after someone on the Weihrauch Springer facebook group mentioned to leave the bell loose so the bell doesn't get dented.
I never had one of my steel bells get dented, so I wasn't concerned about that.
What I did was add a compression spring between the bell and the hold down nut... it gives the bell some "wiggle room"... and just tested it... now I get a longer sustained ring, instead of just the DING noise... I wonder if the neighbors will keep looking at their smart phones when I'm out relaxing and shooting my air rifles !
"Ring my Bell".....ya, I like it.Now it is going through my head.Stop! I like that idea,and with a small hole in front of the bell even better ,Great idea......
I don't get depressed,But I have ADD,and shooting is great because it doesn't take long from the time to load,aim fire.....and unless my mind is occupied with multi short "tasks" it will drift.
For sure my mind can cause my shots to drift..........unless I fire within say 3-5 seconds of obtaining target.....that said it is better than depression..
