Most Dangerous Game

Shooting is one of those cataclysmically testosterone laden "sports" that it is considered wholly unmanly to say you don't like. Or that after trying, you simply with not to participate further in.

This in mind, I absolutely love it. It's quite a rush when a small explosion leaves the cradled steel centered in the palm of your hand and decimates the piece of paper at the end of the line. The .40 Caliber Smith and Wesson round was a joy to fire, but the .357 sig round was the real winner in my hand.

There is a small problem, however. The used firearm that I purchased from Gander Mountain is malfunctioning, making it wholly unsafe for a target shooting pistol, much less a carry weapon. In 200 rounds, the weapon mis-fired more than 20 times. It is also not sighted correctly, or the barrel sits down and right. Markings on the barrel indicate that this might be more than a problem.

Yes, I did clean and lubricate it prior to shooting.

I can only hope that Gander will take this pistol as a return credit towards the purchase of another weapon. I wholly enjoyed shooting (as I once did), and hope to clear away the bad habits that 5 years away from a range has seen me develop. I'm back to flinching again, which another trip to the range should alleviate. My muzzle control requires a bit of work, since I'm over compensating due to the action of the pistol. The slide forces the pistol up, the explosion back, where a rifle is mostly just back.

A couple of good things remained: My grouping at 25 yards is tight enough that the rounds enter on top of other hits, at 40 yards, this extends out to 4 inches or so, but I, after learning where the weapon should be pointed in relation to the sight, was able to consistently hit the bulls-eye (I mean the X, not the circle).

Overall, I really enjoy the Sig P229, but am sad to say that it has to go. It's a fantastic carry weapon, but given my situation, I doubt I'll be able to buy a Sig used again.