New gun owner, needs help

[CrabPirate]

This is my first post, and I apologize for the title, I really didn't have a clue what to name this post. Here is my problem, I live around Braintree, and I've thus far heard nothing but praise (both from the forums and from Don from Hunter's Trading Post, Weymouth), but i was woundering if there would be anyway for me to try the facility, as the closest public range is 40+ miles from me and I just bought my first gun. (Auto Ordnance 1911A1 Parkerized brand new, and yes it has an AOA serial) Aside from a friendly open place to learn more about firearms, I obviously need a place to improve my marksmenship. I have a relatively decent grasp of the nomenclature but am a much more visual learner, and the atmosphere at home is one of anti-gun-tasticness (bare with my made-up word)
So when I need help, I have to essentially search the internet and ask friends of mine that have any knowledge. This is a bit of a problem since those friends aren't ushually around. I intend to get a membership at the braintree facility, but not untill around christmas. I want to fire my 1911 ASAP, so that if something is wrong with it, the warranty of the shop won't have expired.

wow that's a mouthful, ok let me try and summarize;
would any of the braintree members on this board consider taking me under their wing for a day, as a guest, I would be more than willing to compensate for gas, fees, even their ammunition costs, I just don't want to have wasted 600 dollars on a broken firearm.

Any and all help is appreciated, if my request is looked down upon or considered a fo pau, please tell me, I'm trying to pick this up as best I can.

Thanks,
-James

 

[Moderator]

Hello James, Welcome to the forum. There are a few members of Braintree that post here. I am sure somebody can help you.

 

[Cross-X]

You might want to PM LenS -- he is a longtime, active member of that fine club, and a helluva nice guy to boot!

 

[Len-2A Training]

You might want to PM LenS -- he is a longtime, active member of that fine club, and a helluva nice guy to boot!

Thanks for the compliments Darius.

Welcome to the forum James, we hope you enjoy it here.

Regrettably I've been rather absent at BR&P this Summer and that will be continuing for at least another month due to other obligations. When I showed up for the ROs' meeting last week, a number of members asked me if everything was alright since they hadn't seen me in so long!

So currently I'm not in a position to invite folks to join me at BR&P to show them around and/or shoot right now.

I'll be working as RO this Saturday, but have to fly out of there as soon as my shift is over as we have an outing to go to the same day.

James, my suggestion is to drop over the club on any Sunday morning. There are usually a number of folks at the club and the gate is open. Most of us are more than happy to show someone around the facilities and answer any questions. Since there are strict rules for guests shooting (read all the rules on the www.brp.org website) whereby the member must supervise the guest directly, someone may accommodate you but don't be insulted if someone else were to defer. A number of members hang out at the clubhouse to chit-chat with others so they may not even have eyes and ears with them at any given time.

As for joining around Christmas, you won't be able to do that until the 2nd Sunday in January. Every prospective member must sit thru a club rules/safety orientation that is only held on most 2nd Sunday AM. However since our Annual Meeting is on the 2nd Sunday in December, there is no new member class that month. Like you, I had wanted to join in December (1998), but had to wait until January (1999) due to this.

 

[firtree]

As an aside, if you just want to check your new pistol out
AFS in North Attleboro is only 30 minutes away and you could
rent a lane for an hour.

F

 

[CrabPirate]

Hey, thanks everyone I ended up going to the AFS and trying out my 1911. Shoots like a dream, it's my first "true" firearm, in the sense that Its new. I had a really good time, and it was amazing, not too much recoil, very controllable. My only issue is the trigger feels sort of rigid. i don't want to replace it, as i like the parkerized old timey feel of the weapon, will this eventually remedy itself? I fired a glock in 40 SW and the trigger pull was smooth, I kind of had to force this trigger, I stilled managed decent groupings at 50 feet but my trigger pull was clearly a bit violent.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

The trigger pull of a 1911 has much more to do with internal parts (hammer, sear, mainspring, sear spring) than the trigger itself. Service grade 1911s tend to come with mediocre triggers. Any competent gunsmith should be able to do this for you.

 

[Cross-X]

One great gunsmith is Greg Derr in Marshfield. He is a member of NES. His screen name is GregDerr. Shoot him a PM.

Darius

 

[Arioch]

One great gunsmith is Greg Derr in Marshfield. He is a member of NES. His screen name is GregDerr. Shoot him a PM.

Darius

And Greg is a hell of a shooter, along with being a really nice guy.