Monday, June 11, 2012

Retrainer

Today began our annual retrainer, where we LE types go thru the paces and renew our certifications for the year.  POST council demands that police officers be trained and display a certain level of proficiency in their jobs.  Today we started with firearms, the service auto, whatever backup handguns we might want to carry,   Then the shotgun and the patrol rifle. 

What that means for an old cop like me is that I get to hang out with my buddies, tell lies, and shoot the Sheriff's ammunition.  In short order I had qualified with my handguns, along with the rest of the  bunch, then we fired the shotguns, went to lunch, then came back for backup pistols and patrol rifle.

Part of using the range is brass pickup afterwards, and police officers understand that beginning in academy.  There is no rank exemption, if you shoot, you pick up brass.  That's okay and part of the program.  Today I took a range bag downrange during the pickup and while picking up brass, made sure that the range was thoroughly clean before we left.  By some weird coincidence, that bag full of range brass somehow got into my pickup truck, all calibers that I happen to reload.  Odd coincidence, that.

Still, all the brass is sorted, all the firearms are clean and put away and PawPaw will soon declare happy hour.  I've spent all day in the company of good people, I've shot a lot of ammo I didn't have to buy or reload, and cmae home to spend the rest of the afternoon with Milady.  It was hot out there, and I'm sure that I reek, but if it was possible to reek happiness that's what I'd be reeking.

It's been a very good day.

1 comment:

Titan Mk6B said...

There is someone here in town that was an instructor at a police range. He has 55 gal. barrels of brass. Sells it for only .03 per piece.

1000 pieces of once fired nickle plated .357 mag. for $30. My kind of deal.