M1A SOCOMs are loud. Or at least that is the impression I am getting. The below is an actual exchange from the range:

Me: *shooting for the first time since two new guys got to the lane next to mine*
Guy 1: ...the hell?!
Guy 2: SOCOM.
Guy 1: Oh...

Sights that cannot keep zeros are problematic. Remember a while back, I purchased a BSA red-dot sight. Unfortunately, this is a case of "you get what you pay for" - I paid all of 30 dollars for it, and it is performing about as well as you would expect for that price. First off, out of the box, it was high and left by about six inches on both counts - it was rather amusing, after a fashion, since I was aiming at the center target of five, and hitting the upper left one almost perfectly. I was able to get it zeroed, and then, mid-string, it just cut out on me. Off the rail it came, dismantled a bit, reassembled, and everything seemed fine. Back together, back on the rail, and back to being about three inches high and left - only the adjustment screws had not moved at all. Explain to me how that works? A bit more fiddling, and it is near enough to zero, but with enough variance that I am a bit concerned that it will not hold. And, of course, every time I remove the sight to clean the gun or replace its battery or for whatever reason, I will have to start all over again. Is that normal? Admittedly, this is my first rifle and first accessory sight, so I honestly have no idea, but that seems all manner of headache-inducing. By the same token, what is a better sight than the BSA? Yes, I know, an EOTech or Aimpoint, but those are still out of my price-range... was thinking something sub-$100, but still capable of holding a zero. No magnification is required, and red-dot is not even required, just something better than the not-so-useful iron sights on the M1A - and, yes, my accuracy did improve noticeably with the red-dot over the irons, at least when the former was close to zeroed. Yeah, I know, the whole, "But it's 30 bucks!" thing did not work out... go ahead... rub it in.

Speaking of accessories, a sling would help a lot. The M1A SOCOM II is heavy, there is no way around it... all of that accessory metal up forward gives it a pretty substantial nose inclination. Something tells me wrapping my arm in a sling might help a little - hell, it does with just about any rifle, why not this one? I am liking the set up Dirtcrashr has put together, but he has the advantage of working from an AR-15-pattern platform, so the butt mount of his sling can go... well, pretty much wherever he wants. Mine is limited to either the integral ventral mount that all M1As and M-14s have, or buying one of those strange butt-diaper-strap units, and I am not so fond of the latter option, as you might have guessed. Will have to think on it some... Who knows, the tacticool goodness of the SOCOM II may be violated by a vintage milsurp web strap... Or maybe one of those shiny Cadex grips over at Viking Tactics... would at least give me a better hand-hold. Of course, first, I would have to move out of the People's Republic of Kalifornistan to a reasonable, rational state where one is legally allowed to put a forward grip (or, horror of horrors, a pistol grip) on a rifle...

Shoot the pistol first. I dunno about the rest of you all, but trying to shoot pistol after shooting a hundred-odd rounds of rifle is just not doable for me. My right shoulder comes out of the rifle experience a wee bit sore, and the rest of the muscles in my arms are a bit worn out from supporting the thing, compensating for it, and trying to keep still. On the plus side, even the Baby Eagle felt like a feather after shooting the M1A for a while.

Misconceptions about guns are more plentiful than bullets. Especially these days, given the price of ammunition. Anywise, while I was out in the shop section of Iron Sights, a girl was looking in the pistol case, and said, "So which of these has the least chance of putting me on my ass?" In a credit to the salesperson, he was able to keep a straight face, and point her towards the 9mm/.22 section. Of course, five minutes later, she asked, "So which has worse kick, a Glock XX or XX?" I do not remember the numbers, but they were both 9mm... and, thankfully, no one saw my smile as I headed for the range. I know I should not laugh at ignorance, but her education seemed well in-hand between the salesperson and her boyfriend (Marine-ish, from the looks of him), and I was more amused at the Hollywood stereotypes showing through. Fact is, a 12-year-old could probably handle a 9mm with relative ease, assuming the grip was small enough for them... but to anyone not familiar with firearms except through the media and the news... well, you and I both know the ideas they would get.

Wardrobe is important at the range. It is always said that women should avoid wearing anything low-cut, or really cut at all, at a range... being an organic brass-catcher is rarely adviseable. And while my Better Half may fall out of her chair upon reading this, I might just avoid wearing comfortably-baggy pants to the range in the future. I was sighting in the M1A using its bipod set up on the lane bench, and sitting on a stool myself, and occasionally, brass would happen to land in what could be an uncomfortable location if I left it there too long. Distracting, that.

Baby Eagles are filthy little things. Again, this is my first pistol, so this may be the case for all firearms, but I swear, this thing must have exhaust vents spraying every which-way. I disassemble it for cleaning, and the entire trough of the lower section is filthy (even the guiderod... how does that work?), much less the rest of the gun. Great pistol, and I have been very happy with it over the years, but sometimes I just want to stuff it in the dishwasher.

Alignment of cleaning supplies matters. That Militec stuff I got a while back worked like a charm on the M1A - in fact, the barrel looked pretty damn clean right afterwards, unlike the Baby Eagle, which had fouling all up and down the barrel, and shot probably half as many rounds. Oh, and the rifle shot Serbian milsurp ammunition (so God alone knows the quality), while the pistol was fed Winchester White Box. That said, I made the mistake of storing the Militec sideways, in a ziplock bag, in an ammo can. The last bit was a saving grace - what leaked never made it out of the can. It did, however, strip labels off things, and now the inside of the can has a healthy sheen. Note to self - store upright, in the future.

Traffic sucks. Just a general-purpose observation.

Surprisingly, after not having shot anything for about eight or nine months, my accuracy really was not that bad. Not terrific, mind you, but not atrocious. Now if only I had the funds to keep up and improve on the practice, and maybe snag a toy or two in the process...