Welp, I’m a member of a gun club now. This is a sentence I never thought I would write at this age, if ever. But a bunch of events happened around the same time that sealed the deal for me:

First, about a month ago I completed the [concealed carry course](https://www.brianjohnson.tv/blog/2022/1/20/concealed-carry-course-review), then a few weeks ago I learned a bunch of interesting tips in a [self defense class](https://brianjohnson.tv/blog/2022/02/12/review-flashlight-and-other-less-than-lethal-defense) hosted at the gun club. Finally, I got my permit in the mail and bought a [gun](https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/mp-m20?sku=13567). Since I drive near a gun club almost every night of the week for my kids’ extracurricular activities, I figured I should stop by to learn more about membership options.

The staff was extremely helpful and friendly. They probably spent 30 minutes giving me a tour of the place, answering questions, and (gently) selling me on the advantages of a membership. It definitely is one of those memberships where even if you only use it two times a month, it is a better deal than just walking in off the street and shooting. Plus, I'm the kind of person who guilts myself endlessly if I spend money on something I don't use.

Anyways, I had a pretty decent first round of shooting with the new pistol. These hits were from about 15 feet away:

![](images/target1.png)