Atlas Gym Shooting Range [Wednesday Afternoon]

[faithandscience.livejournal.com]

Apparently, it had come to the attention of one John Watson that there were areas of William's education that were severely lacking. Areas that it would probably be useful to have some experience in if he were to be spending a significant amount of time in the company of Sherlock Holmes.

Namely, William had no idea how to shoot a gun.

So, after his shift at Fixer-Uppers, he made his way to the fitness centre, which apparently was also host to a shooting range. Time to fix that particular oversight, apparently.

[ooc: for the aforementioned, but open atlas is open.]

Comments

[justhisblogger.livejournal.com]

"Right." John had brought his own service pistol with him, cleaned and ready. He still felt a bit odd, teaching a teenager how to shoot, but William reminded him entirely too much of Sherlock to let him go unprotected.

He took the pistol out, and laid it down in front of him. "First, get a good look at the weapon. Safety, trigger, barrel."

[faithandscience.livejournal.com]

William had been doing a bit of reading, because... well, because he was always going to be doing a bit of reading, so he knew the general principles. Or thought he did, anyway. But books were one thing, and seeing an actual firearm up close was another.

He, well... poked at it, for lack of a better word, a bit gingerly. "Is it loaded already?" he had to ask.

[justhisblogger.livejournal.com]

"No," John said, sliding a clip out of his pocket. "This goes in shortly," he said, and laid it down next to the pistol. "Pick up the gun. Remember not to point it at anything you're not planning to put a bullet in."

[faithandscience.livejournal.com]

"Of course," William nodded solemnly, picking up the pistol and making sure to keep it pointed in the direction of the targets. Unloaded or not, he was inclined to take the instructions seriously. "Is there much in the way of recoil?"

[justhisblogger.livejournal.com]

"There is always some to brace yourself for," John said, and picked up the clip. "Keep a wide stance."

[faithandscience.livejournal.com]

William did as instructed- perhaps a bit too wide, in fact. "And is there really a way to match fired bullets to ones still inside a gun?" ...Remember all that reading he'd been doing? Yeah.

[justhisblogger.livejournal.com]

"Yes."

Though don't ask John how that all worked, precisely. He was a doctor, not a forensics expert. "But that's not really my area. Take the clip, put it in."

[faithandscience.livejournal.com]

William looked, for a moment, as if he was going to ask more anyway, but then thought better of it. Picking up the clip, he loaded the pistol after a bit of fumbling.

[justhisblogger.livejournal.com]

"Now bring your feet a little closer together," John instructed, glancing down at William's (too wide) stance. "Then point it at your target. Make a steady line of your arm."

[faithandscience.livejournal.com]

William shuffled his feet slightly, and brought the gun up to face the target. The steady was... not so much.

"Sorry," he said apologetically. A deep breath, a tightening of his grip, and a steadier hand. "Like this?" he checked.

[justhisblogger.livejournal.com]

"Yes," John said, following the line of his hand. "You'll get steadier as time, er, goes on. Now, when you fire, don't pull the trigger. Squeeze gently. And don't keep your finger on the trigger unless you intend to fire."

[faithandscience.livejournal.com]

"All right." William braced himself, bit his lip, and fired the gun.

It... hit the target. Sort of. At the very edge.

"It appears," William said slowly, "that I am not a born marksman." Of course, as with anything else he took an interest in, he was determined to keep at it until he'd perfected the skill.