Shooting My LTC Instructor Qual in a Tornado

My LTC Instructor license is up for renewal before the end of the year, so earlier this week we went to the range to take care of the shooting portion. It was overcast when we left. The forecast called for some rain but the weather map didn’t look too bad so we figured the weather would hold until we finished. We were wrong.

It’s about a 40-minute drive to the range, and then takes about 30 minutes to setup the equipment, measure and mark distances, affix targets and dial-in cameras. By the time we ready to go a steady rain had started and the wind was picking up. A look at the clouds had us thinking this was not going to blow over soon and we had to choose - shoot anyway or pack up and go home. I decided to shoot anyway.

I had steadied the target stand with an 8lb sandbag, but before we could start the wind blew it over. I reset it, put a second sandbag on it and checked the cameras again. Now the wind and rain were really picking up. A strong gust came along and ripped the target off the cardboard backer. Then a stronger gust blew the target completely over despite both sandbags. I put it all back together again and we hurriedly started the pistol round of the qual.

In all, the wind blew the target over a half-dozen times, and ripped the target partially or completely off the backer three to four times before we could complete the required courses of fire. But we kept going. Everything was soaked and soggy - me, the gun, ammo, targets, everything. My certification instructor (Claudia) was standing beside me trying to hold an umbrella to keep the timer dry, but the wind blew it out of her hands.

It turned out that, while I was shooting, a tornado touched down about a mile down the road. There was no lightning in the area, just driving rain and wind gusts in the 25 to 35 mph range (my estimate.)

In the end I shot 249 of the possible 250 on both pistol and revolver courses. I tried to video the whole affair but the cameras malfunctioned - maybe due to rain/water or maybe due to my error. I don’t know, but they didn’t work and I didn’t get any image/video. Too bad. It would have made a good conversation starter.