Moon Island

[kimmie1911]

Boston and Brookline (which allows BGRA in Dorchester to administer the test) are the only 2 towns, I believe, that require the idiotic range qualification test for your LTC. Boston is outdoors at Moon Island. Right on the water. 12 rounds at 7 yards one hand and 18 rounds at 15 yards with an antique 38sp revolver with a 13????(feels like 50) pound trigger. It's really not a difficult COF but I don't shoot a revolver often, in the middle of the winter, on the water, with a bunch of cops on my shoulder, where failing means losing my license, so I've been practicing for the past couple of months in preparation for a test that getting my license renewed, hinges on. I only needed a score of 210 to pass which, if I put every shot in the 8ring, I'd be good. Can you say stress????? I have to say that everytime I've been out there (this is my 3rd time), they've been extremely nice and pleasant. The first time I shot in a blizzard with 30mph wind gusts. The 2nd time it was a monsoon and my glasses were fogged the entire time. Today was the best day ever that I've been out there. Cloudy but not too cold or windy. Again, they were all really nice and mostly concered with safe gun handling. Lot's of laughing and joking. Once they discovered I was an instructor (not sure how that slipped out), they started devising courses of fire for me where I had to do cartwheels down the range or shoot over my shoulder. Not funny. I then became worried about embarrasing myself. Anyway, in the end, alls well. They let us shoot the 12 rounds at 7 yards with 2 hands double action. I did the 18 rounds at 15 yards double action too. I really wanted a perfect score of 300. I'm happy with my 273. I don't think the gun I was using had ever been cleaned and after my first 6 shots, it started binding. The flyer and most of the 8 ring shots were at the end where I could barely squeeze the trigger. I started to ask for a different gun but I knew I only had one off the target and I just wanted to be done at that point! Woohoooo - don't have to do that again for 6 more years!

 

[richc]

Kimmie, that sucks... Good luck!!!!

 

[kimmie1911]

Kimmie, that sucks... Good luck!!!!

Thanks! It was a mentally draining experience. But I'm good! I passed! Now the wait for the license.

 

[enbloc]

.

 

[SamH]

I didn't know Boston required the Moon Island test even for renewals.

What a city.

 

[bill o]

Congrats on being allowed to keep your LTC. Looking forward to the day when this test goes the way of the poll tax.

 

[Sir_Macadoo]

Nice work! I took my first test at Moon island in the dead of Februrary during a real winter. It was cold, drizzling and windy - that cold, ear cutting wind. The cops where nice enough - but they did ask me and the other two guys being tested that day to "make it quick." Understandibly, it was fahqing cold. Archiac licensing requirement.

 

[vellnueve]

I thought that test was a freaking joke. I shot 281 without much effort.

 

[bill o]

Nice work! I took my first test at Moon island in the dead of Februrary during a real winter. It was cold, drizzling and windy - that cold, ear cutting wind. The cops where nice enough - but they did ask me and the other two guys being tested that day to "make it quick." Understandibly, it was fahqing cold. Archiac licensing requirement.

It's bullshit that they said that to you.

 

[bill o]

I thought that test was a freaking joke. I shot 281 without much effort.

It's not a freaking joke for arthritics with January birthdays.

 

[M1911]

I had a student who gave up without ever taking the test. She was an older woman going through chemo and would have had to take the test in February. She didn't have a lot hand strength, didn't normally shoot a revolver, and couldn't face being outside in February. So the test worked .

 

[kimmie1911]

I thought that test was a freaking joke. I shot 281 without much effort.

Well good for you. You should have got a 300 then. I'm a 57 year old woman with osteo arthritis in most of the fingers of my strong hand and not a lot of hand strength. My competition gun has a 1 1/2 pound trigger. If I used that, there would be no x ring left. I made a previous post about how discriminatory this range test is. Senior citizens, people with arthritis and many other disabilities. It can be challenging to a lot of people. Not every one is young, strong and virile. But we all deserve the right to bear arms and it shouldn't be based on our ability to shoot an antique revolver with a 13 pound trigger in a blizzard.

 

[jasons]

They really should change the name to Moonbat Island.

 

[kimmie1911]

I had a student who gave up without ever taking the test. She was an older woman going through chemo and would have had to take the test in February. She didn't have a lot hand strength, didn't normally shoot a revolver, and couldn't face being outside in February. So the test achieved worked .

Absolutely, I've had the same thing happen. Basically, the weak and vulnerable don't get to be able to protect themselves.

 

[Palladin]

I remember when they'd hand you the revolver and if you didn't ask for them to open the cylinder before they gave it to you, you'd fail!!
That came down from the commish, little d, at the time.

 

[bill o]

Well good for you. You should have got a 300 then. I'm a 57 year old woman with osteo arthritis in most of the fingers of my strong hand and not a lot of hand strength. ...

+1. When shooters boast about how easy the test is, I see that as equivalent to supporting the requirement.

 

[M1911]

Absolutely, I've had the same thing happen. Basically, the weak and vulnerable don't get to be able to protect themselves.

Yup. The whole thing really pissed me off. This poor woman was dying. She probably had only a couple years left (max) and limited emotional energy and needed to spend it on her highest priorities. Her guns had sentimental meaning to her, and she wanted to keep them until she passed on and then they would be inherited by her daughter. But because of the #$!!@~!% Boston PD, she couldn't live the way she wanted to.

I completely understand and respect her decision, but I really hated the outcome. I felt (and still feel) so bad for her, but there was nothing more that I could do.

As for the test itself, for a practiced revolver shooter with medium to large sized hands, good hand strength, and decent vision, it isn't too hard. But if you have small hands, or weak hands, or never shoot revolvers, or have presbyopia, then it might be impossible for you.

 

[GaryO]

They should make Menino go out there in the winter to take the test. Ultimately he is the one responsible for the foolish Boston rules so he shoud be held to the same standards as everyone else.

 

[drgrant]

The whole thing is a rig-job to try to reduce the number of licensees in the city. It's ****ing atrocious.

-Mike

 

[vellnueve]

Well good for you. You should have got a 300 then. I'm a 57 year old woman with osteo arthritis in most of the fingers of my strong hand and not a lot of hand strength. My competition gun has a 1 1/2 pound trigger. If I used that, there would be no x ring left. I made a previous post about how discriminatory this range test is. Senior citizens, people with arthritis and many other disabilities. It can be challenging to a lot of people. Not every one is young, strong and virile. But we all deserve the right to bear arms and it shouldn't be based on our ability to shoot an antique revolver with a 13 pound trigger in a blizzard.

I'm not disagreeing with you in any way - and I've seen you shoot and know that you would have wrecked this with a USPSA rig. This test shouldn't exist.

 

[RIFLEMAN1000]

Took the test years ago and sounds like it the same damn revolver . The whole test was retarded and i often wondered if you failed the shooting part would they hold back you LTC until you passed of did you have to go through the whole bullshit from the start again . God i Love the City Of Boston

 

[Len-2A Training]

Well good for you. You should have got a 300 then. I'm a 57 year old woman with osteo arthritis in most of the fingers of my strong hand and not a lot of hand strength. My competition gun has a 1 1/2 pound trigger. If I used that, there would be no x ring left. I made a previous post about how discriminatory this range test is. Senior citizens, people with arthritis and many other disabilities. It can be challenging to a lot of people. Not every one is young, strong and virile. But we all deserve the right to bear arms and it shouldn't be based on our ability to shoot an antique revolver with a 13 pound trigger in a blizzard.

Congrats Donna!

I fully agree. No way that my Wife would ever be able to pass this test. She has hand problems as well. Luckily we don't have to deal with it, but I'd love to see an ADA action against the City for this test.

The whole thing is a rig-job to try to reduce the number of licensees in the city. It's ****ing atrocious.

-Mike

Precisely correct.

Took the test years ago and sounds like it the same damn revolver . The whole test was retarded and i often wondered if you failed the shooting part would they hold back you LTC until you passed of did you have to go through the whole bullshit from the start again . God i Love the City Of Boston

They allow at least one re-test with nothing more than another Moon Island appointment. Don't know what happens if you fail that too. I teach people to pass this test and all my students do, so I have no useful feedback on repeat failures (thankfully).

I'm certain that many people forgo the LTC rather than subject themselves to this "test". And that makes Mumbles and Snoopy Dog Davis smile and feel all warm and fuzzy.

 

[S. Kelly]

"antique 38sp revolver "? It's a Ruger Speed Six from 1987. Probably one of the best revolvers ever made.

 

[Admin]

I wonder how many Boston and Brookline LEO's have failed the b.s. test.

 

[atmay]

"antique 38sp revolver "? It's a Ruger Speed Six from 1987. Probably one of the best revolvers ever made.

Oh. Well, then. I guess that makes it all OK.

 

[bill o]

"antique 38sp revolver "? It's a Ruger Speed Six from 1987. Probably one of the best revolvers ever made.

 

[jasons]

Oh. Well, then. I guess that makes it all OK.

Come on, it's a privilege to go to Moonbat Island and shoot that historical relic.

 

[kimmie1911]

"antique 38sp revolver "? It's a Ruger Speed Six from 1987. Probably one of the best revolvers ever made.

I'll agree they're decent guns. When they're maintained. The one I used this morning was not. I own an older Reuger .357 revolver but it's had trigger work done to it, a grip that fits my hand, and it's cleaned everytime I use it. I was able to work through it today at Moon Island but someone with little shooting experience may not be able to and may fail because of it. The officer agreed and took it out of service when I was done. He said they get a lot of use and not a lot of cleaning. And it's still a heavy trigger for people with poor hand/finger strength and even worse if you have small hands.

@ Len S - per Lt. Harrington, you get 2 tries at Moon Island and then you have to reapply after some 'remedial' training. His words. I don't know if that means another safety course and another $100 application fee, or not. I doubt the repeat safety course but I bet they charge you another hundred dollars.

 

[kimmie1911]

I'm not disagreeing with you in any way - and I've seen you shoot and know that you would have wrecked this with a USPSA rig. This test shouldn't exist.

 

[Lamina]

"antique 38sp revolver "? It's a Ruger Speed Six from 1987. Probably one of the best revolvers ever made.

Are you defending the test or nitpicking a "fact"?

87 was a quarter century ago. In more than one circle, that's considered antique.