It was time well overdue for Jonah to learn skills that rightly were more the gunfighter's trade, but were becoming necessary now that he and Leah were openly and officially together. Not that he hadn't had need for defensive tactics in his life -- there'd been plenty of times that he'd found himself in dire situations that required a way out. But he'd used more subtle skills, conning, talking, slipping away in the night, rather than all-out confrontations.
That had worked in the past, but there was more at stake now, and while he could still try obfuscation, he needed to be prepared to use more drastic measures, especially if Leah needed protecting.
Since his talk with Leah after he'd tended to her father's heart problem, he'd gotten serious about training, and had sent a note to her guards, explaining what he wanted, and asking for them to choose a gun that was powerful but small, and to teach him to learn to use it.
As he approached the small house where the men stayed when they weren't trailing Leah, Jonah felt a little silly, as he was carrying a basket and was dressed in simple trousers and shirt, not the slick brocade vests and quality coats he normally wore, but this was not business as usual. Taking a breath, he knocked on the door, hoping the men didn't laugh at him!
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Doc Gilcrest answered Jonah's knock on the door. "Mornin' Doc." He beamed. "Ya know we wuztalkin' 'bout you t'other evenin'. Come on in, ain't much but it'll do." as Jonah stepped in Gilcrest shut the door behind them. "Too derned cold! Now what we decided wuz we agreed on the shoulder rig bein' yer best choice, an' so Colt's got themselves one called a 'Thunderer' in forty-one caliber."
"Mornin' Doc, the best part is, she's double action. Maeanin' you don't gotta cock er first, just squeeze the trigger." Carson greeted. "She's light at twenty-eight ounces, bit less'n two pounds. A bit lighter than than my 'Peacemaker.'"
"The trick fer you bucko is draggin' 'er out an' gettin' that first shot off." Gilcrest said. "Best we head inta town an get whot ya need, then we'll head out a ways an' you kin get started. Yer gonna need you a coat cuz we'll be a while."
Jonah stepped into the warmth of the cabin, nodding to the men there. "Thank you for helping me with this. I've heard of double action but have never handled one."
The guns were faster, probably more reliable, since the very action of cocking back the hammer shifted the aim of the gun. But they could be prone to jamming, although designs were improving.
"I appreciate the help, especially now that I have Leah's safety to consider..." He didn't care about himself so much, if it wasn't for Leah, he would be just as happy to cut and run if something happened. But things had changed.
"All right, then, let's get to town and find what we need, I've got a jacket on my saddle."
Storyteller / Shared NPC
With the gun shop still closed they went to the Mercantile which had a nice array of firearms, from pistols to rifles and shotguns. The Andersons also kept gun leather on hand from a local maker, so, if there were no shoulder rigs available, they could get one made to measure for him.
"Gentlemen, Doctor Danforth." Mary Agness Anderson greeted. "What can we do for you?"
"The Doc here needs him a Colt Thundered, the forty-one caliber double action," Gilcrest stated.
"And a shoulder rig to go with it." Carson added. "We're gonna teach him to shoot better than he can already, Ain't that right Doc?"
Well now, seems that could be a talent a man might need in this day and age." She agreed. "We have two in stock, a nickel-plated model, and a regular blued model. The nickel in twenty-two fifty, the blue steel, twenty dollars even." She started down the counter to where the glass case was. "We have pearl grips on the Nickel, bone on the blue, but we can get you whichever you want in the way of grips." She took both out of the case and laid them on the counter.
"Go ahead Doctor, heft them, see which you think feels the best." She stated with a smile.
Blued or nickle, Jonah really had no preference, as long as it got the job done and was hearty. Really, more of an issue were the grips and how they felt in his hand.
First, he picked up the pearl-handled revolver, checking that it was unloaded before raising it and testing the weight and feel. A bit big for his hand, a little awkward to hold.
But the walnut grips felt better, he was able to get a more secure hold on them, and he glanced at his teachers. "This is it, I like they way it feels. Now, mind you, if it doesn't shoot straight, that's not my fault!"
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Good choice, the nickel' a bit showy, an' the feel is the thing," Gilcrest opined. "Shootin' straight ain't on the iron s=on, it's on the body pullin' the trigger. But that whot ya got us for."
"Dern tootin', an' I guarantee you'll have no problem hittin' what ya aim for. We'' make sure'a that Doc." Carson pledged. "You'll be much closer ta Miss Steelgrave than any of us, so we need ta make sure that you can shoot, hit what ya aim at, an' know what ya might look for. But we need ta git ya a holster fer that 'un."
"Well then, we have. Did you say shoulder holsters?" She asked, and all three nodded they had. I've got two rights and a left. Which'll it be?" Mary Agness asked. "Now, if what we have needs to be fitted better, ol' Clancey Himass can do that. or even build you a new one if you want. They're two dollars, the pistol is Twenty, and a box of cartridges at fifty cents makes it twenty-two fifty."
"Best we have two boxes for now." Carson said. "Practice."
"Alright then, that would be twenty-three dollars even, but with the discount, fifteen." She looked Jonah in the eye, "You learn fast Doctor, we need her and you for that hospital, and you be sure to tell old Boone we got that hard candy he likes."
"Oh, well, I..." Jonah was taken aback by the generous discount and nodded appreciation. "I'm right handed, so that will do." He glanced at the men. "Never used a shoulder holster, so that'll take some practice."
Heck, he really wasn't accustomed to wearing a holster at all, so it was really something they'd have to work on.
He handed the money to Mrs. Anderson, took the gun and holster then asked, "Now what? I'm sure the Marshal won't like us shooting up the town!" He laughed.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Both Gilcrest and Carson laughed as the left the mercantile. "Nope, we got us a spot a ways out from the house. Far enough it don't hardly disturb nobody. We got us a box with cans an' bottles what we use as targets."
"At least it ain't rainin'! Hard ta concentrate when yer cold an' wet. So cold'll be the problem, that an' you'll not be wearin' no coat at first. Ya gotta get the hang of pullin' from yer across yer body." Carson explained, "Ain't hard, just not naturally easy, at first. But you'll get the hang of it. Might not do much shootin', maybe two 'er tree loads so ya get a real feel for how she reacts."
"Ain't like ever gun has its own feelin', but, yer pistol has that birdshead grip, which some folks like real well, an' that's differn't that a reg'ler grip. But a forty-one won't buck like say a forty-four, or a forty-five. But every gun bucks in the hand some. You'll see." Gilcrest said as they climbed aboard their mounts and started out.
"I've handled firearms in the past," Jonah defended, not wanting them to look at him as helpless. "I'm passing good, but I just try to avoid direct confrontation when I can."
Since coming to Kalispell he hadn't had any confrontations, hadn't had any cause to run, or hide, and now that he thought on it, it was nice. Yet another reason to stay on this path that Leah had set him on from the very beginning.
"Of course, you are right, a clean draw is essential to getting off a clean shot, so I will take any advice you have."
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Yer Right, Doc, and it ain't speed, it's acc'racy what counts." Carson replied.
It was a good mile and a half from town into the trees where a clearing was next to a creek running through, angling off to the south. A log sat where it was evident by the scars and bullet holes of missed shots, that it was where they practiced.
Gilcrest smiled, "Now son, we're gonna have you unravel some cat'ridges, Carson three's gonna set up whatever we got left in the box for ya ta shoot at. Best we get you into that shoulder rig."
"We got plenty!" Cardon called out as he set up a few bottles and cans as targets.
"Now load up yer gun, an' 'member, it's cocked back to the second notch ta load 'er," Gilcrest instructed. "Just thumb that loading gate open."