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Shooting on MY new range, finally.

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BrokenolMarine
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Shooting on MY new range, finally.

Post by BrokenolMarine » Wed Aug 17, 2022 10:41 am

The Three Stooges Do the Range Thing...

Well Mo....

Some of you may have seen a couple of posts of Miss T and I shooting (finally :roll: ) on the new range. It's only been TWO years. :( This morning the plan was to take the new Ruger Predator down and check the bore sighted scope and see what kind of groups I could put up. Miss T rolled her eyes on that one. NOT interested. She was going to hang out with Miss Fiona and rest up. It has been a long hot week so far.

ruger ranch 556.jpg
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I gathered about fifteen rounds of standard surplus military ball 223, and a box of soft point hunting ammo, the Ranch Rifle, which allows the use of AR mags... and headed to the Range House to gather the equipment to set up at 50 yards. Headed down to the berm to set up the target frame and target. The day was overcast and cool at 80 degrees. I'm not complaining. :)

I set up the target frame and have a bright orange grid target, the "Sighting" target. I'm feeling good. I head up to the 50 yard line and when I touch the folding table in the back of the ranger... :evil: ... I hear a crack of thunder. Mother Nature is laughing. The skies open and heavy rain starts to fall. I have the spotting scope in on the tripod in the back of the ranger, but covered by spare cardboard targets. I jump in the driver's seat and run back to the berm and pull the target frame.

I race back up the pasture road and thru the gate and park in the garage. The target on the frame is soaked, but the spotting scope is dry. ;) As I close the garage door, the rain stops. :twisted: I start to curse Mother Nature, and a light rain starts again. WE NEED THE Rain... Thanks Mom...

I'll sight the rifle in another day.

Don't tell mom, but I really was looking forward to sighting in that Ranch Rifle.
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BrokenolMarine
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Re: Shooting on MY new range, finally.

Post by BrokenolMarine » Wed Aug 17, 2022 11:54 am

It's supposed to rain for the next five days, but maybe I can catch a break and sneak in some range time.
We REALLY need the rain, I'm Not complaining. :)
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fortyshooter
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Re: Shooting on MY new range, finally.

Post by fortyshooter » Wed Aug 17, 2022 12:49 pm

Same thing happens when I fire up the grill or Mustang and do neither when rain chance is more than 20% or skies really thick and gray!
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Vaquero
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Re: Shooting on MY new range, finally.

Post by Vaquero » Wed Aug 17, 2022 1:28 pm

fortyshooter wrote:
Wed Aug 17, 2022 12:49 pm
Same thing happens when I fire up the grill or Mustang and do neither when rain chance is more than 20% or skies really thick and gray!
We grill several times a week, rain or shine.

RP
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BrokenolMarine
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Re: Shooting on MY new range, finally.

Post by BrokenolMarine » Thu Aug 18, 2022 7:49 pm

The day was overcast again today, and had been rainy early in the morning, but the sun kept peeking thru. I think mother nature was trying to tease, but I decided to give it a go... I slipped down to the range house and loaded up what wasn't already in the Ranger, and headed down to the berm to set up.

range house.jpg
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I headed up range once the target was up, and I had given the target from the other day plenty of time to dry, so all was not lost. It was a little wrinkly, but this wasn't a match, I was just going to shoot it. :lol: I decided to go for it. I set up the table and make do chair at 60 yards. Good Coyote shootin' distance.

60 yards.jpg
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Good thing there is a scope on the rifle and a spotting scope to check the target. Hoo Whee, that's a long way to the target. :?
I brought 15 rounds of surplus military ball ammo and shot five shot groups to check the scope. I was NOT happy with the table, but made do. The first two shots were high and right, but were tight. I called it a group and made a sight adjustment.

g1a.jpg
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Two more shots and I had moved a little more left than I wanted and not much DOWN.... (red circled)





I fired my fifth shot and it was centered but too low. (blue circled)

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I made the adjustments, and reloaded the mag. Two more shots and the rounds looked good, just an bit low.

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A tiny adjustment and fired three for effect.

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I moved up to the squared sighting area in the upper left corner and fired four.

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This is what the Corps used to call "Chasing the Bull." You were sighted in, and going all around the aiming point. I didn't mess with the sights, I just dropped back down to the center of the target and squeezed... one... off... and pulled it.

I was out of military ball.

I loaded three rounds of hunting ammo. This stuff is expensive. I sighted in on the upper RIGHT corner and put one in the center. Yes.
I sighted in and followed it. Alright....
and the last of the three, is in there. We're good.

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An overview of the entire target.

overview.jpg
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That last shot of the Military Ammo I pulled can be seen here. Look at 5 o'clock below the center of the target for the round with the box around it.
Yup, that's it. Not a bad shot, just NOT in the center of the target where it should be. New Rifle, new trigger...

Overall I am very pleased with the rifle and the scope. I'll shoot again and set up a better platform to shoot from. My right elbow was dangling in space the whole time and not anchored. Poor base, poor shooting. :cry: I know better, but didn't feel like looking for a stool or better table.
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g1b.jpg
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BrokenolMarine
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Re: Shooting on MY new range, finally.

Post by BrokenolMarine » Thu Aug 18, 2022 7:57 pm

For some reason it won't let me delete the extra copy of G1b at the bottom of the post... sorry.
pretend it's not there.
bom
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BrokenolMarine
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Re: Shooting on MY new range, finally.

Post by BrokenolMarine » Thu Aug 18, 2022 9:24 pm

If you look at the groups as I called them individually as sighting adjustment pairs, the gun actually did pretty well for a first outing. With the exception of called flyers, most of these groups were between 1/2 - 1" off a shakey makeshift bench with a wobbly old shooter. Tighten both up, you got a winner. ;)

I'm good with that. 😉😉
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Hatchdog
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Re: Shooting on MY new range, finally.

Post by Hatchdog » Fri Aug 19, 2022 10:58 am

Well now you’ve gone and done it. You took a target that was merely wrinkly and made it wrinkly and holy! :lol:

I enjoy chasing the bull and dialing in scopes. When I shoot.223 at 100 I have to use the splat targets to see my impacts. Helps as when I’m at the range it can be quite a bit of time between cease fires. Sure do envy you (and others) having your personal ranges where you can go down range at will.

Looks like you had an enjoyable time at the range.
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BrokenolMarine
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Re: Shooting on MY new range, finally.

Post by BrokenolMarine » Fri Aug 19, 2022 1:48 pm

Don't think I could see that thru the rifle scope. I have a nice spotting scope from my competition days. I can see flies on the targets at fifty yards.
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Re: Shooting on MY new range, finally.

Post by Rifletom » Fri Aug 19, 2022 2:04 pm

Good day at the range Marine. All things considered, new rifle, semi woobly bench, things turned out pretty good.
What's the yellow paneled box in the range house. Neat box.
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