Jimmie's No-Shoot Range Day

[markiver54]

I have soaked cotton balls with peppermint oil and placed them in various spots under the hood of my vehicles. It seemed to help. Don't know how true it is, but, I've heard that the critters are attracted to wiring because soy is used in the insulation.

[Mr. Neutron]

Made it out to the range today! No Drama!!

It was a cool 40* when I got there about 10 a.m., and 44* when I left a bit after noon. It stayed dry and overcast today. Again, I had the range to myself, except when the outhouse pumping guy showed up for a short while ( I hope we pay that man well…….). Pretty “routine”, and I’m grateful for that. Other than forgetting my Copenhagen, it was near perfect. I’ve been wanting to taper off the tobaccky anyway……

I’ve been playing with some Leverevolution powder, and Winchester 748 for some 170 grain Hornady FPS, #3060 bullets. Nothing today is what I consider “conclusive” as far as a decision on what load I’ll pick for good, but the LVR did seem to do pretty good. Much better than I can shoot. Some snooping on the web seems to think that LVR is a more “Temperature Insensitive/Temp Stable” powder than the Win 748.

Again, it was cool (right at 40*) when I got to the range, and I’m not sure I was doin’ my best trigger pullin’ at first. Here’s the Winchester 748 at 25 yds., and then at a Hundred:

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That flyer above touching the 8 Ring line is all my
mistake. Definitely pulled the trigger before I was ready to, and before the pause in my breathing………



Here’s my efforts with the Leverevolution Powder, again, at 25 & 100 yards. Everything with open sights, a cataract or two, and a cold, stiff, very arthritic trigger finger. Had a decent 2-shot group going, until I pulled more than just the trigger for my last low shot:

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Anyway, I’ve decided it’s way more fun to shoot than to look for lost keys. Gonna try to do more of that.

[Mags]

... Don't know how true it is, but, I've heard that the critters are attracted to wiring because soy is used in the insulation.

I don't know if it's soy based, but it is plant based. That and fuel lines. Had fuel lines and wiring taken out in two vehicles

[Vaquero]

Some good shootin Jimmie.
Yes, I've read that the LVR can be temp. sensitive.
If you can find some CFE223, it is real close to the burn rate of LVR and not temp. sensitive.
Haven't tried it in the 30-30's yet, but it works wonders in my Marlin 308MX.

RP

[Mr. Neutron]

Okay, I dug out my Offhand targets I shot yesterday with the .22. Not going to “one-up anybody with these. I guess I’ve never been afraid of embarrassing myself ……..

Randy (Vaquero), your description in your Offhand thread of the “Apple on a post” sight picture was about the best I’ve read. And that’s what I was striving for yesterday. Biggest problem was the post kept moving, and it wobbled even more as time went on!

I wish that I was able to self-diagnose what was happening here. When I shot instictive longbow, my first shot cold eventually, with a lot of practice, became my best. My “focus” was at its best for the first few shots, and would gradually go to on me as the session went along. Worked out best for me to shoot a few arrows, accept or rejoice over what just happened, think about it, then go ding out by doing something like throwing a ball for the dog, or whatever. Come back and shoot a few arrows, and repeat the cycle. For archery, this worked well for me, and the doggie.

But the rifle is different for some reason. While I know you can’t totally eliminate “the wobble” of the front sight, I haven’t been able to find/live with an acceptable level of it. My first shot or two is “kinda okay”, and things go poopy after that. I’m kinda wondering if maybe I need to take a shot or two, drop the rifle, breathe and relax, then try again. Probably just need to relax, accept what I get, and focus more on having fun.

Anyway, these were shot at 25 yards while the .30-30’s barrel was cooling. They were 10-shot groups, so quite a few off of paper………

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[Mags]

Wobble. I don't even try to shoot rifles offhand any more. Roaming I lean into the side of tree or use a stout crook in a large shrub/tree to minimize. Otherwise a bench rest.

[Mr. Neutron]

Thanks, Mags!

Yeah, the Wobble is tough to beat.

Like you just said, I try to prioritize some sort of rest FIRST. Two of my elk I've shot have been from close range (under 40 yds.), and were shot from a kneeling position. Didn't have much time for these shots; one was walking, the other seemed ready to bolt. My largest bull was shot at 125 yds., but was able to use a tree limb for a rest, get my breathing down, focus on a trigger squeeze, and such. Most of my deer have been taken sitting, kneeling, or shooting off my back pack.

The Offhand shooting is for mostly for fun, but might be handy sometime for a hunting situation. I watched my Granddad make a truly great shot on on a bouncing deer (Looked like a grey ping-pong ball with antlers......) offhand, while my cousin & I never even got our rifles up to our shoulders. Hee hee, I've also seen him miss a standing deer at around 75 yds. at the edge of a clear cut. I wasn't allowed to speak about that one at the breakfast table........

[Vaquero]

Looks like some pretty good shootin to me Jim.
Most of my hunting shots have been from some kind of rest.
A tree limb, laid on the ledge of the hunting blind and such as that.
Way back in my younger days I was a little capable with ah offhanded shot.
Have a couple of hand gun kills that were offhanded and a couple more where I had a rest.

RP

[BrokenolMarine]

Squirrels eating the wires. Mice eating the wires... We used to go kayak fishing at a location south of Richmond called Dutch Gap. Great place to fish as you paddled to a Boat Graveyard... in a channel off the James. There were Barges, Tugs, and other river craft that had been sailed or towed in and sunk there with the superstructures still above the water... The place was a great place to paddle and interesting, and held striper as the water was brackish.

Only problem was the Vultures. Ah, yup. Hundreds and Hundreds of vultures called the trees around the area home. The droppings were bad enough on the vehicles in the lot at the boat landing where you launch, but ... the dang birds would EAT the rubber off the cars. They'd eat the wipers, door seals, the rubber around the windshields and windows. Any exposed rubber other than the tires. I was surprised we didn't come back and find the cars and trucks sitting on four flats. It was funny, you'd pull into the lot and see vehicles and trailers covered with heavy canvas tarps or custom vehicle covers, with concrete blocks on the corners to insure the wind didn't blow them off. Unprotected vehicles often had vultures sitting on the hoods, trunks, or rooflines, pigging out. My first trip there, I was warned in advance, so I had both the truck cover AND a heavy tarp, wasn't taking any chances.


The villains

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An old Tug

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The tree is growing out of the bow

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[Mr. Neutron]

Wow!

There's a coupla places I've seen on the Columbia River out here that I've seen a well beached, abandoned boat, but never anything like in your pics. Yet at the same time, it's kinda interesting, in a weird way. Like to know what circumstances caused 'em to get where they ended up. To me personally, it'd be nicer to not see it there, but it is what it is, I reckon.......

But them Buzzards! My Gosh; that brings back memories of that Alfred Hitchcock movie "The Birds"! That was a LOT of Vultures (Turkey Vultures?) in the trees...... Had no idea they could be that destructive, and had rubber in their diet. See 'em out here mostly around roadkill.......