Henry Rifle Forums

This is our Varmint gun for the farm. I have sighted it in before, but at 45/50 yards. Been a while since I checked it and since I updated the range and created the graveled area in front of the range house, I felt it was time to give 'er a whirl at about 75/80 yards. None of our shots would be much longer than that to protect the coop or free range fowl... seems like a good distance. I have enjoyed just driving down in the UTV and banging steel with the handguns, but every now and then you have to work a little, a LITTLE. This time, it won't be too bad. The only thing to haul downrange was a target stand and frame with a simple cardboard marked for checking / sighting in the scope. Let's get set up.

I took the frame downrange, then set up right in front of the range house. Nothing had to be loaded, then unloaded, from the UTV. Just dragged out of the range house and set up. Table, stool, sandbag and spotting scope, etc. Five minutes or so to get ready to shoot.


A view downrange. We are somewhere between 75 and 80 yards from the target. Let's just call it 75 yards to be conservative. Nice shot for offhand if the coyote is standing still and I'm shooting from the back deck.


I loaded up a mag using military ball ammo and settled into the rifle on the rest. Using everything I learned shooting in the Corps I took my time and squeezed... and the first shot was tight in on the target, just above the black dot. I didn't see where the second hit through the spotting scope, lost in black, but the third was a bit high, at the top of the 12 O'clock leg.

Five shot group. As you see in the pic below, I had a decent five shot group, would have been a bit better if I hadn't pulled that second shot high. I made a correction to elevation and fired one more shot, marked by the arrow in this pic.


Moved back up to the bench and loaded up the "hunting" soft point ammo that is normally in the gun when it's "on duty," and gave her a whirl. First shot felt good. I thought the second was a TAD off, but still good and the third was tight. At a dollar a round, I was happy with a three shot group. Went down and check, and I didn't need to shoot anymore.


This one will go back in it's spot by the back door. Feel sorry for anything that is spotted harassing the fowl.

Nice shooting BOM. It's so convenient having your own range. It just adds to the shooting experience. Enjoy.

Paul

Nice shooting. Hope the varmints took notice.

That ranch rifle doesn't have a flash suppressor or a suppressor on it. Tina was working in her shop with the door open so Fiona could lay on the porch... she asked what I was shooting on the range... "It sounded like a cannon."

I told her "It was the Bolt Gun, the 223, she should have been glad it wasn't the M1A, the 308, it's really loud."

Of course if I had been shooting one of the short barreled magnums...

I have one zeroed at 200 yards with Winchester M193. With the bdc lines on the scope I can hit out to 600 yards. The ruger makes me look like a good shooter.

Nice shooting sir.
What scope are you using, if ya don't mind me asking?

RP

Vaquero wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 03, 2025 9:16 pm

Nice shooting sir.
What scope are you using, if ya don't mind me asking?

RP

It's a Vortex Copperhead 4-12 44

It's been a dependable scope but today I had some blurring along the edges and had a problem holding the eye relief. It could have been me. Never been an issue with this scope or either of the other two Vortex scopes I have. As you can see from the groups, I took my time and shot when the image was clear. Of course, hunting, or shooting a varmint around the coop, the shots would need to come quicker. If there is a problem, Vortex has a lifetime warranty and I'll call 'er in.

I have the 308 version of the ranch rifle that I use with 308 subs, and a can. It is a wonderful setup that, for the money, I argue cannot be beat.

I like Vortex and have several of them from 1-4x24 CrossfireII on the 41 mag BBS up to the 4-16x42 Eagle that resides on a Savage in 6.5.
I went to them after Nikon stopped making rifle scopes.

RP

I have a Vortex Viper on an AR10. Really nice scope.