Range Report -- SGC very good at 25 yards

[PT7]

I went to the MDC Lake City Rifle Range on Saturday and had fun shooting my Small Game Carbine. Along with this mini range report, I'd like to chime in again on ditto's thread, "Missed the dime AGAIN!" In that thread, ditto and NCG made a couple of comments that got me thinking (see their quotes below).

Here is my Range Report. The story should be complete in pictures. As usual, I shot offhand, standing, with the SGC stock iron sights.

The Henry Rifle

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The Targets Tell the Story
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SGC at Lake City Rifle Range.JPG (2.71 MiB) Viewed 1175 times

Thoughts and Comments about shooting .22LR at 100 yards (maybe less than a dime's worth).

Ditto's range guy said to him, "I don't know why we shoot .22s at 100 yards." I thought that was an astute observation. Indeed, why do I?? I looked at ditto's photo of the 100-yard target.....sure looked darn small, doesn't it?!? That's exactly how big either my 6" or 8" targets even look at 50 yards or 75 yards -- very small!

So, all that hooey to say this. I was at an MDC range yesterday, just to try some long-distance shots with my SGC again. The rifle range is max 100 yards, and I shot out to 75 yards. After continuing reading the "dime" thread and thinking about the question, I really don't know why I shoot at 100 yards; 75 yards is a little questionable, too. I'm planning to go rabbit hunting this fall with my friend who owns the range/acreage at Poverty Knob. I think I'd settle for max of 40 yards, preferably less, to harvest a rabbit. That's partly based on NGCs earlier comment in the thread about the more optimal distance for .22LR ammo at 50.

I don't think I'll post my 75-yd or 50-yd target photos from Saturday. The targets are too clean, too few POIs. But here are the results:

75-yd results: 20 rounds, 3 POIs in 8" target; 5 POIs in 16"X10.5" cardboard; the other 12 in the dirt somewhere.
50-yd results: slightly better for 30 rounds, 4 POIs in 6" target, 14 POIs in 16"X10.5" cardboard; again, 12 in the dirt somewhere.

Note that I was consistent for POI-placement in the dirt! Always looking for the plus side.

I shot the two more groups at 25-yards using two smaller splash targets, which are in the above photo. So a good yardage for me to shoot my SGC with elder eyes, iron sights, .22LR ammo, etc. is 25 yards and maybe up to 40 yards or so.

Always learning, always testing, always practice, practice, practice.
Have a great day, Everyone.

NCG, I'm probably repeating myself, but the guy at the range who got me hooked on this later admitted to me (after it was waaaay too late) that, "I don't know why we shoot .22's at 100 yards. Someone else started it awhile back, and we just kept doing it." So, I said, "Thanks a lot!" Geez.

.....A comment on the 22 LR for 100 yard work. It's been my experience that the 22 LR struggles a bit at that distance. It's a much better 50 yard round and that's why the standard for 22 LR accuracy testing has always been 50 yards.

[North Country Gal]

What a great report! Enjoyed it very much.

Got me to thinking about how the norm has changed for rimfire shooting in this digital age. I think forums have been a good thing for us shooters. Great way to share knowledge and experience, but, as I said, it has changed what is considered normal for rimfire shooting.

Growing up with a 22 rifle and a 22 handgun for me was a matter of plinking and hunting rabbits and squirrels. In those days, the only time I ever shot at 22 at 50 yards was from a rest to punch holes in paper and even that was a very seldom thing. For plinking cans or for small game with a 22 rifle, my max range was about 35 yards. With a 22 pistol, most of my shooting was between 10 and 25 yards and seldom at 25 and, yes, I hunted as much or more with a 22 handgun than I did a rifle. For hunting, especially, it was more about hunting and less about shooting. I simply never saw the need to shoot at a rabbit or squirrel at 50 yards. If I couldn't get closer than that, I would have been embarrassed. I would have considered it a poor job of hunting on my part. When I practiced my shooting with a 22, I practiced at those same distances because that's the way I used the 22 for hunting.

It wasn't until the 80s that I was introduced to shooting a rimfire at longer distances. Took up some bullseye shooting, then silhouette. Both made me a better shooter, but I still didn't see the need to shoot a 22, out in the field, even at 50 yards.

Today, we shoot at a structured range that allows paper targets, only, and mostly at set distances of 50 feet (16 yards), 25 yards, 50 yards, 100 yards and 200 yards. The 16 and 25 yards work well for my 22 hand gun work and some of my offhand rifle work. Most of my offhand 22 rifle work is at 50 yards, but that's mostly because I don't have the opportunity to shoot at that old familiar 30 to 40 yards.

Sorry for getting so long winded, but my point is that I do miss those old days of roaming the woods and fields, 22 rifle or pistol in hand, and shooting at those old familiar distances. To me, that's what 22s are all about.

[JEBar]

for me, the mechanics of firing 22 LR are pretty much the same as for larger calibers .... no matter what rifle my scope happens to be mounted on, the target at 100 yards is the same size .... when I take a 22 to a range, I don't hesitate to use it pretty much the same as I do other calibers

[RanchRoper]

Great range report and super shooting too. Thanks!

[PT7]

I'm in a little bit of a fog with parts of your comments. Not sure exactly what "the mechanics of firing 22 LR" means?

I do understand that if the same scope were mounted on either a .22 or a .45-70, the target looks the same size. How then do the "mechanics" similarly relate to different calibers? That's what I'm not getting. Probably just not that experienced since I've only been shooting about 6-1/2 years, but glad I'll be learning something new-to-me again.

for me, the mechanics of firing 22 LR are pretty much the same as for larger calibers .... no matter what rifle my scope happens to be mounted on, the target at 100 yards is the same size .... when I take a 22 to a range, I don't hesitate to use it pretty much the same as I do other calibers

[JEBar]

sorry I wasn't clear .... the mechanics that go into shooting (sighting, correctly positioning the long gun against your shoulder, cheek placement, trigger pull, breathing, etc, etc) are universal .... I believe the more you practice the fundamentals, the better you get .... in short, the mechanics are the same at all ranges .... however, several variables can increase the degree of difficulty ... shooting from a rest or free standing, stationary or moving target, wind, and a host of others ... distance can most certainly be such a factor .... I also believe that the more you practice shooting at any distance, the more comfortable you become ..... the more comfortable you become, the better you get .... for me, if I am going to be hunting in an area where 100 yard shots are common, I need to spend time practicing at that and somewhat greater distances .... firing a 22 or 308 require the same fundamentals so practicing with a 22 at that distance will help me get better .... folks who believe a 22 LR can't be fired accurately at 100 yards need to spend more time shooting .... I've been teaching our 9 year old grandson to shoot for the last couple of years .... I've never allowed him to fire a rifle with any degree of significant kick so most of his time has been spent working with a 22 LR .... shooting from a bench rest he can and does hit skeet positioned vertically so that the orange is showing at 100 yards .... in recent months I've moved him to a Henry 357 .... his mechanics remain the same and he's familiar with firing 100 yards .... put him in a deer stand and give him good shot at a stationary deer and I know what will happen .... he wouldn't have reached this level without literally thousands of rounds of 22 LR at 25, 50, and 100 yards

[PT7]

Appreciate the info. It helped to clear the fog.
I was focusing mostly on the distance as is impacted by elder eyes and iron sights. 'Tis the way of it for my rifle configuration at this time. Of course, might come a change in the future if I find I can't hit the broadside of a barn any longer!

[JEBar]

Appreciate the info. It helped to clear the fog.
I was focusing mostly on the distance as is impacted by elder eyes and iron sights. 'Tis the way of it for my rifle configuration at this time. Of course, might come a change in the future if I find I can't hit the broadside of a barn any longer!

too well understood, I past that point (what seems to be) a long time ago .... the only rifles I have that aren't scoped are a couple handed down from my grandfather

[PT7]

I'm stuck knowing what to do when I get "passed that point" and cannot shoot well any longer with iron sights. That's why these iron sights vs. optics threads are always interesting to me.

I sold my Weaver 4.5v scope as I couldn't keep my eye focused well, and the image seemed to always turn blurry. Plus there constantly were black edges moving in/out as I tried to focus. Could be I simply don't know how to use a scope. Also a couple of years ago I tried out a red dot on my Henry .357 BBB, and had the dickens of a time even seeing the dot (had the option of red or green). I'm partially red/green color blind, so that was a small, risky purchase. It ended up to be a flop, and I gifted the red dot to my son-in-law.

So I've been determined to try and keep my shooting skills up (and going!) with iron sights, but the elder eyes seem to waiver a little more as time is creeping on. I would not at all like to stop shooting my Henry SGC or 20-gauge PUMP.....so I need to figure out what is next.

too well understood, I past that point (what seems to be) a long time ago .... the only rifles I have that aren't scoped are a couple handed down from my grandfather

[JEBar]

well, you know what they say about opinions .. .. here's one of mine .... when it comes to optics, there are several good companies out there .... when I find one that works for me, I stick with it .... 50 or so years ago I settled on using Nikon rifle scopes and don't even look at any other brand .... I'd suggest going to a gun shop you trust, have them install whatever brand you like, and (most importantly) adjust it for your eye .... with a scope I've found it important to take it a habit to locate your cheek on the stock in the same place every time .... have them show you how to adjust the focus as it related to the magnification .... once you become comfortable with the basics, it ain't hard to do your own installs