210 yards on steel with my Big Boy

[DAVIDF]

I have been working on trying to shoot more accurately at 210 yards with my Big Boy. Some days without much success. Maybe part of that has been the heavier winds we've had lately, although nothing like RR usually has to deal with! Yesterday was a pretty good day. I tried several different hand loads using a plated 200gr RNFP from X-Treme, a 200 gr RNFP hard cast from Penn, and so far my favorite a 240gr RNFP coated hard cast from Missouri Bullet Company. I had a couple of different powder charges, 6.0gr & 6.5gr with the 240gr, and 6.8gr with the 200gr plated, and 7.1gr with the 200gr cast. I have chronographed the 6.5gr charge with the 240gr at an average velocity of 1087 fps, the 6.8gr with the 200gr plated at 1099 fps, and the 7.1gr with the 200gr cast at 1141 fps. I have not chronographed the 6.0gr charge with the 240gr cast, but I would guess that it is around 1025 fps. I was trying to determine whether I could find any difference in accuracy with the loads, particularly between the 200gr cast & 240gr cast. I couldn't really tell, I got hits on my 12" X 20" plate with all the loads despite constantly changing gusty winds. If I were to guess, I would lean toward the 240gr being more accurate. But, that is simply a guess with no definitive data.

I did however, manage to get a hit on my tiny 8" round plate with the 6.0gr charge of Red Dot & the 240gr cast. It is actually 7 1/2" in height when you take into account the angle it is hung at. I could not see it at that distance, nor could my friend who has excellent uncorrected distance vision and I have 20/15 corrected distance vision. All we could see was a tiny dot of black which was the 3" round black circle I painted on the plate. I worked on trying to figure where the POI was trying to see impacts in the berm while my friend spotted. It appeared to be about 6 to 9" low at that distance. I took a guess how much higher I needed to move the tab in the rear buckhorn sight. I took a 6 o'clock hold on that tiny black spot while the wind was a bit calmer and more to my back. I was really ecstatic when I heard the ding on the plate. It was anchored down pretty well, plus being tiny so I could not see it swing. I looked thru my binoculars and saw that the impact was at 1 o'clock just outside the 3" circle. I quit while I was ahead and made no further attempts at the little plate

I'll continue to work on my long range shooting with my Henry and its open sights as it is extremely fun. I have been doing quite a bit of off hand shooting at 40 yards with good results, but I need to do some at 100. I know I'll have some difficulty with that.

The hits on the larger 12" X 20" plate are from my Henry as well as from my friends 1903 Springfield. He routinely makes hits on clay pidgeons at 210 yards with it with its peep sights. The hits from my Henry are probably the lighter colored ones, mostly near the bottom of the plate.

[RanchRoper]

That is good old frontier shooting! Impressive.

[DAVIDF]

Coming from you, that is a very appreciated compliment. Not sure how repeatable that is, even if my Henry and my hand loads were capable of .25 MOA accuracy. Trying to get a consistent sight picture at that tiny target is tough. I will attempt that small plate again next Saturday. I may paint the whole thing black to see if I can see it better.

[JEBar]

not bad at all .... I recently had an opportunity to fire our BBS 44 at 200 yards and was pleasantly surprised at how well it performed .... given, I was firing 240 gr Nosler JHP's and we have mounted a scope on our Henry .... what it has proven to me is it is capable of making shots at ranges I would never have considered

[tractortad]

Hitting an 8" plate at 210 yds with buckhorn sights from a BB 44Mag Henry is amazing - nice shooting.

[PT7]

More than amazing shooting, David, especially using the stock sights on your Henry.....great job! And I agree with your bottom line that "it was extremely fun." Isn't it cool to hear the POIs clang the steel?!? Yes, yes and double thumbs up!

Also agree that it is very challenging to see those black steel targets at that distance. I would bet that if you placed even a very small front bead sight dead-on bull, it would wipe out the target completely from your vision....and then some. As far as some long-distance shooting, been there, done that. But not with a Henry centerfire rifle. I had a blast during the two summers I did a lot of long-distance shooting of 1-oz. slugs out of my Benelli 12-gauge smooth bore pump shotgun. Shot at black steel targets similar to what you used. The s/g was equipped with only an 18-1/2" barrel, and rear ghost-ring and front blade sights. Shot at 200 yards and 236 yards. Very much fun! Would do all those range visits over in a minute.

I really hope you continue, and I'd vote go for it. I'll look forward to your future Range Reports whenever you shoot looong again.
Enjoyed everything you shared in your thread.
Take good care...PT7

I have been working on trying to shoot more accurately at 210 yards with my Big Boy.

[CT_Shooter]

Thanks for the very detailed range report -- I'm impressed. Great shooting!

[BigAl52]

Nice job David. Shooting steel at long distance is definitely fun. Wish I had more time to do some myself.

[RanchRoper]

Coming from you, that is a very appreciated compliment. Not sure how repeatable that is, even if my Henry and my hand loads were capable of .25 MOA accuracy. Trying to get a consistent sight picture at that tiny target is tough. I will attempt that small plate again next Saturday. I may paint the whole thing black to see if I can see it better.

Small sight picture is an understatement for sure. That is a long way down that barrel and out a couple hundred yards. Again, great job...

[Bugs]

[DAVIDF]

More than amazing shooting, David, especially using the stock sights on your Henry.....great job! And I agree with your bottom line that "it was extremely fun." Isn't it cool to hear the POIs clang the steel?!? Yes, yes and double thumbs up!

Also agree that it is very challenging to see those black steel targets at that distance. I would bet that if you placed even a very small front bead sight dead-on bull, it would wipe out the target completely from your vision....and then some. As far as some long-distance shooting, been there, done that. But not with a Henry centerfire rifle. I had a blast during the two summers I did a lot of long-distance shooting of 1-oz. slugs out of my Benelli 12-gauge smooth bore pump shotgun. Shot at black steel targets similar to what you used. The s/g was equipped with only an 18-1/2" barrel, and rear ghost-ring and front blade sights. Shot at 200 yards and 236 yards. Very much fun! Would do all those range visits over in a minute.

I really hope you continue, and I'd vote go for it. I'll look forward to your future Range Reports whenever you shoot looong again.
Enjoyed everything you shared in your thread.
Take good care...PT7

I have been working on trying to shoot more accurately at 210 yards with my Big Boy.

Wow, those distances with a smoothbore! That is a challenge at a whole different level I definitely will continue shooting at that distance with the Henry. It was fun trying to predict the Kentucky windage required. I saw the weather forecast for the predicted winds and used a ballistics calculator to predict the hold (http://www.shooterscalculator.com/balli ... eate+Chart+) I was holding a little off the right side of the bigger plate most of the time due to the wind from my right. Sometimes just as I squeezed the trigger, the wind would change to my back or completely stop and I would see the impact in the berm where I was aiming. Or, it would gust even harder and it would impact just off the left side of the plate.

[PT7]

The ballistics calculator looks like an evening's math homework assignment from my high school years!

Your Range Report and shooting goals have me wishing I could repeat every hour of those two summers I spent at the range with my 12-ga shotgun; it was an amazingly fun experience! As I said, I like reading about the shooting challenges you've put before you.

Although I paid attention to the Kentucky windage, the greater challenge for me was adjusting the elevation in order to hit the steel at that longer distance. I remember "creeping up" the 4"x4" wood pole the target was hanging from, letting the target completely disappear as the bore covered it, and finally sending the slug downrange. A rear ladder sight on my s/g would have been cool, but have never seen that configuration on a s/g. The ghost-ring is a great rear sight for me --- especially when I could see the target!

For the last couple of years, my son-in-law has been competing in a national long-distance shooting competition. And from my perspective, the distances are really out there. He and his spotter finished the 2017 competition late last fall, and they ended up shooting his Ruger Precision Rifle in 6.5 Creedmore at 1200 yards!! It really is astonishing, as they did, to put 5-rounds into a less-than-4.5" group. I would have like to have been there to watch. Of course, I would have needed a good set of binocs to see those POIs as they happened!

Looking forward to your next outing. Have much fun, and be safe.
PT7

Wow, those distances with a smoothbore! That is a challenge at a whole different level I definitely will continue shooting at that distance with the Henry. It was fun trying to predict the Kentucky windage required. I saw the weather forecast for the predicted winds and used a ballistics calculator to predict the hold (http://www.shooterscalculator.com/balli ... eate+Chart+) I was holding a little off the right side of the bigger plate most of the time due to the wind from my right. Sometimes just as I squeezed the trigger, the wind would change to my back or completely stop and I would see the impact in the berm where I was aiming. Or, it would gust even harder and it would impact just off the left side of the plate.

[DAVIDF]

My wife Olga and I went to the range this morning. Nothing further than 10 yards this time. She got to shoot my sons Ruger 10/22, my friends new Ruger PC and LC9s. Shot all of them on a steel plate rack. We were going to shoot some at the 100 yard range with my Henry and her AR, but decided to cut it short as a friend asked her to join her this afternoon for a Good Friday service. We also wanted to have lunch at a Belgium restaurant we have not tried yet. We love Belgium beers and food. We spent a week in Brussels with Olga's daughter a couple of years ago, spending much of it in Delirium Café.

On the way to the restaurant all our plans changed. A dog was wandering in the middle of HWY 46, a two lane 55mph road. Trucks and cars were coming to a stop in front of us and then slowly going around. We pulled over and he came right over and proceeded to try to attempt to climb into my truck. I lifted him up as he is very old and could barely walk. He has some tender spots and a number of growths. He didn't like me touching his right side as I was trying to lift him and gently mouthed my hand. I finally got him over to the middle seat and we drove back and forth drown the road stopping at a business, a restaurant/bar, & asking if anyone knew him. We also saw a gentlemen who we've seen before walking along the highway and stopped to ask him. No one was familiar with him. We imagine someone just dropped him at the side of the road and drove off. I'll be taking him tomorrow to a vet to see if he has been microchipped. Probably not. Meanwhile, he is at home with us and our two girl terriers. All three of them are very calm. He was very eager to get here and come into our home. As you can see in the background, we like IPA's I am having one now.

[CT_Shooter]

I'll be taking him tomorrow to a vet to see if he has been microchipped.... He was very eager to get here and come into our home.

That's a heartwarming story, David. I hope he has a happy and healthy life with you and your family. Thanks.

[DAVIDF]

I'll be taking him tomorrow to a vet to see if he has been microchipped.... He was very eager to get here and come into our home.

That's a heartwarming story, David. I hope he has a happy and healthy life with you and your family. Thanks.

If we don't find his family (given that his family actually wants him) then we'll keep him. I don't know how much longer he has to live, he is quite old, restless, and has a hard time walking. But, his fur seems to be in excellent condition even with his extreme shedding. My truck is now filled with his fur

Another option may be a foster home. I am not putting any effort yet to look and probably wont. Definitely not a shelter, he seems to be quite used to being inside a home and is well house trained. I want him to live out the rest of his life in comfort and safety.

[DAVIDF]

An update on the old boy we found, turns out his name is "Rascal" and he is 17 years old. The owner, Dan, called me yesterday and picked him up. He was here from West Virginia visiting friends in Geneva FL. He used to live here. He now has a wonderful piece of property with horses, rabbits, chickens, and cattle. Perfect place for Rascal as he, at least in his younger days herded all of them. Rascal is a very gentle dog that used to catch the rabbits that got loose and would pin them down gently until Dan could retrieve them.

On Friday when we found him, we stopped at a restaurant and bar named "The Alibi". It wasn't open at the time and we didn't see anyone around. I was pulling back out of the parking lot but my wife suggested that she walk around and see if she could find someone while I wait with the dog. She found the owner of the bar and he came over and took a look at the dog and got my phone number. A friend of Dan stopped by The Alibi and found out that we had Rascal. If my wife hadn't insisted on looking around more, Rascal may have not been reunited with his family. Definitely not as quickly.

[CT_Shooter]

An update on the old boy we found, turns out his name is "Rascal" and he is 17 years old.

That's a happy ending to the story of Rascal, David; very sweet. Thanks.

[DAVIDF]

When Dan called me, he told me that he had been looking all night thru the swamps behind his friends home using night vision. He also asked me if I needed anything. I told him no, come over anytime to pick up Rascal.

When he got to our home, he asked again whether he could pay us for any food, or if we needed anything else. I said no, and asked him about the night vision. He said he uses them for hunting animals destroying his crops, raccoons, and he may have mentioned predators such as coyotes going after his chickens and rabbits. So I asked him, if he wanted to do anything for me that if he knew people hunting hogs around Geneva and could introduce me that would be great. He said he knew several and that the property next door (a day lily farm) to his friend has been asking them to hunt hogs on their property as they are destroying their day lilies. He said he knew some others and particularly a father and son who lives around the corner from me. Dan also said he has lots of deer on his property in WV and invited us to come up any time and stay with them and go hunting.

Yesterday, I got a call from Dan who thanked me again and then put Travis (the son he mentioned) on the phone. Travis offered to take me out where he hunts, sometimes 3 to 5 times a week, for some stalking. Not only did I really enjoy having Rascal around for the weekend, but I may get to do some nice hunting!

Dan is a stand up guy, very generous, and it is easy to tell that Rascal is quite attached to him. As much as I would have liked Rascal to stay with us permanently, I am very happy that they got reunited.