Henry Rifle Forums

PT7 threw down the glove last weekend so I tried the "3 shot dinner plate off hand shoot" today.
Conditions at the range: warmed up to 35F with a west wind at approx 30mph. Our range runs west to east so the wind probably gave my bullets a little more "oomph" if anything.
Rifle: 1860 Henry 45 Colt, open sights
Revolver: 1871 Colt Richards Transition 45 Colt
Ammunition: Wolf remanufactured ammo, 250 gr LFN
Targets: 8" splash plus 1 dinner plate First up, revolver at 25 yds, 1 hand, 25 rounds, I don't mind this ammo and it was a good price too. Next, rifle at 50 yards, 12 rounds, 1 stupid far left round And the dinner plate...3 rounds, off hand standing but sad to say PT that it took me 5 rounds to get 3 on the plate...but I did resist the urge to shoot from 1 knee. I did use binoculars to see the hits though too. The range today, the 100, 200 & 250 yd target boards...they are a looooong way off looking down my Henry ladder sight. And just for the heck of it, put a few rounds on the 250 yd board....3 (or maybe 4?) hits from what I could see when I walked out there, the 45 Colt holes show more daylight than what normally gets shot at those long range boards. The board is about 3' x 4'...I was just happy to hit it Hope you enjoyed my report, shoot safe.
RR

RanchRoper wrote: Hope you enjoyed my report, shoot safe.

Great shooting, RR, and thanks for the pics and descriptions of your guns, targets, and range. I dream of shooting like that.

RR, you picked up the gauntlet just fine...but maybe a little too aggressively with two different firearms! I'd leave the revolver at home, if you wanted to shoot the rifle long distance. Or vice versa....your choice. I may be off base, but I think you're shooting two distinctly different critters. For me, easier to go one-at-a-time.

Here are my thoughts as what you've already done is a great start. You're out there with some fun goals.

Remember that range visit I shared about when I "competed" with my son-in-law as we shot our Benelli 12-ga shotguns? We did some off hand shooting at a 12" X 12" black steel target, set at 200 yards on a 4' X4' wood post? Both shotguns were equipped with iron ghost ring and front blade sights, and we both shot 1-oz. slugs through smooth bores. I had said I could barely see the target at that distance. I also remember thinking "this is about impossible to do." Proved my self wrong...what a blast to do that! He shot 0/5, and I shot 1/5...which shocked us both! Anyway, that was a lot of fun to start off a couple of summers of on-going, consistent and focused long-distance shooting with my 12-gauge & slugs.

But how you shoot, how many rounds you shoot, what ammo you use, the distances you set ---- all should be consistent until you achieve that level. Then move it out, if your goal is still a more-distant range.

I liked your 3/5 dinner plate POIs. That is very good shooting, as was placing POIs on your 250-yard board. Nothing wrong at all with those results for beginning this self-challenge. I hope you carry around the gauntlet for a lot more range visits. I'm having fun right alongside you....wish I could join you on that cold & windy range!

Take good care, Cowboy. Waiting for the next round of rounds!
PT7

And the dinner plate...3 rounds, off hand standing but sad to say PT that it took me 5 rounds to get 3 on the plate...but I did resist the urge to shoot from 1 knee. I did use binoculars to see the hits though too.

...the 100, 200 & 250 yd target boards...they are a looooong way off looking down my Henry ladder sight.

And just for the heck of it, put a few rounds on the 250 yd board....The board is about 3' x 4'...I was just happy to hit it!

I hear ya but I'm more of a just grab your gun, a box of ammo and shoot guy. Appreciate the tips though.

Actually, that sounds quite appealing, RR.
Your "galloping" approach to shooting suits you just fine.
Got to be much more fun that way, and your targets are excellent!

I do enjoy reading the reports and information many of the folks post here, including some very detailed info on ammo, velocity, sighting, consistency, testing, etc. But that's just not me.

For me it's all about going back in time even for a brief period, living my cowboy lifestyle, and just shooting my replica old west guns. Born a hundred years too late.

RR, you never have to explain anything about your shooting to me. Always love what you do and I KNOW how hard it is to shoot that well. Great work, cowboy.

By the way, we're getting some of that white stuff, too, today.

There are so many incredible thing here, they are populous enough to create a list

1) Temperature > I think we can agree, the colder it is the harder it is to shoot.
2) Wind 30mph
3) Bulk ammo
4) Using the same ammo for Rifle/Pistol
5) Advanced age of the shooter with respect to primitive sights.

And so on, etc.

That was an amazing feat RR

Thanks all. It was a fun day.