Old Marine Two Old Guns...

[BrokenolMarine]

It's been a while but I finally got down to the range for a short session. I have been wanted to get some shooting done and today the volunteers were my Match .45 and the old Model 64 I carried on duty and shot in so many PPC matches. Both performed as expected.

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I set up a couple targets on the frame at about 15 to 16 yards, one for each gun, to cut back on the up and down the range time... and prepared to get shooting. There was a nice bit of shade on the range and the deck in front of the range house. A blessing. It was a warm afternoon. I took my time and got the table out, the spotting scope, and smoked the sights on both guns, with the new Ray-Vin smoker... excellent addition to the shooting box.

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The Ray Vin let's you smoke the sights without having to add water at the last minute, get out a lighter, or fool with the carbine rocks. You load it up, and get it ready for the day, and just give the knob at the bottom a twist, then strike it, and boom, off and running. Get a much nicer black than the spray stuff. Cleans right off at the end of the day. NOT recommended for plastic sights. (Glock warning.) LOL.

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My first shots downrange in a while, were all five high, since I forgot the Match 45 was sighted for a Six O'clock hold. Not a bad group though, considering I haven't shot the dang thing in a year or so, and that shoulder problem reminded me it didn't want to be shooting.

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Since I realized my mistake, I didn't change the sights, I changed the sight picture, and put another ten rounds downrange. ONE called flier. I was pleased, but bowed to the Pain God, and put the .45 back in the box. Yeah, I wuzzed out. I didn't want to waste the match 45 ammo.

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The old Girl still shoots though. She ain't pretty, but Jerry built a nice gun all those years ago, and it shoots better than I can.

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I put the first five downrange checking the Model 64, and just shook my head when I looked in the spotting scope. The results on the target were ALL ON ME... not the gun.

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I loaded five more rounds and gave 'er another go. Then put a few more downrange. The results speak for themselves. YUP, that first five were poor shooting on the old guy.

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After firing some rapid fire drills at a paper plate, I put up an aiming point at seven yards, look for the black dot below the right target.

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I then shot twenty four rounds TIMED fire. Six shots in twelve seconds. All shooting with the revolver today was double action. I was pretty pleased with the group. Not as tight as the old days, but then I am a lot older than I was in the old days and WAY out of practice. The gun still shoots.

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Here is a peek at the Model 64. Not much to look at, but together we brought home the iron. Team match and service revolver classes.

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It was nice to get back on the range. I will have to more of it. I think long guns on the next round.

[BrokenolMarine]

Oh, I forgot the final phase of the range trip... Cleaning the two guns.
Who doesn't love the smell of hoppes cleaner?

[North Country Gal]

Marine, the only thing better than those great classic guns is those great classic guns in the hands of someone who has spent so many years shooting and carrying them. Really enjoyed reading about both, here. Thanks for sharing.

I can appreciate how a 45 auto in a 1911 can be uncomfortable. Usually takes me awhile to get back in the groove shooting our 1911s in 45 auto if I haven't shot them in awhile. Oh, yeah, that 45 auto let's you in a hurry that you are NOT shooting a 9mm.

As for the Model 64, can't think of any DA revolver that has such a pedigree. I still love shooting a good 38, too. Well done and, thanks, again.

[BrokenolMarine]

NCG, It's not the caliber, or the recoil, but the weight. I have been to the VA twice in the last month about that right shoulder and they say it's severe arthritis limiting the range of motion. I have been doing specialized PT at home, but the progress is slow. I discussed shooting with the therapist, who is a shooter himself. He said holding the larger guns up would be painful, but not harmful. In the long run I could consider it weight therapy, and beneficial, but don't push it. Let the pain level be my guide.

He recommended against the bull barreled six inch ppc gun for a while.

[ESquared]

Some great looking sidearms and even better looking targets there, Jim! WIll have to read up on your Ray-Vin smoker. Never heard of smoking sights!

Thanks for sharing and a couple of good looking range towels to keep things looking orderly as well! Nicely done!

[JEBar]

nicely done indeed .... you most certainly haven't lost your touch

[markiver54]

Agreed on the smoking question. Enlighten us when you have the time Jim.

[North Country Gal]

Thanks for explaining the source of the pain. Dang arthritis stuff. I get it, in my hands, every now and then, and then sometimes have trouble racking the slide on semi-autos. Also get it my neck, after my neck injury, last year. That can make it uncomfortable to scrunch my neck in tight when shooting a rifle off the bench. Just have to work around it, as needed. Best of luck doing the same.

[BrokenolMarine]

Competition shooters smoke their sights to prevent glare. Various devices have been used, with the most popular in ppc being the old carbide lamps used by miners. Smoking sights is especially popular with high power rifle shooters, like military rifle competitors. The carbide when wet gives off a flammable gas that produces a flat black smoke.

You can buy a canned spray sight black, but it isn't dead flat like the carbide sight black.

[markiver54]

Thanks for clearing that up Jim...I had no clue.

[BrokenolMarine]

The Super Smoker video will give you a good idea how smokers work.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rXF0u8OrLdU

[RanchRoper]

I enjoyed your report very much, thanks for sharing. Great guns, and some real fine shooting.

[ESquared]

The Super Smoker video will give you a good idea how smokers work.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rXF0u8OrLdU

Okay, glad I'm not the only one who hadn't heard of this. That's a seriously esoteric piece of equipment. Shows what we civilians know!

[BrokenolMarine]

You might be surprised at the difference blackened sights make. In old movies of military rifle quals, you see what look like cannon balls along the ready lines behind the firing line... with a low flame burning in them. These were called smudge pots in the Corps, and used to blacken your sights for a crisp glare free sight picture. When we were shooting at 500 yards with open sights... Sight Alignment, Sight Picture, and Trigger Control were the Holy Trinity for the day.