Rough day shooting

dmurphy317 · 06-25-2007, 08:12 PM

Well I finally got a chance to go shooting here in Colorado. This is the first chance I've had to shoot in almost 4 months due to being out of town on a job. I finally decided to bring a couple of my guns up here with meafter my last trip home.

The shooting range I went to is a public range at 8000 ft with a great veiw of Pikes Peak. Max range was 100 yards. The range is not controlled in any way and the public has more or less trashed the place. I don't think I've ever walked on so much broken glass.

Anyway, my shooting was not much better than the range. I had put a new scope on my Magbolt andit took about 12 or 13 shots to dial it in at 30 yards. I also had my Lyman but I was out of the 460's that it likes so I tried some 400gr White's that I had. They worked OK but not as good as the 460's. At 30 yards they were printing about where the 460's were but at 100 they were less than consistant. The box I was usingas a target was about 18" square and a few missed the box.The others grouped about 8" or so with half of the 6 shotsthat hit the box were in a 6 inch circle. In my defense I was adjusting my sights in an atempt to dial it in at 100 yards. After about 5 hours in the full hot sun I was pretty much wiped out.

I think the problems were a combination of the 90+ degreetemps, a new bullet in the Lyman that I haven't really worked with much and my lack of recent shooting practice. I need to get out there at daybreak instead of 9:30 next time andpick upmy new supply of 460's that came in after my last trip home.

Dispite the results of the shooting session, it was nice to get out and make some smoke and see some very nice views, just wish I had a camera to get some pictures.

oldrookie · 06-25-2007, 09:36 PM

Congrats on getting out! Sounds like your working too hard.

sabotloader · 06-25-2007, 09:37 PM

dmurphy317

Quote:

I think the problems were a combination of the 90+ degreetemps, a new bullet in the Lyman that I haven't really worked with much and my lack of recent shooting practice.

Ouch! that is awfully hot... That hot has got to change the powder characteristics... I'll bet that had a lot to do with everything not to mention the alltitude. I shoot sometimes in 80+ weather but I know things are going to be a bit erratic so I do not change a thing - just shoot for the pleasure of shooting...

frontier gander · 06-25-2007, 09:46 PM

93* here in southern colorado. My bro and i did some shooting and had fun, but trying to grab that hot barrel in the sun wasnt fun at all.

Dmurphy, make sure you go to Manitou springs and check out the mountain man store!

dmurphy317 · 06-26-2007, 12:12 PM

Oldrookie,
I have been working too much but with some up coming contract changes in the next few months my job is hanging in the ballance so I figured I better make some extra money while I can.

Sabotloader,
I usually don't shoot on hot days like yesterday but I was desperate to get out and do something outside. Unfortunately I forgot my sunscreen and now have a nice sunburn on my neck to go with my bruised shoulder. That GPH off a bench with 90gr of 777 can poke you pretty good if you don't get the butt in the right place.

FG,
I've already been to Mountain Man twice and picked up a few things. The company apartment I'm staying in is ony about 6 miles from Mountain Man. The range I was at is above Manitou Springs on Rampart Range Road.

One other thing about that range is the shooting benches. Theyhave 3/8" steel tops that absorb a lot of heat. I ended up using socks on the table so I could rest my elbows on the table without burning them. I think I could have cooked breakfast on the top of theshooting benches by noon.

cayugad · 06-26-2007, 12:31 PM

I was going to shoot today, but saw it was 94ºs outside and the deer and horse flies were waiting on the window. I decided a day inside getting odd jobs done in the cool house was a better idea. It still sounds like you have a lot of fun, and that is the main thing. This heat will end soon enough.

sabotloader · 06-26-2007, 09:13 PM

dmurphy317

Ya know sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do and be darned with "mother nature."

I have retired twice now and I am back working in the woods again for the Forest Service so I guess it is my own *&%# fault that I do not have time to get out to shoot, but I am seeing a lot of deer and elk & a couple of Moose