Finally got some time to do some shooting today, so I grabbed the Mountaineer and headed to the rock pit. I really wanted to go to the farm so I could get more range, but we are haveing really unusual weather here. Today 40* and no snow at all so the fields are muddy and I did not want to walk in them, so the Rock Pit was the alternative sight but I can only get 150 yards there.

Got to the pit and set up 6 clay pigeons on the wall and 2 up high on the second bench. The pigeons on the wall at various ranges from 96 to 104 yards according to the range finder and the two high on the second bench ranged 151 yard with a 6 degree angle up. Seemed more than that as I was trying to shoot them, could not get the fronts rest to screw up high enough so I had to put an additonal bag on top of the front rest.

I also wanted to shoot a 75 yard bird to help check my 3" PBR (Point Blank Range) set up. At 75 yards I had it figured if I were to hold the cross-hair on the bottom of the bird I shoot shoot the center of the bird out while leaving the outer ring hanging on the branch. As you can see from the picture set everything went as planned.



First shot went exactly as planned as you can see from the picture set posted above.

I was shooting my favorite Lehigh/Bloodline bullet, the .458-275 DOA HP with a 120 grains of T7-2f (thrown on site) in a MMP Orange sabot. The 275 grain bullet is a long bullet because of brass composition but I Knight should really handle it well. I am not sure what effect the 27" barrel of the Mountaineer vs. the 26" barrel of my other Knights would have on this bullet. But, from what i can tell the bullet really did not care whether it was a 26" or 27".

After the 75 yard bird I move to the birds on the rock wall. The first 3 I shot with the same hold as on the 75 yard bird. All three of those birds were disenegrated. So in an effort to check PRB again on the 4th bird, I held the cross-hair right in the center of the bird. If my clculations were correct I should hit above the an inch or so and the bird should have survived. When the smoke cleared - the bird was still there.

I know - I know... it would be a lot easier to check with a paper target - but it is not near as much fun shooting paper as it is something that breaks. I even put a paper target out just for that purpose but never got around to shooting.

I shot the rest of the birds on the wall and decided to set another batch of them out on the wall. I treid to set these on different angles to make the shot a little more difficult.

After shooting the second batch of birds - I decided to try the 2 birds up on the second bench. At a 150 yards I should still be about a 1" high so I decided to hold at the base of the bird again. It was a solid hit, as I looked through the spotting scope all I could see were pieces of the bird.

Moving to the second bird I decided to try my calculations again. The range finder said that the angle was 6* so I was not to concerned about then angle of the shot dropping the POI below my calculations. So for this shot I held just under the upper rim of the bird. From here I should miss just about an 1+ high and the bullet should drive in the the wet clay without disturbing the bird. After the shot the bird was still there but I could just barely make out the bullet impacted just above the bird. So the final shot of the day was back to normal... Cross-hair on the bottom of the bird and presto bingo it was gone.



The picture of the wall and second bench did not turn out well as I thought so it is diffeicult to see the remaining two birs on the rock wal and the 2 high on the second bench.

Now, I need it to snow and get cold so I can get out to 200 yards at the farm.

But it was a fun morning...

Good shootin SL!

Next is getting a partner to throw them birds up and see how she shoots

hmmmmm????? I wonder

Sounds like you had a lot of fun. I agree though, I prefer to break clays or ring gongs much more than punching paper.

very nice shooting Sabotloader. That rifle is doing real well for you.

Excellant Shooting! be sure to post when the ground gets hard and you can get out to 200.
(BP)

Breech,

I really wanted to get out to the 200+ mark today but really did not want fight the mud + Marty has planted the field with winter wheat which has begun to sprout... Do not think he would like a bunch muddy foot prints back and forth through his field. He does not mind us shooting in the field but I do not want to push my luck.

If everything works out I should be able to get to 180 yards aiming with the first (main) cross-hair on the top rim of the bird.

At least you can get out and shoot Mike, it has done nothing but Rain here, I cant even go out and get Wood for the stove without putting on my 17" Rubber Boots to make it through the standing water and mud in my yard, it's unbelieveable. We finally got some Snow and Cold weather last night but it does'nt look like it'll last long enough to freeze the ground, by this weekend it'll be back in the 40's. I cant believe how this Winter has been so far.
Enjoy your Fun time and keep us Posted
(BP)

SL... gotta hand it to you, you know your gun. Perfect example of what good preparation and practice can do - and obviously a quality gun, and some skill

Looking forward to hearing the 200yd report (and 250 - hint, hint )

What distance do you have your gun sighted in dead on? You said 1" high at 150....so is that about 175?

Have you also shot it up close with that setup, like 25yds? Curious as to where it would hit at that range.

I am really working my way to that but the farm is about the only place I can shoot that far.

Mathematically should be about 168 yards... Still have to positively prove that one though.

25 yards I should be dead on or very close.

With a 3" PBR - I am never more than 3" down or 3" high through the range.