I got up early and got to the range only to find out that I brought the wrong gun case. I was going to shoot my 6mm PPC benchrest rifle and my H&R Topper 30-30. When I opened the aluminum case to check in at the range it had my 10-22 and my Savage Anschutz .22 target rifle in it. I finished checking in anyway as I did have the 30-30 and ammo for it.
I get set up on my bench and am shooting my 30-30, first round off sandbags at 50 yards from the cold bore is an inch low and an inch to the right. The next two are right on, an inch and a half high and touching each other. I stand up, load a round and draw a bead (ghost ring rear sight and post on the front) on the gong at 100 yards, the shot breaks and the gong rings, woo hoo. I have three boxes of cast bullet loads, 130 grain pointed bevel base with 8 gr. of Red Dot and 170 gr. LFP w/gc with 10.5 grains of Unique. I shoot a few more at the target and the gong and am really happy with the loads and my shooting. Did I mention that these loads shoot to very close to the same point of impact. This is good because it is not easy to adjust the sights on this rifle, no clicks.
While I am waiting for a cold range to move my target the guy on the bench next to me comes over and asks about my ammo and if I reload. I show him my cast bullet reloads and tells me about the Marlin 30-30 he just brought that he just got. It has a tapered octagonal barrel.
The range goes cold and I move my target back to 100 yards and I take a look at his target as I walk by it. His 30-30 was right on at 25 yards, tight group right in the center of the target, later he said he did not even have to adjust the sights.
I check out the rack by his bench and he has a Ruger 10-22 and an H&R CMP .22 target rifle with a scope. We both shoot some more and my 30-30 is still nailing the plate so I switch to my target to better see where I am hitting, looking good. Next cold range I again check out his target, he had been shooting his .22 target rifle and I see he was shooting the ring numbers on the target not the bullseye, and punching them I might add.
When the range goes hot I tell him about my SNAFU and show him my other two rifles because it is such a coincidence that we have such similar rifles at the range on two adjacent benches especially in this Black Rifle age.
I go back to my last few rounds of 30-30 and he shoots his 10-22 some and then starts to pack up. Before he leaves he stops by my bench and gives me three partial boxes of .22 ammo. I offer to pay him but he won't take the money and I ask if he has a business card. He does and I don't but he gives me his card. His business is 6 blocks from my house. I offer to pay him for the ammo again and he says no but asks me to bring in his target stand when the range goes cold. I thank him and tell him I will take care of it. Thanks Ray.
So I had a couple hundred rounds of .22 ammo to extend my range session. Even the guy at the bench on the other side with the AR10 with a muzzle break couldn't spoil the day at the range for me. I think this good feeling might last the whole day.
Tim