Good day at the range but could have been sad.

[dtknowles]

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

[geargnasher]

Mebbe he would take an interest in a few hundred checked, lubed, .30-30 bullets?

Gear

[btroj]

You shoot?

Sounds like a great day. I don't shoot much 22 these days but I would have a hell of a hard time saying no to freebies.

You may have a new shooting buddy?

[dtknowles]

Mebbe he would take an interest in a few hundred checked, lubed, .30-30 bullets?

Gear

Yeah, he doesn't cast but does reload.

Tim

[RED333]

Good day at the range, I would trade so cast boolits for some 22LR.

[dtknowles]

I have to go check my bullet supply. If I have some, I will give him some strait away. If I don't, it is starting to cool off here so I will be casting some soon. I don't need to trade. I have plenty of .22 LR. Just did not have any at the range with me because I brought the wrong gun case.

Tim

[WILCO]

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 never care about the firearms of other folks.
The ones trying to take mine away cause me to have spoiled days.

[dtknowles]

??????????????????????????????????????????????

I never care about the firearms of other folks.
The ones trying to take mine away cause me to have spoiled days.

The blast from his muzzle brake would shake my spotting scope. I am pretty flinch resistant so his shots did not cause me to shoot flyers. Normally I would have backed away from the line while a brake shooter was shooting next to me. When shooting rifles I use only ear plugs and no muffs because they interfere with cheeking the rifle and that gun was seriously loud because the break focuses the muzzle blast right at the adjacent range position. It blew empty cartridge boxes off my bench.

Tim

[btroj]

Worse than brakes are the guys who spray brass all over you. Muzzle brakes are great for the shooter, lousy for the guys on either side.
I am fortunate to shoot at a private club where I rarley share the range with more than one guy and we have lots of room.

[HangFireW8]

My rule for brass sprayers is, if it hits me its mine. Most offer the rest of their brass, too.

[btroj]

Too many here are spraying steel cases 7.62x39, not worth a damn.

[dtknowles]

Don't really need brass from anything that sprays them. .223, 9mm and .40 S&W are worth about scrap price, someone else can scrap them. I don't own a .308 and I don't see many and like the man said, 7.62 x 39 are all steel.

Tim

[btroj]

I never noticed before that you quoted INXS in your tag line, my wife would be impressed. Me? Not a huge fan.

I tend to pick up all the scrap brass I can, I like the money at the scrap yard. Well, not money as I exchange it for lead.

[jaystuw]

So, you got some hard to find .22 ammo and Maybe a new pal! I would call that a really good day at the range. I can't say I would be thrilled with the muzzle braked blast from an AR 10 though. Blowing the boxes off your table is a little to close for comfort. Jay

[dtknowles]

I never noticed before that you quoted INXS in your tag line, my wife would be impressed. Me? Not a huge fan.

I tend to pick up all the scrap brass I can, I like the money at the scrap yard. Well, not money as I exchange it for lead.

The range has rules about brass belonging to the range if the owner does not claim it or designate who can have it. I have picked up some from time to time depending on who is range master. I have buckets of brass to be recycled but it is an hours drive to a yard that will buy it. I have sold thousands of dollars of brass over the years but don't have much really good stuff left to part with. Where I used to shoot there was so much on the ground I could not stand to see it left to rot so I would spend a lot of range time picking up brass until that range was closed. I also mined for lead there. I miss that place. It had a far berm at 250 yards. Where I shoot now the far berm is 100 yards.

Tim

[dtknowles]

So, you got some hard to find .22 ammo and Maybe a new pal! I would call that a really good day at the range. I can't say I would be thrilled with the muzzle braked blast from an AR 10 though. Blowing the boxes off your table is a little to close for comfort. Jay

Yes, a really good day at the range. Making a friend is priceless. I thought it was going to be a disappointing day when I found out I brought the wrong gun case.

Tim

[hardy]

Yes, a really good day at the range. Making a friend is priceless. I thought it was going to be a disappointing day when I found out I brought the wrong gun case.

TimYep,you,ll meet a lot of nice folks at the range and, of course,the usual dipsticks.LOL Mike..

[country gent]

I too had a good day at the range today everything worked as it should pretty much and no real problems. wind was on its good behaviour just enough to keep mirage flowing and not boiling most of the day. Oh and not many spraying brass around at a bpcr match. LOL

[dtknowles]

Glad to hear other shooters having a good day at the range too. Most everyone was well behaved today, just one guy got a little carried away with rapid fire with his semiauto and the RO had to instruct him to keep his impacts on the berm. I could see his rounds hitting too short, probably ricocheted over the berm.

Tim

[WILCO]

The blast from his muzzle brake would shake my spotting scope.

Oh. I understand now. I would've simply moved to another bench or found something else to do at the range. Life is too short and it really is that easy.

[dtknowles]

Oh. I understand now. I would've simply moved to another bench or found something else to do at the range. Life is too short and it really is that easy.

I normally just step back from the line when the brass sprayers and muzzlebreakers are next store and shooting. Moving to another bench is rarely an option, between 10 and 2 o'clock often the benches are full and people are waiting at check-in. That day it did not bother me because things were going so well.

Tim

[HangFireW8]

I LOVE shooting next to the muzzleloaders. I make it a point not to light off the big guns when they're aiming. Love to smell the smoke. If they only left me brass they'd be perfect range companions. Lol

[dagger dog]

The blast from his muzzle brake would shake my spotting scope. I am pretty flinch resistant so his shots did not cause me to shoot flyers. Normally I would have backed away from the line while a brake shooter was shooting next to me. When shooting rifles I use only ear plugs and no muffs because they interfere with cheeking the rifle and that gun was seriously loud because the break focuses the muzzle blast right at the adjacent range position. It blew empty cartridge boxes off my bench.

Tim

Had a guy set up net to me, got my back to him and didn't know or care what he was shooting until the first shot knocked my ball cap off my head, I thought I had forgot to put my plugs in it was so loud. Turned and looked it was one of those single shot 50 BMG bolt guns, with a brake about as wide as my hand. He either ran out of money or ammo as he didn't shoot but 6 or so rounds. !

[Dannix]

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.
This is why I shot in the middle of nowhere national forest. The trade off is that it is such a long drive.

[Ed Barrett]

On week days I usually have the range to myself, except now till deer season is over will have once a year shooters. Good part is they leave a lot of new once fired brass. Nice being retired.

[Lance Boyle]

I have no truk with what anyone else is shooting on the range but yea, a brake right next to you can be unfun. A couple years ago I was at an informal shoot and the guy next to me had an AR with one of the brakes on it. Not only was he braked and close, he also was laying a bit back on the line. My double ear pro wasn't helping so I slid back and took a break.

[dtknowles]

I have no truk with what anyone else is shooting on the range but yea, a brake right next to you can be unfun. A couple years ago I was at an informal shoot and the guy next to me had an AR with one of the brakes on it. Not only was he braked and close, he also was laying a bit back on the line. My double ear pro wasn't helping so I slid back and took a break.

Yeah, that is the thing to do with brakes and brass sprayers. My range time is precious but it is worthless if it is not fun. Yeah, just move back and let them have their time.

Tim