Went to the range today...

[Tom W.]

It's a long drive but I wanted to go to the range in Clayton, Alabama today. The DNR doesn't do much in the way of putting a place to hang your targets except some old fencing that is all shot up and in disrepair.Nothing new about that.
Anyway I found a way to tape my target to the fencing and started shooting my mouse fart loads @100 yards just to see what would happen. I had to aim at the top to hit the middle of the target, and was also hitting way to the right. I have an old 4x tasco scope on the rifle and was shooting my 165 gr. RanchDog cast with the 6.6 gr charge of Bullseye. So I was going to move the sights. The insert on my scope was missing that tells which way to turn the screw to move the sights. I
ended up moving it wrong. I finally had to go to the 25 yard range and start over. It took a while, and I got a lot of fire forming done, but I had to move the reticle about six inches or so to the left @25 yards. When I finally got it right I could put all of my shots in a small cluster. There was someone shooting at the 50 yard range, or I would have moved the target out to there and tweaked some more.

I did shoot about 25 or so 30-06 a.i. loads that I had loaded with the same boolits but was using 47 gr. of Varget. My rifle likes that load with a 180 gr GameKing, not so much with a cast.....

I shot until I got tired and then put my stuff away and made the long drive home. I had a good time, just enjoying being able to get out and shoot. I never unholstered my pistol.....

[WRideout]

Sounds like a fun day, Tom. I have been struggling with sighting in some of my rifle loads, but I think it is because I change to many parameters at once; I have a boatload of donated powders, and I'm trying to use them all. Some days you spend all your time with one rifle or pistol, no matter how many you brought.

Wayne

[atr]

hey Tom,
any day you can get outside to do some shooting is a good day !

[Hardcast416taylor]

Now you can understand how spoiled I am with the ability to walk out my back door and walk several hundred feet and use my 100 - 200 yd ranges with a 25 yd sight in range/pistol range. About 35 years back I finally got fed up with the `YaHoo`s` using our clubs range and the way they left it, so I bought this home and parcel of land with an old gravel pit and never went to a range again.Robert

[Time Killer]

Glad you had a good time and a great trip.

[Tom W.]

I'd love to have a place like that. In Eufaula I was out of the city limits so legally I could step out on my front or back porch and shoot a tree that was on my property. I did that quite often with new firearms that I had purchased or to see how a particular handload shot. Never had anyone complain to me, and the Sheriff's department probably fielded any other gripes.....They all knew me well back then!

[Mal Paso]

I managed to get in an hour at Laguna Seca Range today between suppliers and UPS. Only about half full but more women shooters than I've seen in a long time. Had a nice chat with the couple next to me.

10g of N350 under the MP 432640 is a nice barely subsonic load. I shot 30 of those and 94 BC 1103 250g over 20g of 2400. 6 of the 1300 fps loads were shot by the fellow next to me who now has a better idea about shooting cast.

[Chad5005]

Tom how far is that range from you,ive got to finish getting my long range at the cabin complete,maybe you can come shoot with us someday

[Tom W.]

Chad, I've been hoping you'd say that....:bigsmyl2:
It's probably 75 miles south west of here. When I lived down there I used to go regularly, when I was young and healthy. I'd even go when it was HOT outside. Now, not so much.....

[Green Frog]

I have a commercial indoor range (25 yard) about 3 miles from my house and another, larger indoor range across town. I'm also a member of a gun club that specializes in shotgun sports but has a 50 yard pistol and a 300 yard rifle range... it's about 45 minutes from home. When I read about people who have to drive great distances to shoot it makes me feel a little guilty that I don't take more advantage of my blessings! ;)

Tom W, we have target frames set up on the rifle range and target stands that can be used on the pistol range, but in order to make sure I always have what I need I tend to carry along a collapsible target stand that is even able to fit into the trunk of my Mitsubishi Spyder (that's a pretty small space!) since I've got to carry along all the other stuff to shoot, this is sort of insurance that I'll have a suitable target when I get there. I'm amazed at how many people shoot up what's left of target frames, etc when they didn't think ahead and bring targets. Glad you were able to cobble together a target holder, but I don't count on being that lucky all the time... I hate to waste a long drive and not have suitable targets. [smilie=b:

Froggie

[Tom W.]

I always have a spool of nylon string in case the fence is shot up. There is an indoor range (25 Yards) at the LGS in Columbus, maybe 5 miles or so from here . The will let you shoot pistol/ revolver rounds from handguns, shotguns and rim fire rifles. There is also a range a few miles down the road but they want an arm and a leg for membership and you need to be recommended by a member. SSD doesn't leave much for play money after bills and meds. That's one reason I am happy that the local SD opens their range for a little while once a month... No charge for that!

[jimb16]

I'm a life member of my range and it is only 11 miles from my house! No dues or work time required any more, but I still work when they need help. Going to shoot skeet this evening. Might take the 9mm hi-power with me and go a little early. Its nice being retired. I can go whenever I want.

[Tom W.]

Another option is those political ads that get stuck into the ground and forgot about. You can tape or staple a target on one of those and put it where you want it....

[popper]

I'm collecting BETO signs.

[LenH]

The range I belong to is 36 miles from my house. They have made it almost prohibitive for some one to join with the initiation fee, background check fee and yearly dues.
I joined about 10 years ago and I thought it was outrageous then but I try and keep current. But they provide target stands and keep the range pretty much up to date.


I should have gathered up the political signs in my neighborhood for target stands a day or 2 late for that.
The guy that renewed my carry permit had me meet his out on a dirt road next to a sand pit and had stapled a target to a pizza box that he had rigged
open with a couple of coat hangers. He knows me and knows I shoot Bullseye and had me put 5 rounds in the target because he had to witness me shooting.
He said it was just a formality. But the guy keeps 3 or 4 pizza boxes in his suv for just such an occasion.

[GregLaROCHE]

Now you can understand how spoiled I am with the ability to walk out my back door and walk several hundred feet and use my 100 - 200 yd ranges with a 25 yd sight in range/pistol range. About 35 years back I finally got fed up with the `YaHoo`s` using our clubs range and the way they left it, so I bought this home and parcel of land with an old gravel pit and never went to a range again.Robert

I can walk outside of my house and shoot. I have a fifty yard range and was talking to a friend just today, about opening it up to maybe 200 yards.

I still normally go to the local range at least once a week. It’s just so much fun meeting friends and talking guns.

[Knightflyer]

Another option is those political ads that get stuck into the ground and forgot about. You can tape or staple a target on one of those and put it where you want it....

What a fabulous idea. Thanks! I went out on a country road I found north of town a couple of weeks ago. There's a nice railroad embankment for a backstop. Our local range is lovely, but money is tight so why go there when I have a free spot only slightly further away?

[dondiego]

What a fabulous idea. Thanks! I went out on a country road I found north of town a couple of weeks ago. There's a nice railroad embankment for a backstop. Our local range is lovely, but money is tight so why go there when I have a free spot only slightly further away?

Been using political signs for years. Have stacks of them. The best are the corrugated plastic ones.

[Tom W.]

So this morning I went to the SO range. I forgot that the City was planning a parade, but I got through a little bit before the roads got blocked off, or else I would have to make a trip through the hood, and an unfamiliar hood at that.

We had to share range time. I wanted to shoot my rifle, others were shooting pistols and revolvers. The hand gun shooters shot in front of the bench, I had my rest on the bench and shot from behind it. No big deal, we all had a good time. I've been feeling kinda poorly this past week, and I left a lot earlier than I usually do. I only shot my 30/30 A.I., ever did shoot the 30-06 A.I. Maybe 30 rounds of fire forming loads at 50 yards. There was an older fellow and his wife there wanting to learn about shooting, one of the RO's goes to church with them. He had never fired a rifle with a scope on it before, so I put a light fire forming load into the rifle and let him have a ball. It never hurts to be nice....

[Old Coot]

A really good stable target stand that is also easily disposable is a cardboard box of appropriate size with a shovel full or two of dirt or sand in it. You can put the targets on with tape or 3M spray adhesive. I use the spray adhesive. It won't move much in the wind, and doesn't weigh much at all. Just pick it up, dump out the weight and take it home to be recycled. Brodie

[tazman]

There was an older fellow and his wife there wanting to learn about shooting, one of the RO's goes to church with them. He had never fired a rifle with a scope on it before, so I put a light fire forming load into the rifle and let him have a ball. It never hurts to be nice....

When I get that opportunity I always try to help out. I feel that is one of the most beneficial things we, as shooters, can do to help our sport/hobby. Helping new shooters get started is always satisfying on a personal level.