Uncle R.
01-18-2010, 12:55 AM
Got a mild case of cabin fever yesterday and found myself out at the range with an old and close friend for a few hours of shooting in the snow. We were supposedly checking zeroes for a steel plate match next weekend but mostly were just out to burn some powder.
Thinking that it might be fun to shoot the plate match with iron sights and a classic rifle I took out the "CMP Special" Garand that I bought a little over a year ago. I had test fired it with Greek and LC ball ammo when it first came to me and was well pleased with the results but I confess that I haven't worked with it since.
Anyway, I got her zeroed with HXP 74 Greek at 200 yards and as I worked with the rifle I fell in love again. I shot prone with the GI leather sling that came with the rifle. It was Wisconsin winter cold and I was bundled up in multiple layers. As I struggled into the sling I found a "winter" problem that I'd never noticed with the cotton "M14" slings that I usually use. Even with the forward loop let out to the last pair of slots I couldn't raise the muzzle enough to get on target from prone. I had to remove my outer coat to get a good Point Of Aim. A cold but happy shooter, I was soon keeping them on an 8" square target at 200 yards again and again and again and... Even better, I was calling the location of the hits in the square with fair accuracy.
I know that's nothing much to a serious high power competitor but to a dub like me - with my not-so-good-anymore vision and using issue iron sights it's phenomonal.
I sure do like my "CMP Special" Garand with the brand-new Criterion barrel. I suspect that someone with more skill than me could keep that HXP ball very close to 2 MOA and real match-grade ammo would probably - well I certainly wouldn't be able to do it justice with those irons. I have other rifles that are more accurate - and carry scopes that make ME more accurate at shooting them - but that Garand is just a lot of fun to shoot and a solid performer as well.
This is my third Garand. The first two were very disappointing, but I hit the jackpot this time. THIS one's not for sale.
:smile:
Uncle R.
Thinking that it might be fun to shoot the plate match with iron sights and a classic rifle I took out the "CMP Special" Garand that I bought a little over a year ago. I had test fired it with Greek and LC ball ammo when it first came to me and was well pleased with the results but I confess that I haven't worked with it since.
Anyway, I got her zeroed with HXP 74 Greek at 200 yards and as I worked with the rifle I fell in love again. I shot prone with the GI leather sling that came with the rifle. It was Wisconsin winter cold and I was bundled up in multiple layers. As I struggled into the sling I found a "winter" problem that I'd never noticed with the cotton "M14" slings that I usually use. Even with the forward loop let out to the last pair of slots I couldn't raise the muzzle enough to get on target from prone. I had to remove my outer coat to get a good Point Of Aim. A cold but happy shooter, I was soon keeping them on an 8" square target at 200 yards again and again and again and... Even better, I was calling the location of the hits in the square with fair accuracy.
I know that's nothing much to a serious high power competitor but to a dub like me - with my not-so-good-anymore vision and using issue iron sights it's phenomonal.
I sure do like my "CMP Special" Garand with the brand-new Criterion barrel. I suspect that someone with more skill than me could keep that HXP ball very close to 2 MOA and real match-grade ammo would probably - well I certainly wouldn't be able to do it justice with those irons. I have other rifles that are more accurate - and carry scopes that make ME more accurate at shooting them - but that Garand is just a lot of fun to shoot and a solid performer as well.
This is my third Garand. The first two were very disappointing, but I hit the jackpot this time. THIS one's not for sale.
:smile:
Uncle R.