Range Report 5-28-2011

Personal Shooting:
I went shooting Saturday morning, 5-28-2011. It was the first time I've had to shoot my AR15 with the 20" barrel from "field" positions. I shot at 100 yards. Due to the number of shooters on the range, I was unable to shoot an AQT at 25 yards. Didn't matter.

Using the AR15, and my Ruger 10/22, the morning was fun. With the heavy AR15, I was keeping all standing shots within an 8" circle at 100 yards. All sitting shots were within 5 inches, and all prone shots were within 2 inches.

Using the 10/22, all prone shots were within about 4-5 inches. (This was based on best estimates using a scope, not actual measurements - I shot this last, and left the target there.)

When I get firm pressure on the sling on the heavy-barreled AR15, shot displacement is 3" down, and 2" to the left at 100 yards. Yet more proof to the Appleseed folks that too tight a sling can hinder marksmanship.

Using an AQT target at 100 yards, I was able, from prone (with a sling), to shoot the 200-yard scale targets without missing at 100 yards. Since the AQT is designed to be used at 25 meters, this is roughly akin to making 800-yard shots. By the way - the 100-yard scaled target, at 100 yards (meaning it is roughly the same size in appearance as a target at 400 yards) was a piece of cake.

The ACOG is really nice.


Family shooting:
First, my son shot at 100 yards, using his Crickett .22, and using my Marlin 795. Both rifles use a peep sight. He was putting shots on a sheet of paper 11.5" x 20". I know many serious shooters who refuse to shoot at 100 yards with a .22. Don 't tell my boy, he thinks it is what you are supposed to do.

My wife commandeered my AR15, and overcame some personal issues about shooting at a distance. She had never shot beyond 25 yards before. So what did she do? Started shooting 4-5 inch groups from 100 yards the very first time she ever shot at 100 yards, and the very first time she'd ever seriously shot a centerfire rifle.

My son was keeping all shots on an 11.5 x 20 inch paper at 7 yards with a pistol.

My father in law was completely inside the 8-ring with all shots, and inside the 9- and 10-rings on most shots at the same range, with two different pistols (my Ruger Mark III, and his Beretta NEOS).

My mother in law was shooting well - completely on paper with all shots, and inside the 8-ring with most shots.



Almost bad stuff:
An individual just walked down range while we were all firing, without calling "Cold Range!" first. He was on the pistol range, and at that moment, the only other person shooting on the pistol range was my father-in-law - who was reloading, not shooting.

Meanwhile, we on the rifle range called the range "cold" - and shot a few comments loudly in his direction about how unsafe that was, and how none of us would have minded him asking for a cold range.

This was the first time my wife had seen such a dangerous activity.



Funny stuff:
Next to my wife on the rifle range were some guys, each had a large-caliber bolt-action rifle with a large, high-power scope. The were shooting from some nice bench-rests. The wife had only my AR15 and a makeshift rest using the rifle cases. These guys were not getting all of their shots on a man-sized target at 100 yards - and when they did, the shots were never closer than 8 inches apart.

At one "Cold Range" intermission, these men let out a couple of expletives under their breath when they saw my wife's groups, compared to their shots, which were lucky to have hit.

The range boss also took interest, as the wife now looks 100% like a pure shooter behind the trigger of any rifle.