Sunday, February 26, 2006
Boomershoot Prep/Range Report
Given the amount of guests we've had to the range recently, it's been hard to focus on Boomershoot. That changed Thursday.
We brought out the .300 WSM Browning and the M14. Both of these rifles have been back benchers since the beginning. After a time, they seem to have become primary. Therefore, we transferred the high-power M4 Leupold scopes over to them from the bolt .308s.
Both grouped well at 400 meters and we plan on some paper next time, as well as some 600 meter action on painted steel.
We're down to 60 days now, and I don't feel ready, not that you ever do.
We also sighted in the new AR stubby with the reflex sight. That is going to be my clean-up gun. Last year at Boomershoot, all I was carrying was a .30-06 rifle. I held off going out on clean-up duty because I didn't want to lug the fucking thing out there and figured it would be short of shot and long on sight.
Clean-up wise, the Old Man is bringing his M1 carbine and I'm bringing the stubby AR.
Other than that, we are trying to list our last minute needs before the last minute and figuring out what I could improve on from last year (ask Kirk about camp chairs.)
By the way, is DuToit begging yet for gas money to get to Idaho? Or a new business? Because we all take advice from a man who can't actually balance a checkbook.
We brought out the .300 WSM Browning and the M14. Both of these rifles have been back benchers since the beginning. After a time, they seem to have become primary. Therefore, we transferred the high-power M4 Leupold scopes over to them from the bolt .308s.
Both grouped well at 400 meters and we plan on some paper next time, as well as some 600 meter action on painted steel.
We're down to 60 days now, and I don't feel ready, not that you ever do.
We also sighted in the new AR stubby with the reflex sight. That is going to be my clean-up gun. Last year at Boomershoot, all I was carrying was a .30-06 rifle. I held off going out on clean-up duty because I didn't want to lug the fucking thing out there and figured it would be short of shot and long on sight.
Clean-up wise, the Old Man is bringing his M1 carbine and I'm bringing the stubby AR.
Other than that, we are trying to list our last minute needs before the last minute and figuring out what I could improve on from last year (ask Kirk about camp chairs.)
By the way, is DuToit begging yet for gas money to get to Idaho? Or a new business? Because we all take advice from a man who can't actually balance a checkbook.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Cheney
I've been a little disappointed in the gun-blog community's response to this whole thing. While usually excoriating commentators for pontificating on shit they have never experienced and have no solid information on, bloggers acted the same way. Almost no blogger on my blogroll has ever made any comment about bird hunting. I assume maybe 10% of them have actually experienced it. Yet this is not a hurdle in passing judgement.
Secondly, those who are without sin should cast the first stone. Has nobody violated the much-hyped "four rules of shooting?" I bet every single one of you has at one point or the other. Before hunting on Tuesday I got to see some dipshit reporter on the Early Show (or one of those), with two dumb bitches from the "NY Rifle and Pistol Club," as if such an organization even exists. In any case, they're out there in the middle of Times Square with FUCKING BROOMS to demonstrate how hunter safety is applied. One bitch kept saying, "treat every firearm as if it's loaded and don't put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire." To my mind, Cheney knew his gun was loaded and was ready to fire when he put his finger on the trigger, so reciting these rules is specious at best.
These sonsabitches even had a wooden dog. This brings us to another big difference. When I hunted on Tuesday, I was firing at blue quail (I think scaled is the proper reference), whereas, from what I can figger, Cheney was hunting bobwhite quail. Dogs are useless when it comes to blue quail and many shots are at running birds not flying ones. Of course, this brings your muzzle a lot closer to the ground. Cheney was shooting at bobwhite, which flush into the air, like dumb fucks like David Gregory think all birds do.
Another notable "I know guns and hunting, and Cheney should be hung" advocate, is the legendary hunter and scholar, Paul Begala. Here's a couple of golden nuggets from the moron, with appropriate idiocy-correction:
This is prima-facia stupid. This may be the difference between bobwhite and blue quail. In the case of blue, you've got to run after the little fuckers. If you can tag it with an improved choke, you're not doing badly. Maybe 28 gauge is the preferred caliber in Southern Texas, but no one is going to laugh at you if you bring a 12 gauge to a blue quail hunt in southern NM.
Our big problem was that there was only two of us hunting. For two guys to flush out all the birds in a covey that may be spread out over an entire field is a shitload of time and walking. Ideally, 6 guys can cover a lot of territory. Additionally, if the bird is flying laterally, more than one shooter can fire on it.
As far as multiple coveys, bring them on. I hit a point where I was hitting more birds than I could keep track of where they fell.
Of course, every hunting accident is avoidable, including this one. As the season has concluded, outside of the veep, I've heard of two other pepperings amongst people I know.
The blogosphere, gunnies as well, like to get ahead of this sort of shit; beat the MSM, have more expertise, etc. It doesn't make any difference if you actually know what the fuck you're talking about, you just have to come off like you know your shit. Well you come off sounding stupid. Cheney fucked up. Who hasn't?
I'll leave you with this pearl of wisdom from Matt Cooper (Time Magazine):
HAHAHAHAHAAAAHAAAAHAAAA.
Secondly, those who are without sin should cast the first stone. Has nobody violated the much-hyped "four rules of shooting?" I bet every single one of you has at one point or the other. Before hunting on Tuesday I got to see some dipshit reporter on the Early Show (or one of those), with two dumb bitches from the "NY Rifle and Pistol Club," as if such an organization even exists. In any case, they're out there in the middle of Times Square with FUCKING BROOMS to demonstrate how hunter safety is applied. One bitch kept saying, "treat every firearm as if it's loaded and don't put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire." To my mind, Cheney knew his gun was loaded and was ready to fire when he put his finger on the trigger, so reciting these rules is specious at best.
These sonsabitches even had a wooden dog. This brings us to another big difference. When I hunted on Tuesday, I was firing at blue quail (I think scaled is the proper reference), whereas, from what I can figger, Cheney was hunting bobwhite quail. Dogs are useless when it comes to blue quail and many shots are at running birds not flying ones. Of course, this brings your muzzle a lot closer to the ground. Cheney was shooting at bobwhite, which flush into the air, like dumb fucks like David Gregory think all birds do.
Another notable "I know guns and hunting, and Cheney should be hung" advocate, is the legendary hunter and scholar, Paul Begala. Here's a couple of golden nuggets from the moron, with appropriate idiocy-correction:
On the notion that a 28 gauge "shoots fewer pellets and has a smaller shot
pattern than a 12 gauge," as the Washington Post reports: That's
true. But no one hunts quail with a 12 gauge. A 12 gauge is used for
high-flying, large birds like geese, ducks and pheasants. If you brought a
12 gauge to a quail hunt you'd be laughed off the ranch...and if you hit a bird
there'd be nothing left but feathers and feet
This is prima-facia stupid. This may be the difference between bobwhite and blue quail. In the case of blue, you've got to run after the little fuckers. If you can tag it with an improved choke, you're not doing badly. Maybe 28 gauge is the preferred caliber in Southern Texas, but no one is going to laugh at you if you bring a 12 gauge to a blue quail hunt in southern NM.
Third: It is not best practice - in fact it's unsafe - to send 3 guns into
the field and to chase 2 coveys at once. I would never - ever - go chasing
a second covey while someone else was occupied with a first covey. My
experience is that safe quail hunters generally hunt no more than 2 guns
in the field at a time, and chase one covey at a time. To do otherwise is
reckless
Our big problem was that there was only two of us hunting. For two guys to flush out all the birds in a covey that may be spread out over an entire field is a shitload of time and walking. Ideally, 6 guys can cover a lot of territory. Additionally, if the bird is flying laterally, more than one shooter can fire on it.
As far as multiple coveys, bring them on. I hit a point where I was hitting more birds than I could keep track of where they fell.
While hunting accidents do happen, this one may have been avoidable - if Mr.
Cheney and his companions had been less trigger-happy and more prudent
Of course, every hunting accident is avoidable, including this one. As the season has concluded, outside of the veep, I've heard of two other pepperings amongst people I know.
The blogosphere, gunnies as well, like to get ahead of this sort of shit; beat the MSM, have more expertise, etc. It doesn't make any difference if you actually know what the fuck you're talking about, you just have to come off like you know your shit. Well you come off sounding stupid. Cheney fucked up. Who hasn't?
I'll leave you with this pearl of wisdom from Matt Cooper (Time Magazine):
Late night comics are going to be all over it...don't be surprised if you
see lots of jokes about the vice president was trigger happy, or he might have
had better aim if he'd served in Vietnam.
HAHAHAHAHAAAAHAAAAHAAAA.
Quail Hunt
Made the Tuesday hunt before the season was over on Wednesday. Took four birds that were found, which is 400% more than I got the first time out last month.
After a slow period between 8:30 and 10:00, we were into birds all day long. One covey was amazing, in that we had shit popping up for about 25 minutes. As there was only 2 of us, we would basically take shots at 360 degrees, as long as the distance was verified.
As it's lighter later, we didn't quit until almost 6:00. Needless to say, it kicked the shit out of me. I tripped and ate shit once. Later, I was climbing a barbed wire fence and caught my jeans on the barbs. The post I had chosen to use was noticeably small and the top of it broke off in my hands as I once again tumbled to meet the earth.
I'm still not quite recovered from the "no longer 18 years old, but eating shit" symptoms that have plagued me since.
Prepping for Boomershoot, and generally spending as much time as I do with a rifle, I sometimes fuck up. I can't seem to get it through my head that 40 yards is a decent shotgun range. If you push it, you may be unnecessarily crippling a bird you can't recover. Last time out, I did just that. This time, I took a similiar shot and was plain lucky that I found the bird. The reason he was found is that he was thrashing about, given the lack of shot to anything vital. I had to shake his poor ass to death.
On another occasion, I figured I could pivot 180 degrees to take a shot on a bird. I did so, but failed to fully shoulder the gun. Instead I took the shot with the stock 1 and 1/2 inches off of my upper arm.
This is what happens.
After a slow period between 8:30 and 10:00, we were into birds all day long. One covey was amazing, in that we had shit popping up for about 25 minutes. As there was only 2 of us, we would basically take shots at 360 degrees, as long as the distance was verified.
As it's lighter later, we didn't quit until almost 6:00. Needless to say, it kicked the shit out of me. I tripped and ate shit once. Later, I was climbing a barbed wire fence and caught my jeans on the barbs. The post I had chosen to use was noticeably small and the top of it broke off in my hands as I once again tumbled to meet the earth.
I'm still not quite recovered from the "no longer 18 years old, but eating shit" symptoms that have plagued me since.
Prepping for Boomershoot, and generally spending as much time as I do with a rifle, I sometimes fuck up. I can't seem to get it through my head that 40 yards is a decent shotgun range. If you push it, you may be unnecessarily crippling a bird you can't recover. Last time out, I did just that. This time, I took a similiar shot and was plain lucky that I found the bird. The reason he was found is that he was thrashing about, given the lack of shot to anything vital. I had to shake his poor ass to death.
On another occasion, I figured I could pivot 180 degrees to take a shot on a bird. I did so, but failed to fully shoulder the gun. Instead I took the shot with the stock 1 and 1/2 inches off of my upper arm.
This is what happens.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Range/Hunt/Etc.
We had some business associates in on Friday, from a country that bans guns. They had previously agreed, via email, that they wouldn't mind hitting the range after all the business shit was done.
That was what we proceeded to do.
It amazed me how well people take to shooting. The oldest fellow (over 55, conservatively) had only ever shot an air rifle in his teens. He took to lever-action and revolvers instantly.
The other two unquestionably favored the Old Man's M1 Carbine. Probably 3-400 rounds got fired through the little guy. They were standing behind one another, ready to pick it up as soon as the other fellow took a rest.
We also had a Garand, .22s, the Henry .44 lever, a Ruger Redhawk .44, a Springfield 1911.
The Stubby, after being mounted on my other lower, performed like a dream. No jams, no errors, just straight shooting. Obviously, neither the Trijicon reflex scope or the irons had been sighted, so hitting steel took some compensation. This was a hard concept to explain, but our guests seemed to do alright with it anyway.
After that, we drank.
Tomorrow I'm heading back to Lea County for the final quail hunt of the season. Should be a good time if no one pulls a Cheney. As such, the soonest I'll be logging on again will be Wednesday.
In the mean time, I've been trying to get the Old Man to follow-up on his Virginia trip from last year. He posted on gunsmiths and ranges, but he saw some other shit, as well.
That was what we proceeded to do.
It amazed me how well people take to shooting. The oldest fellow (over 55, conservatively) had only ever shot an air rifle in his teens. He took to lever-action and revolvers instantly.
The other two unquestionably favored the Old Man's M1 Carbine. Probably 3-400 rounds got fired through the little guy. They were standing behind one another, ready to pick it up as soon as the other fellow took a rest.
We also had a Garand, .22s, the Henry .44 lever, a Ruger Redhawk .44, a Springfield 1911.
The Stubby, after being mounted on my other lower, performed like a dream. No jams, no errors, just straight shooting. Obviously, neither the Trijicon reflex scope or the irons had been sighted, so hitting steel took some compensation. This was a hard concept to explain, but our guests seemed to do alright with it anyway.
After that, we drank.
Tomorrow I'm heading back to Lea County for the final quail hunt of the season. Should be a good time if no one pulls a Cheney. As such, the soonest I'll be logging on again will be Wednesday.
In the mean time, I've been trying to get the Old Man to follow-up on his Virginia trip from last year. He posted on gunsmiths and ranges, but he saw some other shit, as well.
Friday, February 10, 2006
No Useful Purpose, Whatsoever
Got the new AR upper out to the range on Tuesday. Got about 8 rounds through it before the bolt carrier ceased going all the way forward. When I finally was able to take it down, I found that me and a buddy of mine had fucked up the installation of the A2 buttstock.
We forgot to put the spacer in between the stock and the lower receiver. As a result, we tightened the stock/buffer screw until it was over-torqued and stripped. As a result, the buffer and buffer spring drove the retaining pin all the way forward into the hammer/trigger assembly. Efforts to rectify the situation resulted in everything getting even more stripped and I sheared the take-down pin detent spring.
This added to a developing opinion I've had lately. I love AR's. I think they are an effective rifle and I'm not one to bitch about the 5.56 caliber. However, given that most of my military sources have advised me that a new infantry recruit receives about 4 weeks of firearms training, and, at best, a week of that is range time, the platform would appear to be overly complicated for a recruit. I may be wrong and would welcome contradictions.
Also, sometimes I forget my poor breathren in CA-Lee-Forn-ya, who can't enjoy the pleasure of a good AR-15. I agree with David that if I lived there (which let me emphatically state, I wouldn't), the shifting winds of state government would probably creep me out enough to stay away from the whole mess.
For those living in fascist states, there is another alternative. Gunner has illustrated how to assemble a good tactical rifle without spending too much money or drawing the attention of the authorities.
As to my problems, about 8 months ago I realized that having a second lower receiver would probably be a prudent decision. As such the stubby upper has been switched to the unfucked lower and we'll be taking another crack at it tomorrow.
We forgot to put the spacer in between the stock and the lower receiver. As a result, we tightened the stock/buffer screw until it was over-torqued and stripped. As a result, the buffer and buffer spring drove the retaining pin all the way forward into the hammer/trigger assembly. Efforts to rectify the situation resulted in everything getting even more stripped and I sheared the take-down pin detent spring.
This added to a developing opinion I've had lately. I love AR's. I think they are an effective rifle and I'm not one to bitch about the 5.56 caliber. However, given that most of my military sources have advised me that a new infantry recruit receives about 4 weeks of firearms training, and, at best, a week of that is range time, the platform would appear to be overly complicated for a recruit. I may be wrong and would welcome contradictions.
Also, sometimes I forget my poor breathren in CA-Lee-Forn-ya, who can't enjoy the pleasure of a good AR-15. I agree with David that if I lived there (which let me emphatically state, I wouldn't), the shifting winds of state government would probably creep me out enough to stay away from the whole mess.
For those living in fascist states, there is another alternative. Gunner has illustrated how to assemble a good tactical rifle without spending too much money or drawing the attention of the authorities.
As to my problems, about 8 months ago I realized that having a second lower receiver would probably be a prudent decision. As such the stubby upper has been switched to the unfucked lower and we'll be taking another crack at it tomorrow.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Happy Ashara
It's that time again, folks. Yes, it's Ashara, my favorite holiday.
All you nancy-boys can keep your Christmas, Channuka, Kwaanza, etc. It's not your birthday; nobody's buying you a fucking cake.
If I remember correctly, we're celebrating the martyrdom of the 4th Imam (I won't swear to it, but I won't bother looking it up either.)
This year I skipped the normal back flogging. That's so yesterday. We did some head-cutting, the only way a self-respecting male with ability to reproduce celebrates this great holidays. Me and the homeys discussed female circumcision, the best way to discipline your bitch, and "Why freedom should die," as evinced by a recent statement by some protestor, somewhere.
If y'all have any good pics from your Ashura celebration, send them in. If I get enough responses I might post "The Carnival of Ashura, 2006."
All you nancy-boys can keep your Christmas, Channuka, Kwaanza, etc. It's not your birthday; nobody's buying you a fucking cake.
If I remember correctly, we're celebrating the martyrdom of the 4th Imam (I won't swear to it, but I won't bother looking it up either.)
This year I skipped the normal back flogging. That's so yesterday. We did some head-cutting, the only way a self-respecting male with ability to reproduce celebrates this great holidays. Me and the homeys discussed female circumcision, the best way to discipline your bitch, and "Why freedom should die," as evinced by a recent statement by some protestor, somewhere.
If y'all have any good pics from your Ashura celebration, send them in. If I get enough responses I might post "The Carnival of Ashura, 2006."
Sunday, February 05, 2006
No Useful Sporting Purpose
Back on New Year's Eve Eve, I got into a spot of trouble with the LAW. After doing several hours handcuffed in a concrete room, I decided to treat myself. I've owned a stubby AR upper before, but when the Old Man function tested it, one of the staked screws on the carrier busted. I haven't gotten that fixed yet for a variety of reasons (namely, I don't know a gunsmith I'd trust to do the work, and I don't want to spend the money on equipment when I can just buy a new stubby.)
As you can see in the lower picture, stock was a Rock River upper with quad-rails and a detachable carry-handle. The bitch is, in my self-pitying state when I ordered it, I never realized what I would do with it.
Needless to say, once it came in, I started looking at $1,400 ACOG's, Aimpoints, and various and sundry other sight apparatus. I finally settled on the Trijicon Reflex sight with a 6.5 MOA amber dot. I also added the A.R.M.S. throw lever mounts, so that irons could be readily available. I'd been looking at Uncle's conundrum about sights and decided to go with something a little more expensive but not all-out self indulgent. Detailed pic:
What probably put me over the top, financially at least, was the Surefire light I scored. The fucker is nice, in that it has the pressure switch but also seems to act like a normal high-power flashlight. I think you could pop it off and stick it on your belt. The lens on the Trijicon adjusts to artificial light in darkness, and the side-mount doesn't fuck with your grip.
All in all, I spent way too much money on something that has "NO USEFUL SPORTING PURPOSE", all with Boomershoot in less than 90 days. I should have all my focus and resources centered on .30 caliber guns that go really far, not stubby AR's that shoot a pussy .22 round.
My priorities are a little fucked up.
As you can see in the lower picture, stock was a Rock River upper with quad-rails and a detachable carry-handle. The bitch is, in my self-pitying state when I ordered it, I never realized what I would do with it.
Needless to say, once it came in, I started looking at $1,400 ACOG's, Aimpoints, and various and sundry other sight apparatus. I finally settled on the Trijicon Reflex sight with a 6.5 MOA amber dot. I also added the A.R.M.S. throw lever mounts, so that irons could be readily available. I'd been looking at Uncle's conundrum about sights and decided to go with something a little more expensive but not all-out self indulgent. Detailed pic:
What probably put me over the top, financially at least, was the Surefire light I scored. The fucker is nice, in that it has the pressure switch but also seems to act like a normal high-power flashlight. I think you could pop it off and stick it on your belt. The lens on the Trijicon adjusts to artificial light in darkness, and the side-mount doesn't fuck with your grip.
All in all, I spent way too much money on something that has "NO USEFUL SPORTING PURPOSE", all with Boomershoot in less than 90 days. I should have all my focus and resources centered on .30 caliber guns that go really far, not stubby AR's that shoot a pussy .22 round.
My priorities are a little fucked up.
Range Report
Me and the Old Man made it out to the range last Tuesday. We had set a narrow range of tasks that we wished to complete.
First off would be siting in the M1A with its new glass. This didn't go so well. It appears that, between the additional height of the mount and the additional height of see-through rings, the glass was too far above the bore. Initially, the point of impact was about 4 feet above the point of aim at 100 yards. That's a shitload of MOA. We bottomed out the MOA on the scope and got it zeroed at 650 yards.
Not going to work.
We've got some A.R.M.S. throw-ring scope rings on the way from Fulton Armory.
I figure if these fuck with the rear NM apperture sight, I can use some Weaver spacers to bring them up a little.
The other objective was to verify that my .308 and .300 WSM loads were good. They both grouped great.
The .308 is a little lighter than the Federal Gold Medal match loads (i.e. an inch low at 400 yards.)
All in all, I'm happy with the loads and these are the ones I'll be sticking with for Boomershoot.
First off would be siting in the M1A with its new glass. This didn't go so well. It appears that, between the additional height of the mount and the additional height of see-through rings, the glass was too far above the bore. Initially, the point of impact was about 4 feet above the point of aim at 100 yards. That's a shitload of MOA. We bottomed out the MOA on the scope and got it zeroed at 650 yards.
Not going to work.
We've got some A.R.M.S. throw-ring scope rings on the way from Fulton Armory.
I figure if these fuck with the rear NM apperture sight, I can use some Weaver spacers to bring them up a little.
The other objective was to verify that my .308 and .300 WSM loads were good. They both grouped great.
The .308 is a little lighter than the Federal Gold Medal match loads (i.e. an inch low at 400 yards.)
All in all, I'm happy with the loads and these are the ones I'll be sticking with for Boomershoot.
