The weather finally moderated around here. Thank God!

It seemed forever since I was able to go out for a good shoot. I went and froze my feet a couple of weeks ago, for a couple hours. Yesterday, the weather was great. And, the mud was avoidable, with some care.

Jim was in Arkansas on business. Jerry came up for some range time.

We didn't shoot anything all day, inside 50 yds. By the end of the day, we were pounding steel groundhogs @ 150 yards. I shot the targets here, to test a barrel/slug combination that I have hopes for using in my long range 32 orders. The barrel is mounted on a test mule which can accept anything on .500" outside diameter. For my shop, so far, that means calibers 25, 8mm, 32, and 34.



Here's my last "group" I shot. It's just a small hair over one and one half inches center to center. Which, is right at 1 MOA @ 150 yards.







Three more I shot working my way up. None of them are bad. Oddly, you keep shooting groups, and you are never satisfied. Nothing but holes touching seems rewarding. And then, you move to shooting knock over steel groundhogs at the same distance, and you seem awesome!! Flying tumbling steel. You can hear the smack of the bullet on steel. You go from feeling disappointed to feeling great.



Jerry, tending to targets. He shot an awesome 100 yard group. I don't have a pic of that. Guess he does.

I was sitting at the bench in the War Wagon, sizing slugs ... and Jerry says "Hey!". I say "Hey what?" He says HEY!!!! again. I look up ... he's pointing.



At 200 yards, I caught 9 deer in this fumbled attempt at a picture. That's the way to find deer. Sit at a bench in the woods, and blast away all day shooting. They'll appear from down range when they are ready! haha.



My long 8mm Spitzers (longest about 1 5/16" long) ... just disintegrate during knocking the steel targets down. They're making from about 230 to 260 fpe at the muzzle). I found holes in the dirt, in a spray pattern in front of where the steel critter was sitting. In the holes were these sorts of fragments. Serious energy. That long slug really imparts everything to the steel.



This pr. of 100 yard groundhogs got it right in the heart. If their heart were in the normal cartoon location. ;?)



Jerry had a commercial (gutter slug) version of a very heavy 32 slug (200 grains I thik) that fly well from his Woodsman with it's 32 insert. It's a REAL target rifle. He's placed some serious lead on target with it.



We found some seriously flat and mashed versions of his slugs on the range.



And ... then it's time to clean up.



Barnes Pneumatic shop at night. Lovely isn't it?

Had a good time. It was fine to get out and shoot. It's a ton (literally) of stuff to drag and set up. Jerry brings a full truck load. I have a full truck and a full trailer. But, we have a sort of chorography to setting it up. It's part of the game, if you are going to shoot.

Gary

Looks like a good time. We still have 6 inches of snoew on the ground here.

Great to see you guys out shooting again! I was afraid you'd had a spat and weren't talking...eh..eh shooting with each other. I am glad to see I was wrong.

You shame my meager efforts to shoot by showing the great lengths you go to. You didn't even mention the drive time, which I'm sure is significant.

I think your onto something with the spitzers, but only if Surefire can cast them. I'd just bet they take a while to get the technique down for a perfect fill. Sure looks like the combo is working for you.

I agree the steel is much more satisfying than the paper punching. Paper posts easier as a pic, but with the video the steel translates well. No sun here today, looks like it was sent over to you. Looks like a lot of fun! That "mule" you're using must be but ugly for us not to get a picture of any of the guns. I wonder if Jerry was able to stomach a pic or two.

Thanks for sharing,

Kent

Hi Kent,

Don't know where you got that idea. The range has been two hundred yards of slick mud. There were Monsoon rains forever. Then two feet of snow. Then three more feet of snow on top. Then, with the thaw, weeks of swamp with a river down the middle. We don't mind setting up on some solid snow. But when you need a raft, and can't walk the field, it's pointless.

I like your system better. That's the way to do it. "Roll up the Barn Door". I always say, I'm "Building Surfboards in Kansas". Any gunsmith that doesn't have some property is a pretty poor planner. Thing is, I bought this place when I was a pocket knife maker. You don't need much room to open a pocket knife.

The mule is butt ugly. Nearly makes me gag to go near the thing. I'm doing you a favor. Gotta have something to keep the business moving forward. Everybody wants to hear about developments, and be in on testing. It's a natural product of having endless ideas, based upon my shop experiences. Gotta develop.

I think Jerry was too busy slingin' lead to take many pics.



Gary

Here ya go Kent!



I realized I did have a pic of the mule ... Kelly took it the other day with my new camera on telephoto!

hehe

Gary

Hey a little mule etiquette would be appreciated. Never point the business end of a loaded mule at me again! I don't care if you're just cleaning it.

Kent

gee ... I can't imagine why you'd be all "testy" today ...

Gary

Good read, appreciate the info. It is something how when your shooting paper one hole groups are all that makes you smile. Many a fine rifle has been disgustedly put back in the rack for 1 inch groups by paper shooters. Once upon a time I tried my hand a bench rest shooting, now those guys think a honest to goodness 3/8 inch rifle at 100 yards is a piece of junk.
Thats why I quit shooting paper unless I'm sighting in or testing a load. My rifle was a honest 5/8 inch rifle at 100 yards and all I heard from guys was you have to get a better barrel on that thing. I could nail a groundhog at 500 yards on a calm day with it and they thought it was junk. Different strokes I guess.

Hi Joe,

Yeah ... I've seen that attitude before. It does wear you out.

Another version of it is the legends that say you "can't do" what I will have just demonstrated. If you don't toe the party line ... doesn't matter. That's weary.

We had a good time. I was trying to sort out some ammo. About the time I was ready to shoot, I was about out of the slugs I liked. haha. That happens too.



Gary

Great range session and pics Gary! MOA at 150 yards is impressive And all those deer
Cheers
Neil

Yeah ...

There for a minute ... I thought Jim had gotten back, and brought his deer herd with 'em!

Gary

Sorry I've been MIA. Felt like something bad all day yesterday and never got around to posting.

We had a good time at the range and managed to figure out that Gary's new mule shoots those funny looking pointed slugs pretty good. I'll bet they would do even better off a proper bench and without the wind. At the start of the day, we had a pretty good breeze that was mostly in our face. It would kick up every time we placed a target it could knock over or when we loaded a slug... By the time Gary shot those 150 yard groups the wind was left to right at about 7-10 mph. That's enough to move the lighter slugs a good bit but the heavy spitzers seemed to track pretty good, I saw a lot more wind effect than Gary did. The trailer moves a little with every puff though. I got out of the trailor so Gary could shoot without me moving it at all but the wind kept moving it enough to be easy to see through the scope, I saw the same thing when gary stepped out. A rock solid platform would tighten those groups a bit, I'm sure.

Before we left, gary showed me a new project he's working on:

It's the new Barnesway for those who don't want to spring for a Segway. Still needs a little work...

Oh, if you pay attention to the pictures we usually post of the shooting set-up, you might have noticed that Gary's truck was not connected to the trailer this time. That's because gary had to pull me out of the soft greasy mud. I got to the range early and made the mistake of pulling off the road at the down hill part of the field intending to park up the hill a bit parallel to the road. As soon as I got off the road I started to sink. By the time I thought to hit 4 wheel drive I'd come to a stop and sank a good 7 inches deep. Four wheel drive instantly spun all the wheels and rocking the truck just put me deeper. About the time I figured it was a good idea to leave well enough alone and wait for Gary to show up for the simple tug, the phone rings. A guy who has been testing some .22 slugs for me was anxious to tell me all about his session in the snow and wind he had finally braved to get some numbers for me. Since I had put him off before and he was so happy to be part of the team, I had to take the call and hear the results first hand.

Naturally, this is about the time that Gary comes around the corner and notices my truck sitting low with mud covered sidewalls. I gave Gary some hand signals which he understood (having the tow strap already deployed helped too, I'm sure). Anyhow, Gary backs the trailer into position and we detach it from the truck while my tester is going on about the slugs performance and the weather. Gary gets the truck positioned and I get the strap hooked up, get back in my truck, fire it up and give Gary the thumbs up and he pulls me out in about 5 seconds. A couple seconds later, the strap is off, and both trucks are parked. Meanwhile, the test results continue on speaker phone. A good 5 minutes later Gary and I are about halfway to being ready to place the targets and my tester is just wrapping up his story...for the 5th time! We got the trailer un-hitched, my truck un-stuck, the trucks parked, gear unpacked and a good bit of the set-up done without ever saying anything! Gary got to hear the same story about 5 times and my tester never knew what was going on!

I didn't have the right slugs or at least not enough of them and had pretty crappy luck with the Prairie as a result. Good thing I had the Woodsman there as it was more forgiving of the smaller diameter slugs I had with me. I wish I'd brought better slugs but the ones I had knocked a lot of steel down as far as 150 yards out and made for another good time.

I did manage one group:

Not the best ever but a solid 1/2 MOA! I suppose its junk as it's only 3 shots and not 3/8" or less but I'm pretty happy with it! Especially given the wind and shooting from the trailer... I'm saving it.

Talk? What, we're supposed to talk?



GAry

Hey Kent,

I told Jerry this story ... but couldn't remember the movie we watched once at Hunting Camp. The guy on Jerry's phone was a heck of a nice guy. He did some good testing for Jerry, and he was real excited about getting some good results. So; I'm not razzing this fella. However; it was funny that every time Jerry and I crossed paths (Jerry had the guy on speaker phone so Jerry could continue with the set-up) ... but each time we crossed paths ...

I'd hear the same point of the story ... "...so you said to try them backwards, and they are amazing!!" I did literally hear that part five times. It reminded me of that spoof movie ... something about a couple of bumbling hit men. There was this running joke thru the movie ... each time the guys would be on a "stake out" waiting and watching for someone ... the car radio would be on. The two guys would have this "bored/dead-pan/just shoot ME look" on their faces, and the voice from the radio would be a spoof of a talk radio show. It would be saying ... "... so, I was listening and heard you say to call in ... so I called". Some stumbling version of that same thing kept happening over and over. Broke me up. I kept remembering that and chuckling Sat.

What was that movie ... oh keeper of knowledge ... ?

GAry

Jerry, good to hear the excitement building for your 22 slug program. Unstick a truck, set up a range and customer PR, who ever said that men can't multi-task.

Man, sub .5 MOA and I'd have it bronzed. That some fine shooting in anybody's book.

Kent

That was some impressive shooting! .5 in at 50 yards and 1.5 in group at 150 yards, good job! Accurate rifles are always interesting, make you proud of them. Thanks for the posts. By the way you look good with your weight loss Gary. You look about 5 years younger he..he..

Peter,

That target of Jerry's was @ 100 yards. He was "smokin' ...

Thanks for the compliment. Yeah ... Kelly walked right by me the other day ... didn't recognize me ...

Gary

Very nice sub 1/2 incher Jerry! Only 3 shots? Funny that the people who criticise 3 shot groups generally don't seem to come up with any groups of their own.....I guess it's easy to criticise from an armchair
Your's and Gary's shooting has got me itching for some long range shootin'.....just need the weather to comply.
Cheers
Neil

Good God, Gary is just wasting away !!!

seriously, you are doing great with that, and believe me it will help with the long term as far as aches and pains!

might not be as "stable" shooting, however.......

Neat pics, thanks for posting. Some pretty good shooting there, guys.