I got injured at the Shooting Range today....

[Stanley Steamer]

I got a small cut on my right thumb as I was taking a store bought target out of the packaging!!...darn corrugated plastic edge was SHARP!!....

I made a last minute Executive decision to go and bust a few caps through my pistols at a WMA Gun range about 45 miles from my house.....it was a last minute thing, and since I was in a hurry, I stopped along the way at a sports store an bought one of those small galvanized frames that holds targets up on a piece of corrugated plastic....

It was pretty full when I got there, but I waited for a bench to come open and prepped my targets(when the cut happened).....the Range Master called for a halt to the shooting so we could check/replace/install new targets.....the only bad thing was that I had to place it all the way out to the 25yd berm since it was a foot shorter than the 4' minimum....I have to wear glasses for my distance vision and my amber shooting glasses aren't prescription lenses..

I ran about 50 more rounds through the Kahr CW.45 and maybe that many through my Llama 1911 .45...I managed to keep my rounds on the 10"x16" target at 25 yds....I still want to get some amber prescription lenses soon...

Next came my "Dirty Harry" 6" .44 magnum....I love that gun....I shot the target enough to blow some holes big enough to see daylight through....I ran about 75 rounds through it before putting it up....it costs me $23/50 for lead wadcutters...I'm gonna have to start reloading again if I keep shooting that bad boy....the .45's ain't cheap either though....

I was having a great time and the only other "shadow" on an otherwise great day was when a Dad brought his 3 sons with him and sat up at the table next to me.....he had a .22 rifle, a 30-06 deer rifle....and a 20 gauge shotgun.....his boys looked to be maybe 6, 8, 10yrs old?....they were excited to say the least....he started them off with the .22.....then the Dad ran some rounds through his rifle and shotgun.....of course the oldest kid wanted to shoot that since he was a "big Boy"....he only shot it once, but managed to blow the metal legs off of MY target stand that was set up 10' from theirs!!..... .....the Dad apologized profusely, but I didn't really get upset...it was just a $10 stand....there was another Father/son team on the other side of me, but he only had a .22 rifle and was patiently teaching them how to shoot that....my Dad never had any guns and wouldn't let me have one either considering how my Brother and I shot our cousins in the arse with BB guns when we were young(and for shooting the windows out of a vacant house).....

I brought out the little 22 revolver that is the little brother to my .44 Magnum at the next target break,.... I repositioned my now shorter target and had some fun with the .22.....there were pieces of wood and pvc pipe laying in my shooting lane from earlier shooters, out near the berm, so I had a fun time shooting them all over the place... ....I'm very pleased with how accurate those revolvers are...especially considering I couldn't see the best....at least the .22 shells are relatively cheap....

All in all, it was a great day...the range was about a mile off of the main road on a very nicely graveled road that had about 6" of new, fresh gravel on it...not very conducive for riding the bike to.....I had about as much fun as you can have without taking my clothes off, other than riding the Valk of course!!.....

 

[big turkey]

Glad you kept your clothes on at the range today Steamer.

Sorry about your paper cut though.

Here's another guy who reccomends the wadcutters in the 44 Magnum.

Al

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[Stanley Steamer]

Well.....considering it was about 45 degrees with a medium wind, I never even took my light jacket off.....and there were 3-4 cute ladies there shooting also.....and you KNOW I never get undressed in front of the Ladies!!......

Dirty Harry was Da Man!!...

[Ratdog]

many moons ago, one summer day in Alaska... I'd gone to the Rabbit Creek Gun Range to break in my brand spanking new Browning Buck Mark .22 pistolas.  While my buddy and I were there shooting, I was dutifully snagging up .44 brass and .357 brass which was strewn about the deck.  I'd gathered up almost 100rds of it when the range master came by and threw out an arbitrary "all brass belongs to the range, you cannot scrounge brass"... and, demanded I hand over all my efforts.  No signs posted on "the policy"... no "I'll let it go this time, but...", just obnoxious attitude.  About 20 mins. later... both of the target stands we were using (constructed of dimensional lumber, and range property) buckled on one side and settled down after the legs finally gave way from the barrage of .22 projectiles at 25yrds.  The little brass nazi came over to rant about his target stands... we looked at each other and both said "sights must be off, I was wondering where it was shooting"... packed up and left.  I love those consistently tack-driving little guns ! 

[Stanley Steamer]

many moons ago, one summer day in Alaska... I'd gone to the Rabbit Creek Gun Range to break in my brand spanking new Browning Buck Mark .22 pistolas.  While my buddy and I were there shooting, I was dutifully snagging up .44 brass and .357 brass which was strewn about the deck.  I'd gathered up almost 100rds of it when the range master came by and threw out an arbitrary "all brass belongs to the range, you cannot scrounge brass"... and, demanded I hand over all my efforts.  No signs posted on "the policy"... no "I'll let it go this time, but...", just obnoxious attitude.  About 20 mins. later... both of the target stands we were using (constructed of dimensional lumber, and range property) buckled on one side and settled down after the legs finally gave way from the barrage of .22 projectiles at 25yrds.  The little brass nazi came over to rant about his target stands... we looked at each other and both said "sights must be off, I was wondering where it was shooting"... packed up and left.  I love those consistently tack-driving little guns ! 

Since there wasn't a charge to use the range(other than my State taxes), maybe they use the brass to help offset the costs...I didn't save my .45 brass.....but I did keep the .44 Mag brass...

I love how sweet that little .22 shoots.....I once bought a Phoenix .22 automatic with a longer "target" barrel included in the case....I sold it pretty fast when I discovered you couldn't hit the side of a school bus if you were standing right up on it!!.....

[Ratdog]

many moons ago, one summer day in Alaska... I'd gone to the Rabbit Creek Gun Range to break in my brand spanking new Browning Buck Mark .22 pistolas.  While my buddy and I were there shooting, I was dutifully snagging up .44 brass and .357 brass which was strewn about the deck.  I'd gathered up almost 100rds of it when the range master came by and threw out an arbitrary "all brass belongs to the range, you cannot scrounge brass"... and, demanded I hand over all my efforts.  No signs posted on "the policy"... no "I'll let it go this time, but...", just obnoxious attitude.  About 20 mins. later... both of the target stands we were using (constructed of dimensional lumber, and range property) buckled on one side and settled down after the legs finally gave way from the barrage of .22 projectiles at 25yrds.  The little brass nazi came over to rant about his target stands... we looked at each other and both said "sights must be off, I was wondering where it was shooting"... packed up and left.  I love those consistently tack-driving little guns ! 

Since there wasn't a charge to use the range(other than my State taxes), maybe they use the brass to help offset the costs...I didn't save my .45 brass.....but I did keep the .44 Mag brass...

I love how sweet that little .22 shoots.....I once bought a Phoenix .22 automatic with a longer "target" barrel included in the case....I sold it pretty fast when I discovered you couldn't hit the side of a school bus if you were standing right up on it!!.....

Oh, it cost ya to use the one in Alaska... no benefit shall be given without further cost to the end user. 

About the same time, I'd snagged up a gun that had a wonderful concept to it for being out the in sticks in Alaska.  It was made by Savage and was a break action "over/under" affair that had a rifle barrel atop a shotgun barrel.  Mine (used) was a .223 over a 20ga.  As much as I loved the concept, the gun itself (mine at least) was a turd, and a 9" paper plate (nailed to a stump) would consistently elude anything fired at it from either barrel (at 25yds).  I traded it in on a brand new Remington model 700 bolt action in .22-250 and outfitted it with a 6-24x scope with range finder and bullet trajectory compensator on it.  (In my best Dances With Wolves co-star voice of "Wind in His Hair")... "Good, trade".

[solo1]

You got me fired up here.  I haven't been shooting much but I'm a Life member in a 37 acre range out in Amish country here.  Distances available from point blank all the way to 300 yds.

The range has two separate areas, one for pistols, and one for rifles.  Backstops at 25 yards, 100 yards, 200 yards, and 300 yards.  Plenty of parking, members only, and open from 8am on to one hour before dark, except closed on match days and maintenance.

The dues are expensive there but I haven't paid dues since I was 65 (God, that was awhile ago.)

The main requirements are Safety, Safety, and Safety.  No fully auto's, no dealers, and no .50 BMG caliber (blows heck out of the berms)  However, one safety mistake and you're out. like shooting at objects on the ground. We're close to a settled community and no rounds must escape the range confines.  I agree with that 100%.

[Brad]

Hey at our range the frames are made of 1 x 1 and I always blow the leg off someone elses target frame before I leave.  I make sure he is several statations away so he dosen't know who did it.  The range master always has some choice words to say when it happens.  Gotta bite my lip to keep from laughing, that would give it away.   

[Stanley Steamer]

Hey at our range the frames are made of 1 x 1 and I always blow the leg off someone elses target frame before I leave.  I make sure he is several statations away so he dosen't know who did it.  The range master always has some choice words to say when it happens.  Gotta bite my lip to keep from laughing, that would give it away.   

I darn sure thought about doing something like that, but I held back!!.... .....I plan on building me some target holders made from scrap 1"x1" stock and Luan pieces that I have left over from my woodworking projects....