Author Topic: Range Report!! (Read 1191 times)

quickdtoo · « **on:** March 19, 2005, 12:36:02 PM »

Didn't get to the range but we headed for the hills for a turkey scout and took a bevy of firearms with us....Also had my .223 Ultra Varmint and Marlin 917V, but didn't shoot them due to the rain. Odd ranges are selected trees and a stump!!!

Shot the 45-120 BC first, rear sight is the Williams FP in the lowest position and a Lyman target ½"x.050 aperture, front sight is the Lyman 17AHB .404" tall with a Lee Shaver tall post insert. Load is 43gr XMP5744 and a Cast Performance 460grn WFNGC. First shot at 48 lazer ranged yds was 1" high and 1" right, next shot touching the first, I'm on paper with no adjustments to the sights, just good bore sighting! Next shot at 92yds is 2" high and 2" right, next shot is closer to center approx 1¼" from the first and so were the next 2, all in a group that measured less than 1½!!! :eek: It was raining so I didn't fine tune the sight, I just decided that was good enough to load more of that bullet/powder combo and maybe increase the powder a bit to see if I can get a bit tighter group, this makes me real happy with my work......finally!!!

http://www.castperformance.com/catalog/index.php?file=catalog&action=catalog_productinfo&uid=170&pi_id=6300&clist=0,854

Next on the portable bench was my 22 Hornet Handi, load is 13grs Lil Gun, Win brass, WSR primers and the 35gr Vmax. First 2 shots at 28yds were 6" high and 3" left but touching!!!....so much for my good bore sighting, though!!! Adjusted the scope, next shot was 1" right and ½" low, adjusted scope, next 2 shots were touching the 1/2" black at 5 O'clock! Moved out to 92yds, first 2 shots were 4" high and little left. Adjust scope and shot 3 more rounds, all within ¾" and 2" high dead center!! If I can get this kind of accuracy in the rain on a portable bench, I know one rifle that will enter the postal match!!!

The rain by this time was getting a little old, so I took a shot with my 835 Ulti-mag at a turkey pattern target to check my zero before turkey season, it was fine, so we quit for the day.....If it hadn't been raining, I would have shot more, but it wasn't much fun without cover. The portable bench works great, I was going to take a pic, but didn't cuz of the rain, maybe next time.

More later,

Tim

Mac11700 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 19, 2005, 01:01:46 PM »

Sounds pretty darn good to me...hows the recoil on the 45-120?

Mac

Deadeye47 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 19, 2005, 01:46:46 PM »

Sounds productive regardless of the precipitation....Especially the 45-120....I'm still waiting ...it's on the back burner aparently....I'm thinking of building a portable bench...how bout sending me a pic and some suggestions, if any, of after manufacture improvements you might make if you were to build another :roll:

quickdtoo · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2005, 02:10:43 PM »

Mac, the recoil of the 45-120 isn't bad at all with the limbsaver slip on, the loads are running 1500fps or so, shot it today with now weight in the stock and not wearing the PAST recoil shield, no problems at all.

Deadeye, here are the shooting plans, if we get a bit of dry weather, I'll take a pic for ya. It's the 3-legged table in the background in the pic at the link below. I used ¾" cabinet grade plywood instead of 1" and mine is 24"x36" instead of 28"x36", a 2'x4' precut sheet was much less to buy than a full sheet cut. If you have a band saw to cut the oak wedges, it's much easier than by hand. I also bedded the wedges in automotive Bondo for more stability and to keep the wedges from splitting when I drilled them. I used an upside-down empty 5 gallon white bucket for a stool, worked great and was just the right height for me and my shootin buddy.

http://www.aeroaces.com/bench1.htm

cheatermk3 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2005, 03:56:26 PM »

Thanks for the range report, and thanks for the link!

I've built a few feild benches and without looking too closely at the plans, mostly from the pic on the cover page, they look like they ought to work great.

I've had good luck using floor flanges and pipe for legs but that's because I can get them cheap from a plumber I know. If the leg/top attachments are stout, any little wobble can be overcome by leaning into the bench taking up all the slack.

I cross-drilled a piece of slightly larger pipe for a pin, and slipped it over the leg which I also cross-drilled, several pairs of holes 1" apart for leveling up.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #5 on:** March 19, 2005, 04:05:42 PM »

I forgot to mention one other change I made.....instead of using wood screws to attach the floor flanges, I drill all the way thru and used carriage bolts, then cut the excess bolt off with a bolt cutter and trimmed them smooth with a die grinder.

The 3-legged arrangement is much easier to levelon irregular ground than a 4-legged version. The pipe, end caps and flanges cost less than $30. The top cost $15, and bolts/nylock nuts/washers were about $5.

Tim

cheatermk3 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 19, 2005, 04:22:49 PM »

Three points define a plane so three legs is the only way to go in the feild. I went with carriage bolts too much better than screws. I didn't use wedges, I kicked mine out shimming with washers under the floor flanges. You definately want the legs kicked out 15-20 degrees or so for stability.

I went with 3/4" marine plywood because I wanted stiffness and durability. Marine plywood gave me durability but the stiffness was lacking (I made mine 48" wide, we got 2 tops out of one sheet). I stiffened it up by laminating 1x4 boards on the bottom side in a "T".

Is Cabinet grade plywood stiffer than regular? A friend of mine wants to build one more the size of the one in the link.

De41mag · « **Reply #7 on:** March 19, 2005, 05:26:49 PM »

Tim;

Man, that little Hornet sounds like a real winner.
Why don't you just get a wild hair and bring that litte 22 to the PD shoot out in OK, this June. And show us how to shoot them gophers.
Sounds like you got a real winner. :wink:
Keep us posted.

Dennis

quickdtoo · « **Reply #8 on:** March 19, 2005, 05:27:17 PM »

It's pretty stiff stuff in comparison to regular ¾" plywood, and a lot smoother. I don't know if they use exterior glue on it, but I did give it 3 coats of varathane exterior! Got mine at Home Depot....they didn't have any 4x4 sheets so I just got the 2x4 sheet which seems to work fine for just shooting, if I wanted more stuff on the table for varmint shooting, the extra space and width for stability could come in handy. I got Jack's approval on it and he's gonna build one just like it for himself!

quickdtoo · « **Reply #9 on:** March 19, 2005, 05:30:05 PM »

Thanks Dennis, I'd love to come to the PD shoot to meet everyone face to face, but it's just too far for an enjoyable trip for an old guy....but I'll certainly enter it in the postal match if it continues to shoot well!!

De41mag · « **Reply #10 on:** March 19, 2005, 05:41:48 PM »

Tim;

With all those Handi's, which caliber have you come to call your favorite?
I know it's like asking which of your children is your favorite, but I was wondering have you found one that has really caught your eye?

Dennis

quickdtoo · « **Reply #11 on:** March 19, 2005, 05:52:09 PM »

Today it's a toss up between the 45-120 BC and the 22 Hornet.....but that'll change when I get the Brenneke and 30-06 UltraComp!!! An dI haven't shot the 45-70 Mannlicher yet....that'll be one of my favorites, too!!!

Don't have a pic of the hornet....yet!

Deadeye47 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 19, 2005, 06:18:57 PM »

Thanks for the link and info on the bench...sounds just the price range I'm lookin for.....

quickdtoo · « **Reply #13 on:** March 21, 2005, 12:21:42 PM »

As promised, here's a pic of the table....and the lawn that needs mowing....again!!!! :cry:

James B · « **Reply #14 on:** March 21, 2005, 01:35:08 PM »

I would send you a picture of my lawn but I would have to scoop the snow off. No Mowing in North Dakota for quite a spell yet.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #15 on:** March 21, 2005, 01:42:12 PM »

That's ok, you're probably using one of the mowers that looks like a snow blower, aren'tcha!! :eek:

James B · « **Reply #16 on:** March 21, 2005, 03:18:57 PM »

We don't really have much snow left right now. We just dodged the last couple storms. There is a big puddle of ice where the lawn should be. I went down to South Dakota last week and the small lakes are open and there are ducks around. Up here though winter don't give up easy.

Deadeye47 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 21, 2005, 03:27:01 PM »

Thanks for postin the pic....

Looks just about like what I'm looking for..... :wink: