I did not get to the farm as early as planned, it was 10 in the morning before I got there. I had to do some chores in the house before I could go, some of you guys now what I mean... Any way got to the farm and had the whole stubble field to myself. So I set up a target range.
The goal was to get the final - fine tuning on the 52 done before elk season. There will be one more shooting on Saturday the 9th, then the season starts on the 10th. I decided to set a paper target at 50 and double check the rifle as it has been in this stock for almost month now so every thing should be settled in. Well as you can see I am glad I did this final check... I was shooting left of the bull at 50!!! The hole tagged COB is the first shot from a 'clean oiled bore' - no patching or anything from the house to the faring range... The next three were not that bad - but not really great - I really wanted to shoot the breakable stuff it is way more fun. I did make a scope adjustment fired one shot and said good enough 'let's go shoot clay!'
Here is the target... not a great one but i guess one should show the bad with the good....
Next was the clay range - this is what I wanted to do anyway....
Here is the clay range.... I swear there is a clay in that 175 yard circle. When I put it there I thought it would be very visible from the bench. Well let me tell you @ 175 yards that thing is darn small even on 9 power + there was a lot of stubble in the way that was not there when I placed the clay.
The 75 yard clay was a sitting duck and gone way under 60 seconds. Next up was the 125's. They were very visible in the scope and both disappered on the first shot at them. When I went to check the first shot - i was totally surprised at what I saw. I held the scope crosshairs right on the bottom of the bird figuring I should be about 2.5" inches high.... It took the center of the bird out the outside rim was still intact... see the next set of pictures... I raised the scope 4 clicks and took on the second 125 yard bird... pieces - it was blown to pieces....
Next up were the 150 yard birds... i had a discussion with myself as to where to drop the crosshairs on the birds... Something won out and I decided to put the crosshairs in the Orange on the bottom of the bird. This decision proved to be valid both birds were hit solid and reduced to pieces....
Now then the 175 yard bird bird proved to be a problem... If it were an elk it would havebeen no problem but the bird was partially hid in the stubble + it was darn small. No debate here I was holding dead center or at least what I though was dead center. I took the shot and really didn't here anything nor could I see anything because of the smoke and when it cleared the bird was still there -
ticked me off so I decided to take the camera up there and see where the hit was... The picture is taken with me standing behind the bird looking back at the bench... If you look carefully you can see the forough the bullet cut in the stubble low and left... I am thinking me wanting to see the hit, which I often try, I think i picked my head up of the stock just be fore the gun went off... Often that leads to missed bird.... I also took a picture from up there back to the truck and bench... it is a lonnnng ways back there.
OK.. walked back to the bench loaded the gun and returned to the bench... This time I made myself promise myself -
NO PEEKING.... Sat down set the rifle dropped the safety and again center mass... Squeezed the trigger and stayed on the scope... but I heard the audible sound of the bullet hitting something besides dirt - I was excited... Smoke cleared - I could not find the bird in the scope.. now I am really happy. Grabbed the camera and head up again... Pieces - just pieces - that is all I found...
The gun is ready - bring on the elk....
