The fundamentals never change, and they work.
Showing posts with label riflecraft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label riflecraft. Show all posts
Sunday, September 02, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Riflecraft and Simulated Distance Targets
I'm trying not to break the chain on my rifle practice, so I've been spending 15 minutes a night dry firing at a simulated distance target. Because the 500 yard target was the one I had the most problems with, I only made that target, but will probably make some 300 and 175 targets just to cool down. At 500 yards, the "bell" is a little larger than a dot, and focusing on it fatigues my eyes after 10 minutes.
Making simulated distance targets isn't too hard when you think of it as a ratio.
If you want to shoot a 12 inch target at 400 yards, but you only have 4 yards in which to practice, you want to solve for the size of the target at 4 yards.
As a ratio, this looks like this (all measurements in yards)
Grab your calipers and see if you can achieve a clean break with good follow through to confirm hits on your simulated targets. Obviously, this training doesn't account for bullet drop or wind, but we're focusing on your fundamentals.
Making simulated distance targets isn't too hard when you think of it as a ratio.
If you want to shoot a 12 inch target at 400 yards, but you only have 4 yards in which to practice, you want to solve for the size of the target at 4 yards.
As a ratio, this looks like this (all measurements in yards)
Target size Simulated size --------------- = -------------- Target distance Available distance .333 X ---- = --- 400 4Which we solve by criss crossing the equation;
400 * X = .333 * 4 400X = 1.332Get the X by itself by dividing both sides by 400...
400X / 400 = 1.332 / 400 X = 0.00333So a 0.333 yard target at 400 yards would be 0.00333 yards (0.11988 inches) at 4 yards. The numbers here are round enough to check ourselves to prove the method works. A 0.333 yard target at one hundredth the distance is one hundredth the size.
Grab your calipers and see if you can achieve a clean break with good follow through to confirm hits on your simulated targets. Obviously, this training doesn't account for bullet drop or wind, but we're focusing on your fundamentals.
Thursday, August 09, 2012
Zipped through Molon Labe again
After loaning out Molon Labe to a friend, he kept talking to me about it, and kindling my interest in rereading it.
By the time I got it back, I was chomping at the bit, and finished it in a couple days.
The second read through was not earth-shattering, but it certainly raised a few points I had forgotten. I may not be able to target shoot much right now, but I should at least be dry firing at simulated targets to practice my form, focus, and follow through. I've been meaning to start a Don't Break the Chain for the skills I want to cultivate, and riflecraft is definitely one of those skills.
I noticed that I enjoyed the supplementary information more this time around. It seems that my first read through of a book is mostly for plot, and the second is more detailed and enjoyable, which is not my intention. Maybe I need to pull out some of my once-read favorites, and give them a twice-over.
By the time I got it back, I was chomping at the bit, and finished it in a couple days.
The second read through was not earth-shattering, but it certainly raised a few points I had forgotten. I may not be able to target shoot much right now, but I should at least be dry firing at simulated targets to practice my form, focus, and follow through. I've been meaning to start a Don't Break the Chain for the skills I want to cultivate, and riflecraft is definitely one of those skills.
I noticed that I enjoyed the supplementary information more this time around. It seems that my first read through of a book is mostly for plot, and the second is more detailed and enjoyable, which is not my intention. Maybe I need to pull out some of my once-read favorites, and give them a twice-over.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
We don't pass freedom to our children through the bloodstream.
I jumped at the opportunity to take a coworker, his wife, and his 8-year-old daughter to the sooper seekrit desert shooting spot. It would be the first time the adults shot in 10 years, and the first time ever his daughter shot. I was honored to contribute to the event.
The first lesson sat bisected by my front sight as everyone held their breath, not daring to blink and risk missing the show. With the familiar PAT of the 10/22, the can of soda exploded spectacularly to the cheers of the people behind me. I quickly turned to make sure no one was moving to inspect the target, and returned the rifle to the table.
"Ok, Lexi, before we go in front of the table, is anyone touching the table?"
"Uhhh... No!"
"Ok, lets go look at the can."
"It's all exploded!" Lexi said, carefully handling what used to be a can of soda. The body of the can split wide open with the hydrostatic shock of the soda bursting free under the pressure of the tiny .22 bullet. I held up an uninjured can of soda from the same pack, "Lexi, can you make that go back to being like this?" She looked at the mangled wreck in her hand, and at the sand, darkened with diet cola. "I can make the outside go back, but not the inside." I dropped my head to look at the darkened sand for emphasis, "So you can't make it go back to the way it was?" Lexi seemed more concerned this time, and shook her head solemnly. "That's because when you shoot something, you change it forever. You can't take it back. Do you understand?" She looked at what she was holding and nodded. "Good! Now do you want to do it again?" A missing-toothed grin flashed to her face.
I was a little worried when she couldn't physically reach the trigger with her shoulder on the stock, but with the stock over her shoulder and against her father's chest, and her neck craned up to look down the barrel, she fired her first shots at some stacked cans and immediately flitted away back to the car to watch her DVD. Her father explained that he was unsure how much she might shoot, but he'd be quite content with those few shots if that was all he got. Such is the nature of 8-year-olds, I suppose.
A couple cease fires later, she returned to her proud father with her eyes and ears ready. I had recommended one round in the mag at a time when she was starting, but multiple rounds seemed to favor her attention span, and increase the excitement of what she was doing. After a few flights of firing, flitting, and finding her way back, Lexi became much more comfortable with what she was doing, and started to really enjoy herself.
The same should be said for her parents, who shot an array of guns (which had been waiting patiently in their safe for the better part of a decade) with such zeal, they lost track of time and forgot Lexi's snack time. The result was not a verbal reminder, but an emotional one. It was time to go home. Such is the nature of 8-year-olds, I suppose.
Shooting is one of the few things I derive a deep inner joy from teaching. It was certainly a joyful day.
Her father has chosen to bypass the Crickett and go straight for a 10/22 with a short barrel and a youth stock. He wanted something she could grow into, or he could make use of if she had a change of heart. What remained unsaid was how hard it was to bring a kid back from semiautomatic. Her marksmanship will have to come later.
Ohyeahalso, shot the bulldog, which was brilliant. As it turns out, the mojo rear sight was mandatory because of how much I had to raise it. Apparently the importer chop was rough on the barrel. Thankfully, the mojo has a tall setscrew you can use for coarse adjustments before using the dial for fine adjustment. Excellent sight, highly recommended.
The first lesson sat bisected by my front sight as everyone held their breath, not daring to blink and risk missing the show. With the familiar PAT of the 10/22, the can of soda exploded spectacularly to the cheers of the people behind me. I quickly turned to make sure no one was moving to inspect the target, and returned the rifle to the table.
"Ok, Lexi, before we go in front of the table, is anyone touching the table?"
"Uhhh... No!"
"Ok, lets go look at the can."
"It's all exploded!" Lexi said, carefully handling what used to be a can of soda. The body of the can split wide open with the hydrostatic shock of the soda bursting free under the pressure of the tiny .22 bullet. I held up an uninjured can of soda from the same pack, "Lexi, can you make that go back to being like this?" She looked at the mangled wreck in her hand, and at the sand, darkened with diet cola. "I can make the outside go back, but not the inside." I dropped my head to look at the darkened sand for emphasis, "So you can't make it go back to the way it was?" Lexi seemed more concerned this time, and shook her head solemnly. "That's because when you shoot something, you change it forever. You can't take it back. Do you understand?" She looked at what she was holding and nodded. "Good! Now do you want to do it again?" A missing-toothed grin flashed to her face.
I was a little worried when she couldn't physically reach the trigger with her shoulder on the stock, but with the stock over her shoulder and against her father's chest, and her neck craned up to look down the barrel, she fired her first shots at some stacked cans and immediately flitted away back to the car to watch her DVD. Her father explained that he was unsure how much she might shoot, but he'd be quite content with those few shots if that was all he got. Such is the nature of 8-year-olds, I suppose.
A couple cease fires later, she returned to her proud father with her eyes and ears ready. I had recommended one round in the mag at a time when she was starting, but multiple rounds seemed to favor her attention span, and increase the excitement of what she was doing. After a few flights of firing, flitting, and finding her way back, Lexi became much more comfortable with what she was doing, and started to really enjoy herself.
The same should be said for her parents, who shot an array of guns (which had been waiting patiently in their safe for the better part of a decade) with such zeal, they lost track of time and forgot Lexi's snack time. The result was not a verbal reminder, but an emotional one. It was time to go home. Such is the nature of 8-year-olds, I suppose.
Shooting is one of the few things I derive a deep inner joy from teaching. It was certainly a joyful day.
Her father has chosen to bypass the Crickett and go straight for a 10/22 with a short barrel and a youth stock. He wanted something she could grow into, or he could make use of if she had a change of heart. What remained unsaid was how hard it was to bring a kid back from semiautomatic. Her marksmanship will have to come later.
Ohyeahalso, shot the bulldog, which was brilliant. As it turns out, the mojo rear sight was mandatory because of how much I had to raise it. Apparently the importer chop was rough on the barrel. Thankfully, the mojo has a tall setscrew you can use for coarse adjustments before using the dial for fine adjustment. Excellent sight, highly recommended.
Thursday, January 05, 2012
My Rifle MK2 - Dissipator Conversion
There has been a modification to My Rifle.
For a bit of cash, I had the good folks at RifleGear (right down the street!) do this dissipator conversion.
I wanted to do this to make the rifle more comfortable, more sling-able, and more unique/awesome. I had a few options for accomplishing this. Free floated rail farm aluminum handguards were too damn heavy, and would require a low rail-mounted front sight (I like the classic A2 front sight appearance). Carbon fiber free floated handguards were nice and light and looked great, but cost more to buy than the whole job I wound up going with. They put on a low profile gas block at the original carbine length sight position, and because the front of the M4 profile barrel wasn't wide enough, they had to use a clamp-on front sight instead of just drilling new taper pin holes on a fresh A2 sight. If I had more cash to spend, I would have gotten a barrel without the M4 profile, but it'll have to do for now.
I was surprised that I could definitely feel the difference in balance. It was noticeable, but not enough to be a distraction. I wonder how much it will affect the recoil.
You might notice the rear sight is different. I took a hacksaw and file to the original removable carry handle rear sight, and touched it up with the rattle can. This was because the large screw heads on the right side (it's a lefty) got caught on my clothing, and on the left side, the forward screw head interfered with upward flipping ejection port cover. Chopping it meant I could use it without it getting caught on my clothes or interfering with ejection, while looking sweet. I really like what it does to the profile of the rifle. Eventually there will be a TRS-25 cowitnessing on the newly exposed flattop. The ACOG is nearby, set for rail mount.
Because this modification was not high priority, and I'm a function over form guy, I've done this as inexpensively as possible. I'll post range results when I have them.
For a bit of cash, I had the good folks at RifleGear (right down the street!) do this dissipator conversion.
I wanted to do this to make the rifle more comfortable, more sling-able, and more unique/awesome. I had a few options for accomplishing this. Free floated rail farm aluminum handguards were too damn heavy, and would require a low rail-mounted front sight (I like the classic A2 front sight appearance). Carbon fiber free floated handguards were nice and light and looked great, but cost more to buy than the whole job I wound up going with. They put on a low profile gas block at the original carbine length sight position, and because the front of the M4 profile barrel wasn't wide enough, they had to use a clamp-on front sight instead of just drilling new taper pin holes on a fresh A2 sight. If I had more cash to spend, I would have gotten a barrel without the M4 profile, but it'll have to do for now.
I was surprised that I could definitely feel the difference in balance. It was noticeable, but not enough to be a distraction. I wonder how much it will affect the recoil.
You might notice the rear sight is different. I took a hacksaw and file to the original removable carry handle rear sight, and touched it up with the rattle can. This was because the large screw heads on the right side (it's a lefty) got caught on my clothing, and on the left side, the forward screw head interfered with upward flipping ejection port cover. Chopping it meant I could use it without it getting caught on my clothes or interfering with ejection, while looking sweet. I really like what it does to the profile of the rifle. Eventually there will be a TRS-25 cowitnessing on the newly exposed flattop. The ACOG is nearby, set for rail mount.
Because this modification was not high priority, and I'm a function over form guy, I've done this as inexpensively as possible. I'll post range results when I have them.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Sorry for the delay. I'm starting to feel it again.
Hello, the one reader that stuck with me :) I'm starting to hit my stride again, and I'm reigniting my relationship with my muse. The problem with my smart post is that it's hard to follow it up with a post of my usual caliber. So I've been waiting until I've had something smart to say. How long this will last (or if it ever started) is completely up to you.
Who cares? Enjoy a ketchup post!
I just finished my 6 months probation at the new job, and have become a valued member of the team due to the fact that I actually do work. I was happy to get away from the small company BS, but now I'm getting an introduction in big company BS. It only bugs me a little bit, because instead of taking tons of time measuring how much work I'm doing compared to everyone else and adjusting so I only do the bare minimum, I just do my fucking job as much as I can without dropping the ball. It's amazing how much time and effort people put into not doing their jobs. Maybe amazing isn't the right word. As for that promotion I was working toward, I was assured that I would have gotten it had the job existed by the end of the trial period. More big company BS meant a reorganization in the middle of my trial period for the job. The job I was going for was one of the casualties. I aired my disappointment at the situation, and moved on. I know I'm good, and so do they, so I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing.
I'm not sure that I've said much about my hunting intentions here, but I'm going to change that now. A few years ago I took an interest in hunting, and without a friend or family member who hunted, I reached out to the online community. Bad idea. I'm not sure if it's hunters or just Californian hunters, but they were almost uniformly dismissive, derisive, and even discouraging. Most seemed to think I could only hunt if it did it their way, and the rest were more than happy to help so long as I paid to join their club, paid for their land, and paid for any game harvested. "Ranches" were the next place I looked, but most in the area were canned hunts. I started seriously considering saving up for a trip out of state, but the more I read about Southern Californian deer, the more of a challenge it sounded like. Very few people hunt Deer zone 15 because of the few deer and continually low harvest rates. But if you know me, and you might, you know I like a challenge. So I figured; at worst, I go hiking, get some fresh air and exercise, and enjoy some nature. And at best, I go hiking, get some fresh air and exercise, enjoy some nature, and do something other people don't/won't/can't do because they think it's too hard. And I do it all myself, without paying dues, fees, and respect to people who don't deserve any of the above. So for the last couple years I've been slowly gathering enough information to feel like I'm starting to know what I'm doing. As I've drawn closer to that point, I've been getting more aggressive. I know my way around all the dfg and usfs sites, and I've called ranger offices for the details I couldn't find online. I've been hiking more, and spending lots of time on Google Earth plotting game trails and identifying accessible areas to inspect more closely on upcoming hikes. My boss's boss was a hunter when he was younger and is getting back into it, so he's been giving me tips and advice that have been really helpful. It's starting to get exciting.
I found myself in a magazine. I looked at the cover, and there I was, the headline article. I didn't know it at the time, of course, but something in the back of my mind told me to buy it from the airport duty free shop. As I read the article on the plane, I began to assemble the puzzle pieces in my life that made my story tragic and victorious. Having never seen the box the puzzle came in, I was a little afraid of the picture the puzzle made. There were very few happy endings for people like me. After some research and soul-searching, I decided that whatever may come in the future, I should embrace my gifts now and enjoy their fruits later. I dare believe that my triumphs over what I thought was my disease (could still be, I suppose), would apply to this congenital mental whimsy. Events have aligned since this decision that have lead me to believe it was the right one. All that is left is practice.
Part of the above has been more writing. "Tac" and many others are swimming around in my head, and they need to be let out. As with writing this blog, the exercise is more important than the result. But in practice, I'm trying to make the two of equal import. Half for you, the reader, and the other half for any potential publisher. And yes, The Walking Dead series will continue and be completed (under a new name, of course). Any other bits that don't quite fit in will wind up here, so I welcome your cheers or jeers.
Since the iPad, I've been hoping for an Android tablet to come along and sweep me off my feet. Even as the first real contender arrived, I argued against software, hardware, and price, and waited. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the Motorola XOOM arrived with honeycomb fully executed, but at a price I was simply not willing to pay. As I patiently pined for a proper price point, there were some rumblings about the nook color e-reader making a splash in the third party ROM scene. Starting at $250, it certainly looked interesting. Only recently did CyanogenMod 7 start to really come into its own on the nook, just as Barnes & Noble started selling them at $200 (see coupon code), and the decision was all but made. I put up a good fight for a few weeks, but lost (won?) in the end. The Nook color running CM7 is a perfect fit. I get a day of hard use out of the battery, movies played from any format I choose, netflix, the excellent browsing experience Dolphin Browser HD provides with Flash 10.1, e-reader apps (nook app not working for me, fixes available, but I haven't cared), unfettered android market access, multitasking, vnc/rdp on a usable screen, very usable soft keyboard (thumb tap, vertically) all in a light package. There are some issues, of course, the case seems plastic-y and feels like it might shatter if dropped, the screen can seem really sensitive doing actions beyond a quick tap, there's a little chop in my scrolling, it's heavier than the e-ink nook/kindle versions, none of the usual android home/back/menu/search hard buttons (replaced with a hide-able soft button bar which works fine, but still isn't hard), few hardware features (gps, compass, keyboard, camera, flash, etc), and a few minor polish problems with CM7 on the nook. Most of the cons are because it's supposed to be a $200 e-reader, and are severely outweighed by the pros. Plus, most of the missing features aren't required for my use. It has been an excellent improvement to my workflow, and just like my Droid, I know it will only get better with future releases.
A few weeks ago (not really sure when) our cable box, purveyor of mindless entertainment, killer of time, and server of empty mental calories, ceased its assault. When I discovered this I made some halfhearted attempts to fix it, and I told my wife, who said it had broken some time ago, but she forgot to tell me. I confirmed the internet and game consoles still worked, and decided to bring in the box for replacement later. Except I didn't. It's been a month, and we haven't missed it, so the obvious questions arises. Do we really need it? I know the answer is "no, we don't need it," and I know I'll miss some great shows (I can always find them online if I need to), but it really is only for entertainment, and it seems we're getting our entertainment elsewhere. After writing this out, the answer seems obvious.
I brought the M1A out to the range a few more times after finding a great deal on some American Eagle 308. I was reminded of what Jeff Cooper said about ammo stored being potential skill left to gather dust, and decided to shoot it up. A few hundred rounds later, I was ringing the 10 inch gong at 400 yards off irons. I've still got a couple hundred rounds of skill left, and expect to improve. The M1A seems to shoot right when it gets hot, but in its defense, I was getting it too hot to hold. I was getting ready to adjust the sights, when I just let it cool down a bit, and it was right back to normal. That rifle is still very nice.
My wife's employer decided not to renew their lease, and her job disappeared with the building. Fortunately, my new job affords a high enough degree of stability for her to take her time looking for the right job instead of just any job. She's taking some of her time to get crafty with some paintings she's been meaning to make and sell on etsy, giving her that time and opportunity is something I'm happy to do for her.
That's about it for now, see you soon.
Who cares? Enjoy a ketchup post!
I just finished my 6 months probation at the new job, and have become a valued member of the team due to the fact that I actually do work. I was happy to get away from the small company BS, but now I'm getting an introduction in big company BS. It only bugs me a little bit, because instead of taking tons of time measuring how much work I'm doing compared to everyone else and adjusting so I only do the bare minimum, I just do my fucking job as much as I can without dropping the ball. It's amazing how much time and effort people put into not doing their jobs. Maybe amazing isn't the right word. As for that promotion I was working toward, I was assured that I would have gotten it had the job existed by the end of the trial period. More big company BS meant a reorganization in the middle of my trial period for the job. The job I was going for was one of the casualties. I aired my disappointment at the situation, and moved on. I know I'm good, and so do they, so I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing.
I'm not sure that I've said much about my hunting intentions here, but I'm going to change that now. A few years ago I took an interest in hunting, and without a friend or family member who hunted, I reached out to the online community. Bad idea. I'm not sure if it's hunters or just Californian hunters, but they were almost uniformly dismissive, derisive, and even discouraging. Most seemed to think I could only hunt if it did it their way, and the rest were more than happy to help so long as I paid to join their club, paid for their land, and paid for any game harvested. "Ranches" were the next place I looked, but most in the area were canned hunts. I started seriously considering saving up for a trip out of state, but the more I read about Southern Californian deer, the more of a challenge it sounded like. Very few people hunt Deer zone 15 because of the few deer and continually low harvest rates. But if you know me, and you might, you know I like a challenge. So I figured; at worst, I go hiking, get some fresh air and exercise, and enjoy some nature. And at best, I go hiking, get some fresh air and exercise, enjoy some nature, and do something other people don't/won't/can't do because they think it's too hard. And I do it all myself, without paying dues, fees, and respect to people who don't deserve any of the above. So for the last couple years I've been slowly gathering enough information to feel like I'm starting to know what I'm doing. As I've drawn closer to that point, I've been getting more aggressive. I know my way around all the dfg and usfs sites, and I've called ranger offices for the details I couldn't find online. I've been hiking more, and spending lots of time on Google Earth plotting game trails and identifying accessible areas to inspect more closely on upcoming hikes. My boss's boss was a hunter when he was younger and is getting back into it, so he's been giving me tips and advice that have been really helpful. It's starting to get exciting.
I found myself in a magazine. I looked at the cover, and there I was, the headline article. I didn't know it at the time, of course, but something in the back of my mind told me to buy it from the airport duty free shop. As I read the article on the plane, I began to assemble the puzzle pieces in my life that made my story tragic and victorious. Having never seen the box the puzzle came in, I was a little afraid of the picture the puzzle made. There were very few happy endings for people like me. After some research and soul-searching, I decided that whatever may come in the future, I should embrace my gifts now and enjoy their fruits later. I dare believe that my triumphs over what I thought was my disease (could still be, I suppose), would apply to this congenital mental whimsy. Events have aligned since this decision that have lead me to believe it was the right one. All that is left is practice.
Part of the above has been more writing. "Tac" and many others are swimming around in my head, and they need to be let out. As with writing this blog, the exercise is more important than the result. But in practice, I'm trying to make the two of equal import. Half for you, the reader, and the other half for any potential publisher. And yes, The Walking Dead series will continue and be completed (under a new name, of course). Any other bits that don't quite fit in will wind up here, so I welcome your cheers or jeers.
Since the iPad, I've been hoping for an Android tablet to come along and sweep me off my feet. Even as the first real contender arrived, I argued against software, hardware, and price, and waited. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the Motorola XOOM arrived with honeycomb fully executed, but at a price I was simply not willing to pay. As I patiently pined for a proper price point, there were some rumblings about the nook color e-reader making a splash in the third party ROM scene. Starting at $250, it certainly looked interesting. Only recently did CyanogenMod 7 start to really come into its own on the nook, just as Barnes & Noble started selling them at $200 (see coupon code), and the decision was all but made. I put up a good fight for a few weeks, but lost (won?) in the end. The Nook color running CM7 is a perfect fit. I get a day of hard use out of the battery, movies played from any format I choose, netflix, the excellent browsing experience Dolphin Browser HD provides with Flash 10.1, e-reader apps (nook app not working for me, fixes available, but I haven't cared), unfettered android market access, multitasking, vnc/rdp on a usable screen, very usable soft keyboard (thumb tap, vertically) all in a light package. There are some issues, of course, the case seems plastic-y and feels like it might shatter if dropped, the screen can seem really sensitive doing actions beyond a quick tap, there's a little chop in my scrolling, it's heavier than the e-ink nook/kindle versions, none of the usual android home/back/menu/search hard buttons (replaced with a hide-able soft button bar which works fine, but still isn't hard), few hardware features (gps, compass, keyboard, camera, flash, etc), and a few minor polish problems with CM7 on the nook. Most of the cons are because it's supposed to be a $200 e-reader, and are severely outweighed by the pros. Plus, most of the missing features aren't required for my use. It has been an excellent improvement to my workflow, and just like my Droid, I know it will only get better with future releases.
A few weeks ago (not really sure when) our cable box, purveyor of mindless entertainment, killer of time, and server of empty mental calories, ceased its assault. When I discovered this I made some halfhearted attempts to fix it, and I told my wife, who said it had broken some time ago, but she forgot to tell me. I confirmed the internet and game consoles still worked, and decided to bring in the box for replacement later. Except I didn't. It's been a month, and we haven't missed it, so the obvious questions arises. Do we really need it? I know the answer is "no, we don't need it," and I know I'll miss some great shows (I can always find them online if I need to), but it really is only for entertainment, and it seems we're getting our entertainment elsewhere. After writing this out, the answer seems obvious.
I brought the M1A out to the range a few more times after finding a great deal on some American Eagle 308. I was reminded of what Jeff Cooper said about ammo stored being potential skill left to gather dust, and decided to shoot it up. A few hundred rounds later, I was ringing the 10 inch gong at 400 yards off irons. I've still got a couple hundred rounds of skill left, and expect to improve. The M1A seems to shoot right when it gets hot, but in its defense, I was getting it too hot to hold. I was getting ready to adjust the sights, when I just let it cool down a bit, and it was right back to normal. That rifle is still very nice.
My wife's employer decided not to renew their lease, and her job disappeared with the building. Fortunately, my new job affords a high enough degree of stability for her to take her time looking for the right job instead of just any job. She's taking some of her time to get crafty with some paintings she's been meaning to make and sell on etsy, giving her that time and opportunity is something I'm happy to do for her.
That's about it for now, see you soon.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
The A in M1A stands for AWESOME
My brother and I had a small outing to the desert to do some shooting, and I finally (yes, call me PDB) shot my M1A.
The M1A is the most expensive gun I own, it's also the gun I waited the longest to get. It represents everything I love about rifles, and had been at the top of my list ever since I first laid eyes on one. I went with the scout squad because I knew that if I got a standard, I'd just want a National Match and a Scout Squad anyway. Now I can just get the NM if I want.
After feeling the surprisingly gentle recoil of the Garand, I was a little worried that a synthetic stock scout squad would be too light, and recoil harshly, but it somehow recoils more lightly than the Garand. I had heard that the muzzle break and rubber stock pad work overtime on this gun, but I severely underestimated how smooth and soft they made the recoil. By the end of the day, the Garand had begun to feel unrefined next to the M1A, which is quite a feat.
The perennial favorite of the desert is 3 liter soda bottles from the 99 cent store. We set them up, and blow them up, usually at close range. Since this trip out was just my brother and I, we set the bottles up a little further. Along with the 10" gong, most of the 3 liters wound up at around 200 yards, but I wanted one that would last. So I grabbed a suitably hi-viz (fiz?) orange one, and took the long walk through the wash and up the hill to about 325 yards and set it up.
We opened smoothly with the M1A, and after ringing the gong repeatedly, I decided I wanted to start the fun of taking pot shots at the tiny orange dot on the hillside throughout the day. Sadly, I ruined the fun on my second shot from a cross legged sitting position. At cleanup I saw it was a grazing shot, catching only about a half inch in from the left side, but it was still a hit on a 6" wide target at 325 yards off irons.
The M1A was the go-to gun for cleaning up targets that refused to be shot. Only one resisted its charms, but that target danced around all the other bullets too. It wasn't until I was shooting My Rifle later in the day that we finally got rid of it. It never ceases to surprise me how something so simple as "Front sight, press" gets consistent hits after magazines of mid-day misses due to fatigue. After loading My Rifle and looking for targets I decided to try for that slippery 3 liter with some renewed focus. A different focus. I placed the front sight in perfect focus, and the target became an out of focus tiny blob of white sitting on top of the front sight. From a standing position, I hit dead center on the first shot the target that we had missed for dozens of rounds from sitting and prone position.
Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals.
It's easy (and fun) to get sloppy with both eyes open in the large aperture sight on close targets, but when your target is small and far, and fatigue has set in, what you really need is "front sight, press."
The only problem that day was that we didn't have enough 308 to shoot it all day long. But I'm not sure there's enough 308 in the world to get your fill of shooting that gun.
It is slick, it is smooth, it is light, it is accurate, it hits hard, and it will hold 20 rounds of reach-out-and-touch-someone in a light, balanced package. But what is most important is that it is worth every penny. The M1A is the most expensive gun I own, and to be honest, I was a little afraid I was going to walk away from my first experience with it wondering how much cash I could get for it to put toward an AR-10. I am extremely impressed with this gun, and would recommend that anyone who wants a high quality, full powered, detachable mag fed, classically styled rifle begin saving their pennies now. The M1A really is the pinnacle of classic American rifles, and it is no wonder it has endured.
The M1A is the most expensive gun I own, it's also the gun I waited the longest to get. It represents everything I love about rifles, and had been at the top of my list ever since I first laid eyes on one. I went with the scout squad because I knew that if I got a standard, I'd just want a National Match and a Scout Squad anyway. Now I can just get the NM if I want.
After feeling the surprisingly gentle recoil of the Garand, I was a little worried that a synthetic stock scout squad would be too light, and recoil harshly, but it somehow recoils more lightly than the Garand. I had heard that the muzzle break and rubber stock pad work overtime on this gun, but I severely underestimated how smooth and soft they made the recoil. By the end of the day, the Garand had begun to feel unrefined next to the M1A, which is quite a feat.
The perennial favorite of the desert is 3 liter soda bottles from the 99 cent store. We set them up, and blow them up, usually at close range. Since this trip out was just my brother and I, we set the bottles up a little further. Along with the 10" gong, most of the 3 liters wound up at around 200 yards, but I wanted one that would last. So I grabbed a suitably hi-viz (fiz?) orange one, and took the long walk through the wash and up the hill to about 325 yards and set it up.
We opened smoothly with the M1A, and after ringing the gong repeatedly, I decided I wanted to start the fun of taking pot shots at the tiny orange dot on the hillside throughout the day. Sadly, I ruined the fun on my second shot from a cross legged sitting position. At cleanup I saw it was a grazing shot, catching only about a half inch in from the left side, but it was still a hit on a 6" wide target at 325 yards off irons.
The M1A was the go-to gun for cleaning up targets that refused to be shot. Only one resisted its charms, but that target danced around all the other bullets too. It wasn't until I was shooting My Rifle later in the day that we finally got rid of it. It never ceases to surprise me how something so simple as "Front sight, press" gets consistent hits after magazines of mid-day misses due to fatigue. After loading My Rifle and looking for targets I decided to try for that slippery 3 liter with some renewed focus. A different focus. I placed the front sight in perfect focus, and the target became an out of focus tiny blob of white sitting on top of the front sight. From a standing position, I hit dead center on the first shot the target that we had missed for dozens of rounds from sitting and prone position.
Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals.
It's easy (and fun) to get sloppy with both eyes open in the large aperture sight on close targets, but when your target is small and far, and fatigue has set in, what you really need is "front sight, press."
The only problem that day was that we didn't have enough 308 to shoot it all day long. But I'm not sure there's enough 308 in the world to get your fill of shooting that gun.
It is slick, it is smooth, it is light, it is accurate, it hits hard, and it will hold 20 rounds of reach-out-and-touch-someone in a light, balanced package. But what is most important is that it is worth every penny. The M1A is the most expensive gun I own, and to be honest, I was a little afraid I was going to walk away from my first experience with it wondering how much cash I could get for it to put toward an AR-10. I am extremely impressed with this gun, and would recommend that anyone who wants a high quality, full powered, detachable mag fed, classically styled rifle begin saving their pennies now. The M1A really is the pinnacle of classic American rifles, and it is no wonder it has endured.
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Light, full power rifles making a comeback
Looks like I'm not the only one who likes light, full power rifles, and it looks like we just got some support from Ruger.
1. It looks awesome, and I hope it'll be available in lefty.
2. It looks awesome, and why on earth wouldn't it have M1A mags?
3. It looks awesome, and why in god's name is the MSRP 1k?!
Can't wait to find out more.
1. It looks awesome, and I hope it'll be available in lefty.
2. It looks awesome, and why on earth wouldn't it have M1A mags?
3. It looks awesome, and why in god's name is the MSRP 1k?!
Can't wait to find out more.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Bulldog tidbits
The Ishapore Enfield Bulldog is being finicky, which is to be expected, but part that's part of the fun of these old rifles. I floated the barrel on my 91/59 to increase accuracy, and used some plastic straws to make the trigger pull a little better. I love machines, and I love figuring out creative ways to fix or tweak them.
I spent a few hours trying to figure out what the problem with the extraction was, but only managed to determine what it was not. I checked the adjustment of the rear left mag lip, which was not functioning as the ejector, nor (interestingly enough) was the ejector screw. There is an edge cut into the left side of the receiver that was ejecting. The screw only seemed to make ejection a sixteenth of an inch earlier. Contrary to most guns, working the bolt quickly caused problems, while working it slowly caused no issues. The extractor claw seems to just let go half way through the draw back, and leave the shell loose above the mag, but only when worked quickly.
This is extra strange because the extractor claw is damn strong. I almost feel like it's pushing so hard it's shooting the case off the bolt face once it's out of the chamber. I brought the extractor claw position closer to the center of the bolt face by raising the opposite side of the extractor arm by the tiny amount I could while keeping the opening in line with the screw (which was broken, but somewhat functional).
I got it feeding more reliably from both sides after I was done, but couldn't eliminate the shell dropping problem. I'm going to order a new extractor, spring, and screw just so I can replace them or have spares while troubleshooting. Of course it could just be a problem extracting an unfired round (which I believe I read somewhere), so I'll probably shoot it before I make any changes (other than repairing that extractor screw).
The sear meet up is short, but extremely positive, making for a short heavy pull with lots of overtravel. I'll refrain from tweaking it until I shoot it, because the Enfield No.4's trigger is technically bad, but I shoot it just fine. (though that trigger is much lighter...)
Can't wait to shoot it, and play around with it.
I just stare at it.
I spent a few hours trying to figure out what the problem with the extraction was, but only managed to determine what it was not. I checked the adjustment of the rear left mag lip, which was not functioning as the ejector, nor (interestingly enough) was the ejector screw. There is an edge cut into the left side of the receiver that was ejecting. The screw only seemed to make ejection a sixteenth of an inch earlier. Contrary to most guns, working the bolt quickly caused problems, while working it slowly caused no issues. The extractor claw seems to just let go half way through the draw back, and leave the shell loose above the mag, but only when worked quickly.
This is extra strange because the extractor claw is damn strong. I almost feel like it's pushing so hard it's shooting the case off the bolt face once it's out of the chamber. I brought the extractor claw position closer to the center of the bolt face by raising the opposite side of the extractor arm by the tiny amount I could while keeping the opening in line with the screw (which was broken, but somewhat functional).
I got it feeding more reliably from both sides after I was done, but couldn't eliminate the shell dropping problem. I'm going to order a new extractor, spring, and screw just so I can replace them or have spares while troubleshooting. Of course it could just be a problem extracting an unfired round (which I believe I read somewhere), so I'll probably shoot it before I make any changes (other than repairing that extractor screw).
The sear meet up is short, but extremely positive, making for a short heavy pull with lots of overtravel. I'll refrain from tweaking it until I shoot it, because the Enfield No.4's trigger is technically bad, but I shoot it just fine. (though that trigger is much lighter...)
Can't wait to shoot it, and play around with it.
I just stare at it.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
BULLY!
UPDATE: Fixed "click for large size" images
After a discussion about someone's Perfect Gun, I started to think about what my Perfect Gun would be.
I love full power cartridges, iron sights, and wood stocks. This meant I liked WW2 rifles. I had some issue with bolt action rifles only because I shoot rifles lefty (cross dominant), but actually found some functions fit lefties better. The Enfield safety is perfect for lefties, the Mosin straight-handled bolt (and any other mauser straight-handled bolt) actually gave more opening leverage left-handed, and the Enfield's bolt handle hanging rear of the receiver was very accessible to lefties.
I started picking bits and pieces of rifles that I would combine into my perfect rifle, and actually came rather close to a rifle currently in existence. The Ishapore SMLE Bulldog.
PRO: It has the weight and balance of an Enfield. It's shortened to make it easier to point and maneuver. It's chambered in 7.62 NATO / .308 Win, which meant no rimlock, and that there would be plenty of surplus available, and that the popular cartridge would remain in production for some time! It would easily take a trigger job to turn it into a snappy two stage. And the mags hold 12 rounds without getting in the way of prone firing.
CON: It has the Enfield stock, which meant a jaw-weld instead of a cheek-weld (difficult to fix without disturbing the lines of the rifle). It has open sights (mojo makes aperture sights for them, but I'd rather see how much a gunsmith will charge to figure out how to install a No.4 ladder sight, or one of these for the sight radius).
All in all, it was a great fit for what I was looking for.
Lucky for me, I found one.
Double lucky for me, it was one of the 3rd party importer rebuilds instead of a bubba'd one.
Triple lucky it was a $150.
Sorry for the cell phone pics, (I'm actually surprised how well they came out) I'll put better ones up when we unpack the camera.
Clicky for full size!
Looooove that profile!
I was not expecting the wood to be this good. It's all matched, and very nice.
They removed the front sling mount point (no real reason for it now!), but left the bayonet lug intact! This shorty needs one of those patented Enfield No.1 sword bayonets! There is a split in the wood on the forward top handguard. It has been repaired with some glue by the previous owner, but I think I might be able to do a bit better.
It came with the sling, which is kind of thin for the proper shooting sling that it is, but I'll have more to say about it once I've tried it out.
The finish is definitely not the usual Brit finish (shitty, cracking oven paint), instead it's much more hearty. It shows some wear on the corners, but just enough for character.
After a discussion about someone's Perfect Gun, I started to think about what my Perfect Gun would be.
I love full power cartridges, iron sights, and wood stocks. This meant I liked WW2 rifles. I had some issue with bolt action rifles only because I shoot rifles lefty (cross dominant), but actually found some functions fit lefties better. The Enfield safety is perfect for lefties, the Mosin straight-handled bolt (and any other mauser straight-handled bolt) actually gave more opening leverage left-handed, and the Enfield's bolt handle hanging rear of the receiver was very accessible to lefties.
I started picking bits and pieces of rifles that I would combine into my perfect rifle, and actually came rather close to a rifle currently in existence. The Ishapore SMLE Bulldog.
PRO: It has the weight and balance of an Enfield. It's shortened to make it easier to point and maneuver. It's chambered in 7.62 NATO / .308 Win, which meant no rimlock, and that there would be plenty of surplus available, and that the popular cartridge would remain in production for some time! It would easily take a trigger job to turn it into a snappy two stage. And the mags hold 12 rounds without getting in the way of prone firing.
CON: It has the Enfield stock, which meant a jaw-weld instead of a cheek-weld (difficult to fix without disturbing the lines of the rifle). It has open sights (mojo makes aperture sights for them, but I'd rather see how much a gunsmith will charge to figure out how to install a No.4 ladder sight, or one of these for the sight radius).
All in all, it was a great fit for what I was looking for.
Lucky for me, I found one.
Double lucky for me, it was one of the 3rd party importer rebuilds instead of a bubba'd one.
Triple lucky it was a $150.
Sorry for the cell phone pics, (I'm actually surprised how well they came out) I'll put better ones up when we unpack the camera.
Clicky for full size!
Looooove that profile!
I was not expecting the wood to be this good. It's all matched, and very nice.
They removed the front sling mount point (no real reason for it now!), but left the bayonet lug intact! This shorty needs one of those patented Enfield No.1 sword bayonets! There is a split in the wood on the forward top handguard. It has been repaired with some glue by the previous owner, but I think I might be able to do a bit better.
It came with the sling, which is kind of thin for the proper shooting sling that it is, but I'll have more to say about it once I've tried it out.
The finish is definitely not the usual Brit finish (shitty, cracking oven paint), instead it's much more hearty. It shows some wear on the corners, but just enough for character.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
April 19th desert shoot!
I scheduled the day off so I could celebrate the the battles of Lexington and Concord (the first of the American revolutionary war) the only way I knew how; shooting. I thought I'd be on my own, but lucked out twice, and my brother-in-law and dad were able to join me.
Since I've been so damn busy, and unable to shoot for so long, I had a short list of things I needed to do. I was a little worried that shooting with a "to do" list would take some of the fun out of it, but I barely noticed. Besides, the worst day shooting is still better than the best day working.
We drove out to the sooper seekrit location, and were greeted with the thing I love most about the desert; silence. Nothing but the lizards and the scrub.
The new steel target was set at 50 yards, and we started breaking it in. Since we brought a lot of pistols, we started with those, and worked our way up. Then we switched to shooting soda cans and little 1"x2" hot sauce bottles. We moved the steel target back to 100 yards, and continued more earnestly.
A few things stick out;
Hitting at 10" gong at 100 yards with my 1911 was awesome. I hit 2 times out of 10, I called the 8 misses though. Dad shoots his duty pistol so much, he nailed it almost every time. Practice practice practice...
Hitting a 2" wide salsa bottle off the top of the gong at 50 yards on my first try was even more awesome. The gong actually rang when I hit it, so I thought I hit the gong and knocked it off, I walked up to reset it for the next person, and saw I hit it! I thought it might have broken from the fall, but there was salsa splattered on the back of the gong. Nailed it! I love that 45.
My rifle hit every target at which it was aimed with monotonous regularity. I wish I could get more excited about it, but I guess that comes when using your rifle becomes natural. You don't get excited when you catch some keys tossed to you, or drive your car successfully, you already know you can do it.
My Garand was the belle of the ball. It was the first time I had shot it, and was amazed at how slight the recoil was, and how it seemed to be right back on target after each shot. I know it's a heavy gun, but the balance is so good, it's hard to notice. The 30-06 also pounded the hell out of the steel, and made for some fun for the spectators. The sights were easy to use, and the two stage trigger made hitting the targets a breeze. When we were done, I wished I had bought more ammo for it, because I loved shooting it. (The day after, I picked up another box of ammo just so I could have something for it)
The Enfield (AKA The Joker), was a close second to the Garand as a favorite. My brother, having now reconciled with the gun that tried to take his eye, finished up his third magazine and said, "It's like cheating! I'm not even trying, and it hits anything I aim at!" I thought we'd have a little more trouble with the long single stage trigger, but it wasn't a problem at all. Since we had more 303 than 30-06, the Enfield got a lot of attention.
The 91/59 was shooting high, but not too high, so I was able to correct on the rear sight. I seemed to miss more than I expected with it, but I'll know for sure once I get it on a bench. The surplus steel core ammo was actually fine against the steel gong, lucky me. I'm not one to complain about recoil, but I could definitely feel it after 50 or so rounds. After the tuneup I gave it, there was no more sticky bolt or rimlock.
I caught a few flinches on unexpectedly empty chambers, but I hit everything before it, so I feel like I'm beating the flinch or something.
Making a can dance never gets old. Ever.
Since I've been so damn busy, and unable to shoot for so long, I had a short list of things I needed to do. I was a little worried that shooting with a "to do" list would take some of the fun out of it, but I barely noticed. Besides, the worst day shooting is still better than the best day working.
We drove out to the sooper seekrit location, and were greeted with the thing I love most about the desert; silence. Nothing but the lizards and the scrub.
The new steel target was set at 50 yards, and we started breaking it in. Since we brought a lot of pistols, we started with those, and worked our way up. Then we switched to shooting soda cans and little 1"x2" hot sauce bottles. We moved the steel target back to 100 yards, and continued more earnestly.
A few things stick out;
Hitting at 10" gong at 100 yards with my 1911 was awesome. I hit 2 times out of 10, I called the 8 misses though. Dad shoots his duty pistol so much, he nailed it almost every time. Practice practice practice...
Hitting a 2" wide salsa bottle off the top of the gong at 50 yards on my first try was even more awesome. The gong actually rang when I hit it, so I thought I hit the gong and knocked it off, I walked up to reset it for the next person, and saw I hit it! I thought it might have broken from the fall, but there was salsa splattered on the back of the gong. Nailed it! I love that 45.
My rifle hit every target at which it was aimed with monotonous regularity. I wish I could get more excited about it, but I guess that comes when using your rifle becomes natural. You don't get excited when you catch some keys tossed to you, or drive your car successfully, you already know you can do it.
My Garand was the belle of the ball. It was the first time I had shot it, and was amazed at how slight the recoil was, and how it seemed to be right back on target after each shot. I know it's a heavy gun, but the balance is so good, it's hard to notice. The 30-06 also pounded the hell out of the steel, and made for some fun for the spectators. The sights were easy to use, and the two stage trigger made hitting the targets a breeze. When we were done, I wished I had bought more ammo for it, because I loved shooting it. (The day after, I picked up another box of ammo just so I could have something for it)
The Enfield (AKA The Joker), was a close second to the Garand as a favorite. My brother, having now reconciled with the gun that tried to take his eye, finished up his third magazine and said, "It's like cheating! I'm not even trying, and it hits anything I aim at!" I thought we'd have a little more trouble with the long single stage trigger, but it wasn't a problem at all. Since we had more 303 than 30-06, the Enfield got a lot of attention.
The 91/59 was shooting high, but not too high, so I was able to correct on the rear sight. I seemed to miss more than I expected with it, but I'll know for sure once I get it on a bench. The surplus steel core ammo was actually fine against the steel gong, lucky me. I'm not one to complain about recoil, but I could definitely feel it after 50 or so rounds. After the tuneup I gave it, there was no more sticky bolt or rimlock.
I caught a few flinches on unexpectedly empty chambers, but I hit everything before it, so I feel like I'm beating the flinch or something.
Making a can dance never gets old. Ever.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
My Rifle
Stag. Lower, LPK, upper, stock, and buffer are Stag Arms. It's really nothing too special, but it's reliable. I'm not sure why Stag gets a bad rap. The only issue I had with it was some upper/lower pin fitting, but after that, all it needed was lube and the occasional cleaning. I cycled about 500 rounds of wolf through it (only 500 because it's useless for anything but short range plinking), and it stank, but it cleaned up just fine. I had some issues with feeding initially, but those disappeared when I broke it in and/or learned how to lube it properly. It has been smooth and accurate, and I'd buy another in a heartbeat. The carry handle sight holds a zero nicely, no matter how many times I remove and replace it.
Handguard. The Magpul MOE Handguard was the only purchase that was made only for aesthetic reasons, but it turns out that it's actually a better fit for my small hands. Since it's easier for me to get a grip around the smaller handguard than around the standard handguard, I've noticed more recoil control, and better general control when holding the rifle by the handguard.
Zero. It's zeroed for 200 yards with the Improved Battlesight Zero. I'm waiting until I can get some better distance estimation before I zero it back to 300 yards. I've considered a thinner sight post because I really like them, but I'm going to wait to make sure it would improve my shooting. If it ain't broke, and all that...
Flash Hider. It's fitted with a Vortex flash hider, which virtually eliminates muzzle flash, especially under semi-automatic fire. While flash elimination is technically useful, it really doesn't apply to defense shooting, so it's really just a neato purchase. But the best thing about it is that it rings like a tuning fork when the bolt closes. Just a little bit more character for the rifle. :)
*SHHHUNKiiiinnnnnnnnnggggggg*
Left. The Stag lefty upper is due to my cross dominance. Interestingly enough, I shoot more accurate single shots left handed, but more accurate rapid fire right handed. Despite being a lefty upper, I don't have any problems shooting right handed. I also haven't had any complaints from other people who have shot it right handed. Because the upper is the only part that is left handed, I've worked out different ways to operate the mag release (on the AR that isn't mag-locked), and can reach the bolt release with my left middle finger, but I have to break my grip to do it.
Stock. A Stag Arms 8 position stock with a zip tie around the back of the stock to attach the small clip of a sling that won't around the thick loops for a sling to run through. Just more mounting points.
Beard Saver. There is a crocheted wrap around the beginning of the stock to keep errant beard hairs from becoming pinched between the stock and buffer tube. When this happens, beard hairs are yanked out, much to the shooter's annoyance. You can decrease the chance of this by getting a stock that fits the buffer tube better, or you can eliminate it by buying something like the Magpul UBR. Or you can just spend a few fractions of a cent on a short length of camo yarn, and do what I've done. No beard hairs have been lost since then. Some electrical tape has also been placed over a hole in the top of the stock which, much less commonly, was known to pull beard hairs.
Grip. Inside that Magpul MOE grip is a complete replacement (lefty) bolt, and a field repair kit of spare parts. Aside from storage, the grip also improves on the original ergonomics in a number of ways. It's thicker, which allows for a stronger grip because it fits my hand better. It's at less of an angle, which gives my wrist a more natural, and therefore more comfortable and stronger, position. Finally, the new backstrap repositions the web of my hand so that the trigger pull is more straight back. All these things mean more comfort in shooting, and more strength in one-handed holding. I bought it for the storage, but the ergonomics were a pleasant surprise.
Safety. I use an ambi-safety because I find it easier to operate from both sides. Using my thumb to push it down into the firing position, and the first joint on my trigger finger to drag the lever back to safe. I have small hands, and I don't know if you're supposed to be able to flip the lever to safe with your thumb, but I can't, and this is what works. With practice, it's very smooth to go back and forth without compromising your grip.
Lock. California legal ARs must be in one of two configurations. This configuration includes "evil" features (pernicious pistol grip, atrocious adjustable stock, and foul flash hider!) so it must have a magazine of a capacity no greater than 10, and that magazine must require a tool to remove. I've used a Bushmaster mag lock (the silver nut where the mag release should be) with a Bushmaster 20 round magazine body that's blocked to only take 10. At first I was bothered by only having 10 rounds in a defense weapon, but I realized that I could do more with 10 rounds in this rifle than I could with more rounds in any other gun.
Sling Mount. At the base of the buffer tube is a Vltor ambidextrous single point sling mount. It's set for lefty right now, and I like the single ring instead of two rings on both sides. I may replace it with one of those new slider mounts that lets the mount clip slide from left to right, but it's not to difficult to hold it right handed in the same mount. I like the idea of single point slings for some situations, but I've tried to keep as many slinging options open as possible.
But all that is just half of what makes this my rifle. The other half is me.
Me. I can't say that I have shot my rifle until the pins walked out and the handguard grooves wore smooth, it only has about 1500 rounds through it. But I've tried to learn from each one of those rounds. I have no interest in making noise and flash, I want my rifle to be an extension of my will. Live fire practice was only a part of the training. In fact, for every real bullet I've shot, I've probably shot three imaginary ones. Practicing shooting "O"s on the teevee with my unloaded rifle has grown the rifle to my shoulder, the stock to my cheek, and the sights to my eyes. As I've said before;
You will be amazed when spotting a target, snapping your rifle to your shoulder, lining the sights on your target, and achieving a motionless trigger break comes as naturally as reaching your hand out, and catching a ball in the air.
I'm not sure the rifle is a complete extension of my will just yet, but it's damn close. I look forward to that day, and will continue to work toward it.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Quote of the proficiency
Round counts do not build proficiency. Familiarity builds proficiency.
~Xavier
There has always been an emphasis on round count in practice, but it's really about meaningful practice.
Making 1000 loud noises with your gun won't do much if you don't pay attention to what's happening to you, and your gun while you make them.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, you would be surprised what you can accomplish with 80% dry fire, and 20% live fire training.
Jeff Cooper recommends taking your (EMPTY) firearm to the couch, and practicing by shooting every "O" you see on your teevee. I can attest to the success of this form of training.
You will be amazed when spotting a target, snapping your rifle to your shoulder, lining the sights on your target, and achieving a motionless trigger break comes as naturally as reaching your hand out, and catching a ball in the air.
It's a good feeling.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Quote of The Jovian Thunderbolt
Personal weapons are what raised mankind out of the mud, and the rifle is the queen of personal weapons. The possession of a good rifle, as well as the skill to use it well, truly makes a man the monarch of all he surveys. It realizes the ancient dream of The Jovian Thunderbolt, and as such it is the embodiment of personal power. For this reason it exercises a curious influence over the minds of most men, and in its best examples it constitutes an object of affection unmatched by any other inanimate object
~Col. Jeff Cooper - The Art of the Rifle
~Col. Jeff Cooper - The Art of the Rifle
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Quote of the most important accessory
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Obsolescence in firearms?
From Steve at The Firearm Blog, comes this link;
Afghans Rediscover The Lee-Enfield.
The Lee Enfield is a WW2 rifle used by the British. It is a bolt action rifle with a 10 round box magazine.
It fires a .303 caliber bullet at roughly 2500 fps.
By all accounts; it's old.
Today, armies use semi-automatic or fully automatic weapons, made of space-age plastics and polymers, usually chambered in intermediate cartridges fed from large-capacity detachable box magazines.
Yet, the Lee Enfield is still a viable weapon for the modern-day battlefield.
Why?
Because the Lee Enfield is a rifle that is very capable of carrying out its primary function reliably.
Very simply; the function of a rifle is to deliver a high speed projectile reliably and accurately. All it needs is sights, a barrel, a trigger, and a stock.
Everything else just makes it friendlier to the operator.
This old rifle may lack modern optics, shoot an antique cartridge, and be a rough amalgamation of wood and steel, but it can execute its task with almost 100% efficiency. The operator is what usually causes a miss.
We may continue to make rifles easier to shoot, with lighter triggers, better sights, and generally make them more accommodating to the people shooting them, but the machine itself has practically been perfected.
The rest is up to you.
Afghans Rediscover The Lee-Enfield.
The Lee Enfield is a WW2 rifle used by the British. It is a bolt action rifle with a 10 round box magazine.
It fires a .303 caliber bullet at roughly 2500 fps.
By all accounts; it's old.
Today, armies use semi-automatic or fully automatic weapons, made of space-age plastics and polymers, usually chambered in intermediate cartridges fed from large-capacity detachable box magazines.
Yet, the Lee Enfield is still a viable weapon for the modern-day battlefield.
Why?
Because the Lee Enfield is a rifle that is very capable of carrying out its primary function reliably.
Very simply; the function of a rifle is to deliver a high speed projectile reliably and accurately. All it needs is sights, a barrel, a trigger, and a stock.
Everything else just makes it friendlier to the operator.
This old rifle may lack modern optics, shoot an antique cartridge, and be a rough amalgamation of wood and steel, but it can execute its task with almost 100% efficiency. The operator is what usually causes a miss.
We may continue to make rifles easier to shoot, with lighter triggers, better sights, and generally make them more accommodating to the people shooting them, but the machine itself has practically been perfected.
The rest is up to you.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
I've got some work to do too...
JR posted a video of a gentleman performing the Bill Drill.
5 shots, on target, in under 1 second with an AR 15.
JR says; "I have some work to do."
As do I.
I'll have to think about setting a good target for the next trip to the desert.
5 shots, on target, in under 1 second with an AR 15.
JR says; "I have some work to do."
As do I.
I'll have to think about setting a good target for the next trip to the desert.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
RWVA Appleseed Rifle Clinic
Before I get into the details, let me quickly cover a few things that happened, and a few things that didn't happen.
Things that happened:
Everyone was taught the 6 steps of shooting.
Everyone was trained in how to use a sling for stability.
Everyone was told the story of April 19th 1775.
Everyone had their targets "read" to show what they needed to work on.
Everyone was trained with one-on-one attention.
Everyone was taught how to calculate MOA to clicks on their sights.
Everyone who needed it, got help using their gear with the training exercises.
Things that DIDN'T happen:
Nobody was turned away.
Nobody was hassled for using a scope.
Nobody was pressured to buy a sling.
Nobody was singled out except when used for group instruction.
Nobody instructing used the word "kill."
Nobody instructing uttered a single political word.
Nobody instructing said anything bad about anyone except the redcoats.
This post recounts my experience with the program, and as with all things in life; your mileage may vary.
Appleseed is a rifle marksmanship training program that is meant to teach Americans how to shoot accurately. It's run by the RWVA, the Revolutionary War Veteran's Association, which may seem like a silly name since veterans of the Revolutionary War are all quite dead. The group wants to honor the courage and memory of the Revolutionary War vets by training marksmanship.
I signed up for Appleseed because I like rifles. I like being able to shoot them accurately, and I like being able to shoot them without the aid of a benchrest. I signed up with a friend of mine who is an Obama supporter, and he was expecting to get an earful of politics when he went. I too was a little cynical, having read the complaints other people had with the program.
The day started at 8:30 at a local range. We arrived early and helped them set up the target stands at 25 meters. As people trickled in, everyone was told they could set up a spot on the line, and not to bring out any firearms yet. Everyone signed in, got an envelope packet of papers, and got two duct tape nametags to put on their front and back. The attendance was all male except for two females, and the age group went from one young boy (10?) to a particularly seasoned gentleman. Some boy scouts arrived, apparently earning their shooting badges (they still have shooting badges?!), and as soon as it seemed everyone had arrived, they started the introduction and safety discussion.
The instructors used nicknames (from the RWVA forum?) instead of their names, this seemed odd at first, but being from the internet generation I didn't care. The safety was a little longer than I was used to, but we had two new shooters. They also wanted us to repeat the rules aloud, which made sense considering not everyone was the same skill level. After talking about safety, they talked about what RWVA does; specifically teach marksmanship and tell the history of the start of the American Revolution. After that they talked about the 6 steps of firing a shot, and how mastering the rules would dramatically improve our shooting. After that they covered the range rules, and the range commands we would be hearing, and how to react to them. We were to be given preparation periods wherein we would be allowed to handle our rifles, followed by a load command where we would load a magazine filled with the quantity of rounds they specified. Pretty simple stuff, a little cumbersome for me, but all formed around keeping everyone safe.
Safety discussion concluded, we were dismissed to gather our firearms, and bring them to the range while keeping our muzzles pointed in a safe direction. There were a lot of .22s, but there were also full power rifles. An AK or two, ARs, a keltec su-16ca, lever guns, M1As, even a real-life Steyr Scout; all with or without scopes (Though there were more iron sights than there were scopes)
We were introduced to the redcoat target. A long strip of paper with red bell-shaped targets meant to simulate redcoats at the distances 100, 200, 300, and 400 yards (on a 25 meter range). It also had a small red square that was meant to simulate a "headshot" at 250 yards because the snipers of the Revolutionary War were capable of making this shot. The idea was; if we were sent back in time with our modern day rifles, and current skills, how effective would we have been against the redcoats? We were given a prep period to prepare 13 rounds, and prepare to shoot at the redcoat target from any position we wanted. We were to fire three rounds at the four targets, and one at the "headshot." (the "headshot" is called "headshot" on the paper, however, it was called a square by the instructors, except for the last time shooting at it on the second day)
We were given the "load" command, followed shortly by the "fire" command. The berms of the range were meant to direct the sound upward, and I couldn't help but enjoy the sound of my .22 going off next to some 308s and 223s. Whenever someone with a .22 shot, all you could hear was *click!* *sssssh* *wap!* It took a little bit, but I soon realized that the *wap* was the sound of the round hitting the paper and plastic target board. I had brought two magazines, so I shot off my 10 rounds, changed mags to the other one loaded with three, and finished.
Three shots on a target "qualifies" you for that target. Two and one do not count. My results were less than satisfactory... I can't find the first redcoat target I did, but I was not sighted in correctly, and hit about three inches high. Even accounting for the three inch high sighting, my grouping meant I only got three shots on the 100 yard target. The rest were too wide to get all three on the target. When we checked our targets we raised our hands to indicate how well we did. We didn't do very well. We were assured by the instructors that this target was just for comparison after the class was over.
We returned to the line and had an instruction session to cover the 6 steps of firing a shot. They used visual aids for sight alignment of peep sights, and taught a 6 o'clock hold (I bisected the target), but told us it didn't matter as long as we knew how we were aiming, and were consistent.
The six steps to firing a shot were sight alignment, sight picture, respiratory pause, focusing your eye on the front sight and focusing your mind on keeping the sights on target, squeeze the trigger, and follow through. Each step was covered in detail, and explained with examples. We were made to repeat the steps to make sure we knew them, and then we returned to the line to shoot some one inch squares
I adjusted my front sight slightly to reflect the high shooting I was doing (really just gave it a few turns), and decided to do a 6 o'clock hold. After my shoddy performance on the redcoat target, I unhooked the rear of the sling and looped it around my arm for increased stability. I knew I could do better, and I did.
The first group I shot was the one in the middle. 5 shots, all within the black square. I lucked out on the front sight adjustment, but I was just a little too pleased with myself.
At the targets, everyone got an individual review on their target, and were given recommendations on how to improve. We were gathered around some targets as examples to show how you group when you jerk the trigger, push your shoulder, breathe wrong, or don't have your elbows in the right spot. It was all pretty interesting. The holes in the paper were no longer pass or fail, but an indicator of what you were doing wrong, and how to fix it.
We continued shooting the squares until we started developing groups. My groups were getting worse, and I was having trouble identifying the problem. Feh. After we had a few groups on the paper, they told us how to adjust our sights (and recommended we NOT adjust until we had 5 MOA groups) and how to figure inches, minutes, and clicks. Everyone was helped with figuring their sight adjustments where applicable, and we shot some more groups.
We were then introduced to natural point of aim. We were told how to develop our natural point of aim (NPOA), and how to adjust it in the different positions. NPOA is finding where your relaxed body points the rifle while in a properly formed shooting position. I was already introduced to natural point of aim, and thought I knew the right way to use it. We shot some more squares, and switched to some green bell-shaped targets.
After a few more groups we were excused to lunch in some nearby shade. Midway through the lunch, One of the instructors walked into the middle of the group, and recounted some of the history of April 19th 1775, the first day of the American Revolutionary War. The instructors switched off recounting a timeline for the day. The emphasis was on the very real dangers of the day, and the bravery of a bunch of farmers organizing to attack the best fighting force in the world. Being shot in the foot could have been a death sentence, and any maleficence or perceived maleficence against the British meant immediate death.
The passed around musket balls, and showed off British bayonets that threatened the militias of the day. As the story was told, important shots such as the shot heard 'round the world were punctuated by a musket fired by one of the instructors at the range.
I found the history interesting, and really had no idea of the specifics of that day in our history. They then talked about California, and how they were opening up many new Appleseeds in the state. They wanted us to understand that gun owners in California are not alone, and that the only way we're going to change things is by bringing people to the range. Most gun owners in California are "closeted," and need to be willing to be open about their gun ownership (where safe) and offer to bring people to the range.
After lunch, we returned to the line and did a ball-and-dummy (?) exercise wherein, one person shoots, while another loads the shooter's magazine, and watches for shooting mistakes. The magazine could be loaded or unloaded to bring out the flinch, blink, and other bad habits of shooting. Everyone seemed to find this exercise very educational.
We then began training to participate in Appleseed's measure of shooting ability, the AQT. From what I gathered, the AQT was an adaptation on the Army's shooting qualification target. It doubled the score on the bottom row, and used a low contrast gray bell-shaped target to simulate targets that were difficult to see. Scoring 210 or above qualified you for Expert, and got you Appleseed's Rifleman patch.
We practiced switching shooting positions, and learned tricks to track our body positions for our previously established NPOA. The AQT was to be shot, 10 shots standing into a 100 yard target, switch to sitting position and shoot 10 shots at two 200 yard targets, switch to prone and shoot 10 shots at three 300 yard targets, then 10 shots at four 400 yard targets. 40 shots at 10 targets from three positions in four minutes. After practicing on some green AQT targets, and having our positions tweaked by instructors, we ran the AQT.
I fail!
I scored unqualified on the first AQT. I was confused as to why I was getting worse as the day wore on, but just chalked it up to fatigue. (only had 4 hours of sleep)
We packed up, and wrapped up for the day, and two of the boy scouts who had been shooting in the next range over showed us all up by making Rifleman on the first day.
Back in the comfort of my home, I was tired, sunburned, sore, and annoyed with myself. The friends I met there were not going to be going to the second day, and I knew I was going to be sore. I carpooled there the first day, but would have to drive myself the second. I really felt like skipping the second day. My crappy AQT score made me go.
SO! Up bright and early the next day, sore as hell, and feeling two decades older, I made my way to the range.
The turnout seemed to be a little under three quarters of what it was the first day, which suited us just fine, because the first day was crowded. We all kept our firearms in the car again while we set up our positions on the line. After another safety discussion we were allowed to return with our firearms. The second day was going to be about polishing what we'd learned the first day, and shooting AQTs. I was glad for the chance to redeem myself.
This time around we seemed to have even more individual attention, and were given tips, and corrections to improve our shooting. I was shooting like I was the beginning of the first day, and was afraid I'd lose it again. Thankfully, the skill seemed to remain. I think I was able to shoot properly when rested, but once fatigued, I needed to rely on proper NPOA to shoot consistently well, and my NPOA needed work.
As we shot the individual attention we got kept my groups consistent. Using my hips to adjust my NPOA instead of my muscles or breath or feet gave me the boost I needed to shrink my groups a little bit more. We did an NPOA exercise where we found our NPOA, and sighted in on the target. A card was used to block view of the target, we closed our eyes, and took a deep breath. After we were settled again, the card was removed, and we would see if our NPOA really was on the target. Here's where I discovered my NPOA was slipping because my sling (non GI web sling) was too big to get totally tight. I tightened it as much as I could, and was rewarded with tighter groups.
Lunch had some more stories from the Revolutionary War, the second day focused on individuals who were unable to serve in the war officially, but participated in their own way. Individuals who stood out for bravery or effectiveness in the war. These stories were very entertaining, and seemed to go over better than the first day's history.
We started shooting AQTs, and I realized that proper NPOA was making a huge difference. We shot AQTs in stages broken up by reloading and preparation times, and I was seriously improving.
I scored a 187 on the last "staged" AQT test, then we did a "speed" AQT, where all the stages were shot start to finish in 4 minutes. This required 40 available rounds, and I only had two 10 round magazines (having read you only needed two mags for mag change exercises). Fortunately, the instructors were willing to help us by load the empty mag while we shot the the other one.
I was a little worried about the speed AQT, because I felt rushed in the first AQT, and wondered it it was fatigue, or anxiety of the time limit.
I only score 4 points less than the broken up AQT
We continued shooting AQTs, and continued getting tips on our positions, I gradually improved until I scored my best score on the AQT.
4 points short of a Rifleman patch.
We wrapped up by shooting the redcoats as he had the beginning of the first day.
From left to right; End of first day, beginning of second day, end of second day. I described my first redcoat target, and feel that this is a pretty good indication of how the instruction helped me improve.
As we wrapped up, we had one attendee who achieved the Rifleman patch. At first I was a little jealous for having come so close, but when he described the training he did at home, and the three Appleseeds he had attended, I realized it was a little arrogant of me to expect to get my patch on my first Appleseed. During the wrap up, they talked briefly about politics. I readied my guard, and prepared for the worst, but all that was said was, "Think before you vote."
I left with some contact information for the people I had met there. I'm always pleasantly surprised how friendly gun people are. Everyone called eachother by their first name (thanks to the nametags), and was helpful and supportive. Thinking back, I can't think of a single bit of negativity that was expressed. I only head the word "cook" twice, and can only remember people being impressed with their improvements, no matter the level.
One of my friends who attended was new to rifles, and began the first day having difficulty staying on the paper, but ended the same day with five inch groups. He said he understood what he was doing now, and knew what he needed to work on to improve.
I enjoyed some delicious humble pie the first day, and realized that I really needed to allow them to direct me to get the most out of the class. My second day results speak for themselves. To be completely honest, I went into the class wanting the Rifleman patch. I practiced at home with whatever instructions I could find online, and was pretty sure I was going to get it the first class. I realized that being able to shoot a Rifleman score is more involved than just showing up, getting the patch, and moving on. I needed to be able to shoot a Rifleman score consistently, and improve it. That wasn't going to happen in one class.
Throughout the class there was an emphasis on the need for volunteers for the program. It was repeated, but not hammered, or pressured.
I'm going to be attending the next Appleseed at the same range in December. I will be practicing until then. I still want a Rifleman patch, and want to try the class with something bigger than a .22.
If you have any specific questions about my experience, please don't hesitate to ask them in the comments.
Things that happened:
Everyone was taught the 6 steps of shooting.
Everyone was trained in how to use a sling for stability.
Everyone was told the story of April 19th 1775.
Everyone had their targets "read" to show what they needed to work on.
Everyone was trained with one-on-one attention.
Everyone was taught how to calculate MOA to clicks on their sights.
Everyone who needed it, got help using their gear with the training exercises.
Things that DIDN'T happen:
Nobody was turned away.
Nobody was hassled for using a scope.
Nobody was pressured to buy a sling.
Nobody was singled out except when used for group instruction.
Nobody instructing used the word "kill."
Nobody instructing uttered a single political word.
Nobody instructing said anything bad about anyone except the redcoats.
This post recounts my experience with the program, and as with all things in life; your mileage may vary.
Appleseed is a rifle marksmanship training program that is meant to teach Americans how to shoot accurately. It's run by the RWVA, the Revolutionary War Veteran's Association, which may seem like a silly name since veterans of the Revolutionary War are all quite dead. The group wants to honor the courage and memory of the Revolutionary War vets by training marksmanship.
I signed up for Appleseed because I like rifles. I like being able to shoot them accurately, and I like being able to shoot them without the aid of a benchrest. I signed up with a friend of mine who is an Obama supporter, and he was expecting to get an earful of politics when he went. I too was a little cynical, having read the complaints other people had with the program.
The day started at 8:30 at a local range. We arrived early and helped them set up the target stands at 25 meters. As people trickled in, everyone was told they could set up a spot on the line, and not to bring out any firearms yet. Everyone signed in, got an envelope packet of papers, and got two duct tape nametags to put on their front and back. The attendance was all male except for two females, and the age group went from one young boy (10?) to a particularly seasoned gentleman. Some boy scouts arrived, apparently earning their shooting badges (they still have shooting badges?!), and as soon as it seemed everyone had arrived, they started the introduction and safety discussion.
The instructors used nicknames (from the RWVA forum?) instead of their names, this seemed odd at first, but being from the internet generation I didn't care. The safety was a little longer than I was used to, but we had two new shooters. They also wanted us to repeat the rules aloud, which made sense considering not everyone was the same skill level. After talking about safety, they talked about what RWVA does; specifically teach marksmanship and tell the history of the start of the American Revolution. After that they talked about the 6 steps of firing a shot, and how mastering the rules would dramatically improve our shooting. After that they covered the range rules, and the range commands we would be hearing, and how to react to them. We were to be given preparation periods wherein we would be allowed to handle our rifles, followed by a load command where we would load a magazine filled with the quantity of rounds they specified. Pretty simple stuff, a little cumbersome for me, but all formed around keeping everyone safe.
Safety discussion concluded, we were dismissed to gather our firearms, and bring them to the range while keeping our muzzles pointed in a safe direction. There were a lot of .22s, but there were also full power rifles. An AK or two, ARs, a keltec su-16ca, lever guns, M1As, even a real-life Steyr Scout; all with or without scopes (Though there were more iron sights than there were scopes)
We were introduced to the redcoat target. A long strip of paper with red bell-shaped targets meant to simulate redcoats at the distances 100, 200, 300, and 400 yards (on a 25 meter range). It also had a small red square that was meant to simulate a "headshot" at 250 yards because the snipers of the Revolutionary War were capable of making this shot. The idea was; if we were sent back in time with our modern day rifles, and current skills, how effective would we have been against the redcoats? We were given a prep period to prepare 13 rounds, and prepare to shoot at the redcoat target from any position we wanted. We were to fire three rounds at the four targets, and one at the "headshot." (the "headshot" is called "headshot" on the paper, however, it was called a square by the instructors, except for the last time shooting at it on the second day)
We were given the "load" command, followed shortly by the "fire" command. The berms of the range were meant to direct the sound upward, and I couldn't help but enjoy the sound of my .22 going off next to some 308s and 223s. Whenever someone with a .22 shot, all you could hear was *click!* *sssssh* *wap!* It took a little bit, but I soon realized that the *wap* was the sound of the round hitting the paper and plastic target board. I had brought two magazines, so I shot off my 10 rounds, changed mags to the other one loaded with three, and finished.
Three shots on a target "qualifies" you for that target. Two and one do not count. My results were less than satisfactory... I can't find the first redcoat target I did, but I was not sighted in correctly, and hit about three inches high. Even accounting for the three inch high sighting, my grouping meant I only got three shots on the 100 yard target. The rest were too wide to get all three on the target. When we checked our targets we raised our hands to indicate how well we did. We didn't do very well. We were assured by the instructors that this target was just for comparison after the class was over.
We returned to the line and had an instruction session to cover the 6 steps of firing a shot. They used visual aids for sight alignment of peep sights, and taught a 6 o'clock hold (I bisected the target), but told us it didn't matter as long as we knew how we were aiming, and were consistent.
The six steps to firing a shot were sight alignment, sight picture, respiratory pause, focusing your eye on the front sight and focusing your mind on keeping the sights on target, squeeze the trigger, and follow through. Each step was covered in detail, and explained with examples. We were made to repeat the steps to make sure we knew them, and then we returned to the line to shoot some one inch squares
I adjusted my front sight slightly to reflect the high shooting I was doing (really just gave it a few turns), and decided to do a 6 o'clock hold. After my shoddy performance on the redcoat target, I unhooked the rear of the sling and looped it around my arm for increased stability. I knew I could do better, and I did.
The first group I shot was the one in the middle. 5 shots, all within the black square. I lucked out on the front sight adjustment, but I was just a little too pleased with myself.
At the targets, everyone got an individual review on their target, and were given recommendations on how to improve. We were gathered around some targets as examples to show how you group when you jerk the trigger, push your shoulder, breathe wrong, or don't have your elbows in the right spot. It was all pretty interesting. The holes in the paper were no longer pass or fail, but an indicator of what you were doing wrong, and how to fix it.
We continued shooting the squares until we started developing groups. My groups were getting worse, and I was having trouble identifying the problem. Feh. After we had a few groups on the paper, they told us how to adjust our sights (and recommended we NOT adjust until we had 5 MOA groups) and how to figure inches, minutes, and clicks. Everyone was helped with figuring their sight adjustments where applicable, and we shot some more groups.
We were then introduced to natural point of aim. We were told how to develop our natural point of aim (NPOA), and how to adjust it in the different positions. NPOA is finding where your relaxed body points the rifle while in a properly formed shooting position. I was already introduced to natural point of aim, and thought I knew the right way to use it. We shot some more squares, and switched to some green bell-shaped targets.
After a few more groups we were excused to lunch in some nearby shade. Midway through the lunch, One of the instructors walked into the middle of the group, and recounted some of the history of April 19th 1775, the first day of the American Revolutionary War. The instructors switched off recounting a timeline for the day. The emphasis was on the very real dangers of the day, and the bravery of a bunch of farmers organizing to attack the best fighting force in the world. Being shot in the foot could have been a death sentence, and any maleficence or perceived maleficence against the British meant immediate death.
The passed around musket balls, and showed off British bayonets that threatened the militias of the day. As the story was told, important shots such as the shot heard 'round the world were punctuated by a musket fired by one of the instructors at the range.
I found the history interesting, and really had no idea of the specifics of that day in our history. They then talked about California, and how they were opening up many new Appleseeds in the state. They wanted us to understand that gun owners in California are not alone, and that the only way we're going to change things is by bringing people to the range. Most gun owners in California are "closeted," and need to be willing to be open about their gun ownership (where safe) and offer to bring people to the range.
After lunch, we returned to the line and did a ball-and-dummy (?) exercise wherein, one person shoots, while another loads the shooter's magazine, and watches for shooting mistakes. The magazine could be loaded or unloaded to bring out the flinch, blink, and other bad habits of shooting. Everyone seemed to find this exercise very educational.
We then began training to participate in Appleseed's measure of shooting ability, the AQT. From what I gathered, the AQT was an adaptation on the Army's shooting qualification target. It doubled the score on the bottom row, and used a low contrast gray bell-shaped target to simulate targets that were difficult to see. Scoring 210 or above qualified you for Expert, and got you Appleseed's Rifleman patch.
We practiced switching shooting positions, and learned tricks to track our body positions for our previously established NPOA. The AQT was to be shot, 10 shots standing into a 100 yard target, switch to sitting position and shoot 10 shots at two 200 yard targets, switch to prone and shoot 10 shots at three 300 yard targets, then 10 shots at four 400 yard targets. 40 shots at 10 targets from three positions in four minutes. After practicing on some green AQT targets, and having our positions tweaked by instructors, we ran the AQT.
I fail!
I scored unqualified on the first AQT. I was confused as to why I was getting worse as the day wore on, but just chalked it up to fatigue. (only had 4 hours of sleep)
We packed up, and wrapped up for the day, and two of the boy scouts who had been shooting in the next range over showed us all up by making Rifleman on the first day.
Back in the comfort of my home, I was tired, sunburned, sore, and annoyed with myself. The friends I met there were not going to be going to the second day, and I knew I was going to be sore. I carpooled there the first day, but would have to drive myself the second. I really felt like skipping the second day. My crappy AQT score made me go.
SO! Up bright and early the next day, sore as hell, and feeling two decades older, I made my way to the range.
The turnout seemed to be a little under three quarters of what it was the first day, which suited us just fine, because the first day was crowded. We all kept our firearms in the car again while we set up our positions on the line. After another safety discussion we were allowed to return with our firearms. The second day was going to be about polishing what we'd learned the first day, and shooting AQTs. I was glad for the chance to redeem myself.
This time around we seemed to have even more individual attention, and were given tips, and corrections to improve our shooting. I was shooting like I was the beginning of the first day, and was afraid I'd lose it again. Thankfully, the skill seemed to remain. I think I was able to shoot properly when rested, but once fatigued, I needed to rely on proper NPOA to shoot consistently well, and my NPOA needed work.
As we shot the individual attention we got kept my groups consistent. Using my hips to adjust my NPOA instead of my muscles or breath or feet gave me the boost I needed to shrink my groups a little bit more. We did an NPOA exercise where we found our NPOA, and sighted in on the target. A card was used to block view of the target, we closed our eyes, and took a deep breath. After we were settled again, the card was removed, and we would see if our NPOA really was on the target. Here's where I discovered my NPOA was slipping because my sling (non GI web sling) was too big to get totally tight. I tightened it as much as I could, and was rewarded with tighter groups.
Lunch had some more stories from the Revolutionary War, the second day focused on individuals who were unable to serve in the war officially, but participated in their own way. Individuals who stood out for bravery or effectiveness in the war. These stories were very entertaining, and seemed to go over better than the first day's history.
We started shooting AQTs, and I realized that proper NPOA was making a huge difference. We shot AQTs in stages broken up by reloading and preparation times, and I was seriously improving.
I scored a 187 on the last "staged" AQT test, then we did a "speed" AQT, where all the stages were shot start to finish in 4 minutes. This required 40 available rounds, and I only had two 10 round magazines (having read you only needed two mags for mag change exercises). Fortunately, the instructors were willing to help us by load the empty mag while we shot the the other one.
I was a little worried about the speed AQT, because I felt rushed in the first AQT, and wondered it it was fatigue, or anxiety of the time limit.
I only score 4 points less than the broken up AQT
We continued shooting AQTs, and continued getting tips on our positions, I gradually improved until I scored my best score on the AQT.
4 points short of a Rifleman patch.
We wrapped up by shooting the redcoats as he had the beginning of the first day.
From left to right; End of first day, beginning of second day, end of second day. I described my first redcoat target, and feel that this is a pretty good indication of how the instruction helped me improve.
As we wrapped up, we had one attendee who achieved the Rifleman patch. At first I was a little jealous for having come so close, but when he described the training he did at home, and the three Appleseeds he had attended, I realized it was a little arrogant of me to expect to get my patch on my first Appleseed. During the wrap up, they talked briefly about politics. I readied my guard, and prepared for the worst, but all that was said was, "Think before you vote."
I left with some contact information for the people I had met there. I'm always pleasantly surprised how friendly gun people are. Everyone called eachother by their first name (thanks to the nametags), and was helpful and supportive. Thinking back, I can't think of a single bit of negativity that was expressed. I only head the word "cook" twice, and can only remember people being impressed with their improvements, no matter the level.
One of my friends who attended was new to rifles, and began the first day having difficulty staying on the paper, but ended the same day with five inch groups. He said he understood what he was doing now, and knew what he needed to work on to improve.
I enjoyed some delicious humble pie the first day, and realized that I really needed to allow them to direct me to get the most out of the class. My second day results speak for themselves. To be completely honest, I went into the class wanting the Rifleman patch. I practiced at home with whatever instructions I could find online, and was pretty sure I was going to get it the first class. I realized that being able to shoot a Rifleman score is more involved than just showing up, getting the patch, and moving on. I needed to be able to shoot a Rifleman score consistently, and improve it. That wasn't going to happen in one class.
Throughout the class there was an emphasis on the need for volunteers for the program. It was repeated, but not hammered, or pressured.
I'm going to be attending the next Appleseed at the same range in December. I will be practicing until then. I still want a Rifleman patch, and want to try the class with something bigger than a .22.
If you have any specific questions about my experience, please don't hesitate to ask them in the comments.
Friday, October 10, 2008
My Plain Jane gets TACTICOOL!!!!!1111
I kept my AR carbine as stock as possible. Carry handle rear sight, no free float, standard pistol grip, collapsible stock that only holds batteries if you tape them to it, you know, just the regular work horse that's been hard at work all over the world.
I wanted to make sure I didn't become one of those guys who spends more on accessories than they do on their AR, so I kept it simple until I was satisfied with my skill level.
I've experimented with different sling styles enough to add my first deviation;
AN UBER TACTICAL CYBER L337 SINGLE POINT SLING ATTACHMENT!
The vltor is ambidextrous, which beats having loops on both sides, and it is unobtrusive enough for my sensibilities. I rather like this style of sling mount point since its design is both clever and functional. Attaching an attach point to the rear of the receiver gives a great balance point, and since only one mounting point is required, detaching and reattaching is simple and quick. I also very much like the idea of being able to comfortably shoulder my carbine while it is in the slinged (slung?) position.
Regular slings certainly have their place, since dangling a rifle across your chest is a tad cumbersome, but being able to wear an empty single point sling with a small clip waiting to be attached in case it becomes necessary to have the rifle in a more ready position is valuable. I'll be experimenting with different sling styles to find out what works best for me.
The only other addition was an ambi-safety.
Being a lefty hasn't much affected my ability to shoot my AR. The lefty upper has done little more than keep the cordite from my side of the rifle since most of the controls are on the standard lower I have. The military standard grip says I have to hold the pistol grip with my thumb on the same side as my trigger finger so my finger can be on the safety until I'm ready to turn it off. I have practiced this, and have found it annoying, and troublesome. Without my thumb on the opposite side, my grip wants to tip to the left. The ambi-safety was something I wanted to do without, but I also wanted to be able to take advantage of Mr. Stoner's great design that allows the user to disable the safety without compromising a full firing grip. It was there, and it was a good price. I went for it, and am glad lack of it won't be bugging me in the future.
The only other thing was the monsterman grip.
The monsterman grip is the culmination of a bunch of California gun owners staring at the California Assault Weapons Ban for months. Gaps, loopholes, and downright omissions were discovered. One of which was the definition of a pistol grip. Notably, it was described as "protruding conspicuously beneath the action" So, why not make a grip that doesn't protrude?
But, is it legal? Ever since "off-list" lowers in combination with gaps in the configuration laws to allow California gun owners to own legally configured AR and AK type weapons, the California DOJ has been very tight lipped. At the beginning of this year, they lost the ability to update the list to include current manufacturers, so they can no longer threaten us with that. Even if they could convince someone to update the AWB laws, it would result in an amnesty, and registration, and a dramatic increase in the "Assault Weapon" count for the state, and no politician wants that number to jump under their watch.
Even so, all that aside, Calguns has publicly orchestrated shoots where many people showed up with monsterman grips, bullet buttons, and mag locks (legally configured), with no arrests or confiscations. They know they screwed up, and they know they can't fix it with the tools they have.
BUT! Is it legal? Well. Prosecutors are unwilling to try these cases after one was lead to believe the case was airtight by the CaDOJ, and got burned on it.
Where was I? Oh yeah, so I got the monsterman grip to build up my other lower into the second legal configuration for California semi-automatic rifles. No evil features (flash hider, telescoping or folding stock, or pistol grip), with detachable mags. The other configuration (the one I have now) is evil features, and a fixed (removal requires a tool) 10 round mag.
My next build should look something like the above, I'll probably go with a varmint 20" bull barrel free float upper, with a full length stock, monsterman grip, and detachable 30 round mags that I have from pre2k. The possibility of using the 30 rd mags in a shtf situation made me realize I haven't used them since they were given to me, so their reliability may be in question. Maybe I'll just replace them with pmags and forget about it.
I wanted to make sure I didn't become one of those guys who spends more on accessories than they do on their AR, so I kept it simple until I was satisfied with my skill level.
I've experimented with different sling styles enough to add my first deviation;
AN UBER TACTICAL CYBER L337 SINGLE POINT SLING ATTACHMENT!
The vltor is ambidextrous, which beats having loops on both sides, and it is unobtrusive enough for my sensibilities. I rather like this style of sling mount point since its design is both clever and functional. Attaching an attach point to the rear of the receiver gives a great balance point, and since only one mounting point is required, detaching and reattaching is simple and quick. I also very much like the idea of being able to comfortably shoulder my carbine while it is in the slinged (slung?) position.
Regular slings certainly have their place, since dangling a rifle across your chest is a tad cumbersome, but being able to wear an empty single point sling with a small clip waiting to be attached in case it becomes necessary to have the rifle in a more ready position is valuable. I'll be experimenting with different sling styles to find out what works best for me.
The only other addition was an ambi-safety.
Being a lefty hasn't much affected my ability to shoot my AR. The lefty upper has done little more than keep the cordite from my side of the rifle since most of the controls are on the standard lower I have. The military standard grip says I have to hold the pistol grip with my thumb on the same side as my trigger finger so my finger can be on the safety until I'm ready to turn it off. I have practiced this, and have found it annoying, and troublesome. Without my thumb on the opposite side, my grip wants to tip to the left. The ambi-safety was something I wanted to do without, but I also wanted to be able to take advantage of Mr. Stoner's great design that allows the user to disable the safety without compromising a full firing grip. It was there, and it was a good price. I went for it, and am glad lack of it won't be bugging me in the future.
The only other thing was the monsterman grip.
The monsterman grip is the culmination of a bunch of California gun owners staring at the California Assault Weapons Ban for months. Gaps, loopholes, and downright omissions were discovered. One of which was the definition of a pistol grip. Notably, it was described as "protruding conspicuously beneath the action" So, why not make a grip that doesn't protrude?
But, is it legal? Ever since "off-list" lowers in combination with gaps in the configuration laws to allow California gun owners to own legally configured AR and AK type weapons, the California DOJ has been very tight lipped. At the beginning of this year, they lost the ability to update the list to include current manufacturers, so they can no longer threaten us with that. Even if they could convince someone to update the AWB laws, it would result in an amnesty, and registration, and a dramatic increase in the "Assault Weapon" count for the state, and no politician wants that number to jump under their watch.
Even so, all that aside, Calguns has publicly orchestrated shoots where many people showed up with monsterman grips, bullet buttons, and mag locks (legally configured), with no arrests or confiscations. They know they screwed up, and they know they can't fix it with the tools they have.
BUT! Is it legal? Well. Prosecutors are unwilling to try these cases after one was lead to believe the case was airtight by the CaDOJ, and got burned on it.
Where was I? Oh yeah, so I got the monsterman grip to build up my other lower into the second legal configuration for California semi-automatic rifles. No evil features (flash hider, telescoping or folding stock, or pistol grip), with detachable mags. The other configuration (the one I have now) is evil features, and a fixed (removal requires a tool) 10 round mag.
My next build should look something like the above, I'll probably go with a varmint 20" bull barrel free float upper, with a full length stock, monsterman grip, and detachable 30 round mags that I have from pre2k. The possibility of using the 30 rd mags in a shtf situation made me realize I haven't used them since they were given to me, so their reliability may be in question. Maybe I'll just replace them with pmags and forget about it.
Friday, August 29, 2008
2008 Corona, Ca. Appleseed
I saw the event scheduled a few months ago, and after a bit of research decided to go. I'll be attending with a friend who is somewhat new to rifle shooting.
I'll be there October 18th and 19th. If you're also attending, let me know!
I'm not going so I can shoot on the move, fire from cover, practice tactics for the urban long gun, engage in life-fire stress training, or learn how to set punji stick traps. I don't care if Fred once said to someone who knows someone who knows my ex-brother-in-law's neighbor's gardener's wife that he was a jelly donut.
I'm going to learn techniques to improve my marksmanship.
Because that's the service offered.
They use slings in their training, which somehow makes people dubious. "A sling?! The devil you say! Harumph! Harumph! Harumph!" When I started learning to shoot (not to pull the trigger; to actually shoot) I didn't even know you could USE a sling to steady your rifle in prone, sitting, and standing positions. After I bought Art of the Rifle by Jeff Cooper, I learned about the shooting sling and how highly he regarded it. At the time, though, I practiced his other techniques and eschewed the shooting sling as an anachronism. But that didn't stop me from picking up two cheap ones from the next gun show. After a few false starts, and a bit of practice revisiting Col. Cooper's tips, I realized that I could hold a rifle in the prone position as steadily as I could from a bench.
Anyone who argues there is no value in that is flat-out wrong.
Of course, none of the above has a damn thing to do with my primary reason for attending the Appleseed program. Which is; of course, "Because I feel like it." So don't bother wringing your hands or stamping your feet. I'll attend, and report my experiences.
If it sucked; I'll tell you.
If the guys were douches; I'll tell you.
If it was a waste of time and money for my current skill level; I'll tell you.
If they tried to indoctrinate me into a sling-related cult; I'll tell you.
If I had a great time and would recommend it to anyone interested in improving their riflecraft; I'll still tell you.
I bought a 10/22 for it, because 500 rounds of 5.56 at $0.45 is more than a new 10/22, and this range only allows the 25 yard training. I may bring the m39 out for the second day. I would bring the AR, but I can't do mag changes without being sent to prison. (Whoopsie! You're a felon!) The Space Gun would have been too oddly shaped to get practice that would transfer to other rifles. (Besides, I don't think I'd even be able to sling up with it...)
Looking forward to the event, and the practice I'll do leading up to it.
I'll be there October 18th and 19th. If you're also attending, let me know!
I'm not going so I can shoot on the move, fire from cover, practice tactics for the urban long gun, engage in life-fire stress training, or learn how to set punji stick traps. I don't care if Fred once said to someone who knows someone who knows my ex-brother-in-law's neighbor's gardener's wife that he was a jelly donut.
I'm going to learn techniques to improve my marksmanship.
Because that's the service offered.
They use slings in their training, which somehow makes people dubious. "A sling?! The devil you say! Harumph! Harumph! Harumph!" When I started learning to shoot (not to pull the trigger; to actually shoot) I didn't even know you could USE a sling to steady your rifle in prone, sitting, and standing positions. After I bought Art of the Rifle by Jeff Cooper, I learned about the shooting sling and how highly he regarded it. At the time, though, I practiced his other techniques and eschewed the shooting sling as an anachronism. But that didn't stop me from picking up two cheap ones from the next gun show. After a few false starts, and a bit of practice revisiting Col. Cooper's tips, I realized that I could hold a rifle in the prone position as steadily as I could from a bench.
Anyone who argues there is no value in that is flat-out wrong.
Of course, none of the above has a damn thing to do with my primary reason for attending the Appleseed program. Which is; of course, "Because I feel like it." So don't bother wringing your hands or stamping your feet. I'll attend, and report my experiences.
If it sucked; I'll tell you.
If the guys were douches; I'll tell you.
If it was a waste of time and money for my current skill level; I'll tell you.
If they tried to indoctrinate me into a sling-related cult; I'll tell you.
If I had a great time and would recommend it to anyone interested in improving their riflecraft; I'll still tell you.
I bought a 10/22 for it, because 500 rounds of 5.56 at $0.45 is more than a new 10/22, and this range only allows the 25 yard training. I may bring the m39 out for the second day. I would bring the AR, but I can't do mag changes without being sent to prison. (Whoopsie! You're a felon!) The Space Gun would have been too oddly shaped to get practice that would transfer to other rifles. (Besides, I don't think I'd even be able to sling up with it...)
Looking forward to the event, and the practice I'll do leading up to it.
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