On Target

Gun Guru's Tom B's worked his magic on the trigger of our Youth Ranger .308.  Oh, Boy, what a difference the trigger job made.  We are VERY HAPPY!

Our three goals are very simple.

1. We want to relearn how to shoot from the free-style standing position with no support of any kind other than our hands, arms, legs, etc.
2. We want to be able to get off our first shot within 2 seconds beginning with the rifle held in two hands at waist level.
3. We want to consistently get four consecutive shots within an 8-inch circle at 100 yards.

It's all about the free-style standing position for us.

We actually have a plan on how to accomplish these goals.  The first part of the plan was to reduce the trigger pull.  We quickly deduced it would be a waste of ammo to practice with a hard-to-pull trigger.  We figured to might as well wait until the trigger was where we want it.

Secondly, we also have factored in using two .22 caliber rifles to relearn how to shoot from the free-style standing position.  One is an ancient Winchester Model 67, probably made prior to WWII.  The other is an old beater Marlin Model 60 semi-auto (tubular) that we bought almost 30 years ago in Flagstaff.

The idea is to alternate shooting all three rifles and to use the .22's to relearn response, body position, sight acquisition and shot timing.

We don't plan on using very much .308 ammo on any given day.  Today, for example, we shot a grand total of 12 rounds of .308 in three sets of four rounds each.

Meanwhile, we shot maybe 30 rounds of .22 from the M67 single shot.  We're really not too concerned about the accuracy of the .22 because we're simply using it to get the "muscle memory" part reacquired:  Lift-Aim-Shot.  Since it's a single shot, we have to reload after every shot and, naturally, that means you start back at square one on your next shot.  

It's been decades since we shot the M67 using its original iron sights.  It was such a wonderful pleasure to have those sights back on the rifle again today.  It's a perfect training rifle and we are so happy to have it in our hands again.  THANKS, TOM!

Meanwhile, we set up a target at 50 yards and have begun to practice with at that range.  We will gradually work our way up to 100 yards.  It's 50 yards first.

Most shooters aim for tight groups.  We couldn't care less about tight groups.
This is what we want to see--almost all our shots inside the 8-inch circle!

We were shocked and surprised to see that 9 out of our 12 rounds with the .308 were inside the 8-inch circle.  Note that the shot circled on the far right is actually two shots and they are essentially close enough to call "good."  The 12th shot was one-half an inch outside out "goal zone."  We are VERY HAPPY with those 12 shots and consider today's practice session a success.  The trigger job and the warm up with the .22 really made all the different.  There's simply NO way we could have been this good with the old hard trigger.  It's exciting to see the difference the trigger made in today's practice. Likewise, it's really exciting to have that good ol' .22 single back in action.  THANKS, TOM!

The target as it appears at less than 20 yards.

Winchesters

We had our Mentor & Guru work on not one but THREE Winchesters in a single day Wednesday, December 5th.  Oh, what a Great Day that was.

First, Master Gunsmith Tom B. took an old 1960's scope off our ancient WIN Model 67.  He then rummaged around his extensive shop and found an iron rear sight.  He drifted that sight in practically with his eyes closed.  The surface rust on the sight perfectly matched the rust on the barrel.  They are a match made in Single Shot Heaven.

This Winchester Model 67 isn't just ANY single shot, it's our very first rifle we ever had.  I am pretty sure I got it handed to me in 1954 or 1955 when I was 7 years old and got my first hunting license back in Indiana.  It sure looks like this particular Model 67 was made prior to October 1944.

Here's a snippet from the Wiki on Model 67's:

"In place of the earlier chrome plating, blued finish was used on the bolt, trigger, and cocking piece starting in October 1944."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_67

Well, this Model 67 definitely has the chrome and not blue so "go figure."

Next up was the Model 94 lever action carbine in the timeless classic .30-30 caliber.  Back in the 1980's we really wanted an Old Navajo Sheep Gun.  We even put an ad in the newspaper trying to find one to buy in Northern Arizona.

After 25+ years later, we found one late last fall and bought it December 15, about an hour after we learned our Mom died. We knew we were going to have to go to Indiana and sell off all our childhood firearms so we bought this old beater WIN Model 94 .30-30 as a hedge that we would always have something to remember my Dad by and his love of firearms and collecting old, beat-up relics.  This is a genuine old, beat-up relic, we can assure you of that.

Dear Friend Tom looked it over and pronounced it safe, savory and sharp to shoot.  He then also pronounced, "This rifle is in better condition than 98-percent of the firearms on the entire Navajo Reservation."  That sure made us feel good and cemented our new lifelong attachment to this old, worn, pitted, rusted relic.  We plan to shoot the heck out of it now and maybe even hit something, too.

The final act of Tom's trifecta was doing a trigger job on our Wnchester Model 70 Youth Ranger in .308 caliber.  Tom tweaked, twisted and thumbed his way through that trigger like a skilled surgeon.  When he finished it, we were practically jumping for joy.  It's as light as a feather and it's surely going to help us take our own big game to the next level.(pun intended)

It's not often in life that a guy gets three Winchesters worked on in a single day and gets to take them home that very same day.  It's not often that a Dear Friend brings a couple of Winchesters back to life and breathes new sensitivity into a third Winchester.

It was definitely a "Winchester Kinda Day."

THANKS, Tom!  YA DUN GOOD!  I so appreciate what you did.  Happy Shooting & Many Cheers!

jp

He's Got Fluffy!

You are attacked by a pack of feral dogs and try to fight them off and protect your Little Fluffy. But The Big Dog gets Fluffy in his teeth and takes off like, well...A Big Dog! You have to take down The Big Dog before it's curtains for Fluffy!

No See Um's

Hers it is--introducing The No See Um's! They hide behind walls and pop up when you least expect it. They suddenly become your Tactical Priority target and you must immediately shift your point of aim and fire. HURRY! You have at best two or three seconds before the No See Um disappears behind hard cover! No See Um's travel is swarms. We expect to have at least four No See Um's deployed for the next match! Below are photos of the first draft prototype. We are in Version #2 right now and will probably make some further refinements in teh final draft versions. The first draft was too tall so we cut the second version down to six foot three inches. (Highest point of cardboard head.) The stand is designed to NOT allow the target to remain standing. As soon as the lineman lets go of the line, the target falls backwards and disappears behind the wall.

 Additional notes are below these three photos.

The idea for this target came to us in the night last night.  We built it within mere minutes at no cost using stuff that was lying around.  We think the actual cost of building them (assuming use of cull lumber) will be under $5 for each target assembly.

We have already been thinking of how to use them in a Stage Design.  The graphic below is one example.
The popper symbols would be No See Um's behind fake walls.  As you shoot T1 (near at left), the first NSU pops up in time for you to shoot it after shooting T1.  However, when you begin shooting T2, you won't know when the next NSU will pop up--when it does, you must stop shooting at T2 and attempt to shoot NSU #2.  You shoot T3 while moving to distant cover and then engage T4.  After shooting T4, NSU #3 pops up.  You shoot it and then begin shooting at T5.  You won't know when to expect NSU #4 to pop up.  When it does, you must stop shooting at T5 to shoot NSU #4 and then resume trying to shoot T5.

Successfully shooting this type of a stage will be next to impossible.

The Joker

One of the many fun things about an IDPA match are the "moving" aspects.  There can be moving targets or the shooter can be moving, perhaps both at the same time.  Since we are now staging informal IDPA matches here in the desert near Montezuma Well, we thought it would be fitting to create a moving target.  We spent about 4 hours February 25 building The Joker.  This is what is known as a "swinger."  In essence, such targets are pivoting pendulums with a cardboard target attached to the top.

Typically, these targets are made of welded steel so they can withstand the occasional miss without being destroyed.  Since we are not a welder and since steel has become wildly expensive, we decided to build this target from Home Depot "cull" lumber.  The cost of this contraption (so far) is $5.  All the various hardware was stuff we had lying around.

There are several interesting aspects to this project.  Since we are pretty certain the target holder will eventually get shot up, we made it to be easily replaceable and will carry two sets of replacement parts whenever it is used in a match.  Even though the fully assembled structure is very heavy, it comes apart quickly and easily so it can be set up by one person.  The counterweights are two circular thick steel plates obtained as a Mesa, Arizona scrapyard.  We plan to use the plates to learn to "shoot steel" better.  When the target is not being used, the plates come on and off easily.  The "axle" for this target is a piece of half-inch threaded rod.

The target stem is held in the center between the two uprights by small pieces of 3/4 inch EMT conduit with large washers to reduce friction on the pendulum stem.  We built the target on a windy day and we were having problems with the counterweight end hitting the bottom of the uprights.  This was solved by pound a small piece of half inch copper pipe into the pivot hole.  Now the stem does not rock on the threaded rod and will not hit or bind on the uprights, even in a high wind.

The embedded video runs 12 seconds.  We are figuring the target will be actively swinging for at least 8-10 seconds which is plenty of time for a shooter to get off one, two or three shots, as this target will always be used in an ordinary Vickers stage.

The initial use of this target will be March 5th in a stage called "GPS & Joker's Wild."  Here is a rough outline of the stage:

You are a writer for a golf magazine and have just attended a prestigious golf match in a big city. You are driving a brand new Buick with the latest and greatest onboard navigation system.  After leaving the golf course, your GPS goes wild and leads you deep into the heart of the inner city's most feared gang known as The Jokers.  The ruthless leader of The Jokers is six foot seven inches and loves to entertain his gang by going one-on-one with hapless adversaries while dancing to loud, obnoxious hip hop music in the background.  While driving bewildered through gangland, someone shoots out the tires of your Buick and you must get out and defend yourself.  First, you must take on The Big Joker himself.  As you draw, he begins swinging wildly to the tune of the music.  Once you have dispatched The Big Joker, you must engage T2-3 with two shots each while retreating around and behind the trunk of your Buick.  Engage T5-6 from cover with two shots each, shooting to slide lock, and reloading if necessary.  Then move to the hood of the Buick while reloading from behind cover.

 (NOTE: If you shot to slide lock while engaging T6, you may drop the magazine on the ground.  If you had to reload from slide lock to finish shooting T6, you must reload with retention from behind cover.)

Gang members shoot your gas tank and  the rear of your Buick explodes in flames.  You hear sirens but you know you must make a run for it to the safety of a low wall about 20 feet away.  Shoot T7-9 with two rounds each while moving to the safety of the distant cover.