What are you doing to practice?

[BruceV]

It wasn't rifle practice, but I just got back from a scalding hot afternoon spent shooting my revolvers. It was a most enjoyable experience. After spending the morning reading and studying, I took my S&W M-28 and M-18 and headed out to his place. I enjoyed firing a box of .357 Mag. through the M-28. As I had previously been shooting .38 Specials out of it, and as these were Winchester 110 gr. HP, I knew I needed to adjust the sights. It only took a moment to get the rear sight set for the new load. Then it was time to have some fun. I was very pleased with how easy it was to control the gun when shooting double-action. It has been many many years since I fired more than a cylinder load of magnum rounds from that pistol. It was fun to have an entire box to shoot. The cylinder got so hot that it hurt to hold the gun for reloading.

Next up I got out my M-18 and walked down toward the pond to shoot at cans. On a lark, I saw a volunteer stalk of oats and took a shot. At 15 yds., I clipped the stalk off. I started to put the revolver up and call it a day, but I ended up shooting what was left of about 1/2 brick of Federal .22LR HP plinking cans in the field, walking cans along on the dirt strip by the edge of the field and just generally having a good time. I never realized how much fun it was to shoot double-action until I got this M-18. It is additive! I didn't know that a .22 revolver cylinder could get so hot that it would hurt to open and close it. Next time I will wear a glove.

I have now just returned home. Temperatures this afternoon were either side of 100 so my pant and shirt are soaking wet. I've had a Coke so I'm feeling a little more human. In just a few minutes my wife and I will enjoy a nice supper of grilled hamburgers, etc. I will then sit down to clean my revolvers. I think if I could only have one revolver, it would be hard to choose, but I might just take the M-18. That thing is shockingly accurate! I think that the next time I go shooting, I will for sure have a glove for my left hand, a ice chest with some Cokes and maybe a package of crackers. Sincerely. BruceV.

[Ken C.]

Just a point, it's been over 100F for the past two weeks with more to come. If you think I am gonna go out to the range in this heat, at my age (72) forget it!

The weather is more agreeable up in Barron County WI just now. I went down to check the range yesterday to see if anyone had left some brass lying about, but no luck there.(Well, there were some .45 ACPs in one of the cans, but someone else had deposited their lunch garbage in that can also. I didnt need the .45s that bad) I will probably go back soon with a few pistols to pepper some paper targets. I only brought 2 rifles along this trip and the Springfield is at the shop getting the headspace checked. Their turn will come, however. My only practice since leaving NJ has been to point my finger at certain persons seen on TV and say bang!(Names withheld to prevent post being moved to the 2nd A & Political Forum)

[Jim in Salt Lake]

Or "snapping in" as my Marine Corps Dad used to say. My son and I are shooting his first service rifle high power season this year. He's on the AR15 and I'm using my old M1A. I've got plenty of bullets, powder, and primers from the old days. The only short supply item for the AR is (of course) primers. We've only got one brick we need to make last until the snow flies or I find more. So, to maximize our range time, we dry fire about 20 minutes a day. He practices his offhand and slow fire prone by himself. To practice the rapids, I sit by his side and I work the charging handle. We have a dry fire device for the rifle so I only have to cycle it about 1/2". This process works well and we practiced for a couple of weeks before his first match. You should have seen his face when he got his first X at 600 yards! Afterward, he told me that the match was easier than he expected. I had to tell him it was no magic, he did it himself with all the dry fire practice.

[Dave B from western NY]

I have been shooting my Mossberg US 44 and a fairly new Ruger 10/22T with Tech sights. I shoot reduced size targets for the .22 LR in off hand, sitting and prone. I do have an "adequate" amount of rounds for the M1, 03A3, M1a, and AR15, but limit their use compared to the .22s.

At home we like to garden, and my wife got tired of the damage the chipmunks cause. So see instructed me to get rid of them, just not in front of her. So my pellet rifle with peep target sights helps control the numbers of the chipmunks.

Dave

[Former Cav]

just too darned hot in AZ.
otherwize I use my pellet rifle
Bob

[gunner]

Ken, could it be that we have the same wife???

Regards,

Gunner