10-25-09 Range Report - First shoot with the H001T Henry Lever Octagon - Frontier Model 22

How about giving hunters priority at state ranges for two months a year?

The state DEP begins taking calls to book weekend time at the state ranges at 8:30 each Monday morning. A few minutes past I ritually begin dialing the state from work. The line is usually busy, and as was the case today, it remained so until 10am. When I finally got through, I was told that the range I shoot at was already booked solid next Saturday and Sunday! A year ago I used to be able to call on Thursday and I'd often be able to book a table. Not any more, thanks to President Obama. It reminds me of the night when Johnny Carson, host of 'The Tonight Show', jokingly started a rumor that we should prepare for an upcoming toilet paper shortage. Within a day store shelves around the country were empty. The same is true of the firearm industry today.

The election of a radical left-wing president and a congress with a strong anti-gun record has resulted in shelves emptied of firearms, ammo, and reloading supplies. New shooters have joined our sport due to fears that if they don't get their guns now, they may never have the opportunity to do so, and many have suddenly taking seriously their Second Amendment right and possible need to bear arms. Rising prices have caused shooters to stockpile ammo, and the increasing number of shooters have created shortages. New ammo restrictions including California's recently passed fingerprinting requirement just throws more fuel on the fire. Gun and ammo manufacturers are working 24/7 and still cannot keep up with the demand. Many companies are retooling to expand their capabilities... and all these shooters are flooding to the few ranges that are available in the state.

The increasing difficulty of landing a range spot has brought the following issue to mind. The original intended us of the state ranges was to give hunters a safe place to sight in their firearms. As you likely know, many if not most shooters at the range are handgun shooters (including myself much of the year). In my opinion hunters that require time to sight in their rifles and hunting handguns still should have a priority status at the ranges just prior to, and at the start of hunting season. If not, you are inevitably going to find people target practicing in the WMAs and endangering people's lives. How about we give hunters a break in September and October? Require that for those two months a valid hunting license must be presented to reserve a table. I believe that with the current number of shooters, this is something that is needed and a policy that is workable. Some of you are likely thinking that hunters could use a private range such as Blue Trail for sighting in, but as I've stated in the past, 2-3 hours of expensive range time, ammo and targets could run around a hundred bucks, and not everyone can financially handle that during these tough economic times. More than one hunter I've come across in the field this Fall was out there because he was out of work.

Until such a rule is enacted, hunters can still 'walk in' and know that someone will likely be nice enough to share their table with them.

"Reading your blog makes me realize how lucky I have here in Michigan. I have never ever had a problem getting on a range to shoot when I want to. A few of them do get crowded just before the opening of gun deer season but even then you can still find some place to shoot." ~Tim

First shoot with the NAA 22 Magnum PUG

COMPARISON: (L-R) S&W 38 SP, NAA PUG, NAA MINI-MASTER

My NAA PUG arrived this week for field testing and the company shipped it so quickly that I didn't have time to set up an appointment for range time. I decided to take my chances and sign in as a walk-in and see if someone would share their table with me. At first the range officer was going to put me on a table to the right of a guy shooting a 1911, but I told him that it would be better to shoot with someone with a revolver so I wasn't getting a face full of hot brass. He thought that was a good idea and asked the guy next to him who was shooting a 38 Special if he wouldn't mind sharing with me. He didn't have a problem with that, and I enjoyed meeting someone new at the range. It's great to have your own table, but not being all that outgoing, I can sometimes shoot for 2 hours and leave without talking to anyone. Sometimes that's fine, but I always enjoy it more when I get to meet another person who likes to shoot. I also was able to introduce him to NAA and Dunk-Kit, let him shoot 10 rounds through the PUG, and direct him to this blog. Check out the NAA page for the range clips and my Wheelgun Journal page to see more on the Dunk-Kit.

Today's trip to the range was focused on field testing the PUG. The PUG (shown in the center) is a tiny 22 mag 5 shot revolver with a 1" barrel by North American Arms. All I'm going to say here is that the gun shot much better than I could have ever imagined. CLICK HERE to see the video clips. I also took 2 other revolvers with me, but ended up only firing 15 rounds through the 38. Cleaning revolvers is a lot of work, and I didn't feel like getting home and having to face cleaning 3, though the Dunk-Kit makes cleaning a lot faster and easier. I was hoping to zero in the Crimson Trace laser on the 38 today, but it was too bright to accurately accomplish that. The laser is still 2-3 inches off, but that's acceptable for the time being for home defense. I'll likely have to tweak it at an indoor range, but the hours there are extremely expensive so I've been putting it off. I've been shooting the NAA Mini-Master a lot over the past month to work out the sight issues, so I decided to put as many rounds through the PUG as I could during the available time. I had one misfire during the first 10 rounds, but the case had a good solid hit so it must have been a bad primer. I ended up shooting two 50 round boxes and that was the only problem round. I'll let you watch the movie clip to get additional information.

Hello out there!.....

As of 8/23/09 I have 91,533 hits on this Shooting Journal, yet I have no idea who's out there reading it. It would be encouraging to get an email from you with as little as your name and state, letting me know that you're out there. This info will help me improve the blog, and I assure you I am not collecting email addresses and no one but me will see your letter. I've set up a special email box at brshooting@sbcglobal.net, so please take a minute to say 'Hello'.

Thanks! ~Bob

7 hours of blast'n at Dirk's range today

First I'd like to thank our buddy Dirk Files for opening his excellent range facility to Bill and I, as well as giving us the opportunity to shoot some really fun firearms. Note that more movies and photos of today's shoot can be found on the Wheelgun Journal and the NAA Mini-Master pages (now or during the week).

We met Dirk at the range at 8:30 and shot until around 3:30. It turned into a hot one with temperatures going into the 90's with high humidity. The morning started out on the handgun range, where we shot my NAA Mini-Master and Dirk's NAA Mini 22LR. I found that tiny mini 22 very manageable, though I had no idea where the bullets were going. This isn't a target gun, but rather a belly gun meant to fire at point blank range. Next we shot my S&W 38 Special with Crimson Trace LaserGrips and Dirk's Stainless 6" S&W 357 Magnum. Dirk brought me some wadcutter reloads that he made up and they shot better than the $1+ per round +P ammo I brought. My groups with the lasergrips were a couple inches at I guess it was around 25 ft. The 357 Magnum was an older revolver that Dirk purchased used, and the weight of the gun nicely absorbed a majority to the recoil, especially since we were shooting 38 Special rounds through it. That's a revolver that I would love to have for home defense, loaded with some hot .357 Magnum hollow point ammo. I also shot the 9x18 East German Makarov pistol (somewhat like a 9mm) that Dirk brought.

Range rules state that we could shoot 22 rimfire rifles in this area, so next we pulled out Bill's excellent Marlin lever action rifle, my Ruger 10/22 with TechSights installed, Dirk's US 22 LR Training Rifle, followed by his really cool A-3 flat top .223 with a Ciener 22LR conversion kit. Details on the performance of the various firearms will be posted on related pages.

We then moved to the 200 yard rifle range where I got to have fun shooting an M1 Garand. It was a blast to shoot and the recoil was surprisingly manageable. This was my first time handling an M1 because I was issues an M16 in the service. If I had the choice of being hit with an M1 or an M16, I'd choose the M16.

Next we shot Dirk's A-3 Flat Top with the 22LR conversion kit removed, firing .223 rounds followed by an A-1 .223, very similar to my old Colt AR which I purchased in the early 70's. Man, did that bring back memories.

We could have shot longer, but by the time we quit we were all a hot, hungry and tired. It was one of those days that's really fun to have every range season. Again, thanks to Dirk for supplying his firearms and the ammo we shot through his guns, as well as access to the range.

I'm toasted after this long day and I still have camera's to download, guns to clean, photos to post and stuff to get ready for work tomorrow. I'll post more over the week, and don't forget to check the other pages that I posted material on.

A possible answer to a long unanswered question

For years I've noticed that when I change ammo, powder, loads or bullets, the change not only effects the elevation of the bullet on the target, but also the windage (left to right of the bulls eye). In other words, if I am shooting a Hornady 210 grain bullet which is sighted in, and switch to a 265 grain, the bullets not only hit the target consistently high or low of the bulls eye, they also consistently form a group (let's say) to the upper right. How is that possible? I've asked many people this question, even people very knowledgeableof reloading, and I have yet to receive an answer. In fact, I had a difficult time even explaining the problem to some people. Logic would tell me (and them) that a heavier bullet might hit lower, with some of the rounds possibly hitting 2" to the left of center, another 2" to the right, etc. Not all 2" low and to the right. The rifle barrel didn't bend and my windage sight adjustment hasn't changed. So how is this possible?

When I was at the beach last weekend I brought a couple new shooting magazines to read and scare those around me. One of the articles touched on this situation somewhere within the story. Each load creates a frequency or a vibration similar to a whip within your barrel. That whip will throw your bullet in a consistent direction, and there lies the reason why all bullets might form a tight group 5" to the right of the X-Ring. That was a factor that my logic hadn't taken into consideration, since we tend to think of straight barrels shooting projectiles in straight lines like a laser bore sighter. I guess that's one reason why lasers only get us on paper and we can't depend on them for a final sight adjustment.

"...Different weight bullets accelerate at different speeds, and that changes a barrel's vibrational pattern. This also explains why a different loads can impact to the right or left of the previous one, as well as higher or lower. The thinner the barrel, the whippier it is and the more pronounced these effects are likely to be..." RifleShooter Sept/Oct 09 Pg 56

There's a lot more in the article, "All About Ballistics".

Here's a link Dirk Files just sent me on barrel harmonics: http://www.rifle-accuracy.com/harmonics.htm It gets a bit technical if you want to get deeper into the subject. Thanks Dirk.

Winchester's Ballistic Calculator is Awesome!

You absolutely have to try out Winchester's awesome new Ballistic Calculator! If you go to this page: http://www.winchester.com/ballistics/# you can download a free application called 'Silverlight'. I work on an iMac, and when I clicked the Silverlight button, the site automatically readied a download to match my system (an app for a Mac?! Unheard of.). I dropped the icon in my 'Applications' folder and when I clicked the 'Launch Ballistics Calculator' button on Winchester's web page, a new window opened launching the new application. A very cool screen appears (see my screen shot), you select a Winchester cartridge, put in some basic range info, click SHOOT and watch the application draw the trajectory of your bullet. You also see a close-up of your target so you can see where you hit. You can program up to 5 cartridge types and when you click SHOOT or change a 'Condition', all rounds reshoot, each trajectory mapped in a different color, so you can easily compare which round functions best for a specific application. I programed the calculator to view Winchester's two 44 magnum rounds and a 7.62 x 39 so I could compare it with another round I am familiar with (for the SKS). You are going to love this. I just wish someone had a reloading calculator like this, where powder, powder load, and bullet weight could be dialed in. Now that would REALLY be cool! Enjoy.

Testing 44 magnum ammo loaded with the Lee single stage press

FIRST TIME FIRING AMMO LOADED WITH LEE SINGLE STAGE PRESS

Last week I set up the Lee Single Stage Press (50th Anniversary Edition) and ran off about 50 rounds, experimenting with such things as the amount of crimp and which die to apply the crimp with. I also ran all of my existing rounds through the crimp and post-resizing die and was very interested to see the results.

I fired 100 rounds today through my Henry Big Boy 44 magnum lever rifle, and every round fired flawlessly. I began by setting my target out at 50 yards, and then moving it out to 100.

I began by shooting cartridges created on the single stage press loaded with Sierra 210 grain bullets. The elevation varied a bit from rounds to round, but windage was right on the money. The target looks like the bullets were stacked. Also note that there was minimal or no gas leakage. That's very different from what I was getting using the Classic Lee Loader where the crimp was applied with a hammer.

Next I shot at 50 yards with rounds loaded with Speer 200 grain bullets. My shoulder immediately told me that these rounds were hotter than the previous load. The targets proved it because the bullets landed a few inches high. As was true in the past, the Speer didn't shoot all that well, and the groups were spread out all over the target.

I then switched to my Hornady 265 grain bullet and it shot very much like the Sierra. I think this Hornady round shoots the best of the three through my Henry, but 265 grain bullets are more expensive than 210 and in my opinion it's not worth the difference. Also, 265 is a bit much for coyotes and 210 should do the job nicely. Did you hear that someone was attacked by a coyote in Connecticut today?

FROM THE TARGET AT 100 YARDS

I then moved the target out to 100 yards, raised the rear sight 2 clicks and shot at the target using the Hornady load. As was true in the past, the rounds hit about 8" high, so I aimed a few rings below the red and I started whacking the bullseye. I was very pleased with the results, and if I wasn't hitting the bullseye with every round I blame my eyes and the size of my front sight. The way the rifle was shooting today, I have total confidence that I can nail a coyote out to 100 yards without a problem.

I ended my shoot by bringing my target in and shooting the NAA Mini-Max 22 revolver. I screwed down the rear sight as far as it would go and hammered it a bit to the left, and I began getting groups that were a couple of inches. I had to aim a bit low because my sights were set as low as possible. I'm guessing the gun should shoot accurately at 30-50 yards as is. I was very happy with my results today, and next weekend I'll do some studies of the groups I'm getting.

That's it for this week. I hope you're getting out to shoot. Finally, one news item you should be aware of and take action on. New Jersey just passed a one gun a month bill, WHICH HAS NO PREVISIONS FOR GUNSHOPS! In other words, a dealer will only be able to purchase one handgun a month to put on their shelf, basically putting all gunshops out of business. If you live in Jersey you need to take action NOW!

Product Test: Cylinder & Slide Universal Dunk-Kit

(L to R) Ruger Single Six 17HMR, S&W 38 +P w/ Crimson Trace Laser Grips, NAA Mini-Master 22 Magnum

Getting my handguns dirty at the range today so I could test this product. CLICK HERE for my report.

A few years ago I was shooting SKS rifles at the range every week, followed by a couple hours of intense gun cleaning. Yugos don't have chromed barrels, so it was important to clean the barrels thoroughly, especially when using milsurp ammo. If you go to the top of my 2007 Range Report page, you'll see a Yugo assembly movie I made a assist new Yugo owners. After disassembly, I religiously cleaned every part before reassembling the rifle until next weekend's shoot (That's something the military drilled into me). My method of cleaning the gas valves, springs, trigger assembly and the rest was to pour a large expensive bottle of cleaning solvent in a pan, then soak and scrub the parts clean. The problem was that the solvent only sat about a half inch deep in the pan, and that solvent cost me around $9. Last weekend I ran into a similar problem when cleaning my revolvers. I hate scrubbing all 5 or 6 cylinders clean, then scrubbing the guns themselves. It's like cleaning a dozen guns. I thought back to my SKS days and considered soaking the guns prior to scrubbing them. The problem was that the solvent is very expensive and it's a mess pouring solvent into trays and sloshing it around to get halfway decent coverage.

That evening I was flipping through a magazine and came across a product I had never seen, though I hear it's been around for 30 years. It's made by 'Cylinder & Slide, Inc.' and the product name is 'Universal Dunk-Kit'. It's basically a bucket of solvent that comes in sizes from 3/4 gal to 4 gallon. They advertise that you drop the guns or parts in the container and let it soak, just as I had been doing, but with the ability to submerge the parts. I can now drop my revolvers right into the container and let them soak for 10 minutes, then brush it clean, re-dip and let it drip dry. Instructions say to check the chambers for lead prior to soaking and pre-clean them if necessary. You should also cycle the action 20 times while in the solvent to loosen any junk that's built up in the action. The solvent is said to be good up to a year. From what I've read it's the container that's good for a year. The solvent will last longer, but it won't do you any good if the container splits and the solvent pours on the floor. Seems like we should be able to just transfer the solvent into another solvent-proof container.

Prior to cleaning you'll need to remove grips and any wood, rubber, ivory or plastic parts before dipping, though it's new formula will not damage polymer parts. Since my revolvers are stainless steel or aluminum, there shouldn't be a problem. It also isn't supposed to remove the painted dots on your sights. Don't submerge nickle parts long because the solvent will get under the finish and lift it off your gun. They claim it's safe to use if you clean the nickle as you would with any solvent, then wipe it off. The solvent contains a lubricant so the internal parts won't require oiling. I'm looking forward to bringing my nasty blackened handguns home from the range next weekend and dropping them into the bucket. I'll let you know how it works Sunday evening.

If you go to this page, you can watch 3 really informative movies demonstrating how to clean your guns in Dunk-Kit. CLICK HERE

CLICK PHOTO TO SEE MY STEP BY STEP DEMONSTRATION

6-20-09 Range Report - Henry 17HMR Golden Boy

Only the group in the center belongs to the Golden Boy

Rimfire Shooting at the Range

Sighting in the SingleSix

Report from the range after the shoot

JULY 5th UPDATE

I made a couple adjustments to the SingleSix and targeted the 1" black disks. This time I didn't let the barrel heat up, but instead switched off between 3 handguns. Look at how good the 17 was shooting today! I might even take this revolver chuck hunting.

Coming Soon

Over the next few weeks I'll be testing a S&W 38 Special Airweight with Crimson Trace Laser Grips. Check back to read and see my report from the range. There's also info on the Product and Wheelgun Journal pages.

Honor the fallen at the range this weekend

Exercise your Second Amendment right and give our fallen military heroes a 21 gun salute at the range this Memorial Day weekend. They laid down their life to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. What better way to honor their memory?

Save that brass!

SATURDAY 5/23/09

The weather started out a bit iffy, but it turned out to be a beautiful afternoon. By noon the jackets came off and the sun was out. One thing very noticeable on the range today were the small number of center-fire rifles. I don't remember seeing anyone other than myself shooting out to 100 yards. Most had their targets set at less than 50, shooting handguns and 22s. I'm sure the high ammo prices and its unavailability has a lot to do with it. I was also happy to see quite a few women shooting. The range is usually loaded with AR's, but today I only saw one. .223 ammo has become very difficult to find as well as expensive, so I'm guessing that people are sitting on what they have.

The Ruger 17HMR Single Six
I shot the Ruger at 25 yards and again have mixed feelings. I loaded and shot 6 rounds and the group was the size of a dime. The next time I load it and tried to repeat the process, my groups were either all over the target or tight and off to the side somewhere. I've gotten to the point were I feel like putting the gun away after shooting a tight group for fear that the next group will stink. So far I've not been able to build any confidence in my ability to hunt with the gun. This is ridiculous for a 17HMR. I regret the fact that I sold my brother's old Single Six and had to cough up another $200 to buy the 17. At least the 22LR/22Mag was cheap to shoot and I could shoot all kinds of ammo; from 22 shorts to the hyper velocity stuff. The 17 magnum is limited to a single caliber and 50 rounds set me back $12-15 instead of $5 or less. Accuracy isn't all that great either. The sights on the SingleSix are like trying to perform bypass surgery with boxing gloves on. Ruger should limit these sights to belly guns and start putting very precise sights on this revolver. I'm sure I'll be changing them out over the summer if I can find something better, as well as experimenting with different ammo. I believe the CCI ammo I've been using is partially responsible for the gun's inconsistency, but in the past ballistic tips didn't shoot much better.

Note: My buddy Dirk suggested that it could be a heat problem. That's very possible since the first 6 rounds are right on the money. If that's true, the SingleSix is still a good hunting gun because you'll rarely shoot more than a couple rounds at any target. But if this is the problem, it stinks as a range gun.

The Henry Big Boy 44 magnum rifle
The Henry 22magnum was dead nuts at 50 yards, and I was creating groups smaller than a quarter with the Sierra 210 bullet. At 100 yards, I clicked the rear sight up 2 notches and was on target again. In fact I was amazed at some of the groups I was getting. After shooting 40 rounds of the Sierras, I decided to shoot 70 rounds of mixed ammo I had in a box I labeled 'plinking ammo'. I was very surprised to discover that no matter what I shot, everything seemed to hit basically the same place on the target. That's a relief, since I won't have to worry as much about the gunshop running out of a specific bullet or powder that I'm sighted in for. Everything I loaded so far is shooting decently.

One very minor problem I had with the rifle was that the screw what holds in the lever backed out about 1/2". Good thing I spotted it or the lever might have fallen off while I was shooting. A few twists of the screwdriver fixed it. Another issue I'm having is adjusting the rear sight elevation. The screw is difficult to get at and it's so small and tight that I'm afraid I'll strip it. Once again, the solution may be replacing the rear sight. At 100 yards I was consistently shooting about 6" high, and a minor rear sight correction would have eliminated the problem. Until I can break that sight adjustment loose, I'll be aiming 6" low at 100 yards and right on at 50. Other than that, I had no problems with the Henry what-so-ever. My reloaded ammo fed perfectly; not a single round hung up, and every reloaded round fired off without a hitch. This rifle shoots like a small cannon with recoil similar to an SKS. I could shoot it all day without feeling my shoulder. It really is fun a shoot.

The range officers today were Fran (top) and Billy (bottom), and I took their photos and let them know that I would be posting them. Fran told me that they may be pulling together a group shot. That would be really nice to have since so many of the same guys are there week after week and year after year. I showed my Navy colors today by wearing my Naval Station Adak AK hat and the guy to my left was all decked out in Army garb. Endless thanks to our fallen vets who made it possible for us to have wonderful days like this in a free country. Enjoy the rest of the weekend but keep in mind the human cost.

First shoot at Glastonbury

TOP: Hornady BOTTOM: Sierra
(with a very nice Hornady group on the upper right target)

The Glastonbury state range opened last weekend, but I was so sick with allergies that I didn't leave the house. Allergies were never an issue until last year, when a sudden loss of hearing turned out to be the result of newly developed allergies. Even the hearing specialist who ran the tests thought that I blew out my left ear shooting. I was amazed during the summer when the hearing suddenly returned. The strange thing is that this year, my wife and son have developed severe allergies as well. The reason I'm bringing this up is that I never miss opening day, but this year I didn't get to the range until the sencond weekend that it was open. A couple big changes is that Billy is now a range officer, and you can no longer shoot without a pistol permit, hunters safety training card or an active military ID. I think that's a great idea because in my opinion there were too many times when people were shooting with questionable training and firearm handling skills. This may force them to get the training that they should have.

My shooting slot was from noon to 2pm, but I decided to show up at about 10:30 just in case. I was surprised to discover that there were a few no-shows so tables were available. I quickly set up and brought out my Henry 44 magnum and the S&W 38 revolver. Shooting directly to my right was Roger, the guy who gave me bags of reloaded 38 ammo last year which he reloaded back in the 70's. I'm still shooting that ammo, and I brought some with me today. The range officers today were Fran, Tye and Billy. I told Roger that watching him show up week after week with coffee cans full of reloaded ammo got me thinking about reloading last year. He was glad to see that I had started reloading, and offered to answer any questions that I ever have. It's nice to have guys who really know what they're doing around.

A pan of the shooting benches at Glastonbury Range

Today I shot about 150 rounds of 44 magnum. I brought 2 loads: one with a Hornady 265 gr bullet and another with 210 gr Sierra bullet. Both were loaded with Accurate #9 powder. When I went to set up, I realized that I left my large chipping targets in the vehicle that I left at home, so I was only able to shoot at 50 yards. Shooting at 100 yards with small targets would be too frustrating. I set up my targets at 50 yards and began shooting the Hornady. I had to adjust my rear sights since they were last set to hit at 100 yards. I set the sight to the lowest position and after 3 shots, was puzzled why I wasn't on paper. I then located the bullet holes, which were grouped low. I moved the sight one click up and the next round hit the X ring. My sights are adjusted so that when I totally block out the target with the front sight, I'm right on. After shooting 18 rounds, I switched to another target and loaded the Sierra's. I was shooting a few inches high and consistently to the right. I put a wooden dowel on the rear sight and gave it a few light taps with a small hammer and was right on. I next switched to Hornady and my groups were low and to the left. OK.

"...why do bullets always veer off in the same direction...?"

Here's my question: I could understand if the bullets were flying 3" off target in all directions, but why do they always veer off in the same direction; high and to the right for example? The only thing I could relate this to was a golf hook or slice; when your ball always slices to the right, shot after shot. Maybe it has to do with the bullet length and spin, slicing the bullet in the same direction consistently. Maybe the thing to do is to choose the bullet that hooks or slices less, because the problem will increase with distance. If you know another explanation, please let me know.

After shooting about 150 rounds I've come to the conclusion that the Sierra bullets give me tighter groups than the Hornady or the Speers I shot a few weeks back. They are also lighter, making them better for coyote and lower in price. My conclusion is that I love this rifle. I have never shot anything more fun to shoot. Just enough recoil to make it fun but not uncomfortable. I could shoot this Henry all day and my shoulder wouldn't be any the worse for it. The rifle is relatively short and the balance is perfect. On the other hand, I wish I could say the same of my S&W Airweight 38 Special. To tell you the truth, I can't hit the broad side of a barn with it, even from a sitting position. Once in a while I'll land a great shot, but more often than not I can't even find my bullet holes as 50 yards. Being so small and short with a stiff trigger pull, I find the revolver very difficult to control, especially when shooting double action. All too often new shooters and women buy these guns because someone in the gun shop tells them that it's a great popular carry gun. Let me set them straight; it's an EXPERT carry gun and not for beginners. On top of the control issue, it's a bear to shoot with +P ammo. The recoil is uncomfortable to say the least. Maybe some day I'll get better shooting this revolver and begin to like it. I do like revolvers, so maybe the solution would have been to buy a barrel 2-4 inches longer. Then there's the concealment issue. I guess it comes down to the fact that if you carry a small concealed carry gun, don't expect to have much fun shooting it. There's obviously a trade-off.

So I had a great time today and it's time to get back to the reloading bench. Next weekend I'll be bringing the 17HMR SingleSix.

Glastonbury Shooting Range Re-Opens For 2009 Season

Weekend Hours Begin May 9, 2009

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced today that the Glastonbury Shooting Range is scheduled to re-open for supervised public use starting Saturday, May 9, 2009. The range is located within the Meshomasic State Forest off of Toll Gate Road in Glastonbury and has been closed for the winter period. Following extensive renovations completed in 2004, the range has been open during limited weekend hours for the past four seasons. The range will remain open through November 29, 2009 and will be staffed by seasonal DEP employees that are certified range safety officers... MORE

A vacation day at Blue Trail Range

BLUE TRAIL RANGE

I took a vacation day from work to begin my 4 day Easter weekend with a morning at Blue Trail Range. The weather couldn't have been much better: 62F, blue sky and very little wind. I brought 3 guns with me; my Henry BigBoy 44mag rifle, Ruger 17HMR Single Six revolver and S&W J-frame 38 Special.

TARGET AT 50 YARDS

I began by shooting 150 rounds through the 44 magnum. The first 50 cartridges were fired at 100 yards (see the farthest berm in the photo). These were my 265 Hornady rounds and I was pleased with the groups with the rear sight set 2 clicks up (see target at left). I may have loaded the rounds a bit too hot because I was seeing some flattened primers. I'll reduce my load a bit next time. I was loading 1.3cc of Accurate #9.

At the 2nd ceasefire I moved the target in to the 50 yard line (see top photo), and adjusted my rear sight so it was in the lowest position. The load consisted of 200 grain Speer bullets with 21.4 gr of 2400 powder. I measured 21.4 gr by filling 2 scoops: 1.0cc and .7cc. No pressure problems with these rounds.

I sometimes wonder how this rifle would shoot with a scope mounted, but I think a scope would ruin this firearm. I really like the short, stocky, well balanced feel of the rifle and I think a scope would cause it to lose some of those qualities. If I wanted a more accurate rifle, I would have gone with a caliber like .223 or a 30-30 instead of this handgun caliber. This is my plinking cannon and I think it will be accurate enough to hunt coyote with considering Connecticut's close quarters hunting.

Next I moved over to the handgun range. The targets there are set out at 25 yards. This is a really nice totally rebuilt section on the range. I began by sighting in my 17HMR. Each shooting table comes equipped with a stool and a gun rest similar to those used on the rifle area. I found the shooting position awkward and couldn't find a comfortable position to shoot from. If I used the rest, I had to kneel on the concrete to get behind the sights. If I sat on the stool I was too high to rest the revolver on anything. In time I discovered that my large range box was a good height if I sat on the stool and rested the base of the gun grip on the box. I ended up shooting 3 boxes of CCI hollow points and to tell you the truth, I wasn't very pleased with the results. I'd fire 6 shots and get a decent group (let's say) to the right. I adjust my rear sight a couple of clicks and the next 6 would be right on. Then the next six would be off again. For some reason I've never been able to achieve enough consistency with the gun to make me feel comfortable when I take it out hunting. I'm never quite sure if I'll be hitting the target this day. It's not like my 10/22 where I know that if I put the front post on something, I'm going to hit it. I realize that I'm shooting a handgun, but a 17 magnum through a single action with a 6" barrel should be more consistent than this. I'm not quite sure what the problem is with this gun, but I'll continue to try and work it out over the summer. Tomorrow I'm taking it in the woods in search of a chuck. I'll keep my fingers when I pull the trigger.

After shooting 150 rounds of 17 magnum, I took out the little 38. The first 5 rounds I put through the gun was the expensive stuff; Gold Dot +P Personal protection ammo. That ammo goes for over a buck a round, so I usually limit myself to 5 rounds per trip to the range. I always shoot the 5 rounds that I've been carrying in the gun to get rid of hit since some of the oil that I used to clean the revolver may have migrated into the cartridges to contaminate the powder or primer. That could be a disaster during a gunfight, so I think it's important to switch out old ammo with new ever month or so.

I fired those 5 rounds and when I was done, I sure didn't want to shoot any more of it. That +P is a mother to shoot through this airweight J-frame. My right hand felt like I took the skin off the inside of my thumb. I was glad that I brought 50 rounds of wadcutters with very light loads. Though the down side of the +P is that it hurts to shoot, the up side is that it hits the target. All 5 rounds nicely hit the upper left target when I shot single action.

I just touched my right shoulder and I have a feeling I'm going to find a large area of black and blue there tonight. Those 50 hot loads had one heck of a recoil. I can tell you one thing; I'm sure glad I'm reloading. Thinking back on what those 4 hours of shooting cost, the range time was $27. Targets about $10.00. 150 rounds of 44mag (if not reloaded) would come to about $114 (about $38 per box of 50). 3 boxes of 17HMR come to about $39, at around $13/box. 5 rounds of +P is about $6.25, at around $1.25/round. And finally, a box of 50 junk 38 special is around $18. So today's total comes to ... $214.25!!! Don't tell my wife or she'll throw my guns in the wood stove. In future shoots, my plan will be to shoot 50 rounds of 44mag reloads max. Then possibly 1 box of 17HMR and the rest 22LR through my 10/22. If the state range opens, that will reduce my cost to around $48.00, which still isn't chicken feed for a guy like me who has a family to feed, but it is do-able if I mix up hunting and range shooting on weekends.

Mike Adams from the Up North Journal and his new Ruger .380 LCP

Mike just sent me these photos of his new little fun gun, the Ruger LCP .380 6+1. He gives a range report on his 'Up North Journal' podcast which has some important info so I suggest you go to iTunes and subscribe (the link is blinking in the right column). He discusses shooting various ammo through it and how much of the expensive stuff jammed, which would likely cost you your life during a defensive shootout.

What I found funny was that after shooting this pistol for a day, Mike said that he could feel a bit of a tingle in his hand. Mike, try firing one round of 38 Special +P through my S&M snubby. It will take about 3 rounds of +P to take the skin off your thumb. The revolver is a bear to shoot, and it's only fun when shooting very light reloads and maybe 10 rounds of +P. My buddy in work wants to buy the new Ruger LCR 38 Special, but I told him he should shoot a box of ammo through my snubby first. I heard that the new Ruger has better recoil characteristics due to its polymer housing, but I'd be amazed if it was all that much better. The way a gun looks is important to me, and in my opinion the Ruger LCR looks like junk. Polymer works for pistols, but a plastic revolver does nothing for me. I'd sure like one of those LCPs though.

Shooting at Dirk File's Range with the Henry Big Boy 44 Magnum

When we arrived at the East Windsor Sportsman's Club this morning, it was chilly and pouring as the weatherman had predicted. The shooting tables were pushed back and everyone was readying for a 200 yard shooting competition. I was quite impressed with the look of this club. The grounds and shooting stations were clean and in order, the range was beautifully landscaped and there were areas for handgun and shotgun. During a ceasefire, revolving red warning lights flashed throughout the length of the shooting stations. There is also a small but nice clubhouse with clean facilities. The personnel and shooters were all pleasant, so it was an overall very enjoyable shooting experience. I was pleasantly surprised that a club of its size was so professionally run and the range was as nice as any place that I've shot at. Bill and I will be returning here to shoot with Dirk again soon. If you're in the area, I highly recommend checking out this club.

Click to see more movies of others shooting the Henry

LEFT - BILL BAILEY
RIGHT - DIRK FILES

By 11:30 the competition was over, it had stopped raining and we were ready to shoot. My objective today was to find the best load for my Henry BigBoy 44 magnum rifle at 50 yards. I brought 150 rounds that I hand loaded and ended up firing 94. All the ammo fired nicely, though I did have a problem with some of the rounds not feeding properly. It appears that I need to seat the bullet a bit deeper next time, and Bill says he has a gauge I can have to measure the cartridge length. I shot six rounds of a specific load at each target and kept a record of which load was used on which target. The target frame was set up 50 yards out. I originally started at 100 yards, but the target was so small that I felt lucky just to hit it, never mind comparing groups. 100 yards is too long to test this rifle with iron sights using small targets. Next time I plan to bring a 200 yard target to make it easier to see what I'm shooting at. Bifocals are a major pain when aiming at a small, distant target. Either I mount a scope or get a bigger target. Since most coyote hunting in CT is up close and personal, I'm keeping the iron sights. I wish I could have locked the rifle down to take myself out of the loop, but since that's not possible today, at least the equation is skewed equally for each load.

I was amazed to discover that the lightest bullet (200 gr Speer) gave me the lousiest groups, and the heaviest bullet, the Hornady 265 gr gave me the best. I never expected these results. I know I loaded the 265 cartridge light, so I'm hoping that if I load it just a bit more, it will bring the bullet right in consistently. The final target with the 200 gr Hornady seems to have great potential, but I just about ran out of rounds before starting the test. I was just having fun blast'n when I realized I'd better stop and do some testing... a little too late. I'll load more for next time. Target 5 wasn't bad either. Note that the best results were all achieved with Accurate #9.

Target 1 - Powder: Allient 2400 / Amount: 21.4 gr. / Bullet: Speer 200 gr.

Target 2 - Powder: Accurate #9 / Amount: 1.3cc / Bullet: 265 gr Hornady

Target 3 - Powder: Accurate #9 / Amount: 1.3 cc / Bullet: 200 gr Hornady

Target 4 - Powder: Winchester 296 / Amount: 1.3 cc / Bullet: 200 gr Hornady


Target 5 - Powder: Accurate #9 / Amount: 1.0 cc / Bullet: 265 gr Hornady

Target 6 - Powder: Accurate #9 / Amount: 1.3 cc / Bullet: 200 gr Hornady.

Next time out I take this load: (Powder: Accurate #9 / Amount: 1.3cc / Bullet: 265 gr Hornady) and incrementally increase the powder load to elevate the group. I'll them move the target out to 100 yards and see if one click increase in rear sight elevation brings the rounds home. I'll need to get one big target I can see for that test.

First shoot at the updated Blue Trail range

ME THEN... AND NOW

Today was the first time I shot at the Blue Trail Range in Wallingford since they remodeled it during its forced shutdown. If you're not from around here, you might not know that someone has been trying to shut down the range claiming that a few stray bullets made it into private property. The NRA has been fighting this and they obviously have no way of proving where the rounds originated from. It's simply a case of a developer that wants the range to go away. The Lymans own the property and have done everything they can over the past year to make the range safer. During the forced closing this summer, the range built up the berms to unusually high levels and made many other improvements that I really hadn't seen until today.

When you arrive at the range, you first go into the main building to pay as always, but now they hand you a credit card-size thing that you hang around your neck. The range is now gated, and to enter the range area you must wave the card in front of a device at the gate that opens it (very cool). There's a new small building inside the gate where a range officer keeps an eye on things. There are also cameras stationed along the range so he can keep an eye on things at the far ends of the range. Sheets of plywood have been lowered substantially so one must be seated to shoot and it is now impossible to shoot over the berm. A berm was added at 50 yards so we can now set our targets out at 50 yards if we wish. Previously centerfire rifles had no choice but to shoot at 100 yards, which I find difficult with iron sights.

The handgun line is positioned to the left, where it was before, but the berm has been raised to about 40 ft with a concrete block retaining wall to the right. There are new shooting benches and stools with screens between every station. The platform under the table has been raised so you now shoot down making it impossible for bullets to skip over the berm. All in all it's now a much better shooting experience, though the fee had increased from $19 to $27.

Check out my Henry Big Boy page to see movies shot at the range today.

I'm surprised to see that GoogleEarth still has photos of the old range.

Sighting in a scope with 2 rounds

Here's an easy way to sight in your scoped firearm with only 2 shots. Lock your gun into position on a bench with a shooting stand and a sandbag. Aim at the bullseye and fire. Now lets say that your round is hitting low and to the right. With the rifle pointed at the bullseye, rotate your windage and elevation dials until your crosshairs land on the bullet hole. You've now adjusted your crosshairs to land on the spot where your bullet is actually hitting. Now if you aim your crosshairs on the bullseye, you should hit it, and it only took 2 rounds!

Blue Trail Range and the dangers I see ahead

BLUE TRAIL RANGE, WALLINGFORD, CT

CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE. I PIECED TOGETHER 10 SHOTS IN PHOTOSHOP TO CREATE THIS PAN.

I realize it's 2009, but I haven't set up my 2009 range page yet so you'll have to tolerate a bit over overlapping. I'll have the new page up and running in April when the state ranges open.

Today is a beautiful 32 degree sunny day which followed yesterday's snow. After church this morning the family did some shoveling, then my wife took a nap, my son went sledding and my daughter left with her boyfriend, so having some time alone I decided to take a drive to Blue Trail Range in Wallingford. It's been months since I've seen the place, and considering it's such a beautiful day I expected the range to be hopping. I arrived at 1:30 and to my amazement there was only one person shooting on the entire firing line. That's not good considering the legal battles this range has been going through for the past year. Most of you know that there are forces in the area trying to shut the range down. If you're interested, you can read about it at www.SaveBlueTrailRange.org.

THE 200 YD RANGE IS CLOSED
I voiced my opinion to them in the past, but it's obvious that they aren't interested in what I have to say. This blog has had over 65,000 hits in the past two years, so maybe someone will read this, agree with me and get through to them. This issue is not only about this range, but in the shooting industry in general. The last time I shot at the range, which was just prior to the start of their legal battle, I paid $18/hr on the weekend and $18/day on weekdays to shoot. Friends in other parts of the country were shocked by these prices. Since the range reopened, their prices have jumped to $27/day on weekdays and $27 for the first hour and $10/hr there after on weekends; unless you are a woman or a child. Then you shoot for $3 less (Would someone please explain to me how this kind of sexual discrimination is still tolerated?).

Let's crunch a few numbers. If I shoot for 2 hours on a Saturday morning, it will cost me $37 for range time. 17HMR ammo has skyrocketed to $19/box of 50, so if I shoot 200 rounds which is my norm, ammo with cost me $76. Chipping targets about $10 more. Gas I won't include but it is a factor. That totals $123 to shoot for 2 hours on a Saturday!! That's insane in my opinion.

"Most entry level shooters enter the sport via rimfire calibers, so if the price jumps from $20 a brick to $200, it will mean the death of a sport and a freedom."

THE PISTOL RANGE BERM
We are at a crossroads in the sport and shooting industries. Left-wing extremists have almost absolute control of the nation and we are in the cross hairs. The only chance this sport has is to get so many shooters / voters banded together through the NRA that the incumbent party will be threatened with a massive defeat in two year should they make law their sweeping anti-gun agenda. LISTEN UP... YOU ARE MAKING THE SPORT SO PRICE PROHIBITIVE THAT NEW PEOPLE WILL NOT ENTER THE SPORT AND IT WILL BE ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE INDUSTRY GOES UNDER. The ranges need to cut their prices in HALF (That goes for Wolf's and the rest) and ammo companies need to slash their prices. Everyone needs to do whatever it takes to bring more people into the shoot sports. The ranges needs to be full because those are the only people who will back you politically. Shooting must be promoted as an affordable family sport. If Cabela's and the rest don't come to this reality, the shooting sports as we know them will be a distant memory. Statistics prove that the younger generation is not interested in shooting. That means that in 20 years shooters will be such a small minority in this country that they will have no political impact what-so-ever. The DC gun ban case was too close for comfort, and with Obama and his administration in control, we could loose the 2nd amendment as he shifts the Supreme Court to the left for years to come. Even prior to that shift, the administration is sure to reinstate the Assault Weapons Ban and this time it will be made permanent and more restrictive, including such firearms as the SKS and possibly all semiauto rifles. Obama is anti-handgun, so he will go after them as well. Hillary Clinton will stop the import of all firearms, so even without the ban, such weapons as the SKS and AKs will disappear from the shelves. Left-wing environmentalists are in the process to banning lead from ammunition and ranges. The ATF is working on restricting the proximity of gun shops to schools, which will make it impossible for them to operate. Micro stamping will make ammo prices skyrocket, and will especially impact rimfire shooters since we do not reload. Most entry level shooters enter the sport via rimfire calibers, so if the price jumps from $20 a brick to $200, it will mean the death of a sport and a freedom. My point is that the only thing that can restrain this are votes, and ranges and suppliers need to make the sport affordable so new shooters come on board and vote with us in two years.

THE NEW RANGE OFFICER STATION
I for one went home today without taking a shot. If shooting was affordable, I might have left them with $50 or so that currently lines my wallet instead of theirs. Multiply that number and I think it's easy to see that overpricing will mean the end of the range, and in a short time an entire short and industry.

Act NOW or we'll soon see our CT ranges closed.

I hear a lot of tough talk from gun owners but sometimes I wonder if we're no more than paper tigers. What are we doing while our God-given gun rights are being taken away? If we do nothing, our guns will be a distant memory and it's going to happen sooner than you think. My niece the police officer sent this to me today. Thanks Marsha for the heads up!

From the NRA Web Site:

CONNECTICUT: Numerous Gun Bills Proposed! In the Connecticut State Legislature, lawmakers have wasted no time introducing a number of bills that would both advance and erode the Second Amendment rights of Connecticut's law abiding gun owners. For a list of these bills and to learn how to take action against, please clickhere.
All-Out Attack Waged on Shooting Ranges! First-in-the-nation proposed legislation that has the potential to shut down shooting ranges in the state of Connecticut was introduced in Hartford this week. The proposal seeks to require registration for owner/operators with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and would allow the Commissioner to promulgate new regulations at any time, meaning that any shooting range could be forced to close at the whim of the DPS. Regardless of any new regulations, the Commissioner can shut down a facility without cause simply by deeming it "unsafe." If the future implications of this proposal aren't bad enough, it would also put almost every range out of business immediately for non-compliance under the standards set forth by this proposal. Make no mistake; the intent of this proposed legislation is to force the closure of these facilities and to end the possible establishment of any new ranges in Connecticut. As you know, shooting ranges provide a valuable community service by providing gun owners with a place to train with firearms and a safe place to shoot recreationally. Under this proposal, ranges used exclusively by law enforcement would be exempt from the regulations. If this is truly about safety, why should the standards for law enforcement and civilians be any different? It is imperative that you contact your lawmakers today and respectfully tell them that you will not stand for this! As the Department of Public Safety serves at the pleasure of Governor Jodi Rell (R), it is also critical that you call her TODAY and urge her administration not to support this direct attack on law-abiding gun owners and recreational shooters. No bill number has been assigned yet, but we will keep you posted on any further action that is taken in the coming weeks. Please continue checking your email andwww.NRAILA.org for updates. To contact Governor Jodi Rell call her at 860-566-4840 (Greater Hartford Area), 800-406-1527 or email Governor.Rell@ct.gov. For contact information for your State Representative, please clickhere. For contact information for your State Senator, please click here.
Firearm-Related Legislation Proposed in Hartford Senate Bill 353, introduced by State Senator Martin Looney (D-11), requires that all semi-automatic handguns for sale in the state of Connecticut be equipped with so-called "micro-stamping" technology. S353 was introduced last week and referred to the Joint Committee on Judiciary. Please contact the members of the Joint Committee on Judiciary today and respectfully urge him or her to vote "NO" on Senate Bill 353. Click here for a list of the members of the Joint Committee on Judiciary. Also proposed was House Bill 5578, introduced by State Representative William Hamzy (R-78), which would prohibit local regulation of firearms. NRA strongly supports this legislation. H5578 was referred to the Public Safety and Security Committee. Please contact members of the Public Safety and Security Committee today in support of House Bill 5578. Click here for a list of the members of the Public Safety Committee. We will keep you posted on any further action on these bills and new bills that may be introduced in the coming weeks. Please continue checking your email and www.NRAILA.org for updates.

NOW GET OFF YOUR ASS AND MAKE A PHONE CALL!
(I said that, not the NRA)

My letter to the Governor: Governor.Rell@ct.gov

Subject: Please stop the passage of upcoming bills to close shooting ranges and micro-stamp ammunition

"Dear Governor Rell,

I highly respect your integrity as our Governor, so I am contacting you with the hope that you will fight against the passage of any upcoming bills created to take away our constitutionally protected second amendment freedoms. That includes the attempt to close down shooting ranges in CT and any requirement to micro-stamp ammunition. I know you are familiar with these issues, so I won't waste your time discussing them.

Let me close by saying that I learned to hunt and shoot with my older brother at the age 10. I am now 54 and have shared the same wonderful experience with my 14 year old son. Learning to shoot safely and accurately at a young age gave me the discipline and abilities required to earn the Navy Expert Rifleman medal at age 19. Hunters and range shooters are the best of Americans. Such laws only negatively impact those people who live by the laws. The right to hunt and bear arms is a proud American right and tradition that I pray will not be lost by my generation. I am thankful for your help to protect our freedoms.

Respectfully yours,"