20 years ago there weren’t too many local guys handier with a rifle than I was. Not bragging either, it stood to reason: I was shooting several times a week and when I wasn’t, it was because I was on the reloading bench. And there’s not a lot of serious competitors around. If I went to Camp Perry they’d eat me alive. I’d be shocked if I could ever get the better of a Distinguished Marksman or a sanctioned shooter.
Shooting has been a bit of a bear for the last several years. I got so damned fat - I couldn’t get into the sitting position and sling up properly. About a month ago I started taking my diet seriously and so far I dropped 10 lbs. It’s been an eye opener. I fit into old clothes I haven’t worn in over a decade. And today when I curled up and dropped into the crossed ankles sitting position… everything worked like it did years ago. Getting rid of some of that gut let me cinch up the sling, get down on the gun… and start shooting like me again. It was astonishing.
That is actually a vertical string, approx. 1.822” long. Fired at 100m, using the “hasty sling” from the crossed ankles sitting position. Didjya see what I did? When you start getting a vertical string like that… it’s often because your breath control is sloppy. The different pressure in your lungs can cause vertical stringing. Still… that would be one very dead deer out in the field.
That’s my beloved .243 shooting 100 gr. Speer SPBTs, coming out of the pipe at 2900 FPS. Standard deviation for 5 shots was 8 FPS. Just a medium dose of plain Jane H4350… Gawd… I love this rifle. I can’t wait to go again and test my luck at 200m. Think I’ll make another 100 this weekend.
I’ll say it again, fellas. Spend the money. Get a GOOD shooting sling. Learn how to use it… and all your hunting shots become childishly simple.
Congratulations on dropping the weight. Well done sir. My line of work allows me to see people hobbled by weight. It is always awesome to see or hear about someone getting the gumption and make a huge difference. the hardest thing i had to put down were the after-dinner snacks/ sweets.
ReplyDeleteThat alone will drop 10 lbs., I think? I get the hungriest for proteins. The innernet says a guy like me only gets 100g a day! GAH!!! ☠️
DeleteI agree - the best muscles in the human body are the ones used to push away from the table. Ten pounds is great progress - well done ! Don't lose too much or the dawg will haul you off into the woods next time you see a squirrel. :^)
ReplyDeleteMy apologies - I'm naturally feeble minded. The .243 is the Ruger #1 or the Ruger American ?
That is indeed the No.1! 😊👍
DeleteI just loaded up the shittiest ammo I ever made for the Tupperware rifle - dunno what got into me! Super low velocity, utter shit for standard deviation… Grrrrrrr… I have 50 rounds of it to burn off because I had a jug of CFE223 to get rid of… I should have just soaked it in water and thrown it out! 😡
Good to hear your shooting, rehab is going so well. I too have reduced my belly enough for a proper, cross legged sitting position.
DeleteShot my 1st gen. Ruger Compact, Tupper, 18", pencil barreled, 308. Tried several 308 commercial hunting loads, I've been accumulating for decades.
Range finder, 106 yds. 5 power made the business cards I was shooting at, just the right size for my reticle.
Ruger recoil, no problem. The gun can probably shoot 20 to 50% better than me. I'm "good enough".
308 Savage 99 with same loads, killed my shoulder, bench sitting. Standing was fine. Only shot six rounds. No measurements.
The Ruger performance thrilled me (except for the best 1.5" group). How nice that 5 of the loads, all shot so close to POA. The following six loads are all meat getters out to 300 yds, with my current abilities.
Zeroed my scope with the Remington Core Locked, everything after was just icing on the cake. I'm guessing my 18" barrel lost about 100-150 fps from box listed velocity.
-Remington 150gr Core Locked PSP (zeroed, 2"), 2820 fps
-Federal 150gr, Power shok (zeroed, sub 2.5"), 2820 fps
-Hornady 125gr, SST, 2+", centered, 1" low, 2675 fps
-Hornady 165gr, Interlock, centered, 2" low, 2700 fps
-Hornady 165gr, SST, 1.5", 3" high, 2" rt. 2840 fps
-Remington 180gr, Core Locked, centered, 1" low, 2700 fps(!?)
Give or take 1/4ish inch on group sizes. One to 200 yd shots will be easy enough with some kind of rest and 300 yd shots with a better rest.
The other half dozen loads weren't as good.
I shot off a good enough table with a plastic, good enough,
not-a-lead sled. The wife found it at a thrift store for $10. She has spooky, supernatural, thrift store abilities.
Well done Glen. It's hard work dropping the kilos at our age, and you are right - everything from washing between your toes in the shower to climbing stairs becomes sooooooooo much easier.
ReplyDeleteBecause I'm self-taught, I'd love to read how to use the sling properly for deer hunting. My shots are always under 200 yards because I WILL NOT release a shot unless I am absolutely certain about landing the projectile in the right spot. I tend to go prone & use my bipod, or take a solid lean against a tree.
There is so much information to share about using a sling properly I understand if you don't have the time or inclination. If that is the case, can you please direct me to a book or YouTube video you feel is helpful?
Start here:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrkp025iKr0
I love the voices of our ancestors who were better people than we are today…
A great book is “Sight Alignment, Trigger Control And The Big Lie” by M/Sgt Jim Owen’s. If you just do the basics… you’re ahead of at least 75% of the guys on any given firing line. Deer at 200m are as good as in the bag.
“The Art Of The Rifle” by Jeff Cooper is dated but still good too. The US Army shooting team also puts up good vids on JewTube too.
Get some snap caps and do some dry fire practice too.