July 4th Range Time

Because it's July 4th, the second son and I thought it appropriate to slip off to our super-secret range at an undisclosed location to let the rifles bark and roar.  We're celebrating independence by improving our rifle skills.

Looking downrange at a central Louisiana high line.  There's nothing down there for miles, just gently rolling terrain.  Can't see the targets?  Let me circle them for you.

See inside that circle?  There are three gongs, suspended from a cut down swingset frame.  You can click on the photo to enlage it.  We estimated that the gongs were a bit over 150 yards from the firing line.  There are two nine-inch gongs and one six inch gongs hanging from the cross bar.

First up was my Scout rifle.  It's still fairly new to us, and that forward mounted scope is interesting, although I have to admit that the more I use it, the more I'm convinced that Colonel Cooper was right.  I've only shot the rifle a half dozen times, but it is very easy to shoot.  The scope on it is a Burris scout, and it's a fine sighting device, once you get used to it being so far forward.

Next up was Son's Savage 11 FV.  I gave it to him about 15 years ago.

He wanted a 7mm Remington Magnum, and he wanted a heavy barrel for long-range accuracy.  Savage at that time catalogued a 7mm Rem Mag in their carmint line, so I ordered one for him.  It's his go-to rifle for serious work whacking things and he's very good with that rifle.

When he drops his head to the stock, something is going to take a 140 grain Nosler bullet. You can count on it.  We've mounted the rifle with a scope that most people sneer at.  It's a Simmons Whitetail Classic, and most people are put off by the price point.  Don't be, it's a whole lot better scoe than the retail price would indicate.  He was looking at a barbed wire fence  this morning, over 600 yards dowrange and was able to see the barbs on the fence glinting in the sunlight.  Oh, look, Midway USA has it on sale this morning.

Last, but certainly not least, is an old Ruger Model 77 in .25-06.

I bought that rifle just after the turn of the century.  I had wanted to try the .25-06 for several decades, and I walked into a pawn shop one day, and they had it on the shelf, used, with an old Tasco scope.  All I did to the rifle was clean it, buy a set of dies, and start reloading for it.  We've got three of that caliber in the family now, two Rugers and a Savage.  They all shoot the same load, with Reloder 22 powder and a 117 grain spitzer bullet, it will put a whacking on just about anything that needs to be whacked.  We haven't done anything to that particular rifle but clean it, it still wears the same old cheap Tasco scope that it wore in the pawn shop.  However, those old Tasco scopes are really better than a lot of people give them credit for.  It's a hunting scope for a hunting rifle, and out to about 300 yards, gives plenty of light and detail.  Since we first adjusted that scope to the load 15 years ago, it's held zero the whole time.  You can't ask for more than that from a rifle scope.

Each of the rifles barked, in turn across the high line, and when the temps got up into the low 90s, we decided to come on in.  A very enjoyable morning with my son and some favorite rifles.  It's hard to top that for the Fourth of July.