Range Report

Took myself out to Knob Creek this afternoon.  My main goal was to check zero on my two deer hunting rifles, center fire and muzzle loader after getting new glasses this year, and to familiarize myself with the CZ-82 I bought last month from Southern Ohio Guns. To my surprise, I had to wait for a spot on the firing line.  Normally it's quiet during business days, but the RSO told me that it's been busy every day for the past couple of weeks, even taking into consideration that modern gun deer season starts tomorrow.

Once I got on the range, I put my two wooden target holders out at 100 yards, and placed a political yard sign with a target pasted to it at 25 yards.

First up was the muzzle loader.  I have used the same Thompson Center Omega .50 caliber for years, and have found that two 50grain pellets of 777 black powder substitute work very well out of it.  I have also settled on 295 grain PowerBelt Aerotip bullets.  These go down the barrel of the Omega much easier than the sabots I used for the first couple of years shooting black powder, and seem to have comparable performance.

Here's what I got out of the muzzle loader today:

The group on the right was my first three rounds, and after an adjustment, I fired the second group.  Not too shabby for a muzzle loader using a cheap Red Head 3-9 shotgun scope, if I do say so myself.

Next came my Savage 110 in .270, with a Bushnell 3-9 scope.  I switched from the Winchester white box ammunition I was using last year to Federal 130 grain soft points.  The cost difference was significant, and I wanted to see how they performed.  I had a few fliers, and I need to get more practice in, but overall, I'm happy with it.

I finished out my rifle time by plinking with the Mosin.  My goal is to get good enough with it that I can give Girlie Bear the .270 for hunting and hunt with it over open sights until I find a .30-06 or .308 that I like and can afford.

The CZ-82 is surplus, and shows it with some slight blemishes and wear on the bluing, but overall it's in good condition.  No pics tonight, but some will be forthcoming.  I forgot to purchase rounds for it last week, so I was forced to purchase 9x18 Makarov from the range at a premium.  $17.00 for a box of Norinco.  Ouch.  I've been shooting .45 ACP and .38 Special for so long, I'd forgotten just how small 9mm rounds of any form are.  It took some getting used to when handling them, but they certainly have a bark when you touch them off.

I like the CZ.  It sits very comfortably in my paw, and all of the buttons (slide lock, mag release, safety) are where I instinctively look for them.  SOG sent along an extra magazine, so I was able to practice mag changes as well.  The first couple of magazines were mostly fliers as I learned how the pistol wanted to be pointed, but once I settled in with it, it was consistently hitting the target at 25 yards.  Not a tack driver, at least not yet, but not bad for the first time I've shot it.  Once I'd gone through all 50 rounds of 9mm, I put 20 rounds of CCI Blazer .38 Special through the Taurus Model 85 that I carry.  I limited myself to only one cylinder worth of single action shooting, then shot strong hand double action.  Somewhere along the line, a couple of my rounds hit the wire holding up the sign, so it became a semi-reactive target as it was hit by successive rounds.

This was a good range day.  As usual, I enjoy going out to Knob Creek.  The facilities and staff are excellent, and conditions were perfect for zero-ing and plinking.  One highlight of the day was the father and son next to me.  He was a 5 year old who was being taught the four rules and how to shoot with a Cricket.  Extremely well behaved, and had the worlds biggest grin on his face every time his dad let him touch a trigger. 

As always, any products I mention in this blog are those that I use myself.  I get nothing from the companies or facilities I write about other than the experience of being their customer.