FrankenMauser
New member
When I shoot at my local range, I prefer to be there 30-45 minutes before sunrise. I like it that way because I'm usually the only person there for 3-4 hours, it's quiet, and there's usually no wind. And if I get set up quickly, I get some time to work with 'flat light'.
But the last few trips have just been frustrating.
The current season puts the sun almost directly behind my targets, when it finally shows itself on the horizon. (It's like that from about May through September ... not exactly something new to me.)
With the sun in line with the targets, it makes getting a good sight picture fairly difficult. Even when I put my 'custom' 11 inch sunshade and ear plug container eye shade on the scope (see below), it is still pretty hard on the eyes.
...Which makes targets like this that much more frustrating:
(At 100 yards, I shoot these "upside down" with the sighting square on the bottom, since most of my rifles are sighted in high at that distance.)
I'm right there... So close, at least with the .35 Whelen and 6x45mm loads, but I feel like the only obstacle between these groups and "one ragged hole" is the blasted sun.
I know these aren't impressive targets, in the slightest. But, being the guy behind the trigger, I know they're better loads than the targets indicate.
I'm sure the .35 Whelen escapee was all me. And I'm fairly certain that most of the vertical stringing of the 6x45mm groups (top) is my fault, as well.
It's a simple solution: Don't shoot at sunrise.
But at any other time of the day, I have to deal with a bunch of people and even more wind (variable direction, 15-25 mph with 30 mph gusts, generally). ...And that's no fun - especially during the dry season, when every bullet impact can send a massive dust cloud back across the firing line.
Here's a screen grab from my dash camera. It illustrates the problem fairly well. ...And it also shows my super high tech eye shade (white) and 11" sun shade as a horizontal orange blob sticking off the end of the scope. (It's a target, rolled up and taped to the scope.)
Even with the frustration, it still wasn't a bad day at the range.
The 6x45mm is always nice to shoot. And...
That .35 Whelen continues to make me happy.
$220 rifle.
$100 barrel.
Recycled 30+ year old Tasco 4x scope.
Rings from the parts box.
Cheapest old or recycled reloading components that I have on hand (orphan powder, cheap bullets, primers saved from pulled-down cartridges...).
And the stupid thing shows every indication of being a 1 MoA rifle (or better). I could probably verify that if I ever stopped shooting into the sun...
But the last few trips have just been frustrating.
The current season puts the sun almost directly behind my targets, when it finally shows itself on the horizon. (It's like that from about May through September ... not exactly something new to me.)
With the sun in line with the targets, it makes getting a good sight picture fairly difficult. Even when I put my 'custom' 11 inch sunshade and ear plug container eye shade on the scope (see below), it is still pretty hard on the eyes.
...Which makes targets like this that much more frustrating:
(At 100 yards, I shoot these "upside down" with the sighting square on the bottom, since most of my rifles are sighted in high at that distance.)
I'm right there... So close, at least with the .35 Whelen and 6x45mm loads, but I feel like the only obstacle between these groups and "one ragged hole" is the blasted sun.
I know these aren't impressive targets, in the slightest. But, being the guy behind the trigger, I know they're better loads than the targets indicate.
I'm sure the .35 Whelen escapee was all me. And I'm fairly certain that most of the vertical stringing of the 6x45mm groups (top) is my fault, as well.
It's a simple solution: Don't shoot at sunrise.
But at any other time of the day, I have to deal with a bunch of people and even more wind (variable direction, 15-25 mph with 30 mph gusts, generally). ...And that's no fun - especially during the dry season, when every bullet impact can send a massive dust cloud back across the firing line.
Here's a screen grab from my dash camera. It illustrates the problem fairly well. ...And it also shows my super high tech eye shade (white) and 11" sun shade as a horizontal orange blob sticking off the end of the scope. (It's a target, rolled up and taped to the scope.)
Even with the frustration, it still wasn't a bad day at the range.
The 6x45mm is always nice to shoot. And...
That .35 Whelen continues to make me happy.
$220 rifle.
$100 barrel.
Recycled 30+ year old Tasco 4x scope.
Rings from the parts box.
Cheapest old or recycled reloading components that I have on hand (orphan powder, cheap bullets, primers saved from pulled-down cartridges...).
And the stupid thing shows every indication of being a 1 MoA rifle (or better). I could probably verify that if I ever stopped shooting into the sun...