“Red Dawn” at the Range

[rjinga]

I tried out my new targets today at the range. Each one was cut from an 11 x 17 plain paper copy and then attached inside the lid of a copy paper box. I put it inside the box lid so that it would have a dark, but at the same time not too big, background. Also, as you can see in one of the 50 yd photos, when the sun is in the right position, it also casts a shadow for an even more realistic effect.

I was shooting ZQI and PPU ammunition out of my Century Arms C308 rifle, using the iron sights only.

The first photo shows the relative size of the target at 15 yds compared to a dime. The next photo is five shots at the torso, and then five shots at the head, while standing and using the sling. The last photo is nine out of ten (I can’t believe I pulled one shot that bad) snap shots.

When taking the snap shots, I held the rifle with the bottom edge of the butt touching my shoulder and the muzzle pointed straight down range and toward the ground at a 45% angle. With each shot, I’d bring the rifle up, get a quick sight picture, and then fire. (I do have a shot timer app on my phone, and I tried to use it; however, I don’t have it figured out yet)

 

[rjinga]

25 Yards

The first photo shows the relative size of the target at 25 yds compared to a dime. The next photo is five shots at the torso, and then five shots at the head, while standing and using the sling. The last photo is ten snap shots.

 

[rjinga]

50 Yards

The first photo shows the relative size of the target at 50 yds compared to a dime. The next photo (taken later, because I forgot to take it while on the range) is nine out of ten shots from a kneeling position (imagine the classic marriage proposal), using the sling. I was also firing relatively quickly. The last photo is ten shots taken from a seated position, while resting the barrel of the rifle on a wooden rail; these shots were taken a little slower.

 

[Fade2Grey]

Great shooting, Tex!

Again, your ingenuity impresses me. The dime for comparison thing was very smart and helpful, thank you.

The shadow box thing is a neat idea. Im gonna have to see if it messes with me.

I've yet to be able to get those shot timer apps to work right. I'm technologically challenged and only get the free ones, though.

How do you like your C308 so far? I've Cerakoted a few for customers and really like their ease of disassembly/reassembly. Hard to beat the price of their mags, too.

Your bladed Russian target shows how your shots would have to penetrate his arms before hitting his chest. Not necessarily as big of a deal for the 2,300 lb.ft. energy for the 308, but goes to show some of the reasoning for that FBI 12" penetration standard.

Thank you for sharing your range trip with us.

 

[rjinga]

Great shooting, Tex!

Thanks!

.... The dime for comparison thing was very smart and helpful, thank you.

You're welcome. The idea just sort of came to me.

The shadow box thing is a neat idea.

Again, I wish I could say that it was intentional from the very beginning, but it wasn't. I was trying to eliminate the white halo from around the shape of the target, so I cut the extra paper off. Then I thought, "It won't make any difference if I'm attaching the target to a white backer board." So, I started looking around the office for cardboard, and "ta-da", your standard copier paper box top is designed to fit a box that can hold 11 x 17 paper. Then, instead of pulling the edges apart (making it a bigger brown target on the white backer board, or cutting them off with a knife, I decided to just leave them.

I've yet to be able to get those shot timer apps to work right. I'm technologically challenged and only get the free ones, though.

Mine's a free one too, and I haven't played with it enough to figure it out yet.

How do you like your C308 so far?

I am really enjoying it. And, I almost always get comments and/or questions about it every time I go to the range. For example, today I had only shot about 10 rounds while the two guys about four tables down were getting ready to leave. When I stopped to check my target, one of the guys asked me what caliber it was. ".308/7.62" I said. He just shook his head and said "That's a big rifle. I can barely hear right now."

Hard to beat the price of their mags, too.

Yeap. I bought eighteen more (less than $60.00 including shipping) to give me a total of twenty 20-round mags.

Your bladed Russian target shows how your shots would have to penetrate his arms before hitting his chest. Not necessarily as big of a deal for the 2,300 lb.ft. energy for the 308, but goes to show some of the reasoning for that FBI 12" penetration standard.

Yes, I noticed that almost 1/3 of my shots, that would otherwise have been dead center-mass on your standard silhouette target, struck this target on the hands, wrist, and forearms. Not to be too morbid, but I was wondering what effect that would have on the ballistics in a real life situation.

Thank you for sharing your range trip with us.

You're welcome. Thank you for reading it, and commenting!

 

[Mobuck]

I felt the urge to fire a few shots yesterday. Took the suppressed Ruger 22 pistol out to the yard gate overlooking the 100 meter range. Two shots @ 20 yards on the 2.5" swinger followed by two on the 100 meter 8" gong followed by 2 more @ 20 yards(all these supported by the gate post). The last 4 in the mag were dumped offhand on the 10" square from about 30 yards before I went back inside. All hits.
Four bad guys down and no one heard any thing. Now I have all their weapons, ammo, and equipment and IF I can hide the bodies well enough, their comrades won't ever know what happened. I'd say that beats the heck out of blasting away with a big bore and alerting everyone within a mile of something going wrong.

 

[g.willikers]

The nearby county owned outdoor range is a first class facility and inexpensive.
But they don't allow human style targets or unofficial target placement.
Oh well, guess ya' can't have everything.
Got any t-rexes, grizzly bars, or off world alien targets?

 

[Model12Win]

Irons only? What optic are you going to put on it?

 

[rjinga]

Irons only? What optic are you going to put on it

I put a UTG 3-9X32 1" BugBuster Scope on last year's X-mas list, and my sons got one for me. I tried to zero, and then shoot with it a couple of times, but I really needed to get a cheek piece/riser. And, now that I've got the butt stock pad issue resolved (HK91 pad was too hard; slip-on LimbSaver pad was really soft, but moved around too much, and covered the push pin holes; HK21 pad is just right), my next purchase will probably be a riser to use with the scope. However, I'll pretty sure that I'll still continue to practice with the iron sights too.