Time on the range

"Get out from under foot husband"

It was Saturday October 11 at 1000 hrs, 71 degrees, over cast and the wind was gusting out of the south 15 to 20 mph when "She Who must be Obeyed" threw me out of the house and told me not to come back for at least three hours. In fact her exact words were;

"I bought you a year membership at the Horse Thief gun range now go use it, I have an afghan to lay out and finish. I don't want you in my way."
My response (as I headed out the door rifle, ammo and range bag in hand);

"Yes Dear, your the Boss Dear, anything you say Dear."

Note: Yes this is another Mossberg SSI article.

After signing in I tossed a target board in the back of the Bow Tie P/U and drove over to the west to east 300 yard range. After planting the stand in the 200 yard holder I set up the rest and sand bag. Pausing to clear my head I thought;

"Damn that is a long poke and you ain't shot that far in a long time."


Slipping a 150 grain Remington Core-Lokt round of 30-06 ammunition into the chamber and closing the action I pressed the butt stock into my cheek and shoulder. Finding the target with the 9 power setting of the Leopold scope I tried to settle the cross hairs on the center of the target and decided it wasn't going to happen with the wind gusting out of the south the way it was.

When the gusting died down a few moments later I steadied the hairs and squeezed of the first round.

30 caliber holes are hard to see at 200 yards even on 9 power so I ejected the spent brass and moved to the next bench where my 45X spotting scope sat focussed on the target. The wind had picked up again wobbling the scope making it difficult for me to see the hole in the paper a few inches low and a tad to the left.

Back to the bench with the rifle on it. I loaded the 2nd round and after letting the wind abate sent it down range. For some reason I was able to see it through the Leopold. It had landed dead center about an inch low. I verified it in the spotting scope before launching the 3rd bullet. Number 3 hit about half way between 1 & 2.

Hopping in the Bow Tie I drove (your damn right I lazy) down and eye balled the target numbering the hits with a Sharpie in the process.

Back at the firing line I put shots number 4 & 5 on the paper.

Nobody was more surprised than I when I saw that the last three shots I fired made one ragged hole that could be covered with a quarter.



An off the rack Mossberg hunting rifle with a low end Leopold scope and Remington factory hunting ammo produced a sub MOA group at 200 yards. Okay I am impressed.

If I can shoot this rifle with this barrel (30-06) and the .223 bull barrel (yes the one with the 25 year old Simmons 3-10 44 mag scope) I have for the same receiver as well as I do with factory ammo, I can't help but wonder how good the combinations could be with meticuously reloaded rounds.

I have no doubt these tools are capable of more accuracy than I will ever be able to record with them.

I acquit myself pretty well on the longer ranges but I will be the first to admit that, especially with the gusting wind, today was an exceptional day for me.

Recap

• Rifle - Mossberg SSI 30-06 -24 inch 1 in 10 inch twist barrel
• Scope - Leopold Rifleman 3-9x40 LP- 56160
• Ammo - Remington 150 grain Soft point Core-Lokt
• Range - 200 yards
• Wind - From the South 5+/- mph - gusting to 20mph
• Temp - 71 deg & overcast

Why 200 yards and not the full 300?

If memory serves correctly before today I have only taken one shot past 100 yards in the last 3 years (Re: This past Late Decembers Hog hunt when I took one at 175 yards with the .223 barrel. In fact that is why the 5 shots pictured are about 2 inches low; That barrel (30-06) is sighted in at 100 yards and that is all the further I have ever shot it. All game I have harvested with it has been 80 yards or less.

As time and reloading permits (ain't factory ammo getting high dollar?) I intend to put both those calibers on paper out to at least 300 yards. For now though I'll keep the century zero as I do not anticipate having to shoot any farther than that during any of the hunting trips I have planned through the end of the year.

Open Carry American dimed out by Self Righteous CCW'er

Legal open carry of a sidearm leads to arrest for Disturbing the Peace

There is a lot of conversation on a number of websites as to whether Noble was legal or not. The majority, with which I concur, consensus is that he was breaking no law and that Peace Officers at the scene overstepped the authority given them by "We the People".

Hopefully Noble will prevail and not only be awarded punitive damages from the responsible organization but from each of the officers personal bank accounts as well.

What really galls me is that it was one of our own that instigated the travesty that befell Noble.

Meet the back stabbing Judas thug John Atkinson Sr. (My Opinion)

Prosecutors called John Atkinson Sr. of Vanport Township, the first person to spot Noble in a crowd of about 300 people standing in Beaver’s McIntosh Square. Obama, Biden and other Democratic leaders were speaking less than 100 yards away in Quay Square. The parks are at the center of town.

Atkinson said Noble had a semiautomatic 9mm handgun holstered on his right hip and was carrying a Bible. Noble crossed under a police tape cordoning off the park and began distributing literature.

Atkinson, who has a license to carry a concealed weapon and has been a gun owner most of his life, said he immediately hailed a sheriff’s deputy and pointed out Noble, who was arrested on the spot.

“He had every right to (have the gun), but in my opinion, this was a presidential rally, and that isn’t the right time or place to carry a firearm,” Atkinson said.

Atkinson, in my opinion you are a no count backstabbing traitorous to the "Gun Rights Movement" low life scum bag Bastard with a capital B. A. S. T. A. R. D.

Atkinson, you must be one of those politically correct "I don't care if it is legal" you can't do that here Obama supporters.

If possible I would like to see Noble sue your pompous ass for everything you have, as your actions have probably caused the "Guns Rights Movement" more harm than Nobles did.

You are a prime example that the divide and conquor tactics of the egg sucking dog liberal left are working. How does it feel to be a useful tool thug for those that want to strip us of all our 2A Rights? I hope your proud of yourself

So Johnny what was it that really set you off?

Did the sight of a gun send warm piss running down you leg causing you to hide behind the cops?

Was it the Bible?

Did the Good Book remind you of your sinful existance and cause an involuntary release of excriment in your BVD's?

Or maybe your so indoctrinated to the liberal left way of thinking that you just can't stand to see someone exercise a God given Right.

I would hazard a guess that it is because you are too much of a whiny cry baby candy pussy to do what Noble did; Stand up and be an American so you had to knock him down a peg or two.

Mr Atkinson, you can go straight to hell.


Tip of the ole Gunscribe 10 gallon hat to Friend Alphecca for this one.

Thanks Jeff

Life Got in the Way

I know, I know it has been months since I have posted.

Let's just say that it has been a roller coaster of a summer.

History

When we relocated our business to Nebraska in 1994 we were not planning on making the Corn husker state our permanent home. We knew that the day would come when we would be moving away. Since I retired at the end of 2000 we began looking for the place we wanted to live out our days.

This will Explain my almost trademark OU ball cap

In 2003 we found that place; Oklahoma. Since that time we have been putting things in place to make that a reality. Even though there were a few we had shared that information with we, for the most part, played it pretty close to the vest.

A Devastating and Unexpected Loss

For those of you that know us personally you are painfully aware that we lost our youngest son in May. Many of you had known or met him and shared in some degree our loss. Kevin was 24 years old and used a firearm to end his own life.

That we had already planned to accomplish several things this year has been a saving grace in that we had a focus that has helped us get by and deal with our loss.

Recognizing hard work

It was also my pleasure on behalf of Alan Gottlieb and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms to present a number of involved Nebraskans with Certificates of Appreciation for your hard work in making concealed carry a reality in Nebraska a few years ago and the utter defeat of Senator Ashfords atrocity this year. For many years I felt like I was the only one championing the cause. I have been delighted more than mere words can express the work that more and more of you are doing for the issue of "Gun Rights" in Nebraska. Take note that you have been successful and your hard work has been noticed and appreciated by several national organizations.

We have been very busy this summer

When Mrs Gun retired last November we knew 2008 would be the year. We have looked at several small ranch/farm type of properties in the Sooner state this summer and anticipate closing on one of them sometime during the winter months.

We had also had several trips planned this summer to visit family and friends around the country

Not counting the several trips to the Boomer Sooner state we have traveled to Ohio, upstate New York, Vermont, Philadelphia, Pa and our hometown of Horse Thief, New Mexico. With all of this traveling we had literally taken up residence in our 5th wheel travel trailer.

Gun Rights Policy Conference 2008

We also spent last weekend at the Gun Rights Policy Conference; Where we were able to re-acquaint with old friends and meet a few new ones. A lot is always learned from the many panel discussions, but the best time is always sitting around in the evening after the days discussions talking with friends like Dave Kopel and Jeff Knox. Friend Bob Barr, Libertarian Party Candidate for President, was there for the Saturday evening reception. During some of the private moments that Mrs Gun and I had with Bob we made plans to get together when we are in Georgia later this year.

One other thing we had been planning for sometime was to give the snow bird life a try



In fact I am writing this missive on my laptop from the kitchen table of our fifth wheel RV. Yes, thankfully many RV parks now have WiFi. We are comfortably located in an RV park near our hometown of Horse Thief. In addition to spending quality time with family we have rarely seen in years, I have already got to the range with one of and had coffee with another of the guys I shared an Indentured Servitude to Our rich Uncle with.

Yes we will be back in Nebraska from time to time and look forward to visiting with many of you while we are there. I am also not finished with this Blog. There are many more things I feel need to be addressed and as time permits I will be posting them.