Tag Archives: Shooting

Action Shooting Club

Back to the Action Shooting Club. Haven’t competed in eight months so didn’t expect to do too well. Somehow I managed to take Third yet again.

The first stage was called ‘Don’t Forget the Plates’ which I choked completely. Somehow had my front sight buried in the the middle of one little steel plate and inexplicably sent five shots over the top of it before realizing I needed to hold a little lower. After that I managed to get through with a single mike.

Stage Two was unnamed. Very fun stage with two close dynamic targets and then short sprints to three more close arrays of targets. I aced this stage winning it for Production Class.

Stage Three is “Occupy Chabot” which was pretty straight forward. It used the old classic targets with no steel or no shoots. I rushed one array for a single mike.

And the last stage was the USPSA classifier called “Easy Street” I did ok on this one, probably qualifying at my current C level.

Zero Check

Went to the range today to check the zero on two of my rifles. Going hunting next week back at the Diamond C ranch again. I’m hoping to use my bow but like to have a rifle handy in case this year turns out to be anything like last year.

Went up to Los Altos Rod and Gun Club off of Skyline. Had one of those perfect range sessions where I only need to take three shots with each rifle and I’m good to go. Started off with my Sako M85 Stainless Hunter in 30.06. I have added the Leupold CDS Turret to the 4.5-14 scope indexed for the Hornady Superformance 150gr SST load.

First shot just outside the circle and second in the same hole. I shouldn’t have looked through the spotting scope as the prospect of shooting a one hole group is usually enough to get you too excited to finish it off. Third shot just to the left for a .410 inch group.

 

 

 

 

Second up is my prized Cooper 52 Custom Classic in .270 Winchester. Trying out some hand loads with 140gr Nosler Accubond bullets over 53.5grs of IMR4831 for 2910fps. My CDS scope is indexed to the same load at approx 2900. All three shots in the circle for a .896″ group. I wish every day at the range went this well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

100 years later

This year marks the 100 year anniversary of John ‘Moses’ Browning‘s incredible .45 caliber pistol, the venerable “1911” which just might be more popular now than it ever was. I have been meaning to secure a top notch .45 and finally have in my Les Baer Custom Carry. I have tried every .45 I can and so far none compare to the Les Baer guns I’ve shot. Not even close. I shot 150 rounds today at Reed’s Indoor Range and am about halfway through the 500 round break in period. The gun is super tight and Les guarantees 3″ at 50 yards.

On this target at 15 yards I was able to keep 22 of 25 in the ten ring and 18 X. The cheap Fiochi ammo I bought for the break in is actually super hot so the errors are all mine. After I get used to it I imagine I’ll be able to improve on this a great deal.

If you want a great custom .45, and you live in California, I don’t think you can find a better one. Les has gone to the trouble to get 10 of his guns approved for sale here. Thank you John Browning and thank you Les Baer!

The Action Shooting Club

Had a great time shooting back at TASC again. This time I did a little better than usual shooting clean all day with no miss penalties. The usual suspects and some new ones also rose to the occasion so I finished fourth. I shot too slowly on the first stage and a failure to seat my mag on stage three cost me a lot of points.

Stage One is called ‘Must Get Milk’ you engage paper targets from the first box, then run to the second for steel, and then enter the barricades for some closer targets. A fun stage but went a little too slow and had a couple extra shots on steel.

Stage Two is “Out of Sight” I shot this one very well. The last array of targets has a head shot that you really need to focus on. I took three shots at it and scored the two I needed.

Stage Three is “Soup or Salad” where you have to start with an unloaded gun, holding a plastic knife and fork. Had a great plan on this one but didn’t seat my third mag and then took too long to fix it. Finished with getting all my hits though.

Stage Four is the classifier “Six in Six” which is three separate strings shooting the same three targets within six seconds. The first is at a great distance, six shots mandatory reload and six more. At this distance few of us got a shot in past the reload and I elected to just try for six hits. Second string is six shots strong hand. Last string included here is six shots weak hand. I did ok with 13 hits. A lot harder then it looks!

TASC: Third Again

Competed at The Action Shooting Club Saturday. We had a great turn out with over 40 competitors. I think Top Shot has sparked some interest in our sport. It was a beautiful day and the stages were a lot of fun. I definitely need some practice if I’m going to ever be competitive in Production class. I ended up third again behind the usual suspects.

Stage one is ‘Mixed Nuts’ which is paper and steel targets on each side of a barricade. The start is with an unloaded gun. I took my time on this one and managed to get all the steel targets with my first shot.

Stage Two is ‘Bendit Len’ which is designed I imagine with one of our lefties in mind. Most stage designs favor right handers so this one has us all contorting to shoot around the left hand side of barricades. Also starting with an unloaded gun. I stumbled a little on the start of this one and then rushed the finish which gave me a couple misses.

Stage Three is nice maze of mostly close shots that ends with a series of paper and steel. No-shoot and hard cover targets on this stage force you to slow down a little a little to make your shots and avoid penalties. I shot this one clean although a little too slow.

Stage Four: ‘It’s Not Brain Surgery’ is the classifier. A new one we’ve not shot before. Start with loaded gun on a table and then engage three targets two shots each all head shots. I missed once on the last target even making up a shot. It had so much tape on it I thought I saw two holes.

Back to TASC

Back to The Action Shooting Club match this weekend. My last time shooting handgun was at the very wet Bay Bridge Charity Classic back in October. I felt pretty good for having not shot in so long taking third in production behind the usual suspects.

I was pleased to shoot the classifier really well, probably my best classifier score to date.

Stage one is ‘Namby Pamby Land’ designed by Len to ease us all back into the competition with what is supposed to be a simple stage. I focused on accuracy and although I took second in this stage the slow time really hurt me overall.

Stage Two is ‘Clear The House’ a nice straight forward stage with some steel. I took third in this stage for Production.

Stage Three ‘Can You Count’ is the Classifier. I shot this very well and took first in Production for this stage.

Stage Four “Limited Point of View’ I had some issues with this stage, hitting the last steel but not putting it down so hitting it again. Then didn’t seat them mag properly on the following reload and had to clear a stovepipe during the last array.

November Blacktail Hunt

Friday November 12 – Arrived at the ranch around lunchtime and after getting unpacked Dylan and I head out. The first buck we see just within the tree line is a pretty good buck with a broken main beam. He’s also missing an eye on the other side. Looks like he’s gotten the worst of it. He’s watching a spike with three does in the open field and we wonder when he’ll come drive the spike off. We drive on and come to a right hand turn that has hills to our right and a lower slope down on the left. we see a coyote sitting in the distance on the hill side. Dylan has those Leica geovids and ranges him at 281 yards. I dial my new CDS turret on my .270 Cooper to 280 and step out for a shot.  I try to center the shaking reticle on it’s chest and squeeze. It falls at the shot and Dylan says I got it. We move up to check it out. I hit it low but still killed it. It’s a bitch with a nice coat. I’m so pleased with the CDS turret and ready for any shot on a big buck. Eventually we see Club again, he’s a nice 5×4 this year. A big fork horn in an opening with a doe. Later in the hunt we see a big 4×4 far out in a field with some does. Dylan calls him ‘The Teacher’ as he’s probably out of another buck they called ‘The Principal’ and he’s been pretty elusive. He looks interesting but we move on. Back near the cabin we get out and glass from the mound above the food plot. There is a buck with a short deformed rack in the near clearing. Farther down we find a rack in the grass that looks like a whitetail. Kenny arrives while we’re glassing. A cow died on the upper ranch and he’s going to sit over it this evening to try for coyotes. Holly arrives shortly after and we have a nice dinner of fried whitetail steaks from their Wisconsin trip.

Saturday November 13 – Up early and eventually back down to the lower ranch again. Right off we see a big 4×4 on a hill above us to our left. It’s the Teacher again and this time I get a closer look. He’s huge! I’m out and loading a round as he is moving below and to our right. We move to a grassy knob and I go prone but it’s too late for a shot. He does seem like a smart buck. Moving on we come to a narrow opening that has a nice looking 3×3 with a doe. We watch him for a while and Dylan take some video. Back to the cabin for lunch with Clayton and Ashley. Kenny is setting up again on the dead cow but nothing’s touched it so far. We’re back out after lunch. We see a spike with a doe and then a big fork horn with a doe. A little further on we see an odd looking buck. He’s a 4×3 and his left main beam hooks up. Dylan calls him ‘Captain Hook’ He’s also with a doe. We start thinking he might be a good bow buck. We drive on and enter a narrow wooded area and stop near a 4×4 just inside the tree line watching us. I take some pictures. He’s not a bad 4×4 although his backs are a little shallow. At the turn around we can see another ranch across the river and count 20 bucks in a clearing. Back to the Cabin for dinner with Holly, Clayton and Ashley, rib eyes off the bbq.

Sunday November 14 – On our way out there is a 4×3 above the decrepit ranch house with 3 does. We move on and see spikes and some forkies. We pass by Hook with a doe and a spike. Further on we have a view of a distant hill side where a lone coyote is sunning himself in an open field. He’s 800 yards so we leave him be. We pass a nice 3×3 with does.

Coming back now Hook is on the knob just above the rock pit. We drive to the barbwire fence line and he’s probably 100 yards from us. He’s with a doe and staring right at us. At this point we decide to see if I can get him with my bow. I slip out and Dylan hands me my bow, I crouch with the bill of my hat covering my face and slowly start moving in a low crouch up the fence line. I have a post in mind to range from. I take my time hoping that he doesn’t spook. I get to the post and take my rangefinder out and he’s still standing there. He’s at 55 yards. I estimate three posts to forty yards and start moving again. I get to my post and look up to range again. Still there. 39 yards. I start to clip my release on and as I do he turns endwise and puts his head down feeding! Now I’m thinking I can get to 30. I move up two posts stand and as I draw he takes three steps forward putting him just over the horizon of the hill side. I move even closer and now he’s broadside to me at 20 but I only see his back line. I contemplate shooting but decide against as I wouldn’t be able to see the impact. It would make too much noise to cross the fence so I back out. Back to the truck Dylan asks why I didn’t just shoot at 40. He says he’s still there and to approach from the other side of the fence line and keep a tree in between me and the doe. I’m off again, now my heart is pounding and I’m shaking a little. Try to calm down as I creep to the tree. I’m moving faster than before up to the tree but didn’t see the buck or the doe as I got closer. I get to the tree and then step out. There he is broadside at 10 yards, the doe as well, neither spook. I clip on and draw, I have my twenty pin buried in his chest and just as I put my finger in front of the trigger he simply walks down the hillside and the doe follows. I move to the other side of the knob but don’t have a shot. I should have drawn my bow before stepping out, should have believed that they were still there. Still, this was such an exciting stalk, one that I will be thinking about for the rest of the year.

We do some more glassing and watch one incredible buck fight. Two big bucks really going at it in the distance, the victor ends up with a rack full of grass. You can see how they can get hurt badly during the rut.

Lunch back at the cabin and then we take the Rhino up to Crandall’s to swap a trail cam card and put in batteries. We glass bucks from Deadman’s for a while. There are two 3x3s with a doe below us and a 3×3 in the distance bedded with a doe. After a while we head back to the cabin and into the truck. We see a pretty nice 4×4 right near the road who doesn’t seem bothered by us. We take some video of him and he eventually moves off. We head up to the willows and there are about 14 turkeys there. We look down into the valley and see a big 3×3 gets up with another big buck with a broken main beam. We decide to head back to the cabin and then eventually come back again to try for the Teacher. We’re seeing a couple spikes and lots of does out near the cabin from the knob above it. Soon Dylan spots a big buck and we get the spotting scope out. He looks awesome, deep forks. He’s a big 5×4. I see him leave the tree line and think he’s gone but he comes back out again with a doe. I grab my Cooper and rack a round, drop the bi-pod and we crawl forward on the knob. Dylan had grabbed the video camera. He says he’s at 234 yards and shoot when ready. I set the turret to 230 I’m holding on him and squeezing just as he turns his head back. He kicks at the shot and I try to find him in my scope as he runs in a large circle now moving away, I shoot again holding on his shoulder and he drops. I hit the base of his neck. Actually the first shot was perfect and he was probably about to drop. I’m so happy with him. He is a fantastic buck with deep forks and a small fifth. He looks like a potential B&C buck! We celebrate with a great dinner of Caribou steaks from their recent hunt.

Monday November 15 -Up early monday to try for pigs with our bows over at Dylan’s. Halfway there we can see it’s completely socked in so decide to abort and head back to the ranch to take care of my buck. We tour the ranch first but not much is out. A coyote manages to elude us. Back to the cabin for lunch and then we skin and quarter my buck. Dylan capes him and then we put the tape on him. He’s 139 3/8 gross with about 4” in deductions. He just might make the book when I can score him in January. Regardless it was the end of an amazing 2010 season taking the two best bucks of my life and so many great experiences hunting with Dylan again on the Diamond C.

Classifier Match at The Action Shooting Club

After five months away I finally made it back to the Action Shooting Club match. This match was all USPSA Classifier stages. This gives people the ability to quickly achieve a classification for a new Division. Typically we have only one classifier stage in a match, the scores of which are submitted and determine your classification for competition.

I had just made C shooting my Glock 34 in the Production division back in May so my goal was to try and be smooth and improve my percentage. I was doing really well initially and took first in El Presidente, probably the most famous qualifier. The afternoon is where I had a couple extra shots at steel and one miss. Overall I felt pretty good taking fourth in Production. We have our Bay Bridge Charity Classic in two weeks at Richmond which will be a fun shoot.

Stage One: “El Presidente” (CM 99-11)

Stage Two: “Fluffy’s Revenge 2” (CM 06-05)

Stage Three: “On Any Given Sunday” (CM 09-12)

Stage Four: “Six” (CM 08-03)

Stage Five: “Pucker Factor” (CM 09-04)

SCI Club 200 Yard Shoot

Saturday I went to the annual 200 yard shoot hosted by my local chapter of Safari Club International. We usually have about 15 guys show up to sight in their rifles for hunting season at the Chabot 200 yard  range which we have to ourselves for the day.

I started out with my prized Cooper which I received last year in time to take my best Blacktail Buck to date. I had the rifle custom made in .270 winchester and waited almost two years for it to arrive.

I had bought some of the new Federal .270 with a 110 gr Barnes Tipped Triple Shocks which are rated at 3400 fps. This load was very interesting as it approximates the extremely flat trajectory of the .257 Weatherby out of a .270 Winchester. This load sighted dead on at 200 is only 5″ low at 300 yards and with a slightly higher adjustment could be a great deer load out to 400. My main concern is can the twist on my barrel stabilize such a light bullet. After a few groups I think the answer is, not well enough. I was able to shoot a couple 2″ groups however it’s not as accurate as I had hoped. The rifle is so accurate with more typical .270 loads I’ll probably just go back to 140gr Accubonds.

Next up was my Sako 85 in 30.06. This is a great all weather rifle and my go to gun for when I don’t want to carry the Cooper around, like in rain or snow. I have it set up for the Barnes 180 gr Triple Shocks so that it’s legal for pigs in the California A Zone which does not allow lead in an attempt to help save the endangered California Condor.

The Sako always seems to deliver great accuracy. It was also my best group of the day at 1 1/2″. Many of the guys out there shoot nice groups but I’m always curious how far they are off from their ‘Point of Aim’. While I’m trying to shoot under 2″ at 200 yards, most all of my shots all day were within 3 of my Point of Aim and most were under 2.

My last rifle of the day is my Sauer 202 in .300 Weatherby. This is a finicky gun for some reason. I took a nice elk with it in New Mexico only after coming up with a good handload. Today I’m just sighting in a box of 180 gr Nosler Partitions. It does about what I expected which is around a 3″ group at 200 yards. Still all three shots are within 2″ of my ‘point of aim’ and it’s still a great elk rifle with that level of accuracy.

Was a great day, always enjoy shooting with these guys as many of them have exotic hunting planned for the fall. I shot next to Mike Borel our chapter president. He always does some amazing groups with his Browning A-Bolt in .280 with a carbon fiber wrapped Christensen barrel. He’s off to Switzerland for Ibex this fall.