Dusty range trip

[Hawk451 2,230]

Had the 'lower range' (speed-rock distance & out to 200 yards) to myself today.  97 degrees, windy & so dry that a rattlesnake would need a canteen.

 

Someone had dragged the shooting bench (cable spool) back 10 yards, Must've wanted to shoot at 100 meters instead of yards. I was too encumbered with sandbags & such (and too hot & lazy) to drag it back.

 

Brought the M1 carbine (and a cleaning rod to knock out stuck steel cases. Oh yeah, I got a good deal on that Tula ammo)

 

 

Old-school AR. Total list of tacticool accessories, gadgets, bells & whistles: a sling.

 

 

M85 with the Ronin's Grips furniture installed.

 

 

Tried out some Fiocchi ammo I got on sale from Midway.

 

 

100% reliable function in the AR. Accuracy was  nothing to write home about, but not too bad. 'Bout 2-1/2 inches c-c. Best I've done with that rifle was an RCH over 1-1/2" with handloads. Lower target spot (which I rather stupidly pasted before taking pic) is the Fiocchi, upper target is cheap Wallyworld Federal bulkpack, 'called flier' cutting 10 ring opens group to almost six inches. Oy, I need more practice or less coffee.

 

 

As usual, the M85 eats whatever its fed with no complaints.  Accuracy was not as good as with the AR, but it'll do. Call it 3.5 MOA.

 

 

Advancing to 50 yards, I got in some standing unsupported  practice on bowling pins &  a couple of those 'rubber cube' type reactive targets. I prefer reactive targets to paper when possible.

 

All was going fine, with bouncing cubes & splintering bowling pins, until the AR began to choke on the bulkpack stuff.   A brief examination revealed that the action was as dry as a popcorn fart.  OK, I've heard a lot of this 'run 'em wet' talk for ARs. I've always been pretty stingy with the oil for fear of trapping grit, fouling, etc.  A couple drops of CLP in the exhaust ports, on the bolt head and into & on bolt carrier and we're back in business.

 

 

Pretty good day. Drank about 3 bottles of water (and shot 6), used enough sunblock, only a minor back twinge from picking up brass. I may have to get one of these:

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0MqEWW3L8c

 

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but laziness (or backache avoidance) is the father.