Sep 6, 2012

Shooting up the cow pasture

The new Remington 760 got its first workout as a Camp J resident yesterday.

As a matter of biology, I report that even a middlin' load of 125 grains at something like 2900 feet per second makes a guy wish for more padding than one layer of tee-shirt cotton; a .30-06 round from a seven and one-half-pound rifle is tolerable, but it gets your attention. (For comparison, a Garand weighs about ten pounds.)

We fired at 80 yards in K's pasture from an improvised shooting bench -- a log dressed with a Vietnam poncho liner and a horse blanket if you demand precise descriptions -- and produced groups just shy of respectable.  That is, a bit over two inches up to a lamentable four-plus.  Allow what you will for unfamiliarity and  a stiff and fluky crosswind.

Observations: The trigger is fair at best, gritty, creepy, and a bit heavy, even for a "hunting" rifle.  Working the action requires an authoritative attitude. If you wimp it, the extractor won't snap over the rim, and you'll lose your trophy terrorist because your rifle is out of battery. To be fair, it's a virtually new rifle, and more rounds might smooth things.

The early Redfield 3x9 reminds me of the difference between excellent optics and the mediocre Oriental crap on most of the scoped rifles around here. Suddenly, your right eye is 20 years old again. On the other hand, I wish it had click stops. I also wish the right-to-left adjustment actually moved the groups left.  Oh well, I'll view that as a challenge to my problem-solving skills.

Overall, it's an attractive woman of the kind you take to good restaurants. But you're reluctant to propose marriage.

I think I'll put it on the table at our small local show this weekend, just to see what it's worth as trading stock.The asking price will be exhorbitant as a sop to the  deeply held conviction that  it is always wrong to sell a gun.  









6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where and when is the local loophole?

Not saying I'll make the journey...weekend dance card is pretty full already...but maybe it's worth reshuffling.

John said...

Don't know why that posted as Anonymous...I used my regular credentials.

Jim said...

"Anonymous John" has a nice ring to to it -- I dunno, a sort of private but good-natured guy who might be packing. :)

This is a new loophole in Spirit Lake, Iowa, so I can't predict much about its quality.

It's at the 4H Exposition Center. Not too hard to find -- just north of the big Hy-Vee grocery on 71, three of four blocks west of "downtown."

It would be great to have you here, and you're more than welcome to bunk in Camp J's Transient Officers Quarters.

Jim said...

Forgot the time: This Saturday and Sunday, usual gun show hours.

Anonymous John said...

Thanks for the invite.

Unfortunately, the offspring have activities Saturday and it falls to me to herd them in the general directions.

She Who Must Be Obeyed has declared this "HER Weekend" since I got to spend last weekend at a motorcycle rally without her or the kids.

Maybe next time...

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous John" sounds like an entry on a call girl's booking sheet. JAGSC