Well we're hoping to go to SHOT show again this year. Scheduling may be a problem, but I think I have it worked out. As Newbees to the show last year it was quite overwhelming.
The convention hall (from all accounts) took a degree in cartography to figure out. The number of exhibitors was mind blowing and the canky staff at the convention yelled at us every time the cheap badge holders got turned around. We even had one employee of the hotel ask us if we were old enough to be there. I should have told she missed my age by well over a decade, but I thought better of it. I don't need to be giving the wrong idea about gun owners.
This year should go much more smoothly. Having the hind sight we do, there will be a better plan and a more organized treading of the halls. Also planned is a better report on cool products, old and new, via the blog. It should be a good year.
-Steven Kipp
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Annual Fathers Day Shoot...On the 4th of July
As it turns out our 4 Annual Fathers Day Shoot was held on the 4th of July weekend this go around. We met up here in Wyoming and we had a blast...literally. Both Brad and I focused highly on some long range shooting of soda bottles and cans. We used both the 1L and 2L bottles as well as some orange soda cans. (Orange is easy to see, easy to see explode and cheap) We used my Savage .308 Win and we were pleasantly surprised at how well we did. The rifle, as always, never let us down. I love that rifle, and Brad seems to be after one of the same model.
All targets were between 400 and 450 yards and we were hitting consistently, and were able to hit several with only one shot. We not only worked on shooting the targets but communicating between the spotter and the shooter.
Both of us found that that as the day wore on, it became more difficult for us to hit the targets. I think this may be due to fatigue: eye strain and possibly some lapsing into bad form.
Overall the mission was accomplished, we had fun, worked on our skills and converted a good amount of gunpowder into noise.
-Steven Kipp
All targets were between 400 and 450 yards and we were hitting consistently, and were able to hit several with only one shot. We not only worked on shooting the targets but communicating between the spotter and the shooter.
Both of us found that that as the day wore on, it became more difficult for us to hit the targets. I think this may be due to fatigue: eye strain and possibly some lapsing into bad form.
Overall the mission was accomplished, we had fun, worked on our skills and converted a good amount of gunpowder into noise.
-Steven Kipp
Monday, April 12, 2010
Prairie Dog Practice
I went out yesterday to practice my skills on some prairie dogs. It didn't turn out to well for them, with little help from me. I took out my 308 and wasn't able to hit anything. We were shooting at anywhere between 100 and 400 yards. Odd thing was that with a .204 my brother-in-law brought I smoked a couple of them with relative ease. I have decidied that three things need to be changed:
1) I need to do a better job of holding the rifle still, this was a major problem with the wind and lack of usable natural rests.
2) I need more practice.
3) I need to get a higher quality scope. The one I have is good but I have reached it's limit when conditions get to be less than optimal. It is a inexpensive scope so I expected to have this happen.
Of course the kicker is that I now also want a .204 for this type of thing. It's a fun, flat little rifle and has very little recoil. It's uses are limited however. The projectile is too small to hunt any big game with, and in many cases the cartridge has too much power for small game. For varmint control it is darn near perfect.
-Steven Kipp
1) I need to do a better job of holding the rifle still, this was a major problem with the wind and lack of usable natural rests.
2) I need more practice.
3) I need to get a higher quality scope. The one I have is good but I have reached it's limit when conditions get to be less than optimal. It is a inexpensive scope so I expected to have this happen.
Of course the kicker is that I now also want a .204 for this type of thing. It's a fun, flat little rifle and has very little recoil. It's uses are limited however. The projectile is too small to hunt any big game with, and in many cases the cartridge has too much power for small game. For varmint control it is darn near perfect.
-Steven Kipp
Monday, March 29, 2010
To Bolt or not to Bolt
Generally when people think of long range accuracy they think of a bolt action rifle, and with good reason. They have been and still are the most accurate rifles out there. But here's a thought that was discussed quite thoroughly between myself and a friend: He doesn't need a bolt gun yet for accuracy shooting.
I can see the confusion on your face, and yes, I understand the scope of blaspheme of which I have just committed. Please, before the burning at the stake, let me explain myself. He has an AR rifle in standard .223 Remington from Rock River. He told me it is dead accurate at 500 yards, to which I replied that I knew because I was the one doing the shooting that day. He is also a beginner to precision shooting, as most of his experience has been of the shoot the target until it falls down type.(Nothing against that, just a different type than what is usually discussed here.) The rifle he has still shoots better than he does, (and probably me at this point) so here is my conclusion on the matter:
It seems that the practical decision here would be to practice with the semi auto rifle until longer range or more accuracy is needed. No new gun to buy, relatively cheap ammo compared to .308 or 30-06, and as long as he can not pull the trigger too fast, good practice.
Now don't misunderstand me. For him it might work a while until he finds something he wants or needs something more suited to the task. Personally, I'm going to be shooting my long heavy slow bolt of a .308. For some, there is no substitute.
-Steven Kipp
I can see the confusion on your face, and yes, I understand the scope of blaspheme of which I have just committed. Please, before the burning at the stake, let me explain myself. He has an AR rifle in standard .223 Remington from Rock River. He told me it is dead accurate at 500 yards, to which I replied that I knew because I was the one doing the shooting that day. He is also a beginner to precision shooting, as most of his experience has been of the shoot the target until it falls down type.(Nothing against that, just a different type than what is usually discussed here.) The rifle he has still shoots better than he does, (and probably me at this point) so here is my conclusion on the matter:
It seems that the practical decision here would be to practice with the semi auto rifle until longer range or more accuracy is needed. No new gun to buy, relatively cheap ammo compared to .308 or 30-06, and as long as he can not pull the trigger too fast, good practice.
Now don't misunderstand me. For him it might work a while until he finds something he wants or needs something more suited to the task. Personally, I'm going to be shooting my long heavy slow bolt of a .308. For some, there is no substitute.
-Steven Kipp
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
SHOT Show Products: March Rifle Scopes
I got a chance to look at the March line of rifle scopes at the 2010 SHOT Show. These seem to be fantastic scopes. Of course you get what you pay for. It seems that the least expensive scope they offer is going retailing for $1820. No, no, no not eighteen dollars and twenty cents, we're talking nearly two grand.
The salesman I talked to (Forgive me, but I did not get his card) said that they are hand made in Japan. When I looked through one it was very, very clear. I was also told that it could handle just about any caliber and they are tested mounted forward and backwards for 500 shoots each. I have not used any of their products (I was actually a little afraid of handling it at that price) so I can't give you any first hand experience knowledge.
Looking through their catalog, they make a variety of very high power scopes. One I found that was new for this year was an 8-80x56mm with a 34mm tube diameter. There is also a 5-50x56mm scope. These may go for well over $3500 each. Most of their products run about 2k and are for tactical, hunting and long distance rifle shooting.
Most of the other stuff is pretty standard for scopes: 1/4 or 1/8 MOA adjustments, they all come with side focus turrets, and you can get accessories like a large turret wheel or sun shade for an additional price.
Not actually have had the opportunity to try these I won't give a rating, but I thought it'd be worth mentioning on the blog.
-Steven Kipp
The salesman I talked to (Forgive me, but I did not get his card) said that they are hand made in Japan. When I looked through one it was very, very clear. I was also told that it could handle just about any caliber and they are tested mounted forward and backwards for 500 shoots each. I have not used any of their products (I was actually a little afraid of handling it at that price) so I can't give you any first hand experience knowledge.
Looking through their catalog, they make a variety of very high power scopes. One I found that was new for this year was an 8-80x56mm with a 34mm tube diameter. There is also a 5-50x56mm scope. These may go for well over $3500 each. Most of their products run about 2k and are for tactical, hunting and long distance rifle shooting.
Most of the other stuff is pretty standard for scopes: 1/4 or 1/8 MOA adjustments, they all come with side focus turrets, and you can get accessories like a large turret wheel or sun shade for an additional price.
Not actually have had the opportunity to try these I won't give a rating, but I thought it'd be worth mentioning on the blog.
-Steven Kipp
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Return From SHOT Show
After my first SHOT show all I have to say is...wow.
We'll be posting here with all the cool new stuff I saw(some of it may only be new to me...but it's still cool). Please forgive my delayed reaction, but some of us don't get to do this for a living and have real jobs that take up quite a bit of precious blogging time.
For now I just have to say we had a great time and meet some very cool people.
Also to follow is an official disclousre of anything that was given to us to accomidate stupid new laws...I'm sure you know the ones.
Also, the reloading series will continue shortly.
We'll be posting here with all the cool new stuff I saw(some of it may only be new to me...but it's still cool). Please forgive my delayed reaction, but some of us don't get to do this for a living and have real jobs that take up quite a bit of precious blogging time.
For now I just have to say we had a great time and meet some very cool people.
Also to follow is an official disclousre of anything that was given to us to accomidate stupid new laws...I'm sure you know the ones.
Also, the reloading series will continue shortly.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
More Practice at 750 yards
On Sunday we went out to a buddy's house to have a friend shoot my Savage 308. A group of four of us went and another friend brought his new tricked out 308. It is a custom gun and he spent more on the scope alone than both of my rifles put together. Needless to say it was a blast (figurtively and literally) to shoot.
We ended up putting some 2 liter bottles of discount soda out at 750 yards to shoot at with both .308s. Even though all four of us were shooting at them Brad and I were the only ones able to get one. Shooting that far and waiting for the bullet to get there long after you've pulled the trigger is quite a cool experience. For us newbies it was the first time we had waited that long to see if we'd hit the target. The wait took some getting used to.
We ended up shooting the pop bottles with my stock Savage in the end. Here is Jared on it, shooting at one of the pop bottles.
Here is Brad with the end result:
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