Shiloh 44-77 Hartford

[Kurt]

Eric I sure wish I could make Merrill but it's too close to the Alma MI time frame. I never shot there and really would like to.

[Eric Johanen]

It's a fun steel match. Due to the range orientation Iron sight shooter's start around 11:30 or so. Scope users can give it a go earlier. Range faces east and the sun has to be well up to see the pesky critters thru the irons. 40 shot match 200 to 500 yards. 300 yard triangle and 500 yard diamond are really wicked. I've run the barrel sights well out to 400 yards on the larger targets. No success on the 500 yard bank yet and hoped to change that. I stick with the larger targets, and do not shoot for score. The small ones are just to tough to get a sight on as the target is the width of the front blade or a bit smaller and it's just too difficult to center with no windage adjustment. Kentucky windage is what you got to work with. I do like to see what the barrel sights are capable of at ranges beyond 200 yards. With confirmed zero's and practice I do think pretty good work can be done with those sights.

[Kurt]

Eric your using the sand sights as I do also you have the same bullet. I don't know what the taper differeence is between your heavy and my standard weight would be but when I shoot the 410 yard diamond I have the slide elevated where I barely see a sliver of light beneath it, about the thickness of two sheets of paper and that centers the diamond.
ladder down it's right on at 130 yards.

[Eric Johanen]

Using that sight combination on the standard heavy 30 inch barrel with the leaf up, the bottom notch marked for 100 yards this load printed about 3 to 5 inches below the bull. Bringing up a bit of the front blade I was in the black. For 300 I'll start with the slider bottomed out and see what happens. This will be a little below the 200 yard mark. Hope it's a bit low and I can slide it up a whisker. If high I'll be having to hold below the target. For 400 I'll start right between the 3 and 4 hundred yard marks and the same for the 500 yard targets just between the 4 and 5 marks. I have had a tendency to shoot over the longer targets and will have to see what these starting points will do. This rifle and load shoots really flat so it should be close if my spotter can see the impacts in the dirt around the targets. I have opened up the bottom notch and now can see a pretty good sight picture with the blade not crowding the notch. With your standard barrel your muzzle is higher than my heavy barrel and that makes for the difference in the settings.

[Kurt]

Eric.

Just thinking Is Merrill a one day shoot or two? I could take the long way to Alma Michigan going over the bridge in the UP and shoot the Regional match at Alma the following weekend.
Is the range big enough that I can bring the camper in because I will not be pulling the jeep.
It would be nice spending a couple days on the lake before crossing the Mackinac bridge. I don't like going through the concrete jungles of Chicago and Gary Indiana anyway.

[Eric Johanen]

Kurt, it is a 1 day event and there is no room for a RV. Several nice camp grounds in the area but you would still need a way to get to the range. Maybe next year for a trip up. The matches are not always on the same days or even month. When Mike can set it up he let's us know. It is great fun and a nice day to shoot some rifles that do not always get to come out and play.

[Kurt]

Merrill is only a 5 hr run straight north for me. Just make a note here when the next one is and if the time is right I will make it. We frequent that location often.
Arnie sent me a schedule for Rapids and A couple others a while back on the other computer but it got lost.

[Distant Thunder]

Kurt,

You would not have room for your RV at the range but the club house is only about 200 yards down the road from the range. You would have plenty of room there for the RV. You could drop your gear off at the range then drive to the club house, park and walk back to the range for shooting.

We often walk to the club house at lunch time for burgers and then walk back after eating and resume shooting.

[Kurt]

Do you have GPS coordinates or a address for the range?

And are you going to make the regionals at Alma next week?

[Eric Johanen]

Completely forgot that! Not enough coffee prior to my post. Loads are put up for the shoot and used the same components as above but compressed the powder about half again as much and dry wrapped the bullets with .002 100% bond paper. Slip fit in the fired cases and secured with the .457 bushing in my Meacham die. Bullets rotate but do not fall free when the cartridge is turned upside down. I expect a little less fouling and maybe a pickup of a few FPS. Have been working with mainly a "hunting" type load and now starting to work up a "target" load for this cartridge and rifle. We will see how they fly on Saturday!