Ranch Dogs match has been going on for almost 2 months now. Is anybody shooting targets? The clock is ticking. Where is everybody from last year? And I thought we were going to have some new shooters this year. Better start shooting or time will run out. we are comming up on the 1/2 way mark. Sling some lead fellas ;)

I've been out doing some shooting but haven't come up with anything I am very proud of yet. When I do I will send it in. I also have one of my lever guns in having a trigger job done on it. I expect it back in a week or two and then I will be using it as well.

Hi Big Med,

I haven't even printed any targets yet but my intentions are to start printing & shooting very soon. I'd like to participate in the precision match with my 336A but don't want to remove the Lyman receiver sight and mount a scope so for now it looks like 50 yd. open sight shooting for me. Much easier for us old guys to crawl 50 yds rather than 100 too. Maybe RD needs a senior division where we can shoot at 25 yds!

I've been watching the threads for a report by you about your Win. M 94-30-30. Are you shooting it or has it been traded away?

I actually thought I would try another Winchester in 25-35, but after reading Dr. A's story of misfires with his brand new 94, I'm glad I didn't order one.

Anyway, soon my targets will start to fill RD's PO Box.

Best regrards

35 mph winds today. Not a good day to plan the weekend shooting. Two soccer games, two softball. What do I do? Even with the misfires, I was able to kill a couple of varmints last weekend. I will get those ironed out this weekend, or send it back! The wood-metal fit is terrible compared to a Marlin.

Big Med,

The wind in Oklahoma has been brutal for weeks now. My hunting/shooting buddy went out last Sunday a.m. (don't tell the pastor). I shot two groups at a targer at 50 yds., but not the PM target. One with my 444SS w/XS Ghost Ring and front post and another with the .35 Rem w/Williams FP and green fiber optic front sight. My buddy was wanting to shoot some loads thru his chrony for a couple of rifles. We have only 1 shooting bench on the range so, since I am recouperating from knee surgery I shot my two groups and just sat and iced the knee while he shot. As soon as the wind dies I will be there shooting even though I still am shooting factory stuff. I LOVE THE POSTAL MATCH!!!!!

Dave :cool:

I've got a few sent in so far. The 444 is not looking too bad this year. I'm still working with it hope to get it fine tuned a little more. I have a new to me mod 1894 44 mag, it has potential. That winchester isnt looking too bad either...but it sure isnt a Marlin. There wont be any shooting this weekend for me. The weather looks bad, wind, rain, cold. I'm also working with that 336SC that I got from Big Redhead it looks like a real good shooter ;) Well at lest it looks like there will be 5 of us :eek:

I'm guilty of not shooting myself! Just too many things going on out here at the ranch. My home is right in the middle of being remodeled, taxes, training month, and food plots...

I really wanted to have that get together "shoot-out" but my May work schedule isn't going to be kind... weekends. We are also moving my parents out to the ranch so we can keep track of them over the next few years. Just a lot of things that keep bringing change.

Just spent 7 hours on my tractor today and if it doesn't rain tonight I will get my summer plots in the ground. My place has grown though, as of yesterday I now have 610 acres of prime hunting country surrounding my house. Whoever wins the hog hunt will have some real fine country to hunt.

Let's see... I have gotten targets from Big Medicine, Chief RID, and a new shooter... Beartoother.

My in-laws are visiting, and I've been working late since they've been here. They always seem to think I work a lot, and I wouldn't want to dissappoint them. As soon as they leave I'll take a day or two off and go shooting!

I've been having trouble finding ammo with similar POIs lot# to lot#, so I've gotten REAL miserly with the one lot# I have that has a "good" POI. Anytime I find multiple boxes of the same lot#, I buy a box, test the POI, mark it on the box, and if it's right I go buy the rest of it up. This brings me to the other problem, which is that someone has started a sub-division 500 yards to the left, and 1,000 yards downrange from my range. I have to find some way to erect a backstop, and this is difficult, since the 100 yard target stand has to be 8 feet tall, 'cause of the lay of the land. It's likely that any bullet would be stopped by some trees atop a small hill 650 yards downrange, and anyone would have to be into some really thick undergrowth to be in the line of fire. I just can't take any chances though. I DO plan on getting some targets in before the deadline, even if I have to start making regular trips to the nearest national forest range 60 miles away.

I've been used to picking up a box of ammo, runnin' home, testing it, and if it's hittin' where I want it to, running back to gather up the rest of it. Now, that I can't do that, I guard my ammo stocks like treasure.

If I had not had to use a rear bag this weekend , I may have had a target ready. I have something going now so I am hoping I will have several targets next weekend. A real joy to send multiple targets to be picked up by the Ranch Dog.

Hey Defcon. Is Leeds your closest range? It is mine but I have my home range too. I worry about having folks develope there. My next home will have the range out the back door when I retire.

Ranch Dogs match has been going on for almost 2 months now. Is anybody shooting targets? The clock is ticking. Where is everybody from last year? And I thought we were going to have some new shooters this year. Better start shooting or time will run out. we are comming up on the 1/2 way mark. Sling some lead fellas ;)

Got into shotgunning again, so my rifle practice has been minimal...and such as it has been, mostly BP "thumpers" that really don't group all that well when you put a measure to them. They LOOK good in teh scope, but big bullets just cut out a lot of paper even when they are 2" apart.

INTENDED to shoot rifle today...got sidtracked when a friend dropped off a crossbow.

Now, what the heck are you gonna do with a crossbow, Robert????? :confused:

You've got all you can do with the handguns, rifles, shotguns and charcoal burners!!!! :p

Now, what the heck are you gonna do with a crossbow, Robert????? :confused:

You've got all you can do with the handguns, rifles, shotguns and charcoal burners!!!! :p

Actually, it's my crossbow...I loaned it to him three or four years ago and he's just a little tardy in returning it. To make up for it, he cut and fletched a dozen 2018 Al. shafts into bolts....so I just had to try it just a few times befor heading to the rifle range.

Which reminded me that I had this spare Tasco Pro-Point red dot sight laying around...which made me look for the rings....and keep looking as they weren't were I though they would be...and once found, there was that one missing screw (is it only me?)...with mounting and zeroing in, pretty well used up most of my shooting time.

Did get to zoom out to some land owned by a friend of mine and touch off a few black powder 10ga. loads..am working with a nice condition single barrel James-underlever damascus. No critters taken, just a few patterns...and the dog is getting use to the noise.
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About 15years ago, neighbor had a possum neast in his attic (this is an urban area). City dosen't deal with wild animals (excpt 'gators and snakes). He hired a guy to trap it...managed to tray every house cat ans small dog in the neighborhood, but no possum.

So I offered to help. Sat up on the roof (hidden from passing viewers) and waited...and waited...but without distrubing the neighbors in the least, pinned that possum to the ground.
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Wantd to add this:
Guy lived next door to me for over 20 years...but after that night, he would NEVER enter or exit his house without taking a look up at my roof...guess it kind of spooked him...but he certainly was a very respectful neighbor after that night.

Hey Defcon. Is Leeds your closest range? It is mine but I have my home range too. I worry about having folks develope there. My next home will have the range out the back door when I retire.Philson Crossroads is the quickest. It doesn't have a 50 yard target line though. I like shooting at 50 yards with the 39A in an understudy capacity to the 336C .30-30. I'll be able to erect a backstop at the 50 yard distance on my range easy enough though. There's a range in Pickens that might be a little closer, but not having an interstate HWY to get there makes it take longer.

I like shooting the 336C .30-30 at 100 yards for POI testing. Without being able to do POI testing, my ammo stocks won't be growing.

I really need a Lee Loader, but I can't even find one of them without ordering it. I'm thinking about getting H4895 or Rel 15 if I choose to reload. Whatever powder I get, I'm stuck with ~200 rounds of it, and this is the main reason I'm not doing something about reloading already. I was really hoping to just stick with factory ammo, but with 2" POI variations lot# to lot#, I may be forced to start reloading.

What I'd really like, would be to find about 10 boxes of 170 grn Win Power-Points with the same lot#, and them have a POI not more than an inch lower than the 150 grn Win power-Points. Then I'd know I had some properly loaded 170s, and I'd buy 'em all. Then again, I like the thoughts of a Hornady 170 grn flatpoint over 34 grns of Rel 15, but I really don't want to sink the time & money into the testing and load development.

Sorry 'bout ramblin', maybe all this should've been for another thread on my part, but it all really does contribute to why I haven't already submitted PMIII entries.

I've got enough "good POI" 170 grn PP ammo to last three hunting seasons more or less. I don't feel comfortable cutting into it until I find some more with a similar POI. I've got 'bout 30 rounds that shoot at zero at 100 yards. Maybe some of these'll go toward a couple of entries.

I sight my 336C in ~2" high at 100 yards. This lets me hold dead on out to ~175 yards and hold ~6" high from there on out to ~225 yards. So those shooting zero ARE going to be shot up this summer.

Don't get too far into this before you think about the trigger pull. If it is heavy, accuracy with a lever can be hard to come by. I have struggled with mine and I am now pretty sure the subpar accuracy is mostly me and a heavy trigger pull.

Good Luck and Good Shooting!

I'm thinkin' that 1" to 1-1/2" size groups, with group centers being 2" or more apart, and this tendency being consistant between lot#s, indicates a difference between those two lot#s of ammo. You know, when everything shot from one particular lot# averages 2" high +- 1/4" at 100 yards, and everything shot from another lot# averages zero +- 1/4" at 100 yards, I just don't think it's trigger pull. It seems like if the difference had nothing to do with the ammo, then I'd just be shootin' 3"-4" groups, as opposed to 1" to 1-1/2" groups 2" apart depending which box of ammo I'm shootin' out of. My Marlins are mid '70s, and the triggers feel really light. I've never had a gage on them though, I just know that they're lighter and smoother than my other arms.

You are right. I would not worry about anything with those groups. With that precision I would adjust for the lot and fire away.

Ranch Dog,
Where are we at for entries? How many do you need to the match opened up? and start posting targets?

Ranch Dog,
Where are we at for entries?

The honest answer is that we are at an ALL TIME LOW in entries. Not even enough to make my dog lift her head off the walkway!

I need ten entries to open a match, I have three entries in the Hunter Open and Scope Sights, and one in the Precision Match.

I count one entry as a given shooter shooting a given rifle. The best scoring target from that shooter/rifle combo is his entry in the match. All targets submitted are used for the drawing.

Well if you guys would let me play, I'd get some in. I will have to punch a precision target w/ my 223 and let RD compare it

Sorry JB. Is there not a postal anywhere for you. Oh! I forget about the prizes. I guess that does make for an attractive match. Man, us levergun guys are sure lucky. Drag out somebodys old 30-30 and ring it out for them. I bet somebody would appreciate that.

BigMed, sir,

Yup. Seem to being doing the same dance as last year: until about 1jun try to decide on which cartridge to shoot/dev loads for, which won't embarrass etc... and then the mad dash btwn then and the cutoff date [ie, if I remember last year - the final targets were shot and sent the last day of RDPM2].

At this point we've decided (or had decided for us) on the 219 zipper for the precision match. Were thinking about the 256 from last year, but decided to try something new [so far for RDPM1 and 2 we've shot different cartridges for each... why not do the same for 3]. Were also thinking about using the 450 alaskan in that it's shooting better than any 45/70 we've owned (which clearly makes it a target cartridge)... but then went and broke the right collar bone (managed to drop an oak on myself) which rules out the recoil from the 450... so: the 219 it'll be.

Still haven't found "the loads" yet; one week the brown truck drops new bullets by, the next another hazmat load of powder... hopefully we'll have our choice in place within the next couple weeks (please).

So, yes, we're shooting... but nothing for record yet.

do shoot straight,
greg
www.gmdr.com

Greg,
A guy has to watch those trees, I had a guy almost killed last year when one fell on him. I think I'd pass on the 450 this year.

I cant beleive we are about 1/2 way through the match and dont even have enough to get it started. Let get shootin guys!

I had my first few minutes of peace and quite last night so I started working on loads for the 218 Bee. My 450 Marlin shoots so good with the factory stuff that I'm going to shoot it in the Hunter-Open Sights before I scope it and then in the Hunter-Scope.

Dang Gregg... watch out for them trees!

JB... Three years and you don't have a lever-action yet?

Oh, I will be shooting.

I am trying to get the iron sights set up on my 1948 336 30-30. Once they are, I will start working on my patterns!

My 1895 is ready to go but since there are no caliber classes this year, I will submit the better pattern of the two rifles.

technically its only 2 years, I wasn't around for PMI and the JB gun fund is still open for donations (either money or metal) I still working angle to try to get ahold of a pre64 M94 in 32 WInchester special. I did snag a set of dies off of ebay awhile ago so I will reload for it, at 20 bucks a box for crappy remington factory fodder, I don't think I can go wrong

Ranch Dog
I have two tyargets on the way to you as of today!! The one I shot in March and yesterdays!
I went to shoot a better target then the one in March with the 250's but the wind was 5-10mph and it open the group up with the 250's so I shot agroup with the 325 RNGC hunting load and surprize they grouped good enough to send in. Though I don't think Ill make a habit of shooting these for groups-Hard on the shoulder after 10 rounds!!:)

Today was my day to get started with the 45 Colt & 45-70 and I'm off to a not-too-great start, but I'm sending them to RD anyway.

We had frost this morning and I went out around 10 AM. By then it was cloudy and very windy. None of these targets entitle me to bragging rights but I don't want to disappoint the Ranch Dog as she pulls them from the PO box. Hopefully my next groups will be centered & tighter but we'll see.

Your just sand bagging us Steelbanger :eek: :D ;)

Take it to em steelbanger, us Pennsylvanians gotta show these flatlanders how its done

jb,

I'd love to take it to 'em but I only get close. When fellow Pennsylvanian John Kort jumps in, that's when these shooters get their eyes opened!

Two questions for you. Did you get to the long range match you talked about? And when are you shooting a levergun for this match? Surely you can beg or borrow somebodys old 94 Win.

Big Med,

Regarding your last post here, has anyone heard from the Big Redhead?

C'mon everybody, get going here!

Old Wolf... Shoot both the 336 and the 1895. Each target is an entry in the drawing!

Plan on shooting my 218 Bee today... the key word is plan.

Steelbanger,
I have not heard from him lately, I plan to send an email or PM. He needs to fire up that 30-30 of his. Match just wont be the same with out a target from Big redhead. Now that Ranch Dog has a 218 bee, we could all be in trouble.

Finally caught up with work! The in-laws have gone home and I can take some time to go shooting! Just make and post some invoices to clients first and then I'll try to go to the range tomorrow. Different ammo to try, plus the old "with scope at 100, without at 50" bit. Wish me luck! Weather 85 with 80% humidity. It's breezy where I live, but will be calm at the range.

Steelbanger, I didn't get to the April Match, Hope to get out there this month. I am working a couple of angles, My grandfather has a 32 Win special that I may be able to get ahold of, another guy at our camp has one too. I also have a buddy that has a marlin 30-30 i might be able to borrow, Heck, I may even get him shooting this match

well, that trip was a bust! It started raining as soon as I got there. Between rain showers went out and put up some targets to at least shoot some of the new ammo to see where it hit. The American Eagle was about same POI as the Winchester, but bigger groups. The Remington JHP hit 3" to the right of the other two and the Magtech .44 special Cowboy wasn't getting to the target. Meaning hitting at least 24" lower than all the others. I gave up. Did OK with the 1897T with peep sights. Standing, at 50 meters, was hitting a 4" swinging target 7 out of 10 times. Of course, when I picked up and left, it stopped raining!

OK, I got off my duff and got a chance to shoot Saturday. Not my best outing, but I'll mail them in anyway. Temperature was around 60 degrees with a swirling 10-15 mph wind, but still a good day overall.

Ugh. I was hoping to join in this year, but I just haven't had time! Seems like every weekend is booked, and those few that aren't I end up doing much needed yard work. Sometimes I feel like I hardly get any quality time with my wife anymore - and we've only been married 4 months. :(

My dad's been bugging me to go to the range, so I'll shoot whatever ammo I have and submit a target or two. Probably won't be the best groups out there, but at least it'll be something!

only married 4 months, you still have time to break her in, take her to the range with you, and congratulations

Glad to hear that you guys are starting to shoot and I wish that EVERYONE would win a hog hunt! My wife and I saw some dandy pigs walking through a bottom late last week, real keepers and not spooked in the least.

I now have 610 acres here around my home. Besides my food plots, I'm going to have at least 6 elevated stands that are fed year-round and I'm maintaining 6 100-yard stretchs of bottom that are fed by my truck's tailgate feeder every afternoon. A lot of places you go hog hunting in Texas have their hogs conditioned to coming out only at dark or at night. Whoever wins the hunt will have plenty of "daylight" hogs to hunt!

I plan on shooting a target or two this week and may be we can get a match opened! You can check out each match to see what I've entries I've received.

Well guys,
I just put a Williams 5D on my 1894 44 mag. Got tired of the factory sights. I hope it will tighten up the groups. Hope to get out this week and sling some lead.

Will try tomorrow again.

I shot yesterday and threw my targets away. Man, they were really bad.

I will probably shoot again before the weekend. Probably take my 44 and 38-55. Look out Big Medicine! And I have a match to shoot on Thursday too.

You guys kill me with throwing away targets. Each target is an entry. OOPPPS! Did I just give away the secret to success. Oh! It's a pride thing. I lost all that on my 5 miss day on a doe and a rutting buck about 5 years ago.

Now that's another story.

I have a handful I could mail, but they are the targets that I have used for load devolopment and they are anything to be proud of.

I would be accused of stuffing the drawing box if I sent in every target. I occasionally send in some bad ones but wouldn't feel right if I had three or four times as many targets as everyone else.

The Hunter-Open Sights Match is open... Check it out and the topic is open to receive comments...

Dang Big Med,

Whazzup with .820???? ;)

Dave :cool:

Mumble, and mumble again.

"Is anyone shooting"???... if we shot the rifling out of the 219 zipper barrel... I guess that must mean we've been doing something resembling shooting :( :mad: (it was a used barrel when we bought it, knew it was light in the rifling department... but didn't think we could add enough wear to make what was left go away... but when the bullets start keyholing...)

Now the question is what to do: rebarrel the 219 and hope the loads that worked in the old barrel come close to working in the new one (RANCHDOG: does a 336 with a 721 Rem 222 Rem barrel carved out to 219 still count as a Marlin levergun?); or go back to the 256winmag from last year...

do shoot straight (but don't eat the last of the rifling),
greg
www.gmdr.com

Dave,
That 38/55 is a good shooter. I'm trying for the one hole group right in the center of the target.....doubt it will happen, but all one can do is try.

I wanted to go shoot last night but mother nature had other plans, wind rain and lightning. The wind and rain I can handle...but the lightning..NO WAY. I was struck by lightning when I was 14 and lived to tell the tale. I'm a real fast learner, doesnt take twice for me.

I hate to ask stupid questions, but do I have to send all my targets in one shot, or can I mail them as I shoot ones that I find acceptable?

You can send in what ever you want.

Koolaid... I'd rather get them as you shoot them. I'll take them either way.

RANCHDOG: does a 336 with a 721 Rem 222 Rem barrel carved out to 219 still count as a Marlin levergun?

Sounds like a levergun to me.

Big Med, where is your sense adventure, it sounds so much more impressive to say "I've been struck by lightning twice and lived to tell" :D just ribbin ya

I just put another target in the mail, Michael. It was not close to center but the 4 shot group is encouraging. I may get to shoot more tomorrow. I have lots of ammo loaded and time to burn in the morning if ny boys don't make it home.

Sounds good... my dog is waiting for the target activity to increase... where are all the shooters this year?

JB,
There are somethings that just once in life are enough to experience....thats one of them :D Owning Marlins on the other hand well....one cant have to many of those ;) You have to get your hands on that 32 Win Spl, once you do you will be hooked, then you will be on the hunt for a Marlin Sporting Carbine in 32 Win spl.....just like the rest of us ;) Take care my friend, and get a target shot.

my grandfather has a pre-64 model 94 in 32win special, never drilled and tapped for scope or reciever sights, the bluing is worn but its honest wear, Its a honey. I used that last year, but when he asked me for months if I had given it back to him yet,(he has alzheimers) I decided against using it this year. another guy that I hunt with has one almost identical, but it has a peep on, that is the one I hope to use this year.

I finally got out today and shot the 44 mag with the Williams 5D on it. The groups really tightened up. If it had not been for one flyer I would have a group that would have been under 3/4 of an inch...... :mad: ***!! :mad: Oh well, back to the range. I did get some good targets and I'm sending in the one with the flyer also. It was a beautiful day to be out shooting. I dusted a bird, quite by accident. It was either a sparrow or a swallow I have no idea. I was shooting the 38/55 and when I pulled the trigger this bird flew across the bullet path. At about the 40-45 yard mark. All I saw was a puff...and a bunch of feathers floating in the air. My 4 year old was out with me and he says: Dad, did you see that bird, look at all those feathers!! One of those things you couldnt do if you tried. :eek:

RD

Got some targets that I finally got to shoot. Been doing other types of shooting lately and getting ready for another down range trip to the two way rifle range. (we fired close to 18,000 rds of machine gun ammo yesterday)

CD

Dang, time to cycle back already? I guess you know that the trick to making that two-way range work is to be the first one on the trigger...

Here are a couple targets from today. I think the accuracy is going away. I have fired a lot of rounds without cleaning. It is still minute of deer at 100 yds with a pistol cartridge. Not bad!!

I shot a few tagets yesterday and have to admit that the groups are getting a little tighter. I'm sort of ashamed but both guns I shot yesterday were fired with commercial jacketed bullets.

My 336A 30-30 just loves the Speer 170 FN and I have also used my 1894 CB, 357. So far, every cast bullet I make for 357's will not group in this rifle. Hornady 180 XTP's will go into one hole groups at 50 yards when I had a scope mounted for load development. Now it's wearing a Williams FP rear and a Lyman 17A front and I may try it in a silhouette match this week.

Looks like Big Redhead is holding off until the end to put us all out of the running. C'mon Big Red, send in some teasers anyway!

Hey, If I was shooting 1 MOA groups I would be shooting the precision match. Pull out the other target guys and get to work. There are no entries over there and the thread has been CLOSED. Get that thing going. If I had a 30-30, I would.

Since there aren't any targets to post in the precision match, can I shoot my 788 and send the targets in, maybe get a bolt versus lever thing going?

That target at 200 yds with the bolt may be a good match. I shot my 760 last week at that target at 100 yds. First 2 out of a clean barrel were 3 inches high at 100 and the second of the 2 was an inch right of the first. I fired one round that was a same weight in a different bullet and it split the first 2. I put the thing away and continued shooting the 1894. The Rem 760 goes back in the vault until hunting season.