Suspending the Blog for a while...

Gang, 

     I haven't been on track at all with the blog so far this year.  We have a case of cancer in my wife's immediate family and it has taken some of the time that I would devote to the blog and my passion for shooting.  

     Please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers as we deal and cope with this ongoing struggle and maybe sometime later this year I can pick up where we left off.  

Until then:

Natural Point of Aim - Learn it, practice it.

Breathe

Relax

Aim

Slack

Squeeze

Shoot from the prone, kneeling, sitting, standing (offhand), and from behind cover and odd positions.

Practice, practice, and more practice. 

Don't just practice until you get it right.  Practice enough so that you cannot get it wrong.

The Art of the Shot - #1 Setting Your Baseline

Alright gang, it's time to get serious about our trigger time.

I discussed the "Triangle of Accuracy" and how the Shooter, Equipment, and Ammunition all play parts in affecting the accuracy and precision that can be achieved.

All three parts of the triangle CAN be upgraded, but the factor that has the largest affect is the shooter.  The shooter will have the largest degree of inconsistency of the three and we have to work on ourselves to gain every bit of consistency that we can get achieve.

Before any personal gains in consistency can be shown, we must first have a baseline to work with.

Let's be consistent with the rifle and ammo.   (I'll go ahead and recommend a .22LR although this process can be used on any rifle, it's just less expensive and lower recoil than most anything else to start out with.)

Clean your rifle really well.  Chamber and barrel.  We are starting fresh.  (You do NOT need to use copper solvent, just powder solvent and bore snake or brush/patches)

Ammo.  One brand/style/box.   If you have a 550 bulk pack, just use it and only it.  Don't switch between different brands/makes/models of ammunition.   I try to stay with the same exact LOT# as well if at all possible.  
Rounds produced in a single LOT# have a better chance of being similar than rounds produced on different machines in different factories across the country 5 months apart.

Record keeping.  This can be as complex or as simple as I will show you.  As you go up in caliber and ballistics, you may want a lot more information than what we will be keeping during this particular series.

Here's the easy cheesy way.  We'll call it the "Dope Book" going forward.
1" binder
1 box of clear lightweight sheet protectors
1 folder
1 pen
Copy Paper sized targets.  It is probably the least expensive option to have your local WallyWorld or corner drugstore print them out for you.  It is a lot cheaper than buying targets outright, and a lot cheaper than using your own toner/ink cartridges.

(If you HAVE to purchase targets at your local range, you should still be able to affix these targets to the front of the target you have to purchase from them.  You might tell them you are working on a project and everything should be ok).

Put the sheet protectors and the folder into the 1" binder.  The pen will fit in there as well.  Put your targets into the folder and now you are set.

I'll be using this target a lot.  It is a 1/3 scale IDPA target that will print nicely onto copy paper.
You can see it at 100yds with open sights and you can really get up close and personal with a scope.
http://home.comcast.net/~ron.crouse07/images/target12.pdf

Any target on copy paper will do as long as you can see it at ranges out to 100 yards.
There are a BUNCH of fantastic targets that you can save/print from my friends over at LuckyGunner.
Shameless plug, if you have a hard time getting .22lr....check the LuckyGunner page, if it is in stock, it's on the webpage and can ship that day and be on your doorstep VERY quickly!  Check back often because new shipments of ammunition arrive almost every day.
http://www.luckygunner.com/free-targets
http://www.luckygunner.com/rimfire/22-lr-ammo


Rifle (and magazine), check.
Ammo, check.
Dope Book and pen, check (Targets are in the folder).

Range Bag/Box...some stuff that you will need in your range bag, every time you go...

     Allen wrenches/screwdriver set that fits everything on your rifle.  Murphy's Law.  Something will come loose at the worst possible time.  Blue Loctite??
     Cleaning rod/kit.   Cleaning rod/BoreSnake.   Cleaning rod is important in case of a failure to eject or squib load where a bullet can possibly get lodged in the barrel.  It is rare, but can happen.
     Tape/clothes pins/stapler....targets don't hang by themselves.
     Ruler. (A Multi-Tool typically has a ruler on it, screwdrivers, etc...multitask with a Multi-Tool!
     Safety glasses, hearing protection.


Everything is good to go, you have everything you need, SORT OF.

     You have to have a plan for the day, something that you want to accomplish or something that you want to practice.   That is where I come in and where this blog comes in.  You go to the range to practice.  You go to become a better marksman.  How do you really KNOW that you are getting better?   It's hard to tell unless you have a baseline and some hard-copy information to actually prove it to yourself and that is part of what the "Dope Book" will be used for.

Our first day to the range with this process is baselines, first and foremost a baseline zero.

     Since we have a nice and squeaky clean barrel with no shots through it, let's set up a target at 50 yards, aim absolute bulls-eye dead center and take 1 shot.

     Commit where that first shot hit to memory, aim at the exact same absolute bulls-eye dead center and fire 9 more shots.  This should put 10 shots into a grouping somewhere on the target.  Go grab your target and immediately circle that very first shot.  (You will ALWAYS circle the very first impact).

On the target scribble the date, approx temp, bore condition, and your shooting position.  Number the targets, as well.

Now that you are done scribbling all over your target you need to figure out your adjustments to make for your zero.  Remember that most optics in the U.S. are set up for 1/4 MOA adjustments.  That means 1 click = 1/4" AT 100 YARDS.   If you are shooting at 50 yards, double the clicks because it will be twice as much adjustment.  1" at 100 yds = 4 clicks....1" at 50 yards = 8 clicks.

Make a note on your first target that you think you need to adjust your optic __ amount of clicks up/down and then __ amount of clicks right/left and then make your adjustment on the optic.

Set up target two and do the same exact thing.  Give it 1 shot, take a really good look at where it hit and commit that shot to memory or circle it if you have to walk to see it.   Then follow up with 9 more good shots and go get your target.

Circle the first shot on target, Number the target and put the rest of the pertinent information on it, just like the first target.  Note on the target that you already adjusted your sights per target one.    Take a measurement if needed from center of your group to center bull's eye and note any fine adjustments that you need to make before your third group of 10 on the next target.  If all is good and you don't need any more adjustments....we are done with our "mission"  have some fun and we'll look at our targets IN DEPTH when you get home.

If you do need to make some fine-tuning adjustments, that is fine.  Set up target 3 at your zero range, fire the first shot and commit the placement to memory so you can circle it.   Fire the next 9 shots and at this point you should be very close to your group surrounding the bull's eye or within a click or two.  We should be done with this portion of setting our baseline. File your targets into the binder and have some fun with the rest of your ammo.


What did we accomplish with the 20 or 30 rounds that we just put on paper?  

Target #1 we start with a spotlessly clean barrel with NO powder fouling in it at all.  You might be able to see some distance between the very first shot (which you committed to memory and then circled) and the rest of the group, regardless of where it printed on the paper.   We also got started on getting the rifle zeroed in.

Target #2 we have another (very close to) cold bore shot.  It probably took you a few minutes to go get target 1, then jot down all the stuff, then measure and figure out your sight/scope adjustment, then make the adjustment, set up target 2, reload your magazine, and settle in for your first shot onto the target, right?
The next 9 shots should be closer to or right on target.  Any adjustments from here should be minimal pending you measured and counted your clicks properly.

Target #3 we finalized getting the rifle zeroed onto the bull, got another (very close to) cold bore shot and essentially confirmed that we were on target and zeroed for that range under those conditions and now we have proof positive in documentation to go into the "Dope Book" for future reference.

We also have an idea of how large your 10 shot groups are, with your current skill set, under those weather conditions and bore conditions.

Compare the three different group sizes.  
Note on the very first group if that first shot is way off from shots 2-10 or if there is a "walking" pattern going from shot one into what eventually became the largest concentration of shots together in the first group.  
Did the same thing happen on target two?  

Was the group tighter on target 2 than target 1?  Tighter on target 3 than 2?  

At 50 yards with a .22 rifle, you may have VERY tight groups of 1" or better.  You may have groups that are 6" or larger, but at least you now have documentation to show later on if you are improving as a shooter and you also have some "Dope" on how the rifle reacts after the bore is cleaned and begins to foul up (which is NOT a bad thing).

After you were done with the Dope targets, did you continue shooting and have some fun?  Good deal!  That is what is all about.  Hopefully you are already putting more shots on target than before we started.

Your homework before the next time going to the range....FIND YOUR NATURAL POINT OF AIM.

Learn to find your NPA and make it a habit early.  Small caliber rifles like the .22 are much more forgiving than the high power rigs are.  When large amounts of recoil are introduced, point of impact is affected just from the recoil and barrel "hop", not to mention "flinch" associated with recoil making the shooter unconsciously jerk or push the trigger and numerous other things that happen.   This is minimized by learning a fundamentally sound NPA and base.

To get you started, here are several places to get some real insight on the Natural Point of Aim.
http://the-rifleman.blogspot.com/2008/03/part-five-natural-point-of-aim-npoa.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_point_of_aim
http://www.jarheadtop.com/Free_Blue_One.htm
http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/master-class/2013/07/natural-point-aim
http://artoftherifleblog.com/natural-point-of-aim/2011/09/natural-point-of-aim.html

Achieving a NPA is one of the first major parts to shooting CONSISTENTLY.  So many shooters are not taught this or neglect it altogether and it is so fundamentally important.

This is easily practiced inside your home with no ammunition.  If nothing else, it gets you thinking about your position on the rifle before you begin shooting and that will help make you a better rifleman.

Reflections on 2013 and Goals for 2014.

     As 2013 comes to a close we should all reflect upon the year behind us and look forward to the year in front of us.

     Since this is primarily a "Rifleman" or "Marksmanship" type of blog, I want to focus on what was accomplished and what needs to happen this coming year.

     In 2013 I discussed a lot of general subjects to help the reader understand what it takes to become an accurate rifleman and also how to start putting some precision into their rifle shooting.  As much as I wanted to get into the actual "Technique" of these things, Life sometimes has a habit of getting in the way.  Since I didn't really set any actual goals for myself and this blog last year, I can't beat myself up too badly.  Looking forward to 2014, I need to set some goals for the blog.


Some 2013 "Personal" goals that I had set for myself were to:
A.  Get my 7mag broken in and zeroed.
B.  Get myself set up to hand load for the 7mag.
C.  Purchase a "Shooter's Chrony" and get the 7mag chrony'd (after broken in).
D.  Set up "hasty" tables for the 7mag out to the maximum effective range for the projectiles I'll be sending.

A, C, and D are complete.
B...touchy subject.  I had the $$ set aside for all of the reloading equipment but I did NOT purchase due to a significant LACK of reloading powders, primers, and projectiles.   It just didn't make the financial sense to make the purchase this year.  :(

     I found a source for some seriously good "Match Grade" ammunition utilizing the projectile that I prefer to shoot, purchased some of that, and now it's out of stock and NOT in production.  When will production resume?  That is an excellent question.  I may have to drop an email to the manufacturer to find out.  Do I "absolutely HAVE to shoot that projectile/ammo".  No.  But based on the price point and accuracy per shot, I sure do WANT to shoot it.

2014 Goals for this blog that I should hold myself to...

One blog, every two weeks, to begin on Thursday, Jan 2.  Some may be VIDEO blogs...fun fun!
That will equal out to 26 Blogs for some serious rimfire rifle shooting fundamentals and also to touch on some high-power precision rifle fundamentals.

     The ultimate goal for the blog is to help rifle shooters to get KNOWLEDGE so they can get the most out of themselves and their equipment.  Knowledge is power.  Knowing your personal rifle and all of its "quirks" is everything.  This can be applied to every rifled firearm, from .17hmr up to the "dangerous game" calibers that will knock your shoulder off every time you squeeze the trigger.

     What do you need to "know" about your rifle?  We will go through these things so that ultimately you will be able to PREDICT what your rifle is going to do on the next shot, pending the shooter does his/her job correctly.  How do we do this?   Documentation in a similar style reminiscent of Gunny Hathcock.

     First and foremost we, as shooters, must be consistent.  Consistency is everything.  If we are consistent, the rifle will perform consistently as well.

     Good, bad, or ugly, we will learn about our own strengths and weaknesses and those of our rifles and ammunition along this journey and have some fun in the process.  We might even learn something.

     Your mission before the 1st of the year...promise yourself to do the best you possibly can for 2014 and hold yourself to it.  By the end of 2014 I hope we can look back and see some serious improvements over where we are starting on the Jan 2nd blog.

Quick Updates, Upgrades, and plans for the next blog.

     Just a quick update on some things that I've been working on, some things that I NEED to work on, and an upgrade that I need to mention.

Some things that I've been working on....

1.  Tinkering with the chronograph in different light conditions.  I've learned that as great as it is to have a chrony, they are extremely light sensitive in their functionality.   Low light/no work.  Easy fix, but it is something to keep in mind.

2.  I decided to take the bi-pod off of my XLR rifle and put it on the Mossberg .22 (which dictated that I install swivel studs for sling mounting into the stock, as well).  Why?  Well, the 7mm Rem Mag has a ton of barrel hop to it.  Along with the barrel hop, the harmonics of the beasty don't mesh well with the bipod.  It likes to harmonically collapse the telescopic legs.  I've gotten much better results "locking in" with a sling and holding the stock and supporting forward of my hold on a pack than by shooting in a cross-arm position.  I haven't gone into the "Art of the Shot" series yet, but some of the rifle shooters understand what I'm talking about.

3.  I found a nice deal on a new scope for the Mossy and decided to go for it and test it out.  It's a BIG winner in my book.  Pursuit branded optics are the BassPro exclusive brand.  I purchased this 3-9x/32 "tactical" .22 scope and it has performed flawlessly and has greatly improved my shot groupings at 30m.  It is NASTY good in all of the right ways.  How much is this nasty monster??  $40.  Yep.  It has "tactical" turrets, meaning you don't have to take the caps off and stick a coin or screwdriver in to adjust your scope.  They work VERY well and index back to zero every time.  Have a look, I very super highly recommend this as the value upgrade of the year for your .22 plinking rifle.
http://www.basspro.com/Pursuit-39x32-Tactical-Rimfire-Scope/product/1308141359/

 4.  New sling for the rifles.  I can switch between the two in no time if I so desire but it currently resides on the 7mag.

5.  Pistol Practice....I need it.  BIG TIME.  I have focused so much on the rifles lately that I haven't paid a bit of attention to my handgun fundamentals.  This is a mistake, but one that I tend to rectify.  Can you say, "Dry Fire Exercises"?  Works with pistol fundamentals as much (or more) than with rifles.

6.  Finishing up the A.R.M. series and getting into the Rifle Fundamentals series and how this works with the A.R.M. Series.  I think that the Rifle Fundamentals series might be a mix of Video and this written blog.  Should be fun!

7.  I still want to take the .22 to the 100yd range and show the accuracy differences between subsonic and high velocity at different ranges, too.  I actually had the opportunity to do it last weekend but got sidetracked with a sweet AR and some vicious trigger slap from an AK that my buddy brought to the range.  Ha!
1st world problems...I got 'em.

Also...I have some fun and challenging targets in .pdf file for the .22 and also the air rifles if anyone is interested.  I will try to highlight some of them in the upcoming blog installments.  Until then...

Blog (Or Lack Thereof) Update!

     Hey gang, sorry that I haven't posted any blogs in the past couple of weeks.  I have had a full plate of things going on and have been trying to decide on the next installment of the A.R.M. series.

Some things that I've been working on and helping with during my writing absence...

     My buddy J.'s Mosin Nagant project.  He is doing 98% of the work, but when it comes down to pure "hillbilly" gunsmithing....that's me.  A little propane, a hammer, and a Dremel press...oh yeah.

     I improved the front sight post of the Mossy 702.  Two screws, a pair of pliers, and about 120 seconds with the dremel and the sight post is now a lot more "precision" oriented vs. the bulbous affair that it was.

     I recently purchased an F1 shooter's chronograph and will be doing some familiarization with it.  This piece of equipment is a MUST HAVE for extreme long range marksmanship and hand loading.  It is also a piece of equipment that can significantly improve EVERY shooter's knowledge and handling of their own personal weapon.  I intend to do a blog about muzzle velocities and how they are affected by different things soon, but I certainly want to have the chrony numbers to show exactly what I am talking about.

     I managed to get some subsonic .22lr ammo from my father in law and hope to get to the longer distance shooting range soon so that I can show the accuracy differences between the two rounds, at distance, based on the trans-sonic barrier issues that I have mentioned in the A.R.M. blog.   My prediction is that from 50-75 yards, the subsonic will still be grouping fairly well and the bulk ammo will become UGLY in this range.  Maybe I can prove myself wrong, but we shall see.    

    Something that I'd like to touch on with all of this talk about precision marksmanship is the actual process of setting up for the shot and taking the shot, maybe some advanced fundamentals and things that I have used over the years to help myself remember to follow those fundamentals in a step by step fashion.  Precision really is all about consistency, and 1/3 of the triangle of accuracy is the shooter.  I just can't decide if I want to do it on a written blog with photos or if a video blog would be more beneficial to the readers.
   
     Hunting season is also very close, and this year I fully intend to actually get out in the woods and see if I can't bag some turkey and maybe a deer.  The in-laws gave us a nice freezer that has yet to be filled with nature's goodness yet, and I aim to rectify that situation this fall.  

    A note to shooters who do NOT have reloading equipment, but are looking for really good "match grade" factory center fire rifle ammo and don't want to break the bank when they make a purchase.  You need to check out the gang over at Sniper Central and see what they have to offer in your caliber.  Tell Mel that I said, "Howdy!".   7mm Rem Mag with 162 gr Sierra AMax at $32 a box...are you kidding??  Nope!
http://www.snipercentral.com/hsmammo.htm

     Also, don't forget my friends over at http://www.luckygunner.com/    because if it's listed, it's in stock and can ship out the same day.  Sign up for the newsletter and get updates when new batches of ammo arrive.

Accurate Rifle Marksmanship Pt. 5 Bore Conditions

     Let's stay on target while I'm on a roll today.  I just posted up Pt. 4 not long ago, but while I was in the process of gathering my data for part 4, an ugly thing reared it's head and smacked my precision accuracy down like an electric fly-swatter.

     The rifle bore (that's the inside of the barrel that the bullet goes through, for the newer folks to this sport) is one of the main things to consider when we start talking about precision accuracy.  Without going too deeply into advanced internal and transitional ballistics, let's just say that the internal condition of the rifle bore changes over time.

Here's what you can expect from a standard of the shelf rifle bore over time.

1.  "Virgin" =  Brand new.  Less than 5 shots through it. (Some factories do this for Quality Control)
2.  "Broken In" = Has over 60 or 70 shots through it.  Has been cleaned.
3.  "Seasoned" or "Equilibrium" =  THE sweet spot.  The most accuracy that your barrel bore can give you.
4.  "Excessive Fouling" = Accuracy drops off quickly.  Groups go haywire.

     There are 8 million ways to "break in" a rifle barrel and I doubt that too many rifles chambered in .22lr will even have a recommendation for breaking one in.  Most bore and barrel "break in" procedures are done for rifles that are being put to use for long (0-800m) and extreme long range (1000m+) applications.  I actually have a blog posting (not necessarily for the ARM series) that shows how I broke in my XLR rifle.

     What you need to know is that it isn't "necessary" to break in a rifle barrel.  They tend to break themselves in, over time, anyhow.  Could it hurt to take a little time and break one in?  Heck no.
But I honestly didn't break in the Mossy 702.  I just cleaned it up really good, took it out and started throwing copper. ALWAYS clean a brand new bore or a bore unknown to you.  You never know where it has been.

     My Cleaning Regimen:
   
     I clean a brand new barrel very aggressively with Hoppes #9 mild solvent and a bore brush.  A new barrel WILL have some type of lubricant/preservative in it from the factory.  It will also have machining imperfections that you can not see.  Going after it with some applied and controlled aggression and a bore brush gets that gunk and junk out of the bore and might smooth some of those imperfections out a little bit, whether you can see it or not.

    **Claymore's Recommendations**  Use a coated 1 piece cleaning rod...NOT the 3 piece rods that come in most inexpensive cleaning kits.  They have a tendency to break at the worst possible moment and ruin things like the bore, the crown, the throat.
     Also, be VERY careful around the Crown (the very end) of your muzzle and the Throat (the part just before your bore starts in the receiver end...where the bullet goes IN).  It's not hard to damage those two areas.  Be careful.

     So, new barrel, soak a patch in mild solvent like Hoppes #9, run it slowly through the barrel and then back again, once or twice.  We are trying to make sure that the bore is saturated with solvent.  Let the barrel sit/soak for a few minutes.  Now we put the brush on our rod and get busy with about 5 strokes in each direction, being careful around the crown and throat areas.
**Side note, some folks do NOT like to go backwards (muzzle to receiver) with their brush or patch.  It is all personal preference as long as you are careful.

     After the brush, run patches through the bore until they come out clean and dry.  It could take 3, it could take 13.  After they run clean, you are good to go do some shooting.

     At around 60 shots or so I will clean the bore again.  I will clean it the same as the first cleaning.  Aggressive, yet careful.

     After that, I won't introduce ANYTHING into the bore of that rifle until such a time as I see that my shot groups going in the wrong direction....when they get worse it is time to clean it.   .22lr isn't the cleanest cartridge ever developed, that is for sure.  There's quite a bit of residue left in the barrel, so on and so forth.

     Accuracy IMPROVES as the bore develops "fouling".  Each time the bullet goes down the barrel, it leaves some copper fouling and some powder fouling in its wake.  Some fouling is GOOD for a bore.  It builds on the walls of the bore, decreasing the area around the projectile and increasing the pressure pushing the bullet without escaping around it as much.

     Real world scenario that I encountered while doing the testing for Pt. 4. -  My rifle had been printing some really nice 3 round groups, averaging 1/4".  You can see in the pictures from Pt. 4 that there are 3 rounds very tightly spaced and typically the group opens up a little with shots 4 and 5.  So, I get ready to get some groups for my data, and low and behold I can't get a group worth a flip, with either brand of ammo that I had been working with.

My first attempt at a group was this...what initially caught my eye was how high the grouping was and the spread made me wonder a little bit, as well.  I wasn't too concerned being my first shots of the day.

Here's the second attempt for a 5 shot group.  Since group one wasn't what I consider to be "on par" with my expectations, I slowed down, went through my shot routine with serious purpose, and got this one.  More spread, still printing high.

I loaded up with a full 10rds in the magazine.  I had a sneaking suspicion that my muzzle velocities were going up up up and that it was close to time to clean the powder fouling out of the barrel.

Just to be sure that it wasn't me goofing things up (I tend to check myself first, equipment second) I walked away for a while, then came back to the rifle, loaded three and settled in for some serious shots down range.

This is the straw that broke the camel's back.  That, my dear friends, is a 3 shot, 3" group.  

Quick remedy.  I love bore-snakes.  No rods to break, no nasty sharp spots to damage crowns and throats.  I dig 'em.  Big time.  A dab of some Hoppes #9, down goes the snake, out it comes.  One more time to dry things out and done.  Powder remediation in a jiffy.

But that's not all, folks.  After you clean the powder fouling your rifle will NOT be back to normal yet!!  

Here are the first 10 shots after a quick powder cleaning.  I actually made sure to really try for good grouping just to see how bad it would really be...The first two shots were the ones on the far right and the one that is just high and to the left of the 4 ring.  

I had hopes that after 10 shots that things would calm down a little bit.  Here's the next 5.

With all rounds printing inside the 4 ring, I was a lot more confident that things would steadily improve, back to where it was shooting before I cleaned it.  The next 5 rounds told me it was back to normal and time to rock and roll.

Please keep in mind that this cleaning regimen and these results are for a store bought sporting rifle, not a bench rest target rifle.  The serious target shooters have special regimens, break ins, cleaning routines, and voodoo ju-ju that are not required by a fun loving recreational plinker like myself.  

For my fun rifles, to get the most out of them as I can, I don't mess with the bore until it needs it.  

Don't mess with a streak.  

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

If it groups well, don't clean it.

Only YOU know your personal groups and your personal averages.  Soon we will be getting into the Art of the Shot and some of my routine that may help you improve your groups a little.

Hey, if anyone has a suggestion that can help the masses or even a pointer that I can use in MY shooting, feel free to comment.  I am always open to try new methods and learn new things. 

My methods aren't always the traditional or the "right" way, they are more of a hybrid conglomeration of things I've learned through various sources that have worked well for me over the years.   

I always want to improve.  Always.  Never accept being mediocre if you are passionate about something.  

   

Accurate Marksmanship Pt. 4 Open sights vs Optics

     Just a quick recap, in Pt. 3 I discussed the different types of open or "iron" sights and their pros and cons when it comes to the "Precision" end of accurate marksmanship.

     The one thing that showed a negative effect on all three types was the fact that you are limited by your own eyesight, regardless of what types of open or iron sights are on your rifle.

     I wanted to demonstrate on paper, the difference in precision between an inexpensive magnified scope and the factory iron sights on my little Mossberg 702 Plinkster.  The sights on the Mossberg aren't too bad for what the rifle is, which is a very inexpensive "Plinking" rifle.  It's not designed to be a "precision target" rifle, but it is fairly accurate when you understand the ammunition and the limitations of the ammo as I discussed previously.

     Here is a pic of the "testing" grounds.  My backyard "Stumpilicious" range.  From my shooting position to the backstop/stump it is exactly 30m or 32 yards.  Due to the angle of incline I cannot shoot from the prone position without seeking medical and/or chiropractic attention afterwards.  I try to set up as "field expediently" as I can for realism in the shot process.  No sandbags or store bought "bench rest" equipment.  I shoot off of a backpack like a hunter or soldier might for as steady as a position as I can manage.

For a generalized idea of how it looks with iron sights, I tried my best to get the camera into a 7:1 zoom and took this pic.  I was trying to get the bulbous front sight post in the picture to show how it completely covers the 2" target from this distance.  If you pressed your nose against the screen, I did just now, too.

While I was attempting to get my shots in with the scope on, my groups quickly deteriorated into a big fat mess, so before I could continue I had to run the bore snake and some Hoppes #9 solvent through the barrel a couple of times and then foul up the barrel with about 15 shots before it was back into "precision" mode.  Fortunately, I kept all of my targets which will be used in the next installment of the blog.

Back to business.

Two 5 shot groups WITH optics.  I did change the magnification between the two groupings.  Both groupings gave me .75" groups.  (The 4 ring is a hair over 2" diameter, as an FYI)

I can live with 5 shot groups like these.

Moving on to the factory open sights.
Same rifle
Same shooter
Same ammo
Same bore conditions
Same distance
Same everything....except I take the scope off of the rifle and go strictly with the factory open sights.

Two 5 shot groups, Open sights.

That is a big difference, in my opinion.  Not that the rifle isn't accurate with iron sights, but the precision percentage just drops off the face of the planet.  These 5 shot groups went to 1.25" and 2" respectively.

Why? 

I am 39 and wear glasses, corrected to 20/20.  I see the target pretty good.  The target is somewhat small, being 2" on the 4 circle and the diamond is 2" top to bottom, side to side, so I'm working with 2" at 32 yards. 

The visualization of the target through coarse iron sights with a big "bulb" on the tip doesn't give me any opportunity to fix my sights WITHIN the target area.  I just have to put the front sight post over it, breath and squeeze and hope for the best.

With the magnified optic, I get a minimum of a 3x zoom and very fine crosshairs which I can try to control on a much smaller level, thereby gaining a huge increase of muzzle control within the actual target area.

I also wanted to show how a magnified optic with a good zero can really help with your shot placement over a rifle with iron sights.

These two shots were taken on a whim while trying to decide which brand of ammo was working better with the rifle on a previous shooting day.  These are with the scope.

  

Aiming for the very center of the Lucky Gunner shamrock, these are the results with a 3x scope.  Not bad.

It got very ugly at the same distance with the factory open sights.  I could barely even see the shamrock, let alone put a shot in it.  I put up a Lucky Squirrel and the Lucky Gopher just to see how it would go with open sights.

I took two shots at the squirrel, came over to the shamrock, then went and looked at my targets.  

My first two squirrel shots were in the tail, not hitting "body" and the shamrock miss was so bad that it actually made me a little bit angry at myself.  I don't like to miss that bad.  I went back to my table, loaded up 5 rounds and gave that squirrel a little bit of quick fire love.  

     Funny thing, the 5 shots of quick-fire love on the unlucky squirrel was probably the best 5 shot string that I shot that day with the open sights.  I didn't go through my typical shot routine, just tossed the barrel up, put the squirrel center mass in my open sights, and let loose.  

     In conclusion, with open sights vs. magnified optics, there's a fairly good reason why shooters opt more towards the scope as an upgrade over the target aperture and hybrid tactical aperture iron sights.  

Price.  My inexpensive little Tasco 3-7x20 scope is an $18 investment and as the results show, it is effective for the distances I am working within.

To gain that type of precision percentage with an upgrade of open sights you can spend as little as $10 for a different front sight post all the way up to hundreds of dollars for top quality target aperture sights.

As a quick summary of the rifle, scope, and ammunition used in this testing...

Rifle:  .22lr Mossberg 702 Plinkster

Scope:  Tasco 3-7x20 

Ammunition-CCI Blazer High Velocity 

(With the exception of the first Shamrock shot in the left leaf, that was Federal Bulk HV)

Range - My backyard "Stumpilicious" range.  30m/32 yards.

Targets courtesy of my friends at         http://www.luckygunner.com