Range Time!

 Last time we went to the range my AR-15 performed nicely.  I didn't suffer any misfeeds and I managed to put my shots on the paper.  I didn't get my fingers caught in the action, either.  California Dave was with us, firing his Rock River AR-15 for the first time, and had similar luck.  No misfeeds, no broken fingers.  Big Mike, however, was not as fortunate.

Trigger Warning: All anti-freedom commies, liberals, SJWs, snowflakes, and other pre-verts can go read something else about someone else.  My blog, my deliberate trigger events.

And, while I'm at it, may I remind you that around here men are men.  We treat ladies with courtesy and respect.

Mike bought an Eotech sight for his Rock River AR-15 rifle, and had good results right away.  He packed the whole business up in his gun safe where it sat unused for a long time.  Long enough for the batteries in the Eotech to leak and corrode the battery box.  Mike cursed himself roundly, removed the batteries, cleaned the area, and put in a fresh set.  The sight worked fine, so Mike put it back on the rifle and brought it to the range with the idea of sighting it in, then moving his target out to 100 yards and obliterating the bull's eye.  But - damnation!  The Eotech wouldn't work.

So it was back to the work bench.  Take the Eotech apart, clean and buff the connections very thoroughly, then put it all back together, and - voilà!, as the froggies might say, the whole thing worked.  Me, I'm staying with my iron sights.

My thought process may seem a bit old-fashioned to some, but here it is.  The manufacturer informs me that my rifle has an accuracy of 1 MOA at 100 yards, which is a whole lot more accurate than I'll ever be able to shoot.  I can't even see anything at 100 yards, let alone hit it.  Now, should I want to shoot accurately at 100 yards or more, I'll need a telescopic sight, and it better be a nice one.  That's all well and good, right up until the time the rifle gets bumped around in the trunk and the 'scope is knocked out of alignment.  Then I'll have to realign the 'scope, which is not as quick-fun-and-easy as you'd think.  Then I can get back to shooting.  The same thing is true with an electronic sight.  The batteries die, or short out, or something, and until you get it fixed you've got an opportunity to see if you can still hit anything with iron sights - which is where I'll be spending all my practice time.

Some guys can afford the equipment and acquire the knowledge to knock down targets at 1000 yards or more, and I have a certain admiration for that.  Here in Ohio, the furthest I'll ever be likely to shoot at anything is 100 yards, and it's much more likely to be at 50 or less.  So - iron sights.  In this case it's the old ring and post. 

My Rock River AR-15

My First Target

If you squint and use your imagination, you'll note that the group (such as it is) is off to the left a bit.  I tried adjusting the rear sight and discovered that cursed adjustment knob is too stiff for my arthritis inflicted hands.  I called on Big Mike to do it, and without appreciable effort moved it one click to the right.  Check the next target.  

My Second Target

You'll note that I'm circling the center.  All these are taken at 50 yards from a seated position with my elbows resting on the table.  I tried some off hand standing shots and got one shot dead center in the bull's eye.  That's what I call a good day.

Next time I practice I think I'll shoot at 25 yards, off hand and standing.  We'll see what happens.