1-1-2013 - 1K at the Bottoms

So... everyone knows that the best way to ring in a new year is to drag something about 36,000 inches away from the truck, then go back to the truck, and try to poke holes in it, right?  Of course you knew that.  Everyone does.  Hello 2013, meet my 308.  Hello paper, meet 2013 and my 308.  Well, now that we are all acquainted, Paper, could you be so kind as to run over there about 3000 feet and hold still for a little while? There is something that 308 and I would like to show 2013.  Thanks, that will be great!

Today Karen, Kaylee, Konnor, Kase, and Dad came to the bottoms to ride snowmobiles and shoot.  Even with the cold (about 20 degrees), I only needed 90 clicks of elevation on the Vortex PST scope (1/10th mil clicks).  The gun was Savage 308, and bullets were my handloads of 175gr. Sierra BTHP, being pushed by 45 grains of Hogden Varget, with CCI 200 primers (average 2750 fps).

Can you see the truck in the distance at 1000 yards? 

There was enough of a breeze that I was having a little difficulty with "windage" today.

6 Shots in the paper or on the cardboard. 5 of them were part of a 6 shot group about 10-12 inches across.

12/31/2012 - Sunset at the Bottoms

Tonight was the last blast of 2012.  One of the things we did to celebrate was drive down to the bottoms (Dad, Konnor and Me) to let Konnor shoot my .22 rifle for the first time.  I guess it was fitting that Grandpa was there because he's the one that gave the rifle to me, and he's the one that taught me how to shoot.  Things have a way of coming full circle like that sometimes.  While we were standing out on "The Point", it was beautiful!  Very fine snow crystals were floating down ever so gracefully. The sun was making them sparkle in a way almost too magical for the words I know to describe. There was a really peaceful calm, as is so often the case, when we are at The Bottoms in the winter time.

Dad, Konnor, and Me on the Point.  This was Konnor's first time shooting a rifle.  He's 4.5 years old.

One of the other things that we "re-learned" by looking at the GPS while we were there and then confirming using these photos and Google Earth... is that it's possible to shoot from near the entrance gate (my initial shooting position) to "Marble Hill" (Approx 1800 yards), and then over to a hill slightly to the right of Marble Hill, to a distance of 2000 yards.  Someday I would really like to accomplish hits at that distance.  Without knowing the topography really well, it's difficult to see just exactly where these land marks are, so I'll see about posting a picture later with an arrow showing where they are.  Just know that 1000 yards is a long way, and 2000 yards is even further.  In fact, from what I can tell, it's about twice as far. I think my mind just exploded.  "The Point" is a good midway point between the shooting position I'll take on the road, and the 2000 yard target area to the right of Marble Hill.  The Point will make a good spot to reach out to 1000 yards which I should be able to do tomorrow on 1/1/13.

Amazing Sunset with "The Point" and "Marble Hill" in the distance taken from the initial shooting position near the entrance to the bottoms.