Thought we'd had about enough of the petty squabbling, so I thought I'd post a little bit of a victory story.

Here's an image of Project #2 as she stood about a year ago:



Since then she's been barreled with a Lothar Walther Article #724, 6.5x55, slow rust blued, and scoped with a BSA 8-32x40.

I knocked down the dipped-in-plastic look with rottenstone, and hedging just a little for second project flaws--not that many--she's a beautiful rifle.

The question has been: Can she shoot?

As a shooter, a year ago I was about as experienced as I was as a rifle builder. Which is to say, green.

So, in addition to shooting my other rifles, much of my range time has been devoted to improving my technique enough to see how well this rifle could do.

Up until last weekend, there had been slow improvement. Enough that at the end of most every range session there was something to be pleased with. I guess one of the advantages of starting at the bottom is that there's plenty of room for improvement.

Anyway, about a month ago the club announced the annual "Varmint and Hunting Rifle" shoot on the 200 yard range. We don't get to shoot the 200 yard range that much, so I was pretty excited.

I'd been worried about the scope holding zero, but the week before the event it seemed fine. It's always been my contention that any variation in my groups--they go from five shots at about 1", to mostly 1/2"-1", with only two groups less than 1/2 MOA.

I've been shooting Hornady 140 Amax bullets over 39 gr of RL 22.

I know, I know, 39 gr is about as low as you can go. I found the load in the Sierra list. When I tried various load of RL 22, the 39 grain--supposedly about 2,300 fps--was so accurate I didn't try any others.

So. I drove the beater up the pass on Saturday evening--gotta love those nice long summer evenings--to find guys shooting even before the event was to begin.

The range is on a ridge at the top of the coastal mountains, about 2000', and winds varied, blowing first from the coast, and then from inland.

I chose to shoot "Hunting Rifle" class, as I figured there'd be less competition.

I took my time sighting in, and am so inexperienced that I forgot a 1/8 MOA click moves the zero more at 200 than 100 yds.

I got it pretty close, and by then... somebody was asking "Has everybody shot for record?"

So I felt a little rushed.

The first task was three shots for group, at a red target dot. I could see my first two shots through the scope, but not the third. Didn't look all that bad.

The second part of the event was shooting at a quarter taped to the target.

One shot.

I used a little "Kentucky windage" as I wasn't convinced the scope was perfectly zeroed.

There weren't that many shooters, but I got the impression they'd all shot this event in previous years. I was eager to go check out targets, although the organizers didn't encourage it.

I missed the quarter!

What a bummer!

Not enough to be embarrassed--.1"--but a miss is a miss.

Many of the guys hit their quarters--you shot at a penny in Varmint class--and it turns out that a quarter with a bullet hole makes a nice commemorative token for your key chain. (One guy, so intent on that token for his key chain, took about 6 shots at his quarter. LOL.)

Back at the benches, the rangemaster brought out the calipers and scored the targets.

Not that many guys shot Hunter class, but... I had the Best Group.

.9"

Needless to say, I was pretty pleased!

I even got a NRA tractor hat!

Look, I've been reading AR long enough to know that a .9" group at 200 yards isn't that great, but it's not bad.

And I can still improve the load, and bullet seating. Not to mention technique.

And I believe those Hornady boattails are just starting to show their worth at 200 yds.

I'm pretty excited.

Just wish we could shoot the 200 yard range every week!

flaco

N.B. As if to add the icing on the cake, I was driving down the windy mountain road on the trip home, and a big kitty ran across the road ahead of me.

It was a really big kitty, with a short tail and tufts at the end of it's ears.

I guess I've known they are around, but I've never seen one before.

What a blast.

[If your interested, I got the blank from Jim Preslik, and now I'm totally spoiled. LOL.]

Well, what there is, looks nice. Do we get to see the finished product?

Good job!

FLACO

take that thing outside in the late afternoon when there is a slightly overcast sky and reshoot the photo. And this time shoot more than one!!!!!! And let us see what you have there.

Beautiful rifle and very good shooting, well done on both counts.

quote:

As a shooter, a year ago I was about as experienced as I was as a rifle builder. Which is to say, green.

Can't wait to see what you can do when you are "seasoned". Very nice looking and .9 at 200 is damn good. Many of the "experts" would be hard pressed to equal it.

Way to go.

Terry

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
FLACO

take that thing outside in the late afternoon when there is a slightly overcast sky and reshoot the photo. And this time shoot more than one!!!!!! And let us see what you have there.

How's this???

absolutely gorgeous.....

Now for a barrel....a bit of checkering and some appopintments such as swivels....

Beautiful.

Ditto, beautiful!

quote:

Look, I've been reading AR long enough to know that a .9" group at 200 yards isn't that great

You might have been here too long Thats is a great group and out of a very nice looking rifle.

I have to ask when you mention a range on a ridge in the coastal range, you arent by chance in Northern CA are ya, kinda sounds like the Simpson range in Humboldt county....

Flaco,

Very nice! More pics!

quote:

Originally posted by Brent Yates:
I have to ask when you mention a range on a ridge in the coastal range, you arent by chance in Northern CA are ya, kinda sounds like the Simpson range in Humboldt county....

I know the Simpson range quite well. Also hang out at Redwood Gun Club range.

Thanks, Gents-

Yep, SDH, it was special because I built the rifle.

"Priceless," as you put it. LOL.

Sorry you took exception to my jpeg, vapodog. I'm on a Mac--their monitors are notoriously lighter than PCs--but I thought I had mine pretty well calibrated.

I'm down in Santa Barbara, Brent.

Guess I'll have to break out the camera and tripod and get a few more images.

Finally, I think a lot has to do with my choice of 6.5x55 as the chambering. Not to mention the Lothar Walther barrel.

And yes, I'll be back at the range this weekend--God willing and the creek don't rise--to see if I can get just a little more accuracy out of this piece.

Thanks again,

flaco

N.B. When I unashamedly told this story to my neighbor, he asked what I got.

"A NRA tractor hat," I said.

"And bragging rights," he added.

Thanks for putting up with my bragging!

Your rifle building is exceeded only by your story-telling.

LET'S SEE THE FINISHED PRODUCT, FLACO!

....and congrats on the hat trick!

Clemson