Hello everyone. Been a while since I've posted, or had a chance to shoot ether for that matter.
On Labor Day I had the distinct pleasure of going to shoot at the Harkins Ranch ELR shooting facility. It happens to only be 2 hrs drive from my house here in Odessa Tx.
Jase Harkins was a wonderful host, & a great guy to talk to. We actually spent more time trading stories than I did shooting. But the place they have set up out there is AWESOME!
I elected to shoot off the ground under the raised platform they have there as it was pretty windy (variable from 5-15mph) which wasn't too bad but I thought that I would be better off on the ground to eliminate any stability issues the wind might induce in the platform. There is a nice flat rock just in front of the platform where I set up 1st in the morning.
The 1st target I chose to engage (of the myriad number he has set up at all ranges out there) was a 18" x 24" plate @ 1350yds.
Here is a pic of me entering my atmospherics, etc. into my PDA with FFS. (26.85" hg st/press/76*F/45% RH/ 30.9*N/ 265* Az)
I dialed up the correction (36 3/4 moa, & 5 L windage for my 300WM 230 Berger Hybrid Target @ 2901fps) The variable wind screwed my CB shot 2 moa R, but I corrected, & hit the rest of the 4 remaining rounds. (My dope was off by 1 click 37 moa for an unknown reason. I assume its a tracking error right in that vicinity of travel as I was dead on everywhere else)
We B.S'd for a while as I let my barrel cool down for a few. The sun was gaining on us where we were set up by then so we moved under the platform for some shade.
I next decided to engage the mile target with pretty much the same results only the wind was doing its worst, & I coaxed only a couple elusive hits on the full size silhouette in 5-6 shots missing my wind call by 1/4-1/2 moa back, & forth from 1 side to the other. I was only able to connect 2 of the 6 but scared the hell out of it with the rest.
Here's a pic just before I snuggled in for the shots.
We B.S'd again for a while, & eventually I set up for the 2000yd target. This one was giving me even more trouble as the heat had the mirage running pretty hard, & the wind was still doing its worst, but I was able to squeak out a couple hits on it as well after 6-8 shots (I don't remember now) connecting twice there as well, & scaring he hell out of it with he rest.
Here's one behind the rifle.
I then broke out my little 16" DPMS LR308 with 155 A-Max for some plinking on the 700, & 800 yd targets on the North side. That way was sheltered from the wind, which made things much easier so after a few rnds on th center mass I painted a smiley face on the head (completely unintentional) missing the right eye, but oh well.
Sorry we didn't take the time to get pics of the targets as by then it was getting upwards of about 100* so we called it a day.
BTW the place is near teeming with critters too. We saw a few deer moving around after almost every firing string, & jumped a big bodied 6pt White Tail on the way back down to the house where I met his dad Monty who was also a great guy to talk to. I thoroughly enjoyed myself while I was there, & plan to make the trip as often as I can.
I do apologize to Jase if I talked his ear off. He is the 1st person I've encountered since I moved down here who seems to have the same passion for long range shooting as I do, & it was a pleasure talking to him.
I also discussed the possibility of him hosting some matches there in the future which both Jase, & Monty were interested. I offered to help out of course, & hope we can get something going in the spring after the hunting seasons are over. They have enough land with IIRC about 80 targets to host an epic match. I hope they will.
If anyone wants to check out their website here it is. It is worth the trip.
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Then, if some of the voodoo is out of the equation, they won't be so afraid of guns. Wishful thinking anyway...
