Shooting progress

ASM826 (http://randomactsofpatriotism.blogspot.com/) was kind enough to point me towards his favorite manual of marksmanship, and it is a good one. I also got out the BB gun and starting just shooting. About 4,000 BBs to date; enough to move me into 2nd place in a regional N-SSA carbine shoot, and do quite well in the team shoot (blackpowder American Civil War firearms.) So... things are improving markedly in the offhand shooting world. Another 10,000 BBs or so and I should be getting down to some fine tuning. Now, if the wind and snow would die down a little tomorrow I can get back to it.

Rifle Marksmanship

Y'know, it amazes me that it is so difficult to find a good book on rifle marksmanship. Oh, sure, there are plenty of books on "basic marksmanship" and so forth, but most of them cover the pages with advice on picking the right rifle and cartridge, ballistics, doping the wind, and so forth. Great... but I ALREADY have my rifle(s) of choice. I'm not trying to hit at 600 yards and fight wind and mirage. I don't shoot Highpower, ISU, etc. I shoot mainly for enjoyment, and compete in N-SSA, where the ranges are short (50 and 100 yards). With muzzleloaders. With iron sights. I don't need information on scope adjustment, I need basic this-is-how-to-put-a-rifle-to-your-shoulder-and-hit a-4"-target-at-50-yards. Without a sling. Without leading a running animal. Without barrel extensions, diopters, or adjustable stocks. Does anybody shoot an off-the-shelf rifle anymore? Does anybody pick up their rifle, put it to their shoulder, and shoot anymore?

I've been shooting for nearly 40 years now, and I can hold my own in the team matches in N-SSA, but I'm not a top shooter by any means. I want to get better, but it seems that standing up and shooting a basic rifle is not much in vogue these days. Thus far it has been a game of picking out applicable bits and pieces from books written for other disciplines. Tubb's book has been the best of the lot (and it really is good), but about 3/4 of the book is wasted on me - we only shoot offhand in N-SSA.

Any suggestions?

I won something!

I did! I did! The coveted coveted Cowboy Blob weekend caption/photoshop contest trophy. And yes, he makes a point: I haven't blogged much since starting this blog... the PhD program has left me pretty apathetic about typing anything for fun. But now... coursework is finished and I'm down to the fun part, which really is fun for me - my research involves going and standing in creeks and observing wildlife for hours on end. I've started moving on other projects now, so why not start actually blogging?

Other projects? Restoring a 1946 Cub tractor (the engine turned over again last week!), building a 1770's period fowling piece, remembering how to cast a flyrod, and getting my offhand shooting back to the point where it actually appears that there is a projectile coming out of the end of the barrel, instead of just smoke and noise. You know, where holes sometimes appear in the general vicinity of where you want them?

Oh, and getting ready for deer season. A little early perhaps, but I haven't had time for more than four days of hunting in the last three years, and there are things that need attending to... shooting lanes opened up, overgrown fields reclaimed, and trails cut back out (amazing how much stuff grows up in three years, most of it with thorns!) This blog was named in honor of outdoor pursuits, and the less time you spend in the outdoors, the more likely the Red Gods are to laugh at you. I love being outdoors with a purpose, especially hunting. Purpose is part of the reason for bumping the Cub up in the project list - it is small enough to easily transport, and I have equipment for it to tend the land in line with my desires. We have a much larger tractor that would handle the work in a few hours, but speed isn't everything. The drive from the "working" farm to the "hunting" farm is about an hour and a half, and loading up the larger tractor, the equipment on the truck, and hauling it over a very twisty mountain road just kills the fun quotient. The Cub, on the other hand, is small and light - a breeze to load, and I can move the implements by hand. It's fun. Preparing for hunting season used to be nearly as enjoyable as the hunt itself; the planning and little projects helped build the atmosphere of anticipation of being in the field with a rifle. I'm finding that again now, and I like it. I had been missing it more than I realized. Perhaps the Red Gods will take notice and smile on me this Autumn; even if they laugh, it is great to finally start getting back outdoors. Besides, their laughter usually leaves some lasting memories!

LG

Meet my new friend, Mouse. The introduction was a little rocky; I was down at the farm when a large ball of feathers and talons swooped head-on into me. I've been charged by moose, chased by sea lions, run into bears, and had dozens of other wildlife encounters when I lived in Alaska, but being attacked by a hawk was a new experience... so I advanced to a more strategic position rather quickly. (Umm, yeah, that's pronounced "ree-treet-ed"...) One more pass and she settled on an old steel tank frame. Upon looking closer I saw jesses on her legs - she wasn't a wild bird, but a lost one. With a remarkable lack of foresight I stuck out my arm and whistled... and she flew over and landed on my arm. OK, I have a large, hungry hawk on my arm... no glove, no hood, no tether, no food, no clue... next? After about an hour with the hawk on one arm and cellphone in the other hand, I tracked her back to a nearby wildlife rehabilitation center, and took her home. She'd been loose for a month after a large snow had damaged her cage. She's home and safe now.

If you've never had the fortune to have a bird of prey sit on on arm, I humbly suggest visiting a raptor center or display that has a 'hands on' program. As a human hunter looking into the eyes of one's Nature' most efficient hunters, sitting that close, watching the talons flex on your arm... well, just go do do it. You'll understand.

LG

Doomsday Clock, Part II

Huh. I was wrong on the Doomsday clock. It really comes as a surprise given the current dialogue on world affairs. Maybe I'm not reading enough between the lines?

Doomsday Clock

So... they're going to move the hand of the Doomsday clock, are they? Lessee, despite the, umm, 'unseasonably' (unreasonably?) cold winter thus far (at least where I live, and in much of North America, and, um Europe, and actually, well, Asia too, all caused by global warming), Copenhagen failed to hand over world domination to the greens, so let me guess which way it's a-goin'. Of course, I guess from certain perspectives, Climagate does look a bit like doom...

Getting the show back on the road

OK, so it's been nearly two months since the last post. Since I shut down the old blog I've been busy with school and life, but now... classes are done, it's too cold to do my research, and without the research I can't finish the dissertation, so I'm going to try to be a little more conscientious about posting. And about shooting. And fishing. The shooting and fishing have just about fallen out of my life the last couple of years of school, but it's time to get reacquainted! I dug out my reloading equipment and my fly tying stuff, so I'm getting ready...

On the list of to-dos:

The Rolling block (.40-65)
The Sharps (.50-140)
The Spencer (56-.50)
The bamboo flyrod - needs a new finish, guides re-wrapped.
The Ruger LCP - needs bunches more ammo run through it (as do most of my pistols!)

One thing at a time, though; tonight I'm finishing some long-promised honing strops for friends.

It's good to get back to work on things that matter!