playing around in the backyard.

[GunWorm]

decided to actually drag some stuff out of the safe last week and waste some ammo.


the backyard range:





I have a creek running just behind the target stand and a hill behind that. plus no houses or anything for several miles behind the hill. it's a great place to shoot. too bad I can only get 100 yards before my neighbors house would be downrange of my shooting position.



first off, I broke out my .458 SOCOM. it's a rock river 16" upper on an Anvil lower, with a DPMS LPK and a Magpul UBR stock. the optic is a Trijicon 1x4 with the green dot. took me a while to finally get it zeroed.


and here is my 10 shot group at 100 yards, with Cor-Bon 300grn JHP factory loads



Next was the 6.5 grendel. I built every part of this rifle from the ground up. it's a Satern 24" 1/8.5 twist barrel, Sun Devil billet upper and lower, Nightforce NXS 5-22 scope, MI handguards, PRS stock, LaRue mounts and geissele SSA-E trigger.


here is the 10 shot group with Alexander Arms 123gr Lapua Scenar HP factory ammo.



and last, my trusty old .223 varmint rifle. it has a Model 1 Sales 24" 1/9 twist varmint barrel upper, a DPMS lower and parts kit, PRS stock, and a harris bipod. the scope is a 16x super sniper on a LaRue mount that I won in a raffle. I have a Satern 1/8 twist 24" barrel on order...but this one seem to do just fine.



and here is my 10 shot group using Hornady 55gr V-MAX ammo.




it seems that the cheaper the rifle is, the better I do with it. I need to try some other ammo in the grendel and see if it likes something else better. anyone know what might work best in a 24" 1/8.5 twist barrel? I wish I had more time to shoot. maybe I could get better with the SOCOM. I need to get my ass on the ground and try it prone next time. that table wasnt working.

[arcangel]

Your grendel will probably like the heavier bullets. Nice rifles, and really cooll set ups on those kits.

[mriddick]

Doesn't look like wasting ammo to me

[cevulirn]

My AK will shoot circles around any of those groups! its getting INSIDE the circle that's tricky Your good 'ole varmint gun seems to shoot pretty good, and I'm not familiar enough with the other calibers to offer any advice.


I think I must have felt the same way the last time I got my bolt gun out to a decent range, (CZ 550 varmint laminate in .308) and I couldn't get it to group tighter then an inch or so, bipod, sandbag and all. I decided to blame my hand loads, I must had something a hair out of kilter, 'cause the previous rage trip I was shooting 5 round cloverleafs at 100 yards consistently.

[ndm86]

must be nice. maybe someday.

[btcave]

Nice work!

[imanaknut]

Never a waste of ammo when you have a smile on your face!

[az_paul]

Nice all around. Thanks for sharing.

I have a back yard range, as well. It's sure nice to be able to work up a load and immediately try it out.

[old Grump]

Sigh, I have been wanting to do that since last Friday and I got 5" of snow instead. Glad somebody is getting some shooting in.

[AKTexas]

I like that .458 SOCOM, this might be the next build for me.

[GunWorm]

I like that .458 SOCOM, this might be the next build for me.

I really like it. the recoil is decent...and I think that anticipating the recoil is why I had 4 fliers at odd ends of the target. I have a muzzle brake for it and a new handguard...but the gas block from RRA is still backordered.

[Schuetzenman]

First off, nice weapons, I'd really like to get my hands on that 6.5 Grendel. Next I must say that with all your fine investment in time, money and building skill .... why the HELL do you try to shoot off a 1950's rikety-assed card table? Get rid of that piece of junk and buy or build a decent shooting bench!

You would see better accuracy shooting from the prone using a bipod or just flopping them up on an ammo can with a bit of padding to protect the finish on the forearms. You get a decent shooting platform and I bet your groups get cut more than in half for every weapon.

I'll share a build concept for a good bench, built one like this 35 years ago and it is still a rock solid platform. Get a bunch of 2x4 lumber and some 3/4" all-thread rod, washers and nuts to fit the 3/4' all-thread. Cut to a length that gives you a bench suitable to your needs and ability to transport in a vehicle. (Meaning make sure it fits in your trunk if you have a car).

Mark and drill holes in at least 3 places for the all-thread rod. Place one 6" in from each end and one in the middle. I bored a counter sink in each outside board so the all-thread ends, nuts and washers are flush to below surface. This way nothing to snag on anthing when putting in and pulling it out of a vehicle, also nothing to poke you in the ribs when using it.

Put Elmer's wood glue, the yellow looking variety between each board and slide the board onto the all-thread. Nuts and washers already installed on one end. Figure out how wide you want the shooting bench to be given the width of boards edge on (the smaller dim of the 2x4 boards). Somewhere between 13 and 15 boards should do it for most folks. This design will result in either a square or rectangular bench depending on how many boards wide you make it. If you want to do the classic T shape it's just a matter of making one end more boards wide and using a longer piece off all-thread at that end.

After all the boards are on put a washer and then nut on each bit of all-thread and tighten slowly. Be careful to not let the boards squirm out of position. Tightening the nuts will act as clamps to pull it all tight. You need to work fast so all the holes need to be predrilled and check your board fits first to make sure it all goes together smoothly.

If there is a little unevenness to the top and bottom you can belt sand it all even when you finish. Picking uniform boards for width and shape along with straightness will make it all the easier to do the project. Also precise location of the drilled holes is key in keeping things lined up. Lastly the drilled hole should fit the all-thread rod close. Any excess clearance will let the boards squirm out of position when tightening down the nuts at the end. I used a 1/2" drive socket wrench to put the torque down on the nuts. They've never come loose.

I didn't like the natural pine color so I stained mine a dark walnut brown and then used an outdoor rated Urathane to seal it agains weather. Leggs are made out of 2" black iron pipe and pipe flanges. The flanges are attached to blocks glued and screwed to the underside. The blocks are shaped to angle the legs out and foward or out and backward to give a stabilizing effect against pressure front to back.

[AKTexas]

I really like it. the recoil is decent...and I think that anticipating the recoil is why I had 4 fliers at odd ends of the target. I have a muzzle brake for it and a new handguard...but the gas block from RRA is still backordered.

Are you handloading your own?

[davepool]

Nice rifles and nice shooting, but seriously, like the man said,get yourself a better shooting table.