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Anything that goes BANG!

Lil Stinkpot

Lucky Greenhorn
Anything that goes BANG is more than welcome here. :awesome:

If you don't want to read about guns, or see pictures of them or their targets, turn back now. ;)


I think that I have hijacked Rattler's thread enough, so I'll start one of my own. I'm just getting into the sport, and it is a LOT more fun than I thought. I have an M1 carbine that's been sitting around for decades, and has seen lots of use by the condition of the rifling. I found it when preparing for my first move. I am learning to shoot with it, and just today I joined a local club so that I can learn better. Today's weapon of choice for the safety orientation and beginner's match was a club-supplied AR 15. I chose that one over an M1 garand because of the smaller recoil, and just a little bit closer to the carbine I'll be using tomorrow. Just my luck, the club is hosting a carbine match tomorrow. Woot!



Here are my targets for the day:

Slow fire prone, 20 rounds




Rapid fire prone, 10 rounds, followed by 10 rounds of rapid fire sitting:




10 rounds whatever position we wanted. I was there to learn, so I chose offhand. My mistake. :lol:





I just got a better sling than what came with it, a leather 1907 (model number, not age) meant for the garand. I repleaced that with a replica of the original oiler and cotton webbing sling. The oiler really isn't hard to put in, if you do it right. ;)

Old sling, not meant for the M1 carbine at all:




New sling, perfect match:


 
Nice M1 carbine! You very rarely see one without the bayonet lug, as nearly all of them were re arsenaled after WW2.

Here are a few of my sticks, The first is my current obsession, as I am trying to learn the long range game. Savage .308 5R, Vortex PST scope.


Here is what it has done so far at 200 yards, with my handloads.



Most of my stuff is older, I love history that I can hold in my hands.
My "Eleanor" my March of 1945 M1 Garand



I traded this one off last fall, to get my wife an AR-15, I got it as a beat up hunting rifle at a pawn shop, and put it back in it's proper clothes and made it into a 1903A4 clone



I also have a Longbranch (Canadian) Enfield No. 4 Mk 1*, but apparently don't have any good pics of it around.

My two "constant companions" as Thomas Jefferson once said are my Colt Commander, and a Sig 2022 9mm

The 1911 was a gift, and I only carry it every once and a while


The Sig is my daily carry, just not with all of those mags, just 1 extra mag, the gun, and the light.
 
So, you can see why I needed another hobby right?.....
 
I don't have a pistol. Yet. I'm thinking of also getting a CCW, but right now it's just thinking. I don't want the extra responsibility and trouble that comes along with it. I'll learn more, first.

Nice collection. I'm thinking of getting an AR, when I can afford one.



The only problem with my carbine is that some idiot ground off the boss to attach the GI rear sight to in order to put on a different sight. I can't undo that. :(
 
I don't have a pistol. Yet. I'm thinking of also getting a CCW, but right now it's just thinking. I don't want the extra responsibility and trouble that comes along with it. I'll learn more, first.

Nice collection. I'm thinking of getting an AR, when I can afford one.

AR's are great, very versatile gun. My wife loves hers, I sold mine to build that first rifle, with the goal of shooting some thousand yard matches. I have others, but those are my favorites.

Getting a CCL is fairly easy in my state, it might be a bit of an adventure in Cali. It definitely comes with a hefty dose of extra responsibility, but I have 6 kids, so my responsibility is to come home every day, or if they are along, to keep them from harm. My wife has her CCL as well, for the same reasons.
 
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YIt's just me, and that may be both a boon and a curse. Especially if I succeed with one of my bigger goals, and slim down a lot.
 
Ok, last one. Here is my 1943 Longbranch (Canadian) No. 4 Mk 1* Enfield.
 
Nice, Kilo. Very nice.


Today's match, surprise surprise, was 100% rapid fire. Whoops. That just means that I sucked faster. :lol: Actually, I didn't do too bad at all. There was only one guy shooting in the carbine match, and one gal. He hasn't shot an M1 carbine in decades, and I haven't at all, so we were fairly evenly matched. Poor guy, he was getting all the malfunctions, too -- stovepipes, mis-feeds, failure to feed, etc. Mine was working flawlessly, now we need the operator to do the same. :D When the dust and smoke settled, and the targets tallied, the RO comes over and asks the group "Which one do you think got it?" The fellow and I both pointed at each other. "Well," says RO, "you two are right... it was a tie!" Tiebreakers are easy, just count the Xs. The other guy (sorry, I really did forget his name) got three, and I got none, so the belt buckle went to. I was so stoked at the tie, and happy that I was doing so well, we both grinned and shook hands, and I challenged him to a rematch some day. He he he!

I only wish I had my camera, we had to pause the match at one point to let a flock of turkeys stroll across. :awesome: If only the season were open.... :drool:


Not bad for a novice with a carbine (meant for short range) at 200 yards.



Lil getting serious: "Don't bother me, timer's running...."




I like this one.

 
Fantastic Katie, keep up the good work.
 
  • #10
Thanks! I'm happy that I kept it all on the paper, but I know I'll be getting an earful tomorrow for not keeping it in the black. :lol: I'll do better next time. In two weeks is the monthly match, and anything high power goes. I'll have the pants shot off me, but I intend to improve on today. Essentially, I am competing with myself. ;)
 
  • #11
In any sport, personal bests are good milestones.
 
  • #12
You summed that up very nicely. Until I can get equipment that can compete with the boys, I am only competing against myself. Unless I start out-shooting them, then it's game ON. :awesome: <-- Lil
 
  • #13
Lil, do you do any dry practice at home? Lots of dry fire helped me a ton, that and I would suggest not using your magazine for support, and look up using your sling as part of the support. Can't tell if you are doing that or not. Just a few suggestions, if you have someone else teaching you disregard what I said and listen to them.

Competing against yourself is the best way to go.
 
  • #14
Here is an example of some of the matches I have shot.


 
  • #15
I am about to start. Yes, I was using the sling. It's hard to see, it's OD green and narrow. I might put the leather one back on, it has a loop, where the as-issued style cotton strap can't make a loop.

Yes, I have someone helping me, and I bet he's about to suggest the same thing.

Hands off the magazine? Why? I'm not trying to be obstinate, I just want to know the why's of it all. I think that the sling was still too loose, and that's why I was grabbing the magazine, to pull my arm in even tighter and try to get some tension on the damn thing. Again, thinking very hard about putting that leather sling back on.
 
  • #16
I liked my 1917 sling on my 1903A4 clone, to give you an example of how I used it, here is a random pic from the web.
DSCF0002.JPG


I recommend getting off the magazine, because with your hand on the stock, there is more meat to gun contact, which typically means you should be more stable.

Dry practice is invaluable, just check, and double check your weapon and move all ammo to another room.
 
  • #17
I am almost embarrassed to post this video. I wasn't holding it right, you're supposed to "hug" it in closer, pretty much parallel to your shoulders. Apparently I missed. :angel: At least I tried. I'll get right on those dry fire sessions. CLICK the image to get to the video. Sorry, it's how Photobucket works.




I hear ya on the double/triple/quadruple check. :eek: I always look as I'm "charging," and check for a magic appearing round. If only they made a dry-fire device that would fit mine. They don't, as far as I can tell.
 
  • #18
Hey, you are not off to a bad start, and have a great rifle to learn on. Might get a 22 to practice with a little cheaper, and if you want to get real good real fast, look into Project Appleseed.
 
  • #19
Will do.


Hey, I can blame the front end hardware, yeah, that's it. It's the "add-ons" keeping that rifle from sitting right. :angel: I *am* working on reducing those and "extras" in other areas. Lots of loong walks and stuff.
 
  • #20
Here is my wife with my Garand, no "ping" but a good shell in the air, and the action hasn't reloaded yet.
 
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