Gun sights, what good are they?  Last year in preparation for the big Limited Entry Crawford hunt for deer, I shot a bunch of times to finally have my rifle sighted in to an acceptable grouping for that hunt.  When the time came to shoot at my animal I missed the first one I shot at.  Went high over it’s back.  Not usual for me.

Next came a shot from my rifle that my son took to try and put his animal down for good.  He shot the same place his first bullet hit and did nothing to put the animal down.  My rifle shot somewhere other than where my son was aiming.  Not good.

Lastly, came the shot that put my animal down, but not for the count.  I was aiming at the deers left front  shoulder at about 100 yards and hit the animal high and right taking out its back about 3/4 of the way down the spine towards the rear of the beast.  The buck was down but not dead like I think they should always be when you shoot them.

So, with this years hunt just a week or so away, back to the range I went this morning.  I thought maybe I will shoot 4 or 5 shots and make sure it is shooting where it should.  WRONG!!!!

At the 100 yard distance I first loaded up with three back to back patched round balls ahead of 60 grains of powder.  The difference being my patches were lubed with machining grease.  The kind they use to hone metal parts like metal valves and such.  Some folks call it “lapping” and for me it was an excersize in clearing my riflings of burrs and such that might be in the barrel from its manufacturing.

Then I cleaned the rifle, but probably not as well as should have been done.  Sort of an old mountain mans way of cleaning before putting in a “real” load to shoot.  I used about 10 patches, the first with Hoppes #9 and the rest just dry.  It seemed to clean things up pretty good.

Then in went 105 grains of FFg powder and down on top of that a 425 grain pure lead Hornady, Great Plains, hollow point, hollow base bullet…my favorite hunting bullet.  Careful aim and boom!  Did not hit the target, nor the cardboard holding the target.  Where did that bullet go?  Two more times I shot the same load and finally one of them “accidentally” hit to the right of the bullseye.  But what about the other two?  Where did they go?

They closed the range for us to go down and check things out and upon examination, my two bullets hit side by side at least 18 inches above and to the left of the cardboard.  They took sizable chunks of wood out of the target supporting frame.  HMMMMM.  This is not good.  It was shooting fairly well last year, why is it so high now?  I did not tamper with the sights.  I just cleaned the gun and put it away.  Did my “lapping” change things that much?

So, with the Weasel by my side, we discussed what we should do.  Lower the grains of powder to 90 and let’s see what it does.  Maybe 105 is too much.  So I cleaned it up with Hoppes again, cleared the barrel and loaded it up with 90 grains.  Boom!  Boom!  Boom!  Three more times I shot.  Down range we go and no new holes in the paper!  What is going on?

Back to the bench and another cleaning of the rifle takes place.  Barrel is cleared and another load of 90 grains of powder is poured in.  The Weasel stands aside and watches WAY OUT BEYOND THE TARGET to see if he can tell where the bullet is hitting.  About 200 yards out, that is, 100 yards beyond where my target is, stands a large mound of dirt.  The kind put there to intentionally stop a projectile from bouncing out of the range and into a propellent manufacturing plant.  Boom!  The Weasel announces my bullet it the top of the mound of dirt at the 200 yard mark!  WHAT?  In order for that bullet to get out there I must be shooting 24 inches high.  It must have been a fluke.  Let’s try it again.

Another load is put in and another shot made.  Sure enough, almost in the same spot a blast of dirt explodes on the impact.  Ok Mr. Weasel, what do you suggest?  Well, PA, like you I like to make my adjustments in “drastic measures” and so I suggest lowering your sights one full turn and lowering the powder measure to 80 grains.  HMMMM I think.  And then I say, I will lower my sights all the way to the bottom and then use 80 grains of powder.  And this is what I did.

Cleaning of the gun took place once more.  Barrel cleared.  Sights lowered to the lowest setting and 80 grains of powder poured in.  Another shiny 425 grain chunk of lead slammed down on top of the powder and careful aim taken.  BOOM!  “Low” calls out the Weasel!  “Under the target, I saw dirt fly about 50 yards beyond the target”!  This is good I think!  Let’s try that one again just to make sure.  Powder, bullet, slam it down, cap,  BOOM!  “Hit the same place as the last one”!  Calls out the Weasel.  This is very good.  I will raise my sight one full turn.  “Good Call”.  Says the Weasel.  And I did raise my sight one full turn.  Swabbed the barrel with dry patches this time and then reloaded.  Again with 80 grains.  BOOM!  “I think you hit the target that time because I saw dirt fly up right at the base of the berm”.  Says the Weasel.  I have confidence now and I reload again using 80 grains.  BOOM!  BOOM!  Two more shots.  Now let’s clean the barrel, wait for the range to be closed and let’s go take a look.

The range is closed and we walk down to find THREE holes IN the paper, low on the bulls eye!  I am stoked!  YES!  BULLETS ARE HITTING THE PAPER!!!  What would you do Weasel?  I’d put in 90 grains of powder and try it again.  Well, I say since I only have 4 bullets and 4 caps left and probably enough powder to shoot them out.  I should raise my sights 1/2 turn and increase my powder to 90 grains and shoot 3 more shots.  Whatever happens happens cuz it’s time to go.  OK, says the Weasel.

Back at the bench, the sight is turned in the up direction 1/2 turn.  The powder measure adjusted to 90 grains.  Powder is poured and dumped down the barrel and one of the last 4 bullets slammed down on top of the powder.  BOOM!  BOOM!  BOOM!  And one last bullet sits lonely in the container.  Also, one last cap sits in the tin.  Well, let’s clean this mess up and put it away.  The range won’t be closed for awhile and when it does we will go down and get the target.  It is what it is.

After a few minutes the range is closed and we go down to get the target.  I feel good about the 90 grains of powder.  Just enough punch to make you know it is a powerful load, but not so over bearing as to cause the shooter to flinch.  But it isn’t any good unless it hits what it is aimed at.  RIGHT?  I admited to the Weasel that my last shot taken I pulled it so to expect a flyer, but it still should have hit close to the bull.

As we approach the target there are two nicely placed holes just above the bull and slightly to the left and a new hole to the right of the bull about 5 inches.  YES!  I am now a confident little shooter once again.  Out of stock, yes, but confident!  Any buck that shows itself on the hunt is in trouble.

Will Bears Butt take home the Big Buck Prize this year?  Time will tell.  Will Bears Butt hold out for a BIG buck…yes…any legal buck is a BIG buck to the Butt.  Thanks Weasel for attending to your dads missing and crying.  And for being such a good spotter of dirt flying up and around the target.  Life is good once again, just like it is supposed to be all the time.  I can hardly wait for the hunt to begin.  Beers and Cheers!

Oh Ya!  Gun sights, what good are they?  They ain’t No Good if they aren’t aiming at the same place the bullet is going to go.

Bears Butt

Sept. 2011