Setting up my M-1A, I
went through a box of Black Hills .308 168gr. BTHP and learned that my scope
was off by about 2 MOA. Applying some Kentucky windage I was able to make some
hits out to 600yrd. Then I rezeroed the scope, only to learn that I can't dial
my point of aim any lower.
That was the furthest
shot I've ever taken. I never hit the steel plate, but I'm glad I got to run my
rifle through its paces and practice using the markings in the scope's recital.
I moved on to my AR and fired off a few magazines at 100yrds. A little out of practice, I forgot how much the light rifle wobbles all over the place. After my last hunting trip the one thing I leaned is that you need to get away from the bench when shooting. The deer don't wait for you to line up the perfect shot and control your breathing, and you don't find too many benches set up in the woods. I made sure to practice several different sitting and kneeling stances, usually bracing my arms over my knees or using the leg of the bench the same way I would use a sapling in the woods as an impromptu monopod.
After plinking at the 100 and 200 yard plates I wanted to test out my ACOG. Lining up the #6 hash mark on the 600yrd silhouette I pulled the trigger and... hit way low. I guess the BDC in the ACOG is not calibrated to a 16in barrel. I compensated by using the 700yrd marking and was able to pull off a few hits. That was the furthest I shot with that rifle so I was happy with the results for my first time and happy to learn to work with the optics.
I finished out the day at the pistol range and was very happy with the trigger job I'd had done on my Glock. Much smoother then the stiff factory trigger. I manage to hit some of the smaller targets that had eluded my on my last trip.
Then I packed it up and went back home with some notes on what to work on next time.
