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Going to the range with rifles....

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October 02, 2018, 11:02 PM
Nismo
Going to the range with rifles....
Get yourself one of these foldable wagons and load it up.

https://www.amazon.com/Sports-...ds=radio+flyer+wagon


For me, personally I only take 1 or 2 rifles at a time.
I have a large Voodoo rifle bag that holds 2 rifles and enough pockets to pack a few handguns and ammo.
I would also carry a shoulder bag to hold extra magazines, ammo, and whatever else I need.
October 03, 2018, 02:54 PM
kimberkid
I got a hard tonneau cover for the back of my truck a couple years ago and keep all my gear (spotting scope, targets and misc tools) in large plastic tubs along with a few ammo boxes with ammo, mags & cleaning supplies just in case I forget something ... I have gotten to the range before only to realize I don't have a mag for some gun I brought. So when I want to run out to the range all I have to do is grab gunz & ammo and go (I try not to deplete my back-up supplies)

I usually go when I know its not busy and I can back my truck right up to the shooting line.

I don't like to be around strangers when shooting, you don't know what their safety habits are or it just seems like you are ready to shoot and someone pulls up and wants to set targets or they didn't bring their spotting scope so they want to "go see" or something stupid ... so I do tend to take pistols, rifles and a rim-fire pistol and rifle so I don't have to deal with them.

More and more often these days I go to my friends farm where he is the only one I have to worry about showing up ... plus, our range prohibits bump-firing and full-auto.


If you really want something you'll find a way ...
... if you don't you'll find an excuse.

I'm really not a "kid" anymore ... but I haven't grown up yet either Wink
October 03, 2018, 05:11 PM
RHINOWSO
quote:
I don't like to be around strangers when shooting, you don't know what their safety habits are or it just seems like you are ready to shoot and someone pulls up and wants to set targets or they didn't bring their spotting scope so they want to "go see" or something stupid ...

Agreed. I show up when the ranges opens, 30 min before commence firing, then pull the first shot as soon at 0800 hits. I'm usually gone by 0915 but leave early if morons show up. Back up right to the benches and always read for a quick "I'm outta here". And this is a membership required range too.

During the week I usually have a full range to myself. During the weekend idiots show up around 0900 or so, right as I'm finishing up and about to leave.
October 03, 2018, 09:56 PM
jimmy123x
I always take 4 guns, maybe 5. If you bring 1, what if it breaks?

I take a .22 pistol and usually start with this. I take a couple of centerfire pistols...Usually a 9mm and a .45, but sometimes a .40 or .357 mag….and 1 long gun.....usually a 10/22, sometimes a marlin camp 9 or 12 gauge semi auto (slugs)
October 03, 2018, 11:00 PM
fritz
quote:
Originally posted by jimmy123x:
If you bring 1, what if it breaks?

Quality guns with the proper-sized quality ammo very, very rarely break. In the many tens of thousands of rounds I've shot, and the hundreds of thousands of rounds I've seen fired, the true gun "breaks" are:
- The bolt on a Beretta 392 shotgun broke in the middle of a sporting clays tournament. IIRC, the owner stated the gun had fired many tens of thousands of rounds, much of them were higher velocity 1-1/8 ounce loads. That's just wearing out a gun. That bolt should have been changed out much earlier.

- The mil-spec trigger on an AR-15 went dead in a training course. It was a contractor's duty weapon, and he had just returned from a tour in Iraq. He was pleased that it failed state side, instead of a couple months earlier when it would have caused a world of hurt. He said the trigger had at least 25,000 rounds on it.

- Same overseas contractor, next day. The gas block on his SBR failed. Likely 20,000 rounds on that upper. It was the upper's second barrel, which was just about toast from throat erosion. When he wore out the first barrel, he put the same gas block and gas tube on the second barrel. Not a good idea on an upper that saw its fair share of rapid fire.

- A precision bolt action rifle's Jewel trigger jammed during a training course that required us students to get down and dirty. Our rifles were filthy at the end of each day. His rifle was on its second barrel and that Jewel trigger had never been cleaned. A Jewel set for a break of less than 1 pound in dirty conditions is just foolish.

- I've seen a handful of squibs occur, usually on handguns. Cleaning rods and dowels have cleared the squibs and put the owners back in business.

I've seen and experienced a number of jams and sighting systems problems in the field. In every case the jams were cleared with minimal time out. A screwdriver here, a torque wrench there, a little lube, and maybe a different magazine -- and the shooters were back in business.

Sure, parts can wear out for high-volume shooters, and a lack of maintenance and inspection may eventually cause issues. But for the average enthusiast civilian shooter -- who may have a safe or three full of guns with less than 1,000 rounds down each barrel -- quality guns just don't break.
October 04, 2018, 10:07 AM
maladat
My dad had an ejector break once on a 1940's vintage Browning Superposed shotgun. Of course, the gun still worked, you just had to extract the shell from one barrel with your fingernails.

I think that's the only time I've personally experienced a firearm "breaking."

Jams and reliability issues and sights falling off, sure.
October 04, 2018, 01:02 PM
jimmy123x
quote:
Originally posted by fritz:
quote:
Originally posted by jimmy123x:
If you bring 1, what if it breaks?

Quality guns with the proper-sized quality ammo very, very rarely break. In the many tens of thousands of rounds I've shot, and the hundreds of thousands of rounds I've seen fired, the true gun "breaks" are:
- The bolt on a Beretta 392 shotgun broke in the middle of a sporting clays tournament. IIRC, the owner stated the gun had fired many tens of thousands of rounds, much of them were higher velocity 1-1/8 ounce loads. That's just wearing out a gun. That bolt should have been changed out much earlier.

- The mil-spec trigger on an AR-15 went dead in a training course. It was a contractor's duty weapon, and he had just returned from a tour in Iraq. He was pleased that it failed state side, instead of a couple months earlier when it would have caused a world of hurt. He said the trigger had at least 25,000 rounds on it.

- Same overseas contractor, next day. The gas block on his SBR failed. Likely 20,000 rounds on that upper. It was the upper's second barrel, which was just about toast from throat erosion. When he wore out the first barrel, he put the same gas block and gas tube on the second barrel. Not a good idea on an upper that saw its fair share of rapid fire.

- A precision bolt action rifle's Jewel trigger jammed during a training course that required us students to get down and dirty. Our rifles were filthy at the end of each day. His rifle was on its second barrel and that Jewel trigger had never been cleaned. A Jewel set for a break of less than 1 pound in dirty conditions is just foolish.

- I've seen a handful of squibs occur, usually on handguns. Cleaning rods and dowels have cleared the squibs and put the owners back in business.

I've seen and experienced a number of jams and sighting systems problems in the field. In every case the jams were cleared with minimal time out. A screwdriver here, a torque wrench there, a little lube, and maybe a different magazine -- and the shooters were back in business.

Sure, parts can wear out for high-volume shooters, and a lack of maintenance and inspection may eventually cause issues. But for the average enthusiast civilian shooter -- who may have a safe or three full of guns with less than 1,000 rounds down each barrel -- quality guns just don't break.


I get all this, but it does happen. I've had it happen on 2 of my own guns granted both have had a good amount of rounds through them.

1. A browning buckmark, all of a sudden the trigger stopped returning (I haven't investigated fixing this yet) and would no longer fire, probably 20k rounds through it.

2. A fabarm HK semi auto 12 gauge shotgun, all of a sudden with 6k rounds through it, I was at the trap range and started getting light primer strikes every other shell.

While rare, it does happen. For me, 1 gun gets really boring after a while, and I always like to start my range session with a .22. Also certain guns I have can get really hot if it's the only 1 i'm shooting to where I have to let them take a break after a while(HK P7, and .357 magnum).
October 04, 2018, 01:26 PM
fritz
quote:
Originally posted by jimmy123x:
While rare, it does happen. For me, 1 gun gets really boring after a while

True, high mileage firearms can suffer from parts failure. Just like a high mileage car. Routine maintenance and parts replacement eliminates a good portion of such failures. But the vast majority of shooters will never own a high mileage gun. And even if they do own a high mileage gun, it won't get there by their own hands.

When I hear of "boring" shooting sessions, it generally boils down to what the shooter is doing. Or not doing. Repetitive practice on the same target can be boring. Changing guns and doing the same thing only prolongs the boredom. IMO this most often occurs at public ranges with lots of restrictions on target types & distances, and acceptable ways in which one can shoot. It's been many years since I've shot in such conditions.

I shoot outdoors -- generally on family land, but also on public ranges. I can change targets, target distances, shooting positions. I work on things I don't do particularly well, not just the things I have down pat. I can shoot for hours with one firearm and not be bored. I can shoot hundreds and hundreds of rounds -- until the point fatigue compromises technique and accuracy -- and not get bored.

No firearm is intrinsically boring. What we as humans do with a firearm will determine if our actions are boring or exhilarating.
October 04, 2018, 03:12 PM
Tommydogg
I have one of those Dewalt rolling plastic tool boxes. I'm thinking I can break down ARs and pack them with pistols, ammo, toys and everything I need. Non break down long guns can be strapped on top in a soft case. I can throw the box in the back of my truck and strap it with little effort. Guns can ride up front.


___________________________
"I Get It Now"

Beth Greene
October 04, 2018, 03:49 PM
xl_target
The range I go to is very friendly. it is a membership only (outdoor) range. It doesn't really get very busy till just before hunting season. Most of the time, there are only two or three people there.

I'm there every Sunday afternoon to practice as we shoot matches on Mondays evenings. I usually take a lot of different stuff and I let anyone who wants to shoot, shoot whatever I have. My wife usually laughs at me when I begin my "Trek", loading the truck up.
Other people do the same thing and I've had a chance to shoot a lot of very different stuff. Keep in mind that I've known many of these people for years.
October 05, 2018, 10:36 AM
SIGWolf
I've had some failures.

1. Extractor on a SIG 1911 GSR broke, tip broke off.
2. Shooting with my son had a Browning Hi-Power start to double fire on the pull of the trigger. That was the end of that for the day.
3. Shooting a PTR91 in .308 had it go full auto on me with a 20 round magazine. Thankfully it was not my son shooting it at the them. That was the end of that range trip for the day.
4. Had a Tanfoglio fail to fire. tried it a couple of time and retired it for the day, sent it back to the company for repair.
5. I've had a few quibs but not much, nothing that left a barrel blocked or required effort to clear.
6. Had the extractor on a SIG 1911 Revolution also break, hmmm....

I've told my son, you have to pay attention to what the gun is doing. If it doesn't do EXACTLY what you expect, you stop and figure out why or put it away.

Went to the range one afternoon and it was blissfully empty. Then this guy showed up with his "posse". I'm sure he was the only one with a membership. The rest were hangers on, two girls, three other guys. Everyone posed with what turned out to be a brand new Beretta Inox, 9mm.

Then he got down to shooting. After a few trouble free rounds, the gun started to jam after every round. He would clear it, rack the slide and shoot again. Over and over and over.

Finally I couldn't stand it any more. I usually keep to myself and don't offer unsolicited advice, but this was just painful.

So, I went over and offered to have a look at the gun. Turned out it was bone dry. No lube. He had come directly from the gun store. I broke it down, put some oil on the poor thing and gave it back. Ran like a top after that. I really hope the gun went to a good home at some point.

I packed up and left.
October 12, 2018, 12:43 AM
bczrx
It depends on what I want to accomplish that day.

There are generally one of three reasons I am at the outdoor range that day.



Either of the first two and I am taking probably about a dozen firearms, of various calibers and types- depending on what repairs were done, what needs to be tested, my mood, and who is with me.

When I took my friend and his daughter- after teaching them to shoot, it was 22 rifles and both rim and center-fire handguns- but it was 12 options.

If I am working on improvement of my skills, it is usually no more than 3 firearms at the most. If it is long guns, a .22lr for warm up, and then the one, or two, firearms I am trying to get better with.

Handguns are the same- a .22lr for warm up and trigger control, then centerfire.

I'll be honest- sometimes I never get past .22lr when alone. Yet, I never take all the .22s I have, as that is too much to clean.


I will say that, for fun shooting, I try to 'rotate' the firearms, so that everything gets shot at least once a year [I don't get out much].

Darn- next range trip = sight in Garand in .308. Smile


Sigs and Non-Sigs: I enjoy having options!
October 13, 2018, 10:52 AM
Beanhead
I will say organization is your friend in any trip to the range. The more organized you are, the better the range trip. Here are my 3 must have when I go to an outdoor range.

1. I second the wagon as a convenient way to transport stuff.

2. Bring a table. I like this one because it is compact when folded and it can be set up taller to load mag and such. It can be set up shorter to have a table next to you at the shooting bench. And you can always use more table space at the range.

https://www.uline.com/Product/...ALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

3. Get one of those open tool bags. They are great to keep you organized, bring ammo, and at the end of the day, for you to toss in extra stuff that you have at the range table to speed up your trip home.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hu...g-82167N17/302612152
October 13, 2018, 11:28 AM
sigfreund
Tables are a definite benefit. I have three of this one, but of course they won’t fit into the same smaller space as one that folds in half.

Where I normally shoot there aren’t any tables or benches, but even at a range with benches they make life much easier.




6.4/93.6

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.”
— Plato