January 5th, 1860 Long Range Shoot

[RanchRoper]

Nice day here in southwest Alberta territory. For the first lead down range of 2019, I challenged myself with some long range, old frontier shootin'. Just a light breeze out of the southwest today and 40F.

My classic 1860 Henry, 45 Colt rifle. Open sights. Shooting at 100 yds & 200 yds today. Shooting from 1 knee position, which I quite like & feels very comfortable to me. Little binoculars to check once in awhile that I'm not lobbing rounds into the next township. Wolf ammunition reloads, 250 gr LFN. Pretty consistent ammo so far, and I have shot several hundred rounds of it.

First up, 100 yds, 24 rounds. Ladder rear sight up, and on the bottom notch. Some may be able to get tight groups with the 1860 ladder sights at long ranges but I try to not get too worked up about it. I figure if I can get on the paper consistently at 100+ yards I am doing not bad for a guy in his sixties. The paper is 12"x12", so it's quite small way out there as you know. All 24 on the paper, heck some even hit the targets!

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Next is 200 yds, 8 out of 12 on the paper, which I figure is not too bad all things considered. Ladder sight up, and moved it up to the 300 yd setting. I don't think the settings mean much, as I can't see shooting to 800 yds at least not with these eyes. It would be a rainbow trajectory. I used just a white sheet of cardboard so I could easily pick up the holes with the binoculars.

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And course my trusty rifle

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Hope you enjoyed my little report. I'm not much of a techy when it comes to ballistics & stuff. I just like to shoot.
RR

[CT_Shooter]

Nice day here in southwest Alberta territory. For the first lead down range of 2019, I challenged myself with some long range, old frontier shootin'. Just a light breeze out of the southwest today and 40F.

My classic 1860 Henry, 45 Colt rifle. Open sights. Shooting at 100 yds & 200 yds today...
Hope you enjoyed my little report. I'm not much of a techy when it comes to ballistics & stuff. I just like to shoot.

Awesome shooting, RR. I can't tell you enough how much I enjoy your range reports and how I envy your shooting skill. No one can compete. You're the gold medal shooter here. Thanks.

[RetiredSeabee]

I am impressed! That 12x12 at 200yds has to look like a postage stamp.

[ESquared]

Awesome shooting, RR, thanks for sharing. Many (if not most) of us here would LOVE to have targets like that at 100/200 yds with iron sights. Just fantastic!

[RanchRoper]

Appreciate the kind words guys, thks.

[JEBar]

nice .... no, nice ain't near high enough .... with the way you shoot, no surprise at doing so well at 100 yards, off hand, with open sights .... at double that range, you had a really good day .... nicely done indeed

[RanchRoper]

I am impressed! That 12x12 at 200yds has to look like a postage stamp.

Haha...it literally is a little white dot sitting on top of the front sight post. I cannot wait too long to pull the trigger or the barrell starts to move on me and I psych myself out. Speaking of that, I always have difficulty with those targets with the 4 circles on them. I don't know why but they always give me issues. I have shot the ones with 6 smaller circles and not had a problem at 25 or 50 yds but the 4 never produce my best groups at 25 or 50 yds. Weird.

[BigAl52]

Looks like Buffalo steaks on the table to me with any of those shots.

[Sir Henry]

Looks like Buffalo steaks on the table to me with any of those shots.

Buffalo steaks even at 400 yards.

[RanchRoper]

Not sure how many rounds I'd have to rain down on a buffalo at 400 yds...

[Sir Henry]

Not sure how many rounds I'd have to rain down on a buffalo at 400 yds...

Doubling the group size of the 200 yard target and they are still a hit on a buffalo which is a lot bigger than your target.

[Steve51]

Real good shooting. I haven't shot at any targets beyond 125 yds. with iron sights since my army days. With my eyes now, not sure I could even see a paper target at 200 yds.

[fortyshooter]

Nice shooting and being able to see that target 200 yds. out!! Put you a nice 12 or 16 inch steel gong out there and wait to hear it ring!
I need to get my ol' 1885 High Wall .45-70 out again for some laid back gonging!

[RanchRoper]

Thanks guys. I may just have to set up a gong at the range, that would be fun.

[North Country Gal]

I think "techy" takes a back set to shooting skill like that, any day of the week. Great job, as always, RR. Enjoyed very much.

[PT7]

No doubt about a steel gong at the range being a lot of fun, RR. I'd do it all the time, if my son's-in-law outdoor "Home On the Range" wasn't so far away! OK, I'm really very impressed with your rifle shooting skill --- not the first person or my first time saying that. There sure are a lot of "likes" throughout your Range Report threads.

OK, let me "wonder" a little about your target(s). 12"x12" is quite small at 200, but as you have a good number of POIs, it works for you. Not long ago Bandit suggested I try using an inverted triangle as a target. I've found for me it is easier to grab that sight picture versus a circle target. I'm going to continue to make triangles for my home-made triangles to shoot my SGC and revolvers.

I wonder (there's that word again) if you made an equilateral (12"-15" per side, or larger?) inverted triangle on a white sheet of foam core board? I've used that often. I'd think the sides would need to be drawn wider than a single line for that distance. Might be something to experiment with. When I get to the outdoor range again, I'll either clang steel, or try a couple of triangle targets made larger for more distance. That might answer my wondering better than anything!

Anyway, I'm glad for Bandit's suggestion, and it's the new target style for me to use at this time. Just my < two cents. Can't provide much advice at all about your shooiting...you've got that finely-tuned, Cowboy!

Take care.
PT7

Thanks guys. I may just have to set up a gong at the range, that would be fun.
~~~ RetiredSeabee wrote:
I am impressed! That 12x12 at 200yds has to look like a postage stamp.

Haha...it literally is a little white dot sitting on top of the front sight post. I cannot wait too long to pull the trigger or the barrell starts to move on me and I psych myself out. Speaking of that, I always have difficulty with those targets with the 4 circles on them. I don't know why but they always give me issues. I have shot the ones with 6 smaller circles and not had a problem at 25 or 50 yds but the 4 never produce my best groups at 25 or 50 yds. Weird.

[RanchRoper]

Thanks, something to think about. I would like to see if I can hit a watermelon or something similar at long range, and what the lead would do to it. If I am getting 1100 or so feet per second out of the rifle based on what I have read about the ammo types I use, what would the velocity be on impact? Must drop dramatically. Might still blow up though.

[JEBar]

Thanks, something to think about. I would like to see if I can hit a watermelon or something similar at long range, and what the lead would do to it.

I'd enjoy seeing that as well ....

[Mags]

.
me too

Thanks, something to think about. I would like to see if I can hit a watermelon or something similar at long range, and what the lead would do to it.

I'd enjoy seeing that as well ....

[BigAl52]

I think RR is gonna become Canadas version of Hickok 45. Watermelons smokin pots and 2 litres are now in jeopardy in Alberta. Oh and the steel gong to.