PDA

View Full Version : Hammer of Thor , part 2 (long)


Dr.Rob
February 14, 2001, 01:23 PM
So dad and I headed out to the range last sunday for some gun fun with a variety of rifles and pistols he's been collecting and I have to say we had a blast. Dad's been buying like crazy since he retired and he's having more fun than a kid in a candy store.

Before I get to the range report, have to say its ALWAYS fun to "unload" your suitcase full of pistols at the range, just to get a rise out of the people hanging around the firing line. You hear things like "jesus those guys have a lot of guns".. some people will approach you, others wont.

In my range bag this trip a .25 auto Titan by FIE I picked up in a tenneant eviction, a Colt 1917 Army New service 45 acp revolver, a Colt Commader 45 auto, an FEG hi-power in 9mm and my shiny vaquero 44 magnum. Savage 30-06 for long range work.

Dad's range bag included his new FEG, a 1911 (not an A1) that was reblued, a dan wesson 357 and a dan wesson 357 MAXIMUM. He also brought 2 marlin 45-70's for long range play.

First off, I discovered my FIE isnot only a piece of #%$#@, its a broken piece of ^$%*$. Would not fire under any conditions. Blue book on this is $80 NIB, mine might be worth $10. Think I'll keep it around for the next 'gun buy back' scam.
Had a hard time keeping my 9mm to shoot consistantly.. maybe i was just out of practice. Didn't seem to be flinching, but had a hell of a time keeping a tight group and was shooting low.. maybe it was my winchester white box ammo??? The 1917 Army always gets a lot of looks, since its so damn big, but it hardly kicks at all with ball ammo. Still shoots sweet. Same goes for my commander, makes me think about shooting in CDP class again at my next match. Dad's "new 45" was a kick to shoot, but man did I get serious hammerbite. After 60 rounds of full power 44 magnums I was ready to try dad's maximum.

Let me just say... wow.. awesome.. hooya! The 357 maximum is one HELL of a cartridge and that Dan Wesson is on super accurate gun. Dad was shooting 2 inch 25 yard groups with federal factory 180 grain bullets. It gets downrange so fast you don't have time to flinch. Muzzle blast is EXCESSIVE do not sit beside someone firing this beast, you will feel grit hit your face. Shooting glasses are required.. Water on the bench in front of me was vaporizing with every shot.. serious flash comes out between the cylinder and forcing cone (its properly set i assure you) Recoil is not as high as a 240 gr 44 mag, but its a LOT louder. I would absolutely take this pistol elk hunting, though I think I'd rather have a Ruger in this caliber.

On to the rifle range.. drove a 5 shot group through a quarter at 100 yards with the trusty Savage 116fsak and even Dad said, "damn I gotta get one of those.. they make that in 243??"

Next we sat down to the task of sighting in dad's iron sighted marlins.. nothing like doing range adjustments with a brass punch and hammer. Point of impact for the 405 gr loads and the 300 grain loads are VASTLY different, as in 2.5 FEET at 100 yards. dad wants to shoot the 300's since as he put it.. "those 405's are for mean spirited lumberjacks with lust for pain". After much fiddling we put the 1895 anniversary edition away (the rear sight base was really loose.. it needs to be shimmed) and we concentrated on using the lyman sights on the full stocked model. We were managing 5 and 6 inch groups with those iron sights.. which really suprised me since its even hard to SEE the bullseye at 100 yards. I'd take either of those guns to elk camp.

So if any of you mean spirited macho guys would want to trade my dad a box of wussy 300 grain 45-70's for a box of 405's please e-mail me. Dad has a box of 405's he doesn't want anymore.

Hours later cleaning all the ordinance I just looked at dad and grinned.. shooting is FUN.

Ledbetter
February 15, 2001, 06:19 PM
I've heard Win White box loads are not as fast as most ammo.

Regards.