Cabin Fever - New Rifle

Picher · February 14, 2015, 11:35 AM

I received my new Rem .270 Win, 700 CDL SS FL more than a week ago; pillar-bedded/free-floated it almost a week ago and mounted the Leupold VX2 3-9X four days ago, but haven't shot it yet. Weather in Maine has been between very uncomfortable to shoot and BRUTAL! We're expecting another blizzard again this weekend!

This is definitely the longest I've ever had a new rifle before shooting it. I'm still awaiting a Timney trigger, but it's due Feb. 19 and we're not due to get temps above 24* for the next couple of weeks. I don't even know for sure that it will shoot! (I suspect that it will be fine.)

The good thing is that not having a "factory-rifle" group, I'll never know whether I made it worse or not. LOL
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This winter is breaking so many snowfall and temperature records throughout the Northeast States. We don't have quite as much snow as Mass., but it's still a lot.

I was just outdoors, making more room for the next snow, in 5* temps and an icicle formed under my nose...and I don't even have a mustache!

Savage99 · February 14, 2015, 12:06 PM

The winter weather has stopped me also.

Here in NW CT we have over a foot of snow on the ground. It's too cold, snowy and windy to enjoy the range or hunting.

It will be late March before it melts here and worse up North.

You might search if there is an indoor range within driving distance.

Our club has a 50' heated range where we can shoot 22's or smaller.

zach_ · February 14, 2015, 12:41 PM

A trip to Texas would get you into some nice weather this weekend. Sunny, 77° with 7 mph wind today. The ranges will be packed to capacity with the twice a year shooters that don't like being chastised in public for unsafe practices. It gets scarey.

Picher · February 14, 2015, 12:54 PM

The club I shoot at in Augusta, ME about one day a week, has a 50-foot indoor range with 12 positions, but no centerfire rifles are allowed and handguns cannot be used with magnum or other loads that might damage the angled metal backstop.

The club also plows the parking lot and centerfire rifle range access road. I'll shoot there when temps get over 25 degrees and low wind conditions, which are rare this time of year.

After the Timney comes, I may be more tempted to brave the elements. I used to put a tarp around the shooting bench, with a Black Cat infrared heater underneath. That usually works quite well to keep vital body parts toasty.

Picher · February 14, 2015, 05:35 PM

I bit the bullet today. Put on my snowshoes and put targets out at 50 and 100 yards behind the house. Then, I put my Workmate in the truck body, drove around the house, and shot the new rifle. It wasn't an ideal setup, due to the truck body pointing so high that I had to use an extra 1" bag and two gloves on the top to get the rifle to point downward enough to see the target.

The front bag is set up for wider forends, so I held the forend to prevent as much motion as possible there.

It was about 19* and light snow, with a variable wind from about 11:00. Still, the only shot at 50 yards was about 2" from where I wanted it, so cranked vertical and horizontal, then fired at 100.

I made a few adjustments, and made about a 1", three-shot group (didn't go down to pick up the target). My hand was freezing by the time I'd fired and adjusted, but really enjoyed shooting the rifle. Recoil was minimal and straight back. The trigger was heavier than I like, but the Timney is shipped and should arrive by the 19th!

Can't wait to get it out to the club range and see how she does, but meanwhile, coyotes and crows had better be careful about where/when they come by the house!

Savage99 · February 14, 2015, 09:35 PM

Well good for you getting out there!

No new rifle here right now that needs to be shot however I want to get out myself.

Here is one of my 40X's at the range.

SARuger · February 15, 2015, 10:59 AM

I have re-scoped all of my older rimfires, bought/built a new Marlin 795 (Boyds stock, DIP trigger guard, KAT trigger), two new RAR's (.223 and 30-06), a new RAR(rimfire) .17 and ALL need sighted in. The weather in VA is too cold so I can imagine how it is in ME. We were 22 below last night with wind chill. This is the south $&^%&!!!

We have one indoor 35yd range locally that will allow me to sight in the rimfires but 35yds will just get me on paper. I will just wait until March and spring. I love outdoor ranges so much better.

Another issue with our indoor range is that you cant fit a lead sled on the benches and they wont allow me to clamp a piece of plywood to the narrow handgun bench to fit the sled on. I could use a bag but I like to clamp the rimfires in tight to sight them in since there is no recoil.

I have cabin fever too

themadbomber · March 3, 2015, 05:02 AM

Just do it, you need to train to shoot in ALL conditions. Back in January I went out targeting in -2 plus windchill. Froze my hands off cause I wanted to use thinner gloves(next time ill bring the mitts w/ trigger finger!) to be more comfy with the AR and my Beretta. Only shot a couple mags out of each but I had fun doing it as well as the trek to get to my shooting spot in full gear

Picher · March 8, 2015, 07:37 AM

Finally sighted-in the new 700 CDL at the club range and it shot pretty well, considering swirling wind and mirage. Got some 1" groups with a mild load of Varget behind 90 grain Sierra varmint bullets, but am still tinkering with seating depths. The Timney works great!

Yesterday, I took it for a walkabout down back. Snow is still about two feet deep, so I was on snowshoes. The rifle carried very well, muzzle down, on my left shoulder with the nylon sling and rubber shoulder pad. I put electrical tape over the muzzle, just for insurance. Didn't shoot at anything, since my steel turkey either blew down or is buried and didn't see any varmints.

Happened on a spot where a grouse had slept beneath the snow and left nice wing impressions on the surface as it climbed out of it's bed and flew off.

February 14, 2015, 11:35 AM	#1
Picher Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 3,694	Cabin Fever - New Rifle I received my new Rem .270 Win, 700 CDL SS FL more than a week ago; pillar-bedded/free-floated it almost a week ago and mounted the Leupold VX2 3-9X four days ago, but haven't shot it yet. Weather in Maine has been between very uncomfortable to shoot and BRUTAL! We're expecting another blizzard again this weekend! This is definitely the longest I've ever had a new rifle before shooting it. I'm still awaiting a Timney trigger, but it's due Feb. 19 and we're not due to get temps above 24* for the next couple of weeks. I don't even know for sure that it will shoot! (I suspect that it will be fine.) The good thing is that not having a "factory-rifle" group, I'll never know whether I made it worse or not. LOL ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This winter is breaking so many snowfall and temperature records throughout the Northeast States. We don't have quite as much snow as Mass., but it's still a lot. I was just outdoors, making more room for the next snow, in 5* temps and an icicle formed under my nose...and I don't even have a mustache!

February 14, 2015, 12:41 PM	#3
zach_ Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2014 Location: DFW north Posts: 377	A trip to Texas would get you into some nice weather this weekend. Sunny, 77° with 7 mph wind today. The ranges will be packed to capacity with the twice a year shooters that don't like being chastised in public for unsafe practices. It gets scarey. __________________ Z

February 14, 2015, 05:35 PM	#5
Picher Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 3,694	I bit the bullet today. Put on my snowshoes and put targets out at 50 and 100 yards behind the house. Then, I put my Workmate in the truck body, drove around the house, and shot the new rifle. It wasn't an ideal setup, due to the truck body pointing so high that I had to use an extra 1" bag and two gloves on the top to get the rifle to point downward enough to see the target. The front bag is set up for wider forends, so I held the forend to prevent as much motion as possible there. It was about 19* and light snow, with a variable wind from about 11:00. Still, the only shot at 50 yards was about 2" from where I wanted it, so cranked vertical and horizontal, then fired at 100. I made a few adjustments, and made about a 1", three-shot group (didn't go down to pick up the target). My hand was freezing by the time I'd fired and adjusted, but really enjoyed shooting the rifle. Recoil was minimal and straight back. The trigger was heavier than I like, but the Timney is shipped and should arrive by the 19th! Can't wait to get it out to the club range and see how she does, but meanwhile, coyotes and crows had better be careful about where/when they come by the house! Last edited by Picher; February 15, 2015 at 09:50 AM.

February 14, 2015, 12:06 PM	#2
Savage99 Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2004 Posts: 567	The winter weather has stopped me also. Here in NW CT we have over a foot of snow on the ground. It's too cold, snowy and windy to enjoy the range or hunting. It will be late March before it melts here and worse up North. You might search if there is an indoor range within driving distance. Our club has a 50' heated range where we can shoot 22's or smaller.

February 14, 2015, 12:54 PM	#4
Picher Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 3,694	The club I shoot at in Augusta, ME about one day a week, has a 50-foot indoor range with 12 positions, but no centerfire rifles are allowed and handguns cannot be used with magnum or other loads that might damage the angled metal backstop. The club also plows the parking lot and centerfire rifle range access road. I'll shoot there when temps get over 25 degrees and low wind conditions, which are rare this time of year. After the Timney comes, I may be more tempted to brave the elements. I used to put a tarp around the shooting bench, with a Black Cat infrared heater underneath. That usually works quite well to keep vital body parts toasty.

February 14, 2015, 09:35 PM	#6
Savage99 Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2004 Posts: 567	Well good for you getting out there! No new rifle here right now that needs to be shot however I want to get out myself. Here is one of my 40X's at the range.

February 15, 2015, 10:59 AM	#7
SARuger Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2014 Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Posts: 954	I have re-scoped all of my older rimfires, bought/built a new Marlin 795 (Boyds stock, DIP trigger guard, KAT trigger), two new RAR's (.223 and 30-06), a new RAR(rimfire) .17 and ALL need sighted in. The weather in VA is too cold so I can imagine how it is in ME. We were 22 below last night with wind chill. This is the south $&^%&!!! We have one indoor 35yd range locally that will allow me to sight in the rimfires but 35yds will just get me on paper. I will just wait until March and spring. I love outdoor ranges so much better. Another issue with our indoor range is that you cant fit a lead sled on the benches and they wont allow me to clamp a piece of plywood to the narrow handgun bench to fit the sled on. I could use a bag but I like to clamp the rimfires in tight to sight them in since there is no recoil. I have cabin fever too

March 3, 2015, 05:02 AM	#8
themadbomber Member Join Date: February 5, 2015 Posts: 24	Just do it, you need to train to shoot in ALL conditions. Back in January I went out targeting in -2 plus windchill. Froze my hands off cause I wanted to use thinner gloves(next time ill bring the mitts w/ trigger finger!) to be more comfy with the AR and my Beretta. Only shot a couple mags out of each but I had fun doing it as well as the trek to get to my shooting spot in full gear

March 8, 2015, 07:37 AM	#9
Picher Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 3,694	Finally sighted-in the new 700 CDL at the club range and it shot pretty well, considering swirling wind and mirage. Got some 1" groups with a mild load of Varget behind 90 grain Sierra varmint bullets, but am still tinkering with seating depths. The Timney works great! Yesterday, I took it for a walkabout down back. Snow is still about two feet deep, so I was on snowshoes. The rifle carried very well, muzzle down, on my left shoulder with the nylon sling and rubber shoulder pad. I put electrical tape over the muzzle, just for insurance. Didn't shoot at anything, since my steel turkey either blew down or is buried and didn't see any varmints. Happened on a spot where a grouse had slept beneath the snow and left nice wing impressions on the surface as it climbed out of it's bed and flew off.