Range report

I made a short trip to the range today. I had some specific goals in mind, too:
- pull a trigger.
- repeat.
- zero the new rifle irons
- zero the new rifle optics
- get a feel for the new sights on the M&P9
- range-test the M&P40c
- pull a trigger some more

Good news: all goals accomplished.

I picked up a new M&P15-22 the other day, based on numerous reviews around the blogs, the forums, and a bit of trigger time granted to my by a shooter at my range last fall. A few calls to local shops didn't quite result in laughter when asked if they had any in stock. The local Phallus Sporting Goods, however, did have them. Several of them, as a matter of fact (in a rack of 15-20 black rifles). Probably a lot to do with target marketing and the fact that they want $50 more than the gun shops. I could have gotten one on gunbroker for less, but by the time I paid shipping and dealer fees I'd be right to PSG's price anyways - so I just went for it.

After convincing the droid that I did, in fact, know what I wanted ... no, I don't need to look at it again ... yes, I'm sure, I want that one ... yes, I've done a 4473 before ... please stop trying to explain the 4473 to me. please. stop. please. No, I don't need any ammo. No, I don't need a light/laser/sling/foregrip/tactical anything. Nor a cleaning kit. Please just call the nice NICS people now. Please. Yes, I know I want that one.

I ogled some sights while I was waiting, considered a scope and decided I wanted a red dot/reflex sight. Found one I liked, too. Wasn't sure on the pricing, so left it there. The droid, to his credit, offered me a discount on it, and when I told him I needed to think about it he told me he'd honor the price all week. Came home and checked pricing, and found that their price was on par with the market, and with the discount it was pretty good. Add in a coupon I'd gotten and it was very good. So I went back the next day and picked up a Truglo Tru-Brite reflex sight. Before I bought it, the deciding factor was whether it'd co-witness with the irons. They stuck their display sample on a gun and it lined up beautifully. Home I went.

Today I got to the range, snugged the sight down, and started by checking the zero on the irons at 50 feet. About an inch right. A few clicks of windage and I was spot on. Then it was a simple matter of turning on the dot and lining it up with the top of the sight post. Perfect. I punched a few more groups to check it, and it looked good (or at least good enough*):

I scooted outside and tossed up a zombie target at ten yards or so, burned the carry ammo in the M&P40c, a few more magazines of range ammo, two or three mags of 9mm in the full-size M&P, and then started plinking the 50yd gong with the .22. 8/10 off-hand rapid fire on a 6" gong... yeah, I'll take that.










Not a bad trip, albeit abbreviated (maintenance guy was doing outside work, so where I'd normally have burned a half-brick of .22, I only had his meal break for the outside stuff).

* - I know those groups are nothing to write home about, but the zero is there. I'll be doing some tweaking for accuracy in the future, but also acknowledge that my eyes may limit the accuracy to not much better than what you see - short of my going to a magnifying scope.