Range report

Ever leave the range wondering, "Why did I waste that time and ammo?"

I had that day today.

I swapped the sight from my torn-apart 15-22 upper to the new-used/spare 15-22 upper and took that for zeroing. Aside from a horrible flinch, it did fine. No major adjustments needed, but I'm starting to consider ditching the dot and getting a magnified optic. Or maybe just putting it on the SBR 15-22 when that's ready to assemble. In any case ... sixty rounds, one malfunction (light strike, near as I can tell; it went bang on a second run through), no real thrill.

I took the Savage .308 for some 100yd work ... and was horribly disappointed. 2-2.5" seemed to be the best I was doing today.

The tone for the range trip was set by one of the range staff when I got there - I uncased my guns and racked them, then sat back on the rear bench to wait for a cease-fire to go hang a target. I pulled a granola bar out of my pocket and started to unwrap it when she tapped me on the shoulder and said, "You really shouldn't eat that here, don't want to ingest lead, you're already breathing enough of it." I smiled and said, "Thanks, but I'll take my chances." (Note: I hadn't handled any ammo yet, it's friggin' granola bar, and I eat those from the wrapper, not with bare hands.) She scowled at me and said, "NO, you won't. If you want to eat that you have to go back to the patio." I stuffed it back in my pocket. I should have just left and demanded my range fee back.

I've had run-ins with this miserable wench before, and I'm sick of it. I'll be contacting the range management to complain during business hours.

While I had the .308 out I heard the loudspeaker call a few times, "Booth X, keep your muzzle downrange." Then the RO went to that booth and told him a couple more times to watch his muzzle. Then I started seeing puffs of concrete dust from in front of that booth, out around the 50-yard line... Bubba, if you can't (1) keep your muzzle pointed mostly downrange and (2) are knocking loose concrete at 50 yards (meaning striking either four feet low in the ground or six feet high into the baffles) ... I don't want to be anywhere near you.

So I packed up my stuff and headed home. And I'm still grouchy about it.

I want a range where I can shoot what I want, when I want, from the positions I want (i.e., prone or seated, not off a concrete slab), at targets more exciting than a piece of paper.