Range Day 2

December 15, 2014
The epic cleaning from a month ago still yields no stray cosmoline, so again, thank you to all who offered good advice on the removal process (“Disassemble and wipe down thoroughly…”)
Since I was not aiming at the broad side of a barn on Day 1, there really wasn’t any way to discern what zip code I was hitting when I had the targets at 100 and 150 yards. Day 2 found me feeling silly plugging away at a 25 yard silhouette, but the results showed that I was hitting very high, even with the rear sight set for 100m.
(Note: before I get the whole flaming commentary about the difference in elevation needed for 25/100 meter targets, I acknowledge this simple concept of ballistics and encourage further reading…)
Once the sight picture was figured out and the grouping was to my liking, I then started on the 50/100/150m targets. Highly recommended for first-time firers, and could probably be compared to “courting” your rifle – you have to know what the reaction is going to be before you try to go any further.
After round #17, the tender spot from Day 1 began to spout forth the few choice Russian vulgarities I learned from the wife while teaching her to drive a standard, so I folded up an old t-shirt and stuffed it under my flannel. Not only does it work like good ox, but I have found that it is actually  (“….firers are permitted to wear a padded jacket or to use a soft pad under the buttplate.”) Thus, 60 rounds only feel like 20, and the targets will continue to be perforated in the most savagely joyous manner for the Motherland.
A side note: the Mosin wasn’t the oldest thing on the range that day. An 1914 Lewis gun, 1918 BAR, and a couple of M-44’s also made for much noise. Gotta love living in Georgia.
To sum up for new shooters:
1) Clean well
2) Start with 25m targets
4) Padding if you are going to make a day of it
5) BAR’s scare the hell out of you if you aren’t paying attention…
6) Pay attention (see #3)