Range Report

I realize that when Kim du Toit and most of the other real gun-bloggers call something a range report they are about to tell you about what they did at the range, who they took along, new shooters and all that. Right now that would be hard for me to do because I am chronically De-Ranged. I don't quite have a range yet. This range report is about progress toward getting a new, private range set up.

I had my friend, realtor, benefactor and soon to be Rangelord trying to find a sliver of worthless, unbuildable land that I could buy cheaply and use for a range site. We did find one parcel of a few acres that was completely underwater, way overpriced (South Florida investor paid about 20 times what it is worth and has listed it for sale trying to make a profit) and surrounded by people who keep horses and already call the Sherriff every time anybody fires a gun. That was the best one.

In desperation, I suggested putting a range on the future Rangelord's own land, at my expense, and he liked the idea. His "boss" didn't have a problem with it and neither did their kids. Go figgure. The plan was hatched and we worked on the big questions such as liability, hold harmless agreement & all the things you need to even walk down the street without getting sued these days.

This past weekend, the folks behind the Rangelord started clearing some 80 acres right in back of him and let it be known that the guys running their equipment would be glad to do some work for him pretty cheaply while they were there.

Conditions would never get better. The theoretical issues were worked out and the equipment to do a lot more than we needed was sitting right in back of his house. We met for lunch yesterday and decided exactly where we were going to put the range, the direction it would point & so forth. He walked the site last night and saw that it was good.

The equipment will be there for another few days and we should have our little 100 yard rifle range bulldozed and disked over with a nice berm at one end before they leave. A little pressure treated lumber, some concrete and a few pieces of galvanized roofing will wrap it up.

I can hear things stirring in the gun safe and my chronograph is already humming!

This blog is by two guys who shoot a lot less than they like, reload a lot less than they want and needed an excuse to do more of both. One lives someplace out to the left of the big river and one lives in what used to be Florida. I'm the Florida one. Buckshot lived here for a while and then went back where he belonged. "Lantry" is a pseudonym. If you've read South Moon Under you know "where I'm from." If not, don't worry. It ain't there no more anyhow. (Well, actually, THAT specific place is still there and I'm told it can be bought for less than $500,000. I'm not kidding).

Hopefully, somebody somewhere will find some of this interesting or informative as the posts start piling up. If not, well, we started it to make ourselves shoot and reload more so who cares! We'll be at the range and the bench more and that's really what its all about.

I might start tinkering with a low pressure load for a 12 gauge Fox Sterlingworth that I don't want to shoot to pieces or I might play around with a 50 Beowulf that followed me home one day. I might work on a nice .358 Winchester load or my Savage Model 99 or I might use the blog as an excuse to buy that one at Bullseye Sports in .303 Savage so I can write about that. Maybe I'll start with the range I'm trying to get my buddy up in Daisey to let me build on his mini farm. You'll know as soon as I do. Maybe sooner.

One thing I do know is that Buckshot will hit his goal. I hope he uses Nosler or Weatherby headstamped brass since it has always held more powder for me than other brands. I just hope I don't have to send him any of mine to get it done.

I am putting this down as a goal to reach toward in the near future. I recently purchased a .308 cal. bullet mold with gas check. Also purchased a .308 sizer die. I want to use this in developing a 300 Weatherby Mag. load, that far exceeds factory specs. The die is for a 165 grain bullet. I plan on quenching the hot bullet in water to harden it, and will be using, what I call, super-lube.

After molding the first batch, I will let you know what the real bullet weight turned out to be.

Factory specs are: 3450 f.p.s. (4360 f.p.m.e.) My goal is 3650-3700 f.p.s.