Disappointing range trip

[armoredman]

I only took two firearms, again the VZ-58 and Taurus snub, I was looking forward to some long slow workouts with both. Had some new handloads for the VZ I wanted to try, and get some more exercise with the holosight. So, off I trotted, figuring 7AM on a weekday, when I usually go, will give me that one range to myself, as usual.
Wrong.
I arrived a few minutes after 7, when the free public range opens, and the place was packed. I checked my watch, yep, still Friday, not Saturday. OK, well, I drove down here, I'll shoot a bit. So, I set up, next to where an off duty officer was conducting a weapons fam class of some sort.
All set? Lock, load, turn on the sight, line up, fire....turn on the sight, line up, fire...turn on the sight...what the heck?
I realized the sight knob, which is also the battery compartment, had shot loose, wouldn't stay in it's detent, and would shift forward or backwards under recoil, effectively turning off the sight. Now, I had heard this sight was notorious for turning off because the battery compartment was loose, so I tightened it up. Great, tight as a drum, but the knobitself was still as loose,and continued to turn the sight off under recoil. After a few more rounds of that, I gave up in disgust, and pulled it off. :banghead: Midway will be hearing from me today. I have an old red dot around here somewhere I'll slap on there, see how it works.
Irons OK? Absolutely, but the newest handload printed low, and gave 5 inch groups at the end of the range. Dang. Ran out of the good ones already, messing with the sight. Oh well, the rifle itself worked perfectly. And I have the best of reasons to load some more, with the older, better recipe.
As I was getting hit with spent Wolf rounds from the AK being familiarized next door, and listening to the "instructor" show off his Dept issue FA shorty M4, I decided to heck with it, and threw 10 rounds of reloads through the snubbie. At 75 yards. Hit the target. Twice.
Time for some hot coffee and ramen for breakfast - there is just no hope left for the day. Maybe it will be better later. Like tomorrow.

 

[hardluk1]

Don't give midway crap contact who made the site and them your info. They my give a upgrade . If that does not help then concact midway for a replacement or different model.

 

[yeti]

A bad day at the range beats a good day at work!

 

[armoredman]

Oh, no, I won't give Midway grief over it, they didn't build it, just to cover the return/replacement.
Absolutely right, Yeti.

 

[wally]

I've usually had good luck with the cheap red dots and holosights (except for BEC brand) but only after a drop of Loc-tite on the screws that hold the battery compartment to the sight body and a drop on the spanner nut that holds the circuit board down under the battery -- this controls the resistance to turning the dial.

--wally.

 

[danprkr]

Went once with a large group. We planned on making a morning of it, and then going to lunch. Well, no sooner had we arrived than 3 stations away a guy was shooting his DE .50.

Problem is he had no common courtesy at all. They were new enough at the time that none of us had any experience with them, and so didn't know that thing throws a fireball bright enough to be seen in the TX sun for 15 feet. The pressure wave (even outdoors) was enough to cause you to flinch. We tried a while to time it so that we'd be shooting while he was reloading, resting, or whatever. Problem was that he would just walk up, and let loose a full mag rapid fire with no warning. We even asked the guy to let us know he was about to fire since we had newbies with us (buddy's wife), and he acted like we were insane, and said, "I don't have to inform you as long as the line is hot." I tried explaining that even to me an experienced shooter it was off putting, and it would just be nice to have warning especially for the newbies, but nope he was having none of it.

Technically he did nothing wrong, and he broke no safety rules that I saw (and I looked hoping for a way to shut him up for a few minutes) so after about 30 minutes of dealing with him we just left, had coffee, and went home. Fortunately, it didn't discourage the newbie, but it very easily could have.

 

[Superlite27]

I am notorious for believing that every silver lining has it's cloud, but I'll go against my normal cynicism, and say you're looking at this all wrong.

Although enjoyable, a perfect sunny day at the range, with nobody around except for maybe another pleasant shooter to exchange small talk with, and COM hits on all your targets with no misfires may be the ideal range trip in most people's opinion, but it isn't mine.

The purpose of a range trip is also to practice, and tinker with your "kit" or firearms items. Although the ideal "perfect" trip would be enjoyable, how would you like to discover these holosight problems under circumstances where you really needed them? Or where you were trusting your life to them? Would you normally try iron sights on your weapon to see how they patterned? (Probably not, I'm guessing)

There were tons of positive things you "discovered" on this trip. You also learned how to shoot with hot brass landing in your lap. Not every shooting scenario will always be rosy. Now you have some "training" experience shooting under different conditions.

It may have been "disappointing", but look at it this way: You fixed some things that probably needed fixing. Isn't this also what range trips are for other than pure enjoyment?

Now. Nobody can say I'm a pessimist 100% of the time.

 

[jpwilly]

^^^ Totally agree.

Also, when you take an experiment to the range be sure to take some thing that works as backup JIC the experiment goes wrong you can still have some fun.

 

[armoredman]

Oh, I agree, when the cop apologized for the shower of hot brass, I told him it was good practice for shooting with a distraction. And absolutely correct, far better to find about the sight out on the range, than if actually having to use this for SD, but still personally disappointing that the holosight failed. I bit the bullet, at the wifes urging, (seriously!), and ordered a new, upgraded sight, returning the old one for credit. Midway customer service comes through again. jpwilly, I did - the snub. And it worked perfectly, too, thanks to Taurus fixing the bent center pin.

Oh, the best thing was it wasn't a "perfectly sunny day", but overcast - AZ in June ain't a place to like sunny days outside, unless you're young, in the pool, or a masochist.

 

[jpwilly]

AZ in June ain't a place to like sunny days outside, unless you're young, in the pool, or a masochist.

Or from the midwest (like me) It's a dry heat and it isn't bad untill it's 110+. I love the AZ sun!

 

[HB]

Yeah, its always frustrating when range trips are less than ideal. I always bring a gun I know that works Sighting in a deer gun? Bring the Buckmark too.

Or from the midwest (like me) It's a dry heat and it isn't bad untill it's 110+. I love the AZ sun!

Thank you! It was 100 degrees with 90% humidity here yesterday. It is like sitting in a greenhouse.

 

[armoredman]

I went from 110 in the shade in September of 1986, to 85 degrees with 90% humidity in Chicago, in boot camp. I thought I would die. Keep the humidity, I'll stay dry. Easier on firearm finishes, too.

 

[Walkalong]

Hey, my brother and I drove 30 miles to go shoot a rifle one time...... without the bolt....... :banghead:

It could have been worse.

 

[tjj]

Hey, my brother and I drove 30 miles to go shoot a rifle one time...... without the bolt.......

I shouldn't admit this but I drove 40 minutes to the range and forgot one of my rifles. I always bring backup goodies but I had loads worked up for a fairly new custom built 6BR and it was the principle reason for going that day. My son brought it to me later in the day so not a really a wasted trip.