David W. Gay
Member
- Joined
- May 7, 2004
- Messages
- 119
I had intended to start a thread a few days ago to request some insight on the various lever-actions out there. I've been wanting one for a while - for no particular reason other than I like them, but I just couldn't decide on make/caliber/cost, etc. I've looked around enough to get a general idea on a price range, and came across one in a local shop I liked. The price was good, I was tired of just looking, so I bought it.
As the thread title suggests, It's a Marlin in 30-30. It cost $239 before tax, and the guy gave me a 20rd box of ammo. It appears to be in good condition.
The next day, (yesterday), I head to the range to try out my new best friend. The closest range is a private rod & gun club. I show up with membership form & fee in hand and ask where I can shoot. First they tell me all new members are approved at the monthly board meetings, which will be in a couple weeks. So, I just let them give me the run down on range rules, etc. We chat about guns & the troubles of 'unsafe' shooters that show up, and before I go, I end up with my membership badge in hand. I didn't get to shoot that day, but had a place to shoot that is near by.
So, today, I head to my new club. Only two other guys are on the rifle line. I was hoping no one would be there, cause I knew I'd look like someone new to the rifle. Never-the-less, I sat down & loaded up.
A little background: The only other rifles I've ever shot were some .22lr - a bolt action with peep sights, and a semi-auto with a simple scope. Oh yea, and I have shot some trap with a 12ga, but only a couple of times.
Anyway, back to my new lever...
So, I loaded up, brought it up to my shoulder, held it firmly in place, and ...
Click.
Ok, I meant to do that. Yep, intentional dry fire. I know exactly what I'm doing... Carry on, carry on...
Let's see, I'll just flick this lever here like they do in those old westerns, sit back down, shoulder up, and fire.
Wo, that hurt! Maybe I need to hold it a bit firmer to my shoulder.
Nope, that didn't help.
Second, third... forth shots still hurt like the dickens. I thought I was holding it correctly, like I'd see others shoot, but I couldn't lesson the jolt to my shoulder
Ok, how to pad the blow, otherwise I'm going home... Hmmm, this here sand bag looks perfect!
I set it between the stock & my sholder, (not the whole bag, just enough) and the next several shots are MUCH more bearable. I can't tell if I'm hitting the target, (100yds, iron sights) but I am hitting the berm.
Did I mention there were a couple other shooters a few lanes down? Well, one of them appeared to be in his 70's, and had a thick European accent. German, Swiss, Polish - I don't know. Anyway, the older gent came over and kindly offered me several tips on how to handle & shoot my rifle.
The first was to ditch the sand-bag. The next was to hold the stock firmly against my shoulder, but to "sit loose", and let the shot push me back a bit to absorb the recoil. Then, put the sand bag under the rifle to help stablize my shooting.
Cool, all sounded good. I thanked him, repositioned, and fired off a few more rounds.
Kind gentleman returns and says to put the sand bag under the front stock, not near the end of the barrel.
Oh, ok - thanks again!
A few more rounds, he returns, still kindly offering advice, and says to not have my hand holding the front stock while resting in the sand bag, but to just let the front stock rest directly on the sand bag. Let my off hand just sit on the bench.
Oh, ok. Thanks yet again!
He has a scope and offers to sight a few shots for me. I was now shooting at the iron "gongs" out at 200 yrds. I was pleased when I heard a "thudgong" while aiming for the large, 3ft (or 4ft) diameter target. Several times, actually. I also manage to hit a smaller, 2ft diameter target. Not every shot, but 3 out of 4 times. My spotter said I was shooting up & to the left. The wind was quite gusty, from left to right. So not bad, I guess.
I know, some of ya'll probably scoff at anything less than a 2000 yards bullseye, but I was happy. Especially considering the front sight bead completely covered the 2ft target at that range, and this was my first time.
Since I only had two boxes of 20rnds, I didn't get to shoot very long. But it was enough for the first day. I was in a good mood as I headed into work. It's probably a good thing I only had two boxes of ammo, otherwise I might have been late.
Well, that's about it. Not an exciting story, but I'm stickin' to it!
Epilogue:
Here is a pic from Marlin's website of a model closest to mine. Mine has a different model number stamped on it, looks slightly used, has slightly different checkering, and a different front sight, but is otherwise identical.
As the thread title suggests, It's a Marlin in 30-30. It cost $239 before tax, and the guy gave me a 20rd box of ammo. It appears to be in good condition.
The next day, (yesterday), I head to the range to try out my new best friend. The closest range is a private rod & gun club. I show up with membership form & fee in hand and ask where I can shoot. First they tell me all new members are approved at the monthly board meetings, which will be in a couple weeks. So, I just let them give me the run down on range rules, etc. We chat about guns & the troubles of 'unsafe' shooters that show up, and before I go, I end up with my membership badge in hand. I didn't get to shoot that day, but had a place to shoot that is near by.
So, today, I head to my new club. Only two other guys are on the rifle line. I was hoping no one would be there, cause I knew I'd look like someone new to the rifle. Never-the-less, I sat down & loaded up.
A little background: The only other rifles I've ever shot were some .22lr - a bolt action with peep sights, and a semi-auto with a simple scope. Oh yea, and I have shot some trap with a 12ga, but only a couple of times.
Anyway, back to my new lever...
So, I loaded up, brought it up to my shoulder, held it firmly in place, and ...
Click.
Ok, I meant to do that. Yep, intentional dry fire. I know exactly what I'm doing... Carry on, carry on...
Let's see, I'll just flick this lever here like they do in those old westerns, sit back down, shoulder up, and fire.
Wo, that hurt! Maybe I need to hold it a bit firmer to my shoulder.
Nope, that didn't help.
Second, third... forth shots still hurt like the dickens. I thought I was holding it correctly, like I'd see others shoot, but I couldn't lesson the jolt to my shoulder
Ok, how to pad the blow, otherwise I'm going home... Hmmm, this here sand bag looks perfect!
I set it between the stock & my sholder, (not the whole bag, just enough) and the next several shots are MUCH more bearable. I can't tell if I'm hitting the target, (100yds, iron sights) but I am hitting the berm.
Did I mention there were a couple other shooters a few lanes down? Well, one of them appeared to be in his 70's, and had a thick European accent. German, Swiss, Polish - I don't know. Anyway, the older gent came over and kindly offered me several tips on how to handle & shoot my rifle.
The first was to ditch the sand-bag. The next was to hold the stock firmly against my shoulder, but to "sit loose", and let the shot push me back a bit to absorb the recoil. Then, put the sand bag under the rifle to help stablize my shooting.
Cool, all sounded good. I thanked him, repositioned, and fired off a few more rounds.
Kind gentleman returns and says to put the sand bag under the front stock, not near the end of the barrel.
Oh, ok - thanks again!
A few more rounds, he returns, still kindly offering advice, and says to not have my hand holding the front stock while resting in the sand bag, but to just let the front stock rest directly on the sand bag. Let my off hand just sit on the bench.
Oh, ok. Thanks yet again!
He has a scope and offers to sight a few shots for me. I was now shooting at the iron "gongs" out at 200 yrds. I was pleased when I heard a "thudgong" while aiming for the large, 3ft (or 4ft) diameter target. Several times, actually. I also manage to hit a smaller, 2ft diameter target. Not every shot, but 3 out of 4 times. My spotter said I was shooting up & to the left. The wind was quite gusty, from left to right. So not bad, I guess.
I know, some of ya'll probably scoff at anything less than a 2000 yards bullseye, but I was happy. Especially considering the front sight bead completely covered the 2ft target at that range, and this was my first time.
Since I only had two boxes of 20rnds, I didn't get to shoot very long. But it was enough for the first day. I was in a good mood as I headed into work. It's probably a good thing I only had two boxes of ammo, otherwise I might have been late.
Well, that's about it. Not an exciting story, but I'm stickin' to it!
Epilogue:
Here is a pic from Marlin's website of a model closest to mine. Mine has a different model number stamped on it, looks slightly used, has slightly different checkering, and a different front sight, but is otherwise identical.
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