Harkrader
Member
Number one son came home for a week-long visit.
He's professional military, stationed some distance away - we think. He disappears for parental stress-inducing periods and usually returns with another collection of interesting firearms.
This time he had a DPMS in 300AAC Blackout with an optical sight, zoom scope, Streamlight, and impressive silencer. The rounds were subsonic and he took aim at a 10" gong some 300 yards down range.
"PUFFT" - - - - - - - - "DING!" First shot.
"PUFFT" - - - - - - - - "DING!"
Eight times in a row. I was thinking I could almost run downrange and catch them before they hit the gong.
Hearing protection was not required.
THEN he brought out a FN SCAR-H STDSCAR/762 NATO - with silencer, and again rang that gong 10 times in a row. Report was a bit louder, of course, since that ammo is hooting along pretty good.
THEN he drug out a single shot 300AAC Blackout rifle with BIG zoom scope. And silencer. Five "DINGS" later he let me shoot it. Whisper quiet and "DING" every time.
He hands me the FN. It has an impressive 24X Nikon zoom scope with mil reticles. He's been shooting 150-gr "sniper" rounds and I am shooting 160-gr Herter El Cheapos. He tells me: "Hold that first hollow circle below the cross hairs at the bottom of the disc (300 yards away). That should account for the bullet weight and lesser accuracy." Bless him, he didn't say whether it was MY "lesser accuracy" he referred to, or the ammo's.
"DING!" Became monotonous. He says to try the smaller gong next to the 10". It's about 6", I think. "Hold the first solid dot below the crosshairs on the bottom of the disc," he sez. "DING!"
Welll, I HAD been thinking of, uhm, er, impressing him with my skills with my National Match Springfield M1A and iron sights. I'm now hoping he doesn't notice it where I have (proudly) uncased it on the bench next to us. He does, however.
Sooo, I pick it up, load it with my Herters, and he sets up his spotting scope as though he might not, you know, be able to hear the MANY "DINGS" I am so sure(ly DESPERATELY HOPING) will result.
Just to make the pain go away quickly, I'll just say I hit the 10" approximately one of every three rounds as he called - politely as though I couldn't tell from listening, "Miss!" for the others.
I'll not detail my hits on the smaller gong, other than to say he said "Miss" more often.
He next, and finally, unlimbered a piece of genuine artillery, a Barrett .338 Lapua bolt rifle. No silencer. He said it would kick about like his FN SCAR-H. He was somewhat right. But he DIDN'T tell me about the blast. Nails and plaster fell from the rafters, birds on the other side of the berm abandoned their nests, the spotting scope on the next table teetered and nearly fell over and turf was torn up in front of the rifle stand. Standing water in the grass turned to steam. I'm not sure what the trigger pull weight was on that beast, but I had to account for my heartbeat not to set it off too soon. We did not shoot the gongs because he said the 338 would destroy them. Dang near destroyed ME!
We also went to the pistol range where we shot a Sig 1911 Scorpion Carry, a H&K USP .45 and a compact model, a Kahr, a Sig 229/357Sig and a couple Glocks.
What hit me was not bullets bouncing back from steel targets, but the recognition that except for my M&P357 we had not fired or even brought anything Colt or S&W.
The world turns.
He's professional military, stationed some distance away - we think. He disappears for parental stress-inducing periods and usually returns with another collection of interesting firearms.
This time he had a DPMS in 300AAC Blackout with an optical sight, zoom scope, Streamlight, and impressive silencer. The rounds were subsonic and he took aim at a 10" gong some 300 yards down range.
"PUFFT" - - - - - - - - "DING!" First shot.
"PUFFT" - - - - - - - - "DING!"
Eight times in a row. I was thinking I could almost run downrange and catch them before they hit the gong.
Hearing protection was not required.
THEN he brought out a FN SCAR-H STDSCAR/762 NATO - with silencer, and again rang that gong 10 times in a row. Report was a bit louder, of course, since that ammo is hooting along pretty good.
THEN he drug out a single shot 300AAC Blackout rifle with BIG zoom scope. And silencer. Five "DINGS" later he let me shoot it. Whisper quiet and "DING" every time.
He hands me the FN. It has an impressive 24X Nikon zoom scope with mil reticles. He's been shooting 150-gr "sniper" rounds and I am shooting 160-gr Herter El Cheapos. He tells me: "Hold that first hollow circle below the cross hairs at the bottom of the disc (300 yards away). That should account for the bullet weight and lesser accuracy." Bless him, he didn't say whether it was MY "lesser accuracy" he referred to, or the ammo's.
"DING!" Became monotonous. He says to try the smaller gong next to the 10". It's about 6", I think. "Hold the first solid dot below the crosshairs on the bottom of the disc," he sez. "DING!"
Welll, I HAD been thinking of, uhm, er, impressing him with my skills with my National Match Springfield M1A and iron sights. I'm now hoping he doesn't notice it where I have (proudly) uncased it on the bench next to us. He does, however.
Sooo, I pick it up, load it with my Herters, and he sets up his spotting scope as though he might not, you know, be able to hear the MANY "DINGS" I am so sure(ly DESPERATELY HOPING) will result.
Just to make the pain go away quickly, I'll just say I hit the 10" approximately one of every three rounds as he called - politely as though I couldn't tell from listening, "Miss!" for the others.
I'll not detail my hits on the smaller gong, other than to say he said "Miss" more often.
He next, and finally, unlimbered a piece of genuine artillery, a Barrett .338 Lapua bolt rifle. No silencer. He said it would kick about like his FN SCAR-H. He was somewhat right. But he DIDN'T tell me about the blast. Nails and plaster fell from the rafters, birds on the other side of the berm abandoned their nests, the spotting scope on the next table teetered and nearly fell over and turf was torn up in front of the rifle stand. Standing water in the grass turned to steam. I'm not sure what the trigger pull weight was on that beast, but I had to account for my heartbeat not to set it off too soon. We did not shoot the gongs because he said the 338 would destroy them. Dang near destroyed ME!
We also went to the pistol range where we shot a Sig 1911 Scorpion Carry, a H&K USP .45 and a compact model, a Kahr, a Sig 229/357Sig and a couple Glocks.
What hit me was not bullets bouncing back from steel targets, but the recognition that except for my M&P357 we had not fired or even brought anything Colt or S&W.
The world turns.
