Long overdue range day

Got out to the range today for some long overdue practice.

I took a pair of pistols--a Smith and Wesson Model 57 in .41 Magnum, and a Ruger LCP in .380.

Yeah, a bit of a size difference. And the cartridges are a bit different as well:

The LCP was shooting factory .380 rounds consisting of 95gr. bullets traveling at about 960fps. The .41 rounds were a bit heavier at 215 grains, and they were running about 1250fps per my chronygraph. They grouped well and hit just a couple of inches below point of aim from 20 yards, but I'm still experimenting and I'd like to get the velocity up just a bit more and raise the point of impact a bit to boot.

Bruce, a newer shooter, came out with me to work with his M&P Shield. He's definitely getting better with practice as he becomes more comfortable with it.

He also had this nifty CMP Service Grade Special M-1:

Nice gun. It's one of the ones that the CMP built on a refinished receiver with a new barrel, in this case, a Springfield Armory WW2 serial number and an SA 3/65 barrel.

It has new wood on it that's been causing problems because it is binding on the operating rod and causing the rifle to short-stroke and fail to pick up subsequent rounds from the magazine. I already sanded the rod channel once, but apparently I didn't quite sand enough, and I missed another spot on the left where the rod is still rubbing the wood.

I'm hearing from other CMP shooters that this isn't uncommon, and while I'm glad to see Boyds Gunstocks making these for the CMP, I do wish that they'd make them right. But now Bruce knows where to sand, and hopefully the next time out the rifle will be functioning as flawlessly as a new M1 should.

Meanwhile, Bruce, a brand new shooter, is already putting every round on target at 100 yards.

I had my Spanish 1895 Mauser (cal. 7mm) out to pay with when not spotting for Bruce.

Nothing special here--just a long rifle made at the Ovideo arsenal in 1931.

It wasn't expensive and it looks and shoots nice, so I have no complaints.

At the end of the session, all rounds fired were accounted for on the target. Grouping cound have been a bit better, but I blame myself today, not the rifle.

And as we all know, any day at the range beats any day at work any time.


And back in Alaska:

It's currently Dallas Seavey back in the lead, with Aaron Burmiester in second place just three minutes behind him and Aliy Zirle third. All three have reached Koyuk, as has Jessie Royer, who holds fourth.
Mitch Seavey is in fifth, Martin Buser is back in 20th, the Berington twins are 32nd (Anna) and 33rd (Kristy), Alan Moore is in 47th place and presently in the Kaltag checkpoint--shocking for the guy who just barely took second place in last month's Yukon Quest--and Lisbet Norris has dropped was back to 62nd.

Every musher has dropped at least one dog by now and three mushers are down to 9 dogs each: Nathan Schroeder in 15th, Katherine Kieth in 40th, and Marcelle Fressineau in 57s, still at the Nulato checkpoint. Gotta have 8 dogs to finish.

The four leaders are less than 200 miles from Nome, so we're likely to see a finish sometime tomorrow night or early Wednesday.

Update: As of 2199hrs EST, Dallas Seavey is the first musher out of the Koyuk checkpoint. He rested there for 4hrs, 14 minutes and dropped one dog, leaving him 11 to finish.