Range Report

Well, I managed to get the .308 out to the range on Sunday before all the crap hit us. I must say that rifle is a sweet piece of work.

For the curious readers who don't know, I purchased several rifles a while back. The EBR in question is a JLD Enterprises PTR-91K in .308 cal. It is an H&K G3 clone with a 16" barrel and ventilated forend. Let's just say I got a lot of looks at the range.

I went over to Carter's Country on Treaschwig Rd. north of Houston. Fellow Houstonians know about this place and know that they have a 100yd. range out back of the store. I haven't been there since last deer season, so I didn't have a chance to visit the shop after their renovation. Very impressive. Paid my fee, got my targets and set up shop on the firing line. Several people stared and gawked at me as I placed the rifle in the rack and waited for the next cease fire.

The sights were pointing six inches to the left when I took my first shot. After about 30 minutes and some dickering around, I was able to post some sub-MOA shots. The rear sight has adjustments for elevation and windage. I didn't have to worry about elevation (I didn't even have an elevation tool). The shots were hitting at most one inch over or under the bull's eye. Once I had teh rifle dialed in, I was drilling shots into the X ring with regularity.

I have to say that I was dismayed by the rear sight overall. No elevation adjustment tool was provided (will have to call about that!), and the windage screw didn't have click adjustments. It was easy enough to adjust with only a phillips screwdriver, but finicky as all hell.

Shooting was a blast and my shoulder is none the worse for wear. My .30-06 has more felt recoil than this rifle. When I sight in that rifle, I come away with a bruise the size of Kansas that doesn't go away for a week...with a shooting pad on! I was wearing a t-shirt and light vest on Sunday and had no problems at all. Recoil on this rifle feels more like a slow push to the shoulder whereas my .30-06 feels like someone is trying to kick my rotator cuff through my shoulder blade. I guess that has a lot to do with the firing mechanism being recoil operated over gas operation.

Follow up shots were pretty easy to make as the recoil was light enough to get back on track. I probably would have had a tighter patter if I switched over to a 50 yd. target though. That 100yd. target was pretty hard to see over the sight post. But I got it done and had fun doing it.

During one of the changeovers, I was sitting there twiddling my thumbs when one of the guys shooting next to me walked up and asked, "Is that gun thar purdy accrate?" Geez, Deliverance in North Houston. Cue the banjos. Well, seems Enos (his real name) and his buddy were commenting on how I was drilling some serious bull's eyes with open sights at 100yards. They were also commenting on how loud the rifle report was. I admit, this rifle has some serious bark to it. When I take it to the lease this weekend, I know that everyone there will hear me when I drop a deer.

If I am lucky, my new Contractor Pack from Blue Force Gear will get here this week and I can set up all my rifles for one sling. I went ahead and ordered it through Coal Creek Armory, home of Tam of Books Bikes and Boomsticks fame. Didn't get to meet her, but whoever took the order over the phone was courteous and very professional. He promised delivery sometime this week via Priority Mail, but with the weather the way it is, I ain't holding my breath.

I was lucky to score a sweet deal on about 500 rounds of 7.62. My gun guy had some lying around that he ran through his 1919 Browning. It was still attached to the cloth belts and stuffed into a five gallon pail. I spent about three and a half hours pulling the ammo loose and dumping it into an ammo can. At .15 cents a round, how can you beat that price? It was dirty as hell, but non-corrosive according to him. It took me an hour alone to get the barrel cleaned out. Well, after a hundred rounds, I would guess that the ammo is dirty. Accurate, but dirty. If he has any left, he said I could take all the 5.56 he owns off his hands for the same discount.

As I mentioned, I am taking the .308 to the deer lease this weekend. It should hold up without any problems. I just know this is going to freak out the others when I pull it out of the case. That is also why I am trying to find some decent mag pouches for it. Anyone know where I can find a mag pouch worthy of my rifle? Will mag pouches for a G36 or even an M14 work? Where can I find something that is MOLLE compatible. Does anyone make magpuls for the G3?

out.