First Trip Out W/ New Rig

[DownEast John]

I'm sure Ya'll can remember when you first shot that new match rifle, yesterday I got to shoot mine.
I t's the CZ 452 LH American w/ Big Sky 6-24 sil. , mounted w / high Millet .22 rings.
I got to my home made range and realized two things, I left the clip home & I was covered w/ mosquitoes.
I put a half size chicken swinger and 1/5 size paper pig at 60m and single loading got sight setting for pig.
Shooting fed auto match,[had 4 kinds of match ammo to try but bugs too bad] on my knee's w/ padded log for a rest I shot some great groups, but I'm concerned I used 3/4 of my elevation adj. to get there. Should I stop now and shim under the ring??? or can I make it to the ram's??? Some -thing's not right!!! advice welcome from those with like rig's??
I was hitting the bigger chick. 60% OH so I decided it w/ time to try the pig and see how hard this game is going to be; first 10 shots @ 24X only 3 hits, BUMMER. Next try at 12X 6 hits, more better
Called it a day before I needed a transfusion, a happy camper.
Luckily we were born with out the embarrisment gene, so if I shoot a 4 at a match we can laugh it off and try again. TIA, John
PS> A big thank-you to Teeter f/ a trigger spring.

[Jetmugg]

I vote for stopping now, getting your scope "sloped" right, then work on your sight settings again. Just for reference, if you set up with a zero at 40M, your 60M setting with be about 2 MOA in the up direction, your 77M setting will be about 4MOA in the up direction, and your 100M setting will be about 8MOA in the up direction.

I think the "ideal" geometry is to get your scope optically centered on 77M. That's about the mid-point between chickens and rams.

SteveM.

[dustinflint]

You're going to have to shim it so do that then start over. I zero the gun at chickens then go up from there, that works well. Get your settings then shoot every match you can and keep practicing!!

Dustin

[DownEast John]

Thanks Guys, I shimmed it tonight, remembered the Lazar Bore Sighter my son gave me, made it a snap.
Dustin, I'm going to try and make a match in Jan. and April in Ms. and BATON ROUGE on my way to TX. maybe we'll meet. John

[ShootingStar]

DE John,
Just so you'll know, there are a couple clubs in Western NC that have regular, monthly matches. The year is winding down since the weather is getting cooler/colder, but I'll tell you about them for the coming year.

Piedmont Gun Club, near Rutherfordton, has a web site with their address so you can set your GPS - if you have one! If not go to Rutherfordton, then head out Maple Creek Rd about 4 miles and the range is on the right (2078 Maple Creek Rd). Their last match of this season is Sat, Oct 15 with registration, sight-in and practice starting at 10:00 with the 1st match at 11:00. Bring your lunch (they have water and crackers for sale and FREE Silhouette Cake) then the afternoon (Hunter Rifle Match) starts after Lunch. Costs are $7.50 for non-members but they give a break for Sr & Jr shooters!

Asheville Rifle & Pistol Club still has 2 matches scheduled for the hearty souls that want to risk Nov & Dec matches in the Mountains of WNC! My next match is Sat, Nov 5 - following the same time & cost as PGC above. I do not have water & crackers, so you have to be sure & bring your complete lunch! ARPC is located at 100 Sandy Springs Road, Arden, NC. It is on Hwy 191 just North of Clayton Road and South of the NC Arboretum. From I-26 take Exit 37 to the West (arcoss the French Broad River). Clayton Road is the next right across the river. At the end of Clayton Rd, turn right and Sandy Springs Road will be about 1/4 mi on Left. Hope to see you there sometime! I'm the match director - Greg Chandler

I'm trying to change my matches next year to the 2nd Sat of the month beginning in April and Piedmont is trying to go to the 1st Sat of month (usually beginning in March).

Send me a pm and I'll send you contact info for these matches!

Good Luck and Good Shooting!

[tenx9]

Frankly, i don't know what a Big Sky? scope is but, you get what you pay for. You shouldn't have to shim scopes in smallbore. That makes no sense. I've shimmed high power scopes but lets face it, thats out to 500 meters. Once dialed in, you don't even make 3/4 elev. rotation on a 1/4 min scope. Maybe i misunderstood what the other gentlemen was saying. Buy quality. Leupold, B&L, Weaver...etc. Spend your money wisely and you'll never complain about equipment again.

[Jason]

A "Big Sky" scope is the newer, upgraded version of the Sightron SII.

http://sightron.com/index.php?action=vi ... d=15&id=33

It's at least equal in quality to the Weaver T-series of scopes, and I would venture to say that with the glass upgrade in the Big Sky models it's better. I know many people who shim their scopes in smallbore, and they do indeed have quality gear. The Weaver T24 on my custom highpower silhouette rifle is actually closer to center of adjustment range than the T24 on my custom smallbore rifle. I don't think your comparison necessarily holds true.

[Jerry G]

I have had to shim every one of my scopes. Someone should have a talk with the mount makers.

[CZforlife]

I have had to shim every one of my scopes. Someone should have a talk with the mount makers.

Same here.

[topclass]

I have Leupold 6.5-20 EFR's on both my smallbore rifles on BKL mounts (and a Sightron Big Sky silhouette on a 54:18 MS in Sportsmatch mounts) and none are shimmed with plenty of adjustment left at 100 meters.

topclass

[teetertotter]

Downeast, happy the ss spring did arrive okay. One of our club members has all the tools to disassemble and assemble my LH 452 American which he will do middle of December. I just received CZ factory confirmation specs of 25 inch pounds in torquing the screws. Aiming for 2lb, 2oz trigger.

Using 1 inch or 1-1/4 inch tall rings, with my Vortex Viper elevation spec of 68, no rear shim is required with Ram setting at 8.25. The Sightron SIL has spec of 60 and should not be a problem if using std velocity ammo w/o shimming. I believe my Simmons made in 1995, which is 6.5- 20X44, had elevation spec of 50, did not have to use a rear shim. Both scopes are 1/4 MOA @ 100yds. Perhaps scopes that have less than 55 elevation spec may require shimming? My Ram setting was around 8.7. You should zero at the chickens[40meters] and the other distances should be around 2.0, 4.5, and 8.5 for Rams with your Sightron SIL.

Nice to hear your first outing was pretty successful! Have a lot of patience, read, pick up pointers from others, and practice as much as you can.
I plan to be more serious in 2012 rather than once a week matches. I shot one AA score on the last day of our 2011 season and need one more for AA class to reach my goal for 2012. I plan to do some serious winter indoor paper practice starting middle of December. Trying to aim for higher and more consistent scoring remains the challenge in this sport. Loads of fun! Good Luck, Downeast and have fun doing it.

[Jerry G]

What do you mean......... end of the season? Down here the end of the season is when I have to buy a new book in Jan.

[CZforlife]

What do you mean......... end of the season? Down here the end of the season is when I have to buy a new book in Jan.

Same down here. There's no season

[teetertotter]

You Lucky stiffs! It did get up to 55 yesterday and in the 40's for the remainder of the week. We invite you all up here for our FROSTY match late January. I plan to visit a range in Sheffield, AL., on our return trip home from Anniston, AL. early Spring 2012. That is as far south as we get couple times a year. Sheffield range is open to the public Sat mornings 8-12. My wife will read her book for an hour or so and then back on the road again. I just ordered a new winter jacket with zip out fleece lining and the 10hp snow blower is waiting for 6 inches or more snow!

[Bob259]

What do you mean......... end of the season? Down here the end of the season is when I have to buy a new book in Jan.

Hoping to experience that feeling real soon Jerry