Must have items

[jjp]

This is my first season of silhouette. I'm trying to get everything in order before I run out of time. I'm going to be shooting a 1712 with a weaver grandslam 6-20 on it until my new 6.5-20efr with 1/2moa leupold dot gets here. Should I go with BKL rings or is there a better choice? I'm worried about not having enough adjustment. I had to use burris signature rings with 20min inserts to get it to center at 44 yards with the weaver.

So here is what I have-

Anschutz 1712 -Weaver 6-20 grandslam target dot -Burris signature High rings (Soon to be 6.5-20efr 1/2 leupold dot already)
5 Magazines
Browning shotgun vest to start with


Here are the questions

What small items do I need?

Do you mount your scope with a small amount of cant? I've noticed it helps to tilt the top of gun a small amount toward me. Is that a bad habit to start?

What is a good scope ring setup to start with? BKL with risers? Any pictures of Metalheads rings?


Sorry for all the questions. I know I will learn alot more at my first shoot than we can type about on here. I purchased a couple sets of targets and have gotten to practice the last few days. Boy I wobble alot. Getting used to the sight picture moving is going to be the hardest thing for me. Very humbling, challenging , and loads of fun sport. It awesome seeing the chickens blast off. I've only practiced on paper targets and the first chicken I hit was amazing. It made up for the for all the other misses. I'm hooked. looking forward to meeting some of you in Chattanooga.

Here's a few pictures of my redneck shooting bench with custom sunshade

[Trent]

All I can say is that I wish I had your setup here in Colorado. I'd be pooping in tall cotton if I had my own range at home that I practice on.

Your Burris rings will work fine. That is what I use on many rifles. I'm using them on my new Weatherby XXII along with a Leupold BR-24x scope.

[jjp]

I hoping my children will get interested in silhouette in the next couple years. You can see the blue chair my daughter was coaching me from.

[jneihouse]

Welcome to the sport....Welcome to our little online shooting family. Don't be afraid to ask questions. You'll get a lot of answers based on each person's personal preferences, so you'll have to sort them all out and use what works for you.

Good start with the equipment. Fine rifle, you'll never outshoot it. Good choice in the Leupold. if perfer fixed power scopes but that is strictly a personal preference based on several factors that you are probably not dealing with. Again, you'll never outshoot the Leupold.

I might suggest going to one of the heavier leather vests like the ones made by Chris Winstead. There are others that make excellent vests, so don't overlook them. Again it'll boil down to personal preference. The heavier vest, IMHO, adds stability to your stance and is a very valuable shooting aid. However, your mileage may vary.

Find out what your rifle likes and buy as much of it as you can hide from your wife. Remember most ammo will shoot great groups out of your Anschutz at the Chickens and Pigs, but the real test of how good the ammo is will be how it shoots at Turkeys and Rams. You'll be surprised at how a lot of ammo falls apart at the Turkeys and Rams distance. There is no such thing as a "magic bullet" that will be dirt cheap and turn in dependable, repeatable, great groups at 100 meters. Notice I said dependable and repeatable, not just a group or two or three that are sub moa and several that are "minute of frisbee". Eley and Lapua are two fine brands. They are expensive and there is a reason they are. Both make relatively affordable ammo you can practice with and a higher grade you can shoot matches with. Here is where a lot of folks will jump in with "My rifle shoots minute of aspirin groups with dynapoints all day long"....That's great, won't argue the fact, but will suggest that this is not the norm in rimfire rifles. Good ammo is cheap when you compare the cost of your rifle and other accessories. This sport is about having fun and having fun is about hitting targets and you will have the most fun if you can completely trust your rifle and ammo combination. That way the misses are all on you.

Continue to practice. Cultivate good habits to start and practice them. Watch the top shooters in the sport if you get a chance to shoot with them. You'll begin to notice a lot of similarities in their stance and shot execution. Don't be afraid to copy them.

Canting the rifle is somethiing a lot of people have strong feelings about. I cant my scope a few degrees to the right because I roll the rifle into my cheek to bet a better weld. When I roll the rifle into my cheek then the scope is levei If it works for you then do it.

Continue to involve your children in the sport. You'll create a shooting buddy that will only add to your enjoyment of the sport. You'll make memories that will last a lifetime.

Have fun and be safe,

Kitty

[jjp]

Thanks Kitty, Great advise. Looks like a vest might be in my future.

How high of the ground are the targets normally at competitions? I'm building target stands and have found lots of different styes and heights online.

Boy, I ask lots of questions.


Little about myself. I live and grew up in middle Tennessee. I worked at a car factory for 15 years and got offered an early buyout. Luckily we were at a place in our lives that it worked out. I've been able to spend the last couple years as a stay at home dad. I have a 6 year old 1st grade boy and a 5 year old baby girl that will be starting school this fall. I have my FFL and have a small shop on my property. I started the business to supply local law enforcement items that they needed. Pretty much a dream hobby. My shops called Bedford County Tactical. I'm lucky I get to hunt and shoot on pretty much anyday as long as my chores are done. Looking forward to learning alot from everyone.

[Innocent]

Jason,
Bring the children into the sport, Commander Kitty is right, the bond and memories that will occur are great. As young as they are start working them from the bench, teaching safety, sight picture, breath control and trigger control. My obnoxious last year as a teenager will tell you that he started competing at 6, (granted I was a bit nervous and sat on him) but he still loves to come out and shoot when work allows for it. He is starting to figure out timing and work...as well as costs but he'll get over that soon!!!

BKL mounts in the past have been great, the company was bought out by Air Force Air Guns, and I have not seen any of the new mounts but I have not heard any negative remarks about them yet. Burris rings are fine, tend to be a little heavy if weight is a factor.

Vests are truly a matter of personal preference, the heavier vests do tend to reduce the visible heart rate some. Marco Sanchez makes nice vests, ostrich and other high grade leather, with thicker shoulder pads, an advantage when shooting HP, Chris WInstead (Hardscrabble Mountain) makes great suede vests, I have both and use them alternately depending on where and what I am shooting.

My preference is for a variable scope, due to the variances in lighting conditions you will see in the different ranges and times of day...and my aging eyes! As for your wobble, take the power down on your scope until you have developed a bit more, this will help some.

As for bad habits...running with Gator's choice of motels at matches LOL, he has some fantastic stories of places he has stayed. But the best habit of all is bring the kids out let them run with us old folks! Look forward to seeing you at the matches, plan on coming to Georgia states April 17th and 18th, in Brunswick,more to be posted on SC as soon as I get it.

Innocent Mary

[BCloninger]

During summer a small cooler for the ammunition is good to keep the ammunition in its comfort zone - over 90 or under 45 will make most rimfire ammo a little erratic. And another small cooler for water! Stay hydrated. Small hand tools are handy - the Anschutz torque wrench and bits plus screwdrivers, pliers and a long wooden dowel to pop out the spent brass that bonds with your chamber. Cleaning kit - most of us use a pull through line, 1.75 patches and your preferred cleaner/lube oil.

And - oh yeah - a sense of humor!

Come out and enjoy! You may want to look into going to Winnsboro for for the annual Ducky Festival and Southern Nationals match. It's quite a party!

[Boyd L.]

How high of the ground are the targets normally at competitions? I'm building target stands and have found lots of different styes and heights online.

My bottom row is roughly one foot off the ground. My top row is "around 18 inches above that. The keys are safety and target stability.

If you make down to Chattanooga in April, you can get a first hand look at that set up. And each successive range you visit will give you some more ideas.
As far as equipment...a look into each shooter kit will give you differing pictures. Just bring everything you think you might need...and some more. After a match or two you can start "reverse engineering" your travel supply kit. Seriously, you'll find someone to loan you whatever you need but don't have.

[BCloninger]

Particularly if you have an Anschutz, someone will have most of the repair parts and tools you're likely to need. And be very willing to share.

[Innocent]

BC..you need that many parts for Annies? Aside from seer/trigger issues I have not seen many need parts, adjustment to the trigger weight maybe.

JJP as far as height of the animal that varies with the range, I have shot down to ground level, up valleys, even with the firing point, and everything in between. With the animals being set on railroad ties, metal racks, stands individually, etc. some angle more challenging than others but all fun anyway they are standing out there.
BC is correct I have not been to a match yet and lacked for anything, somebody always has something around or will go get it for you, from gun parts/ammo, to food/drinks, chairs, and even pharmaceutical supplies, so just show up and be prepared for lots of fun.

Innocent Mary

[jneihouse]

If you are setting up a home range I would set up the target stands in as neutral posistion as I could. That is without much of an up or down angle. This will help your work on correct form. When you travel, ans Innocent Mary has indicated, you will find a lot of variation in target stands. Always plan on getting there a day or two early and shooting on the new to you range. See how the prevailing wind blows, watch the light fall across the range at different parts of the day, look for anything unusual. Shoot a few rounds from every firing position.

As to the BKLrings, I have them on all my rimfire guns and one of our air rifles. They work very well are are very cost effective. These are all "old" BKL's. I do have 3 sets of the "new' BKL's. There are verry slight differences when you compare them closely, but functionality should be the same.

Kitty

[Another Dang 9]

and even pharmaceutical supplies, so just show up and be prepared for lots of fun.

Innocent Mary

Now Innocent.... I'm going to assume this means band aids and bactine!

[jjp]

Thanks for all the info. I'm going to go out and shoot some groups at 100 yards to narrow down ammo choices. I will post some results. It's a beautiful calm day here in TN. Good day to be outside and let the kids burn off some energy.

[Innocent]

AD9 With a number of the medical profession shooting, I have seen prescriptions written for infections/allergies, and been known to go into town ( I was the only one still sober at the time) in pursuit of Benadryl for one having a seafood reaction. But yes the minor pain killers, aspirin, and other otc supplies are around also. The fact remains that as much as I have traveled, I have never been without a necessity for a match, and many of the local comforts provided, especially when Wal Mart is a long way.

Innocent

[BCloninger]

Mary, as I recall the Winnsboro match was a great place to get sick! Top notch medical help was probably within 100 feet in any direction! And Anschutz rifles don't need parts often, but when they need them, they need them really bad.