2006-03-11 Sacramento Valley Shooting Center
Shooting at the  Sacramento Valley Shooting Center
 
 
I'm beginning to really enjoy the sport of target shooting.  It is very challenging to be accurate while one is standing up.  Most of my shots today were taken from a sitting position with the rifle resting on a support.  Those are the easiest shots to make.  Next are those shot from lying down, then from those sitting on the ground.  My hope is to eventually become accurate in all those positions.  Then to be quick and accurate.
 
 
A month ago I bought my second rifle.  A Ruger 10/22 .22 Rifle (on sale for $200).  Why did I buy a .22?  Because my .223 bullets are 20 cents apiece which are cheap for high velocity rifles but still expensive if you shoot 200+ at a time.  .22 bullets are only 2 cents a piece.  Several friends have told me the best way to become a good shooter is to shoot a lot (even with a .22) and I believe them.
 
 
I added on the Tasco Buck sight 3-9x 40mm Magnification scope.  Model 39X40SPLD ($30 Walmart).  It's not a .22 scope (it's better than a .22 scope) but it works fine on the .22.  Yes, it's a cheap scope, but for my .22 that's all I need.  Using a scope is the best way to learn about them.  It was no trouble sighting in the scope since the Ruger 10/22 came with pre-drilled holes
 
 
     After having my new Ruger .22 Rifle for over a month I finally went out shooting (by myself - my friends were busy or they thought it was going to rain) at the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center (only $10 for all day).  It's 35 minutes from home.
     My shooting table is the one under the orange arrow.  See the yellow line (it doesn't look very yellow in this photo) running down the cement path?  Every 15 minutes they stop the firing by requiring everyone to open the bolts of their rifles and put a plastic yellow flag in the chamber and then stand behind the yellow line.  Once everyone is standing behind the yellow line they give the all clear and you can go to your target and look at your shots (each person gets one target stand) and put up new targets.  I was there from 1pm to 4:30 pm (closing time).
 
 
The red rifle resting block was very effective at keeping your rifle steady.
Note the yellow flag in my .223 chamber.  My Tasco 20x-60x 60mm
spotting scope worked great at allowing me to review the placement of
my shots.
 
 
The targets can be put at 25, 50, and 100 yards. 
In this picture they're only at the 50 and 100 yards
 
 
Here is a zoomed in photo of the 50 and 100 yard targets taken at the same
time as the photo above.  My target stand is in the middle.
 
 
 
.223 shots at 50 yards (no rifle scope).
2" circles so the outer circle is 6 inches.
9 out of 11 shots in a 4" circle.
 
.22 shots at 50 yards (with scope)
1" circles.
7 out of 10 in a 3" circle.
 
 
Since you can only go up to your target stand every 15 minutes I put multiple targets up.
 
 
Here's the pistol shooting range.  Their ranges are much shorter.
 
 
All these shots are taken with the red resting block. Circle #1 is the 10 .223 shots I took at 100 yards.  The first group of 5 are the ones on the right.  It was a 3 inch circle!  Then I adjusted my aim and the second 5 (the ones on the left) were in a 5 inch circle.
 
Circle #2 are the 10 .22 shots I took while aiming at the .223 bullet hole that is circled in #1.  Using my .22 scope at power 9 I could see the .223 holes at 100 yards.  Notice how much the .22 shots drop at 100 yards.  While my .223 bullets didn't drop at all, my .22 dropped 4.5 inches.  My 10 shots were in a 5" group.
 
 
 
 
At 25 yards this sheet was great for taking 3 .22 shots
at each circle.
These target stickers turn yellow when you hit them. 
They give instant feedback.
 
The rifle range is the part of the structure to the
left of the small building in the middle.  The orange
arrow is where I shot from.
Here's the pistol range.  It's just to the right of the
rifle range.
 
 
 
There are many other ranges, including one up to
1,000 yards!  But only members can use them.
 
 
The red highlighted area is the rifle range where I shot at.  The other rifle ranges are members only.
 
I had a great time and it's a very safe place to shoot!
 
6 comments
  • 12:33am croper:
    looks neat!
  • 8:17am monica:
    Glad you had fun!  love you, monica
  • 10:48am katharine:
    cool!
  • 9:39am underdog:
    What I appreciate the most about your hits is your ability to recognize the consistency of each shot placement.  Others may not see this but you do.  I have said from the beginning how impressed I am with your consistency.  Excellent Student!!  Always be safe, check it and then check it again.  Safety is a habit!!
  • 11:57am richard:
    Thanks Randy!
  • 1:54pm penpaint:
    It looks like a great place. And you are shooting very well! I wonder who will the mining rights for all that lead in another 25 years
    Nice Job
    Dad
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