Any day at the range is almost perfect...

Maximum Effective Range of the M1 Rifle is 460 yards, maybe. What that means is that half of the bullets fired at a target four hundred and sixty yards away will hit it, with a trained rifleman. So I have been told. I made a quick composite of my day firing my first rounds down range with my rifle. Lower left the beautiful rifle itself and my almost spotting scope (no, I don't have one yet). The picture on the right is the range, farthest targets are three hundred yards - always remember that cameras can magnify a little but one's eyes are really better.

The target on the fifty yard line centered is on the upper left - three rounds, check (lower right), sight adjustment, three rounds, check (upper left out of black and getting wild), sight adjustment cut half of last move, two rounds, clip jumps out, leave bolt open and put weapon on safe. Go out and paste target, taking a picture, and move the target out to two hundred yards and plant it.

Two clips to shoot, sixteen bullets and all over everything. Still, the target if a man-sized zombie standing still or coming straight at me might die - needed a head shot don't I? Bring more bullets, concentrate and tighter shot groups, windage is flaky and hurried, but mostly the focus on the same point on the target isn't there so the vertical is very bad. I do know that an eight inch bull at two hundred yards is tiny, especially when focused on the front sight post. The military center of mass might be better. I do know that I am in love with that rifle.

Yes, there were high speed black rifles with scopes and red dots and bolt actions that will reach out and take those mountain goats on the other side of the moon - men love their rifles - but I am glad I only took twenty four rounds to break the ice - otherwise I would have stayed all afternoon until the ammunition was all gone, and that makes me think I should fire both days next weekend with the M1. But I won't, the .22 Stevens Low Wall on the first day. The M1 Garand on the second day. I need to find some discipline and get off the computer and television, this electronic death is the pits.