Skippy Flies Fine in '09
Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 11:52 am
As Captqc has noted, we're back from our first outing with our buddy Skippy and his pals. The weather was on Skippy's side, as the first day we had blowing snow and high winds, so we just jumped in the mini SUV and did "drive-by" style shooting at the rats with 22LR's out the windows. The next day it was still quite windy, but we managed to get in some quality time at the benches with our 204's for some long range fun.
Here's the "before" look on Skippys face prior to meeting up with a 22LR Power Point from my Kimber Conversion:
The little SUV's windows bristling with gun barrels during the drive-by session (this is more fun than you'd imagine where legal):
My recent Kimber 84M Varmint finally getting in some quality time with Skippy. It seems to thrive on a mid-range load of Benchmark and 32gr Nosler BT's and Fed 205M primers, shooting nice round groups in the .3's. I'll take accuracy over velocity any day. She has finally had her "baptism under fire".
The Silver Princess of Death also came along on this trip, and was responsible for the longest confirmed launches of the day. This was also the first outing for the new Leupold Switch-Power bino's, 7-12X, armored. This glass is the epitome of field glasses with the ability to scan with a wide FOW with 7X, then the ability to zoom to 12X for a closer look. They're also lighter and handier than my old 8X Wind Rivers (Leupold also furnishes a nice padded case, both ocular and objective covers, plus a bino harness with this glass):
As can be seen by the sheer number of squirrel mounds, this is a target rich environment, but the wind was brisk when this was taken, so our buddy and his pals were in their dens:
This guys guts almost made it into the den ahead of him!
Old Glory and the traditional EORFS flag stand proud over the rodent infested landscape at the Rat CP:
Dan and Garth discuss the merits of the 204 over the 223 for rat eradication at the Rat CP:
"Dang!, I almost made it down the hole......I hate the 204!"
As is customary for our crew, we all carry Kimber .45's for regular CC. We also like to get in some .45 practice on these outings, so besides my 22LR Conversion on my Kimber Pro CDP II, I took along the new "house gun", a Kimber TLE/RL II (Tactical Law Enforcement/Rail) to break it in with 230gr hardball prior to mounting it's new SureFire X400 Weapon Light w/Laser to keep mom and the girls safe from the cretins of the world. She functioned flawlessy for over 150 rounds:
Dan (The Infidel) and I at the Dueling Tree for some fast action during the time the wind was up:
The Dueling Tree....about the most fun you can have with a .45 and a friend. It presents three 4" steel targets on each side of the "tree", and when hit, they flip over to the other shooters side. It's a hoot smacking them back and forth with rapid defensive .45 fire:
Not bad "out of the box" accuracy with 230gr hardball:
Me at my bench with SPOD having my way with Skippy. We had rats all the way out to 500+ yards, but the gusty wind kept the hits consistent to about 350 yds, and only a lucky hit much past that range. As the season progresses, we get less wind, more sun, and green alfalfa:
I could have left a few rifles home this trip, as the wind and snow limited the amount of shooting. This is the battery I took but only shot SPOD & Lil Kim 204's, plus my carbon fiber barreled Ruger 10-22T. The pistols however, really got another workout. It was too windy for any 17HMR action:
The fired brass pile is usually much larger after a four day trip, but hey, less reloading to do, right?
In another couple of weeks the weather is bound to be better, and we'll head out again to have fun with our little buddy Skippy with the EORFS crew. Captqc gets to come out and play this time too. We're not basking in warm sunshine, so you guys that still have snow on the gound don't dispair.....the "real" spring is coming, I promise.
Here's the "before" look on Skippys face prior to meeting up with a 22LR Power Point from my Kimber Conversion:
The little SUV's windows bristling with gun barrels during the drive-by session (this is more fun than you'd imagine where legal):
My recent Kimber 84M Varmint finally getting in some quality time with Skippy. It seems to thrive on a mid-range load of Benchmark and 32gr Nosler BT's and Fed 205M primers, shooting nice round groups in the .3's. I'll take accuracy over velocity any day. She has finally had her "baptism under fire".
The Silver Princess of Death also came along on this trip, and was responsible for the longest confirmed launches of the day. This was also the first outing for the new Leupold Switch-Power bino's, 7-12X, armored. This glass is the epitome of field glasses with the ability to scan with a wide FOW with 7X, then the ability to zoom to 12X for a closer look. They're also lighter and handier than my old 8X Wind Rivers (Leupold also furnishes a nice padded case, both ocular and objective covers, plus a bino harness with this glass):
As can be seen by the sheer number of squirrel mounds, this is a target rich environment, but the wind was brisk when this was taken, so our buddy and his pals were in their dens:
This guys guts almost made it into the den ahead of him!
Old Glory and the traditional EORFS flag stand proud over the rodent infested landscape at the Rat CP:
Dan and Garth discuss the merits of the 204 over the 223 for rat eradication at the Rat CP:
"Dang!, I almost made it down the hole......I hate the 204!"
As is customary for our crew, we all carry Kimber .45's for regular CC. We also like to get in some .45 practice on these outings, so besides my 22LR Conversion on my Kimber Pro CDP II, I took along the new "house gun", a Kimber TLE/RL II (Tactical Law Enforcement/Rail) to break it in with 230gr hardball prior to mounting it's new SureFire X400 Weapon Light w/Laser to keep mom and the girls safe from the cretins of the world. She functioned flawlessy for over 150 rounds:
Dan (The Infidel) and I at the Dueling Tree for some fast action during the time the wind was up:
The Dueling Tree....about the most fun you can have with a .45 and a friend. It presents three 4" steel targets on each side of the "tree", and when hit, they flip over to the other shooters side. It's a hoot smacking them back and forth with rapid defensive .45 fire:
Not bad "out of the box" accuracy with 230gr hardball:
Me at my bench with SPOD having my way with Skippy. We had rats all the way out to 500+ yards, but the gusty wind kept the hits consistent to about 350 yds, and only a lucky hit much past that range. As the season progresses, we get less wind, more sun, and green alfalfa:
I could have left a few rifles home this trip, as the wind and snow limited the amount of shooting. This is the battery I took but only shot SPOD & Lil Kim 204's, plus my carbon fiber barreled Ruger 10-22T. The pistols however, really got another workout. It was too windy for any 17HMR action:
The fired brass pile is usually much larger after a four day trip, but hey, less reloading to do, right?
In another couple of weeks the weather is bound to be better, and we'll head out again to have fun with our little buddy Skippy with the EORFS crew. Captqc gets to come out and play this time too. We're not basking in warm sunshine, so you guys that still have snow on the gound don't dispair.....the "real" spring is coming, I promise.
we did a little launching ourselves, down here in N. Kalifornia, but as per my CRS thing, i forgot the camera, again. i keep my truck pretty much loaded for these trips in the spring, but i won't leave the camera in it, or the guns. guess i will have to put the camera in the gun safe! 
so i can remember it, along with the guns! 
looks like we will be back at it, later this week, if the weather cooperates. i love this time of year!!!!!! 
Oh well, the 204's will see action very soon.
