A Shoot - In Texas

 

Do you even remember how to shoot, so-called LSP? Good question and I loaded up some guns in the rig and drove out to the range with Fr. C to find out. There we were, out in the field with a collection of guns, a few old pumps, a CZ SxS, a single shot 20, a no name Italian O/U and a collection of Rugers.

OK, all these guns, awesome, but could we shoot them? Sure enough we could, with C opening up handily with his Ruger .357 Mag revolver against steel plates. Bang. Watch those plates swing. Then it was onto shotguns.

C kicked off with his older Remington 870, which worked flawlessly, then I followed on with a Mossberg 835 Ultimag, smoke those skeet! Big fun and it was good to see the  old workhorse doing its thing, that gun's shot a lot of dove. Then my Remington 870, which worked well enough but has a rough cycle, it's newer than C's and not as good.

Next up, my CZ .20 SxS and C's 20 single shot 20, I think it's Turkish. The single worked just fine in C's capable hands and knocked our biodegradable enemy outta the sky every time. The CZ was great too, though you have to remember to sight right down the barrel, if you see the rib you'll miss.

Great result and as always, remember kids, it's important to actually aim your shotgun, firing in general direction, whilst enjoyable, tends not to hit the target. There is, perhaps, a moral in that. A box of White Flyer down, we finished off with Rugers, a .22 American, a Mk. IV 22/45 and a .357 Mag revolver.

The latter two belonged to C and I'm jealous, I want those pistols, even though I didn't shoot the Mark IV particularly well. Obviously need one to get more practice in. And it was all plinking enjoyment from thereon in, nice one.

So there you have it. Yes, both of us remembered how to shoot and shot pretty well, see those skeet smoke and explode like Focke Wulfs over the Oder. Great result, what a boost to get out and shoot, just you, the guns and the country of the great state of Texas. It clears the head, I tell you.

#2A,

LSP

Unicorn Hunting

I can't remember a time when I haven't hunted unicorns but some times stand out, such as today. 

Consider the options. Stare, slack-jawed at the computer as it records Manafort's fall from grace or get out in the field, after the noble unicorn.

Thanks to Compound News, I chose the latter option. And you know what they say, better outdoors.

All the colors of the rainbow,

LSP

Snake Hunt!

What do you need to go on a snake hunt? A knife might come in handy, so take one. Take a hat, too, to keep the scorching April sun off your head. Wear boots, as an extra layer of protection against the sharp fangs of the snakes and vicious Texan thorns. But what about a gun?

A Hat

Yes, you'll need one. I chose a battered Mossberg 12 gauge pump. OK, it's not a fancy-pants, Ivy League, boarding school, Illuminati elite, Country Club double, but so what? It gets the job done.

Spot the Space Junk

Now that you're loaded for snake, set off and check out the serpentzone. I poked around in a pile of space junk that I knew a rattlesnake was fond of. How did I know? Because I saw it there the other day, with GWB. No luck. Next, peer down into a small ravine and gaze at the clear water of its creek. Tranquil, that's for sure, but still no snake.

So Where's the Snake?

Don't give up, like a beaten army, scout along a treeline and observe various animal bones while looking for Indian artifacts, maybe there'll be a snake. No, there wasn't; there were plenty of wild flowers, most attractive, but still no snake. Perhaps the snakes will be at the Beach, I thought, after all, they love water. Especially Water Moccasins. 

The Beach. Watch out for Snakes

Alright, go to the beach and look in wonder at the height of the water, chances are there'll be a snake. They do, in fact, like to congregate in places like the Beach, so if you're thinking of using this snake hunt as a guide, be careful when knocking about the shorelines of snaky tanks, I was. Regardless, the serpents were hiding, unlike the frogs which were in abundance.

Snake Territory

I called it a day after the Beach and counted it a successful armed stroll through the Texan countryside. And there's nothing wrong with that. At all.

As I write this serpentine wisdom, big lightning fills the eastern night sky like an artillery barrage, but it's silent so far.

Your Pal,

LSP

Shoot the Dove!

My yobbish Mossbeg, GWB's posh Browning

Scouted about the treelines for dove with my philisophical friend, GWB. The birds were pretty scarce but we got a few.

Hapless Avian

I like the way they rocket out of the tree, which adds, for me, to the excitement of the shot. But its all good, not least the result.

Gerber Shears Ad

An excellent day out, with the 'acrobatic avians' ending up wrapped in bacon and grilled - tasty. Looking forward to Friday and another installment of gun and bird. Hopefully there'll be a few more flying about.

Good shooting,

LSP

Jack Rabbit

Feeling a bit of a sad loser after failing to slay pigs, I figured some remedial shooting practice was in order, so I went down to my Treasurer's ranch for some target shooting and the off chance that I could get some crows that sometimes roost along the treelines.

A dirt road or so later I arrived and talked church for a bit before moving off with the instruction, "If you see any rabbits, kill 'em. Take as long as you like." They'd been devouring vegetables and generally being a pest; I moved off in pursuit.

Sure enough, there were plenty of Jack Rabbits and after a few missed long shots I took down seven with an old JC Higgins bolt action .22. A scope might have helped with the long distance runners, but I was content with the shots and felt somewhat redeemed after yesterday's hesitation & miss against the pigs.

LSP melting with cheap as you like Mossberg

Rabbits done, I shot at some flying things with a 12 guage and practiced on the Lee - nothing spectacular but reasonable groups. I was pleased to see the rounds coming in a little high, as they should, with the battle sight calibrated at 300 yards and the peep sight at a minimum of 150 - I was shooting at around 50-60 yards.

Heat was a challenge (98* in the shade) but all in all, a great day's shoot.

LSP