For the past several years, I have been writing almost exclusively about reloading. One thing I have not written much about is what has happened on the range with other shooters. Many times they have asked for help, and I about die when I look at either how their gun and scope are set up, or the ammo they are shooting.

Maybe we should start another whole series of articles about these experiences.

Just recently, I was admiring a very nice looking customized Mauser a fellow had there, and noticed that the Weaver rings and bases had one had the nuts that tightens up the ring unto the base was on one side of the scope, and one on the other side.

Now it really makes no difference, but I just had to ask why it was on that way? The reply I got was real good one. The fellow explained that that is how he gained extra windage adjustment.

He went on to say that by loosening or tightening the screw(s), the windage will change.

Obviously this fellow did not have a clue as to how right he was. The problem is, when the screws are not tight the windage can go anywhere it wants.

The week before on a gun also with Weaver rings, I saw that had the front one was improperly seated on the base. The shooter’s answer was, “oh well it works so what”.

How about a fellow who is trying to zero in his shotgun with a scope on it that had the scope on the wrong way. By wrong way, I mean that the windage adjustment was on top, and the elevation adjustment was on the left side. Can you imagine the time he was having trying to change its elevation when it was on the side rather than the top?

Then there is the shooter who is cussing and swearing at this new 300 Magnum. Seems he could not get the bolt to close with a shell in it. So I go over for a look at it, and find that he has a 300 Winchester Magnum rifle, and has purchased 300 Wby Magnum ammo. Wby ammo is slightly longer, and that is why he can’t close his gun on it. He reply was, “BUT, it says 300 Magnum on it, why won’t it fit?”

Actually, had he the reverse situation, he could have closed his gun on 300 Winchester ammo, even though it was a 300Wby, and he could have fired it. The performance would not be too good, nor would the cases look right, but they will still go “bang”.

Another fellow showed up with 7mm Mauser ammo for his 7mm Rem Mag. Darn good thing he did not fire any of it in his Magnum, because the case would have split, and a massive destruction would have occurred.

Then there was the fellow who got his WSM mixed up with WIN, and so the day goes, on and on.

A thing that never ceases to amaze me is that a shooter will sit down at the bench, and just lean on his elbows and try to sight in his rifle. He does not use any support under the forend of the rifle, nor does he steady it in the back, just sits down and shoots and then wonders why he is all over the target.

The best part is that he actually was hitting the target, which is about all that can be expected from that situation.

Last but not least, there’s a fellow shooting supposedly 180 gr ammo in his 30-06 that’s all from a “green” box, yet he had trouble getting a uniform point of impact. He would shoot 2 or 3 for a group, and they could be several inches from the last group.

In looking at his ammo, he truly did have all R-P ammo from a green box, but he had Round Nose, Pointed Soft points, and some Bronze points, and lord only knows if they were really all 180 gr or had some 150 gr or 165’s mixed in for good measure.

So we segregated out RN bullets from the pointed bullets, and also set the bronze points aside, and now things really improved when he shot only one or the other.

I’ve looked at a clip of ammo laying on the bench, (even though the shooters are supposed to load only one shell at a time), and noticed all different kinds of bullets in the same clip, so I’m sure that shooter had a tough time getting a decent group or zero with his gun too.

Sometimes I wonder how any game is taken at all. There are so many things that go wrong at the range; I can only imagine how many of these occur in the field too.

If you have particular story to share, please contact Terry anytime at tblauwkamp@superior-sales.com