Today reader RidgeRunner, tells us about building his outdoor range in preparation for testing his Diana 34 at longer range. If you’d like to write a guest post for this blog, please email me at blogger@pyramydair.com.
Take it away, RidgeRunner
Oh, Home On The Range…
As sung by RidgeRunner
The reason for improving the range — Ridgerunner’s Diana 34.
This report covers:
- Back at RRHFWA
- Setup
- Put the kid to work
- Bench caps it off
- Range christening
- Backchannel communications
- From BB
- Back at RRHFWA
It has been some time since I have shown you folks what has been going on at RidgeRunner’s Home For Wayward Airguns. A few weeks back, Mrs. RR helped me move my shooting bench to the side so I could do a planned project I had in mind, due to the prodding of Mrs. RR.
Setup
Over the past week, I have been using my trusty lawn mower and its trailer to haul gravel to my chosen shooting bench spot. This Mother’s Day, my grandson came over with his mom after church to see Mrs. RR and me, and of course to have a home-cooked meal.
Put the kid to work
While over here, I recruited him to help me with my shooting bench project. The first thing we did was level out the pile of gravel I had dumped on the spot for the bench.
We leveled the gravel pile.
The next thing we did was take some of the concrete slabs I had piled up at the bench and placed them on top of the gravel. This made a nice little platform to set the bench on.
They may not look it but these slabs are level.
Bench caps it off
The next thing we did was move the shooting bench back in place on top of the slabs. Golly! Gee Whiz, I had forgotten just how heavy it was.
Once the slabs were level the shooting bench went on top. Now I’m ready for some range work!
The next thing we did, or I should say my grandson did for me, was to lay a line of brick looking slabs from the shooting bench to the road for us to walk on.
After all that work, we went back to the house and after a little prayer we sat down to a meal of smoked chicken, mashed taters, gravy, sliced cucumbers, cole slaw and cranberry celebration.
Range christening
When we were done stuffing our faces with that meal, my grandson and I just had to try out that new shooting bench setup. We took his HW30S and my Diana 34, both of which are equipped with TruGlo front globe sights and Williams rear peep apertures with target knobs.
After flipping spinners and CO2 cartridges for a bit, we switched over to some feral soda cans filled with water. I am still amazed to see those cans burst open like that with just a little .177 pellet hitting them.
Before we knew it, it was time for the kids to go home. My grandson and I put our “toys” away and Mrs. RR and I bid ado to the young’uns.
As a little side note, mostly to myself, I need to tell you folks about how my Diana 34 did.
As another little side note to BB, you should really try out those .177 H&N Baracuda 8’s.
Backchannel communications
After he sent me his guest blog RidgeRunner sent me this email message:
Tom,
It is my intention to show my results of Sunday afternoon with the Diana 34 and I had hoped to do a little bit more yesterday, but I had to do some stuff for Mrs. RR, so I did not have the chance to go to the range.
RidgeRunner
From BB
Well, RidgeRunner, since the shooting bench at the range is now improved and perfectly level, we all expect to hear from you about that Diana 34 real soon — prod, prod. In fact, from what I read today perhaps I need to get Mrs. RR into this. You seem to respond to her prodding more than mine.
Looks like you got the beginning of a nice range. Is it going to be long enough for your 45 Texan?
Brent,
Well, I don’t know. I have markers at 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 yards. I could probably mark off another fifty yards if I need to. 😉
RidgeRunner,
Only Fifty more?
I’ll bet you could get out to 300 easy with no more than 2° of elevation.
I like the Sun dappled location!
shootski
shootski,
Not where I am. The woods are just too thick. Now I could take a very short road trip and shoot however far I desired.
The only issue I have is with crosswinds. Sometimes they can really be a bit much, most especially when they come down the valley to my left and cross the ridge my range is set up on. They have been known to blow over some pretty good-sized trees.
Brent,
Just so you know, this platform is just an upgrade to my range. It has been up and running for some time now. I used to shoot off of my back porch, but the dog does not care for even seeing my airguns.
“She who must be obeyed”…
-Y
Oh yeah. If mama is not happy, nobody is happy.
That looks like a very nice bench setup. The squirrels will probably enjoy eating their food on it also. (Just kidding!) It’s great that you and your grandson can enjoy this hobby together. Y’all did a very good job building the bench platform. Looking forward to the next report on the Diana.
Elmer,
The fuzzy tailed tree rats do indeed enjoy eating on it. I guess they think of it as a picnic table. The frame did come from a McDonalds.
I am indeed blessed (in many ways really) to have my grandson enjoy this hobby. He has also been pestering me to take him fishing. I guess I will have to find a fishin’ hole somewhere close by.
This is from many years ago. But it is still amazing to me!
For FM’s 42nd birthday, my skilled fishing buddy insisted on taking his friend out to try and catch a sailfish off the coast of West Palm Beach, Florida. FM actually managed to hook one and fought it for about 30 seconds before it broke free after a couple of magnificent leaps – that was a powerful fish! Glad not to have landed it as in any case we were going to release it – but that experience was one of the best birthday gifts FM ever received. No, he is still no fisherman.
That is a great gift and memory for you! Releasing the fish is my preference also. I used to be into fishing the area lakes with a bass club. And we typically released them after weigh-in. But that was also long ago.
FawltyManuel,
That is similar to my experience (brief) with a big Marlin but to hook, even for just 30 seconds, a Sailfish for us novices is an experience not shared with many others.
shootski
BB,
Just so you know, you will see something more about the Diana 34 real soon.
You may rest assured that if you should get Mrs. RR into encouraging me to do some more shooting and writing about such, I will not mind. 😉
“A range, a range, my kingdom for a range!” As it is, FM counts himself lucky to have 25 honest yards to work with given where the FMs are stuck, sandwiched between urban places which have gotten too big for anybody’s own good. Sadly, though Mrs. FM indulges her WH (Worst Half) in his hobby, she will not budge about moving to a more rural landscape. Enjoyable down-to-earth writeup, RR. Looking forward to the shootin’ part of it.
Looks good RR. I have about a max of 75 yards that I could shoot, but typically keep it to 50 or less. Having lived places in the past that I could not, I sure am thankful I can shoot at home now.
On another note, a co-worker that knew I was into airguns brought in a Sheridan C9 20 cal this morning and asked if I was interested. It is missing the rear sight, and has a Weaver scope in it’s place. It has a clamp on scope mount, but it still looks solid. I asked him what he wanted for it, and he said “lunch?”. I don’t know a lot about C9s but I suspect it is worth more than “lunch”.
CB
CB,
If you decide not to buy it I will send him a gift card for Outback steak house.
BB
BB,
I fully intend to buy it. I was almost feeling guilty. Almost.
CB
Pooky. I would really like to have a .20 caliber.
Does “lunch” include adult beverages? That may have an effect on the negotiations, in more ways than one. ;o) I would take the deal nontheless, if I were you, especially if it is in otherwise working order.
Better yet would be to have lunch at a place where you can show him how fun it would be to shoot airguns and get him into the sport.
RG,
no it did not. We are in a rural area and the shop has to be manned. So when we get lunch, usually we call up the local restaurant and order take out. I told him to order anything he wanted and I would go get it. It cost me less than $15. I do feel a little guilty now. I told him I may owe him another lunch too.
I’ll try to post pics later today or tomorrow.
CB
As long as there are no misunderstandings about the meaning of lunch and/or meals… 😉
https://youtu.be/9gZK_e-EtSo?si=ILGhGds3V2Q87GWx
F.M.,
That is funny!
CB
Be nice to see some pictures of the range. Looks like you have plenty of space there!
RR,
I can’t see the forest in your picture, there are too many trees in the way.
Great Idea, using that McDonalds table frame, I remember you discussing it a while back. I can’t see the recessed cup holder or fuzzy dice hanging off it. A slight oversight, I guess.
All kidding aside, I knocked stuff off the plastic bench I have a few times in one shooting session. I’m considering cutting out holes to drop in some baking trays to hold pellets and such and a recessed cup holder is not a bad idea, come to think about it. I did spill my beer.
Too much monkey motion going on shooting break barrels. Especially one with a mag.
Never caught a fish in my life, OK maybe a single sun fish in a lake before I was 12.
Left for a day of fishing out of Sheepshead Bay in NY. Half the people wound up inside upchucking, and the rest were strapped to uprights to keep from going overboard. Shades of Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump. They turned back early, and I never went out again. There is always a fish market !
I think I told this story before. Stuff happens when we get old.
I had a question mark after the word before, but spell checker told me it wasn’t a good idea. Then it told me to put a comma after it now. Good thing my laptop can’t shock me when I screw up. Oh no! Lap top is one word!
RidgeRunner,
I have range envy! Well done.
You gave me some great ideas for improving my own range (which is also outside, but out of necessity). Do you have/need provisions for rain?
MiTurn
Mr. RR: What’s your grandson’s setup for the HW30S with the Williams FP AGTK & fiber optic/globe front sight? I have a newish HW30S with that rear sight & Weihrauch OEM front and I’ve been struggling to learn how to hit something with a peep sight. I’m semi-determined to learn with this rifle but not averse to trying a fine bead fiber optic front.
Thanks. Scott
Scott, if I may interject, if you are struggling, you are over thinking it. Look THROUGH the peep hole and focus all your attention on the front sight. Don’t try to center the front sight in the rear hole. Just focus on the front sight like you are looking through a hole in your fence at your neighbor’s brand new Airforce Texan (or whatever) . The target will be a little fuzzy. Put the front sight on the fuzzy target and squeeze the trigger. Try for consistency. Your groups will start shrinking.
RR,
A very nice write up, I enjoyed the details. Your bench is solid and spacious. There is room enough for two shooters using break barrels! I have range and bench envy too. It sounds like things are well at RRHFWA! Enjoy!
Will
Also Roamin, that is good advice on using peeps, and is what BB has been saying. I am also trying to find the brightest spot through the hole in the fence and place the bead there, vs consciously trying to center the everything in the sight picture. It takes a little faith to simply let aiming happen naturally and it is working for me.
“Put the kid to work”
RidgeRunner,
That was a smart move, especially since I expect your grandson will be getting lots of range time there. 😉
I’ve been “across the pond” for an extended period of time; it looks like I have much reading to catch up on here…and that’s not a bad thing at all!…the range is looking good. 🙂
Blessings to you,
dave
RidgeRunner,
An excellent report, of course. :^)
And on the subject of my being repetitive, once again I look at a photo of your Model 34 and must say she sure looks like a “10” to me!
Michael