Range report: Marlin 336
Having failed utterly to make contact with Bambi via the compound, I figured I’d at least check the aim on the Marlin to see if I could repeatably put the lead where I pointed the damned thing. So friday I spent some time at Kingsbury’s rage- which I can highly reccomend- though it’s a $4 range fee, it’s a nice and professionally run range.
Turns out I can hit what I point it at.
The first is the 20 yard target, just a bunch of shots trying to get the thing to print. The middle target is at 25 yards- a couple taps here and there on the back sight and I had it.
The last target is at 50 yards. A couple fliers as I got used to the sights, and then three right in the red.
So I spent a couple hours sitting in a field. Sleety snow pouring down on me- though I was snugged up fine. My Jon-E handwarmer kept me from freezing- though my tootsies could have used a bit of help. More socks next time, I guess. I was ready. I had good equipment. My equipment worked- in fact, worked just fine. And now I just need Bambi to show up for his appointment.
I can’t wait to use this to shoot a deer. Considering it was a rusty pile of crap when I got it, and I turned it into a nice, elegant, useful lever action, the correct caliber, and I can shoot it… Good feeling.
Og,
One thing I’ve noticed as I’ve shed my body’s natural insulation – I got COLD, bubba… Dress more warmly than you think you’re going to need…
Good shootin’, BTW…
A great 336 and no deer??
You and me both!
Back when I was a starving student, my sole source of transportation was a POS Italian m/c and commuted 60 miles per day between school, work, and the dive myself and a pair of other knuckleheads lived. Motorcycles in ice storms and sub-zero temps truly suck. The frozen foot problem was greatly improved by putting on a pair of cotton socks, a one gallon plastic bag, then wool socks, and finally heavy boots.
Bogdaddy, that’s a great idea, and I’m gonna try it this weekend.
Don’t, it’ll make your feet sweat with all of the walking you’ll be doing. Trust me on this.
You’ve got two choices here as I see it.
One, buy some Thinsulate socks and regular socks over them. They work fairly well.
Two, knee-high pantyhose first, then heavy socks over those.
I know it sounds ridiculous, but they kept my feet not only warm, but dry.
And thoroughly tested by some of the toughest motherfuckers to ever walk the Earth in Korea and the German Alps.
One final idea, learn to wiggle your toes constantly while outside and sitting still. The blood flow thing is a huge factor.
yeah, Dick, I can see that. I do wear my special purple socks with the cotton and then wool over them. Just not yesterday.
Dick, that is what the cotton socks were for. Our (the other two knuckleheads and self) was wondering if we’d ever warm up again!
We tried the nylon thing; just too risky since we expected to die each time we hit the road and being found wearing girly stuff would have been MUCH worse than BVDs with skid-marks.
Og, if you are a old fart like self, your peripheral circulation ain’t what it was 45 years ago and sweaty feet beat the heck out of frozen, cramping feet.
It’s also cheap (I like cheap).
I may try to mix this up, and do the plastic bags once I get to my standing-around place.