My wife was out of town at a Christmas Craft Fair at Mohegan Sun, so I just felt like throwing some long range lead today out to 200 yards this afternoon. I only took 30 rounds with me and at that just shot 12 in a little less than 2 hours. Set up and break down took quite a bit of time. My rifle is zeroed to 100 yards. Using my dope card I dialed up the windage and elevation required to get out to 200. The 7.62x54r cartridge shoots a hair flatter than .308 with a 100 yard zero. Out to 200 the .308 drops 3.7 inches but the 7.62x54r drops 3.6
I got mixed results. I cleaned the bore and then touched off a fouling shot at the 200 yard gong. A previous shooter painted all the plates black, which is hard to see with a black reticle that most scopes have, So I painted a white spot in the middle. My hit is circled.
Next I took aim at this Birchwood-Casey spatter type bullseye target. The first shot was right on the line of the 9-10 ring at about 11 o'clock. The next one was just above it. The third shot was just above the red center at 12 o'clock. A little disappointing to say the least. On the other hand, it's been about 7 months since the last time I did some long range shooting.
I then moved over to this target also made by Birchwood-Casey. The next two shots were at the large center diamond. First shot was left, the second was right. Geez, I am really sucking today! The shot in the upper left small diamond was later in the session and after the next shot.
Just for ha-ha's I took a shot at the thick disk lying on it's side. It too, had been painted black so I rotated it for an unshot surface and sprayed about a 3" diameter spot of white. I had hit this target before and just like then, I put one round dead center where I was aiming. That's when I decided to go back to the target with diamond and aim for the upper left one pretty confident I was gonna punch the center. DAMMIT! off by about an inch. WTF?
I did an internet search on what my problem could be. Basically the response was "aim small, hit small." So I tested that theory with my next 3 shots against some rocks I rounded up a little bigger that my fist. I hit each one with one shot at 200 yards turning them into clouds of dust. Apparently my trouble is all psychological because it certainly isn't my equipment.
This last shot was because I don't like odd numbers and wanted to shoot an even 12. This was at the 75 yard gong without readjusting my scope but holding low on a guesstimate. Centered by windage and just a bit low on elevation.
This rifle performs better than I can make it unless I spend a lot more time at the range with it and make a shit ton more ammo. But knowing that the purpose of this rifle is to engage and destroy "man sized" targets of opportunity from a hidey hole in a case of FAFO, I need to not be so hard on myself. Every one of today's 12 shots would have produced satisfactory results, and unlike the SEAL snipers in the movie "Captain Phillips," I won't be lying prone on the fantail of a pitching naval destroyer while taking aim at an also pitching small craft with bad guys inside.











