First range day since the big rain and I finally got to drag my new Stag Model 4 (that's their version of the M16A2, the last rifle I carried for Uncle Sugar) out for a test run. Well the whole day worked into a series of good news/bad news jokes.

My intention was to shoot enough to break in the barrel a bit and while I was at it check the factory zero and chronograph some Federal Lake City and IMI ammo, both loaded with 62 gr bullets.

So the good news is the rifle works fine but the bad news is the "factory zero" is worthless. After a few shots with no reading generated and some fussing with the chrono set up I'm able to get some readings. Then the good news is my next five shots chrono at speeds over 3100 fps! Then the bad news is my sixth shot wipes out the chrono! But, the good news is now my kids have something to add to my Christmas list.

Now I'm left with 20 rounds of Federal and 30 rounds of IMI. The chrono is toasted so that goes in the burning barrel and I proceed to zero the rifle. I prefer (at least for now) to use the military zero so with my target at 25 meters, and "Z" on the elevation knob I fire an attempted group of 3, 4" low and left of my aiming point (the 10 ring on a 50' pistol target). The dandy little toothed gizmo I bought from Brownell to adjust the front sight is sooo much easier than using the tip of a bullet and after a few more groups and 18 clicks of right elevation a 1 shot group takes out the 10 and 2 others halve the 10 ring. I declare the thing zeroed (at least for now). But I still have the IMI stuff and even though I can't chrono it to see how close it is to the Federal, I can still see if it shoots to the same zero! Good news it does!

So now it is time to get up off the bench and see if I can remember some basic rifle marksmanship shooting off-hand. So surprise, surprise I can pretty generally hold the black aiming area and my shots out to the 7 ring are errors I'm able to call. But, I'm only shooting at 25 meters so I know I have to re-learn rifle shooting.