An awesome evening at the range... [2025-06-10]

[GTA-Airgunner]

Good morning airgunners!  Thank you for being part of the GTA!

The weather is changing here and we are already REALLY hot during the day.  We've already hit 108 and are topping out over 100 pretty much every day.  It's not bad as long as there's a breeze, but hot is still hot and the sun is like being under a broiler.  So, yesterday evening I decided to head to the range after dinner hoping for better conditions.  It was wonderful.  It was still warm, but that direct heat lamp sensation was drifting off to the west.

My range is situation East - West with the shooting benches on the west side.  If you haven't seen my range, I use those portable carports you can get off of Amazon and then cover them with shade cloth.  The shade cloth breaks the wind but does not stop it completely so you still get a nice breeze, and it provides shade so that you aren't roasting.  I have 3 of them staked down and lashed together, creating a 30x20 covered area.   There are two shooting lanes and a utility lane for staging and guests to come out and be comfortable. It's a really nice setup.

The range is a little over 100 yards long with sand birms lining the sides and a larger birm at the back.  Someday I would like to double their current height.   There are mini birms at 50 and 75 where I place my steel targets.   If you all have seen my videos, then you know what I'm talking about. 

I've migrated to steel targets because I just think they are more fun.  Give them a fresh coat of paint and you get a decent idea of what your shots are doing for accuracy, plus you get to judge the impact, something paper doesn't give you.  I have target stands at 25, 50, 75, and 100 yards for when I need to shoot paper for review work, but most of the time, I'm shooting my steel targets.  As I said, they are just more fun.

Under the canopy I have a new 8' workbench with ammo storage underneath.  It needs a coat of paint desperately so I'll get some help with that.   I also want to close in the back and possibly put some front doors on it just to have some barrior from the elements.  Although that may be a bit of a waist of time given it's outdoors and the wind is just what it is.   

I've got a simple solar power system too run all the gear under the canopy.  I'm using four 12v x 100 amp hour AGM batteries, and an MPPT charge controller with a single 250watt solar panel.  I moved the 24v 3000 watt Vevor inverter from my workshop so I could have better power to run the lights, computers, and personal compressors.  So far, it's been working great.   

All of that to say, I went shooting last night and had a great time.  Talking with Sue, I suspect we'll be doing more of that vs trying to get out in the middle of the day.  We have lights to film under and can light a target down range or shoot with nigh vision or thermals.  Whatever we do, it should make for some great evenings.

I plan to go back out after dinner tonight and spend some time with the Pinty Bullpup. I need to finish out that review so se can get it off the books.

So now that you all know my shooting setup.. What's yours look like and what kind of targets do you like to use?  Let me know if the replies.

I hope you all have a great day.  Thank you for being part of the GTA!

Cheers
Rick

[Back_Roads]

 I was plinking around the yard at night last weekend with the thermal on the Speedfire.    Keep cool Rick