Thursday, July 11, 2002

I finally got to fire my new "Steyr Scout" rifle last night. I first zeroed the scope using Federal 168 grain Gold Medal Match ammo--the same type the factory used to test fire the rifle. It's a sort of ubiquitous cartridge with both target shooters and police snipers. The performance was excellent--my first three-round group was 1" at 100 yards, fired from the bipod. After zeroing it, I also fired some Hornady 168 grain "Light Magnum" ammo--this uses high-tech propellant and loading equipment to deliver .30-06 performance in a .308 cartridge. I found that at 100 yards, the point of impact was the same for the two rounds. I'll need to memorize the difference in drops at longer ranges, though. Recoil was significant--the rifle weighs less than seven pounds empty, so even the regular .308 rounds produce a good deal of recoil. The Light Magnum rounds are a good deal more energetic. After about 30 round of Federal and 10 round of Hornady, my shoulder is still sore. Still, it wasn't enough to interfere with my shooting, and I think I could reasonably shoot hundreds of rounds at once (although I'd be pretty sore the next day). The light weight of the Scout is the major reason I bought it--I'm not very strong, and I've found that heavier rifles such as my AR-15 don't really work for me. I can't aim if my arms are shaking from the strain! With the Scout, there's no such problem. I had no trouble hitting a one foot steel disc at 100 yards, even when firing offhand. No way could I do that with an AR-15! comment () trackback ()  10:53:14 AM     The Mile High Gun Club. Minutes ago, the US House of Representatives passed a bill by a margin of 197 votes that would allow volunteer pilots who undergo firearms training to carry firearms with them when they perform their piloting duties. [kuro5hin.org] For another viewpoint on the subject, read the comments from the ranks-and-file Socialists and Communists who read this site. comment () trackback ()  9:59:41 AM     Boxer signs on to armed-pilot bill. A well-known anti-gun senator has agreed to support legislation that would allow airline pilots to fly armed because, she says, it is better than ordering planes destroyed by U.S. fighter jets in the event of a hijacking. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said at a press conference in Washington today that she is lending her support to legislation sponsored by Sen. Bob Smith, R-N.H., that would, essentially, bypass a decision made earlier by Transportation Security Administration Director John Magaw not to allow guns on the flight deck. [FirearmNews.com] This shows that even a notorious Socialist can occasionally recognize reality. I've always believed that Boxer is an unusually principled politican (even if her principles are foolish and destructive), so it's not a complete surprise that she would take this stand. By contrast, I expect Feinstein (who is truly evil) to oppose the Senate bill. comment () trackback ()  9:49:26 AM     U.S. Backs Off Court Immunity Demand [AP World News] Facing worldwide opposition, the United States has retreated from its demand that American peacekeepers be permanently immune from the new war crimes tribunal. U.S. diplomats are instead proposing a yearlong ban on any investigation. This is a disgusting show of cowardice by the government. Bush seems to have forgotten that the role of the US government is to represent citizens of the United States, not Communist dictators, Euro-Socialists, and neo-Nazi Arabs. Given the nature of the world's governments, "worldwide opposition" is the surest sign I know that a position is the right one. comment () trackback ()  9:24:06 AM

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