march 30

Shooting Skills for Hunters (.30-30 Drill)

The effective range of the .30-30 is about 150-170 yards. Some of the wizzy new Magnums can outperform this by roughly 300 percent, at least on paper. but can the hunter outperform the .30-30? Can you?

The .30-30 WCF (Winchester Center Fire) was a hot little number when first debuted in 1895 but today’s hunters complain about this obsolete antique. Standard wisdom states this cartridge is best contained within a range of 100-175 yards. A.30-30 will push a 150-170 grain bullet out at approximately 2200 fps or so. with a 150 yard zero, the bullet will be about two inches above line of sight at 100 yards and around five inches low at 200.

Few hunters possess enough shooting skill that warrants better performance than this. Are you one of them? Find out with the .30-30 Drill.

Begin by getting a good 150 yard zero for that anemic.30-30 (or whatever your favorite hunting rifle is chambered in.) Set up a Y-ring steel target at 150 yards. if you don’t have a quality, self-resetting steel target that is about 8-10 inches in diameter, a paper dinner plate at 150 yards makes an ersatz substitute. get a shooting timer, or a buddy with a whistle and stop watch, to record the time.

Start from standing up. On the start signal adopt a sitting position and fire one aimed shot at the plate. Stand back up and repeat the drill for a total of three shots. After completing this three string/three round sequence from the sitting position, do it again adopting and shooting from prone.

We are shooting at the distance we zeroed giving point-of-impact at point-of-aim on a nice, level playing field with no intervening brush, trees, etc. All the shooting is done from the two most stable positions available in the field. Furthermore, the target is presented whole, as opposed to a large animal with the vital zone hidden somewhere inside, thus eliminating the need to estimate target angle. Just hold center and let ‘er rip

Regardless of elapsed time, a hunter claiming to need something better than a .30-30 should get at least 5 hits out of 6 shots (83% hits) or better on this six MOA target every time. if so, our hero can actually make use of the ballistic capability provided by a .30-30 or equivalent for field shooting. if not, their maximum effective range in field shooting is shorter than 150 yards and the capability of a .30-30 rifle exceeds their present level of skill.

A more competent hunter-shooter who can get those same hits in ten seconds per shot or less just might benefit from a better rifle. they possess sufficient skill to warrant extended range.

Variations:
We can repeat this drill out even further. Use the same target and set at 200, 225, 250, 300, or out as far as you dare. Give the shooter an extra three seconds or so for every 50 yards beyond 150. Sight in appropriately and shoot. for example, .308/ .30-06 and cartridges of similar ballistics can set their zero to 200-250 yards.

Autisms’ National Day of Mourning, March 30th

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is taking action, organizing a nation-wide day of mourning for disabled people who are killed by caregivers. The organization expresses great concern about a murder-suicide that recently occurred. The act involved a mother and her grown son. In reporting the crime, media outlets overwhelmingly expressed sympathy – not for the autistic individual who was murdered – and instead for the mother who had killed her son.

George Hodgins was 22 years old and he lived in Sunnyvale, California.

Because he was disabled, George had been written out of the story of his own murder. (ASAN)

Zoe gross of ASAN suggests that vigils should be held in cities all across America in order to memorialize disabled murder victims on March 30th.

While the numbers of mothers and or families who care for their grown disabled children without complaint or incident are quite numerous (and under-reported), a nation-wide day of memorial might best speak to media outlets that opt to manipulate stories in order to further their own special interests. such media usually leave out far too many aspects in reporting and diminish understanding.

The month of April is celebrated as National Autism Awareness Month. The Autism Society has celebrated it since the 1970′s. The Autism Awareness Puzzle Ribbon is a recognized symbol that is utilized.

The Autism Society also gives awards in order to recognize outstanding achievements accomplished by members. The society awards include: volunteer of the year, individual or organization making an enduring contribution, media excellence award, outstanding literary work–family and social, outstanding literary work–educational, professional of the year, and outstanding individual with autism.

ASAN imparts self-advocacy to those within the autism spectrum. some of the projects that ASAN is involved in are: autism campus inclusion, implications of autism research project, autism NOW national resource and information center, partnering with people with developmental disabilities to address violence and health project, empowering autistic leaders project, loud hands: autistic people speak.

ASAN provides unique perspective from those within the autism spectrum:

I want to be loved and accepted.

I wish others to tell me that it’s wonderful that I was born.

I feel guilty of existing, tell me I am wrong.

I need to see others talking about how happy they are with knowing and living with Autistic people, not despite of Autism and not only knowing suffering.

I don’t want to be seen as the source of my loved ones suffering. I want to know I don’t ruin anyone’s life, I don’t want to be a burden.

Know I want others to be happy, even more than I wish to be happy.

I wish you were my friend, I wish I have found friends and not bullies and abusers.

When I finally manage to gather my strength to tell you something, listen and know all the effort that costs me, respect what I have to say even if you don’t understand. (Moonlit Lily, 2011, ASAN)