Catching up with firearms

This can be a potentially slow time of year for some of us outdoors-oriented individuals. While the ice is still thick enough for hard water fishing and the snow is still deep enough further north to contemplate that last weekend snowmachine trip, some of us are ready for winter to be over. With the onset of the outdoorsman shows around the area, many are looking ahead toward the warmer season and its related activities.

One warmer weather outdoor activity I have always enjoyed is shooting. I didn’t do nearly enough last summer because of projects around the house and, to be honest, the hot summer. When it’s 106 degrees on the deck in the sun (like it was a couple of times last summer), I tend to look for a shady spot, a comfortable chair and a cold drink.

Ammunition availability was not really a big concern for me, or a reason not to go shooting, since I reload the centerfire calibers I shoot. I have a reasonably good inventory of cases, bullets, primers and powder on hand to feed that hobby. I also have a good inventory of rimfire ammo, so that wasn’t a problem either. I still am on the lookout for rimfire ammo, as is everybody else in the Valley, but I have enough already in hand to spend several days plinking away. I just never got to the range.

As a result, I’m developing a backlog of firearms that need to be shot. I’m also a “gun nut” and enjoy collecting different models of firearms to shoot. I’m not the collector type who enjoys just owning a particular firearm for its beauty, scarcity or unusual history. If you can’t shoot it, I generally don’t have a lot of interest in owning it.

For instance, I purchased an M1 Garand rifle that came through the Civilian Marksmanship Program and have yet to shoot it. There are other U.S. military firearms that are more pleasing to my eye, but I’ve always thought the Garand would be a fun gun to shoot. I’m glad I got it when I did since President Obama has since issued an executive order that will effectively put the CMP out of business. He couldn’t get Congress to follow his agenda, so he’s implementing gun control programs through his presidential edicts.

I’ve always thought the full-length Mannlicher-type rifle stock made an elegant looking firearm, and I have a fondness for Eastern European craftsmanship in firearms. Combine the two and you have the CZ model 455 full stock .22 rimfire rifle. I picked one up, again because of the possibility of it becoming a prohibited firearm because of the U.N. gun control treaty floating around in the international world of gun politics. After getting it set up with a scope and sling, it’s also sitting in the safe waiting for better weather and a trip to the shooting range.

I have a couple of other single-shot rifles on which I have upgraded the stocks to a thumbhole configuration that need to be re-sighted in and a couple of pellet guns with new sighting configurations that also need sights adjusted. The pellet guns I can do in my yard after the weather warms up.

I overhauled a couple of shotguns with different stock configurations, shorter barrels and scope sights specifically for the roadside moose hunt for which I didn’t get a permit this year. However, the shotguns are still perfect as bear safety guns while fishing or camping this summer, so they’ll need sighting in as well.

As you can see, I’m getting behind in the shooting part of my tinkering with my guns. I have two older style single-shot rifles that are set up to use the old Maynard-style scope system. However, both rifles need a better rear scope mount set up. I haven’t done anything with them for lack of having access to the style of rear mounts necessary to achieve the accuracy I want. These mounts cost a bunch, so I want to order the correct mount the first time and not have to mess around with returning items. Plus, I need to save my pennies to afford to buy the scope base to begin with.

The crossbow I bought a while back also needs a little adjusting and sighting in. Now don’t laugh, but I need to practice with my “wrist-rocket” slingshot since I put new, heavy-duty bands on it. Come on, warm weather!

Howard Delo is a retired fisheries biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. You can leave him a message by emailing sports@frontiersman.com.