re: Post-Cleaning Proof Target
(Some of this is a repeat from today’s post to “9mm 1911’s”)
A little background - Rightly or wrongly, my routine is a bimonthly disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly (whether they need it or not?) of the handguns. Now keep in mind I’m someone fumble-fingered, in other words severely mechanically challenged.
So this past week (it rained a tad at my house!) I gathered up my stuff, bellied-up to the kitchen counter, spread a pad thereon, and began what amounted to a production line operation.
If you are familiar with the disassembly of a Ruger pistol you may have a little sympathy for me. The owner’s manual reads, in part, “-With the mainspring housing, bolt stop pin, (as an assembly), bolt and magazine removed, a forward blow (with a plastic hammer) on the rear of the receiver will disengage the barrel-receiver assembly from the grip frame.”
There is the rub – “a forward blow”.
More times than not whilst providing “a forward blow” the barrel will slip through my fingers and drop on to the pad. And, as with a buttered piece of bread, the barrel will land adjustable rear sit down. And if that doesn’t happen, chances are I’ll drop it while I’m cleaning it.
All the above is just a lead-in to this morning at the range. Because my ham-handedness stands a good chance of buggering-up the adjustable sights, the first thing I’ll do at the range the first time out after the cleaning drill is to shoot a proof target to be sure the sights are still where they ought to be.
This is this morning’s result.
Five rounds, from the bench, at 50 feet. A nickel will cover four of the five; a quarter will cover the spread. I guess I didn’t drop the barrel this time around!
PS – Everything went downhill from here. Set up the Cannery Row (see in this Handgun forum, the Topic “Home, Home on the Range”, posting 4/1/10) and just did miserably.