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Over the past several days, I've intensified my efforts to get the basement airgun range finished for my daughter and myself. So that, you know, we can go down there and "shoot holes in things."

Which is our code for "letting off steam" in a way that does no harm to ourselves, our commitments to others, or anything beyond the 12-inch block walls of my basement. (We're careful to capture and recycle the lead we expend in this not quite "aimless" activity of ours.)

I finally settled on a method of backing targets for the Benjamin Trail, in the upper compartment of the refurbished target box, and have done likewise with the lower compartment, although for a different purpose.

I still have to settle on the material to be used directly behind the target in that one but, pending further testing, I think I've got that figured out as well.

A major part of this, after deciding on backing materials, has been how to secure them in the box and the answer I've arrived at has involved cutting, drilling, and fastening about 12 to 16 feet of aluminum angle and figuring out the best hardware arrangement for quick and efficient replacement of expended materials. You know, the stuff that has holes shot in it.

Some of the aluminum was also used to cover the previous damage that I've alluded to and to protect from accidental damage in the future. It also has the effect, I think, of "dressing it up" in a sort of cool way. Actually, it has the visual effect of having nearly as much chrome as a Ford Edsel, but without the lemon, lol.

(For those not familiar with that particular chapter of American automotive infamy, the Edsel was a full-sized addition to the Ford lineup during the ostentatiously-ornamental late '50s to early '70's--just before the oil embargo which, along with the Japanese invasion, threw Detroit into a decades-long swoon.

Because of a gold-colored, elliptically-shaped ornament inexplicably planted in the center of its massive grill, the Edsel was said by its detractors--and there were many--to look like "a Mercury sucking a lemon." As for me, I was happily colluding with the Japanese, working as a line mechanic for Toyota dealerships in Central NY and Houston over the next 13 years.)

Anyway, with that part of the project out of the way, I've spent the last couple of days working intensively on a gun rest to aid with zeroing-in of optical and laser sights. I went into the shop with just a bare-bones concept two days ago, finished building it yesterday, then tore it apart and rebuilt it today.

The rebuilding part was actually done this afternoon and earlier this evening because I was VERY busy watching the younger two of my daughter's three girls while their mom attended an estate auction in the morning.

(Talulla, the younger of the two, is not quite three and, ever since she could walk or even crawl, she's been known as "The Busy Girl," lol. And she happily reaffirms her right to that title every single day, including today.)

So, it's been a productive couple of days and, some family matters aside, I've been mostly happy with how they've turned out.

Right now, I'm gonna make one more trip to the basement to, you know, admire the finished product, lol, and then call it a night...

LPK
Dreamwidth
4.21.2018 
thisnewday: (Default)
Tonight, I finally ordered the airgun gear that I'm gonna use in the target range that I'm setting up in my basement. I had asked my daughter to look through the rifles I'd selected because she's gonna be shooting with me, as we did when she was a kid, and I wanted her to be comfortable with whatever I chose.

We had agreed on elimination of the most expensive model and also the one requiring the most cocking effort, at 40 pounds. They're all nitro-piston, break-barrel rifles, meaning that the barrel is "hinged" about halfway down its length to compress the piston which powers each shot and gives access to the chamber where the pellet is loaded.

We also agreed that the remaining choices were substantially equal, with various trade-offs between models. So I finally chose the one requiring the least cocking effort to assure that she, and any of the grandkids who wanted to participate, would be comfortable using it.

My final choice was the Benjamin Trail NP-2 in .22 caliber with 3-9x30 scope and synthetic stock. I also chose a lockable case, which will be stored in a locked closet, a steel target box/pellet catcher (which is actually designed to stop .22 rimfire rifle bullets, 3 pairs of safety glasses, scope mounting and zeroing and 20-round test-firing services from PyramydAir, and 300 rounds of JSB match-grade pellets.

Yesterday, we decided where to site and how to orient the range, and I picked up a cheapo carpet at Home Depot to serve as backing behind the target box. I had previously cleared the area and re-organized and stored the contents so that what I now have left to do is to hang the carpet and build a bench for seating and a stand for the target box. In addition, I'll probably be putting up some additional lighting over the target area.

It's kind of funny how I've migrated back to a number of things that I'd loved doing, earlier in my life, but had put aside for various reasons. And I'm finding that, the more I get into these things, the happier I am and the more grateful I am to have these opportunities now.

I guess my wish, if there were such things, would be for all of us to have that chance. And, beyond that, that we might have someone in our lives to do them with...

LPK
Dreamwidth
1.25.2018

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