Long story, skip to the bottom for actual range details.
I forced myself to convert from a night owl into an early bird yesterday morning so that I could hit the range. Despite my "smart" phone's 18 minute trip calculation, it took me about 45 minutes just to find the place, Eastern North Carolina Shooting Range. During my drive, I drove past a place marked with red flags and a bulldozer out front. The red flags sparked my curiosity, so I took mental note that if I didn't find the range I would come back and check out this place. Well, after driving a little ways with no success, I did a U-turn and headed back towards the flagged area.
The area was flooded, but I was pretty desperate to shoot this rifle. Much to my appreciation, a little ways down this flooded gravel road was ENC Shooting Range. I was greeted by a nice man wearing an NRA hat, who introduced himself and began to show me around the range. We talked for about 30 minutes (he was prior USAF SF and had a lot to say about it), and then it was time to pay the admittance fee. I asked him if he could take a card, he said no, so I told him I'd go to the ATM down the road.
Got to the ATM and realized I didn't have my debit card on me.
After all this time spent trying to find the place, taking the tour, talking about AF SF, etc... I wasn't going to be able to shoot. Went back to the range, told him the situation, and told him I probably wouldn't have time to come back. He actually convinced me that I had plenty of time, and being a weekday, the range would be all mine.
Another 45 minutes or so later, the man was helping me sight in the Aimpoint 5000. After getting it about an inch high and right of the bullseye, he left me alone to mess with it myself. Suddenly, that Aimpoint became the biggest PITA. I spent about 30 rounds trying to center that dot perfectly on the bull's eye. Eventually I just Kentucky windage'd and called it perfect.
Then the fun began.
First target, man sized silhouette at 50m. 10 rounds of ZQ 7.62.
Easy.
Second target, man sized silhouette at 100m, 10 rounds of ZQ 7.62.
Easy.
Back to the first target, 5 rounds of FGMM SMKs.
Quarter sized group to the forehead, 3 shots close to dime size.
Second target again, 5 rounds of FGMM SMKs.
Tough to see with the red dot, but placed all 5 in head of the silhouette.
Final targets: 3 bowling pins hanging at 100m with a 12 inch steel plate beside them. Wind was rough, and the pins were moving with it. Loaded 15 rounds of FGMM (Listen, I stocked up on ammo during the past 12 months, don't say I'm wasting it.
).
14 out of 15 hit their target. I do believe that was the first time I've engaged a moving target at 100m. I did not expect to hit them the first time, and would have never imagined missing only 1 shot.
Overall, extremely successful range trip with zero malfunctions. The next time I go, which will be very soon, I will try out the other range sections. He has a 3 story tower to practice shooting from an elevated position as well as a "free style" range. That tower sounds extremely fun.
Shot of the range.
Blue circles the 50m targets, orange circles the 100m steel plate, and red circles the 100m bowling pins.
My ugly mug.
Rifle cycling and ejecting a spent case, and my ugly mug again.
Oh, and to update on the display:
I met a MSgt who does custom wood work. I wasn't satisfied with the shadow box I bought online, so I went to him for help. He is basing the design on this: