


Being ace camera guys we really upped our game and took a tripod with us to film the action. That way the guys that were mistaking us for twins



Here is a Wind getting ready to take on the 800 yard Dinger, which is really the 400 yard dinger with another 400 yards tacked onto where you plant your butt. The dinger is near the small tree just to the left of and out beyond the row of bigger trees in the upper right hand corner. WAY out there.


We walked the shots in. Wind had the elevation by the third shot, now it was a matter of guessing the wind which varied in intensity and direction. Had I finished my chores earlier we might of had some still air to shoot through but I underestimated the time and got there late but just in time for the wind to start blowing up the valley.
Once we had the sight setting dialed in on the 800 yard dinger Wind, the inventor and maker of the Okanogan Shooting Sticks, decides he needs to ring it OFFHAND too!

This photo was taken seconds after an 800 yard offhand hit on the dinger. Notice the suppressed smile. I'm not sure if it was disbelief or what but we both laughed out loud once it sunk in that he rung that dinger (LOUD) OFFHAND!

Not one to rest on his laurels, he loaded another five and sure enough, he hit it again...

We burned through 120 rounds of 38-55 on the 800 yard dinger and we learned a lot.
-800 yards is a LONG ways!
-The 400 yard dinger looks small at 400 yards. It looks tiny at 800. It's about the size of a chair... maybe a little shorter.
-The Ding takes even longer to get back to us but you CAN hear it.
-It is difficult to shoot AND it is difficult to spot at that range.
-Even with good feedback - dirt splash, visual of impact, positive ring - the wind might push the next shot 3 feet off with the same hold.
-I sent at least ten Offhand at it and at best could only come close. Wind at worst only came close and hit it twice!
-Good glass is a must! A good spotting scope would have helped. The bino's were good but a hit could only be confirmed by sound from that distance. We had a number of probables but until we walked up to the dinger didn't know for sure.
-The Ranch Dog TLC379-235RF over 16.5gr of SR 4759 (3.5 grains UNDER the starting load in my RCBS Cast bullet Manual) gets almost 1700 fps in my CB. I'm not sure what it get's in Wind's Cowboy but it took several minutes out of the sight setting vs. the Lee 250gr and Missouri Bullet Works 240gr over 10gr of Unique loads (~1300 fps). The RD load is the load I shot best. I think Wind's best success was with the MBW bullet.
Once all the 38-55 ammo was sent down range and about a half mile of walking each way was done, we realized there were some more primers left undented on our belts



This required some (Kentucky) elevation hold over. Wind's 44 special Bisley Blackhawk rung it on the first shot and again on the next cylinder. My 45 Colt New Vaquero had it surrounded but failed to make it clang... :-[ but man was it fun trying ;D ;D
We resisted getting the Marlin 39's out which was about the only thing we had ammo left for and figured we already had more fun than is legal in most states and we better save it for later. One never knows when the urge to ring a dinger might overwhelm a fella and it would be a shame to not have anything to do it with.


