Got the new rig to the range for some initial familiarization. I had three loads, a plinker with 200-grain flat nose case bullet over a case full of Trail Boss, a 240-grain XTP over 25 grains of Power Pro 300 MP, and 10 rounds of 300-grain XTPs over a near-maximum charge of 296.
I took Denis' warning about the recoil characteristics of the Ranch Hand to heart and started with the plinker load. With a two hand hold off a rest, the gun was a bit uncomfortable at it does not have a handgun grip, and the lever wants to rap the fingers a bit as the gun moves backward.
So I got smarter and put on my Uncle Mikes padded shooting gloves. Issue solved.
Next issue: the gun shoots high -- I mean REALLY high. My target was stapled to an IPSC-style cardboard silhouette just above center of mass. I was finally able to get on paper by holding about two feet low, at the bottom edge of the cardboard. Hmmm.
Next up were the full-house bear loads. Because of the increase in velocity over the plinkers, I expected these to impact lower and I was right. By stapling a second target below the first and using a six o-clock hold I was just an inch or two high on the top target with promising grouping. I lost concentration and held on the top target for the last shot, and therefore have only a 4-shot group to show for the bear loads, not a five.
The bench technique I used with the 300s was to cradle the Ranch Hand in a Caldwell Rock front rest with the lever nested in a bag of oats for rear support. I fired the gun with the right hand in the usual position, but I wrapped my left hand thumb-down around the butt. This position worked perfectly. The gun rose off the bag a few inches in recoil, but at 64 ounces, it soaked up a lot of the punch through mass alone.
I used the same technique with the 240-grain XTPs, made the same mistake aiming once at the wrong target and had another four-shot group. Recoil was noticeably milder than with the 300s.
In conclusion, this was only a brief trial, but in the days ahead, I look forward to exploring the possibilities of this interesting firearm, tweaking the sights (I'll probably add one of Nate Kiowa Jones's apertures) and working up loads.
Like many of you, when I first read about it I was skeptical that the Ranch Hand would have any practical use whatsoever, other than the very real fun factor. This outing has convinced me that with evolving technique, practice, additional experience under field conditions and fitted with proper sights, this tool is going to be put to effective use in the deer, bear and elk woods.
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