As the weather cools and conditions outdoors get rugged, spending a day – or just a morning – out at the range becomes less appealing. Still, I feel the need to get some trigger time in.

On this occasion, I’d just completed some work on my S&W M617 6” 22 revolver. This one has a matching 22 Magnum cylinder, fitted up courtesy of the Smith & Wesson Performance Center. They also re-marked the barrel – 22 M.R.F. – without request and much appreciated.

I checked the gun’s zero with Winchester-Western bulk-packed 36gr. HP shooting one-handed from 25 yards. I shot on a half-sheet of copy paper. I saw that I was tended low and left. A sight adjustment pulled that up into the middle of the page. A similar format of bulk-packed 36gr. HP, branded Herter’s (purchased at Cabela’s), put hits low center on the half-page (in portrait orientation) in a 2 7/8” group, strung horizontally, with the best three in 7/8”.

Changing cylinders, I loaded with the “milk carton” packed CCI Maxi-Mag 40gr 22 Magnum load. It was clearly hotter, producing a group that shot within the 22LR group. Four of five hits went comfortably inside three-inches, with three hits into two inches.

I replaced the 22 LR-marked cylinder into the gun and posted the “Shootist’s Challenge” target from THE TACTICAL PROFESSOR. The idea is that you step off ten paces (about 25 feet), shoot one-handed for precision – not for time – and put six hits inside the three-inch square in the center of the page. There’s a one-inch square “postage stamp” image in the middle of the square. One hit has to perforate the stamp.

Using the Herter’s branded ammo, the first hit hammered the “stamp” in the center. The remainder were inside the “envelope” image, but one round “nicked” the edge of the envelope – showing a lack of discipline.

I’m calling it a miss.

Later, I got the Ruger 22/45 “Lite” auto out and selected CCI Standard Velocity ammunition to shoot bullseye slow-fire.

Using a B-8 repair center, I posted a score of 85/100. Scoring it legit, slow fire B-16 style (subtract one point per hit in any scoring ring), I shot a 76/100. It’s not great, but it’s great practice. I elected to try one more experiment on that not-terribly-cold day.

On another B-8 using the Ruger auto, I shot six rounds of Herter’s ammo one-handed from 25 yards, scoring 50/60.

Since this experience, I sustained a minor injury to my left arm. Having this one-handed practice in the bag inspires some degree of confidence I’d otherwise not had.

Regardless, any day at the range is better than a day in the office.

– Rich Grassi