Members of the half moon club?

[Finagler 6853 Life 479]

I didn't want to hijack the thread about Gonna Leave Two Marks.  That picture definitely shows a couple of candidates for a Darwin award.  Back to my original question, who else has taken the initiation to the half moon club?  Hi, my name is Fred and I am a member of the half moon club.  I got this Ruger 77 in 300 Win Mag, slapped a 3 x 9 scope on it and thought I needed to sight it in.  I don't (didn't) know nothin about no scopes.  It was a good scope but the maker escapes me now.  This was years ago.  I have mounted and sighted in numbers of scopes/rifles but nothing as high powered as a 300 Win Mag.  Lots of .22s, a couple .308s, a .243, and a few others, so I thought I was set.   Wifey and me go to her folks place on the weekend, as we usually do and since the in-laws live in the boonies, I thought I'd take my new rifle along to sight it in or at least attempt to.  My B-I-L, being a good sport, is going to spot for me and a nephew is my audience.  I lay a blanket across the hood of the truck to keep any muzzle flash from degrading the paint and scratching my new gun.  I get in a semi prone position, get a good view of the target through the scope, flick off the safety and squeeze the trigger.  Sacred defecation!  That hurts.  In an instant, I learned what extended eye relief means.  Only took one shot.  Quick learner.  BIL looks at me like, what's the matter dude, as I am clutching my watering eye in one hand, rifle in the other.  As I take my hand away, nephew states, that looks like it hurts.   Thanks for the observation bud.  No permanent damage or black eye but it did swell some and was sore.  I did put a different scope on the gun with much more successful results.

 

Who else wants to share?

[Charlie Harley, #14153 3,227]

Never got a half moon from a scope, but gave myself a black eye from a Garand’s receiver once. Same net effect. 
 

Went to the prone position for a rapid fire string, didn’t get the gun firmly seated in the shoulder pocket, touched off the first shot, and saw lots of pretty stars. Finished the string, but the eye was already purple by the time time Cease Fire was called. 

[Noz 1,983]

I did the same routine as shown with an Ithaca Model 37 slugster. The recoil was horrendous.

The only description was I was bitch slapped.

I was sure something was wrong so I inspected the gun extensively before I shot again.. Very light gun kicking a 1 0z projectile down range. OUCH

To show my intelligence I snuggled up real close and tight and shot it once more.

Although the problem was in the semi prone position, I have never fired that gun again. In fact I don't own it any more.

I have always been afraid of the scope, so I've never had troouble with it.

[Yul Lose 6,642]

Remington 700, 30-06, 11 stitches and 45 years later you can barely see the scar.

[Pat Riot, SASS #13748 26,354]

Marlin 30-30 with a new scope mounted back in 92. Put the gun up to  my eye for the first sight in shot and  WHACK! The scope drove my eyeglasses into my face and the scope gave me a quarter moon dink in the head just above my eye socket. I bled a little but no scar. Busted my glasses frame  and ruined the right lens. Luckily I had a backup pair. If I wasn't wearing glasses it would have been worse.

 

 

[Three Foot Johnson 2,614]

Several years ago, I was elk hunting with a .338 Winmag and saw some elk up the hill ghosting through the trees toward me. I dropped to the ground, and unfortunately was in a little hollow where I was laying more or less level, but shooting uphill at the approaching elk. I couldn't really move without being seen, so I gritted my teeth and let one fly. I knew it was coming - it wasn't too bad, but definitely made me bleed for awhile. I dropped the elk, so it was a wash. 

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 6,040]

I have the opposite issue.

 

The Kid gave me a retro AR15 carry handle scope.  Quite cool, fixed 4X with BDC (even has a retro "inspected sticker!").

 

Unfortunately, it's designed for a "NTCH" shooting stance ~ "Nose To Charging Handle."  Eye relief is a whopping 3.11".  For the life of me I cannot figure out how anyone can get their head close enough.  Reckon I just have a short neck!  

                                                  

 

                

 

                         

[Whiskey Hicks 220]

And here I thought this Half Moon Club would be about the proud owners of outhouses.

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 6,040]

7 minutes ago, Whiskey Hicks said:

And here I thought this Half Moon Club would be about the proud owners of outhouses.

 

That was my first thought, too...   

[Sedalia Dave 13,758]

I was wondering what sort of wardrobe malfunction would result in a half moon instead of a full moon.

[John Kloehr 1,142]

Not a member yet, but am planning to put a scope on an SKS (challenging project for several reasons). And the rifle stock is for smaller folks...

 

So the geometry might be interesting, er... challenging... If y planned project is even feasible. Talked to a scope expert at a local gun show a month or so ago, and rather than trying to sell me one of his products instead agreed this project would be a challenge. He said he may be able to help once I get some measurements so I took a picture of his card.

[Michigan Slim 8,372]

Watched my jackwagon boss open himself up good with a 12 gauge slug gun. One of the highlights of my life!

[Sedalia Dave 13,758]

18 minutes ago, John Kloehr said:

Not a member yet, but am planning to put a scope on an SKS (challenging project for several reasons). And the rifle stock is for smaller folks...

 

So the geometry might be interesting, er... challenging... If y planned project is even feasible. Talked to a scope expert at a local gun show a month or so ago, and rather than trying to sell me one of his products instead agreed this project would be a challenge. He said he may be able to help once I get some measurements so I took a picture of his card.

 

Rather than a scope put a peep sight on it.

A Lyman #48 can be fitted to the receiver with a little work. You may have to hunt around a bit to find the correct version as the old #48s were not always marked as to which rifle they fit and off hand I cannot remember.

[Three Foot Johnson 2,614]

2 minutes ago, Michigan Slim said:

Watched my jackwagon boss open himself up good with a 12 gauge slug gun. One of the highlights of my life!

Back around 1980, I acquired a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 mag, and we were shooting it off the deck at some targets. My cousin's wife's stepfather wanted to give it a try and asked if it kicked bad. I said something to the effect, "It's not so bad with those 180 grainers". He touched one off, I didn't see a hit through my binoculars, and turned to tell him he missed. He was bent over with the revolver at his side, with his other hand holding his forehead and blood running through his fingers.   Apparently all he heard was, "It's not so bad" - the rear sight cut him open pretty good, and he was mad at me for the rest of his life thinking I intentionally set him up.

[evil dogooder 1,001]

I am not, but my brother in law is the pres of the club.   I dont even know how many times he's scoped himself . multiple times a year for many years...

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 976]

I'm a member. First time shooting a friend's scoped 30.06 long ago. I'd been a long time shotgunner, but had only shot rifles a few times at the range then, and not a scoped one before. He forgot to tell me not to put my eye up to the 'eyepiece'....

 

Bled like the devil, and still have a very faint curved short scar.

Edited January 5 by Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619

[watab kid 1,209]

never had this happen persona;;y but having spent over 15 years working at a gun range ive seen many of them - one was a fairly serious resulting in an ER visit and im sure a headache .....had to clean her white coat and im sure she spent hours figuring out the new makeup , but having to drive her feinted brother who put her behind that 300 winmag with no clear instruction and hold that compress in place might have resulted in some interesting discussions at home later , RO saw it start but could not cover the ground quick enough to prevent it 

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 3,396]

4 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

I was wondering what sort of wardrobe malfunction would result in a half moon instead of a full moon.

 

 

 ...................... partial revocation of suspenders ......  

Edited January 5 by Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783 3,022]

5 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

I was wondering what sort of wardrobe malfunction would result in a half moon instead of a full moon.

Sounds like a lot of repairmen I’ve seen! 

[Noz 1,983]

13 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

I have the opposite issue.

 

The Kid gave me a retro AR15 carry handle scope.  Quite cool, fixed 4X with BDC (even has a retro "inspected sticker!").

 

Unfortunately, it's designed for a "NTCH" shooting stance ~ "Nose To Charging Handle."  Eye relief is a whopping 3.11".  For the life of me I cannot figure out how anyone can get their head close enough.  Reckon I just have a short neck!  

                                                  

 

                

 

                         

It looks like that J'raf's momma got too close to a Slugster.

[DeaconKC 2,278]

I first thought it was talking about clips for 1917 S&W!

[Marshal Hangtree 2,133]

I shoot all long guns left handed.  A buddy of mine back in the 70's had a .45 cal. CVA Kentucky rifle that we took to the dump to shoot.  I had never shot a percussion rifle before that.  He put a hot load of BP down the barrel and seated the ball, then handed the Kentucky to me.  The Kentucky's have a rather short rear stock, and I pulled the rifle in tight to my shoulder anticipating a hefty recoil.  I pulled back the hammer and pressed the trigger, only to hear a faint click.  Unknowingly, I had pulled the "set" trigger.  When I went to re-shoulder the rifle, I just touched the other trigger and BALLOOOOM!, the rifle cut loose.  The hammer spur jumped back and split a nice gash in the center of the end of my nose.  George laughed his ass off, then took me to the ER to get a stitch put in my nose.

[Chili Ron 1,004]

Howdy,

George was a clod.

I have stopped folks from hurting themselves with handling guns

wrong.  Not on my watch.

A so called friend badgered me into shooting his hard kicking rifle

by telling me he had downloaded a round for me.

I have  a weird clicking in my neck to this day.

I should have thrown his rifle to the ground.

A few scratches in his baby would have really up set him.

But he grabbed it out of my hands.

We dont go shooting any more.

Best

CR

 

[Sixgun Sheridan 4,457]

23 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

I was wondering what sort of wardrobe malfunction would result in a half moon instead of a full moon.

 

Plumbers like to show off a half moon. Nudists show off a full moon.

[Pat Riot, SASS #13748 26,354]

I found myself starting to click “Like” on all these “scope eye” stories when it dawned on me that hitting “Like” might send the wrong message so I will just say “Thanks for the stories, Pards.” 

[Finagler 6853 Life 479]

6 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I found myself starting to click “Like” on all these “scope eye” stories when it dawned on me that hitting “Like” might send the wrong message so I will just say “Thanks for the stories, Pards.” 

 

Don't hit the like button.  You'll only encourage them.  

[Alpo 7,408]

2 hours ago, Chili Ron said:

George was a clod.

Got dat right.

[Tom Bullweed 480]

I tried handgun silhouette in the late 1990s.  Many of the rimfire shooters put rifle scopes on a B-Square mount on a Ruger .22 Mark pistol.  You shoot the gun with the strong arm crooked and the pistol held near your face.  I learned that too close will result in the bolt smacking the shooter in the cheek.  I did some rifle-like accuracy but never had to re-learn that lesson.

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 7,774]

We used to have a "Hunter's Sight In" before hunting season around here, held at the DCRA, Connaught Range.

Helping out on the day, I stopped a real Bubba/Yahoo from going to the line with an abortion he had mounted a scope on himself.

He was a "bit" miffed I stopped him and, talking to him I learned he was a new hunter but an "experienced machinist" and the .22 Tasco scope he had mounted on a sporterized .303 Lee Enfield was just fine.

I tried discussing recoil and scope eye relief with him, but to no avail, so I warned the other ROs and went off to lunch in the mess.

I returned later to the fellow being helped into an ambulance with a blood covered face and dressing covering his right eye.

He had snuck on the firing line to try his concoction.

Never saw him again.

[DeaconKC 2,278]

I guess I am fortunate, I saw a shooter get cut when I was new so have always been careful. Hope I haven't jinxed myself...

[Texas Joker 328]

On 1/4/2021 at 5:45 PM, John Kloehr said:

Not a member yet, but am planning to put a scope on an SKS (challenging project for several reasons). And the rifle stock is for smaller folks...

 

So the geometry might be interesting, er... challenging... If y planned project is even feasible. Talked to a scope expert at a local gun show a month or so ago, and rather than trying to sell me one of his products instead agreed this project would be a challenge. He said he may be able to help once I get some measurements so I took a picture of his card.

You need something like this.

[John Kloehr 1,142]

1 hour ago, Texas Joker said:

You need something like this.

[pic deleted]

I got something similar which I plan to hack down to about that size.

 

I might use a dremel (gasp!).

 

Seriously, thanks! I'll take a closer look at it when I get snowed i again, options are good.

 

I'm even considering posting my SKS build thread on this forum in the Saloon; an SKS forum I am on councils against anyone but a "professional" doing any work on this platform. Members here seem to be more supportive of those who don't look like idiots.

 

The SKS does have some special considerations (the safety is a trigger safety, not a hammer safety; as a result, the sear needs to be made drop-safe as an absolute priority over smooth and light).

 

And to stay on-topic, the scope still needs to mount far enough forward to not have me wearing sunglasses for a few weeks after test-firing.

Edited January 7 by John Kloehr
Minor typo

[Texas Joker 328]

I like that bolt cover because it allows you to set a scope high enough to use it and the irons. If you are expecting minute of angle shots it might disappoint since it is the cover and will shift under recoil. 

 

I put my holo sight on it

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 976]

I was at the range this very afternoon, and shot a variety of handguns. Hadn't shot my Ruger Mk. III .22 for quite awhile. Just nicked the knuckle of my left thumb. Just a tiny little nick, though! It did bleed....but, as always, I had a lot of bandaids in the range bag, so I was OK.

 

Don't ask me about the times I've 'nicked' myself with staples putting up a new target....

[Sixgun Sheridan 4,457]

I always have some Band-Aids with me when I go shooting. It's so easy to cut yourself on a magazine feed lip or sharp-edged safety lever.