Daughter's Challenge - Shoot Penny at 600 yds

[skiutah02]

Over the past year, I've been learning the art and science of long distance marksmanship. As part of the "fun", I've been occasionally trying to hit various coins at certain distances. My daughter keeps shrugging her shoulders (in the tween unimpressed way) when I deliver either smaller coin hits or longer distances. Each time she wants an even smaller coin hit, a further distance (or both) or a particular place on the coin hit. A fun father-daughter back-and-forth, if you will. Well she kept on asking for a penny to get shot at 600 yds (a distance I compete at as well as 1000 yds). A few weeks ago, while testing a new load for a 600 yd match (and trying out the new NF Competition scope ;D), I placed a penny under a black shoot-n-see sticker.

I videotaped the 5 shot attempt using a homemade wireless camera system that I made so that I can watch the target back at the line with my computer, phone or tablet (works to at least 1 mile) when shooting solo.

The coin is underneath the black sticker (sorry, but the coins fly away if not adhered down). I'm a bit of a deliberate shooter, so each shot is about 30 sec apart. The second shot hit the coin well and the 4th shot nicked it. I've enlarged the center of the target for a better view and inset it into the video. The 5th shot is at 6 oclock barely on the sticker. The sticker is 3 inches for reference. You can see the trees in the background moving (and the target), but the winds were light for typical North Dakota (less than 5mph). The bullet is a Berger 90 gr VLD in 223 Remington (223 Rem).

Here is the link to the video. I'm new to video editing and youtube so I hope this works.

http://youtu.be/HMBRvjE7a78

 

[MrMajestic]

Nice shooting and a good way to keep the youngin's interested!

 

[skiutah02]

Nice shooting and a good way to keep the youngin's interested!

Thanks, I agree. After hitting my 1st penny at 100, took her out and had her do it. She was hooked! Drew

 

[madderg]

I remember as a kid putting a penny on the Milwaukee express line...BAM!! flat penny. This seems so much more fun and rewarding!!!

 

[22BRGUY]

Burnt out household lightbulbs at 600 are fun too. Nice shooting

 

[skiutah02]

Burnt out household lightbulbs at 600 are fun too. Nice shooting

Haven't tried bulbs as most of the ranges around here (only one within an hour) that have a 600 yd berm do not allow glass to be shot, but does sound fun. Eggs at 300 are fun too.

 

[Goatsnguns]

Pool cue chalk is pretty impressive when hit also.

 

[skiutah02]

Pool cue chalk is pretty impressive when hit also.

Never would have thought of that one. I'll have to try that.

 

[243Mendoza]

try cutting a string with a bullet at 100yd

 

[Lapua40X]

Nice shootin' skiutah02. I hope you'll convert that punched penny into a necklace for her.

 

[skiutah02]

try cutting a string with a bullet at 100yd

Another fun one. Maybe relive some Mythbusters and strike a match

 

[skiutah02]

My mother wanted (and received) a pair of earrings made from a set of punched pennies. Necklace sounds fun but the exit side of coin gets too sharp to use against the skin.

Nice shootin' skiutah02. I hope you'll convert that punched penny into a necklace for her.

 

[deadwooddick]

I videotaped the 5 shot attempt using a homemade wireless camera system that I made so that I can watch the target back at the line with my computer, phone or tablet (works to at least 1 mile) when shooting solo.

Drew, any specs on the remote camera system ?

Richard

 

[skiutah02]

I videotaped the 5 shot attempt using a homemade wireless camera system that I made so that I can watch the target back at the line with my computer, phone or tablet (works to at least 1 mile) when shooting solo.

Drew, any specs on the remote camera system ?

Richard

Richard, Here is the quick description I posted on how I did it (on SH unfortunately).

"I am new to this game and got tired of driving to the 600 yds target after 3-5 shots just to see what happened while I learned the ropes (and subsequently forgetting what adjustments I had made ). Maybe this solution might help those here.

Rather than place the camera close (making it a target) but potentially lose the ability to see holes by moving it out of harms way, I tried digiscoping (you can google this). I built a wireless camera system using a Raspberry Pi with a camera and mounted it to a cheap scope on a tripod. I place the tripod 20 ft or so off center and as close to the target that allows the lowest power (20x) of my scope to focus (50 ft or so). This gives me a live feed and the ability to record the session for later viewing, plus I should not hit the camera (even with 223 and 25 mph winds). The black on black can be an issue, but not because of the cameras resolution, rather the cheap optics of my scope ($25), I like to place butcher paper over the target and the white contrast really helps.

I have made some modifications to make the system even better than I described. A basic system (less a scope/tripod) might be about $200 but will involve some programming skills. "

and here

"Shooting is my new hobby, and in years past wifi, video and solar energy were also hobbies. As with many on this site who like to tinker, I built my own camera system that works beyond 1 mile based upon this webpage Wireless Target Camera | Project Savage. One difference is that mine charges with some small solar panels. Works great, but for those who value time and do not want to be fussing around, a commercial product is probably a better option. Mine works to give the video/picture to my android phone, ipad, tablet or laptop - really any device that can get a wireless signal and can play video. Got tired of driving down to the 600 yd target to see how the prior 5 shots did as no optic I own can see that far. It would be great to have software that tracks each shot, but I'd rather have more trigger time to help get better than invest in writing code. "

and here

"Here is a pretty good thread on how it was done (not mine but elements I followed). DIY Wireless Target Thread Part Deux http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?28716-DIY-Wireless-Target-Thread-Part-Deux&

Here is a quick list of what I used.

Raspberry Pi with clear case
16 G SD card
micro USB power cord
6V, 10Ah SLA battery
UBEC: New RC 3A UBEC Plane Input 5-23V Output 5V3A Continuous: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DRB6EY0/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Powered USB hub: Dynex Powered Hub bought at BestBuy
Webcamera: Microsoft LifeCam Amazon.com: Microsoft LifeCam Cinema 720p HD Webcam - Black: Computers & Accessories http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009CPC6QA/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Cheap 20-60X spotting scope on tripod (if you what to place camera out of harms way by having camera "look" through spotting scope 20-50 yds away and 20+ yds off center)
High gain Wifi USB Antenna:Amazon.com : Alfa 2000mw 2W Waterproof Marine high power Long Range Outdoor 802.11 B, G, N, USB wireless network Wifi Adaptor with Integrated 12dBi Antenna - Up to 150mps : Usb Network Adapters : Computers & Accessories http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ILWRLI/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
50 cal ammo can
Toggle power switch
optional solar panels, RadioShack 1.5W Solar Panel 6V : Solar Panels | RadioShack.com

As implied above to do this will require knowledge of batteries/voltage/soldering, etc and intermediate/advanced computer programming in linux. This is not a plug and play system. If you want one of those, Bullseye and TargetCam seem to be the best options

Battery > UBEC > Power toggle switch> USB HUB power-in> This gets you to 5V at hub which powers everything and allows everything to talk
Hub > Camera
Hub > Antenna
Hub > Pi

A couple important things to know:

To RECEIVE: I have found that you have several options. My phone can pick up the wireless signal without any modification to about +-100 yds. The least complicated way to get more distance without much computer programming background is to by a second wireless antenna (Amazon.com : Alfa 2000mw 2W Waterproof Marine high power Long Range Outdoor 802.11 B, G, N, USB wireless network Wifi Adaptor with Integrated 12dBi Antenna - Up to 150mps : Usb Network Adapters : Computers & Accessories) plug it into a laptop (Win 7 worked for me) and use that antenna to connect to the camera's wireless network (SSID: rangecam) to stream the video. My laptop can "see" the wireless rangecam network to 300 yd without the more powerful antenna (i.e. unmodified) but the signal is weak and therefore slow to update. With the more powerful antenna and line-of-sight between the two antennas I did 1 mile without any problem. Did not shoot at that range (maybe this summer) but could see the target with about a "realtime" 5 sec delay.

The most useful, powerful options that allows any device to "see" the target (but involves significant linux programming background), it to convert an old Linksys router into a DD-WRT router, equipped with a omnidirectional or directional antenna and can act as a bridge to the range cam that allows any device (aka ipad/tablet/etc) to "see' the video.

Hope this helps, Drew

Here is a quick video of my 1st use at 600 yds. Sorry the target is moving around so much, there were 20+ mph sustained winds during that session. The holes are .223 for reference. The tripod blew over at the end....

http://www.cord.edu/faculty/rutherf/12/600camera.swf

An unvarnished snippet, and a first attempt with both the camera system and shooting .223 at 600 in such high winds, so try not to judge either the wireless system or the marksman too harshly..."

 

[deadwooddick]

Drew,

Thank you ! I "think" I understand most of that. A winter project for sure, given materials availability here in western SD. :

 

[skiutah02]

Drew,

Thank you ! I "think" I understand most of that. A winter project for sure, given materials availability here in western SD. :

If you need some clarification, just PM me. I will reiterate that this is a DIY project and will not work as seamlessly as commercial solutions and did cause alot of computer programming headaches for me getting it right.

 

[bheadboy]

at a young age, under 10, my dad challanged me to shoot a 22shot empty case of a stalk of wire grass, using my single shot 22 Win.

it was a great hook for me to focus, and CONGRATS ON HOOKING YOUR DAUGHTER INTO THE SHOOTING GAME

bOB

 

[skiutah02]

nice trick to get young'ns to concentrate.

 

[cdparker]

If you want to have a reactive target-try Charcoal Briquettes. Then you can go to lemon cookies. I got some grief from the kids on that one. If that gets too easy, try Necco wafers.
It's all fun.

 

[deadwooddick]

Cheez-its ! They're orange and go poof, feeding ants, our avian friends… and field mice. ;D