Shooting at night

[Alex Wheeler]

To get better tuning conditions I was thinking of shooting at night. Can a guy just put a spot light on the target and see it fine?
Thanks

 

[xswanted]

Get a really good light and yeah you can see your target just fine.

I often use my UTV headlights on the target parked down range and off to the side for night shooting.

Works pretty good.

 

[watercam]

Definitely. There is a club near Los Angeles that hosts a mid-week 600 yd. 'shoot' doing just that. You're right, calmer conditions and you can still see some mirage in silhouette against the target. Cooler as well when it is peaking 100+ during the day.

 

[fredhorace77]

I bought some 12 volt LED lights that I plug into a 12 volt car battery with a 12volt socket attached. I would recommend using a flood type light with a large target board if you can. You don't need a very bright light...too bright and it will blind out the target. I set the light appox. 6 feet away from the target. Having the bigger target board helps you get a full picture thru the scope to help you ensure that your stock and cheek position is consistent. If you don't have a big enough target board you often end up to close to the scope or too far away and you will not be able to tell that at night. Other than that don't forget to do a really good visual inspection with a good light before you leave your shooting range. I once left several things behind that I forgot to pick up and put in the truck. They were laying just feet away in the darkness and I totally forgot about them until I got home. Like others mentioned, its really nice out at that time and the wind oftentimes is non existent.

 

[ChrisT]

I set a small four stroke generator to the side of the target frame and place a small flood light a couple of yards in front of the target frame,works for me.

 

[johara1]

Alex, How do you see the conditions? I know some that do it ………. jim

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Jim, I am hoping there wont be any to see ;D. It have a tough time tuning around here because if the sun is up theres mirage and wind, alot of it. If I shoot a 2" and a 3" at 1k I need to know its the load not mirage.

 

[timeout]

I'm sure it would work but, how far from civilization is the range? I would be worried about noise complaints. We are living amongst a couple generations of whiners and complainers. I would not want to put the range in jeapordy of shut down due to the neighborhood complaining about late night gunshots.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I'm in Montana, the range is about 1/2 of the state Nobody will hear.

 

[timeout]

I'm in Montana, the range is about 1/2 of the state Nobody will hear.

Have at it!

 

[chuckbuster243]

Find a shallow box and cut the top flaps off and paint the inside white. Attach the target to the bottom and face it to you. It will shine just fine just with a small flashlight. Matt

 

[4xforfun]

I do most of my shooting (load development) at night. Mostly limited to 750 yards now due to me having an actual berm at 750. But I used to shoot everything at 1000 yards. I use a 4x4 sheet of plywood on stilts, cover that plywood with white freezer paper, and staple 1"-2" black dots onto the backer. I bring out a hand held spot light and a car battery. I stick the spotlight and battery about 30 yards short of the target and just a touch to the DOWN WIND side of the target. You would be amazed at how much mirage that can come off of a big assed spotlight!! That big 4' square area of pure white makes seeing the reticle a snap (for the guys without lighted reticles).

As a sighter target I used the other half of the plywood..on stilts also...and put in about 140 evenly spaced screws to hang clay birds up. The birds hare hung with as little space possible between them...the birds are edge to edge to edge. If you are "on paper" you will hit a bird 90% of the time.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Does the mirage go away as soon as it gets dark or does it take some time for the ground to cool down?

 

[4xforfun]

Does the mirage go away as soon as it gets dark or does it take some time for the ground to cool down?

Night mirage is a mystery inside a kunundrom wraped up in a huge question mark with mysterious voodoo powder sprinkled on it!!!

You can have a very hot muggy day with bright sunshine where it is impossable to shoot during the day...then..poof darkness, and the clearest sight picture you have ever seen.

Or not...

Or days that are almost perfect to shoot, but maybe too windy or i am just too buisy to shoot. Come midnight the mirage is running so hard it is IMPOSSABLE to shoot...

OR NOT...

You will just have to set up and see. One thing is almost always true...the wind lays down nicely at night.

OR NOT!!! ;D

Like I have said before...I have my own 1200 yard range, and feel comforatable leaving my equipment sitting on the bench while I go home and watch Hannity or Fear factor or..... Try and wait out the conditions.

Tod

 

[Northridge]

Hi Alex, Shawn Williams here in Helena. We have shot a couple matches together in Missoula this year. To add to your shooting at night question, it has worked well for me over the years. Couple hours after dark usually works fine. If your a early riser though a hour or two Before sunrise works well also. As for light source as long as target is lit well your site picture should be ok. Small generator and a cheap flood light work well.

 

[MTlager]

Alex, I have some lights that I used to use for night fishing that I think would work well. There just a round car headlamp inside some Styrofoam so they would float in the water. Can get them at sporting good stores. Come with 12 or 15 feet of wire with alligator clips on the end. Just need a 12 volt battery. Don't need water! I'll bring one to the next match.
Lonnie

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Thanks for everyone's input. See you guys in a couple weeks, need to do my rain dance.
Alex

 

[ebb]

They used to have a night shoot in Okeechobee that got so popular that sometimes it would go till 3 or 4 in the morning. they would shoot at live rats on a table at 600yds. Some of the ranchers started putting money in a pot and it got to be big stakes in the late night part.

 

[mac86951]

To get better tuning conditions I was thinking of shooting at night. Can a guy just put a spot light on the target and see it fine?
Thanks

Ok, so ideal future installation... My local range set up a shed and attached to the wall a 100y 4' concrete sewage drain. Buried the whole thing, target is at the end in a 12'x12' box run with AC power and lights for shed, target and exhaust fan for the shed.

Near 24/7 access; i now do almost-all my work-ups in this shed, then add wind later.
Note to self; 338L with a brake; just do those work-ups outside.

Otherwise, lamps / lights are good. You'll possibly run into another problem, finding your cross hairs can be an added challenge until you're on the target.


-Mac

 

[4xforfun]

WOW....this is old. I shoot at night all the time. a small ag flood light and a 12 volt car battery set up at the target. I shoot 1000 yards all the time. I use a 4 x 4 foot white backer ...otherwise you can't see your reticle.

Mirage...OMG...target can be clear as a bell, or "pack up and go home" bad. Summer or winter with 5 feet of snow.