M39 is plenty capable at 600 yards (and a bit of a range report)

[Lotema]

My company has a gun group that goes over to eastern Washington from time to time to shoot long distance. I finally decided to make the trip over with them and give my hand beyond 200 yards, which was the furthest that I've tried shooting any of mine before. I packed a bunch of different guns for the trip, figuring that a almost 3 hour each way trip needed more than just one or two. I took my PU, m39, Garand, 1903 Springfield, AK, Colt AR, Kimber 1911 and my P64. I meant to take my new Tokarev as well but completely forgot it when I packed up the truck.

Here's the spread I took with me, spread out on the table. I was the only one that brought any surplus weapons, everything else was new production stuff. Had quite a few of the guys come around and look, ask questions about the pieces and gave them a chance to shoot them as well. Be curious to see how many of them have some surplus weapons the next time we go over there!


I ran all of the weapons through some test runs on the steel targets at 150 and 250 yards and was pretty happy with the results from all of them. I think out of 20 shots per rifle, I only missed 3 times at the 250 yard with the PU. The winds were going back and forth between idle, strong gusts and everything in between. After that, I decided to try to hit the man sized steel target out at 600 yards. I managed to get a hit on it at least once with all of the weapons (Except for the PU ) but surprisingly the AK did the best out of all of bunch! The POSP 6x48 scope was perfect for it and everyone else that tried shooting at 600 with it kept asking what scope it was and where they could get one! I'd say about 1 out of 3 rounds from the AK were able to hit the target. The rest were all very close.

The Sako M39 was the 2nd best hitter @600 and I have to say I was a bit amazed that it was hitting as well as it did with just the iron sights. It was a beast all day, from 150 yards out to 600. I couldn't have been any happier with it. Shooting just behind it was the Springfield 1903. The Springfield was nice simply because it was easy to adjust the windage and I didn't have to guestimate a hold over like I was with the m39. With the winds, we were holding over close to 6 target widths to the left.

We were shooting out at the Wenas Wildlife Area. Absolutely beautiful day over there. If you look really closely, you can find the 600 yard steel target up on the hillside. It was a lot of fun to actually try to stretch out at hit targets at that distance. Can't wait to get back over there and improve my skills at that range!

[Fledge]

Nice, wish my place of work had a gun group.

[sarge912]

good report. I hope to put my M39 (Iron) up against my Remington M1903 (Leatherwood Scope) and see how they match up. I expect the M1903 to win but one never knows as the M39 is pretty darn good.

[Lotema]

good report. I hope to put my M39 (Iron) up against my Remington M1903 (Leatherwood Scope) and see how they match up. I expect the M1903 to win but one never knows as the M39 is pretty darn good.

I think the m39 will wind up giving it a pretty good run for it's money Make sure to put up a range report on that one, I'm curious to see whether the m39 holds its own for you as well!

While the m39 did a bit better for me, it was very close. I found myself enjoying the Springfield a bit more with all of the options on the sights. I used the battle sights the most, with the best success) but also was using the other various options on the ladder sight. The peep was a bit too small for me to use at that range. I think I liked it the most simply because of the ability to dial in the windage so easily. As inconsistently breezy as it was yesterday, it made things so much easier. I think my PU flaked out at 600 because of my scope. It moves a bit to the right when I adjust the elevation and tends to drop a bit when I adjust windage. I've had it pretty dialed in out to 200 and tend to not touch it too much. Moving it up to 600 probably started pushing it to the right as well and after that I'm just going to be fighting to get it back to where I really need it. Maybe time to have it properly refurbished for use.

[Lotema]

Nice, wish my place of work had a gun group.

The company doesn't have a problem with the group (both a gun group and a separate reloading group) but it won't allow any firearms on campus. Plenty of folks in the group wish there was at least a locker they could use so that they'd be able to carry when they take public transportation to and from work. Maybe someday that'll happen but I doubt it, the people in charge aren't pro-gun by any stretch of the imagination.

[Titanium Hammer]

Excellent report Lotema! Would like to try the B Barrel, the new Classic mix master "Hand Select" Yugo SKS, & my 1956 Winchester Model 70 out there. Wish I would have gone with you but I was content with my day calling emergency cease fires & chasing deer off of the ISC range all morning!

[Lotema]

Excellent report Lotema! Would like to try the B Barrel, the new Classic mix master "Hand Select" Yugo SKS, & my 1956 Winchester Model 70 out there. Wish I would have gone with you but I was content with my day calling emergency cease fires & chasing deer off of the ISC range all morning!

Next time, I'm dragging you over there kicking and screaming! I want to take either the Sestroryetsk or PTG M91, the SKS and maybe the SVT-40. Of course, I will take the Tokarev next time! We took a bunch of shots at a dueling tree @ 265 yards with our 1911's. I bet the Tokarev would have had a fair chance (and no, neither me or my friend hit that damned thing with our .45s. We were probably suffering from heat-stroke even thinking we'd hit it at that distance! That being said, we got a lot closer than I would have thought we'd do).

Maybe we can setup a Washington RMNF shoot for "East vs West" and have some of the other board members come out and shoot as well.

[Titanium Hammer]

Yeah, Des & Pahtu lets do this!

[awalker1829]

Our courthouse has lockers at both public entrances for firearms storage-handguns only.

[Fledge]

My work is anti-gun, but they can't prevent us from keeping them locked up in our vehicles. State law supersedes their rules.

[racerguy00]

My work is anti-gun, but they can't prevent us from keeping them locked up in our vehicles. State law supersedes their rules.

My work is the same way, but since the parking lot is private property owned by them even in locked cars is a no-no. They have never pushed the issue though.

[Brake Weight]

I would love to stretch some of my stash out to 600 yards. There's too many tree around my area. The only range I knew of that long was on a military base and they closed it to the public a few years ago.

[B24]

I would love to stretch some of my stash out to 600 yards. There's too many tree around my area. The only range I knew of that long was on a military base and they closed it to the public a few years ago.

I'm guessing Camp Shelby?

[Brake Weight]

That's the one. I never went and when I had something I could actually stretch out they had closed it.

[musketjon]

I let go of my M39 because at 600 yards it shot a pattern instead of a group. The rifling was getting pretty shallow.
Jon

[steelbuttplate]

My Mk 1#3 bested all the Mosins @ 500 yd when I tried that a couple yrs. ago, but I didn't have my M-39 then. Now the Wildlife Commision has torn down our hillbilly bench rest, I've got to my Game Warden pal and find out why. Bastards. Has anyone ever tried the airplane sights on a M-39? Can you hit a Barn @ 1200m?