viewtopic.php?f=36&t=5433
The last few days I had a chance to try it out under actual field conditions.
Dates: July 27, 28 & 29
Location: private ranch southcentral Colorado
Terrain: mountains, bluffs, arroys, plateaus, yuccas, pinon pine, cholla cactus, rock formations and outcroppings.
Temperature: eighties to low hundred degrees F
spotter No.1: experienced male hunter/shooter USN veteran age 72
spotter No.2: experienced male hunter/shooter USN veteran age 42
shooter: experienced male hunter /shooter USN veteran age 65.
rifle: Romanian PSL-54C semiautomatic Desginated Markmans Rifle, no modifications
scope: IOR LPS TIP2 4 power, bore sighted
ammunition: surplus Bulgarian 1980 147 grain light ball metal core.
Shooting was done at various natural targets selected at random over varying terrain, angles and conditions. Range to target was obtain using Bushnell Scout 1000 laser range finder. Shooting positions varied from offhand standing, use of commerial adjustable shooting sticks, taking advantage of natural rests, kneeling and sitting. Prone shooting position was not used.
First target engaged was a flat white basalt rock estimated to be near 12 inches in diameter on a near verticle slope of a bluff located 440 yards from the shooter at an upward slope angle of 4 degrees. The center or top chevron of the previous bore sighted LPS scope was held on the target. The DMR was rested on shooting sticks. The trigger pull was typical AK, rifle operated smoothly and recoil moderate. The spotters witnessed the first shot impacted below but inline with the target at 6 O'clock. The elevation turret at position 3 was moved to position 6 and a second round was fired. The impact of the second shot was also inline directly beneath the target but about half the distance to the rock from the first shot. The elevation turret was adjusted to position 8. The third round fired impacted just below the rock and caused the rock to slide down the slope a few feet. No adjustment was made to the scope. The sighting chevron was placed slightly above the rock target and a forth round fired. The impact of the round shattered target rock leaving nothing further to be shot at. I was very pleased with the performance of the DMR at this point.
A smallish light green bush of perhaps 18 inches in height was spotted on the same verticle slope at the same yardage as the first target. The scope chevron was placed the top of the bush and the single round caused an imediate plume of disturbed dirt and dust from the bush.
Temperature was in the low 100's and 5 rounds had been fired from the DMR withing 4 to 5 minutes. The barrel of the rifle felt warm, but cetainly not hot. I think the hood of car or a piece of pipe laying on the ground would have been a lot hotter to the touch than the barrel was. We continued roaming about the property selecting various targets. Targets were selected from ranges from 77 yards out to 810 yards. Embarassingly a rusty bucket located at 77 yards was more difficult and provided the shooter a greater challenge over any of the other targets.
I'll have to work at that. The 800 yard target was a 55 gallon drum. It was soundly hit with the first shot. Shooting was not fast and furious. Hours could pass between shots.Sixty rounds were fired in total. The DMR system performed flawlessly. There were no misfires of ammunion, failure to feeds or failure to ejects. There were no issures with the scope. Sighters took turns shooting the system and were pleased but failed to elaborate anything about the rifle. I think there was a bias with the spotters against the DMR (both spotters own Springfield Armory's match grade M1A's mounted with range finding scopes). One of the M1As had failures ejecting/feeding, handloaded ammunition blamed.
Conclusion: Very pleased with the performance of the PSL-54C. I'm looking forward to my next outing with it which will be in September. I want to develope an elevation/windage turret positions and yardage relationship log. Once enough data is collected accurate bullet placement should be very reliable.
Other interesting field shooting: Shooting several boxes of ammo with a Glock 17 at 330 yards was fun. A Uberti 1866 Winchester .38 special made its first trip. Good shooting, good camping, good food consisting of charbroiled sirloin steaks one night and brats on the second night along with good lifelong friends. Don't get much better than that.
'drif
Rapid fire in this heat might actually cool the barrel! Thanks for the great report. 