Got my Oehler today!

Nicholas

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Joined
Dec 15, 2001
Messages
469
My Oehler 35P came today! ye haa (Oh man I am talking like a redneck)

I am going to try it out this weekend. Looks like a great piece of equipment. The rest of my reloading stuff is in the works. I am going to get a little bit at a time.
 
No doubt you will really enjoy your new toy - they are just plain accurate and reliable. Make sure the little switches are thrown to match your screen spacing and try to get the screens as close to parallel to your bullet path as possible.

I would also suggest that you make up some data sheets to keep in a ringbinder or something (similar to your computer program that I'm sure you will use). Good idea to run the paper up a bit each test run so you have room to make notes right on the printout paper. The little pieces of printer paper can really accumulate so you are best to transfer the info to a field record book.

You might have all this figured out, just thought I would offer some advice as I use 35p's a lot, had three of them going last summer. I have large heavy plastic toolboxes for each unit. In each box is foam padding and the following:
.. cheap tape-measure
.. small magnetic bubble level 6" long
.. pair of pliers
.. spare pens and batteries
.. Oehler instruction book
.. data sheets
.. spare bolts for tightening skyscreens in place
.. spare diffusers, skyscreen bodies, nutwrench plus one spare skyscreen and cable
.. elastic bands/tape for field repairs

You will quickly learn what light works best and how close you should keep each shot. Don't be afraid to leave the diffusers off in cloudy weather, no need for them. When your scope view fills with black and yellow streaks you hit a little low...
Have fun and good luck.
ian
 
By far the fastest set-up is to have a buddy or better yet two guys who can help align the Skyscreens holder. If you are by youself you will have to make several trips from back of the rifle to the screen setup, much easier to have help.

First, I put up a target or aiming mark at 100 yards. Then I take the bolt out of the rifle (safety assurance) and set the rifle up in the sandbags and pedastal and align the scope on the target. Then with the skyscreen holder assembled - depends if you are using one tripod for the short screen spacing or two tripods for the longer spacing - measure out your ten feet from the muzzel and setup so that the first screen at that point. Doens't have to be accurate to the micron - you are going to move your rifle a bit as you shoot.

If you are using two tripods it is nice to have two guys moving them - front and rear. Then put your scope on the lowest power or simply look down the side of the barrel and tell the guys up front whatever directions to get the line of fire about 4 - 6 inches above the center of the skyscreens. I line up on the front screen, then level the other two to it.

This is were I use a small bubble level as I want the screens to be sitting horizontal and the entire setup to be parallel to the bullet path - not tipping. I just set the level on each screen, level it and tighten the bottom screw. Then put the level on the aluminum rod and make sure it is level - hopefully your line of sight to the target is also level, not shooting up or down too much.

Your front skyscreen plug-in is the on-off switch, I don't plug it in till everything is set up.

You will probably find that the screens will pick up shots surprisingly high above them - depends on light and the bullet style mostly I believe. You do not have to be really close to the little eye for readings. You should make a point of cleaning the plastic over the eye periodically tho.

No getting around it, you need a bit of time to setup. I like to go to an end of a firing point, off by myself when setting up. Plan on attracting a few guys tho, no such thing as chronographing without someone coming over to take a look.

A machinist buddy made me an elaborate setup for my screens - heavy and very accurate spacing but I have to use two camera tripods to support it. Definitly takes two guys, three is better as the tripod are quite big.

The Oehler stands work just as well. If the wind blows don't forget to hang something heavy on your stands to keep them from blowing over - I use a sack with some sandbags.
 
Ian, thanks for all the helpful tips. I assembled it last night in my living room and taped all three wires together like the manual recommends so they won't get tangled up.

Just for fun I was shooting my BB gun through it to see if I could get a reading. Because it was indoors nothing showed up. Didn't want to take it outside and have the neighbors freak out.

Someone recommended cuting a light rope 10 ft long and attaching it to the front stand as a quick reference when setting up.

Is it very difficult to align the screens with you target and bench? I shoot at a public range and I don't want to shut the range down very long. What is the fastest way to set it up?
 
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