Thanks to the help of one of the fine members here, I was finally able to get my new rifles out into the great outdoors after a year of shooting indoors. Every shot I fired with them was their first outdoor shot. I also shot at steel targets for the first time and wow, what a blast that is. I was pleased that I was able to put so many rounds on the steel at 100 yards after not having shot at anything that far in something like ten years, albeit all from the prone position using a rest. And speaking of prone, it was the first time I've fired any AR from the prone position. It was especially fun hitting a steel target at 100 yards with a 10.5" barreled 300 blackout with a 6-moa red dot on it. The dot covered half the target and with my astigmatism, it was even worse. I still managed to get 7 or 8 good solid gong sounds from it out of ten shots.

It was a big boost to my confidence. My accuracy shooting offhand at 25 yards is very functional. Typically 2-3" groups in center of mass. Good enough for self-defense but not doing anything else for a year sort of left me wondering if I could still shoot at range. Apparently, I still can, at least prone.

I still have a LOT of work to do do get to the level of skill I want to have. This past weekend gave me a big boost to keep at it.

And when the wind kicked up and was blowing rock dust into my face, and the Sun was ducking in and out of clouds, and the lighting was changing, and other shooters were firing on either side of me, I was thinking to myself, "This is great. This is what I want. This is what I need." And I was still somehow able to make the steel sing.

I'm looking to more sessions in the outdoors and I'm working up a set of training goals for myself. Those goals will inform my choices about the targets I want to use.

Onward and upward. The day I stop learning is the day I start dying.

Thanks especially to my new friend. For inviting me, training me, giving me tips, and for letting me shoot his Glocks too.

Hell yeah, sounds like a great time.

For a few years I was focused on building back up my collection after some medical stuff caused me to have sell off most of it.

Now I’m happy with where my collection is and just focusing on shooting and getting better, especially with my rifles.

Good post OP.
It's pretty eye opening when going from shooting indoors to outdoors and paper vs. steel.
I really like shooting in an outside environment, as it feels more "real" I guess.
Even when it's crappy outside it's still good for training.

Yes, isn't it amazing seeing how less than ideal environmental conditions affect your performance?

Rain, snow, high winds, blistering sun/heat,  noise and commotion around you, trying to actively process a situation around you, etc., all have a detrimental effect.  So striving for 100% at all times will hopefully at least get us "within spec" when things get really rough.

So important to experience that!  

And it's great that you're on the fitness quest.  That is often overlooked these days, but being fit and able makes a huge difference, as you know.

Thanks for the encouragement, everybody!