Thor

[thør]

I just picked up another 870. 28" barrel, vent rib, walnut stock......new.

Going to take it 'tactical' off the bat. All bolt -on shit anyway. If nothing else I'm going to give the auto-loading boys a run for their money at 3 gun. They don't think about the time they lose when they miss.

Ishmael

I want a 20ga.

 

[Ishmael]

I want a 20ga.

<sigh> that's the other 870 I have. A 20ga. 'featherweight'. The best upland gun they ever made, but I'm prejudice there. It's like pointing your finger and it happens. They haven't made that one in years.

Ishmael

 

[thør]

<sigh> that's the other 870 I have. A 20ga. 'featherweight'. The best upland gun they ever made, but I'm prejudice there. It's like pointing your finger and it happens. They haven't made that one in years.

Ishmael

Might even be as good as my grandma's Model 12 Winchester (20 ga).

 

[Ishmael]

Might even be as good as my grandma's Model 12 Winchester (20 ga).

LMAO, pissing contest now?

I like the Mod. 12, but it's not an 870.

Ishmael

 

[thør]

LMAO, pissing contest now?

I like the Mod. 12, but it's not an 870.

Ishmael

Grandma took this one with her on her honeymoon at the trapline. She followed Grandpa and supplied the small game for the table.

 

[Ishmael]

Grandma took this one with her on her honeymoon at the trapline. She followed Grandpa and supplied the small game for the table.

Sentimental I can identify with, the featherweight always brought the bacon home. My personal best was 20 dove, 16 shots. (Yeah, it was a perfect line-up with two shots.) But the fact remains that I limited out with 16 shots with a bag limit of 20. And these were wild birds flying freely.

I started shooting Dove with a 410, got to the point I could avg. 1 bird for every 1.5 shots. I suppose that a bigger gun would yield dramatic results............<shrug>

Ishmael

 

[thør]

Sentimental I can identify with, the featherweight always brought the bacon home. My personal best was 20 dove, 16 shots. (Yeah, it was a perfect line-up with two shots.) But the fact remains that I limited out with 16 shots with a bag limit of 20. And these were wild birds flying freely.

I started shooting Dove with a 410, got to the point I could avg. 1 bird for every 1.5 shots. I suppose that a bigger gun would yield dramatic results............<shrug>

Ishmael

I do have the .410 that started bird hunting with. It was fine yet it's a bit slow being a long bolt action.

 

[Ishmael]

I do have the .410 that started bird hunting with. It was fine yet it's a bit slow being a long bolt action.

Sounds like a Mossberg, or one of their after-market brands.

But such finery was far more than I could afford, I had J C Higgins, single shot, breakdown.

Ishmael

 

[thør]

Sounds like a Mossberg, or one of their after-market brands.

But such finery was far more than I could afford, I had J C Higgins, single shot, breakdown.

Ishmael

Stevens. 59A

 

[Ishmael]

Stevens. 59A

Son of a gun, live and learn. I was unaware that Savage/Stevens made a bolt shotgun, tube fed no less.

Ishmael

 

[Ishmael]

I'm officiating another 3-gun match tomorrow. Laid out the course today. Kept it simple as compared to last months match.

Last months was a lot more challenging, for example the rifle stage went out to 490 yds.

The equipment being used by the competitors is almost mind numbingly the same. The rifles are all AR types with only one competitor using a .308. All the rest are .223. (Which is why everyone fell on their ass at the longer ranges.) All the shotguns are auto-loaders with 20" barrels, and the pistols are all auto-loaders in either .40 S&W or 9mm. Seems no one can shoot a .45 anymore.

This is going to be my next purchase, in 6.5 Creedmor. At the longer ranges having an auto-loader doesn't make up for the time lost with misses.

Ruger Precision.

Ishmael

 

[thør]

I'm officiating another 3-gun match tomorrow. Laid out the course today. Kept it simple as compared to last months match.

Last months was a lot more challenging, for example the rifle stage went out to 490 yds.

The equipment being used by the competitors is almost mind numbingly the same. The rifles are all AR types with only one competitor using a .308. All the rest are .223. (Which is why everyone fell on their ass at the longer ranges.) All the shotguns are auto-loaders with 20" barrels, and the pistols are all auto-loaders in either .40 S&W or 9mm. Seems no one can shoot a .45 anymore.

This is going to be my next purchase, in 6.5 Creedmor. At the longer ranges having an auto-loader doesn't make up for the time lost with misses.

Ruger Precision.

Ishmael

I've done a bit of iron target shooting and with a .308, you need a damn well placed 168 gr to knock the sheep over. I use 190 gr for the sheep.

 

[Ishmael]

I've done a bit of iron target shooting and with a .308, you need a damn well placed 168 gr to knock the sheep over. I use 190 gr for the sheep.

Little surprised there unless you're within club range. The 1000yd guys are using the 168 in subtle variations or the 175gr Sierra offering (if you're a reloader).

Ishmael

 

[thør]

Little surprised there unless you're within club range. The 1000yd guys are using the 168 in subtle variations or the 175gr Sierra offering (if you're a reloader).

Ishmael

At 500m, the sheep might just rock with a poorly placed 168 gr IHP. Sure, it will punch holes in paper, but not knock that fucking sheep off it's stand.

 

[Ishmael]

At 500m, the sheep might just rock with a poorly placed 168 gr IHP. Sure, it will punch holes in paper, but not knock that fucking sheep off it's stand.

A poorly placed anything won't win any prize. The problem is that the 168 isn't designed for hunting, it's designed for best BC. in class. Had to meet Geneva std's don't ya know? Give me a 168 with a little less BC and a little more expansion and I'll hunt sheep with it.

Ishmael

 

[thør]

A poorly placed anything won't win any prize. The problem is that the 168 isn't designed for hunting, it's designed for best BC. in class. Had to meet Geneva std's don't ya know? Give me a 168 with a little less BC and a little more expansion and I'll hunt sheep with it.

Ishmael

The 168 drives the chickens off the stand at 200m. Knocks the pigs over at 300m. knocks the turkeys off at 385m, but only rocks the sheep.

I suppose the 165 gr Sierra Gamekings would be good for sheep in 30 cal. I use 210 Noslers in my .338, but sheep country is above grizz country. Gotta be prepared.

 

[Ishmael]

The 168 drives the chickens off the stand at 200m. Knocks the pigs over at 300m. knocks the turkeys off at 385m, but only rocks the sheep.

I suppose the 165 gr Sierra Gamekings would be good for sheep in 30 cal. I use 210 Noslers in my .338, but sheep country is above grizz country. Gotta be prepared.

I wouldn't go below 173gr. for sheep, goats, or Welshmen.

Ishmael

 

[thør]

I wouldn't go below 173gr. for sheep, goats, or Welshmen.

Ishmael

Lotsa guys use 150's on sheep and goat up here.

 

[Ishmael]

Lotsa guys use 150's on sheep and goat up here.

And there are people here that hunt Elk with 150's. And while they bring the meat home, they also do more 'trailing' than most.

It all comes down to the range and the trans-sonic x-over point. Goat and sheep are generally long range shots, at least down in the lower 48. Getting out to the 3-500 yds without getting into the trans-sonic table can make all the difference in the world. In the context of making the shot to begin with and then dropping the animal without suffering.

Ishmael

 

[thør]

And there are people here that hunt Elk with 150's. And while they bring the meat home, they also do more 'trailing' than most.

It all comes down to the range and the trans-sonic x-over point. Goat and sheep are generally long range shots, at least down in the lower 48. Getting out to the 3-500 yds without getting into the trans-sonic table can make all the difference in the world. In the context of making the shot to begin with and then dropping the animal without suffering.

Ishmael

That's my goal. Plus, the meat is much better with instant death.

 

[Ishmael]

That's my goal. Plus, the meat is much better with instant death.

Pretty much. Which is why I'll take the heavier bullet with some carrying power. Faster out of the muzzle is certainly flatter shooting out to a certain point. Most of the articles out there only test out to 100yds. and the results are damned impressive. And even reaching out to 200 yds still puts up an impressive result. Things start getting iffy once you transition from 200 to 300 yds. for most commercial loading's. It seems that the manufacturer's don't consider a 300yd+ shot in their published tables. Then again you can't blame them. Most out of the box rifles fall apart at those ranges too.

Call me jaded I suppose. I build my own rifles and do my own reloading. As a friend of mine succinctly put it, "If you can't get it to shoot sub-MOA, it just ain't worth taking up space in the cabinet."

Ishmael

 

[thør]

Pretty much. Which is why I'll take the heavier bullet with some carrying power. Faster out of the muzzle is certainly flatter shooting out to a certain point. Most of the articles out there only test out to 100yds. and the results are damned impressive. And even reaching out to 200 yds still puts up an impressive result. Things start getting iffy once you transition from 200 to 300 yds. for most commercial loading's. It seems that the manufacturer's don't consider a 300yd+ shot in their published tables. Then again you can't blame them. Most out of the box rifles fall apart at those ranges too.

Call me jaded I suppose. I build my own rifles and do my own reloading. As a friend of mine succinctly put it, "If you can't get it to shoot sub-MOA, it just ain't worth taking up space in the cabinet."

Ishmael

It depends. I have a Savage 99 in .300 Savage. It's not a keyholer, but my grandpa gave it to me when I was 8 years old.

 

[Ishmael]

It depends. I have a Savage 99 in .300 Savage. It's not a keyholer, but my grandpa gave it to me when I was 8 years old.

Sentimental don't count. A friend of mine has a 250-3000 that came to him via his grand-father. Decent little rifle but more precious than gold to him.

Ishmael

 

[thør]

Sentimental don't count. A friend of mine has a 250-3000 that came to him via his grand-father. Decent little rifle but more precious than gold to him.

Ishmael

I will give the Savage to my oldest boy. He used it for his first caribou, as did I. He was probably 12 at the time, I was 9.

 

[Ishmael]

I will give the Savage to my oldest boy. He used it for his first caribou, as did I. He was probably 12 at the time, I was 9.

The way traditions start. I gave my youngest the 25-06 Ruger #1 he took his first deer with. Hopefully it will pass on down the line.

Ishmael