Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,747
- 5,829
So, I casually mention to one of this year's handgun students that I'm taking the hunting rifles to the range this morning. She invited herself along! Well okay.
So, set up the gong at 300 yards. Then pulled the Remingtons from their cases:
Start with the 25-06, 115 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip "Blue Cyclones" at about 3150 fps via Retumbo. As usual the recoil is mild, the accuracy is excellent, and that 42mm 6x Leupold is just fine. This rifle is zeroed at 300 yards. The gong rings time after time. I shot from the rolled up mat, then from sitting, with and without the shooting sticks. Interestingly I shot better without the shooting sticks, just using me for support... Hmm.
Moved to the 30-06 which has the 36mm obj version of Leupold's 6x scope. Used the elk, bear, antelope and mule deer stomping 165 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips, loaded to 2970 fps via H4350. This rifle is zeroed at 200 yards. Planting the first "dot" on the gong resulted in hit after hit. Again, I shot better without the shooting sticks, from sitting. Hmmm.
Then the trouble began... brought out the 300 WSM Model 70 with the new 6x SWFA... Shot quite a few rounds through it, before I figured out the front scope mount was slightly loose! No wonder I couldn't quite get it zeroed! Gah! Well heck. I'll take care of that and get back out to the range with it. Initial impressions of the scope were favorable. And the rifle is a peach to shoot, even with 200 gr Accubonds over a stout charge of H4350. I just had one heck of a time with the accuracy using this rifle today. That Jewel trigger though... That's SWEET!
As I was packing up, my self-invited guest asked if she could shoot. Sure! I'd asked her earlier but she declined. Familiarized her with the 25-06 and she proceeded to whack the 300 yard gong with her first shot! Now mind you, she had never shot past 25 yards before, mostly with pistols, though she's also shot a few of my rifles earlier this year, at close range, just for fun. She zapped the 300 yard gong a few more times. Then asked to try the 30-06 too. Didn't do quite as well with it, but good enough!
Now she's asking how to get a hunting license. :grin:
This is how we get new hunters to join us gentlemen. She wants to learn to hunt, to fill the family freezer. I'm impressed.
BTW - she said she didn't notice it, but I watched and saw the 30-06 rock her considerably more than the 25-06 did, which I think explains the superior accuracy she achieved with the 25-06 rifle. If she gets the rifle shopping bug, I'll mention that to her again...
Guy
So, set up the gong at 300 yards. Then pulled the Remingtons from their cases:
Start with the 25-06, 115 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip "Blue Cyclones" at about 3150 fps via Retumbo. As usual the recoil is mild, the accuracy is excellent, and that 42mm 6x Leupold is just fine. This rifle is zeroed at 300 yards. The gong rings time after time. I shot from the rolled up mat, then from sitting, with and without the shooting sticks. Interestingly I shot better without the shooting sticks, just using me for support... Hmm.
Moved to the 30-06 which has the 36mm obj version of Leupold's 6x scope. Used the elk, bear, antelope and mule deer stomping 165 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips, loaded to 2970 fps via H4350. This rifle is zeroed at 200 yards. Planting the first "dot" on the gong resulted in hit after hit. Again, I shot better without the shooting sticks, from sitting. Hmmm.
Then the trouble began... brought out the 300 WSM Model 70 with the new 6x SWFA... Shot quite a few rounds through it, before I figured out the front scope mount was slightly loose! No wonder I couldn't quite get it zeroed! Gah! Well heck. I'll take care of that and get back out to the range with it. Initial impressions of the scope were favorable. And the rifle is a peach to shoot, even with 200 gr Accubonds over a stout charge of H4350. I just had one heck of a time with the accuracy using this rifle today. That Jewel trigger though... That's SWEET!
As I was packing up, my self-invited guest asked if she could shoot. Sure! I'd asked her earlier but she declined. Familiarized her with the 25-06 and she proceeded to whack the 300 yard gong with her first shot! Now mind you, she had never shot past 25 yards before, mostly with pistols, though she's also shot a few of my rifles earlier this year, at close range, just for fun. She zapped the 300 yard gong a few more times. Then asked to try the 30-06 too. Didn't do quite as well with it, but good enough!
Now she's asking how to get a hunting license. :grin:
This is how we get new hunters to join us gentlemen. She wants to learn to hunt, to fill the family freezer. I'm impressed.
BTW - she said she didn't notice it, but I watched and saw the 30-06 rock her considerably more than the 25-06 did, which I think explains the superior accuracy she achieved with the 25-06 rifle. If she gets the rifle shopping bug, I'll mention that to her again...
Guy
