So what are you using this year???

[filmjunkie4ever]

Wow this is a popular thread!!!

I think I will be hunting deer and coyotes mostly this year, though I may get the general season elk tag again.

.22-250 with 55 gr BT for coyotes, .30-06 150 grain BTSP for deer if I don't get an elk tag. If I get the elk tag then .25-06 with 100 grain BT for deer and .30-06 165 AB for elk. Yep I am going to give them another shot this summer!

Dale

 

[Elkman]

Probably my old tired worn out 300 WM, my shoulder is surely recovered from last years surgery. Just in case my pip-squeak 7mm Mag will be hovering in the shadows.

 

[SJB358]

Probably my old tired worn out 300 WM, my shoulder is surely recovered from last years surgery. Just in case my pip-squeak 7mm Mag will be hovering in the shadows.

That old 7mm Rem made a pretty good showing this past Fall Bill. Especially with the 160 AB..

I will be looking forward to seeing the 300 on the trail though.. It's like a safety blanket for me, I know the world is right when it's out and about.

I'd almost swear that old rifle has an the ability to scent elk, cause it surely does find them pretty regularly. :lol:

 

[DrMike]

Another year, another opportunity to work the rifles. I'll be hunting the usual--mule deer, whitetail, black bear, elk and moose. I'll be opportunistic and plug a wolf should the opportunity present itself. Hopefully, these alpha predators will be thinned throughout the spring. The province is killed 200 to 250 in our region this spring, shooting from helicopters. My knees don't permit going after sheep and goats so much anymore, and I'm not eager to pursue bison since that hunt is in the winter when the snow is deep. I would enjoy taking a caribou, since I've never taken one, but finding time to travel north is always a challenge. Still, the coming year holds a lot of promise. I've put in for a grizzly draw. I should hear shortly whether I was successful.

 

[Anonymous]

I'll be using my same .300WSM- a lot of reasons to use it, not a lot of reasons not to.

If I try anything new this year, it will be a bow. I've spent a lot of time over the winter attempting to be proficient at archery. I've got my IBEP test in March, that will likely determine what I do.

 

[RaySendero]

Since I didn't hunt with the 458, an show y'all what I did use:
My theme this last year was like my old rifles:

Iron sight sporterized 303:

and

Since that pic I've added a fixed 4X scope.

 

[Thebear_78]

I'll be hunting my tried and true 300 RUM again this year, but also hoping to get my soon to be completed fast twist 270 lightweight out after caribou this August. Maybe take my 375 RUM for a stroll after brownies this spring. The 308 Kimber Montana will probably accompany me for a few hikes too depending


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[longrangehunter]

Ray,

I've done load development on several occasions for some hard kicking rifles. I can't say that I enjoy it. The fact that the largest cartridge I personally own is a 9.3X64 says something about my joy of being kicked around. I've worked up loads for a few .458 WMs and .460 WBYs. You would be correct in surmising that these had a bit more heft than your rifle. Light rifles shooting large bullets charged with lots of powder is an invitation to a flat out kicking. Still, I have done it. Coming up on 70, I find that I really enjoy smaller cartridges that shoot tight groups. :grin:

I hear Yah Mike, and Ray...... when in Africa I carried around a Lon Paul converted CZ 602 in 458 Lott that only weighted 9 lbs. but has a mercury recoil reducer in the stock. After considerable time during load development I realized like most of the time getting maximum velocity has it's limits, and chasing that magical number for the Lott using 500 grain bullets at 2,350 fps was difficult to say the least and have both the solid and soft point shoot to the same POI.

Even when employing a Lead Sled off the bench to ease the issue, I eventually settled on two loads that used the same powder, charge weight and shot the same POI..... at a nominal 2,150 fps using a 500 gr. African Grand Slam bullet and the Woodleigh 500 Solid. Both loads used 76.0 VV N135 and only required the front sight to be changed for dead center at 50 yards.

I understand a lot of time shooters and hand loaders attempt for these velocity levels and honestly that's great if it can be done, but sometimes that just isn't possible to have two loads doing duel purpose objectives and work together as one like what's needed in a dangerous game rifle. Those bullets got expensive, I tested A-Square Dead Tough, and Solids, Barnes TSX, which shot very well with the same load using the 450 gr. bullet, Hornady's IB's, and the Trophy Bonded Bear Claws made by Speer.

I did not like what the A-Square Solids, Barnes Solids or the Hornady IB's bullets left down my barrel. I assume all use a lot of brass from the looks of them? Not sure, but the fouling was ridiculous and I'm not a huge fan of them for that reason! I hate cleaning tough to clean barrels that foul like dragster warming up their tires.

Nice shooting Ray, and at age 70 Mike, I completely understand the whole recoil and muzzle blast issue, but one day I'll take that 458 Lott back to Africa and use it as it was intended to do on a Dagga Boy for my bucket list before I'm too old to do fully enjoy it!

 

[RaySendero]

Nice rifle!

 

[DrMike]

I hope to have both my 8X68S and my 358 Norma in the field with me this fall. I would like to tag a grizzly with my 9.3X64 Brenneke, as well.

8X68S




358 Norma Magnum (left) and 350 Remington Magnum (right)




9.3X64 Brenneke

 

[IdahoCTD]

I'm building a 300wsm and a 300wm this year and will most likely shoot the one I like the best for bull elk. I might try shooting my yearly cow elk with my 6.5x47 suppressed. If I get around to doing the 6.5x68 Imp. I have plans for I could even take it for a stint in the deer woods. Plus there is always the 7-338 Norma Imp I have all the parts for and haven't had time to finish. 195 Berger's at 3200+fps ought to work on something.

 

[longrangehunter]

Wow Ray, now that picture really makes that rifle stand out! It should too since it's a poor mans DG gun, but Lon Paul knows how to make them completely reliable! His place got burned down to the ground when California had it's fair share of really bad wild fires, a real shame. I picked up mine used over a decade ago, worked really well over in Africa. More then a few people over there were hoping I would have left it with them, but I had always hoped to make it back there and put it to good use! Which I will one day.

Thanks Ray, that truly let everyone see it for what it is!

Best Wishes, and keep'm in the Ten Ring buddy!

 

[SJB358]

That's a killer rifle Kevin. Just looks all business.

What's your preferred load in it?

 

[longrangehunter]

Hey Scotty,

A 500 gr. Speer African Grand Slam behind 76.0 VV N135 in A-Square Brass or Hornady with a F215M Primer, same for the Woodleigh 500 gr. Solid.

Sad part is those bullets are no longer being made. I did buy up every box available back in '05 on sale, which was still a joke at something like $2.50-$3.00 each? Expensive, but super tough and shot the best with the solids stacked in the magazine. 1 soft point in the chamber and 4 solids in the magazine, so they should last a lifetime?

 

[SJB358]

That sounds like a hammer of a load.

Have you recovered many of those Speers? They must expand WIDE...

 

[BF375]

Very cool rifles on this thread!

 

[longrangehunter]

That sounds like a hammer of a load.

Have you recovered many of those Speers? They must expand WIDE...

Nope, most went clean through, and the skinners weren't real keen on me asking them to do that since I wasn't a paying client.

Sorry for the later reply Scotty, I've been super busy and haven't been on here since today.