My weekly shoot. Updated 9/12
Well I made it to the ranch right at 5:50am, left the house at 5:30am.
Not a lot of p-dogs were out as it was just starting to warm up and the sun was out for just a bit, then in what seemed like an instant they were all over the place like standing corn.
Shot 1 right out of the truck with the 17hmr, (MARX..how it got in the truck I dont know ), then popped 5 more right in the same area with the .223.
I moved along the fence line for 1/3 mile and shot about 30 or so off the table I have set up in the bed. I walked up the hill to oversee the next long valley and shot off the hill crest the rest of the day. I popped off 289 rounds total, the shooting was pretty much non stop today & all prone as usual for me when Im at the ranches I shoot on.
The Savage FP10 bbl was smoking hot with only short cooling intervals when I was glassing the valley & hill across from me.
Accuracy was perfect all day even under 30 shot strings.
Farthest shots were at 691 yards at about 11:20 am. All I could see was brownish bumps on mounds due to mirage as the sun was blazing. I dialed it in after 3 very close shots then put down 4 in the same general spot. They didnt know what was making dust around them, did not faze them for a bit.
After 1 rolled over dead, 1 came up to it and I nailed it, then shot another 2 about 25' left of that mound. Nice to dial in at long range and drop em. Took 7 shots total to get those 4 out there.
I am happy with my new scope a BSA tactical 6-24x44, 30mm tube, SF and EGW 20 moa 1pc base.
All the rest were from 80yds to 500yds.
I usually dont shoot for that distance,(try to stay to 300yd) but man with the way it is, a dial up and drop em shoot is very fun, even alone as I am out there.
I made it home right at 1230pm. I dont shoot all day like I used to last year, 6-7 hrs is long enough that way I have time to clean the guns and relax for a bit.
So to date from starting in late March I have put 4192 rounds through just this one FP10.
Since new last year it has 9589 rounds through it total.
Load is the 50gr vmax in front of W748 at 3300 Fps, 2.230" COL, moly coated by me. Wind was 0-9 mph and slight, temp started at 73* and was at 95* when I left.
That is all. ;D
Re: My weekly shoot....Updated 9/12
My 9/12 hunt.
Arrived at my spot 545am, was 2 tracking and with windows down & heard coyotes making the morning round up racket/calls almost to my spot. They were on the other side of the freeway and howling like crazy.
I put out a few yells, got answers and thought Id try that spot later as I could not cut under the freeway using the cattle tunnel with the truck.
Got to my parking spot and it was just turning kinda light, but not good enough to see past 80ys, pulled out the 17HMR as I can still hear the coyotes yipping.
Let my beagle out of the box as my main hunt today was rabbit & dove only. I throw out 3 more coyote yells.
Well I load the shotgun and turn to see 2 very dim shadows about 150 feet from me, cant see very well still, grab the 17HMR and crank it to 16x and can make out 2 coyotes I think, still just moving dark forms, but they are on the move trotting north of me....no shot taken. I wont shoot at dark forms in the early dusk that I only can barely make as dogs.
Well I take a walk 200 yards down the 2 track and its like a tunnel with trees and a big creek ahead. Boom, 1st rabbit at 6am. Boom 2nd at 615 am about 400 yards down from that one.
6 dove by 10am and they were all single flyers. Sack has both wheat and sunflower seeds in them.
1030 am I make it to the property on the other side of the freeway as its a p-dog town area that covers about 3 square miles.
Pop off 42 p-dogs, 57 shots total, wind was steady at 10mph or so, all shots under 150 yards, dialed windage to beat wind effect.
Did not see another coyote the rest of the day, but tons of tracks. I figured at least 3 howlers this AM from the racket on the other side and the 2 on my side of the freeway.
Now this is the same area I have removed 17 from in the last 5 years and have not been to in 9 months since I took the last one out.
Oh I did have a small fox run across the front of me as the beagle was busting the brush next to the train tracks. It was definitaly not a red, that I know.
Dove in the fry pan right now.....yummmm
