I love to "blood" a new gun!

[1.618]

Over the weekend, finally got to shoot my new Model 12-F Class in 6.5/284.

Put together some handloads with Sierra 100gr HPs over ~ 47.5 gr H4350 for an estimated (by the book) 3150 f/s.

Started doing the barrel breakin routine of shoot one, clean, shoot one, clean, etc., and got to six before I ran out of time. It takes a while to get all the copper out!

Anyway, I boresighted it at 28 yds and it was printing one bughole on the money, and with my sight height (1.92") according to the ballistics calculator I use, it will be dead-on at 28 yds and 277 yds.

So, for shot #7, I saw a crow sitting out in a fallow field. Lased it with the rangefinder at 92 yds, where according to my ballistics program the bullet would be about 0.92 mil high. Held under about 1 mil using my Leupold TMR reticle, squeezed and THUP! No more crow.

A little while later, a redtailed hawk came and ate what was left of the crow while the crow's friends swooped and shouted obscenities at the hawk.

I love it when the first shot I take at prey with a gun connects! I like the way this gun shoots, and can't wait to work up some loads for it! Unfortunately, I can't seem to seat the 100gr HPs out far enough to contact the throat (as I prefer) but maybe I won't need to. Time will tell, once I get it broken in and benchrest it at some decent ranges.

Anyway, just wanted to share...

[the Ranger]

Nice!

[emtrescue6]

here's hoping crow season was/is open....

[Silvercrow1]

Hee-hee..congrats! I know the feeling. I have blodded two Savages, and have two to go...

One I haven't is a .223 Rem. and it's getting to be varmint time around here so I'm hopeful...

The other that needs initiated is my .308 Hog Hunter. The wife and I were gonna go to Fla. this Spring and I was gonna go on a hog hunt...but dang it!..just as my job gave me more hours and a little more money, we had a car radiator replacement; vacuum cleaner replacement; water heater replacement-all of which sucked the vacation fund dry

Well- maybe I can do some local coyote with it in a lighter load..(?!) Just tried out a 130 Gn. Speer HP load that looks promising- but I digress..

Congrats and wishing you many more!

Brian

[1.618]

Thanks, guys.

here's hoping crow season was/is open....

Yep, last day of the season!