Hunting Trip coming up

Share your tales (tall or otherwise) of hunting adventures.

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Darryl
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Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:00 pm
Location: Katy, Texas

Hunting Trip coming up

Post by Darryl »

This coming weekend, I'm heading to Midland, Texas to hunt as a guest on a friend's property. He recently purchased 2,200 acres (must be nice) and invited me to come shoot some does and spikes as he's trying to get his herd under management.

I'm definitely taking the 45/70 Business rifle.

He knows that I hunt with these rifles now, but he encouraged me to bring a scoped varmint rifle for long range shots at coyotes, bobcats, foxes, Javelina's, and other things like skunks, badgers possum etc.

My only varmint rifle that I own now is my custom 6MM PPC - which I used to shoot in competition. It's a tight-necked Hart Barreled rilfe built on a Remington 700 Short Action topped with a 6.5-20 X 50MM Leupold.

For those that are'nt familiar with the PPC round, it's a benchrest round that's based on a .220 Russian case fire-formed to 6mm with changes to shoulder angle. The typical load is a 68 grain flatbase hollowpoint at around 3250-3300 fps. It has has been the king of benchrest cloesely followed by the the 22 PPC, the 6mmBR and 22BR.

The PPC's spoil you. They literally change your expectations of precision and accuracy. Seriously, a well tuned load in a well put together rifle will shoot 1/4" groups all day long. You're frustrated when a PPC shoots 4/10's at 100 yards.

Anyway, I have'nt shot mine since 2004. It's been sitting in the back of my safe. Heck - I can't even remember if it's sighted in for dead on at 100 yards, or if I last left it drilling dots at 200.

Bottom line is - I have no real interest in taking it

Seriously now - I'd rather take my chances lobbing a 525 grain flatnose at 1180 fps at coyote 200 yards away than zap him with my scoped rifle (for certain) out to 400 yards.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is what we all seem to have eventually come to:

I'd rather have the opportunity to shoot (and even miss) an animal with my BPCR than hit them with a scoped rifle.

Does everyone else on here generally feel the same way?

I used to be fanatical about accuracy, long range capability, and bragging about how far I dropped an animal in it's tracks 10 years ago. I've certainly evolved to a more more simple hunter.
I just like taking those shots with these wonderful rifles. If I make the hit - great! If not, oh well, I had a blast trying!

I'll probably bring the varmint rifle just because it's a long darn drive from Katy, Texas to Midland. But, I seriously doubt it's going to leave the truck.

I'll try to get some pics of what I kill with the Shiloh and post it when I'm back.
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Don McDowell
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Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by Don McDowell »

Darryl I'm betting with enough trigger time and fine tuning the sights and load you could zap coyotes at 200 yds with that business rifle just fine.. :wink:
Have fun on your excursion, looking forward to your report when you get back.
AKA Donny Ray Rockslinger :?
ole pizen slinger
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Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by ole pizen slinger »

Daryl,
Talk to Redneck! He's regularly doing just exactly what you're talking about and doing it with barrel sights.
OPS
Barry C Jolly

"I envy no man that knows more than myself and pity them that know less:" Sir T. Brown

"Everyone must sacrifice at the altar of stupidity from time to time" A. Einstein
DeadEye
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Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by DeadEye »

"Does everyone else on here generally feel the same way?" My answer is a big YES. I have a fine collection of Hunting rifles in all the popular calibers. I think the last time I had one out I figured I had about 100 years worth of ammo at the rate I'm expending it. As yet I haven't ventured into the world of hunting with my BPCRs. No reason other than with all those nice guns for hunting I'd feel guilty if I took one of my Shiloh's. Then too I don't think my hunting buddy would handle the idea too well since he hasn't come over to the dark side. Maybe it's time for a new hunting pardner. :lol: :lol:

Paul
"My heroes have always been cowboys and they still are it seems."
Darryl
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Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:00 pm
Location: Katy, Texas

Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by Darryl »

Yep, I know Bill can hit stuff with his guns.
I'm working towards that goal. It sure would be more fun to claim a coyote or Javelina at 200 with a Sharps than it would be with a scoped rifle.
mdeland
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Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by mdeland »

I too shoot my BPCRs and muzzle loaders ten times more than my smokeless rifles but never get tired of any of them. I still like to get out the 22-250 fluted stainless Remington and make little groups. Nothing under .500 for five shots ever but still fun. I'd like to get into a dog town in the west some time or use it for a coyote hunt.
Using my shot gun for ducks this year was a lot of fun and plan on a good deal more next year.
I like em all personally even the old military guns I have, shooting jacketed bullets.
I still haven't hunted with a BPCR but actually plan on making a 26 inch barreled hunting rig out of a #5 roller. Not sure I will ever take it moose hunting but perhaps.
I'm into the hunt and trip more than what I whack em with but I can't help but think packing a light handy single shot all day long would be much easier than hanging onto a scoped rifle which don't hand carry for beans .
In our Kodiak deer hunts, using a BPCR just doesn't make any sense to me while hobnobbing with the brown bears in the alders. We always separate to hunt alone during the day. I've never been on one trip to Kodiak when I haven't seen them in the same area we were hunting and often with in rock throwing distance. Still haven't had a fight with one but I have had to pack meat near dark, alone, several time's through alders and was very glad to have a repeater. I don't like doing it at all and get mad at myself for being so dumb. It's dangerous and just plane stupid to put yourself in situations like that but in November in Kodiak we don't have much daylight so it's easy to stay out to late. I see a nice deer and keep thinking I can get them down and field dressed before dark but it almost never happens the way I planned. MD
Darryl
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Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by Darryl »

If you did hunt with a Single shot BPCR in those conditions, you'd definitely be well equipped with a .454 Casull, .460, or .500 loaded with hard cast flatnose bullets in heavy the heaviest range for their given caliber. Even a .45 colt (Ruger) loaded hot with these bullet types and a .44 magnum with bullets in the 320 grain LBT style will provide adequate penetration for your needs.

Fortunately for me down here in Texas, there really are not too many animals that I have to worry about chewing a piece of my butt off. I still however carry either a .44 mag loaded with heavy cast bullets in the 1100 fps range, or I'm carrying a .454 Casull with same.

You should definitely try hunting with the BPCR with straight black and soft cast.
It's truly addictive!
Just get a rangefinder and know your trajectories - its a whole new game.
Darryl
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Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by Darryl »

Here's some pics from that place in Midland that my friend sent me. He said it's mostly flat with mequite trees, but they have canyons in the Southern part of the ranch.
I'm getting pumped up.
Image

Image
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Don McDowell
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Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by Don McDowell »

Better wait for that buck to move a little bit :P otherwise that big ol 500 gr bullet is liable to put a big dink in the leg of that feeder :mrgreen:
AKA Donny Ray Rockslinger :?
Darryl
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Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by Darryl »

Funny and true.
I've had on occasion high powered rifles fail to exit our deer using 150 grain bullets.
I don't think I'll ever see in my lifetime a 500+ grain bullet fail to exit one of our deer on a broadside shot. It would be a fluke if it ever happened.
Brent
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Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by Brent »

Darryl wrote:Funny and true.
I've had on occasion high powered rifles fail to exit our deer using 150 grain bullets.
I don't think I'll ever see in my lifetime a 500+ grain bullet fail to exit one of our deer on a broadside shot. It would be a fluke if it ever happened.
Daryl,
Just for comparison, I shot a springbok - maybe 110 lbs soaking wet - with a .45-100-535 and recovered the bullet. Seems in possible yet, it happened. Fluke? I suppose. I don't know how to define a fluke objectively.
Just straddling the hard line between "the arrogance of dogmatism and the despair of skepticism"
Bad Bill
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Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by Bad Bill »

Sounds impossible, but if it was a soft alloy and mushroomed it might seem more possible. What was the route it took?
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
Darryl
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Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by Darryl »

Brent - that's very interesting that you recovered it. That's a small animal to catch such a bullet. I'm curious how it looked - did it upset much? What alloy?

I'm still scratching my head about the buck that I killed back on the 4th regarding the bullet entering the shoulder and exiting the middle of the neck.
There's got to be a reason why that happened (ie, the animal was more turned than I could see when I thought I had a perfect broadside presentation, it turned as I was shooting, or the bullet may have deflected off of the bone just right).

One thing is for sure - we're hurling huge chunks of lead out there, and there's nothing like the sound of those bullets smacking a solid piece of meat.

I can't wait to drop the hammer on something again.
Darryl
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Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:00 pm
Location: Katy, Texas

Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by Darryl »

Does anybody know how to post a short video clip on this forum?
I videotaped myself slapping the snot out of a boar-hog with my 50/70 rolling block last summer.
It's an 81 yard shot zoomed in. I'd like to be able to post it on here if possible.
Brent
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Re: Hunting Trip coming up

Post by Brent »

Darryl,
Here is a picture of the bullets. These are the ONLY two bullets I've ever recovered from a very large number of whitetail deer, mule deer, African game, elk and antelope that have been shot with this style of bullet. The first two are, obviously, unfired bullets. The third is from an Eland and the fourth is from the springbok.
Image

All the loads, the distances and other details can be read at:
http://www.bpcr.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=753
I think the only point to be gained here is that we really can't say much about a given bullet design based on one or even 10 or 20 shots. There is so much variance, so many variables, that drawing anything more than the most simplistic conclusions is unlikely to be very productive.

So, tossing all of that experience with that bullet out the window (I sold the swaging presses and dies), I now have a new bullet to pioneer.
Just straddling the hard line between "the arrogance of dogmatism and the despair of skepticism"
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