Author Topic: Are you ready yet? (Read 1262 times)

Zachary · « **on:** October 13, 2005, 08:05:50 AM »

Rifle season is right around the corner. By now, most hunters have already decided which rifle (or rifles) to use, which ammo, which scope, etc. Friends have told me that the gun ranges have been packed every weekend for the last few weeks.

I myself have a lot of issues going on that have prevented me from "being ready." I moved from Florida up to New Jersey, and now I'm planning on relocating again, this time to Virginia. Long story as to why, but bottom line is that I'm not ready. :cry:

So, what rifle/scope/ammo will you be using this season? What are your groups? What will you be hunting? Are you ready?

Zachary

skb2706 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 13, 2005, 08:27:52 AM »

More than ready. Already got my antelope.
.260 Rem Mtn. Rifle W/Burris Signature 3x9
140 SST
380 yds. One shot......DRT.

Elk starts for me Oct. 29th in the southern CO mountains.
.300 Win Mag Rem. Sendero w/Burris FFII 3x9 Bal plex
180 gr. Nosler Part.
Drew a tag in an area with 80 % success for the last few years...pretty much expect to get one.

Deer is late season Dec. 1 out on the plains at my sisters farm.
Very high probability of a kill there with the same .260 Rem and bullet.

I will be out of freezer space way before that happens.......

I handload all my ammo and both rifles are very accurate.........

For all my big game hunting those rifles are sighted in way before the "rush" as I a very low tolerance for people who handle a gun once a year and want to "hang around a shoot stuff"

Zachary · « **Reply #2 on:** October 13, 2005, 08:37:31 AM »

Quote from: skb2706

More than ready. Already got my antelope.
.260 Rem Mtn. Rifle W/Burris Signature 3x9
140 SST
380 yds. One shot......DRT.

WOW! :eek: I consider the 7mm-08 to be effective on whitetails out to about 250 yards or so, and about the same could be said about the .260. But 380 yards?!?! :eek: That's a heck of a long shot.

I have always said that proper bullet placement is the first consideration to effective shooting. The low recoil of the .260 certainly aids in good accuracy, but I was surprised to hear that it could reach out to 380 yards an put down the antelope in one shot. Granted, a whitetail is certainly larger bodied, but that's still quite a long shot.

Good shot!

Zachary

longwinters · « **Reply #3 on:** October 13, 2005, 11:31:44 AM »

Well, I will be carrying my new Browning SS in 7m-08, with a Bushnell 4200 Elite, for whitetail. Or my Sako 75 hunter 280, with a Kahles TDS. If it is rotten weather the Browning will go and if not the Sako.

Long

handirifle · « **Reply #4 on:** October 13, 2005, 11:57:22 AM »

The 260 and 7-08 are near twins, what one can do the other is capable of as well. With similar SD bullets.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 13, 2005, 12:06:49 PM »

Quote from: Zachary

Rifle season is right around the corner. By now, most hunters have already decided which rifle (or rifles) to use, which ammo, which scope, etc. Friends have told me that the gun ranges have been packed every weekend for the last few weeks.

I myself have a lot of issues going on that have prevented me from "being ready." I moved from Florida up to New Jersey, and now I'm planning on relocating again, this time to Virginia. Long story as to why, but bottom line is that I'm not ready. :cry:

So, what rifle/scope/ammo will you be using this season? What are your groups? What will you be hunting? Are you ready?

Zachary

We have had a one day doe only season and muzzleloader season is going on right now. Our shotgun season opens in November and I will be using my Remington 1100 and my Shiloh Sharps 45-70. And for the late handgun season, I will be using my S&W460MAG.

marylandeer · « **Reply #6 on:** October 13, 2005, 12:17:13 PM »

OH SO READY, I have already sighted all of my guns in cleaned them up and they are just waiting for me.
Muzzle-loader opens up next Thursday the 20th and I'll be using my Knight disc elite with a Mueller Multi Shot 2-7x32 shooting a 250 grain Barnes expander pushed by 100 grains of American Pioneer powder. Shoots MOA at 100 yards.
For rifle season it will be my Tikka T3 lite S/S Syn. in .30-06 with a Weaver grand slam shooting a Federal premium 165 grain Sierra game king BTSP. This shoots MOA or better at 100 yards.
For "shotgun only" areas I will use my 20 gauge Mossberg. Shooting copper solids with iron sights It will keep in a 2-3" circle at 50 yards and 4-5" at 100. I might order another Mueller multi shot for this one since I like that scope so much on my Knight.
I 'll be camping in the mountains chasing old Whitey Wednesday - Sunday a week from today. :grin: Be safe and good luck to all!

Ramrod · « **Reply #7 on:** October 13, 2005, 12:28:57 PM »

I'm pretty much ready any time of the year. I always have something that has been fired recently, and I can make do with just about any firearm on the local (backyard) deer population. For any hunting that requires the use of my truck, my old 1908 DWM Mauser action .30-06 is always ready, as I try to get off a few shots with it every week. Probably the least accurate bolt action I own, but deer are large, and easy to hit. I have also done enough shooting with my .223 CZ 527 this summer and fall, to have no problem with taking it up a tree and potting an unsuspecting whitetail with it.

Lawdog · « **Reply #8 on:** October 13, 2005, 12:34:38 PM »

I too got my Antelope using my new .25 WSSM Win. M70 Coyote. Load used was a 100 Barnes TSX ahead of 47.8 gr. of H4350. Range was just over 200 yards. Got a nice barren cow Elk the first of September with my .270 WSM Savage. Load used was a 130 gr. Barnes TSX ahead of 66.2 gr. of H4831sc. Range was 211 yards(by my range finder). Havent yet spent any time hunting Black Bears but as soon as the weather cools down some more I will. Deer season starts Sat. Lawdog

rockbilly · « **Reply #9 on:** October 13, 2005, 12:37:09 PM »

I have spent two days in a tree with the bow, saw one good buck, too far for the bow, but look out 6 November when rifle season opens.

It really looks good in my part of Texas, it has been many years since I have seen things so green, the deer and turkey look healthy and there are plenty of them. Should be a great year. :wink:

Graybeard · « **Reply #10 on:** October 13, 2005, 01:18:58 PM »

Not real sure I'll even be able to get out to do any hunting this year. If I do it will be very limited. But I suppose my rifles are ready as always. The pair of LSS Mtn. Rifles (7-08 and .20-06) never change POI on me year to year. I always check them but they never move and I use same loads year to year in them. The handguns are ready too if I manage to get out any.

PEPAW · « **Reply #11 on:** October 14, 2005, 02:19:17 AM »

I am kind of like Ramrod above. I hunt hogs year 'round so my Model 7 .260 with 3 x 9 stays in hunting conditions with 140 grain Corelokts.

But I am still tuning my .270 Handi with its new 3200 Elite, the 760 .257 with a freshly mounted 1970's Redfield Widefield and the 700 .243 for the wife and kids.

Work, hunting lease preparations, dove hunting, son's soccer and daughter's softball make this a busy time of year. :grin: But instead I get to go to the wife's class reunion this weekend. :cry:

pepaw

Handwerk · « **Reply #12 on:** October 14, 2005, 02:51:03 AM »

I shot my antelope last week in Wy. with my sako .270 hunter. 140 yds 140 accubond thru lungs.dead. 15 1/4" For Mn. deer season my son's first year! he's got a tikka ss/syn in 7mm-08. Me If really bad weather( n.e. Mn.) I'll go with my tikka ss/syn 7 mag, otherwise it's my old beat up remy adl wood 7mag. which I've hunted deer with for over 20 years, I keep it for deerhunting on my 40 cause it's thick woods and I have see thru's on it for quick shootin. good luck to you all! all my rifles manage around 1"@100yds.

Val · « **Reply #13 on:** October 14, 2005, 03:25:57 AM »

The deer opener was Oct 8th in So. Cal. I was out with my Savage 25-06 and in less than an hour after shooting time I nailed a nice 3X3 Blactail. t was a 238 yd uphill shot. I was using 120 grain Nosler Partitions. It was a one shot kill.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #14 on:** October 14, 2005, 03:41:53 AM »

Not quite. Hope to make a trip to the range Sunday and will make a final decision then on which rifles are going elk and deer hunting.

The Ruger .300 win Mag loaded with 180g North Forks is a definite. After that I'm not sure which of the following will go:

Ruger 7mm Mag, 160g North fork
Marlin.45-70, 350g North Fork
Marlin .375 Win, 220g hornady
Marlin .30-30, 170g Winchester Power Point (Factory ammo)
Ruger .257 Roberts, 120g A-Frame

poncaguy · « **Reply #15 on:** October 14, 2005, 03:43:29 AM »

Probably a different firearm everyday....

Pistol choices......357 Max, 7mm-08, 45-70, 45 Long Colt, 454 Casull, and 460 S&W.

Rifle choices...............243, 260, 270 WSM, 7mm-08, 25-06, 308 and 45-70.

Will have fun choosing............

Idaho_Hick · « **Reply #16 on:** October 14, 2005, 04:30:49 AM »

I have a lot of constraints on my time and was under strict orders to shoot the first thing I could. So, opening day (10th) I KILLED (harvesting is for vegetables) a little fork horn about 150 yards away with a 150 grain speer out of a browning micro A-bolt II. One shot, slightly high and back, deer dropped in tracks with one good wiggle. Groups are nothing to brag about, this is my hunting rifle and I haven't tried to wring it out, I load IMR powder such that I get about 2680 fps and 1.5" five shot groups. Good luck to everyone else!

skb2706 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 14, 2005, 04:30:51 AM »

Zach - My son and I spend many many weekends shooting prairie dogs at considerable range thus long shots we will take if everything else is right. Where we hunt antelope is mostly agricultural property and typically winter wheat. There is absolutely nothing to hide you.....you get as close as you can and setup...shots will be on the long side. My son shot his first antelope this year.....250 yds.

MT4XFore · « **Reply #18 on:** October 14, 2005, 04:45:36 AM »

Oh Boy, am I ready!! I shoot just about all year so my guns are pretty much always ready when I am. Going out tomorrow for a doe antelope. General big game season starts here the 23rd. My arsenal is as follows:

Antelope = .257 Wby 110 Accubonds, @3400 fps >moa
Deer "A" = 7mm Rem, 140 Accubonds, @ 3160 fps > moa
Elk = 300 Wby 180 Interbonds, @3200 fps >1/2 moa

For my whitetail doe tag, I will use either what I happen to have at the time, or in case I go out special for her, I'll use the .257. If I dont "blood" each rifle each year, they pout and throw a flier just to get back at me, so I have to treat them right , ya know?

lilabner · « **Reply #19 on:** October 14, 2005, 05:01:32 AM »

I recently blooded the new Savage 16 FSS in .243 which I acquired last winter. The victim was a very good Wyoming antelope buck - the best I've shot. My handloads were WW brass, CCI 200 primers and Nosler 100 gr. spitzer partitions atop 47 gr. of IMR 7828. This is a load published by IMR and the first (and only) big game load I have tested. Consistent sub MOA groups at 3050 fps. (If you want to try it please follow the admonition to reduce powder 10 percent and work up gradually to the published load while checking for pressure signs. Thanks!)

Squeeze · « **Reply #20 on:** October 14, 2005, 05:06:24 AM »

Nope. I had a new home built this year, and all hobbies have suffered.
I do have a 150 yard range, at the new place, and I am one weekend
away from having the new house ready for the Wisconsin Winter.
So, next weekend, the Savage Striker, in .308 Win, and the
Remington 11-87(fully rifled), will get zeroed, for the shotgun/handgun/
muzzleloader only zone, and the BAR LW Stalker, in .308 Win, will
get zeroed for the rifle zones. Since I own the land I hunt on, I
don't have to do any scouting, or blind prep work, so that part
is done. So, no my firearms aren't ready, but I am SOOOOO
ready, mentally!

Squeeze

csam · « **Reply #21 on:** October 23, 2005, 04:23:37 PM »

I have been fiddling with a few rifles for a couple of years, and for one reason or another I can never seem to get them to a point where they will shoot straight, and I trust them. I have a 300 win mag that shoots striahgt and tight. If I miss with with that rifle, it is not rifle.

I would like to get a lighter kicking rifle. 300 win mag is way more gun for Georgia whitetails at less than 150 yds.

DWARREN123 · « **Reply #22 on:** October 23, 2005, 04:38:09 PM »

Get naked, cammo up body, drop from tree and use rock, but then that is just my type of hunting.

Savage .250 · « **Reply #23 on:** October 24, 2005, 01:58:33 AM »

If i`m not ready now i`ll never be! Believe me i`m ready.
Opening morning i`ll be partnered up with my Sav 99 in .300. Back up
rifle, Sav 99 in .250. If it`s bad weather out comes my Marlin in .35 Remington.
If we get snow and we normally do then i`ll be one happy camper. Nothing like being in the woods, snow coming down, listening to that "crunch" as you walk along. One thing about those snowy days them deer can`t hide! Thanksgiving week i`m there.

" The best part of the hunt is not the harvest but in the experience."

Slamfire · « **Reply #24 on:** October 24, 2005, 03:13:03 AM »

I'm stickin' with my .50 caliber smokepole this year. A 250 grain R. E. A. L. bullet pushed by 75 grains of FFg Wano, is plenty for the deer, hogs, or bears that live in my 'hood. I bought a Tree Lounge this year so I won't fall out durin' my naps.

Buckfever · « **Reply #25 on:** October 24, 2005, 03:26:14 AM »

Now Zachary please tell us is their a woman somewhere in the mix of all the moves and the guns in dry dock? Come on brother it sounds remotely similar to a point in my past life. By the way thought maybe a little humor might help you through the tough times. Nothing stays the same even bad times change and get better.

Oh, by the way the 30-06 with 180 TSX is in the hard case ready for what may come our way! Buckfever

HuntingGuy · « **Reply #26 on:** October 24, 2005, 07:03:58 AM »

I am up here in Minnesota, and leave next Thursday for the north country (about 50 miles from the Canadian border in MN). We put up some new stands this year, and seeing plenty of deer. Hope to get me a biggin' this here year, i'm past due! Rifle of choice? Kimber 84M 7mm-08 as the primary, and my Browning A-Bolt 30.06 as a back up gun. Finally got me a good pair of Leupold Wind River binos this year, as well as a nice Browning flashlight.. Oh yeah, and a Nikon rangefinder... Sheesh, the hunters these days.. To think that the Indians used to kill deer no problem with a stick and a stone, and we got 5k in equiptment!! :-D Oh well, it's all in fun. I am real excited here, had trouble sleeping last night thinking about season. Should be a good one. Will try some grunting this year, which is new to me. I've got 9 days to hunt, going for a big buck this year... Plan on passing up any doe's fawns or smaller bucks. Just might pay off for once :grin: . I think the key for me is staying out in the stands longer.. The routine is usually get out there 30mins before light, stay until the noon hour or so... Stop back at camp for lunch and rest, and head out around 2 or 3 until dark. Would like to make the 'dawn til dusk' theory true this year, hoping to spend all of my time in the woods and less with shut eye. It can be hard in such frankly cold temps, but I figger if I bring a bible or something to read, I might be able to cope better. 9 days, 12 hours a day, 108 hours in the stands.......... Let's make it happen!!! :wink:

High Brass · « **Reply #27 on:** October 24, 2005, 07:17:16 AM »

Ready and already have one in the freezer.

Oct. 20th at 530ish pm.

Spike buck at just over 200 yards.

Ruger M77 mark II stain/lam. in 280 Rem. with Nikon Monarch 3-9

139gr. Hornady SST
57gr. IMR 4831
R-P brass
WLR primers

1MOA or better when I'm driving them right.

jro45 · « **Reply #28 on:** October 25, 2005, 03:25:33 AM »

My shotguns are always ready with buckshot and slugs. I haven't been yet tho alot of rain.

lilabner · « **Reply #29 on:** October 25, 2005, 06:57:32 AM »

I used 47 gr. of IMR 7828 behind a 100 gr. Nosler Partition in my Savage 16FSS .243. One shot, one very dead Wyoming pronghorn at 250 yards. This load consistently prints 3 shot groups of a half inch or less at 100 yards in my rifle. Should be a good load for our local blacktails.