lancetkenyon

What bullets and powder are you using? I try to use the books for the components I am using as a starting point. Berger, Hodgdon, Nosler, Hornady, Sierra....they all have their own data. But they are all just a starting point for reference, not gospel. You need to work up your own loads, as only your gun can tell you it's limits.

I got all 232 brass resized, tumbled, primer pockets uniformed, and trimmed. Got about 130 of them finished, chamfered inside/out, and annealed. Loaded up some for 5 shot group testing off the ladder test results with the 180 Hybrids. I also loaded up a few batches for some 3 shot groups with 168 Berger HVLDs and 175 Sierra Game Kings I had left over from previous load development for other people. It was not the best day to go shoot for groups this morning, as winds were pretty strong, and not consistent. 15-20mph fluctuating from full value 9:00 to full value 3:00. And it was blowing the target frame forward and backwards, so the target was moving up and down as it shifted. So I had to try and time my shots. It took me about 5 hours to shoot groups today. But it beats yard work! I swapped on the Kahles K624i with the SKMR reticle for some precision work. Man, I feel like buying another one now. Bad news for my CC. The good news: With 7 different charge weights for the 180 Hybrid, 4 charge weights for the 168 HVLD, and 4 charge weights for the 175 SGK, I did not have a group over .800". I will be tweaking some of the loads up or down .2 grains, and play with the seating depth a bit. But I am pretty happy so far with a 9lb. 2.5oz. hunting rifle pushing a 7mm 180 bullet at nearly 3000fps into a .350" group. Not a single sign of pressure today. 180 Hybrid @ 2856fps Bottom shot is on a cold/clean bore (I cleaned the rifle last night before heading to the range). Top "hole" is 4 shots. 180 Hybrid @ 2961fps. 5 shots. 175 SGK @ 2970fps. 3 shots. 175 SGK @ 2978fps. 3 shots. 168 HVLD @ 3038. 3 shots.

I couldn't agree more. I would rather have a Vortex Viper over a Huskemaw. The two I have seen were nothing to write home about, especially for the price. There is a reason the originator and founder of Gunwerks quit the company and now uses Nightforce scopes rather than his former startup company.

I saw 27 Nosler dies at Sportsman's Warehouse last week. Just saying. Maybe a 25 Nosler will be next for the quarter bore fans? 115 Berger HVLD @ 3800 would be antelope/Coues magic.

Yes. In my .25-06 Ackley. They only lasted 3 loadings before the primer pockets were toast. Granted, they were hot loads, but Remington have lasted a long time with the same loads. Also with a .270 Win. Nothing to complain about with that rifle.

My feet hurt just looking at that second photo. Leather soles are not real comfortable to walk in rocks. My cowboy boots transfer every rock right to my feet. The second photo looks like a 1920-1930s Hollywood movie poster. Awesome shot.

Biggest question. Price range? This will greatly change people's answers you will get. Second biggest question. Usage? Hunting, LR shooting, both? I have a couple decent to high quality scopes you could look through as well, and I am not to far from Oz31p. SWFA 5-20x50 MIL FFP. ($1300-1500 new) Steiner T5Xi 5-25x56 MIL FFP ($1600-1900 new) Kahles K624i 6-24x56 MIL FFP (my favorite, $2700-3000 new) For hunting, I like a FFP (first focal plane) scope. Meaning the reticle is not dependent on magnification, and the reticle grows or shrinks dependent on magnification setting, and the subtensions always stay constant. a 5 mil hold is a 5 mil hold on 3, 5, 9, 14, 17.5 or 24X. A SFP (second focal plane) scope is ONLY true on max magnification, or double on half magnification. Anything else is off. I prefer MIL to MOA. It is just easier for me to dial 5.1mil vs. something like 16.75moa. Just personal preference. My preferences also lean towards a good reticle that is not a BDC, but a true MIL or MOA subtension. If you know what your DC is subtensioned at, it is OK, but harder to think about (0, 1.5, 4.5, 7.5, 11.5 moa) rather than marks at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, etc. MRAD is in Milradians, or pretty much .1cm @ 100 meters. Or .34" @ 100 yards. Most scopes are in .1MIL turret adjustment, or 3 clicks @ 100 yards is 1" more or less. MOA is Minute of Angle. Close to 1.047" @ 100 yards. Most scopes are 1/4MOA turret adjustment, or .25" @ 100 yards. Usually, a larger tube diameter gets more vertical adjustment range. Probably not needed for shooting to 1000 yards. Stretch it out to 1500-1700+, and more adjustment is needed than most 1" tubes can dial. They also allow a bit more light transmission. Larger objectives allow more light transfer as well. You should be able to shoot steel and game sized animals out to 1000+ easily with 15or 16X high end magnification. If you want to shoot prairie dogs at 1K, you will probably need more. But remember, hunting sometimes throws a close moving shot at us, so a good low end of 3-4X is nice in those cases. Best optic for all of these would be the Schmidt & Bender PMII 3-27x56 FFP CCW MTC with a good reticle not too cluttered, like the P4F, or a Hensoldt ZF 3.5-26x56 . So break out $7000 and have the bet scope money can buy.

The reason for weight sorting brass is for brass content of the case. When you resize a case, you SHOULD get the same outside case dimensions with your die. If the case has more brass content (heavier case), you will have less case volume inside the resized case. Meaning less room for powder, meaning more pressure with the same powder charge weight and bullet seating depth. Meaning higher velocities too. The opposite is also true. Less brass content (lighter weight) will have more available case capacity inside the case. Meaning more room for powder; less pressure with the same charge weight, and slightly lower velocity. So weight sorting brass might not be really important across same headstamp brass for most people. Especially with some brass manufacturers, like Lapua and Norma. They are usually a bit better at consistent brass weights. But I have still weight sorted and cut some from the herd with them too. Usually within a grain or two though. I was just surprised that the Winchester headstamped brass had a 10+ grain difference in brass content. Not great for consistent velocities or pressure, meaning different POI at distance. Most people would never notice the difference for reasonable hunting ranges. But some of us anal retentive people will. As an example, in my .25-06 Ackley, I had a 30+ grain difference in brass content over a couple different headstamped brass. Remington and Nosler were within 1 grain average of each other, on the low end of the weight sorting. But I had a lot of other .25-06 brass from various manufacturers (Winchester, WW Super, Frontier, Hornady, and Federal) that were way different from each other. I worked up a load using Remington, and when I loaded the same charge weight in the Federal (Heavier b 30 grains of brass content), I got pressure signs with the first shot, and velocity went up almost 70fps. So they got pulled apart and tossed the brass in the trash. I have some Nosler brass for half of my .25-06 Ackley brass, as the content is within 1 grain average with the Remington I started with for load development. I like it too, but I still cut 8 of 100 (8%) due to brass content vs. about 9% for Remington, and 50% for Winchester). Since I am only on my 3rd loading with it, it is holding up well at fairly hot loads. But I have always had good luck with Remington brass, and I can usually find it easier and cheaper. I have some Remington headstamped .25-06 brass on their 5th loading. It just takes more initial prep than new Nosler brass does. I have some of my Remington headstamped 6.5 SLR cases that are on reload #8, and doing well. And some of my Remington headstamped .300RUM cases have 6 loadings on them. But I can get 50 Remington headstamped 7RM brass for about $30 vs. $60 for Nosler. I doubt Nosler would last twice as long as Remington headstamped brass.

After weighing approximately 100 Winchester brand brass, I was so disgusted to find 10 grains of overall weight difference with only 51 within 3 grains of each other, I ordered up some new Remington stuff. My brass finally came in last night. 250 pieces of Remington brass. After weight sorting, I culled 23 that were over/under 1.5 grains from my target weight of 235.0 grains. I kept 227 from 233.5 to 236.5 grains. I was going to keep from 233.0 to 236.9, but I only had to cull an extra 8 from 235 pieces to get it to within 3 total grains of brass content. That should last me a while. Now to resize it all and fully prep it.

Poorly placed shot. Coyotes. Injury. Snake bite. I have seen a few 3 legged game animals. They are tough, tenacious animals.

I wouldn't trust a girl that would be with me. She must have something seriously wrong with her. That is why I have kept a close eye on my wife for the last 29 years. I know it is there, but I just can't find what is wrong with her yet. Give me another 50, and I will find it. Good luck on the dog placement. Looks like some Akita Inu in her?

Bring both. The 7RM for glassing and long range shots (if the shooter is experienced enough) for 500-1000 yard stuff. The .280 for hiking/still hunting. If I had to pick only one, it would be the 7RM over the .280 if they are both equally accurate. But accuracy over all. If you are hunting, you need a backup rifle just in case something happens to the other. A little bit of load info would help. I would think ballistics are close enough if shooting the same bullets, 100 fps is no deal breaker. Go for a 168-180 grain bullet to extend the range and fight wind drift. Anything around a 168 from 2800-3100 should put a Coues down with authority to 800-1000 yards if you can put the bullet where it needs to go.

Where are you located? Didn't see it on your profile.

I can't believe you are getting rid of First Lite in my favorite camo pattern for AZ. Wish I had the funds.

And you all complain that USFW/AZGFD aren't doing anything right....sheesh! Job well done USFW!

Nice rifle, good deal. If elk results were out, this would already be gone! Bump for the OP.

18B is a big unit. I can narrow it down by saying it was near the prickly pears....

Joe "Stockdoc" Ducos can hook you up with a custom, inletted adjustable cheek piece. PM him here: http://www.scout.com/military/snipers-hide/forums/userprofile/jducos

Digital caliper or dial? Did you re-zero the caliper up against the comparator, and not fully closed? I know my Hornady comparator with bushing is 1.004" long, making that much of a difference if I don't re-zero it. Because you are not measuring the full COAL to the tip, only to where the ogive stops at the bearing surface of the bullet from the case head. So it can't be longer than COAL (Combined OverAll Length). To fit your mag length of 3.40", you have to be forgetting to re-zero your caliper when you install the comparator and bushing. Should be around 2.647"+/-. I am at 2.734" to ogive, with a COAL of 3.472". And a max mag length of 3.685". The bullet length is only .004" between the 180 Hybrid and VLD, but the bearing surface to ogive placement is probably a bit further back on he Hybrid. That is good velocity from a 25" barrel. The Retumbo is supposed to give better velocity than H1000, but a lot of people say H1000 is a bit more accurate. Your load is a good example of why you take book loads with a grain of salt. Berger book lists Retumbo with a max charge weight of 69.2 @ 2881fps from a 26" barrel. You are at a grain less charge weight, with 1" shorter barrel, and getting 40fps faster velocity. Berger COAL is 3.290" and you are at 3.385" COAL, meaning even though you are seated deeper than I am running, you are still longer than the Berger spec., meaning more case capacity available. The Hodgdon book states Retumbo starting load for the 180 VLD @ 64.4 @ 2638, and max load @ 70.8 @ 2914 in a 24" barrel. So you see an even bigger difference. 1" of barrel length should be around 30fps for the 7RM.

Must have meant 2.685" to ogive. I do the same thing all the time. I write it down, and then go back for reference and think, "No way. Must mean 2.xxx", not 3.xxx?" Thanks for the info. Glad I have a longer magazine box to start with. Here is the real question...how does it shoot? Most important factor. Accuracy over speed. But getting both is a plus.

1-4 Mule deer. 5 Coues 6 Mule deer 7-12 Coues Some darn nice bucks too. Too bad you did not see them yesterday....

If I draw an early rifle Unit 10 tag this year, I will be trying for one of the limited entry permits. Just saying. I have not hunted elk since 1999, and I want every opportunity I might have if I draw it. But, I will not be putting in for unit 10 again if I don't draw it this year.

Some BLM, some STL, some Private Property, some Town of Peoria, some Town of Morristown, some other municipal jurisdictions like Maricopa County and Yavapai County. All of these jurisdictions frown upon theft of property.

Sounds like you will fit right in here, as long as you don't mind watching a soap opera or three. Shooting, hunting and kids? You have my attention. Welcome. Just wait until your kid gets into shooting and hunting. Then the good times really begin.