Saguaro

I sometimes act stupid on purpose to be funny. One of my favorite is when someone I'm expecting pulls up next to me. I'll ask "are you with Weinberger?" The truck, dumpster, and his uniform all say Weinberger.

Speaking of 4B, why do they always have a weird number of deer permits there? This year they have 314 and I think last year they had 214 or 241, or some off number. All of the other units have numbers that are more whole or end with 0 or 5. I always wanted to ask the biologist that question.

OBO

That's what I'm thinking. I've had them close but not as close as you guys are talking. One time I was in an area antler hunting and jumped a doe. Normally they're gone after that, but she kept close. I found where she was bedded and her fawn was there. I wish I had my camera.

It runs, all windows work and it has a small drip from the oil pan.

It might pass. All of the smog equipment is in place.

No, I didn't get it emissions tested because I was planning on a LS swap.

This is the one I got in 98. I still see a few each year his size.

It's been a while since if seen anything real big out there. I don't mean to bring you down but it could be tough finding a book buck. I had a permit there in 98 and had access to the whole unit. Some of those places are now off limits. There were three permits in our group back then and we had no trouble finding bucks, it seemed like Antelope were everywhere. I remember there were 30 tags that year. We saw one real big buck but he escaped. My opinion is go all in on the Antelope tag, you won't get another one of those, you may score big. Good luck!

I miss my dad. He died in 2011. I was lucky growing up because I had both parents. My mom would spoil me and I could get anything I wanted from her. I probably could still talk her into giving me money. My dad made sure I didn't get everything I wanted. It was a nice balance.

That's an excellent point about the camo.

Blue printing is where the action, lugs and Bolt face are trued and centered. Factory production gets them within acceptable tolerances but they are not perfect. The idea is to get the different surfaces as tight and true and as close to centered as possible. Some of the work is done on a lathe. Bedding is the same idea. Factory stocks have kind of rough openings where the barrel lug and action screws meet it and it's usually loose. The bedding, which is epoxy, closes up those rough openings and better holds the action to the stock.

To me a custom is from the ground up, stock, trigger, action, barrel. I have a few I call semi custom that have a new barrel and blueprinted action but the trigger is reworked factory. I have one that has the original barrel but its blueprinted and bedded but with a Timney trigger. Those have factory stocks as well. That's my opinion, it looks like there are a few here that can answer better than me. That's a good question btw.

I have the VX 6 and I think it's a crap scope. I can't speak for the Nightforce but I know people that like them. I think that will be my next scope. Leupold is a set it and leave it scope.

It makes you wonder if there's more than one.

That's funny... 1/2 MOA not 1/2 inch. That's still good. You should compete. Especially if it's easier to hold inside a 1/2 moa at 600 than 100 with a production rifle. Most people can't do that.

Lionhunter, If you can shoot a 1/2" at 600, you may be the best shooter ive heard about. Congratulations! That's tough to do. Have you thought about competing?

I guess it's about what's important to you. For me it's custom. That doesn't make me anti factory. I have more factory guns than custom. Even the factory guns I feel I have to change things because I can't stand a 6lb trigger, or leave it alone if there are any improvements to be made. I guess that's where my attitude developed, constantly chasing better things like any small gain I can make in shooting or reloading. I love guns as much as I love hunting, at least not any less.

I'm like Lance, guns are my passion. New rifles will be custom for me. I have a few reasons. One reason is caliber availability. I have a .280 AI and there isn't a manufacturer that builds one at least for a lefty. I just ordered a 22 mag from Cooper that may take 2 years to build. When it's done, it will have a 1.5 lb trigger with no over travel, 24 inch barrel, AAA+ Walnut stock, inlaid swivel studs and a few other things. It will be a one of a kind rifle. The only other option for a lefty is Browning T Bolt. Another reason is accuracy. I won't argue off the shelf rifle accuracy with any of you, but my customs are just a little better that the others and I usually do accuracy work to the others like bedding, triggers, lapping, stoning of components, firing pin work etc. A third reason is the fit and feel of a custom. If done right, it should have the proper LOP and cheek weld and it feels awesome when a rifle fits like that. The last reason is options. I could fill up this page listing them so I will just name a few; triggers, stocks, muzzle breaks, colors. I'm not an expert on custom builds, but I have only been disappointed once with a rifle that I had someone build. If you do decide to do a custom, do your homework for a long time. It's easy to get brain damage thinking about what is the best/worst route. Make sure to pick a good gunsmith and listen to them. They build for a living and have learned more than you about what works and what doesn't. A good one will guarantee accuracy.

Thanks for sharing. I like the honesty about not knowing a lot about rifles. I think that is important when doing a custom build. We all know enough basics about rifles but the expert builders know much more. I have a few custom builds and each time I get one built, I ask the gunsmith to advise me rather than me telling him how to and what to use to build.

No big deal Ross, most of us have a traffic past. I looked myself up and found 8 traffic cases going back 20 years.. The funny thing is that I look like a drifter. The cases are from Holbrook, Winslow, Payson, Duncan, St. John's, Flagstaff, Globe and Phoenix.

Keep us informed. Post back here when you catch them.

If it is, it's a very valuable gun. I can't tell you if it is but look to see if it has German markings. Search the web too. There's probably something on YouTube to identify if it is or not.

The old timers did a lot of that etching. My grandfather's guns have that too, not his license number, but numbers he came up with. I agree with you, it sucks but that's what they did. I keep a spreadsheet and pass it out to other members of my family in case I loose it.

The Colt looks like a Vest Pocket model. I can't find them in anything but 25 auto. Those go for $200 - $500 dollars. I would love to have it if it's a 22 mag.