Coues Sniper

I'm pretty sure it's every 48 hrs. That's what it is here in NV and up in UT anyways. And trapping is an acceptable way to kill a lion in some states. As some have said, it's not hunting, it trapping. It's got it's own different set of challenges. Don't poo poo it just because it's different. Many folks think hunting is inhumane, I think we are on all the same page on that battle. As far as shooting the lion, whats the big deal? Or what's the difference if it's up in a tree? If you feel bad for the cat, think about those PETA videos next time you eat a burger or go to KFC . Heck, I know of some ranches that trap lions in Mexico, and they don't shoot the lion either- they lasso a leg, stretch the cat out, jump on it, and strangle it with a piece of wire and for the record, I've never trapped.

+1. Wake up guys.

Man do I hate you . I have such a fetish for Ibex. And don't get me started on the Marco Polo. Or the Africa trip. Insanely jealous Scotty. I'm sure you'll keep us posted, but good luck I'll be looking forward to pics.

Gorgeous cat, congrats

Well, recently I posted about my hunt in Mexico and how my rifle pretty much sprayed bullets like a shotgun all around the deer I killed. I hit him 3 times out of, well let’s just say more than 3 shots, and had to switch to the old man’s gun and then proceeded to put one right in the crease at 475 first shot. I couldn’t understand it as my gun had shot so well up till then. Dumbfounded, I started playing around with the gun trying to figure out what the deal was once we got back. It shot all over the place. I’d be 14” low one shot (at 400) and dead nuts in the bull the next. At first I blamed it on a slightly loose brake and the new factory loads I was shooting as my old handloads still shot fairly well. But I kept tinkering and soon the handloads shot like garbage. I had less than a week to go till my next hunt, and I was pretty freaked out as I was holding about a 2 minute group, at best, and the zero seemed to switch every time I cleaned her. Finally, I had enough and went to a Gunsmith here in town that a friend recommended. He did the once over on her, took the scope off, cleaned the rings, made sure all the screws were tightened to specs, the works. He spent about an hour checking her out. Then he asked “when was the last time you cleaned it?” I told him just about 30 minutes ago as I had shot about 9 times that morning. He says “just for kicks let’s run a few patches thru and rule out the easy stuff first.” He slowly ran a patch thru and it had a touch of blue. The 2nd had even more. Then patch after patch came out blue. It took about 20 before the blue was gone. Now, I thought I was pretty anal about cleaning my rifle; I always used my Sweet’s and never really let her get dirty (about 12 shots is my max), but apparently I was doing a crappy job because here are these 20 blue patches thru my rifle. We then walked over to his indoor 100 yard range and shot a few times, and she shot really well. I really hoped that was it, but the real test would be when I took her out to 400 yards the next morning. I went home and decided to spend as much time as it took to get her as clean as I could. I followed the same method the smith did and slowly pushed soaking wet patches of Sweets thru the tube, and by the time I had a clean patch there was a pile of at least 50 patches. I spent another 20 getting powder residue out and making sure it was spotless and the Sweets was gone. I couldn’t believe it. I guess I just was going too fast and never let the Sweets do it’s work. I usually run about 4 wet patches thru and then a nylon brush about 15 times and then patches again till it was clean, usually 10 to 15. That wasn’t cutting it obviously. The next day I went out and got her dialed at 400 which took about 6 shots and then shot about a 2” 3 shot group. Sweet! That was all I had time for as I had to get to work. So I went out again this morning with the intent to shoot out to 700. After one fouling shot I shot the gong at 400 – touching the bull, nice! Backed up to 500 and shot again – almost dead center of the bull and touching my shot from 400. Backed up to 600 – great up and down and about 3” left but I had expected that as the wind kicked up just a touch. Had time for one more so I went to 700 and shot about 7” low. I’ll probably shoot once more to verify all that and see if the 700 yard shot was me or if I need to add a few clicks, but I feel pretty confident that the problem is solved. The gun was just dirty. I don’t know if the factory loads I was shooting were fouling the barrel more than my handloads (I had just started to shoot the factory loads a couple months ago) or what. Anyhow, I am relieved to say the least. Thanks for reading that whole mess, maybe some can learn from my dumb mistake. And if you’re in Vegas and need a good ‘smith, Matt Babb over at Bentwood is about the nicest guy you’d ever want to meet, and really seems to know his stuff. He even taught my wife how to shoot a pistol while we let my barrel cool between strings. By the time we left she shot about a 2” group with a Glock 19 and had never shot a pistol before (I don’t own one). He spent about 3 hours with us total. He got a customer for life for certain.

Bill, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Nice job on the bucks. That last one is ridiculous.

Thanks for the info Bill. I think I realize now that we were talking about two different things . I didn't mean to infer that I thought the rifle was fouling after only a dozen or so shots. What I was trying to say was after the 200+ shots down the tube and my consistent ineffective cleaning the rifle had become fouled. I wasn't letting the solvent do it's work and the copper kept building up until it got to a point where it affected my accuracy. That and the brake was a bit loose as well which probably threw the harmonics a little haywire, but accuracy was inconsistent even after I fixed the brake. The reason i asked how old your rifle was is because I have been told the barrel makers are getting tighter and tighter on tolerances and fouling is affecting newer barrels more. I'm not 100% sold on that one, but it does make a bit of sense. Also, if you have a very high quality barrel that has been well lapped with a clean throat (I would imagine you do ) it will foul less. (Less reamer marks to create the copper dust and vapor. Even the rifling process has an effect on how much copper fouling is created.) Also, good quality hunting bullets that have pure copper jackets to control expansion will tend to foul more than match type bullets. Barnes bullets for example have a very bad reputation for copper fouling. I was using Noslers and Scirocco's, but plan on playing with Bergers this Spring. Again, thanks for your input and information Bill. I appreciate it. And I wish you further succes with that 7mm of yours. I bet that thing could tell some stories

Bill, I have read many of your posts and greatly respect your opinion, but I disagree with you on this one. When I was cleaning the rifle I was very careful to never leave "goop" in the barrel after my "excessive" ( ) cleaning, and MANY smiths and shooters that I have tried to glean as much info as I possibly can from about shooting have told me that a fouled barrel will do EXACTLY what happened to me. And after all, the gun shot like crap, we cleaned it properly, and it then shot just like it did when I first got it. What else could it possibly have been? I have friends that have stories like the one you described with your 7mm, but they are the exception rather than the rule. Just another small point - I shoot out of the back of my truck when I shoot long range. I lay in the back of the truck with the gun on a bipod on the tailgate. The gun is also braked. There is a LARGE (16"diameter) area stained with residue from the powder escaping from the brake. This is just from the 30 or so rounds put thru her trying to figure out what was happening. (I do clean the truck every once in a while as well ) If you run your finger over it, the tip of your finger turns black and you can feel the residue if you rub your finger tips together. Obviously, this very same residue is building up in the barrel as well if not removed. How could this residue (not to mention copper build up in the rifling) not affect bullet flight??? The conditions would not be consistent, therefore it would seem to reason bullet flight wouldn't be either. Also, how old is your 7mm? Thanks Kevin

Happy birthday Jimmy

Oh, come on Kevin! You know you want to guess!!! ok fine, I'll say 121 1/8"

Congrats on a nice buck

Who cares about score with a buck like that! Awesome, awesome deer. Congrats.

Great work, looks like you guys did really well. Chuckar is one of my favorites too. Especially after they've been on the grill for a bit

Sweet buck man.

Neat buck, he is pretty wide. I hope you can coax a few more out of him, I'd like to see a few more angles of him. Tell him congrats on a great buck!

Sweet buck Welcome to the site.

Nice job on the cat! My old man hunted with Randy a few times waaaaay back when. Says he's a solid dude his kid however...

Great buck. Way to stick it out for the ol' man

Stud of a deer. Congrats. Did you say that was his first???

That's freaking awesome man! Congrats

Agreed, great looking buck. Any story or photos?

I think everyone was just too lathered up to say anything . Congrats again on a great trip in more ways than one. The picture of the doe is freakin cool, would have been awesome to watch that unfold. And score be dam on those bucks, but the bigger two look to tip 110 to me. And I agree with Jim, Jim and you - a thumbhole is the only way to go

I can see them somehow... sweet find!

Awesome, get them cats outta NV!