duckhunter175

McMillan Classic Remington-- I have one on my Rem 700 Stainless 30/06. It makes things light enough but doesn't make it painful to shoot. And its a premium stock for less $ than Manners.

I have the 10x Viper HDs and love them. They work great here in the KY woods and just as well on my OK deer hunts and western elk hunts. I have them in the KUIU harness and its hard to beat for comfort and accessibility.

308- Thanks! Good to know. Now that I know I am AZ bound this fall I am thinking of working up a load with the 140 Amax for Coues. Any recommended starting points? I'm new to reloading and have been reading my nosler manual and on forums to try and start at the right place.

Cody- I started with a very similar plan and foundation. Take your time, scour the sales racks and online retailers and it will take some time but you will get there. Here is my 'recipe': Savage LRH 6.5x284, DNZ One Piece-20MOA mount, Vortex HSLR 4-16x FFP. The rifle was on a rack at the local cabelas and got marked down below $750, the scope came on sale for $549 from 899 about a year later and I got the mount off optics planet and have DNZ on other rifles for a whopping total of $1400 invested. The accu-trigger and stock are awesome and it has shot Nosler factory ammo extremely well. Just make sure you keep the brass to reload later! On the other hand... I have a stock stainless rem 700 25-06 that I crowned, DEVCON bedded myself, added a timney trigger and it shoots lights out with factory ammo. It wears talley rings and Leupold VX3 4.5-14x and so all total it is $1200 invested. It's amazing the difference bedding, a quality trigger and 'premium' factory ammo can do. I will still reload for each but its amazing to see what is out there.

The 6.5 140gr Amax said that 1-7.5" or faster was required... my Savage LRH is 1-8" has anyone shot this or had stability issues from a 1-8"

Coach I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out! Does anyone have any experience with Amax's of any weight in the 6.5x284?? I've still only shot the 120NBTs out of my savage but I will shoot the 129 ABLRs this Thursday. The Academy Sports here in KY had 120gr and 140gr 6.5 Amax and I was considering that as a long range load as well.

I put in for a NR Whitetail Tag for the October season, just waiting on unit now. Pumped!! First time hunting in AZ and looking forward to it!

You guys have this figured out!!! According to my CC I have a $300 debit to AZGFD! How long til we find out which hunt code?

Do you know something we don't know?! This is the first year I've put in (non-res) and I'm on my AZGFD profile but nothing is updated.

Well I went to AZGF website and made sure my payment info was good. This wait is a killer. Can't imagine if you are sitting on a stack of points! In the mean time I've been hitting the range with my 6.5x284 and my 25/06. I've had great luck with 120gr Ballistic Tips in the 6.5 and 115gr Berger Hunting VLDs in the 25/06. Fully knowing this will open a can of worms, is there a particular bullet type (NBT, Accubond, SST) that you guys prefer?? From reading the threads and the survey it seemed the majority of shots come 400 yards and under with a handful between 4-600yds. At those distances I think I'm inclined to stay on the lighter side of the weights and go with a ballistic tip for guaranteed energy transfer/expansion. It seems the GMX/all copper bullets need much higher velocities for expansion. Is there a trade off for meat damage??

Just started shooting my 6.5x284.... it sat on a rack at the cabelas here for nearly two years untouched before getting resigned to the clearance rack. Savage 111 LRH, walked out with it for $750 and tax. Not a popular cartridge in Kentucky... just saying. Had it at the range, dialed in quickly with 120NBT from Nosler and have a box of 129 ABLRs to try out. Going to chrono the factory loads and go from there.

Leupold Vari-X III 3.5-10x40, matte, duplex, great condition!!! $350 shipped obo, pics on request!

oneshot-- Thanks for the offer, I'll be in touch soon as the draw results are out! 8ow- I'm pumped, completely new animal, new area, new challenge, can't wait!

8owhunt-- Here's hoping! I'm pretty excited to get out there. With my schedule and work it is hard to get predictability so I can't be too picky about areas, just gotta get a tag and put in the foot work. 4-6 miles sounds very doable and if it gets me out of the crowds then all the better. What are the typical altitudes for those areas and weather that time of year?? The Farmer's Almanac says this year will be slightly drier and cooler than normal and going back 5 years it seems normal is lows around 60 and highs normally in the 80s.

25/06 AI dies here if desired

PM sent

T/C Encore, stainless bull barrel 25/06, target crown, black synthetic thumbhole stock, one piece talley scope mount $650 shipped to FFL $825 with 4-16x42AO Weaver V16 Pics on request

I have a Browning Abolt in 7mm/08, Bell and Carlson Olive w/ Black Web, aluminum bedding blocks, bedded in devcon, rifle basix 3.5# spring, 22" factory barrel that has been re-crowned. Leupold 1" rings and also a 30mm one piece DNZ mount, shoot me a PM if interested-

Camofreak- Thanks for heads up on the optics--- recommendation for a tripod? How many of you guys hunt with shooting sticks vs bipod? The limited amount of ground/spot and stalk hunting I've done has been with shooting sticks. Loving the website and how helpful the members on here are, great source of knowledge and I'll keep digging and bending yalls ear!

First year ever applying in AZ and maybe one of the few times where I have a schedule that I know can support arriving a few days early to scout and then hunt the whole season... but its the early side... Put in for OCT Rifle for 33, 34a, 35a... heres hoping! I looked at the draw rates etc and there are TONS more early rifle tags than NOV and the few (50) for december (presumably rut hunt). How is the early season pressure out there?

SOLD

NIB, Viper Vortex HS-T 4-16x44 VMR MRAD reticle (mil/mil), never mounted $500 shipped TYD Pics available on request

kyle-- pics are inbound

Gents, Thanks for the quick responses on this!! I only put in for 33, 34A, 35A for the OCT hunt. Great info on the water sources, do you have a preferred type/brand of filter? I planned to bring in 2x 3L camelbaks and I also have a 6L Bladder but I don't want all my eggs in one basket if that things punctures. Using a Bushnell 1600 ARC for the rangefinder, anyone have issues with terrain, sun, etc affecting the capabiltiies of their LRFs? ronin-- The G23 was my thought for personal defense, since I've read alot about drug/people smuggling in the areas. Thoughts on the OTC Lion tag for the OCT season in those 3 areas? Seems like it would always be worth the chance to get one but not sure of their habits and the effect the fall hunting pressure. I'll let ya'll know as soon as the tag results are out!

Hello all, new to the Coues game, in the Army so residence changes often, avid whitetail and turkey hunter with nearly all my experience east of the Mississippi! Hunted some in Oklahoma and Colorado but just put in for my first Coues tag, fingers crossed for this fall!!