loboscout

January 30, a few of us have already planned to meet up to shoot rocks and lay claim to bragging rights. Anyone that beats me at whatever games we make up will get a shooting bag or something. For anyone interested, I'll have my long range gear, shooting bags, etc. I am more than willing to share what I know as long as others do the same. I'm not an expert, but I am no slouch either. Mainly, you'll just get regurgitation of what I learned on the shooting range with a couple military sniper instructors and what I have picked up from good shooters at the PRS matches in Phoenix. Even if you just want to come and hang out, I'll have a rifle you can shoot a mag or two. I can guarantee if you can press a trigger without disturbing the rifle, you will make hits as far as we have steel. If you shoot my ammo, a contribution would be appreciated. Time is 8:00 am until we are done. Specific location is to be determined, but probably on the South side of the Valley. Probably between Maricopa and Gila Bend so the North West guys can come around the Mountain. PM me if you are interested in going. There are probably half dozen confirmed right now. A couple of them are rookie friends of mine so everyone is welcome.

Was thinking about maybe an early May date for some shooting up north where it will be cooler. If not then, I am hoping for about the third week in August or thereabouts. September looks to be busy for me. A buddy drew an antelope tag and I will be hunting bear in CO or sitting blinds if we can still OTC archery for deer. You higher elevation guys, when do the fire bans hit your spots? When is it over? What dates do you think would work?

I have a PSE, with whisper biscuit and new slider pin sight. 60 pound draw, easy adjustable draw length. Good strings. Not 70 pounds, so lemme know if he will consider it. PM me a number to text him.

Interesting, I hear ELDx failure stories too. Just shows to run what you trust.

I've heard reports of this. Seems like if Berger's fail, that's what happens. I know guys watch the tips of the bullets to make sure they are not deformed or meplat is clogged. Its odd, because I know guys who swear by the 6.5 OTM bullets, and they have the thicker target jackets. With my 7mm 180 vld, I have gotten expansion every time. But, you have me thinking, I may try Tipped SMK for smaller calibers because expansion starts sooner on small game with the tip. I can't bring myself to shoot the ELDX. I want the full glorious detonation and carnage the thin jacketed match bullets leave behind. I might shoot the ELDM if the tipped SMK don't shoot.

Run Garmin 701 on your wrist. Garnim Fenix has an app available called TruFlight that is a ballistic calculator. Has a simple interface for one rifle. It lined up with my Applied Ballistics solution and only was different by rounding, like .1 mil at times. Garmin released a watch with Applied Ballistics in it. It talks with Kestrel and a few LRF ad well. If I had $1200, I would buy one.

Thanks, I will keep that in mind to watch for. Ya think you just did not get expansion soon enough on smaller game?

Differerent strokes for different folks. With Berger, gotta pick your shot placement for sure. That is why its a double lung behind the shoulder for me. Punching a fist size hole is a good thing when it is vitals. A bonded bullet is better for shoulder shots. As far as ruining meat, I would rather have it on the ground with no tracking than rely on a blood trail. If I ruin meat on an elk it's cause I made a bad shot. Yeah, a 7 mag is way more than needed for coues. A smaller bullet like a 6mm is just fine. I think recurveman was having a different problem, cause it sounds like animals ran off with smaller Bergers.

What Bergers were you shooting? Curious about your experience. I do understand tipped Nosler and the Tipped Sierra Match King expand quicker on penetration, typically sooner than Berger.

Berger has a twist rate calculator to help choose bullets that will stabilize.

87 or 95 grain Berger hunting bullets is what I am going to shoot out of my 6mm bra. As long as terminal velocity is over 1800 fps it will kill a coues dead. My 7mm shot a coues with a 180 vld at 730 yards and it traveled through him. He was quartered to shooter and it went out his gut and reentered his rear leg, blowing a crater in it. His lung and liver were trashed. He ran 30 yards and piled up. It was way more, so that led me to build a 6mm for deer hunting. Regardless of caliber, Berger hunting bullets (non varmint) penetrate about 3-5 inches and then fragment. Total penetration depends on bullet size and velocity at impact. You put the bullet in the lungs and vitals, the animal can't survive and rarely travels more than 50 yards. My 180s punched through elk shoulder no problem. With a muzzle velocity above 2900 fps, a 180 vld will leave a mess of carnage and have exits on a broadside elk at 600 yards. A 77ish grain .223 inside 400 yards will penetrate about 18 inches or more. Inside 500 yards, a 6mm 95ish will penetrate 20 inches or more.

I am looking for an FFL in the East Valley to do a transfer from an out of state seller that is an individual. Will be mailed to the FFL from an individual then transfered to me. I have my AZ CCE so it should be easy. Anyone help me out?

What trigger pull weight do you run on your long range hunting rifle? Why do you run it there and what feel do you like?

Lance knows his stuff for sure. This thread has been enlightening. I like to learn and see. My experience is that the act of shooting has many variables before the trigger press. As I learned and improved my fundamentals before the trigger press, I could turn my trigger up and not effect precision in a meaningful way--as I also learned to address the trigger and press it without disturbing the rifle. We all address the rifle differently and a light trigger --can-- hide errors in fundamentals. IMO, light triggers are a greater liability for error, so I run heavier to prevent a second ND. And, I haven't found the need/desire for a trigger under a pound once I got more practice in. I am NOT saying that people that run light triggers are weak or anything like that. It is not an either or. It just can go to explain why people differ on why they choose. One way isn't necessarily better than another. Keep your light trigger, but I would tell everyone that learning the fundamentals, new techniques, and trigger control can have the end result that you can often turn up the weight without any negative consequences. I used to shoot my rifles like a "benchrest" style, where light triggers and as little influence as possible go together. But, I have learned to get more positive control over the rifle as I have gotten off the ground and into field positions, mostly on my tripod. That has forced me further away from a hair trigger as well. Like I think I said before, I got into a bad habit of slapping the trigger, which actually was worse than the slow press to break my "heavy trigger". The act of slapping, as small as it was moved the rifle.

Thanks for the responses! Man, I would love to get some video of shooting the variation of trigger weights mentioned here. Both of the shooter and the rifle. I am just super curious. But, I especially want to get video through the scope to record in super slo mo with my phone through the phone skope adapter. I want to see the different trigger breaks. Anyone want to contribute? I will set up steel out to 1000 yards again.

I think 2 pounds would be nice for me. I like my 3 pounder though. Any less and I would worry about NDs for anyone who is not constantly shooting and has excellent control. Sometimes, including myself...

Wow, you two are really light. When I ran my triggers light, including PRS competitions, I got in the habit of tapping trying to time it, and it moved the rifle. I prefer positive control. It requires more effort to build an habit, but I can send it without disturbing the rifle now. When I had really bad form, pressing the trigger always moved the rifle. Not really now. 2 lbs is not heavy, lol, in relative terms.

Dang! I ran mine light, but never that light! I pushed it back up so I could marry my finger to the trigger before sending it.

Saw some at the Sportsman's at 101 and 17 on Saturday

Just an idea... new barrel and voila, 9mm pistol. Still need ammo, but you can shoot the .357 still. https://www.ebay.com/c/1250180859

There were spotters, but some of the targets were elevated without a backstop. That's a good challenge to face, and takes skill to watch the trace to call the miss. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of time in the glass watching misses to learn it, lol.

A buddy has one new in the wrapper, but didn't have a price. PM me what you were wanting to spend. Your inbox might be full because I couldn't message you.

I definitely plan on it again. Sounds like there are a couple options for up north in August before hunting season begins. Thanks all who helped.

Awesome time with everyone that showed up. We are talking about doing it in late summer before hunting season up north. I will come out and set up more see posts and targets so the next one is even better down here. If enough people want to do it again in March or April I would be game. I would bet money we don't get frogs out for 2 hours.

Hey, can't argue with that. We'll do it again soon. I am thinking it would be fun once a month. I will leave some tposts out there, and will be simple for guys to bring steel and ring it. Go kill stuff.