azsugarbear

I have hunted and scouted in 5BN for many years. I am continually amazed at the sheer number of 6x6 bulls that this unit holds. However, most of these 6x6 bulls are young and would go in the 280 to 300 class. I have found that the more mature bulls in 5BN generally have great width and great mass. What they tend to lack is tine length. Expect most mature bulls with great width and mass to go about 320-340. Add some decent tine length to that bull and you start to get 340+. The 350+ bulls are in there, but they are few and far in between the many others you will see.

I have a custom in 6.5-06 AI. I love the rifle and caliber. When I finally shoot out the barrel, I am torn between spinning on another 6.5 barrel vs. a new 280 AI barrel. As you can tell, I am a big AI fan. Primary reason for looking at the 280 / 280 AI is that the caliber can be supported by Lapua brass (just neck down 30-06). Necking down 30-06 to 6.5 can become problematic. Bullet manufacturers seem to pay a lot more attention to the 7mm bullet line. Having said that, I am anxious to try the new Nosler Accubond Long Range bullet when it comes out later this summer. of course, their 7mm LR bullet has already begun to hit the streets. Their 6.5 bullet is only 129 grains, but has a BC around .56 and will expand reliably down to 1,300 fps. If these claims bear out, then this will become the new standard for LR bullets.

The 38 Super, the 9mm and the 380 all use the same bullet diameter. I owned all three pistols at one time and used one reloading die for all three. The 38 Super was my race gun, 9mm defense and 380 was my first venture/purchase into handgunning. At this time, only the 9mm remains.

I've had the Leupold VX-III, Vortex PST, Sightron SIII and Nightforce NXS on my LR rifles. The Nightforce is a cut above the others, but not necessarily a good fit for each of my rifles. The NXS is a quality scope, but it is heavier and bigger than the other scopes mentioned. My 13 lb. rig that sits a McMillan A-5 stock wears it well. However, an identical NXS felt top-heavy and awkward on top of my 10 lb. mid-range rifle stocked in a Manners Ultra-light. Definitely a robust, heavy scope that may not "feel right" on lighter hunting rifles. I eventually sold that NXS on my mid-range rig and replaced it with a Vortex PST. Turrets were positive and rock solid. Glass was very clear, but I felt the PST darkened a little quicker at dusk than the LeupoldVX-III or the Sightron SIII. I am currently using the Sightron SIII and am pleasantly surprised at how well it does. Great glass with reliable, repeatable turrets. For years, I was a die-hard Leupold fan. All my rifles wore them. Then I had a problem with one of my VX-III LR models. I would dial up for a long range shot and then return the turret to zero. Unfortunately, my actual zero, or point of impact would never quite return to zero. I sent the scope back not once, but twice, to have the problem fixed. I wasted nearly 100 rounds and a lot of barrel life before I finally determined it was the scope. Leupold always honored their lifetime warranty and their customer service was great, but the whole idea behind a quality scope with a lifetime warranty is never having to actually use it. Others continue to use Leupold with great success, but for me, I have moved on - and never looked back. You can't go wrong with any of the scopes mentioned above.

and the drought continues..........

I struck out in the draw, so I applied for the leftover permits. I got my second choice, which was in Unit 36C starting in Nov.4th. This is a new unit for me. Not too crazy about the border problems, so I may be looking to camp with others for security purposes. Any help, info or directions would be rgeatly appreciated.

Friday, July 22 @ 2:50 PM

Obviously an older post, but since many future readers will have similar questions and turn to this post for info - I will put in my two cents. Please remember, even though I write in absolutes, these are just my opinions. What I have found to be true may not hold water for others. First of all, we need to define what "long range" means. For practical purposes, let's say anything in between 300 - 600 yds. is mid-range, and anything over 600 yds. is getting into long range territory. Over 1000 yds we will call extreme long range. If you are going to be shooting mid-range, caliber and accuracy are not nearly as important as they would be at long range. With a little practice, nearly any rig that can shoot under 1 MOA at 100 yds. can become a consistent mid-range rifle. Just make sure the caliber is sufficient for the game you are hunting. Beyond 600 yds. is when things begin to get interesting. Gravity is a constant. Once you know how your bullet drops over given distances - for the most part you are done. Yes, the drop will change somewhat depending on elevation and temp changes (maybe one or two clicks in MOA). However, the big "Boogeyman" that begins to become a major factor at 600 yds. and beyond is the wind. If you shoot much at long range distances, you will quickly discover that you miss more to the right or left of your intended target than you will in elevation (up or down). This is where the velocity and BC (ballistic coefficient) of your bullet really come into play. The faster the bullet, the less effect the wind has on it. The higher the BC of a bullet, the less effect wind has on it. That is why so many LR shooters go with the magnums and "near magnums". Most LR shooters also tend to go with either the 338 or the 7mm calibers. They have the best selection of heavy-for-caliber bullets with the higher BC's (in the .7 - .9 range). Once you get beyond 1000 yds., the 30 cals (max .6 BC) have some trouble keeping up ballistically with the 7's and 338's. The 6.5mm (.264) and the 6mm (.243) bullets also have some great higher BC bullets, but because they do not have the energy of the larger calibers, one needs to be more judicious in their use on game at longer distances. For someone starting out, it is probably better to limit your expenditures until you see whether or not this is something you will like and stay with long term. Besides, even on a budget - you will still be spending some serious dollars. All of my LR shooting rigs are based on the Rem 700 action. Having said that, it is hard to beat the Savage in terms of dollars for out-of-the-box accuracy. Save your dollars here, as you will need them for optics. It's hard to beat Leupold scopes for clarity and consistency (repeatability in dialing up and down) for the dollars spent. They have a lifetime warranty and they now offer custom turrets. However, there are some up-and-coming companies that also offer some great glass at a lower price point. Good glass is often subjective and depends greatly on the person looking through the scope. Just be sure the mechanics are consistent - so that you can dial up and then return to your zero every time. Kenton Industries makes both windage and elevation turrets for many of these scopes. Having a great laser range finder (LRF) is indispensable. If you plan on shooting in the mid-range of 300-600 yards, then almost any LRF will get the job done for you on most days. If you want reliable, consistent, accurate readings beyond 600 yards in nearly all kinds of weather conditions, then there are only a couple of choices: Leica and Swaro ( approx. $800 used). Will the others get you accurate readings beyond 600 yds? Of course. But they will not be as consistent or reliable as these two. Check with most LR shooters and you will see the overwhelming majority use one or the other. Beyond 1000 yds., even these great units begin to fail. If you can't range it, then it doesn't matter how accurate your rifle is. Spend your money here. A word of caution before you start down this road: It can become an addiction with no known cure. :-)

I have an appointment in Flagstaff Friday afternoon. I was going to do an overnight and scout Unit 9, but now it looks like I will be at Marshall Lake. Thanks for the invite.

Looks nice. Like someone mentioned above regarding close-outs: it would be nice to show a "special of the week" or a "close out" or a "special buy/limited time offer". Also, adding an 800 or 888 toll free number is almost a necessity nowadays.

Here's the update on my previous post: The buck in 13B had a gross measurement of 240" and not the 204" I previously reported. The net score (before 60 day drying period) is 228 & 7/8". It is potentially a new world record - not just a state record. I have a few pics and the brief narrative of the hunt in an email. If I can get permission from my friend, I will forward then to Amanda for posting.

Just heard from a friend that hunted in 13B. This year appears to be a banner year for big bucks. They were seeing bucks scoring 220-240 nearly every day. Now 13B is known for big bucks, but this is not typical - even by 13B standards. He ended up taking a real nice 204" P&Y that should eclipse the old state record by 2" or so.