Coach

That is going to be a really fun challenge - but if anyone can do it, you can. Fun thread, and best of luck.

I've seen a few in Animas Valley just before you break West toward Clanton/Whitmire - right in the main road.

After reading through the recent 6.5 creedmore vs. 7mm-08 thread, I found myself in pretty much the same predicament. I was looking at the Tikka T3X superlight in one of these chamberings. One of the more compelling arguments I found in favor of the 7mm-08 over the 6.5 Creedmoore was the attached youtube vid. It's not particularly exiting, as the two rounds turn out to be very similar with the conclusion that 7mm-08 tended to have more retained energy at longer ranges. Not a surprising stat. What did turn out to be interesting is, the conclusion that if you are deciding between the two and you reload, the 7mm-08 comes out on top, mostly because the best loads for the 6.5CM were factory loads by Hornady using a proprietary mix of powders that the author of the video couldn't reproduce with normal hand loads. Our resident expert, Lance had pretty much the exact opposite conclusion, that hand loading for the 6.5 CM provides better results than 7mm-08, and I'd take his word over anything I see on youtube. He's forgotten more about hand loading than I'll probably ever know. So, that got me to thinking. Of all the hand loading I've done and all the research, I can't recall one time where someone recommended blending powders for an ultimate load. The question is, who out there have tried mixing different powders to get the ultimate hand load, and how did it turn out?

You guys living under a rock or what? We have girl jedis, all girl ghostbusters, even Ocean's 11 - um 8, all girls. I'm just waiting for the all girl version of Lone Survivor, where the don't only kill all the bad guys with jujitsu and knives, but restore peace in the region. Shoot those tranny muleys before they destroy the herd like we have! 😉

Thanks Brian. Man it's weird. When I first moved here back in the '80s the hardest part about ice fishing was either the long trudge in with a couple feet of snow, or drilling half a dozen holes through 12-18" ice. Guess it's just a sign of the times. I know some old guys who used to drive out on Rainbow Lake and cut blocks for their ice house every winter. Can't remember the last time I saw it iced over. Times they are a-changin'.

The crap part of this is we live in a social media age. Simple pictures without context spur emotion. The great thing is, we live in a social media age - we have the power to create discussion. Dichotomy has the power to influence.

dayyumm. Great game.

Hoping to do some ice fishing on Sunrise this week too. It's been a long time but always fun when they're biting. Any new reports?

Thank you for your thoughtful and respectful reply. I agree with you and trphyhntr on the premise that this "could be" a first step toward more banning - hi cap magazines, so-called "assault weapons" in general. Just to be clear, I'm with you guys on this. I have the kind of guns, the kind of magazines and the amount of ammo the anits want banned. It's been illegal since 1932 to turn a semi-auto weapon into fully auto without doing it legally. Many products have been created that blur that line. Now, thinking chess instead of checkers, we have to be smart about this fight because it is going to be a long, hard one. If we go completely into zero regulation beyond what's already there, and what almost zero percent of the population understands, if we take an "all or nothing" approach. And I get that - giving an inch sometimes means opening the door to much more - we can paint ourselves into a corner. On the other hand, let's look at the assault weapons ban of 1994. This was hailed by the anti-gunners as a win at first. In reality, the guns were still there, harder to get, more expensive, but over ten years it lead to no reduction in crime. It proved over time to fail to do the only thing it set out to do. As a result, the ban was lifted, and despite the outcry from the left, gun violence continued to decrease after the sunset of a stupid law. So, my point is, let them have their tiny, short-sighted victories. In the long run, it can be used against them to prove that their policies don't work. I look at it this way. If they succeed in their little battles, it only to gives us more proof that their policies fail every time, that gives us more data to fight them with. If every ban they've tried has absolutely zero affect on crime, their bans can be proven ineffective, which give us the upper hand in future legislation.

Holy Crap - Bump fire stocks??? They are so useful, so accurate. I don't know what my AR or AK would be like without them. Chill guys, it's political pandering. Nothing more, nothing less.

Great job. That's a really good looking buck.

Just picked one of these up in 6.5 CM, but was really tempted by the .243 - sweet rifle. Good luck with the sale.

I've been looking at the Gossamer Gear The One (and The Two). Super light for having a floor. Not a freestanding tent, but not a big concern. I've never seen one in person but it gets consistently good reviews.

That's very generous of you - thank you. PM sent.

I've been looking at various options and I wanted to get opinions here on good/bad etc. It comes with grooves for mounting Warne type bases as well as tapped for others. I've seen some folks add a rail, but I'm not sure what the added benefit is of a rail when it's already grooved. I'm definitely looking for something that takes advantage of the built-in recoil lug hole. Thanks in advance.

I've heard the stat of over $1M per wolf many times from lots of different sources. Crazy. The irony, IMO is that you can get fined very heavily and other legal issues if you so much as leave neck meat behind in NM, yet the wolves are killing elk in NM to the point where recruitment rate is barely keeping up, if not falling behind. Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating wasting game meat, but I find it interesting that it's considered OK for wolves to wreak havoc on deer and elk while such high standards are in place for sportsmen.

Good to see all the replies here. Personally, trying to come up with a blended powder isn't something I'd ever want to try. I just found it interesting that the guy in the video I posted determined that hand loads for 6.5CM were not going to be able to match Hornady's factory loads. For what it's worth, I ended up getting the Tikka in 6.5CM over the 7MM-08 just out of practicality. My son has a 6.5CM he bought for a steal and I was already planning to hand-load for his. I also already have a 6.5x284 Norma that I love, and recently got a 6.5x55 Swedish handed down, so I'll have lots of bullets to reload. The other factors were the 7MM-08 in this rifle only came with a 22 inch barrel where the CM came in 24 and I generally prefer longer barrels. Along that while researching this topic some people found the 7-08 more finicky. Many found it to be super easy to reload for, but I opted to not take the chance. Given my luck I'd end up with one of the few that needed extra attention. With so many 6.5's to load for I figured this was probably the best way to go for me. Again, thanks for all the insight and experience.

I think Flatlander is spot on. This is kind of a "keep it in the family" subject, IMO. We who hunt know what's really going on. We know what needs to happen in regards to keeping predator levels in check. That doesn't mean we shove it in the face of those who are on the fence, or know little to nothing about real conservation. If the battle is about who is right and who is wrong, we must conduct ourselves as stewards. Because, as we all know, there are countless so-called activists that will use emotions over logic to combat us. Let's not give them ammo.

If anyone can find a way to shoot themselves in the foot, UofA (My alma mater) can.

27 too. Tons of cats in there. Like someone said, throw a dart at an AZ map and you'll probably have a good starting point. Unless it ends up in Tempe, the cats there tend to move back toward Tucson.

Holy smokes I wish I had some of my old toy guns. Had some import types that looked like a PPK, shot strips of caps. They were really well made. I had one, it was a 1:1 scale .357 S&W police model - plastic model just like the planes and cars you had to glue together, only it was a working revolver with all the internals, and instead of hitting a firing pin there was a spring loaded primer and it actually shot .357 plastic bullets out of a casing. Sure with I had that thing now. My brother built a similar one but a P38. Functioned exactly like the original. Man, we had some good toys back then.

Not a badly written article, just omits a lot of facts. In the section "How to deal with too many predators" the author surmises, "That can be a legitimate concern, but the Arizona Game and Fish Department has trained biologists who can make a determination about whether predator populations need to be reduced. They can do it strategically." Well, they used to before like-thinking minds determined that taking out coyotes from a helicopter, and often G&F working with local hunters to do so, was also deemed unethical. So the author has posited a vague solution, with no actual practical alternatives. How exactly would they suggest to "do it strategically"? The article also fails to mention anything about low recruitment rates of antelope fawns in the spring are due primarily to coyote predation. If the people the author is trying to appeal to could see a pack of coyotes follow a pregnant pronghorn until she gives birth only to see the young fawn eaten, many times along with the mother in her vulnerable state, they might start to see the other side of the coin. As always we're in a propaganda war. Whoever appeals to people with rhetoric, usually ends up getting more people on their side. Hopefully, pro-hunting organizations can effectively provide a more compelling, accurate argument that will resonate with people as effectively as those like the author of this article.

Hey guys, I really appreciate the input. I was leaning towards the Warnes, and will probably go that direction. Not sure what scope I'm going to put on it yet. All mine are in the 50mm variety, but this is going to be a light weight setup for mountain hunting and backpacking. It's in 6.5 creedmoore so it's not really meant to be a "long range" gun by today's standards.

Drop to $350 this weekend. I'll be in Payson tomorrow around noon (Sat, the 15th). Thanks for the plugs. It's a really nice setup. Might have to re-post it closer to the youth javi hunts.

Just in time for Christmas! This was a hand-me-down, so I don't know much about it. Looks to be basically brand new. Package comes with the H&R Handi Rifle in .243, Burris Fullfield II 3-9x40 scope, Harris 12 - 23 bipod, Allen sling with bullet loops, Allen soft case, butt-stock bullet holder & 2 boxes of ammo. This is an ideal setup for youth hunters. Personally, I love the single shot for the kiddos - it's obvious when it's cocked, and they have to focus on making a good first shot. Asking $450OBO $400 OBO (reduced). The extras alone new would be around $400 new ($200 scope, $100 bipod, $30 case, $20 sling, $40 ammo, $8 ammo carrier), but I'm open to offers. I'm in Lakeside, but *might* be in the valley this weekend. If so, I can come through either Globe or Payson.