Hoss50

I went out to the range today and got a chance to shoot the VLD's. They shot really well. The lower charges of 4831 grouped the best, but I am going to work on some heavier charges of R22. It seemed like the heavier the charge the better the group. The 4831 cases also show more pressure signs than the cases loaded with R22 at what I believe should be similar pressures and loads. I am going to load some more 4831 loads at the same weight as today's best shooters, and then I am going to start working with heavier doses of R22 and see if the groups get tighter as the charges get heavier like today kind of suggests. 4831 might be better for my lighter shooter rounds and R22 might work out to be a better barn burner round. I am also going to keep working with the Hornady BTSP bullets that my rifle seems to like a lot. Overall though I am pretty happy with the VLD. I had one 3 shot group that was sub MOA and a five round group that would have been MOA if I hadn't pulled a round. That group did have 2 rounds that basically were the same hole too. Harley

Soft point or hollow point. +p if she shoots them ok.

I like my redfield revolution on 3x9x40 with BDC reticle. Nothing super special looks wise but shoots well on my Weatherby Vanguard. The price is very fair for a good clean modest rifle scope and the warranty is great.

Unit 7w late rifle cow. 2 bp. Resident Can you run it with 3 bp also so I can convince my hunt group to do hunter safety next year. Thanks Harley

With the square trigger guard and smooth cylinder it should be 7.5". Plus it looks just like the 7.5" in my safe.

I was up in Durango when this happened and it was dang cold and windy some days. It is a sad sight but if they got wet I can totally understand.

I loaded a 5 shot 3 group ladder today with 4831 and a 3 shot 3 group ladder with RL22. I was limited on cases and RL22 so I didn't load more. I need to go to the range to free up some more cases to load. 4831: 60.0 61.0 62.0gr. RL22 59.5 60.5 61.5gr. I have good load worked up at 61.0gr with 117gr Hornady boat tails and IMR4831 so I worked around that to see what the VLDs might like. I am running resized 7mm cases so my case capacity is slightly less than real 257 brass. I will see how these do and maybe try and get some RL25 or the like. I have about 4 lbs of IMR 4831 left though so I hope to get a decent load with it too even if it is for practice. Harley

I think Randalls in Glendale had some last time I was there.

One of my potential javelina hunting spots is near a federal mining claim. The claim is posted but they doesn't appear to be active or heavily mined. There are few human or vehicle tracks on minimal signs of active mining. What is the protocol for hunting near this area? There are no buildings and this claim appears to be a weekend warrior miner at best. Thanks Harley

The mine is in the Bradshaws so I assume it is a gold mine claim. The only reason you can even tell the claim is there is the federal mining claim sign posted on a stake near a creekbed. There are no buildings that I could see, and there are no active signs of mining. There was only 1 set of tire tracks in and out. This appears to be a weekend warrior gold claim at best.

They were on the self at sportsmans warehouse today in Phoenix. I picked up a box of 25 cal VLD's there today too. They weren't well stocked but there was some good bullets to be had in certain calibers. They had some 17 on the self too.

For what you sound like you are after I would say 243. From varmint to deer with the same round no problem. He'll if you are good with it and get a good shot it would do an elk up just fine. If you stick that 100 grain bullet where it needs to be anything in this state will fall down short of maybe a buffalo. It is a proven round and isn't going anywhere.

I will expound on my original post. My grandmother became a single mom after running from an abusive relationship. She left Iowa and moved to AZ when my dad was about 5 years old. He never had a father figure really and didn't get taught much about outdoors early in life. He did finally get to try dove hunting with a neighbor sometime when he was probably a teenager. He enjoyed it and him and some local neighborhood kids started dove hunting and then deer hunting later on. I remember from a very young age going out to deer camp with my dad and his buddies and there families. I stayed in camp with the ladies and kids until I was old enough to hunt. His friends, him included were not skilled hunters but mostly when's hunting to go camping and drinking. They hunted but none of them are what I would consider dedicated hunters so I really didn't learn much hunting from them. By the time I was old enough to hunt my dad had stopped hunting with that group of guys and it was just him and me, and sometimes some of my friends that he would let me bring out. I don't consider my father a good hunter, but I do credit him for getting me started, and really getting my best buddy who is still my #1 hunting buddy started. My dad has never had many successful hunts, and neither have I, but I am learning and still enjoy it. I have never killed a large game animal on my own yet but hope to change that soon. My dad and I did tag team a cow elk as our only elk we have ever put down. I learned a lot from that hunt. Our biggest consistent hunting trips were dove. I learned to hunt dove starting around the age of 10 with an old full choke 16 gauge single shot shotgun. The first time out the only shells we could find were high base heavy game loads. My first trip out I got the crap kicked out of me but I loved it. I got pretty good and patient learning with a single shot shotgun. I eventually was allowed to move to Mossberg pump with a modified choke and life was grand. We had many good hunting trips for dove. I still hunt the same water holes we hunted 15+ years ago and even though other spots might be better, those water holes are what I know and remember from him. My dad was a big time gun enthusiast and I am as well. We never had a lot of money growing up but we saved out nickels and dimes (literally) to get the cash saved for that next gun item. We went shooting as much as we could afford and loved doing it. He taught me the fundamentals of shooting and marksmanship the best he knew how. I am still refining my novice skills trying to get better but he was the base of my knowledge on all things outdoors. My dad is still alive but he has severe back issues and can't hunt and probably could shoot more than a 22lr without hurting himself. I wish he was still able to go afield with me but he cannot. Now my best buddy and I are going out as much as we can get drawn for and get time off work. My first son is almost 3 and he has already been on 2 javelina scouting trips with me and has loved it. I have another son due in March and I plan to do the same with him. Being outdoors and learning to shoot are now frowned upon more than ever before, but that just makes me want to make sure I pass on as much as I can to my sons and anyone else who will go. I took a coworker out last year on his first deer hunt and he enjoyed it enough to put in on all my tags since, and make several gun investments since. He has also started putting in for turkey with his roommate which I chose not to hunt this year, but might start next year. Learn everything you can from anyone willing to teach you, and learn more on your own and refine the knowledge someone was kind enough to pass on. Harley

I think I have a set of bridgestones with a little life left in them. They are low on tread but you can have them for free if you pick them up. They are probably about 5/32 to 7/32 depending on tire. I want them out of my side yard.

Deep fry it. We had it this way a few times and it was great. The best part is for a large group you get the pieces on the end that are more done and the middle is bloody. My MIL wants things well done and I want it bloody. We both are happy because we get both options from the same roast. Harley

Put in together, if he really is someone you can be around. Your point won't be cancelled by his lack of point as stated above.

This is a great deal on the best motor ford ever had with low miles. I am a dodge diesel guy but it I ever had to have a ford it would be a 7.3 liter power stroke. Good luck with the sale it shouldn't take long

I have been hit a couple times but never drew blood. 300 weatherby I remember was 1 for sure but I don't remember the others. My dad's 300 win mag got him on the nose with the flip up button on the back scope cover and drew blood when I was a kid.

Rebuild it. This is the main things needed.

I taught myself to reload when I was about 13 by reading the reloading manuals I had. Sierra and speer mostly. My dad bought a reloading setup off a buddy but never learned to use it so I did and loaded for both of us. I am not a great Reloader and have much to learn but I have taught myself and learned enough from reading to make some decent reloads for my guns without a failure. I have loaded a few loads to hot to fast on the work up but it wasn't an issue but pushed it more then I was willing to keep doing. Work your loads up slowly and keep track of what you are loading so you can repeat it if it shoots well. I didn't track what I loaded much when I was younger but now I am writing everything down and trying to do things simple things like load all brass that has the same head stamp and stuff. I know that consistence will contribute to accuracy. Harley

I liked being able to go to the different ranges at Ben Avery back in the day. I really liked the shilloette range but now you cannot go anywhere out there and the range officers and patrons are a PITA. I shoot at Phoenix rod and gun now and it is much better. I wish they had a range out to 600-800 or more and a better skeet range but overall it is pretty good for me. Harley

One of my hunt buddies and I both needed to burn a vacation day before the end of the year so we decided to go scout. We checked out a new spot in a unit we have been in before and had a good time. We took my almost 3 year old some with us again this year and we had a great time. You will never see game when you are out scouting with a 3 year old but we did see a good amount of quality sign. I would bet we only missed some by an hour or two, or maybe the voice of a 3 year old. The road to the area we wanted was rougher and narrower than google earth lets on so we parked the truck a lot earlier then we planned and started walking. We probably put in about 1.5 miles each way of boot leather and one the way in the kid probably put a little more than that running around. The way out was another story. My son only made about 1/4 mile of the return trip before wanting to be carried and ultimately passing out on my shoulder. Hopefully having to pack out my 35lb sleeping son is just a warm up for a good hunt. I will post a picture tomorrow.

I won't be able to get the tripod for awhile, but I am working on the patience thing. The older I get the better I get with it. I am not sure if patience with my older age is due to laziness or wisdom. When I was younger I would rather bust nasty brush trying to spook something rather then glass, but that is changing as I get older.

Here are a couple pics from our day in the field.

Ya, once my almost 3 year old is old enough to use them I will probably upgrade to something better but this is one piece of better equipment I needed off my list. Next is a 600 yard range finder and then a nicer piece of glass for my 257 weatherby. Then I can pass my Redfield off to either the 243 or 6.5x55 that will likely be my son's first rifle and also a backup rifle for me. There are to many cheap Bushnell and Tasco scopes in my safe that my dad passed on to me. Harley