308Nut Report post Posted August 14, 2012 As a few of you know, I drew a dall sheep tag for my old honey hole which until 2008 was open for an over the counter tag but now is a draw only hunt. My hunt starts August 26th. My hunting buddy Charlie drew the same tag as I did except for his started the 10 and ends the 25th (ended the 11th! ). Both tags are good for any ram so we are not limited to the typical 'legal ram' rules of full curl, age legal or broken. We can harvest 'meat rams' if we wish. Charlie decided to just target any ram instead of hunting for a trophy. I took him to my old honey hole in the Chugach Mountains where he took this 5/8 curl 'meat ram' on the second day. Weather held us up from success on the opener but made the best of it on the second day. Sorry the picture is so milky. The fog was very thick. The fog would come in and out. It cleared long enough for us to find him and stalk him and shoot him and not 2 minutes after the ram dropped (in his tracks!) the fog rolled back in thick. We had to find him in the fog with 90-100 yard visibility at the best of times. Charlie nailed this ram at 575 yards quartering away uphill with my 6.5x284 using 140 grain Berger Match Hunting VLD's (finally found a sweet load that would fit the magazine!) through the high shoulder, spine and came out his throat area. I have been skeptical about using the Berger VLD's for hunting (even though they say hunting) but I feel better now about using them. At least for now. The exit was not huge yet adequete (about an 5/8") and the it did not seem to blow up. That said, it was a smaller young ram which was fairly light boned and not too deep. Not sure what would happen on a large mature heavier boned and deeper ram but I am comfortable now to at least try them on my up and coming hunt. This is Charlie's 5th dall ram. Part II to follow in September after my hunt come success or failure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chef Report post Posted August 14, 2012 Congratulations to your friend. i sure can't wait for part 2! That is one sweet rifle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pine Donkey Report post Posted August 14, 2012 I love sequels!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SunDevil Report post Posted August 14, 2012 Nice shot! how old is a 5/8 curl ram? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector Report post Posted August 14, 2012 Congrats to your buddy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
125coues Report post Posted August 14, 2012 Congrat's to your buddy's ram,been wondering where you have been.waiting for part two. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
308Nut Report post Posted August 14, 2012 Nice shot! how old is a 5/8 curl ram? It varies between 4 or 5 but this one is 4 years old. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
reganranch Report post Posted August 14, 2012 Very cool thread can't wait for part 2! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pwrguy Report post Posted August 14, 2012 Hey Mike, congrats to you and Charlie, looks like typical weather up there Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SunDevil Report post Posted August 14, 2012 I had never heard of or thought of there being sheep "meat" hunts. is your buddy going to sell the cape? my friend in AK would always sell his capes from sheep that he was not planning on having mounted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BRYCE CANYON Report post Posted August 15, 2012 Do you mind sharing the load info on your 6.5? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BRYCE CANYON Report post Posted August 15, 2012 Do you mind sharing the load info on your 6.5? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DCS Report post Posted August 15, 2012 Nice writeup,and better sheep!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
308Nut Report post Posted August 15, 2012 Do you mind sharing the load info on your 6.5? I am running H4831SC in a Lapua case with Remington 9-1/2 primers under the 140 Berger 'Match Hunting VLD' at 2.980", JUST BARELY kissing the lands. Just toughing seems to be the sweetest spot for this bullet in this barrel. 49.9 grains is what I am using for 2937 FPS. I had bought 1# of it to test which the results were so so until I tried the Remington 9-1/2 primers. Then she woke up. Accuracy tightend and the ES/SD fell off the table. Most groups ES are 1-8 FPS and a few groups will show 9-12 and once in a blue moon I will see 15. I shoot nearly every round over the chrony whether I am testing or just practicing so I can really get a feel for my average and ES/SD. Anyway, back to the point,...,I developed a great load with the H4831SC I had. 50.5 and 51.5 were scary accurate and then bought 8# of it. Not being able to find the same lot of it of course. Well I started low and worked back up and I am glad I did because 1 grain less of the new was over was 25 FPS faster than the 1st lot. It is a much hotter lot. Now 49.9 is what I am using for 2937. So, BE CAREFULL if you decide to use any info here. Most guys start around 49 and work up. Hodgdon shows even less than that. All that said, I was testing H1000 today and shot a .488" group at 300 yards with 53.7 grains using Federal 210M primers. Same bullet, same COAL. The H4831SC loads have shot equally well at times but I am hoping to fill the case up better and have a bit less pressure. So we will see if it will stay consistent. Both of my best previous loads using H4831SC and H4350 have yielded consistent .100-.300 accuracy. Mostly .300 but often .200 and sometimes less. Once in a while it will print .4 to .5 MOA but RARELY. Hopefully H1000 will show the same results. This is by far the most accurate set up I have ever had. It is a pure dream. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted August 18, 2012 Nice! Looking forward to reading about your adventure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
