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April 30th, 2011
Forum member Jon B. (aka LazyEiger) has created a one-of-a-kind F-TR rifle that showcases innovative, “outside-the-box” thinking. Starting with an affordable Savage Target Action, Jon added top-flight components: Master Class HP prone stock with adjustable cheekpiece, and a custom Lilja 1:13″-twist barrel chambered in .308 Win. The centerpiece of the project, however, is the barrel block Jon fabricated himself to hold the barreled action. The barrel block is secured with a long plate that runs down the centerline of the stock on the bottom side. John is still in the initial testing phase of his project, but the rifle’s performance is very promising.
Jon tells us: “I am new to the sport of rifle shooting. But my son has been shooting and reloading for a year or so and he persuaded me to ‘give it a go’. I have always been a firm believer that the best way to compete in any sport is to completely understand the equipment involved. For me this means building everything I can from scratch. I am a fairly accomplished machinist and decided to make everything I could myself for the rifle. I had read many comments about Savage action screws and how important it is to get the correct tension on them for best accuracy, this made me think if the action was floating, then action screw tension would not be a factor. I did a lot of research on rail guns and came up with the design for my .308 Winchester barrel block rifle. The barrel block has a 1/8″ phenolic (plastic) sleeve to help dampen vibration and also to minimize heat transfer from the barrel to the block.”
Savage Action, Lilja Barrel, Master Class Stock, Sightron Scope
Jon carefully chose premium components to combine with his Savage Target Action. The 13-twist Lilja Medium Palma contour barrel has a 32″ finished length. Jon chambered the barrel in .308 Win with a PTG reamer with 0.336″ neck and 0.060″ freebore to shoot 155.5gr Berger fullbore bullets. The stock started off as a Master Class Highpower prone blank before it was modified to take the barrel block. On top is a Sightron SIII 10-50x60mm scope with Evolution Gun Works (EGW) rail and rings.
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April 30th, 2011
Here’s a good deal for those of you in Pittsburgh, PA this weekend for the NRA Annual Meeting. Just wander by the Sinclair Int’l booth in the Exhibit Hall and you can get a $10.00 Gift Certificate for free. Sinclair’s booth (#1010) is right up front near one of the main entry points. While you’re there, you can see Sinclair’s latest products and reloading tools. You can also place orders for reloading components (although Sinclair does not sell products directly at the show. You may want to stock up on bullets from existing inventory. Sinclair Int’l President Bill Gravatt revealed: “We are starting to see some indications of price increases ahead for some of the bullet manufacturers. Sierra just informed us that they will be taking an unexpected price increase because of material costs effective May 1, 2011.”
Story sourced by Edlongrange.
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April 29th, 2011
 Carl Zeiss Sports Optics has announced attractive consumer promotions that can save you hundreds of dollars. From May 1 through December 31, 2011, you can get a $50 mail-in-rebate on all Conquest Riflescopes with Rapid-Z® Ballistic Reticle. Zeiss will also offer a $100 mail-in-rebate on all Victory Riflescopes with Rapid-Z reticle. “Even though the economic outlook is improving, we know there are many people out there who are mindful of every dollar spent,” said Erik Schumacher, president of Carl Zeiss Sports Optics. “This is our way of helping hunters’ dollars go further.”
Zeiss Rangefinder Price Cut $100.00
Zeiss is also lowering the price of its Victory Laser RF binoculars by $200 and Victory 8×26 T* PRF laser rangefinder (LRF) by $100. NOTE: AccurateShooter.com recently conducted a comparison field test with the Zeiss Victory Laser PRF, Leica 1200, and the much more expensive Swarovski Laser Guide. The Zeiss Victory LRF ranged as well as the Leica and the Swaro out to 1000 yards, and we found the Zeiss to be easier to hold and aim than both the Leica and Swaro. Even before the price drop, we considered the Zeiss Victory LRF a “best buy”. The Zeiss LRF was the favorite of all three of our testers and it was the unit we eventually purchased with our own money.
Carl Zeiss is also offering special Victory DiaScope Spotting Scope kits at participating dealers. These kits include a DiaScope Spotting Scope (65mm or 85mm, straight or angled), with 15-56x / 20-75x Vario eyepiece and new Zeiss Carbon Fiber Tripod set. Purchasing these items as a kit yields a $300 savings to customers.
Story sourced by Edlongrange
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April 29th, 2011
 If you can’t make it to the NRA Annual Meeting (and Exhibits) in Pittsburgh, PA, you can still monitor developments via radio. Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk Radio will broadcast live from the NRA Annual Meeting this Saturday, April 30th, from 12pm – 3pm Eastern at the Taurus Booth, #1937. All attendees are encouraged to stop by the booth and “watch” the radio show. Guests will include ‘Hickock 45′ (popular YouTube Gun reviewer), plus representatives from major manufacturers including Liberty Safe, Ruger, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson, Taurus, and Timney Triggers. If you miss the live broadcast, you can download a recorded podcast version from the Gun Talk Archive.
 The NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits, April 29th through May 1st, are free for NRA Members (tickets required for banquets). It’s worth attending if you can spare a day. Attendees can check out hundreds of exhibits from firearms and shooting accessory companies, meet celebrities, and talk with gun enthusiasts and shooters from around the USA.
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April 29th, 2011
 The folks at AIM Field Sports Ltd. in the UK recently sent us an AIM 60 Tactical Drag Bag for testing and evaluation (T&E). Capable of handling a rifle up to 59″ overall, and equipped with shoulder straps and lots of storage pockets, this unique product is far more versatile than the typical “soft” rifle case. In backpack mode, the AIM 60 will carry the weight of your gun and all the extras comfortably over long distances. The AIM 60 costs £159.00 incl. VAT (or £132.50 duty-free, US $215.40), while the smaller AIM 50 version costs £141.00 incl. VAT (or £117.50 duty-free, US $191.02). (USA prices at current exchange rates; shipping not included.) Both AIM 60 and AIM 50 are offered in Lincoln Green, Tan, or Black.
The AIM 60 is crafted from heavy-duty 1000 denier Cordura® nylon, and employs high-grade zippers and fasteners all around. On the front of the bag are two jumbo-sized, padded utility pockets. The larger pocket has a string of elastic straps that are ideal for magazines, and the pocket is large enough to hold a rear sandbag. The smaller pocket has elasticized, gusseted inner pockets for holding radios, rangefinders, tools, earmuffs, and personal gear. On the outside of the smaller front zippered pocket is a diagonal zippered compartment which can hold logbooks, maps or other flat items.
The main gun compartment has a detachable drag hood, adjustable internal weapon securing straps, and a cleaning rod sleeve. Extra thick foam padding protects the rifle and there is a stock support sleeve that cradles the butt. This is a really important feature. The sleeve supports the rifle’s weight (keeping it off the zipper) when you use the bag in backpack mode.
Field Tests Demonstrate ‘Quality in the Details’
Over the past couple months, Our “master fabricator” Mark LaFevers has used the AIM 60 to carry his gear at local tactical and varmint matches. He’s impressed by the quality of the AIM 60: “In assessing this soft-sided rifle case from the UK, ‘Top Flight’ has to be the lead descriptor. The target market for this bag looks to be the extreme end of the performance spectrum, where demands on gear are the highest.
 What impressed me most about this bag is how well thought-out the design is. Everywhere you look there are smart features that make the bag perform better, last longer, or provide better protection for your gear. To ensure the front drag handle won’t fail, AIM provides heavy nylon webbing doubled over at the loop, triple-stitched six inches down each side of the bag. To better protect the rifle, AIM added a floor stiffener in the full length pocket provided for a cleaning rod, and a padded 2” flap inside the full length top zipper so that contents bear against the flap and not the zipper. To make the bag more versatile (and boost its carrying capacity) AIM provided over 30 external heavily-stitched web loop attach points for gear. And to ensure that the shoulder strap mounts never fail, AIM uses high-quality METAL clips and rings. The shoulder straps even stow cleanly inside a zippered compartment when not in use. In summary, the AIM bag showcases superior attention to detail in both design and construction.
This is no ordinary rifle case — and people notice that immediately. As I was getting ready to leave a local rifle match, I was stopped by one of the other competitors. ‘Wait a minute’, he said. ‘Where did you get that bag… can I check it out?’ After looking at the AIM for a minute, he said: ‘You know I just spent a lot of money on the best bag I could find. But my bag doesn’t have half the features that yours does. I wish I had bought one of these [AIM] bags instead.'” That’s a pretty strong endorsement for the AIM.
Here are some other reviews of the AIM Tactical Drag Bags:
“The Drag Bag is a proper sniper-style drag-bag with rucksack-style straps…It has some enormous pockets that will swallow an unbelievable amount of gear. The bag is packed with features…every time I use it I seem to find another well thought-out feature — like the quick-release straps which hold your rifle in place…The pockets have more pockets inside and elasticised retainers which stop all your bits ‘n’ bobs falling about. This bag is also longer than most I looked at. The price? Just [£138 for AIM 50] and I defy you to find one in the same class for anything like that.” — Vince Bottomley (Target Sports, Nov. 2008)
“Full bore shooters… need a rifle bag that can be worn as a rucksack. It did not take me long to figure out the hard case I had for my rifle was of no use whatsoever. It could not hold my range book, ammo box or much else other than the rifle. My .308 Remington 700 is fitted with a muzzle brake and a huge 12-42 Nightforce NXS scope. The bag swallows this 53″ gun easily. It has two snap buckle securing straps inside the bag to hold the rifle securely as well as a stock support pocket [and] 5 snap buckles to ensure the gun remains in the bag. I like the fact that my £3000 gun is cradled and protected in this ‘over the top’ way. I no longer take a range bag when going shooting a tactical competition, everything fits in the AIM bag. The rucksack shoulder straps [make] for a very comfortable carrying system. This leaves your hands free for a [front] rest if you use one….” — Tim Finley (Gun Mart, Jan. 2008)
CLICK HERE for a Video Guide to the AIM 50 Drag Bag
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April 28th, 2011
Whether you’re on the East Coast or West Coast, you can have fun this weekend at an outstanding varmint match, shooting reactive targets for fun, glory (and maybe a little cash). Easterners — head down to Virginia for the Roanoake Egg Shoot. Westerners — navigate to the Pala Range near Oceanside in Southern California.
Roanoake Egg Shoot, Saturday April 30th
 In Virginia, the Roanoake Egg Shoot will be held Saturday, April 30, 2011 at the Roanoake Rifle and Revolver Club in Hardy, Virginia. This is a real test of shooter and equipment. You want challenge? Try hitting an egg at 500 yards. That requires a skilled triggerman (or woman) and a very accurate rifle. In addition to the 500-yard egg event, Roanoke also offers long-range plate shooting. There will be three classes this year: 1) Factory Guns; 2) Hunter/Tactical; and 3) Custom Benchrest. The custom gun class will shoot 2″-diameter steel plates at 425 yards while the Factory and Hunter class guns will shoot 3″ plates at 425 yards. All shooting is from a 20-bench covered firing line. The entry fee is just $20.00 per gun/class entry. Pay $60.00 and you can shoot all three classes. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top shooters. For more info, contact Mark Schronce (540) 980-1582 rmschr@comcast.net or Epps Foster, (540) 890-4973. The club is located at 1305 Gun Club Drive, Hardy, VA 24101. GET DIRECTIONS.
Pala, California Multi-Stage Varmint Silhouette Shoot
 About 24 miles east of Oceanside, California (near the Camp Pendleton Marine base) is the Pala Reservation. On that Native American land you’ll find an impressive Casino Resort, plus an excellent shooting range. The first Sunday of every month, shooters come to Pala to enjoy a challenging Varmint Silhouette Match. At five different yardages, ten steel “critter” targets are set as follows: 200 Meters – Field Mice (“pikas”); 300 meters – Crows; 385 meters – Ground Squirrels; 500 meters – Jack Rabbits; 600 yards – Prairie Dogs.
There’s a North County Shootist Association Varmint Silhouette match this Sunday, May 1st. You’ll need a very accurate rifle, and 80-100 rounds of ammo. You can shoot either rested prone (F-Class style), from bipod, or from a wooden bench with front pedestal and rear bag. Any rifle 6.5 caliber or under is allowed, with no weight restrictions. Muzzle brakes are permitted. There’s a one-hour sight-in period starting at 8 am, and the match starts at 9 am sharp. The folks at Pala run a tight ship, cycling multiple relays efficiently, so everybody gets to shoot 50 targets (10 each at five different yardages), and the show is usually completed by 1:00 pm. (Then if you want… head over to the Pala Casino for gambling fun, or a spa treatment.) CLICK HERE for Match Info.
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April 28th, 2011
If you’re a fan of the History Channel’s Top Shot series, but you missed the season finale, don’t despair. You can watch the full episode online and see who wins $100,000 and the title of “Top Shot”. We won’t reveal any spoilers here, but we can say that some dramatic surprises will unfold as you watch.
CLICK HERE to watch the Season 2 Finale of Top Shot
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April 28th, 2011
The 2011 NRA Annual Meeting and Exhibits officially kick off tomorrow, April 29th. However, if you’ll arrive in Pittsburgh, PA early, you can occupy yourself with many interesting afternoon activities, including air gun shooting:
2:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Member registration
Registration opens this year and offers a great chance for you to take care of this early, allowing you to walk right by the line and into the convention center Friday morning.
 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Pyramid Air Air Gun Range
Pyramid’s indoor Air Gun range in the Lawrence Convention Center opens at 2 pm today. For a $1.00 fee you can shoot the latest models of air rifles, air pistols, air silhouette rifles and 10-meter running game target rifles. CLICK HERE to see all the different models available.
2:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Antique Guns & Gold Showcase
At the Guns and Gold Showcase in the Convention Center upper lobby, experts from the National Firearms Museum can evaluate your antique guns, explaining markings and appraising current market values.
5:00 pm – National NRA Foundation Banquet
This evening’s National NRA Foundation Banquet (ticket required), includes dinner, silent auctions, games, and special drawings with all proceeds going to support The NRA Foundation.
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April 26th, 2011
From April 20th through the 24th, the NBRSA conducted its National long-range Benchrest Championships at the Sac Valley Shooting Center in Sloughhouse, CA. The 600-Yard Nationals were held on April 20-21. Next was an F-Class Benchrest match on Friday the 22nd. This was followed by the two-day, 1000-yard Nationals on Saturday and Sunday, April 23-24.
Complete Match Scores (MS Word files): 600-Yard Results | 1000-Yard Results | F-Class Bench Results
Peter White was crowned the new NBRSA 600-yard Champion. Peter, who shot a 6mm BRX in both Light Gun and Heavy Gun classes, finished with 17 ranking points overall, well ahead of runner-up Greg Wilson (24 points). (In the two-gun overall ranking, fewer points are better). A highlight of this event was Bruce Bangeman’s 280-7X score, which has been logged as a potential NBRSA World Record.
Bruce Bangeman was the “Top Shot” in the NBRSA 1000-Yard Championships held on Saturday and Sunday. Bangeman won the 2-Gun Overall to be named the NBRSA 1K champion, with 23 ranking points. Bob Hoppe finished second with 26 points, and our friend Bruce Duncan of MT Guns finished third with 32 ranking points. CLICK HERE for a PDF file with complete 1000-yard results.
Despite rather blustery weather, there was a good turnout for all the events, with over 30 shooters on the line in both the 600-yard and 1000-yard Tournaments. Bruce Duncan, who finished 3rd overall in the 1K event, told us that: “Conditions were tough off and on throughout the match. We had targets blown off the board in some events. The winds were especially nasty on Sunday morning.”
600-Yard NBRSA National Championship
National 2-Gun 600yd Champion: Pete White, 17 points
2nd: Greg Wilson, 24 points
3rd: Gary Gagliono, 27 points
4th: Ken Schroeder, 33 points
5th: Jay Cutright, 34 points (tiebreaker- higher finish in 12 tgt grp)
6th: Robert Hoppe, 34 points
7th: Lou Murdica, 38 points
8th: Connie Murdica, 40 points
9th: Bruce Bangeman, 41 points
10th: John Crawford, 44 points
2 Gun Score Champion: Pete White 798 7x
2 Gun Group Champion: Jay Cutright 3.291
2011 Light Gun Score Champion: Bruce Bangeman, 280-7X (Pending World Record)
2011 Light Gun Group Champion: Jay Cutright, 2.670″
2011 Heavy Gun Score Champion: Connie Murdica, 535-3X
2011 Heavy Gun Group Champion: Jay Cutright, 3.912″
1000-Yard NBRSA National Championship
National 2-Gun 1K Champion: Bruce Bangeman, 23 points
2nd: Bob Hoppe, 26 points
3rd: Bruce Duncan, 32 points
4th: Billy Copelin, 37 points (won tiebreaker)
5th: Lou Murdica, 37 points
6th: Jay Cutright, 37 points
7th: Gary Gagliano, 42 points
8th: Greg Wilson, 44 points
9th: Curt Mendenhall, 51 points
10th: Everet Smith, 52 points
2 Gun Score Champion: Jay Cutright, 781-3X
2 Gun Group Champion: Bruce Bangeman, 8.279″
2011 Light Gun Score Champion: Gary Gagliano, 271-3X
2011 Light Gun Group Champion: Bruce Bangeman, 6.690″
2011 Heavy Gun Score Champion: Jay Cutright, 534-3X
2011 Heavy Gun Group Champion: Bruce Bangeman, 9.869″
 F-Class Benchrest Match
In addition to the 600-yard Nationals and 1K Nationals, this year the Folsom Shooting Club conducted something relatively new — an “F-Class Benchrest” event. On Friday, a benchrest match for F-Class rifles was held. This allows the F-TR guys and the F-Open shooters with their 22-pounders to shoot from a seated position. Jerry Tierney reports: “The Friday F-Class Bench match was won by Tom Price (right) with a 386. In second place was Charles Greer with a 386 with less Xs.” Jerry finished in 3rd place “with a lot more Xs but only 385 points”. The first match was fired on the F-class target. The second match was on the slightly smaller 1000-yard bench rest target.
Shooters Pick 1K Benchrest Targets for Future F-Bench Matches
There was a vote on which target to shoot on for F-Class bench match and it was a close vote. Bob Hoppe observed that any range holding an F-bench match will have the 1000-yard Benchrest targets, but may not have F-Class 1000 yard targets. Another vote was taken and the 1000-yard Benchrest targets will be used for F-Bench matches.
Match photos courtesy Lou Murdica.
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April 26th, 2011
 MidwayUSA is releasing a new series of Firearm Safety Videos. These can be viewed free at www.midwayusa.com/safety, or you can Download the Videos for later playback.
These professionally-produced, High-Def videos teach safe handling and use of firearms. Each 90-second video covers one or more Basic Firearm Safety Rules. “Firearm Safety, Gun Safety or Hunter Safety; it doesn’t matter which term you use, this is a very important topic for everyone who spends time around guns – whether as a collector, a shooter or a hunter,” says Larry Potterfield, Founder and CEO of MidwayUSA. Potterfield will announce the new Videos on Saturday, May 30, at 1:30 pm at the NRA Annual Meeting in Pittsburg, PA.
MidwayUSA VIDEO Downloads: Right click and “save as” to download to your computer.
All videos are in Movie (MOV) format. The latest version of QuickTime Player is required to play videos. Download QuickTime Player Now »
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April 25th, 2011
Selection from BARNES BULLETS’ Tips, Tools, and Techniques
by Ty Herring, Barnes Consumer Service
The purpose of this month’s Tip from Barnes is to make you aware of valid pressure signs in most centerfire rifle cartridges so you can keep yourself out of hot water. Following the Barnes Manual should do exactly that. Below are photos of cartridges that definitely had too much pressure. Fortunately [they] were fired in controlled circumstances and no one was injured. But this shows what can happen if you are not careful….
 High-Tech Pressure Testing Equipment
At Barnes Bullets, we use some of the best equipment when we develop load data for you. Ours is state-of-the-art with a specialized “conformal” pressure system. This set-up uses a high-tech SAAMI-spec pressure barrel with a hole bored into the chamber area and a piezoelectric transducer is installed. As the pressure peaks under firing, the gauge that is specially calibrated reads the pressure and sends a signal to the control box where a technician can see the results.
For many years hand loaders have used the old fashioned trial and error method, hoping that by adding another grain of powder you don’t blow yourself up. Certain “guidelines” have been the standard — such as when the primer gets flat, or when the bolt locks up — you should stop and reduce the charge. These methods have worked for many, but some of them are more myth than reality. I’d like to go over some of these common pressure signs to help you avoid the pitfalls.
Pressure Signs That May Be Unreliable or Deceptive
When I first started hand loading centerfire rifle cartridges, I was told that when the primer flattens I should back the load down. This is one of those semi-myths. Some primers will flatten under high pressure and others will not. I’ve had some Remington primers that have blown right out of the case without ever showing any sign of flattening and on the other hand I’ve had Winchester primers that flatten with only a starting charge. I believe this to be a function of the thickness and hardness of the primer cup. The other myth that seems common is primer “cratering”. Cratering of the primer can be caused by a hot load. But it can also be a result of a slightly large firing pin hole in the bolt or a firing pin that is a bit too long or excessive headspace. Split or cracked cases are another area where it’s assumed that high pressure is the cause. Again this is only myth. Although it can be a result of high pressure — split or cracked cases are more likely caused due to a flaw in the case, improper head space or just simply from being sized and fired repetitively.
[Editor’s Note: Flattened Primers, Primer Cratering, and Cracked Cases CAN DEFINITELY BE CAUSED by excessive pressure. Accordingly, you SHOULD be careful when you see any of these conditions. If you see very flat primers or deep cratering be alerted that you may have exceeded safe pressures. Ty Herring simply makes the point that these telltale pressure signs may sometimes occur even when pressure levels are “normal” or moderate — due to the presence of other problems. Hence these indicators may be misleading. Nonetheless — all these signs (flattened primers, cratered primers, split cases) CAN be valid warnings. If you see these conditions, exercise caution because you may, in fact, have excessively hot loads.]
Valid Pressure Signs You Should Understand
So what are valid pressure signs? I’d say the most common and repeatable pressure sign that one can visually see is the “ejector groove mark”. It shows itself on the bottom of the case [between the edge of the rim and] the primer. It is caused when the pressures within the chamber force the case against the bolt face. On most bolt faces there is a round spring loaded ejector pin. On others there is a rectangular groove to eject the spent round. Under very high pressure the brass case will flow into this groove thereby causing the “ejector groove mark”. If and when you see this mark, it is a sure sign of high pressure. Some of the new high pressure cartridges such as the WSMs are made to run at these higher pressures and some factory loads will manifest the ejector groove mark even though they are within their pressure specification.
Older-Generation Cartridges
Some cartridges have very low maximum pressure ratings such as the 45-70, 30-30, 416 Rigby along with many others that will never show an ejector groove mark. Or should I say, they should never show one. By the time you reach that high of pressure in one of these rifles, it is likely the gun will be in pieces and the bolt may become part of you.
Sticky Bolt Lift and Difficult Extraction
Another common and very real high pressure sign is heavy or sticky bolt lift or extraction. This is caused due to the brass flowing and swelling in the chamber under tremendous pressure. However heavy bolt lift is not always a sign of high pressure. It may be caused by a variety of other issues. Knowing your gun and how it usually extracts a cartridge will be a clue as to whether or not you are actually getting high pressure.
This article appears courtesy Barnes Bullets. The article originally appear in the June 2011 Barnes Bullet-N Newsletter. Story tip from Edlongrange.
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April 24th, 2011
A couple seasons back, Gunsmith Richard Franklin and his shooting partner Roy both achieved a varmint hunter’s dream — nailing a groundhog at 1000+ yards. The guns that did it were two of Richard’s 300 Varminters. These are 300 WSMs that push a 125gr bullet through 32″, 15-twist barrels to achieve velocities approaching 4000 fps. Here is Richard’s report, condensed for the Bulletin.
The 1005-Yard Groundhog Adventure, by Richard Franklin
September 20th found Roy and I on our last groundhog hunt of the year. Bow season for Deer begins Oct. 4th and we wanted time to ready ourselves. Roy had killed 99 hogs so far this year and I had killed 97. In the morning, we headed over to the Overstreet farm leased by our good friend Richard Ruff. We set up the shooting trailer on top of a hill where we had a good view of several brush piles around the pasture. In the first ten minutes Roy put a hog in the air about four feet at 497 yards with his 300 Varminter, giving Roy an even 100 hogs for the year. I shot hogs at 180 yards, 506 yards, and 456 yards. That gave me a total of 100 for the year.
 Then we decided to go up to Danny’s and Bill’s hard rock dairy farm. We set up on the top of a high hill and shoot over the farm buildings to another mountain where there is a huge pasture with large rock piles. We scanned this pasture for about an hour and a half. Roy has a pair of Ziess 8-power binocs and I use a pair of the Leica 10-power Geovids with built-in laser rangefinder. I also have a “Big Eyes” set-up — two 22-power Kowa spotting scopes mounted on a bracket and used on a sturdy tripod. After some time searching the field for hogs and seeing none, we decided to pack up and go to a farm owned by Donnie Campbell. Over the years we have shot many a hog here. Roy once shot one here at 905 yards and my longest shot on this farm was 714 yards. Most kills here are made at over 400 yards. There’s a perfect place to shoot hogs from a single firing position. At the back property line was a big hill about 400 feet higher than the surrounding pastures and we could see and shoot about 200 degrees around us all the way out to 1,200 yards.
Setting Up the 1005-yard Shot
I had the first shot and nailed an easy one at about 140 yards. He was thinking he was hidden from view. Wrong! BLAM…POOF. Roy nailed a hog at 469 yards under an old pear tree. Roy nailed another hog at 522 yards by a big log pile where we had killed about ten hogs this summer. Roy was looking through the Big Eyes and called out, “Hey Rich…I got you one way over there on the next farm by the edge of the woods.” I ranged the hog with the Geovids four times, registering 1003, 1007, 1006 and 1005 yards. I decided on the 1005 as the distance. Checking my chart, I clicked up to 18 and 1/4 minutes. We had a very stiff wind blowing left to right. I have a Nightforce 8-32 power scope with the MLR reticle. I held the fourth windage dot and touched one off. I see the bullet strike nearly in line with the hog but low. I click up another minute and a half making a total of 19 3/4 minutes. Roy is watching all this through the Big Eyes and can see better than I can. He confirms where the first bullet strike was. I hold the same windage and touch off another round in my Bat-actioned, 32″, 15-twist Bartlein-barreled 300 Varminter. The hog was standing up for this shot. Through the scope I see the bullet’s vapor trail going straight for the hog. I lost the vapor trail before the bullet got there but I saw the hog flip over.
Hot damn, what a shot! After Roy shakes my hand and slaps me on the back, I walk over to the Big Eyes for a better look. “Roy, there’s another hog trying to fight that dead one,” I say. This hog (evidently both are males) is biting and dragging the dead hog. He is really going at it. Both hogs were evidently eating fallen acorns from the huge White Oak tree at the edge of the woods.
Roy Gets His Chance
I tell Roy, “Get up there on your bench and try that hog, I’ll spot for you.” Roy clicks up to 19 1/2 minutes and holds three feet for windage. Roy lets it go and I see the vapor trail going in on the hog. It hits a foot to the right and low. “Hey Roy”, I say, “click up two more minutes and hold one more foot of wind.” The hog ran in under the tree at the bullet’s impact but was back within 30 seconds. Roy is now clicked up and lets the second round go. I see the vapor trail dropping in on the hog but the bullet impacts dead in line, but still a bit low. “Roy — give it another minute and a half and hold the same wind”. I can hear Roy furiously working the bolt and chambering another round, then POW, and I see the vapor trail again. It looks like it’s gonna be in the middle of the hog but it drops right in under his neck, nearly hitting him. The hog vacates back under the tree for an instant but decides he is winning the fight against the dead hog and comes right back. Roy lets the fourth round go with the same hold as the last shot. I see the vapor trail of the 125 grain Ballistic Tip dropping right in on the hog, catching him perfectly in the shoulder. The live hog flips up and falls on top of the dead hog, his tail coming up stiff as a poker as he flags us that he is instantly dead.
Two 1000+ Yard Hits. A Record for Roy, Near-Record for Richard.
This was Roy’s longest shot ever. His previous record was 905 yards. This was my second longest shot, as I had killed a hog at 1018 yards seven years ago about 40 miles from this spot. I tell Roy that I’m putting up my hog rifle for the year. I’ll let this long shot register in my memory as the last Groundhog kill of 2008. Roy says “That’s fine, I’m gonna do the same.” Hog hunting is officially over for 2008. Now it’s time for Deer.
CLICK HERE to Visit Richard Franklin’s website and learn more about this ‘Hog hunt.
[Editor’s Note: Richard’s rifle has a BAT action and is able to drive the 125 Nosler at about 3975 fps. Roy has a Remington action on his 300 Varminter. The Rem doesn’t take high pressures as well as the BAT, so Roy’s load is down-loaded to about 3825 fps. Roy also uses a “boosted” Leupold rather than a Nightforce. Because of the difference in scopes, and the lower velocity, Roy needed more elevation clicks to reach the 1005-yard distance.]
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