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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.]
April 1st, 2011
 A recent scientific discovery in Washington State suggests that North America once harbored large colonies of giant, man-sized rodents — distant cousins to today’s prairie dogs. Earlier this month, while searching for dinosaur fossils, a field team of Yale University paleontologists uncovered a startling find — the skull of a massive prehistoric rodent, along with other skeletal remains.
The skull, nearly the size of a horse’s head, is almost identical in form to the skull of a modern-era prairie dog, though it is is more than 50 times as large. Apparently today’s Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs had some very large predecessors. Based on the size of the skull and other bones, scientists estimate that the giant prairie dogs could stand up to 7′ tall and weigh up to 350 pounds. In other words, this critter was man-sized. The giant rodents lived much like modern prairie dogs do today — grazing on vegetation and nesting underground in burrows. The giant skull was unearthed in Washington’s Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve. View More: Mima Mounds Aerial photo.
Mystery of Mima Mounds Finally Solved
Southwest of Seattle, near Littlerock, Washington, you’ll find the Mima Mounds, a vast field of clustered earthen mounds covering over 600 acres. Since their discovery (by whites) in the 18th century, the Mima Mounds have confounded scientific explanation — until now that is. The location of the giant prairie dog skull and bones inside one of the Mima Mounds indicates, with great certainty, that the mound field was created by a large colony of giant burrowing rodents. Scientists now believe that the Mima Mounds area is a prehistoric prairie dog field, created by the creatures scientists have nicknamed “Big Dogs”.
 NW Indian Legends Spoke of Giant Prairie Dogs
The presence of the giant prairie dogs at Mima Mounds is confirmed by Northwestern Indian legends describing a giant burrowing beast that stood as tall as a man, when raised on its hind legs. Researchers, who transcribed oral histories of the Sauk-Suiattle tribe, have recorded numerous references to a large, man-sized creature that burrowed underground. In the Suiattle language the beast was called “Chok-lahtle-wachook”, which, literally translated, means “Standing Man-Mouse”. A number of ancient Indian carvings and artifacts have depicted this creature (see photo at right), but cultural historians had not understood their significance. For decades the historians presumed Chok-lahtle-wachook was a wholly fictional man-beast, not a real species. Such mythical hybrid creatures are commonly revered as important totemic spirits by many Native American cultures. However, it now appears that Chok-lahtle-wachook really existed, and did so in great numbers.
Can Science Revive the Giant Prairie Dog?
The discovery of the giant prairie dog has electrified the scientific community because it appears that bone samples may contain recoverable DNA. And that means — you guessed it — there is a small chance that Chok-lahtle-wachook could be cloned. Geneticist Amy Moorwall of the Univ. of Washington explains: “These are not 100-million-year-old dinosaur bones. This creature lived in relatively recent times, so there is much more genetic material remaining that hasn’t completely fossilized. Initial inspection of bone marrow samples suggest that there may be viable, complete DNA strands that could be recovered. If that’s true, this could be one of our first opportunities to revive an extinct species.”
 Varmint Hunters Hope for Successful Cloning
Could Chok-lahtle-wachook once again stand tall upon America’s prairies through the application of modern genetic cloning technology? If so, that would be exciting news for the nation’s hunting community. Varmint hunting is hugely popular in North America, and the possibility of bagging a man-sized prairie dog would be a dream come true for avid varminters. Ryan Stanley of the Varmint Hunters’ Association (VHA) told us that his members hope that the giant prairie dog could be cloned successfully: “The VHA would definitely support a cloning effort. I bet we could raise the money to do it. Many of our members spend countless days, over many seasons, trying to earn a 1000-yard patch, signifying a confirmed varmint kill at 1000 yards. Getting that patch, for a varminter, is like a baseball player making it into Cooperstown. Needless to say, if VHA members have a chance to shoot at a 7-foot-tall, 300-pound varmint, instead of a puny little prairie dog, many more of our members will finally earn their 1000-yard patch.”
March 27th, 2011
 For 2011, Champion® Traps and Targets offers new 3D and printed targets. For fans of reactive targets, Champion now sells bright “Radiation Green” versions of its single and triple varmint spinner targets. These auto-resetting targets wobble or spin on impact to indicate positive hits. The targets are made from a self-healing DuraSeal polymer than can take hundreds of hits. (The smaller the bullet, the longer the target life.) The new day-glo green color really is eye-catching, even at long range. That’s because flourescent or “dayglo” colors not only absorb and convert light energy of the dominant wavelength, but also the wavelengths of ultraviolet rays and other colors lower in the visible spectrum. As a result, your eye perceives a far more intense color. More INFO.
In addition to reactive targets, Champion offers a wide selection of printed targets, including 100 and 200-yard benchrest targets. New for 2011 are “X-Ray” animal targets and Insect Targets. The X-Ray targets display the bone structure and heart/lung position of game animals. These will surely be popular with hunters, as will a new line of “Critter” targets with 5 different realistic animals in a 10-pack. Precision shooters looking for a change from standard bullseye-targets should have fun with the new Bug and Fly Precision Targets. We like shooting the Fly Paper target at 50 yards with our rimfire rifles.
CLICK HERE to view the new X-Ray Animal Targets, Critter Targets, and Precision Insect targets.
March 2nd, 2011
Winchester is producing four new types of rimfire ammunition for 2011. Three of the four products should be of great interest to varminters, with new high velocity, high expansion, and lead-free designs. Winchester is also introducing its M-22 bulk pack .22LR ammo, designed for use in mag-fed semi-autos.
Varmint HV in .22 Magnum Rimfire
SPECS: 30gr tipped V-Max bullet, 2250 FPS
The Winchester Varmint HV line of .22 WMR ammo has proven very popular, and this year Winchester adds a new version for varminters who prefer a plastic-tipped bullet. The latest Varmint HV round features the accurate and explosive 30gr V-Max bullet. With a V-Max loaded to an impressive 2250 fps, this gives you near 17HMR velocity, with a heavier bullet for added hitting power.
Varmint HE 3-in-1 Segmented .22LR
SPECS: 37gr plated HP, 1435 FPS
The unique 3-in-1 segment design, exclusive to Winchester, features a 37gr plated HP fragmenting expansion bullet pushed at 1435 fps. This “progammed” hollow-point bullet fragments into three forward segments, plus a solid rear core that gives more penetration (and energy). “Without a doubt, Varmint HE ammunition provides explosive impact,” said Brett Flaugher, Winchester’s Marketing VP. “The 3/1 segmenting design makes this product truly innovative, but unlike other high-energy bullets on the market, our new 3/1 fragmenting design allows initial impact shock, and deep penetration resulting in maximum terminal effect.”
Varmint LF (Lead-Free) 17 HMR
SPECS: 15.5gr NXT tipped lead-free bullet, 2550 FPS
For 2011, Winchester is introducing a new 17HMR version of its popular Lead-Free (LF) rimfire ammo. The new 17HMR LF shoots a lightweight, 15.5gr tipped NXT bullet at a blistering 2550 fps, making this some of the highest-velocity rimfire ammo you can buy. Along with the new 17MHR LF, Winchester’s LF rimfire line includes lead-free .22 WMR and .22LR LF ammo.
M-22 Ammo for .22LR Tactical Trainers
SPECS: 40gr, Blackened Copper-plated Lead Bullet, 1255 FPS
New this year is Winchester’s M-22 line of affordable .22LR ammo. This is designed to function well in large-capacity stick magazines. If you are shooting one of the .22LR tactical-style semi-autos such as Smith & Wesson’s MP15-22, this ammo would be a good choice. It features a blackened, copper-plated 40gr lead bullet, and is available in 1000-count bulk packs.
Winchester Product Demo Page
NOTE: To watch video, use scroll bars to move to right, then click on “VIDEOS” in top red navigation bar. Or, CLICK HERE to view page in new window.
February 18th, 2011
The Varmint Hunters Association (VHA) has expanded its online store so now you can purchase clothing, hats, coasters, mugs, license plate frames, belt-buckles, and other small gift items. As before, you can still order official VHA patches and purchase back-issues of Varmint Hunter Magazine. To order any VHA product or clothing item, visit the VHA online store at VarmintHunter.org/shop/.
Here are some clothing items we liked:
And here are some gift and miscellaneous items:
February 14th, 2011
Barry O. (aka “TheBlueEyedBear”) is a long-time AccuateShooter Forum member and friend of the site. Each year he manages to acquire another good-looking, great shooting rifle. In 2009 he took delivery of an amazing 4000 fps 300 WSM varminter, and for 2010 he put together a fantastic 6mm Super LR long-range varminter on a BAT SV action. Barry actually sourced many of the components for his new rifle through our AccurateShooter Forum Free Classifieds. CLICK HERE to read all about Barry’s new BAT-Actioned varmint rifle, the latest in our popular Gun of the Week Series.
CLICK Photo to Read Full Story
The Richard Franklin walnut LowRider stock (above) for Barry’s new rifle came from fellow Forum member “Preacher”, who also did most of the metal work. The gun is chambered as a 6mm Super LR. This is a 30°, long-necked wildcat based on the .243 Winchester parent case. The 6mm Super LR was developed by Robert Whitley, who wanted something similar to the 6XC, but with “more boiler room” to push the 115s comfortably at 2950-3050 fps.
The 6mm Super LR wildcat is easy to make. Robert Whitley figured out how to reform domestic .243 Win brass with one simple pass through a Redding 6mm Super LR full-length sizing die. Robert has commissioned these dies from Redding. He’s got them in stock right now. Call Robert at (215) 348-8789 to order. You can learn more about the 6mm Super LR on Whitley’s www.6mmAR.com website.
February 10th, 2011
Vortex is an up-and-coming optics maker that has made great strides in recent years. Vortex scopes, spotting scopes and binoculars offer excellent value for the dollar. This year, at SHOT Show, Vortex unveiled its new Viper HS series of scopes, with 30mm tubes and 4X magnification ranges. We checked out the new Viper HS 4-16×50 LR (Long Range) model. This features an exposed elevation turret with Vortex’s CRS zero stop. The 4-16 Viper HS offers 75 MOA of elevation travel (24 MOA per revolution).
 Order Custom-Calibrated Elevation Turret Caps
One thing we really liked about the new Viper series of scopes is the availability of custom elevation turret caps. For about $100.00, Vortex will craft a elevation turret cap with range markings custom-calibrated for the ballistics of your load in your rifle. As explained in the video below, you can go to the Vortex website, and input your MV, bullet BC, altitude and other load variables. Then, using the custom elevation turret cap, simply dial in your target range, and hold ‘dead on’.
New Viper HS 1-4x24mm with TMCQ Reticle
The growing popularity of multi-gun competition has spurred interest in compact, zoom scopes that can switch from a wide-angle, zero magnification view for close work to four- or five-power magnification for long-range stages. Vortex Optics has developed a new scope that should work well for 3-Gun carbines, as well as dangerous game hunting rifles. The Viper HS 1-4x24mm with the TMCQ (Tactical Milling Close Quarter) reticle features a 30mm main tube and built-in illumination with 10 intensity levels with an off position between each setting.
February 9th, 2011
Southpaws rejoice. For 2011, Browning has added left-hand versions of its handsome X-bolt Medallion, Hunter, and Micro-Hunter models. All left-hand X-bolts feature a glass-bedded action, left bolt with 60° bolt lift (and top-tang safety), free-floated button-rifled barrel, adjustable trigger (3-5 lbs.), and detachable rotary magazine. These are nice hunting rifles — sleek with some very nice features. The Medallions, in particular, are very pretty rifles — with their Rosewood fore-end tips and pistol grip caps. The X-Bolts are made in Japan by Miroku, a company renowned for high-quality fit and finish (Miroku also makes Browning’s Citori shotguns).
Browning will offer left-hand X-bolts in a wide selection of chamberings: .223 Rem, 22-250, .243 Win, 7mm-08, .308 Win, .25-06, .270 Win, .280 Rem, .30-06 Springfield, 7mm Rem Mag, 300 Win Mag, 338 Win Mag, 300 WSM, 270 WSM, 7mm WSM, 325 WSM.
CLICK HERE for Browning X-Bolt Interactive Page (with Videos).
Details of Browning X-Bolt Safety System
FREE Jacket with X-Bolt purchase
As an added incentive, Browning is giving away a FREE handsome wind-cutter jacket to all purchasers of a new X-Bolt rifle. Here’s how it works…. Purchase any new Browning X-Bolt Rifle at retail between February 1, 2011 and May 31, 2011 and Browning will send you a Special Edition X-Bolt Soft Shell Jacket, valued at $150.00. This zip-front jacket is wind- and water-resistant, with a warm fleece lining, zippered pockets, and a stand-up collar. It’s embroidered with both the Browning Buckmark and X-Bolt logos. Not valid with any other offer or promotion.
Download X-Bolt Free Jacket Promo Coupon
Story Sourced by Edlongrange.
January 29th, 2011
 GS Custom Bullets has been producing high-quality hunting and target bullets in South Africa since 1993. GS Custom Bullets specializes in monometal solids. For hunters, the GS solids have proven extremely effective on game animals, including the biggest species on the African continent. The GS match bullets are CNC-machined to very exacting tolerances, offering superior concentricity and uniformity. The large match bullets feature drive bands for reduced engraving force, and an extremely slippery shape for exceptionally high ballistic coefficients. GS has made a special 1,100-grain 50-caliber projectile that has a calculated G1 BC of 1.85! This bullet, launched at 3400 fps, can stay supersonic out to 4,000 meters — that’s 2.49 miles!
Gerard Schultz, founder of GS Custom Bullets, holds a number of patents on his bullet designs. Currently GS Custom is selling to the American market through its South African website, GSCustom.co.ZA. However, this year GS Custom hopes to expand production to North America, starting a production facility in the USA. The North American effort will be lead by Gerard Schultz’s daughter, Gina, and her husband Anthony. They can be contacted through GSCustomUSA.com. We met with Gina and Anthony at SHOT Show in Las Vegas and learned more about these remarkable bullet designs. The video is worth watching. These are no ordinary bullets.
January 29th, 2011
At Media Day, held prior to SHOT Show 2011, we had the chance to try out the D.O.A. Tactical Shooting Bench. The sturdy D.O.A. bench, selected by Media Day organizers, is also used by military organizations, including the USMC, the U.S. Army Sniper Training Schools, and the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). These benches are made in Utah by D.O.A. Tactical, a USMC Veteran-owned company. During Media Day, the D.O.A. benches provided a solid base for our limited shooting sessions. They seemed well-built and solid. D.O.A. portable benches start at $475.00 (less shipping), but prices are slated to increase on February 1, 2011. To place an order before the price hikes, contact D.O.A. at (760) 953-9067.
The video below shows how quickly and easily a D.O.A. bench can be assembled and deployed.
Story Sourced by Edlongrange.
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