brotherjack
09-09-2008, 02:41 PM
It's that time again, time to dig out the rifles and make sure they're ready to go for opening day.
I've got enough rounds downrange in the Tikka T3 that I'm declaring it ready to hunt at any range inside 300 yards. I really would like another hundred rounds or so downrange, but given that the last 30 rounds went spot-on where they were supposed to (give or take less than 3/4 of an inch), not to mention another 50 rounds of handloads before that held down around 2 inch or less at 100 meters before I reached a load that would go 1.25 inches consistently, so I'm confident enough in it. So, The Wife(tm) has a gun to pack with her opening day that won't throw her back out (and she was shooting beautifully with it the other day at the range), so, check gun number one.
Me, I'm once again packing my old 303 Enfield. That's not a bad thing - I've shot all but one of the big game animals I've ever shot in my life with this rifle (and they all died really-dang-fast), and if you asked me to hit something 300 yards away, of all the guns I own, this is the one I'd grab to do it with. I've shot it enough to trust that bullets number 1 and 2 from a cold barrel will go approximately in the same hole if I do my part, and bullet number 3 from the now warm barrel will be about 1.25 inches to the right of the first two. Man, this gun is ugly and heavy, but I do like it despite myself. Check gun number two.
OK, nuff of that. Long story short - The Wife(tm) and I are ready to fling some lead tomorrow morning, should the critters co-operate. :)
I've got enough rounds downrange in the Tikka T3 that I'm declaring it ready to hunt at any range inside 300 yards. I really would like another hundred rounds or so downrange, but given that the last 30 rounds went spot-on where they were supposed to (give or take less than 3/4 of an inch), not to mention another 50 rounds of handloads before that held down around 2 inch or less at 100 meters before I reached a load that would go 1.25 inches consistently, so I'm confident enough in it. So, The Wife(tm) has a gun to pack with her opening day that won't throw her back out (and she was shooting beautifully with it the other day at the range), so, check gun number one.
Me, I'm once again packing my old 303 Enfield. That's not a bad thing - I've shot all but one of the big game animals I've ever shot in my life with this rifle (and they all died really-dang-fast), and if you asked me to hit something 300 yards away, of all the guns I own, this is the one I'd grab to do it with. I've shot it enough to trust that bullets number 1 and 2 from a cold barrel will go approximately in the same hole if I do my part, and bullet number 3 from the now warm barrel will be about 1.25 inches to the right of the first two. Man, this gun is ugly and heavy, but I do like it despite myself. Check gun number two.
OK, nuff of that. Long story short - The Wife(tm) and I are ready to fling some lead tomorrow morning, should the critters co-operate. :)