Lets see it!!!!!

Holy Smokes Koa! you and Jedi are some top notch bad ass shooters, and your rifles (and ammo) must be Cherry'd to the max, custom heavy barrels I assume, and then the actions are likely trued as well? I am amazed guys, really, I'm blown away - Sorry to say I never made any handloads but have heard how superior they are to factory rounds. You prove it. It is inspiring to see your target pics. I dig this stuff a lot, have heard of rounds like the Ackley Improved, and figure it must be a wildcat like the weatherby's , but I am most familiar with more common calibers, 308 being one of them. Sounds like a 300 yard headshot kill on a deer would be very doable for you guys and your firearms and custom ammo. I would only go for a head shot inside of 100, but I am in a much lower league. Though shots 300-600 up here in Alaska are common and luckily the vitals are larger than 6", so at 600 yards if you can shoot MOA then the critter is gonna have his day ruined with one shot. I once measured a bull moose vitals kill zone (in a vertical line down his side) and it was 27" from top (at spine by his hump), down to the bottom edge of his heart. So I figure if a guy can shoot groups within a 2 foot circle, even out at 600 yards, then he can bring home the bacon from long range when moose hunting. My personal best many years ago with factory ammo targeting was 10.5" at 600 with a 5 shot group. Not even MOA, and Nothing near the splittin hairs, cloverleafs and same holes that you guys are doing, but good enough for an efficient kill on big game larger than a small deer. Comparably though, these days I have limited myself to using archery tackle for an added challenge, and I shoot extreme long range effectively for using a bow. I pride myself in one shot kills. I commonly take big game between 60-70 yards with one arrow, one small blacktail buck at a laser rangefinder measured 72 yards double lunged. I have no rifle target pics to share, but I'll post a pic of a previous set of robin hooded arrows from a couple years ago that I hit from exactly 60 yards. I practice avidly out to 80 before big hunting trips. In this one case, my first arrow hit about an inch to the right of the bull at 60 yards, then the second arrow hit the "same hole", when I got up there I saw only one arrow in the target and when I pulled it out it ended coming out and coming out and coming out, and being twice as long with the two stuck together. It kinda sucks to ruin spendy arrows, but it sure makes me feel confident in my group size, for arrows that it. I often don't shoot many arrows in a group because I get tired of having to fix my arrows from all the fletchings and nocks that get chipped off from the first arrow being hit by one that follows it. Rarely do they hit perfect dead center. Anyhow, here's another pic, and mahaloz for postin the target pics, you guys are expert marksmen by far. You guys really get down to business. Way cool! Wish I could do that, but I kinda do with the bow. You guys inspire me.
Cheers,
AK Andy

Hey Andy,

Just curious, where and who you going hunting with on Kauai when you come? Good luck on getting a pig too! Hope you get a good one.

Howzit Kauai808?
My closest friend there is Robert Cremer of Kapa'a.
I sometimes hunt down NaPali, sometimes stay up Koke'e.
Sometimes been lucky enough to go hunt with a few other various guys - dog n knife.
I stay at a friend Billy Lane's house off Koolau rd near Kilauea area up from Anahola.
Where you stay?
AK Andy

Andy that is some great shooting! I have been shooting bows for almost twenty years and have never shot a Robin Hood. I have knocked the nocks off of arrows before but never had one.
I too am in to bow hunting more so now for hunting than rifles. As a former USMC 8541 I now enjoy the challenge of seeing how close I can get to something and get a shot off without being seen. There is nothing like waiting there with your bow at full draw for 5 minutes with a deer standing 9 yds away , sweat rolling down your forehead and into your eyes while in the middle of winter, waiting for a animal to position itself for a clean shot. It is what HUNTING is all about.


May the force be with you.

Cal

Howzit Bradda Andy, Sorry been in the mountains and the phone reception aint to hot!

AWESOME SHOOTING MY FRIEND!!! In my eyes its hell of a lot harder to do that with a bow than a rifle especially at the yardages youre shooting at. I love hunting and shooting bow but havent done it in awhile only a couple times since shattering my elbow yrs ago. But as you said we shot alot everyday actually from after school till sundown and sometimes by carlight jus couldnt get enough shooting in. In the beginning it was exciting to be hitting knocks off and slicing off fletching and Robin hoods but damn after awhile it was humbug like you said so we started shooting diff targets each shot LOL! Like you said most if not all the robin hoods I had were field tips cant remember one with a broadhead thats even harder and HATS OFF TO YA, THATS JUST AWESOME SHOOTING!!!

About the rifle shooting yeah I kinda like the AI's Nosler standardized the 280 AI a few yrs ago and offer rifles chambered in this caliber. They also offer formed 280 AI brass as well. The weatherby's were wildcats long ago but they too were standardized long ago although there are still a few that are still wildcatted but they are so close ballistcly to std ones that it makes more sense to go that route but some just like to be different and thats all good too. Yeah nothing at all wrong with std calibers love um just the same just like different things too once in awhile. Thats why the wildcats have always intrigued me they were different then what you normally hear about and for some of them the ballistics are just amazing. Like the big .338's and .375's but as in everything it must all come together, just recently better .375 bullets are being made and hopefullly more production take place so that that caliber can be used to its full potential ballistically. Then you need a case big enough to make these big boys move etc etc. you get the pic and thats the joy of it all tinkering looking for the better mouse trap LOL!

Jedi, again thanks for your service I was with the 4th Force Reconaissance Co (-) here at K-Bay but damn you held a very special billet my friend and to me among the very best of our armed forces glad to have met you...electronically anyway

Aloha!

HOwzit Cal and Koa, Mahalos to both you guys for your service, I am much obliged for that. I have really enjoyed the ballistics and accuracy talk too. I hope to go hunt deer soon before season closes at the end of the month. I got a nice small spike buck last week and gave it to my neighbor. He has 5 kids to feed and my freezer is pretty full, like usual. I will also keep practicing constantly until I come to hunt HI in a couple months. Hoping to keep my muscle tone and form consistent , so if I get lucky to get close enough to a nice fat hog then hopefully I did all I could do to prepare so my arrow will hit it's mark.
My hat's off to you guys,
Merry Christmas to you and all the guys on the website who talk story and share info with a malihini like me,
AK Andy

Aloha Bradda Andy,

Congrats on your deer, did you take it with your bow?

Its awesome that you did that to help out that guy and his family hats off to ya! I just gave a bunch of smoke meat to a co-worker as well it always feel good to give than to recieve for me. goodluck on your future hunts damn I wish deer season here last a longtime too LOL! Wish you the best when youre on Kauai I think you'll be fine as far as shooting goes I think those animals best be runnin for cover or maybe start investing in some flak jackets LOL!!!

Ive really enjoyed talking story about guns and ballistics as well I truly enjoy the hunting and shooting sports and dont get to talk about it much so its good to talk story once in awhile.

Heres the 280 AI:


Aloha and a Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Hey Koa,
Sorry it took me so long to reply, been off work and busy with the holidaze - Happy New year!
That's one nice looking rifle! That stock is beautiful to say the least. I was just reading an article about upcoming popular caliber rifles and the author talked most about 284s and the 280 AI. So it seems the 284 is based on a 308, and the 280 AI is a necked down 30-06.
Looks like a nice SS barrel? I am curious if you have a preference for custom barrels brand names? Like Shilen, or Bergara, or if you ever tried one of these fiber wrapped Christensen's? I am also curious if you use any of the new multiplex reticle scopes?
Aloha
AK Andy

Picked up a plinker today for the Wahine and Boy. I figure just about every gun safe needs at least one 10-22 so I noticed they were on sale at Sports Athority and picked one up for $200.00
Gonna have fun with this one seeing as they make about as much accessories for them as a friggin Honda. I would post a pic but I think everybody knows what a Ruger 10-22 looks like.
I was looking at the .17 HMR and was going to get that, but after figuring in the price of ammo and the fact they are not on sale any longer I went with the .22
Come this Saturday at the range, the first few shots I should feel like a kid again.

Aloha Bradda Andy,

No worries my bradda its all good!

Yeah the .284 is seeing a resurgence its smaller children are more popular especially the 6.5x284 very accurate round but it and the 6x284 are known to be barrel burners. Therefore some choose other calibers and the parent round the 284 has a loyal following among some shooters. From a pure hunting standpoint the barrel would last a lot longer than those who use it for match shooting disciplines. But these are best built on long actions that way you can maximize case capacity and load the bullets long Bergers,A-Max's,SMK's and VLD's like the bergers are very long bullets. If you were to build on a short action you would have to single load it.

As far barrel's go I like most of the premium barrel makers barrels, ive used: Hart,Lilja,Broughton,Krieger,Rock,Bartlein,Brux,Douglas,Shilen,Satern,Chanlynn? (sp) the major difference is that some are button rifled and some are cut rifled. The 280 AI has a Krieger on it. They have all shot very well my best barrel has been a Hart. Some also offer different rifling meaning the lands are not flat and square like conventional rifling they have canted lands now that they offer. I really like the interrupted fluting offered by Hart Barrels and Brux.

I have no experience with Bergara barrels only what I see in mags etc so I have no first hand experience. I have shot and had rifles with christensen barrels but I didnt personally like them. On the other hand Ive owned ABS carbon wrapped barrels with a rock liner and those were awesome shooters I would recommend this barrel way over a christensen just my opinion.

Howzit Bradda Dave,

Right on!!! Yeah you'll have fun with that 22 it does have more accessories than a wahines make-up drawer LOL!!!

Good on you congrats and make some lasting memories with your Ohana.

Aloha,

Bradda Muns

Andy,

Sorry I forgot to answer your question about scopes. Yes, I have and have used some multi-plex scopes Nightforce with NP-R1 and Mildot, Schmidt and Bender Mildot, Schmidt and Bender with a ART Reticle by Darrel Holland, IOR Valdada with MP-8 reticle this and the NF NP-R1 are very similar also Nikon BDC and Mildot.

Aloha,

Bradda Muns

Well I managed a few reloads and was very pleased with the results.
I went to the range last week to shoot a few rounds sighting in my Savage 30-06. I shot about 10 factory loads and they didn't really group all that great so I gave my hand loads a try. I loaded 6 rounds with 150 Gr. tips and used 45.6 Gr. of IMR 4064. They flew great!
This is @ 100 Yds. 5 shot group off the bench with a bag.
It rained today so I went crazy in the man cave loading some different combos for the next trip to the range. I can't wait to try em out along with a new bi-pod I got for the savage.

Looks good Bradda Dave right on man thats how to get it done

Dont for get to post pics of da range report...Au'ryte!!!

Your group looks good as the vertical is almost non existant just the horizontal stringing how was the wind that day at the range sometimes that place can blow.

1 last thing what is the shot sequence of the group meaning what shot is #1 #2 #3 etc if you know it then I would like to know but if not no worries.

Aloha and let da addiction begin

PS I get one extra 30-06 Modified case if you like um lemme know...Shoots!

UpFront, thats some nice grouping there with your -06. Like KOA said there is no vertical stringing only horizontal. If I may make a suggestion, the horizontal stringing doesnt really look like wind, because of the tite group. I think it is trigger control. Something that helps with that is lots and lots of dry firing, which doesnt cost a dime. Practice your breathing and squeezing that trigger. When the trigger breaks it should be unexpected and suprise you. This can be done in your back yard you dont need a hundred yards to do this just a target you can safely point at. When you are looking thru the scope with the crosshairs on the target and the trigger breaks your crosshairs shouldnt move from the target. This I would think would stop the horizontal stringing. This is just my .02 cents. Good luck and good shooting.

May the force be with you,


Cal

Yeah Cal, your right on the money. I was checking through the scope with a snap can and the reticle is moving slightly when I pull the trigger. I gotta practice like you said.

Howzit Dave and Cal,

Sorry I should have been more clear about the wind comment. What I meant wasn't so much the wind effect on the bullet but more on its effect on the shooter/rifle setup. At kokohead the wind tends to blow a lot from rt to left and sometimes theres gust and lulls in the wind which can on occasion cause what I saw in that group. sometimes it can be tricky to keep a consistent hold witout a solid rest and rear bag.

with that said Cal you are 100 percent correct I couldn't agree with you more.

Aloha and Good Shooting!!!

Dave, just wondering if you shoot off of a bipod or rest?

I was shooting off a bag rest and a bag at the buttstock that I was squeezing with my off hand. I just put a bi-pod on the rifle that I'm going to try out next trip to the range.
I got a question for you guys... I found a killer deal on a 6x12x50 scope. Is that too much scope for the rifle? They have been getting great reviews for brightness and clarity but that's a pretty big jump from 3x9x40 that I have now.

Howzit Upfront?,
In the past I have looked through many scopes in low light conditions- I have found the 50 mm objectives really do allow more light than the 40s, but a bigger factor that allows even a more light to your eye is the diameter of the tube. The standard 1" dia tubes do not allow as much light transmission to your eye as the 30 mm diameter tubes that are more standard on European scopes - so if you are wanting more light transmission for shooting in low light conditions then the step up to the 50 mm will be better than the 40 mm, but an even better step up would be to go to the 30mm tubed scopes from a 1". The multi-coatings on the optics and the quality and clarity of the crystal also plays more bigger of a role in light transmission. About 15 years ago I looked off into a cliff in the pitch dark at 3 am from 300 yards with a 40 mm Burris (1" tube)of medium quality and then with a 50 mm Leupold (1" tube) Vari X III, and it was like night and day- with the Leupold I could make out the white dall sheep easily but with the Burris I could not. So I think you will get more light with the 6-12 x50 (because of the 50 being larger than 40 objective dia), but also the biggest factor is getting the best quality scope you can buy, It depends on the brand names and the quality of lense they produced, one brand name will have top of the lineup quality in some models, but lesser quality in their economy models that they sell more of, but generally some brand names are better quality than others, Like Schmidt and Bender....Leuopold too, really makes great stuff and stands by their products, over Simmons, Bushnell and the like, I guess that is why Swarovskis and Leica glass is so outrageously priced. You get what you pay for and I have heard that you should spend just as much on your scope as you did on your rifle if you can afford it. There's my 2 cents worth, for what it's worth.
Good luck,
Shoots,
AK Andy

Yeah, roger that Andy, if I had my choice I would have gone with 4x12x40 but it was more like the scope picked me because it was 70% off. Like I said the scope got pretty good reviews so I figured what the hell, check um out cuz it's a good deal.

Howzit Dave,

Short answer is No it aint too much scope for a '06.

Hey Upfront! I had a 50mm scope on my Woodsmaster and you definately could tell the difference in light transmission to the eye but one of the main factors besides the reticles deciding to take a crap and not adjust that I now have a 40mm scope was the size and weight of the gun with the 50mm scope mounted on top it just didn't seem comfortable to be carrying through the mountains.

Hi guys, if you dont mind I will put my 2 cents in as well. So far everything everyone here has said is absolutely true. Take it from someone that has spent thousands of dollars on scopes. I have had everything from Tasco's to S&B's. Scopes are like rifles. No one scope is the best. There are trade off's in every scope. You have to pick the features such as, reticles, magnification power, objective lens size, tube size, lens coating, reticle adjustment MOA/MIL and the biggest factor PRICE$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
Andy is right about the tube size allowing more light and being brighter , but nowadays, cheaper companies are making 30mm and 34 and even 35 mm tubes, however the glass quality is cheap and you loose almost all that you have gained. One sign of good glass is when you look thru the glass look around the glass edges look how clear it is around the edges. It should be just as sharp as the center.

Also a very important feature is repeatabilty of the reticle but this pertains more to a tactical scope than a regular hunting scope.

Magnification. Magnification can be your friend or your enemy. If it is a cheap scope magnification will only magnify the darkness.
If you have a high magnification scope and need to take a quick shot at a short range you may not have time to reset your magnification.

There are so many variables in choosing the right scope for you just remember " iIF YOU CANT SEE IT YOU CANT SHOOT IT"
and by the way Dave its not too much scope. Practice and learn with it and it will be a valuable tool.

Koa Boa wrote:Howzit Dave,

Short answer is No it aint too much scope for a '06.

That's what I wanted to hear cuz I already ordered it.