Bunny fun and a couple of extras

[kombi1976]

Last night myself and a couple of mates got out to a friend's property north of Collector to see what we could knock over.
I meant to go out last weekend but my friend had been away and I hadn't managed to contact him in time.
It turned out not to be a bad thing though as he was out spotting ferals earlier in the week and by telling us what was out there he gave us an idea what to look for.
I'd spent the best part of a night doing some test loads for my 25-20 Martini Cadet sporter and after determining the best load on Saturday morning and apparently getting it on target I quickly reloaded some of the newly tuned rounds to use for the hunt.
As the only other rifles were .22lr's I decided to take both the 25-20 and my 22 Hornet Cadet.
That turned out to be a wise move.
My mate Chris had only just got his rifle up from his dad's place down near the border and his Winchester Mod 250 hammerless lever gun was deadly.
He took 4 out of the 5 bunnies around the stockyards straight off.
Another mate's son, Alex, came out to spot for us as his papers aren't through yet.
Here he is along side the 5 from the stockyards:
 

 
I only succeeded in winging a bunny with the 25-20 and subsequent shots were all misses.
After wasting 8 rounds and another 3 trying to zero it it went back in the guncase.
The sun went down, we got the spot going and Chris continued his one rifle wave of carnage with the little Winnie .22lr.
First another bunny:
 

 
Then a hare:
 

 
Alex's young eyes had proved astounding.
His spotting technique was erratic but Chris said he never would've spotted the hare and Alex's next ID was amazing.
We'd just passed through a gate when Alex spied some movement around a log.
It was a fox cub, the size of a little puppy, and small even through my 12x scope.
I called this one and slammed it with my 22 Hornet:
 

 
When I got to him though Chris's lever .22lr would've killed it.
The 40gr Ballistic Tip from the hornet made a tiny hole on one side and one the size of a baseball on the other!
But I went back to driving and the Model 250 went on its merry blood letting ways.
Here are a few more pics:
 

 

 

 

 
The only other shot I took was at the end of the night when the Hornet, without problem and decisive as usual, nailed out last rabbit.
 

 
Suffice to say we were pleased with the outcome - 11 rabbits, a hare and a fox (albeit a cub).
Still, as my friend, the owner, says the only good fox is a dead fox.
And we know there are another 4 cubs and vixen out there too.....plus all the rabbits we missed!
What I HAVE to do though is take the 25-20 BACK to the range and zero it properly.
That rifle took 9 rabbits on one outing and embarassed a friend's 204 Ruger.
It needs a smacked bottom to get it accurate again!

[Alboy]

Good hunt. What do you figure happened to the Martini?
 
I have a little 22LR just like your buddies and keep it scoped just in case Dad wants to go along squirrel hunting.

[Fieldmor77]

Good stuff Kombi, hope to score a few bunnies myself this coming weekend :) , will be the final trip for the year .

[kombi1976]

Good hunt. What do you figure happened to the Martini?

I honestly can't be sure, Alboy.
I'm going to give it a good clean and zero it at 100m.
Like it or not it really is a small game rifle and it's most effective out to about 150m.
Past that it really loses height and energy.

[Alboy]

You never know for sure sometimes. I have experienced zeroing rifles all was good and get to the hunt to find the scope went south during the trip, happens. Sometimes the ammo is just squirrly; hand load or factory.
 
Also have had trouble like yours, get to the range and everything checks out good.
 
Hope you find a definate answer as otherwise it bugs you a long time.

[kombi1976]

I'm pretty sure it's a zero issue.
I'll sort it out on Sunday as it's our second range meet for the month.
Actually, I heard about some other opportunities tonight.
A historic house nearby is crawling with long eared bandits but it's not far from town and is also close to a certain institution.
Basically I'll need police permission and will have to use subsonics if I get to do it at all.
I also heard about a lady who lost 1 of her 2 pet chickens to a fox and she's interested in stopping the other chook going the same way so I might get out there too.
And then there's the wild dogs and rabbits south of town.
And the hares at the vineyard.
Mmmm, just gotta find some time.......... :undecided:

[Fieldmor77]

Kombi, i suppose you've tried those Winchester long z's, very very quite, years ago i went down to the local gunshop and asked for a packet of whatever their quitest 22 cartridge was, he said, 'you need a packet of cat bullets'.
Apparently a big favourite with the neighborhood cat exterminators!.

[kombi1976]

No, but I have a pack of the Remington Subsonics.
I'll see how quiet they are on Sunday.

[22hornet]

More bunnies bite the dust. Good shooting Kombi.