New "Elk Rifle"

[M. R. Byrd]

Brithunter-
I am indeed thankful for the opportunities we have in the US. I hope that it will remain that way, but as more and more people are seperated from the "real" world it will get harder. If you look back at recent elections you will see that it is a very thin margin that seperates the idea of the "right to bear arms" and total gun control. I continue to support the NRA in the fight to keep our Second Amendment rights.
 
I think you just need to come across the pond for an extended visit.
 
Glad to have you on the forum and I appreciate your posts.
 
God Bless,
Maynard

[teddy12b]

Hey Guys,
           Sweet rifle by the way!  I love Sendero's.  That's what I was going to get and then they went away so I bought a BDL.  I posted some pictures in the Firearms section of my range report this last weekend.  I finally got a "decent" group out of my rifle.  I have only been trying factory ammo here lately.  I'd be interested in any handloading recommendations you all might have.  
 
This group was at 200 yards with Remington factory 200gr A-Frames.  I used to get this group at 100 yards and that's why I wasn't too happy with it.  I'd like to make some loads with the 200gr Barnes TSX, but haven't gotten around to it yet.

[Brithunter]

Hmmm now Mr Byrd before I can any sort of trips the first thing I have to do is find some work and an income . Had an interview this morning and I am one of two candidates being considered so it's a 50/50 chance. Will know the outcome in a week or so and I am not holding my breathe or getting my hopes up. Been there done that in the past .

Now if the job comes off and it all works out then perhaps next year I may be in a position to look at the 2007 season for Whitetails again :)  Missouri most likely as I already have friends there . Then it's try and save up and look at the Elk trip  but that will take a year or two as from here it ain't cheap. Flights are not too bad it's the actual hunt and it more than likely means a guide as I need to maximise the chances. Also need to get fitter for that one of those Mountain areas are likely be the end of me .

  Meanwhile I can think about Red Deer and Sika here in the UK , Hmm so much to do and so little time :D .

[Brithunter]

Teddy glad it's starting to work out for you and your Remington. With some good luck let's hope that handloading prooves even better, however at least you know that the factory ammo WILL perform if needed.

[recoil junky]

I've finally hit on the combination for  the Sendero. I went through 3/4 of a pound of Reloader 25  and to make sure it didn't work.  And now I'm working with IMR 7828. My first group was 1/2 the size of the smallest R25 group. Velocities are lower but not much. I'll post some pictures of my groups as they get better. The 1st one with IMR 7828 was about an inch and ran at 3260 fps with 180 grain Swift Scirrrocos II's :D
 
I was starting to get a bit frustrated
 
RJ

[periscope_depth]

Awesome looking rifle and yes....the .300 RUM is a very, very fast .30 caliber rifle.

I suspect you anticipate a 300-400 yard shot in your future which suggests you will (or have) been doing a lot of shooting with your new rig.

Let me know how it goes.......I am jealous!  

[recoil junky]

I did get to put in plenty of trigger time before 2nd season here in CO. I took the olde girl along as backup during 1st season when I helped out with Hunting Buddies. That was the good news , now for the bad news.
 
On the last Saturday of 2nd season I put the sneak on about 250 head of elkk that were out in the middle of a sgaebrush flat. By daylight I was within 200 yards of the eastern most edge of the herd, hidout in a fist sized patch of oakbrush. That's when things went sour. I had a nice 5X6 bull all picked out and guessedamated range of about 450 yards. I puit the cross hairs just below his back and squeezed her off only to see the bullet hit a good foot in front of him (he was facing right) and at least 6" below his bellyThe whole bunch gatherd up and left for eastern Utah, so I just sat there until they were out of sight so they wouldn't spook to bad.
 
After I got home later, I put up a target @ 100 yards just to see where it was hitting. Much to my surprise it hit 3" right and 2" low from where I had zeroed it before  the Hunting Buddies adventure. The only thing I can figure is, the scope got whacked while the rilfe was in my hardcase while in the back of the pickup we used while guiding. The terrain was a tad rough where we were at and I'm sure my rifle got bumped a few good jolts. I was going to recheck the zero after Hunting Buddies, but figured it would be OK. Now I know to follow my gut.
 
Now I have next year to look forward to and a bunch more trigger time between now and then.
 
RJ

[Brithunter]

Hmmm if that was me I would be looking closely at the mount set up as it does not seem very robust to me. Perhaps a good QD set up where the scope can be removed before casing the rifle. Found this worked well on my trip to the US in 2003. My new (then) alloy rifle case has some serious dents in it caused by the so careful baggage handlers.

  However when I got to Missouri and put the scope on and test fired the rifle first shot was off a little which I expected seeing how it was a totally clean barrel. Next 3 shots grouped just above the aiming mark just like it was sighting in back in England so that was it.

   I used steel Apel roll off mounts ............ now cheap but hey they work and I can take the scope of put it back on without worries about it being sighted in and when comparing the cost of a lost opertunity?

[recoil junky]

Pickup+paralized hunter+recoil junky driving+elk on the move=VERY rough ride. A ride that would have made the airline trip from the other side of the pond seem like a ride to downtown London in Grandfather's Bentley.:o
 
That's why I always wear my seatbelt. I did recheck all the mounts and found them to be secure. This is not the first time or the first rifle I've had this happen to. I don't care what way you secure a scope to a rifle, you will get movement if it's jarred in the right way. Had a horse fall with me and land on my 35 Whelen in the scabbard. Needless to say it was off a good bit, but I put it down to one of the things that happen if you take your guns outside and play with them.
 
RJ

[Brithunter]

With a Horse landing on it your lucky to have the rifle still in one piece.

   Now you know my fondness of P-H! However that does not extend to their alloy scope bases. So I have been where ever possible to replace them and on my travelling hunting rifles that means good steel Q/D mounts. A while ago a friend took me to the range in his beat up Toyota Pick up and on the entrande road to the range is a hump. Well the idiot hit that hump so fast the whole darned truck left the road and came crashing down. I had two rifles in the bed in soft cases, one, the Enfield No2 sporting conversion had a new A. J. Parker TZ 47 target aperture sight on it and it landed on the sight pushing it down to it's lowest setting. Lucky not bending the sight as it was a brand new one and would have cost him some to replace it. The scoped rifle was fine and didn't need adjusting. It wa sone of my P-H rifles with the steel Apel mounts.

  As to baggage handlers being soft ............................ ?? well I actually saw a rifle case fall off the loading ramp down from the aircraft and onto the tarmac. A handler just went round the side and tossed in back on the the baggage conveyer. That was a fall of about 20 feet! this was at Cincinatti and whilst they finshed loading my conecting flight luckily it was not my rifle case. On my trip I had 2 flights to get from London Gatwick to Lambert International in St Louis and the same home again and even after the trip my rifle was still zeroed when I checked back here.