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First blood with 6SLR - and the season is over

Re: First blood with 6SLR - omnivorous groundhog?

Bill,

When I last went out after ferals, all my shots were prone off the bipod, my 308 is a 16-17lbs tactical rifle setup so I can't really shoot offhand with that either. Next time I go down to my mates farm, I'm going to creep out to the dam and set up at first light as from the dam to the fence line is an even 700yds so should have some opitunity to get some longer kills. This should be good for the 6x47L with either 105gr Amax or 70gr blitzkings.
 
Re: First blood with 6SLR - omnivorous groundhog?

Assuming your 6x47L has an 8 twist barrel, those 105 AMax bullets will do a number on a varmint at 700 yards - and beyond. They are my 'go to' bullet for groundhogs at all ranges and in all my 6mm's.
 
Re: First blood with 6SLR - omnivorous groundhog?

Yeah, it's got an 8T. Maybe getting a 10T though for hunting/varminting use though. Current 8T is a HV and a ya heavy filer the bush I think but we will see. I'm going to try the 70gr Blitzking on advice from a friend who has done a lot of farm shooting here. He thinks the Amax could be a tad to heavy and not flat enough for down here. We don't always get time to range a target. But I think that for the longer shots when I can, the Amax will be the go.
 
Re: First blood with 6SLR - omnivorous groundhog?

Don't know about critters in OZ, but here is Ohio, when a groundhog is spotted beyond 500 yards, there is USUALLY plenty of time to range, set turrets, plug in chrony, adjust bipod, etc.

If you're not far from your vehicle on your hunts, a 10 twist shooting 70s in a carry rifle for the quick shots and a 8 twist shooting 105s in a bench/prone rifle for the long shots sounds like you would have all your bases covered. :)
 
Re: First blood with 6SLR - omnivorous groundhog?

That would be the way to go but way to expensive for me right now. Haha. I think I'll just have two loads set up. Or may get a 6mm barrel for my tactical rig as that would be perfect alrounder then. I think the Amax is the to for shots beyond 300-350yds.
 
Re: First blood with 6SLR - omnivorous groundhog?

Quickoz, for one rifle I would seriously consider just the 105 AMax for all ranges. My 6SLR shoots the 105 AMAx bullets at 3150 MV from a 28" barrel. (Actually, it is 3146.6 fps average for the last 78 shots as measured by my MagnetoSpeed chrony.) How much vertical can you tolerate on your ferals? +/-3"? For my setup and a max POI of +/-3", scope is set for a 280 yard zero and I am within 3" of POA out to 326 yards.

Ray, its not so much good shooting as it is good rifle, good load, good rest, and good bench. The hardest part sometimes is getting an accurate range reading. Both of my 1000+ yard kills last summer were witnessed. The 1062 yard kill took 4 or 5 (can't remember exactly) shots to "walk" the bullet in, exact range was unknown. The 1017 yard kill was second shot, windage was off on the first shot.
Dogbone witnessed two 700+ yard kills last summer. The first took 2 or 3 shots to connect but the second was a one shot kill.
 
Re: First blood with 6SLR - omnivorous groundhog?

I agree with the 105 Amax's, I also like 107 SMK for my .243! I have had better luck since I went to a faster twist and heavier bullets for anything past 350y. I really like the .243 but barrel life is sure gonna be a factor that is kinda why the 6SLR has caught my attention along with the longer neck and 30 degree shoulder!
I think you need good equipment and a strong amount of knowledge to get it there. You could hand the average Joe your gun and maybe he gets a good shot off with your equipment and load development but not on his own! So I gotta disagree a little there on the last part.
 
Re: First blood with 6SLR - omnivorous groundhog?

Bill and Ray,

I understand what your saying but the one issue is that I can't get the 105gr to shoot flat enough in trajectory. That's the issue. With the 70gr BK, I can get it about 1.6" high at 100,200yd and 2.5" approx low at 300yd with a 250yd zero. My mate calls it the coke can rule. You gotta be able to smash a coke can put to 300yd to be fine for the varminting we do here in Western Australia, it's all spotlighting, point and shoot with some time to take on the longer shots. But for any ranging, the 105gr Amax will be my choice.
 
Re: First blood with 6SLR - omnivorous groundhog?

Well, I don't have a coke can handy, but I measured a beer can. ;D The can is very nearly 5" tall. So I went to JBM ballistics and put in a PBR of 2.5" radius for a 105 AMax at 3150 MV. The program says with a 261 yard zero, the bullet will be a maximum of 2.5" high at 155 yards and 2.5" low at 304 yards. So why mess around with two bullets and the possibility that they will have different 100 yard zeros (POIs).
Or is your mate laying the can on its side? ;)
 
Re: First blood with 6SLR - omnivorous groundhog?

Can on its side. Cos it's the size of a Rabbits Head and we get lot of foxes here and in the stubble, can't let's get a good clean shot so gotta be 2" high or low max. That's why the 70gr BK.

I also just scored a free maddco 28" 1-8T Sako Varminter contour barrel for free from my mate so that's going to be done in 6mm250AI and throated for the 70gr :) gotta love free barrels.
 
My wife and I have the motorhome all packed up and ready for travel. We are heading to western PA in the morning to visit my sister for a few days before driving to AZ for the winter months. The 2013 season ended with 265 kills.
With 427 kills in 2012 and 373 in 2011, I'm not too surprised to see the groundhog population around this part of central Ohio dropping a little. But I can't wait for next summer. :)

I've enjoyed posting about my exploits and I hope y'all have enjoyed reading about them.
 
thanks for sharing your ground hog adventures :)

looking forward to reading about them next year

the ground hog population around here is more or less non-existant
 
Nomad47 said:
The 2013 season ended with 265 kills. With 427 kills in 2012 and 373 in 2011, I'm not too surprised to see the groundhog population around this part of central Ohio dropping a little.
bout them.
Click to expand...

I think Groundhogs are seriously down all over - my state (CT) might be thinking of putting them on the endangered species list. :(
 
There are still numerous soybeanus digestus' around central Ohio although I have put a serious dent in their population. Two of my farmers who are brothers, use conibear (sp?) traps when they find holes out in their bean fields, and they each trapped over 60 this year.
I hate it - because that is 120 I didn't get to shoot. :(

Fortunately, it is hard to find the holes in fence rows. I have taken to scanning the edges of fields first when I hunt, then check the middle areas.
 
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