Headin' for the PD Front again...

[ricco1949]

First late season Fall trip ever...Should be crossin' the River about 3:00 PM Friday....

I added a 24"R top to my 6x6 setup for this trip. My previous rendition had the top squared off with smaller radius corners and they stuck me in the ribs when I was shooting from those angles.




This setup should give me free wheelin' for about 270°.

I also modified my front storage box to fit in the truck box.....I trailered for the first 40+ years PDn. Had to leave the box home last trip...really missed it. Three ammo boxes, cooler, binos and RF reside here.



Taking three rifles this trip:
20 VT Rem 700, 1400 rounds
223 Rem 700, 600 rounds
222 Savage, 1400 rounds (Cinderella.....ya I know).

That's Cinderella with a little sparkle in her eye trying to get noticed in the forefront...

Gotta take 'er to the 2nd Annual Egg Shoot on the 13th to defend 'er title....kinda like takin' Cinderella to the pig roast....she really likes roastin' custom actions.

Added a drop port to the 20 VT Rem 700 after following @AlNyhus recent thread, since I had to the replace the extractor after my June trip....will post feedback and the mod setup in another later thread.

I also extended the loading ramps for the 6x6 to 8.5 feet. Previously it was a foldable steel triway about 5.5 feet....getting too heavy for this old man to manhandle and it's always been too steep. I took it apart, cut middle section in half and good friend @larsline welded them up....works great and much easier to handle.

Will keep you posted on Fall PDn results.....

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Rick, best of luck with the trip, WX and a target-rich environment we all lust for. Warm barrels and big smiles.

Looking forward to your return post of the trip....with lots of pics of course!

 

[alf]

Give 'em hell Ricco !!

 

[jpx2rk]

Enjoy and shoot one or more for me. LOL

 

[K9TXS]

Looks like a good setup you have. Did you have to add additional support on the bed to support the weight of the large rest you made?

The drop port is interesting.

 

[ricco1949]

Looks like a good setup you have. Did you have to add additional support on the bed to support the weight of the large rest you made?

The drop port is interesting.

No support needed under the ball head front rest. It's sitting on 5/8 CDX plywood and only weighs about 10-15 lbs. The rifle another 18 lbs. I could stand on the deck without compromising it.

The Arca-Swiss ball head set up is my finest rendition to date....far better than my previous use of a bipod on the 6x6 rear deck. There is plenty of elevation adjustment and the 1/4 pitch triple screw is very fast. It's very steady, even when moderate winds buffet the 6x6.

Tomorrow will be the first go in the field with the drop port. Should be a winner compared to pickin' 'em off the extractor.

 

[vonb]

Those factory .223s like you have were great shooters out of the box.

 

[ricco1949]

Those factory .223s like you have were great shooters out of the box.

Yes they were however I never shot them as such and they sure aren't "factory" now.

The 223 still has its Rem barrel but the 20 VT has an X Caliber with both threaded for suppression.

Actions reamed, bolts sleeved to .002 clearance, lugs, abutments, face and threads squared, side bolt release, and triggers timed.

The 20 VT now has a Mini M16 extractor and the drop port and pin bushed.

Stocks are epoxy leaded in forearm and stainless pins in buttstock for stiffening, weight and balance, 3 inch aluminum bag riders for load development, and finally epoxy bedded in Devcon.

With 2 oz. Jewell triggers and 12x42 NF and 14-35 Leupold scopes for the finishing touch.

I like to think of them as my rat (rod) rifles. The stocks take a lot of abuse out on the prairie and I don't have to be concerned about a scratch or dent here and there.

 

[ricco1949]

Crossed the River on Friday AM and headed south into PD country

 

[20 TAC]

Looks like you’re set up for a wonderful trip! And I’m rooting for Cinderella

I really want a BVSS and I love your choice of chambering for that one.

 

[ricco1949]

Day 1 Sat 9/6:

143/184

Got a little late start, 3:30 PM, after initiating installation of a culvert on a nearby shooting range.

Shooting started slow since the dogs were very spooky and a couple raptors soaring over the town just made things worse. I could rarely get more than 1-2 shots from each stop. Started with the 20 VT....79/98. The drop port is a winner.
Moved to another town about 3 miles away for last 1 1/2 hours.....the bewitching hour. Wind settled to near zero and pulled out the 223 using some old "junker" 55g Rem PSPs I've had sitting around since the 80s.

Had a nice wind break to shoot from kinda like a snipers.hide. Had to keep moving to avoid full sun in my face and cows nearby. Usually like sun at my back for the be-witching hour but no choice here....the concealment was better than being fully exposed.

Ended up 63/86 with the 223.

Most shots for the day were in the 150-250 range however I did range out to 300 and 3 MOA for about a dozen hits when the wind subsided. On many of the 100 yard and in shots I only head shoot just to make it interesting. Here is one 200 yarder that was just sticking his head out of the mound.

 

[ricco1949]

Day 2 Sunday 9/7:

Another late PM start.

10-25 winds all day. No bewitching hour. Only 46 dogs...tough day of shooting. My host Terry did better...his ATV setup is much faster to the trigger.

 

[ricco1949]

Day 3, Monday:

109/164

Good conditions today, light winds...5-15 and sunny with happy hour.

Just spooky dogs...appears I'm too early for late fall foracious eating dogs despite the frost cold front that went through upon my arrival.

Stuck a bullet and dumped powder on the 223 early on and retired that after about 35 rounds and moved to the 20 VT for remainder of the day.

Still had a fun day despite low count. Terry did better about 189.

Did make a few head shots and a few 2.5-3.0 MOA hits to make it interesting.

 

[ricco1949]

Day 4, Tues, 9/8, PM, 5-10 mph with a long happy hour.

157/200-225 (lost track of 1-2 partial boxes)

Shot alone today, Terry was finishing up the culvert project.

Went to an old town that got hit by the plague in the late teens. Haven't been back since. Well it has recovered.

Started out with a brain fade. 223 was shooting 2 minutes high...only shot 1/9 trying to re-zero on dogs. Then I realized I forgot to put the can on and all was good again....duhhh. I couldn't hear the difference with muffs on.

Had great shooting. At first I thought it might be slow...I was wrong. I had to switch rifles from 223 to 222 and back continually due to hot barrels.

Had to deal with about 200 cows in the town but I'm ultra careful and never risk a ricochet. I just drive out near them and shoot away from them... there's no such thing as being too careful.


At first they moved toward me thinking I was the lunch wagon but then they kept moving away from me as I moved further into the town.

Came across a dead calf that looks like it maybe got stuck in the mud at the feeder...couldn't have been dead too long based on the coyote/scavenger feeding.



I couldn't use my 20 VT today. When I installed the Mini M16 extractor @ 6:00 for the drop port the OEM extractor spring would not gravity release the brass. Rather than cut down the OEM spring I used a hardware store spring. Well that lasted about 200 rounds and I didn't bring the OEM spring with. A trip to NAPA produced a new spring. Installation tomorrow AM.

I've been shooting up some 40 yr old Rem PSPs in the 223. Wow I'm favourably impressed. They go where aimed and hit hard. Lots of 75-100 yd head shots today.

I suspect this town has not been shot all year. The dogs were coming out all around me and staying out throughout shooting....often only 30-50 yards away. I call those shorty's my pets and tell them it's their lucky day....off limits.

That's it for the day...we'll see what tomorrow brings....

 

[ricco1949]

Day 5:

10-15 MPH with no Happy Hour
Tough day...85 for me and 80 for Terry.

Met a guy at NAPA who offered his PD town for shooting. He said it was 150 acres....turned out to be maybe 35-50 acres. Shot for 45 minutes, thanked him and left....70 total.

Went to another large town but wide open for wind. Lots of dogs but spooky.
Saw a couple nice antelope for this area.

 

[Tommie]

Fall poodle trips can be tough. Glad you found some.

 

[ricco1949]

Day 6:

Heavy winds 15-30....didn't shoot today.

Loaded 500 20 VTs for Terry on his 550. Took a little gettin' used to as I haven't run mine for a couple years since using a 650.

Another friend, Greg arrived today.

 

[ricco1949]

Day 7 , Friday, 9/12

Great conditions 5-10 mph, party cloudy

203/269 A real good day.

Started with the 20 VT which already had about a 100 down the tube without cleaning. Ran it for about an additional 200 rounds. I had 32 in a row at the end and then it just started missing. Maybe went 3/10. Then I had a big fat one at about 150 yards....I held center mass and missed. Time to put it away.

Ended the day with the 223 and 55 V Max's. That factory barrel just keeps on hummin' hitting everything it should.

Had to keep shooting till near dusk as I wanted to get to 200... threatening storm and cloud cover made for an early evening. Things really slowed down the last 15 minutes and I thought I might get stuck at 198-199....but there was a little flurry to finish the day as I moved over a slight rise.

Terry and Greg had 197 so we totalled 400 for the day...but Terry had to count one he ran over with his truck.

One end of the town reminded me of OK Corral and the other end has a abandoned foundation walls looking like Adobe Walls. The ranch/farm house apparently burned down decades ago.

 

[Brew2]

What a great read. It looks fun. Have a safe trip home.

 

[ricco1949]

Day 8 The 2nd Annual Egg Shoot 2025:

Well Cinderella held up her end of the bargain until the very last shot.

My host Terry and I were locked in a duel in the 100 yard event...15 eggs in a row in prelims, then 10 pool chalks in a row in finals. Tourney director then called for a cease fire and put up two targets, closest to the x tie breaker. Terry just caught the x and I just missed.

Eggs are pretty much a cinch a@100 yd, pool chalks a little more challenging in the wind. The wind was moving my .224 bullets about 1/2 inch from lulls to peak mph. I didn't shoot the 200 yard event.

In the photo below if you expand it you can see the eggs above the sighter targets.

It rained throughout the match so it was unfavorable conditions but still fun with good community spirit and comraderie.

Greg repeated his 200 yard win from 2024. He was perfect on prelim eggs and finals pool chalks.





Parade After:


Terry celebrating his win...