HOME FROM FANTASTIC PD TRIP

[dusterdave173]

Whew!! Got home Friday--Finally rested up from giant trip --North Carolina to Wyoming--we met up with a few other members here for one amazing 3 day shoot! We were privileged to shoot a private ranch in central Wyoming. I took my home made benches made from mitre saw stands--they worked great and the wheels made them very portable when folded--set up was easy and they were plenty steady--I also took my trusty Savage BVSS with a brand new 7 twist Hawk Hill barrel--also took a new Remington build I had just finished --both std 223--both 7 twist. The Remington had a new Urban Rifleman barrel --BIG thumbs up to Bradley at Urban for a perfect varmint getter! I sweated a new 53 Vmax load that would work in both rifles--settled on 24.3g of N133--It was Lights Out for PD's out to about 530 yds--past that I had also developed a new 85.5 Berger load that was just the ticket helping me get my long shot of the trip --I cleaned a mound off at 661 yds whacking three after I sent several rounds to figure my wind hold--My personal best to date.
Weather was great--we did get chased off the range a time or two by quick storms but there were PLENTY of dogs and action was all anybody could dream of.
The best parts were the Fellowship with some solid guys on here--being on the range for three days watching all the wild life--the sunrise , etc
I have attached a few pictures of my two loads right before I left--my rifles and a few of the scenes we were lucky to view
It just don't get any better--I am grateful for the real friendships we have made with members on this site--It is a blessing any way you look at it

 

[dusterdave173]

Whew!! Got home Friday--Finally rested up from giant trip --North Carolina to Wyoming--we met up with a few other members here for one amazing 3 day shoot! We were privileged to shoot a private ranch in central Wyoming. I took my home made benches made from mitre saw stands--they worked great and the wheels made them very portable when folded--set up was easy and they were plenty steady--I also took my trusty Savage BVSS with a brand new 7 twist Hawk Hill barrel--also took a new Remington build I had just finished --both std 223--both 7 twist. The Remington had a new Urban Rifleman barrel --BIG thumbs up to Bradley at Urban for a perfect varmint getter! I sweated a new 53 Vmax load that would work in both rifles--settled on 24.3g of N133--It was Lights Out for PD's out to about 530 yds--past that I had also developed a new 85.5 Berger load that was just the ticket helping me get my long shot of the trip --I cleaned a mound off at 631 yds whacking three after I sent several rounds to figure my wind hold--My personal best to date.
Weather was great--we did get chased off the range a time or two by quick storms but there were PLENTY of dogs and action was all anybody could dream of.
The best parts were the Fellowship with some solid guys on here--being on the range for three days watching all the wild life--the sunrise , etc
I have attached a few pictures of my two loads right before I left--my rifles and a few of the scenes we were lucky to view
It just don't get any better--I am grateful for the real friendships we have made with members on this site--It is a blessing any way you look at it

 

[dusterdave173]

Oh and I took a new pair of VORTEX Fury 5000 rangefinder binos--they worked excellent! I have had some issues with other rangefinders but these worked like a Charm! I highly recommend them!!
And this review would not be complete without a shout out to TRACT Scopes--I had the Toric 4.5-30 on both rifles--They were flawless--others said the glass was crisp--if you get a chance look through one

 

[Bill Norris]

Sounds like lots of fun and your rifles were doing their job.

 

[5spd]

You all shot the snot out of them as well as 3 coyote! Glad everyone had a great time.

 

[urbanrifleman]

53 VMAX smoking in the 7 twist ISSF 223!!!

 

[Bill K]

Great. Thanks for sharing with photos and story/information.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Great write up Dave. You have a couple of hammers there.

 

[SecretCode]

Now the hard part.....Waiting til you go back for the next trip!

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Now the hard part.....Waiting til you go back for the next trip!

And that wait with all the anticipation can be half the fun. Planning on the next trip, reloading for it.....it's what we do! I hope your next trip is as good or better, and either way, be sure to post it up next season. We all love looking at this stuff.

 

[6.5 forever]

How many rounds do you send down range on a trip like that?

 

[Dgd6mm]

My URM barrels did not disappoint at all.
8tw. .223 Wylde 53vmax heavy varmint.
7tw. .223 ISSF 53vmax straight barrel.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

My URM barrels did not disappoint at all.
8tw. .223 Wylde 53vmax heavy varmint.
7tw. .223 ISSF 53vmax straight barrel.

It’s good to know at least for me that 7 tw. Will shoot the lighter gr. Bullets ok with no problems. I was concerned about shooting light varmint bullets with my 223 7 tw.

 

[dusterdave173]

Exactly
I was thinking it might not be the best
I bought the barrels for heavies and long target work but when the prairie dog trip came up I went to work and discovered it worked great. I was only pushing them to around 3270 but Urban Bradley is running 50g Sierra at 3800 in an 8 twist so looks like jackets hold up fine I am never looking back since I discovered all this . Best of both worlds looks like.

Someone asked how many rounds we shot. Well my first trip I was crazy and blasted over 1000 rounds in two days so I was very careful this trip to range dog shoot dog and take my time. I was urged by the more experienced guys in our group to do that. So I shot about 550 plus but made them count. It was more rewarding than the blasting away.
We sure learned a lot from the pros that took us out. I can say get the first trip under your belt however you can and just know every day after will get better and better as you learn and refine your deal
I think it is a must to have rangefinder you can depend on and it is way easier to use rangefinder binoculars—it is so much easier
Then have a good dope chart. One note--I had a great 100 yd zero and I ran all the info through JBM ballistics using altitude weather info etc for where we would be shooting--I was So proud of my dope chart--got there and my pals looked at it and said every 50 yards??? We do ours every in 10 yard increments--LOL--oh well like I said I am learning-- You get those elements then it is up to your wind reading. Or do like me watch dirt fly—walk it in and don’t be ashamed about it. Fun is the goal

 

[PainterJohn]

Great write up. I missed going this year but sure hope to make it next. Lots of fun!

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Yeah, the ole' dope or come-up chart; the best aid to LR shooting ever devised, next to the laser rangefinder that is. As long as one has a chronograph for actual load values and a ballistics program, you're all set. (Sierra Infinity here)

All my rat (and hunting) rifles have my come-up chart for each rifle/caliber affixed to the scope's ocular flip-cap for quick and easy reference. Laser range the target, check chart, dial for elevation, engage target. And if you have a bunch of cooperative targets out there at almost the same range, just continue shooting with no dinking about using the same hold or with a slight tweak. Of course for wind hold-off if needed, experience Grasshopper, experience (and a wind flag . )

My varmint scopes get sent to the factory for the addition of the Leupold M1 elevation turret, marked in 1/4" increments, which closely corresponds to MOA, making the range adjustments "one-for-one" (easy/accurate). I've found over the years just to make up the chart with 100 yard increments, as it is less clutter, easier to read during the heat of 'battle', and accurate enough to extrapolate the 'in-between' ranges from experience using the same rifle. Plus, when it's on the ocular cap, it's very easy to see from the shooting position.

On my Cooper M38 20VT using a Leupold VX3 6.5-20X LR shooting Nosler 32's:





Note wind flag, always a wind flag:



Also, no charts taped to the stock, scope or anywhere else looking like the classified section of a newspaper stuck all over. Guess I'm a neat-freak. We all have our methods that work for us, this has worked very well for me for quite a long time. YMMV

DusterDave, feel free to copy and adopt my system next time you go for PD's. I promise you'll get more shooting and more hits too.....money-back guarantee...wink, wink....

 

[dusterdave173]

Thanks Rick!! Great idea in the scope cap--Yup we had wind flag at all times--when we could set up with wind in our face or at our tail it made it so easy
NICE set of rifles you got there---very nice!

 

[RabbitSlayer]

But where are the pics of the blown up PDs? I think you traveled thousands of miles to shoot paper targets on the prairie!

 

[Klong]

Thanks for sharing! Great memories, and comradery.

 

[dusterdave173]

Bucket o Dogs