It's been a good year

[varmintshooter]

Well like the title says, it has been a good year shooting groundhogs. Early this year I thought I would end up way behind the last few years but all of a sudden numbers started to pile up and I ended Sept with 368. Farmers are starting to take off the beans last week and if I can get back out for a couple days I think I can hit 400.

 

[ARW]

That's a lot of hogs!

I ended up with 39 total and thought I had a good year, lol!

Alan

 

[CaptainMal]

WOW!

Somehow Maryland does not seem like ideal hog hunting. Boy am I thinking wrong. You are having great fun.

 

[drags]

Hi Varmintshooter, can you give us a list of the equipment and loads you used.
Joe

 

[varmintshooter]

Drags, I change guns depending on the farm that I am on and the weather. On nice days I will shoot a cooper in 20vt, 221fb, 204, or 223. If rain is in forecast I carry a savage with a syn stock in same calibers but the 223 is an ack imp. Some days I take a CZ 527.
In the 221fb I shoot 40gr vmax with h4198 or 50 vmax with rl7

20 vt I use 39 gr sbk 17.8 h4198 @ just under 3500 fps. LC brass Rem 7.5's

204 I like 39 or 40 grain sbk or vmax over imr 8208 @ about 3750 fps. I do use 32's sometimes @ about 4050 fps but I have had some crawlers @ longer distance ( over 300 or so ) with them.

223 with 50 vmax and 8208 @ 3400 fps. Win brass CCI 400

223 ack imp 53 vmax over imr3031 @ right around 3600 fps. I also tried some 75 gr amax over varget for about 3030 fps, but I don't shoot them very often.

If the weather permits I will use a cz452 varmint in 17 hmr. I have killed at least 4 @ over 200 yds with it, all headshots. This is on a farm where they won't allow a centerfire.

My grandfather used to say, everybody goes crazy in their own way, and I think he right.

 

[drags]

Congratulations Varminshooter you had a great year.
Drags

 

[ARW]

How does the 53gr. V-Max perform out of your 223 Ackley? 3600 is good speed and should hit the groundhogs pretty hard.

Do you get pass throughs with them and if so what size hole does it leave on the other side.

Thanks!
Alan

 

[varmintshooter]

The 53's work well. They blow a hole sometimes and othertimes there is just an entry, no exit. Being a varmint bullet I think it Iis a better choice than the amax.

 

[fredo]

Absolutely phenomenal tally!