Around 12:45 this morning, in the soft morning moonlight, I noticed deer crowding our yard fence and looking back towards the creek. Their behavior told me hogs were likely present, and I already had my 7mm Bullberry at the ready.

A quick glance through my Meopta 8x42 binos showed a dark mass of bodies near a small grove of trees, but the hogs were in the splotchy shadows and difficult to see very well. They'd pushed a game block away from the open area, which would have given me a much better view, into the eerie shadows of darkness, through which only a few beams of moonlight could pass. There was no doubt these creatures were hogs, but even through the nice MeoPro binoculars, I was having a difficult time telling heads from tails.

So I rested the 7mm Bullberry across a sandbag and decided to take a look through a new-to-me, 2004 model Swarovski PV-N that I was lucky enough to acquire from an AR forum member recently (thanks, Del!). I was able to use 10x on the 3-12x50 scope, and this allowed me a better view of potential targets. Plus, the scope's ability to resolve detail under the poorest of lighting conditions certainly became my ally.

The situation was still tough, but after 2-3 minutes of observing and determining the exact position of a potential target, I turned on the BE-3's illumination for the Plex-N reticle and touched off a shot. The range was app. 165 yards, and there was no doubt about the bullet's eventual destination as an audible "whap" was music to my ears. I got on the old Kawasaki Bayou, drove down there and stopped in the spot I thought the hog stood when I pulled the trigger.

Within seconds, I spotted an impressive spray of frothy lung blood and noticed the trail led directly left. So I sat in place and shined the flashlight in that direction. About 20 yards away was the hog, unmoving and piled up in a strand of Johnson grass.

The 120 grain Nosler, launched at a sedate 2650 fps, took the sow five inches behind the onside shoulder, damaging the liver, wrecking 1/4th of the onside lung and perhaps 1/2 of the other before exiting the center of the off-side shoulder. The exit, thanks in part to secondary bone fragments, was about the size of a quarter. The bullet's performance could not have been any better.

As to the scope, I'm very familiar with Swaro's PV-PH series but was unaware that a lighted reticle was ever offered. So I made some wholesale changes, sold off a few of my favorites and wound up with the PV-N. I was second-guessing my decision as I got rid of some proven performers to get this scope, but first impressions are good. I was especially concerned since the inner "+" of the reticle lights up, and I wondered it it could be adjusted dimly enough so as not to affect low-light vision. (I am a fan of the small, unobtrusive dot in the #60 reticle of Zeiss). But it seems my concerns were unwarranted.

Gotta luv it when a plan comes together.

Glad it's workin' fee ya!

Best,


GWB

Good job. I have a feeling you will be getting a lot more action in the future and right from home, how do you beat that. Congratulations.

you got nice toys, Bobby!!....

Nice way to break in your new Swaro, Bobby.

Congrats. -Enjoyed the story.

quote:

But it seems my concerns were unwarranted.

"Worry not for the morrow..." eh?!

There it is, good deal, thanks for letting me know ahead of time. Just got here.
Sent you a pm a few min ago too.
Life changes again!

Hope this feel good spell lasts a good long time now.
George

Nice Shot and nice equipment Bobby. I've not seen a Bullberry buttstock like the one on the Contender Carbine shown in your picture. Is it one of Bullberry's or is it one you did, or picked up somewhere else? I like the dip in the bottom edge. The rear bag should stay right under it. DW

DW-

That stock set came from Jakob Meyer at highplainsgunstocks.com

I've had several of his sets and have been very pleased. I've had a couple of Bullberry sets that I got with a complete gun, but I never kept them as they were high gloss -- and while beautiful, they just weren't for me.

Another GREAT custom stock maker for TCs is Dr. Tony Gettel

http://www.tonysforendsandgrips.net/6.html

Another job well done Sir.