I received a supply of 150gr bullets which I am dying to testin my beloved 7x57. Have loaded 50 rds of various charges. COL etc and every f$@#& time I get a gap to go the F%&#$@ wind or rain stops me. This wind we get in the PE area usualy coincides with the arrival of the Common Quail into the Eastern Cape but alas they are not here yet. Have severe cabin fever what is the cure? Maybe fire a few 5shot groups in the backyard! No, I think the neighbours would shit themselves! This weather thing happen to you chaps or is it only me? P.S. Nailed a crow yesterday with a 22 short silenced but it was a bang flop and that was it. My entertainment for yesterday when the weather was and still is upto no good. So what do you guys do in my case?

Not just for you as I have been waiting for a couple of clear days to get away for a hunt myself. Have had almost continuous wind, rain and even a few spring snow showers. As the hunt is also a day outin the hills where my wife and I enjoy a picnic lunch the weather has an importance over and above what I would usually hunt in. Cabin fever - you bet.

Can understand your frustration lal. I guess I'm lucky in that the range I use is only 15 mins away and is covered so can shoot rain or shine. The bonus is the gravel road to the range can get a bit mucky in the wet so the 4WD comes back looking like you've been hunting.
You've just got to think quick when the neighbours ask how the hunting went when unloading the guns from the truck

eagle27, yes you are very fortunate that you can shoot rain or shine on your range, but just how do you slow down the bloody wind?

Sorry - it's just you. Everyone here has a 100m underground range ...... I mean - doesn't everyone?

Hey,
look on the bright side, at least when you do get to go, it doesn't cost you $10K to do some shooting in Africa!

GWB

C'mon lal, if you are to complain, what shall we, the ones living in Britain, shall say? this summer I had the grand plans of developing a bunch of loads, fill up the freezer with pigeons and take more than 200 rabbits. Yeah, sure! I then woke up! The weather has been so cr^p here, I managed to go out twice on the pigeons, 3 times on the rabbits and still haven't managed to develop any loads for my new .308...We have had the summer from hell, had it not been for the long days, you would have thought it was November some days...

Deep intakes of breath and hope for a lovely summer which I'm sure it's on its way to SA

best wishes,

Finman

PS: don't forget to let us know how them 150gn PMPs have performed

Thanks Finman. Summer is supposedly on its way to SA! When I see a swallow and my farmer friends fone to say the quail are here I will feel better perhaps. Am really looking forward to trying out the Pro Amm 150 grainer loads and came close to doing just that today but when I do I will let you know if they are any good. I certainly cant fault the Pro Amm 170gr factory load. Shoots tight and penetrates like hell in my CZ.

In my case with only two weeks left of deer season we are haveing record heat and it isn't worth going out. I am wishing for rain to get some bucks moving. I have at least two months left for bear but I would like a little venison to break up the season of quail, grouse and tree squirrel. It is another year for me to get to Port Elizabeth.
Frank

Isn't it just like us to complain about the weather Here in South Western Wisconsin we would have gladly paid $50 a drop for some rain, the same as a lot of folks in the midwest.

hmm.
i just go.
i hunt in the rain and snow i don't see what difference sighting in will make in it.
an average day of calm here is 7 mile an hour winds.
they move the bullets over about 1/2"-3/4" [1.5-2 cm's] over 100 meters.

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
hmm.
i just go.
i hunt in the rain and snow i don't see what difference sighting in will make in it.
an average day of calm here is 7 mile an hour winds.
they move the bullets over about 1/2"-3/4" [1.5-2 cm's] over 100 meters.

Reminds me of the conditions we used to have on the Saskatchewan pairies...we alays thought it wsas an exceptionally calm day when the chain on the gatepost hung down at more than a 45-degree angle

(Typical campfire topic...where first liar hasn't got a chance...

(Not suggsting any lies here...that's just the way the old saying about "topper" stories goes.)

quote:

Originally posted by lal:
eagle27, yes you are very fortunate that you can shoot rain or shine on your range, but just how do you slow down the bloody wind?

Luckily the range is in a sheltered valley so wind usually not too much of a problem when sighting for game shooting, damn cold in winter but nice location otherwise, pig rooting sometimes in mowed area between shooting benches and target butts and have sometimes seen pig on the way in and have spotted deer on the hill behind the target butts (too far to shoot).

Only downside is when the local long range enthusiast arrives with one of his half dozen or so big berthas fitted with muzzle breaks that lately, look like those on the end of a tank barrel. He's currently into a 375/408 Chey Tac at the moment with 370-400gr bullets and a tin of powder to light everything up. Despite sitting at a bench 20 metres away the damn thing lights up your head with the shock wave out of the muzzle break every time he touches off. He usually has a board full of rounds to shoot so you just can't get away from it, just have to time your trigger pulls in between his.

All I want to know is...do you wait for the wind to stop when you sqeeeeeeeeze the trigger?

(*I spent a day at the 100 yard range with blustery wind. Instead of getting pissy about the wind I decided to see what the wind would actually do in terms of drift. Know what? It was nothing like I thought...1" left/right isn't going to change much. It was a good learning lesson.)

Ok the weather is perfect today so I take my bike for a ride to the gunshop 15km away cos Im thinking to load a batch of ammo for my tests tomorrow as the weather is predicted to be fine and I need a new decapping pin for my die. En route my bikes engine seizes! I eventually get to the gunshop and the salesman even offered to fit the pin in the die for me. Its a Lee Die and you need torque. He went to the back and returned 5 min later said all is ready. By the way I SPECIFIED 7x57, I think it says so on the die too, cant remember just yet. Paid R40 and said our usual thank you's etc and I get a cab home. Lubed 40 cases and screwed the die into the press. I raised the lever which took considerable force by the way, something was wrong. Removed the Decapping Pin and measured it. Well it measured 7.9mm!!!!! I think thats 30 cal? Oh well I have 80 rounds to blow off anyway so that should satisfy me. The joys of life!