This week is squirrel week in Montana.

Just got word that the rain has stopped and the sun is out. That means that the squirrels are enjoying the weather.

Lower rifle is the squirrel rifle. Cooper Model 57 .17HMR with 3.2-17x44/58-30 lit MOA EREK ERGO.

By the way the top rifle (M70 in .260Rem)has the famous "Hubble", a totally custom SN-3 6.5-30x58-35 Lit Mil ERGO that John Williams (Sr. and Jr.) built for me over 10 years ago and still the best scope I own. Rifle a Pre-War Teflon Coated Model 70 with a 26" 1 in 8 Lilja 6 groove with 1 pound Jewell Trigger delivers the 100 grain SVHP at 3270 with a SD of 9. Stock is a McMillan Prone stock with purple automotive paint job. (Bought it used after some match shooter surplussed it.)

Awsome rigs I wish we could get those cooper rifles in Oz I reckon I would nere like to give one a go. !!

DCMI*, nice rigs!

I have seen 2 other McMillan stocks with that type of finish, is it factory? One of the other guys said he thought it was, the other did not know as he bought his used also.

I've though about using automotive finish on fiberglass stocks for durabilty.
Might have to experiment...

EDIT: Spoke too soon. The first time I went to the McMillan website, I could not find that color. I went back and found it in the Benchrest section.

DMCI*: Great looking guns you have there! I hope you can get their barrels "warmed up" soon!
I have to advise you though that the weather in Montana is VERY unsettled now! I am writing this on June 2nd 2,005. Right now the wind is blowing a steady 14 MPH with thunderstorms predicted in lots of western Montana. Tornado warnings are up in Wyoming, and Nebraska! We have had 1.27" of rain in the last 48 hours here in SW Montana!
The forecats for the next three days is highs of 57 to 62 and rain and thunderstorms predicted. I hope you are not planning on an imminent Ground squirrel Safari if so you will have unsettled weather! I was out yesterday in the afternoon and so were the Ground Squirrels! But all morning it was rain and wind and gray! And Ground Squirrels don't do much in the gray and wind and rain!
The bad news is that the grass and crops are growing fast now and there are many areas where it is 2/3's as high as a standing Ground squirrel already! I am guessing that another 12 to 18 days and the grass will be higher in most places than is conducive to good Gopher Hunting! I wish I had better news for you but the weather has been weird this year! The trucks yesterday were all covered with mud! A THICK covering of mud! I stayed on the gravelled road and did not get to "heavy" with mud myself!
Also this! I spotted a monster Rock Chuck on the south side of I-90 at milepost 265.5 (if I recall that correctly!) anyway hes about 3 miles west of Sprague Lake in the low lava rocks there! I just came back from that way last week and I am sure this old Boar Chuck is at least 10 pounds! He was only about 125 yards south of the road. I am not sure which direction the ranch house or owners are but this area sure looks like a great place to get some Chuck Hunting in! If you are headed for Montana on I-90 keep an eye out for him!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Varmintguy:

Went to Hamilton during five days preceding Memorial Day Weekend. Weather was teriffic.

Even had an opportuntiy to get somewhat close to Corvallis Memorial Day Parade. (Two Tractors)

Squirrel hunting was acceptable, Shot up about 150 rounds through my Cooper.

Very nice folks there, stayed in friends bunk house which was empty.

Good time and I was invited back. (Left everything better than I found it.)

D.

We had GREAT weather Memorial Day weekend - I was running a highpower match in Missoula and it didn't rain!

Geez, DMCI* you shoulda called or something. I'm in Florence and my brother-in-law is the Corvallis Fire Chief. The big draw isn't the parade but the pancake feed at the school!

All the best,

Redial
Mark Riedl