Hey Guys,

It's time to stop talking about all those guns you'd like to have and go shoot the ones you have.

This past weekend my partner and I went up to Wyoming to do our annual missionary work. We went to see the ranchers who have given us permission to shoot prairie dogs on their property. We now have permission on right at 20 section of land that need our attention badly. We didn't think the dogs would be up yet as there was almost two feet of snow there just three weeks ago, but we each took a gun along - just in case.

Well, the dogs are up and active. We shot Sat afternoon and Sunday until about 2:00 PM. Take was 455 for the two of us.

I was shooting my favorite 22 K-Hornet Contender carbine and John had his Hornet and a 22 RFM lever rifle. All short range guns, but very effective.

Anyone else been out yet?

Don Shearer

Don
I've out working on two projects at the same time one is the contender 7TCU 22" carbine barrel. The other the 15 3/4 " 257 Robts AI barrel on the encore I've been out at least once a week shooting & working up loads.

I've never been out pairie dog or woodchuck hunting but will try to find a place to do it here in NY soon.

I guess you still haven't got out from under the last blast of winter you got. Gald to hear things are good.

Rich Jake

Howdy Don,
I have my .308 Bellm all loaded up and ready to do the Spring Back testing again! As soon as I'm able, I'll get out and shoot those along with some .223's I have ready to test.
I'm still tring to decide which of my .223 barrel's to send to Mike to get rechambered into the .222rem mag imp.!!

Bob

Shot one of my XP's and my MOA (both barrels-260 Rem. & 22-250 AI) on Saturday. NOw I'm ready for a dog shoot. Just have to find the time.
xphunter

Finding time is the main problem here too. I have been busy with WORK (yes I know that is a 4 letter word).

However I have managed to find the time to get some brass fireformed for the newly rechambered Super 14 in .30-30 Ackley Improved. Also just picked up a Super 14 in .223 that needs some attention also (haven't had the opportunity to shoot it yet, so it must be feeling neglected by now).

Currently been awaiting a phone call from my favorite farmer buddy telling me it is time to come over and do some Flickertail Gopher control. I have a Super 14 Match Grade .22 LR with a 3x12x Burris LER on top of it all ready for the task at hand.

Yep spring is in the air.

Larry

No time for rat shooting tho I have been hearing that it is pretty good this year on the east side of the state.
However, I go to the range at least once a week, rain or shine and twice when the weather is nice.
On the real bad weather days I shoot on our short range (10-50 yds) with my Contender 10" 44 and other non-T/C handguns (9mm & 357)
My main caliber right now is the 38-55 (14")and will be out with it tommorow if I get some rounds loaded up for it.
From the sounds of things over at O.T.T. it looks like I will have a 17 K Hornet to play with soon.
and I'm sending my custom fluted chambered 25-35 over to O.T.T. to be fixed once and for all. And there is a beautiful Ruger #1 waiting to be rebarreled to 25-06. On the side, my partner just picked up another TCR with a 223 and 30-06 bbl he wants me to work up some loads for plus we're still working on some loads for his other 223 and 308 TCR bbls. and I started prepping some brass for his 257 Roberts in anticpation of a weather change when we can hit the long range with some serious intent. Another guy I know just bought a Rem. 30-06 auto he's wanting to get some loads for. Damn, I'm busier than I thought, and I still have to get ready to go to the day job
Life is good ya?

Wes

Don
I'm just curious mranch's post brought it to mind. Did you ever do any type of load developement with the 308 Bellm with a 110 Grain bullet? If not any suggestions on where to start if you were to try doing such a load work up? It might be pretty interesting what you could do with it for varminting purposes.
Rich Jake

Rich, Now that sounds pretty neat! I'd be interested in hearing how the 110's pan out! Seems I have a lot of Sierra 110 HP's

Bob

I'm in the Black Hills in SD about 35 miles from the Wyoming border and have been thinking about crossing over to try the sod poddles out that way.

I've tried working up a load for 110gr Hornady SP's for my 308 Bellm. 46gr of Win 748 was consistanly accurate, sub moa. I don't have a chronograph but would love to see how it makes out on PD's.

I used 125gr sierra FPHP's over 45 grains of 4895, This flat point makes one ugly looking round but went under 2" for me at 200yrd. I shot about 40 PD's last year in North West SD last summer with this load and it performed well.

South Dakota started a season, I think it runs from June until March so April and May is out of season.

This year I plan on using a 24" 7mm TCU, 24" 223, and th 110's in the 14" 308 Bellm.

Don, If you're overwhelmed there in Wyoming I might be able to help you out

Happy Days On vacation next week and first three days with wife's kin and the rest of week working up loads and shooting VV 221 fireball, VV carbine 6X47, Bullberry 222 mag and factory 7TCU. New place one mile from house using my new shooting bench. Might get a good friend to post picture of bench if he still has it. Mike?

Rich & Bob,

I didn't do anything with the 110 Grain bullet when I tested the 308 Bellm, but that sounds like it would be worth trying out. Bullets at 130 grain were the smallest I tested.

However, you guys have gottem me interested. Last month I got my original 30-30/14"/14 twist out and tried some small bullets. I tried Hornady 130 and Sierra 135's. I even surprised myself as I was able to shoot sub minute 5-groups above 2400 f/s. And that was with a Bushnel 2.5X Phantom scope (a really trinky-dink scope). But to shoot sub minute groups with a scope that has 2 minite cross-hairs says the barrel is doing pretty good. I almost hate to admit that I still have that scope - it was the first handgun scope I bought and back in 1982 I didn't know diddly about handgun scopes.

But a 110 grain in a 308 Bellm just might give us another gun that we just have to take along on one of those PD shoots. When I get a chance I'll try it out and in the meantime if either of you guys have a chance to try it let me know how it works.

Blast em ! !

Don Shearer