Took the SPR18 (.308) hog hunting yesterday. Slogged around a swamp for three hours without seeing any porcine critters, but it was enough to develop some impressions on the rifles huntability: it is an absolute dream to carry! It's light, short and well balanced. My son is going to have to share this rifle with me, as I have fallen in love with it.

Since the place I was hunting also has a 50, 100, 200-yard benchrest range, I took the opportunity to test some different loads. I have no idea what the barrel twist is in the Baikel rifle, but it definitely likes 150 grain bullets better than 165s at 100 yards. It consistantly shot 1.25-inch groups with Speer Grand Slams in front of 46.5 grains of Varget. Unfortunately, the low b.c. Grand Slams shed velocity fairly quickly and group three inches low at 200 yards and are rather inconsistant in groupings at that range.

However, the 165 Accubonds (46 grains Varget) did better than the 150s at 200 yards, averaging about three inches. Unfortunately, they also averaged about three inches at 100 yards. I assume this is because the high b.c. bullet doesn't stablize in whatever twist the SPR is until it gets out beyond 100 yards.

Since the rifle definitely shows a penchent for the 150s, I'll try some higher b.c. 150-grain bullets next, like Partitions or Accubonds, to see if I can find a "happy medium" between accuracy at both 100 and 200 yards.

Until then. I'll be hunting grunters with Grand Slams, since all shots should be well within 100 yards.