lovely afternoon out with the rifle.

[247sniper]

Just got back in from a lovely afternoon out with the rifle guys, bloody awesome!

 

Headed out to one of last years productive sniper spots overlooking 6+ fields. Had the custom .223 Ackley Improved shooting the might high BC 80 grain Amax bullets......I needed them in that wind too, 7 -13 MPH wind Blustering!

 

Shooting across the valley the wind was full value right too left, at the shooting position it was most stable at around 7 MPH according to the Kestrel wind meter. Spotted the first victim at 314 yards up the valley along the hedge row, dialed the necessary corrections into my Sightron scope and turned on my cam corder to capture the action, I pressed record and beep beep beep no bloody memory card....broccoli!!!

 

Anyway, i sent the Amax on its way, followed by a massive thud on the rabbit around a second later from the impact straight into its chest area slightly down wind. I suspected the wind was increasing though the valley, I was watching the trees along the flight line of the bullet and noticed that it seemed to be increasing along the flight path of the bullet greater then what was recorded at the firing point.

 

Next rabbit appeared around 15 minutes later, this one was at 317 yards, I dialed in the relevant data again, this time adding a little more windage, sent the Amax and boom.... another perfect shot and a rabbit down.

 

Then I glassed a nice bunny at 371 yards, same again, dialed the shot and sent it, rewarded with a lovely thud a second or two afterwards as the bullet struck the rabbit perfectly.

 

Finished off the day with the 4th shot and 4th rabbit of the day at 350 yards, another good shot and another good rabbit for the pot.

 

I was most pleased that I anticipated that the wind was increasing down range and made the necessary adjustment required, I was happy that this was not just shooting practice and range time paying off, but it was more to do with experience, visualization and field craft that paid off in them trick winds.

 

When I made my way to collect the rabbits i measure the wind speed along the bullet flight pats and boom, i was right, around midway it was gusting upto 13 mpg averaging 10.7 mph along most of the way though the valley. Again, delighted that my shooting knowledge, practice, experience and field craft is paying off!

 

Hope you enjoyed the read guys, sorry I couldn't record ta videos.

 

I do have picture but I am unable to upload them on here

 

 

 

Steve

[snaggletooth]

Sounds like a good afternoon,Steve. Nothing beats a bit of experience.

[Big Al]

Its all about having some good time to yourself Steve, regardless of the results although it sounds like you got them as well.

 

Interestingly I also had a nice afternoon yesterday.

 

Rain was forecast all weekend so I was a bit disappointed. Low and behold by 2pm the sun was shining and little wind so I went out to start my load development on my 20TAC with 55gr Bergers, a promising start with the bullets stabilising in a 9 twist which was always an uncertainty and after the seating depth test I had one showing real promise at 1/2", just the powder charge to tweak a little now. I also took my new but very secondhand and well used Sako Finnfire out to zero after having given it a good barrel scrub, got it shooting nice out to 75yds so off home in a good mood.

 

On the way home I called in at a farm nearby and sat in the jeep for 90 mins watching for stuff dropping onto some stored cattle feed, at 68-75yds. While enjoying the radio I managed 9 jackdaws, 2 rooks, 1 corby and a wood pigeon then I headed home for sirloin steak, mushrooms, onions and chips with bottle of Becks to wash it all down with thanks to my lovely Mrs.

 

A very nice afternoon/evening indeed and its days like this that make me so glad Im a country boy at heart!

[247sniper]

Its all about having some good time to yourself Steve, regardless of the results although it sounds like you got them as well.

 

Interestingly I also had a nice afternoon yesterday.

 

Rain was forecast all weekend so I was a bit disappointed. Low and behold by 2pm the sun was shining and little wind so I went out to start my load development on my 20TAC with 55gr Bergers, a promising start with the bullets stabilising in a 9 twist which was always an uncertainty and after the seating depth test I had one showing real promise at 1/2", just the powder charge to tweak a little now. I also took my new but very secondhand and well used Sako Finnfire out to zero after having given it a good barrel scrub, got it shooting nice out to 75yds so off home in a good mood.

 

On the way home I called in at a farm nearby and sat in the jeep for 90 mins watching for stuff dropping onto some stored cattle feed, at 68-75yds. While enjoying the radio I managed 9 jackdaws, 2 rooks, 1 corby and a wood pigeon then I headed home for sirloin steak, mushrooms, onions and chips with bottle of Becks to wash it all down with thanks to my lovely Mrs.

 

A very nice afternoon/evening indeed and its days like this that make me so glad Im a country boy at heart!

 

 

Nice one Al, im glad you found result too buddy.

 

I know what you mean, it was forecast rain here also but like you say by 3 o'clock the sun was out, it was only 6 degrees and the wind was very varining in speed but since i practice be hound them ranges regularly in worse condition and I had all the relevant data to hand, ATBH like I have said before, rabbits at that range are no probs in most conditions at all with the correct set up, the rabbits would have been getting rolled over at 500 yards if the lay of the land allowed .

 

Thanks Al.

 

P.S Im interested in how you get on with your .20 and the 55's pal.

[247sniper]

Its all about having some good time to yourself Steve, regardless of the results although it sounds like you got them as well.

 

Interestingly I also had a nice afternoon yesterday.

 

Rain was forecast all weekend so I was a bit disappointed. Low and behold by 2pm the sun was shining and little wind so I went out to start my load development on my 20TAC with 55gr Bergers, a promising start with the bullets stabilising in a 9 twist which was always an uncertainty and after the seating depth test I had one showing real promise at 1/2", just the powder charge to tweak a little now. I also took my new but very secondhand and well used Sako Finnfire out to zero after having given it a good barrel scrub, got it shooting nice out to 75yds so off home in a good mood.

 

On the way home I called in at a farm nearby and sat in the jeep for 90 mins watching for stuff dropping onto some stored cattle feed, at 68-75yds. While enjoying the radio I managed 9 jackdaws, 2 rooks, 1 corby and a wood pigeon then I headed home for sirloin steak, mushrooms, onions and chips with bottle of Becks to wash it all down with thanks to my lovely Mrs.

 

A very nice afternoon/evening indeed and its days like this that make me so glad Im a country boy at heart!

 

 

Nice one Al, im glad you found result too buddy.

 

I know what you mean, it was forecast rain here also but like you say by 3 o'clock the sun was out, it was only 6 degrees and the wind was very varining in speed but since i practice be hound them ranges regularly in worse condition and I had all the relevant data to hand, ATBH like I have said before, rabbits at that range are no probs in most conditions at all with the correct set up, the rabbits would have been getting rolled over at 500 yards if the lay of the land allowed .

 

Thanks Al.

 

P.S Im interested in how you get on with your .20 and the 55's pal.

 

Sounds like a good afternoon,Steve. Nothing beats a bit of experience.

 

 

Yeh it was buddy, a great afternoon, the rabbits were not really the reward, it was the knowledge and experience and the predicting that that all came together that was more rewarding.

[Paddy_SP]

Well done - that's not only good shooting, but nicely consistent too - I know from experience that a bunny is very small at that distance! We had rain all day here yesterday, but it stopped about 10:00pm - luckily, this meant I was able to see to knock down two troublesome foxes on an organic chicken farm (that's 136 since Jan 1st).