VarmLR

Only just seen this. Excellent article Laurie and a good job that I haven't just gone out and bought 200 175gr SMKs to try at 1000 (doh!....I meant "I have"). I tried the #2155's but simply couldn't get the velocities needed at 1000 yds (I managed about 2,800 fps) and they were all over the place as they went through transonic region. Best results to date were with the venerable SMK 190s, which on the first outing after load development put up a respectable moa at 1000 yds from a factory barrel and may have grouped tighter without the gentle, but variable sidewind. As an aside, I am surprised that no-one yet has mentioned the newer TMK175s for 1000 yd F-Class/TR as their BC is significantly up on the older smk and they're still reasonably priced.

After using mine for the first time last week, can't recommend it highly enough. As long as you set them up and take into account that set-up needs a little work to get things sorted with whatever torch/gas you choose, then they really are good value, and seem to anneal with good consistency. Lubo's a great guy to deal with too.

Personally, my go-to knife for most out-door work is an orange handled Mora Heavy Duty Companion. Thick enough blade for battening, yet still slender enough for most skinning and gralloching. Having said that, bought myself this last week....sharp as a razor blade but won't get used for battening!

Received mine today. The couriers must have played football with it because is was kicked about and one end had buckled but easily enough sorted out. Once set up, it worked perfectly. I used a Go systems fine flame nozzle as above with some Propane (400g cannister). Really, it wants the canister vertically mounted and a hose connecting it. Makes the faffing about to get the torch aligned properly a bit easier and the canister instructions were to keep it upright during use. Once set up, it anneals quicker than you could with a cordless drill and more consistently. I was getting timings of about 3.6 to 3.8 seconds for 223 and about 4 seconds with .308. The propane heat does shorten time in the flame. Any more than 4.4 seconds with 308 or more than 4 seconds with 223 turned the flame orange. I didn't use Tempilaq, just wrote a case or two off finding the point at which the flame just started to burn orange and backed off the timings. Much cheaper than a bottle of tempilaq! Thanks Lubo. Good product at a sensible price....just a bit more extensive packaging would have been welcomed.

Crossed wires Bob....nowt wrong with what you've done but it was the fittings you've used that I need to source. I have the same pipe which I can use, but the CGA600 fittings or ready made hose connector is what I'm looking for (hence the comment) and haven't found any locally yet.

I was looking to do something similar Bob so thanks for that tip. I'd prefer to use the proper fittings if I can find them though.

Looking forward to receiving mine Anyone have a source for CGA600 spec flexible hoses as I'd like to make a small enclosure for the Propane cylinder that I intend on using?

.223 Found it deadly accurate and very dependable. Has a wide range of loadings to take care of everything from long range corvid to foxes and munties. Barrels last a hell of a long time, looked after. Cheap to reload too which was the clincher for me.