1st rifle for grandson

[Shootist43]

Forrest Halley, 22 LR is totally different. Dirty bores only. Like you I clean the action and the chamber.

 

[Forrest Halley]

So, are you calling me a liar, or are you just being an internet duh mass?

I'll give you some fill-in-the-gap but otherwise impertinent details so you'll feel better and your head won't explode.

My dad and I bought the rifle at Dicks Sporting Goods. They were kind enough to mount the scope and bore sight it for us. Dad took it to the range and sighted the rifle in. I gave the rifle to my son at 9 o'clock that evening so he could hunt with it the next morning. He killed a deer sometime between 7:30 and 8 am the next morning. It really wasn't that difficult of a feat but I'm glad you were impressed enough to mention it.

Well frankly I was impressed by the timeline and the luck. I understand exactly how much work is entailed in doing all that. Unless you're fortunate enough to live someplace where you can shoot out the back door that's a lot going on in a short time. Pretty neat that you got it done. Dadly dedication!

The impertinent details do make the story better...

I'm not calling you a liar and it's unfortunate that you feel offended by my post. I was impressed by your timeline. I failed to anticipate such sensitivity to my remarks, but then again we were talking about 2-4-3's and man-buns. Clearly an oversight on my part.

 

[crs]

Someone down-under said "My method is done outdoors no controlled environment bullshit. At the end of it all I know I cam pick up my rifle and go bang and know it will hit where it is supposed to."

And I say Me Too!

My main scoped rifle is a 1953 Model 70 Featherweight .308 and it still wears its first scope - a 4 power M8 which has not been adjusted in 20+ years and I know where it shoots 165 grain Hornady Superperformance ; 1.75 inch high and .25 inch to the left at 100 yards. Even I can remember that. I limit my shots to 300 yards and if I can see game within that range, I can kill it.

 

[TwoTracks]

I’m starting to think Charles doesn’t like our advice or maybe he’s enjoying the back and forth…..

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

My rifles live inside. So if I see something outside I have a temperature disparity to deal with in summer or winter. Especially during humid points where scopes fog up. Groundhogs don't always hang around for a rifle to acclimate. Deer rifles take some time to acclimate also from the truck to the stand. So everyone has artificial environmental factors to deal with.

@Forrest Halley
Fortunately we don't have temp extremes like you do. If I'm hunting very cold weather I leave my rifle covered outside overnight that way I don't have problem like you do.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Someone down-under said "My method is done outdoors no controlled environment bullshit. At the end of it all I know I cam pick up my rifle and go bang and know it will hit where it is supposed to."

And I say Me Too!

My main scoped rifle is a 1953 Model 70 Featherweight .308 and it still wears its first scope - a 4 power M8 which has not been adjusted in 20+ years and I know where it shoots 165 grain Hornady Superperformance ; 1.75 inch high and .25 inch to the left at 100 yards. Even I can remember that. I limit my shots to 300 yards and if I can see game within that range, I can kill it.

@crs
That what I like to hear if it ain't broke don't fix it.
My mate Greg is forever changing scopes on his rifles to make them better. The way he changes scopes and resights his rifles trying various loads I keep telling him he will shoot the barrel out before he shoots game.
I love the set and forget with the occasional check and go hunting
Bob

 

[Hunter-Habib]

A .243 Winchester will do perfectly for the young kid . As long as he sticks to Whitetail . It’s obviously a no no for elk . If you want to throw elk into the mix , then a .30-06 Springfield is the way to go .

 

[CBH Australia]

@crs
That what I like to hear if it ain't broke don't fix it.
My mate Greg is forever changing scopes on his rifles to make them better. The way he changes scopes and resights his rifles trying various loads I keep telling him he will shoot the barrel out before he shoots game.
I love the set and forget with the occasional check and go hunting
Bob

As long as he is having fun Bob.

I have swapped things out and I'm always trying to get each set up just how I want. The right scope to match the rifle and the intended purpose. (Spotlighting, Target shooting, Varmint, Big Game , Hunting or a light weight long range hunting rifle)
And the one that's been used most is the Tikka CTR from the car. but anyway I digress.

Yes, a lot of Australia might not get the temperature extremes. To deal with. I've never seen snow and if there is heavy frost on the windscreen I wouldn't be out hunting.

 

[crs]

I asked the wife of a Colorado elk outfitter whet rifle she used for elk and where she shot them. Her answer was ----
I shoot them behind the ear with my .243.

 

[JimP]

I asked the wife of a Colorado elk outfitter whet rifle she used for elk and where she shot them. Her answer was ----
I shoot them behind the ear with my .243.

Did you ask her how many ran off after she shot them?

 

[crs]

Nope,
my daughter and my wife shoot that well, so why not a lady that does it all the time?

 

[JimP]

I've seen lots of people who can shoot that well but the margin of err on a elk is not very big. And if you are only off a inch you are going to have a elk that is going to run off. Not to mention if the angle is off or the elk moves its head.

I've seen elk take bullets from a 7mm Rem mag miss their mark when shooting at a elk with the elk running off. Usually the shooter figures that it was a miss and don't follow up.

I classify these type of shots with a rifle right along with 100 yard archery shots at animals.

 

[hawkeyesatx]

My 2 cents worth….

My idea of elk hunting cartridges start with the .260 Rem, 6.5x55, 7x57 - with the caveat that they don’t be used further than 300 yds. Actually, 250 yds would be max, I think. Next would be the 7mm-08, .308 Winchester. They can be stretched out to 350 yds. Now, I know many have said that a .270 isn’t an elk cartridge, but the evidence, otherwise, shows that not to be true. The .270 shoots flatter, and hits harder than a .308, without having the recoil.
Truck loads of elk have been taken with a .270, and it can be used for 400 - 500 yd shots, if need be. Same goes for a .30-06! Except the .30-06 starts to have recoil, and while many men have used the cartridge for hunting, the recoil may be daunting to kids, especially when they just first start shooting, and hunting.
I wouldn’t think of any .300 Mag, or a 7mm Mag. The recoil can be rather stout, and, in my opinion, aren’t starter cartridges.
But, hey, that’s just my opinion!


Hawk

 

[Mekaniks]

Did you ask her how many ran off after she shot them?

My son, age 13, hunted a blue wildebeest in SA with a .243. One shot in the front shoulder......

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

As long as he is having fun Bob.

I have swapped things out and I'm always trying to get each set up just how I want. The right scope to match the rifle and the intended purpose. (Spotlighting, Target shooting, Varmint, Big Game , Hunting or a light weight long range hunting rifle)
And the one that's been used most is the Tikka CTR from the car. but anyway I digress.

Yes, a lot of Australia might not get the temperature extremes. To deal with. I've never seen snow and if there is heavy frost on the windscreen I wouldn't be out hunting.

@CBH Australia
Chris if you want to know what it's like in the snow just dropping your arse in a chest freezer for a couple of hours. You will feel the same as being in the snow freezing your arse off. Pretty to look at, shit to work in.
Frost is different you can get a one good hunting in the fr I sty weather.
Bob

 

[JimP]

My son, age 13, hunted a blue wildebeest in SA with a .243. One shot in the front shoulder......

I'm not saying that a 243 won't kill animals with a proper placed shot but I do have issues with where some might choose to shoot that animal.

I was once told by a brown bear outfitter that he would rather I brought a rifle in a caliber that I could shoot very well rather than one that I couldn't.

 

[Safari Dave]

IMO -

If an elk is in the mix, then the .308 (start with reduced recoil) or at least the 7-08.

 

[CBH Australia]

Did you ask her how many ran off after she shot them?

Really?

If you have hunted enough you might see that a well placed headshot kills stuff dead.
No, I haven't seen an Elk but I've shot a lot of stuff and seen a lot die, especially from headshots.
The Lady made a reasonable statement to @crs who, knows full well his wife and daughter can do the same.

 

[Forrest Halley]

Really?

If you have hunted enough you might see that a well placed headshot kills stuff dead.
No, I haven't seen an Elk but I've shot a lot of stuff and seen a lot die, especially from headshots.
The Lady made a reasonable statement to @crs who, knows full well his wife and daughter can do the same.

You may also know, if you've hunted enough, that poorly placed headshots break jaws or skip off the skull and animals run off crippled. So many hunters are focused on the follow through and not the follow up shot. Don't ever think the first round has it done.

 

[Hunt anything]

Remember this is about a12 year old grandson, suggesting head shots and to a certain extent neck shots (for me anyway), should never enter the conversation.