Cold Bore Challenge

[LDHunter]

I've been plagued by bedding problems on my rifles and am about to break down and pay someone to rebed several rifles. UGH!!!

Also trying to find a 308 that shoots predictably enough to do a cold bore challenge with it.

My 223LTR is absolutely shooting lights out and is ready but I suspect that wind will drive me CRAZY at ranges beyond 400 or so with that little cartridge.

I've been shooting 55gr Vmax's but have a bunch of 69gr SMK's laying around and I bet those would be pretty good way out there (twist is 1:9")... Anyone have any thoughts on that or should I wait for a 308?

Gunbroker has a BUNCH of NIB 308LTR's popping up everywhere and I figured to grab one of those if I don't find a good used one soon.

Bob

 

[Clayne B]

.223 would work, Shooting is shooting. lol

 

[LDHunter]

Layne,

Would you work up a load for the 69gr SMK or stick with the 55gr Vmax?

Bob

 

[Clayne B]

""Clayne"",

Would you work up a load for the 69gr SMK or stick with the 55gr Vmax?

Bob

If it were me... I would go with the 69gr SMK. gun)

 

[LDHunter]

Yeah... Thanks.... I kinda thought you'd say that... Back to the handloading room... <sigh> LOL

BTW... I'll have my own version of the cold bore challenge coming up soon...

I'm headed for Virginia for my annual ground hog hunting trip in a few weeks. I will rarely get more than one shot per hour since there will be three of us and we take turns shooting and the groundhogs can get a bit spooky this time of year.

Elevations,wind, and distances vary greatly and we operate as a team with one man on the rifle, one on the spotting scope, and one on the ballistic calculator when a shootable groundhog is spotted.

I think I'll stick with the 55gr VMax's until after that trip because the bullets fragment very easily and it's cattle and farm country so once a bullet hits something you WANT it to come apart and the VMax's will do that more often than the SMK's.

I just ordered my first Nightforce scope from Bob Beck an it's gonna go on one of my SAUM's and I hope I have it ready in time for the trip. I'm pumped about maybe just using it for my Cold Bore Challenge rifle. I was going to send this rifle back to have it TriNyted but couldn't stand the thougt of it maybe not being back before hunting season. It shot lights out before and I'm having the action rebedded in a Mickey stock and it should shoot even better soon.

Still looking for a 308LTR and hoping my wife doesn't see my credit card bill before I get this Nightforce paid for... LOL

Bob

 

[LDHunter]

Deer season here is winding down and will be over in about 5 weeks and very shortly after that I'm going to start a cold bore challenge down here. Max range might only be ~600yds across a clear cut and I doubt I'll be able to do it on successive days but I'm thinking 10 days in a month's time would work easily.

I have a fellow member that lives near me that might very well join in.

I went ahead and picked up a Remington 700LTR in 308 and aforementioned Nightforce scope and already had the 700LTR in 223. Also have a Model Seven Custom Shop Alaska Wilderness Rifle with a magnum contour barrel and McMillan stock in 7mmSAUM I expect big things out of and I've hunted several years with this rifle and it's a known good one.

Anybody else planning to take "The Challenge"?

$bob$

 

[BrentM]

Go with the 223 for sure. As mentioned, shooting is shooting, it doesn't have to be 1000 plus to work on skills, reading wind, and working on running solutions for hits.

I switched to my 204 while I work up loads for a new 6.5-284 that I just acquired. The 204 give me fits sometimes past 600 yards. If mis-read the wind, I am screwed.

Here is an example of a shooting the 204 with slight variations in wind in the first vid, and the second is a cold bore shot after load work up to verify velocity etc. My point is, just get out and shoot.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ugWMvjo5xM]Brent Balloons 2 - YouTube[/ame]



[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgWhJk7fU7k]204 steel cold bore 640 - YouTube[/ame]