I picked this Sako-barreled Remington 03-A3 built by Tenn benchrest rifle builder HW Creighton few years ago. It was in rough shape and needed a stock refinishing, as well as a parkerizing job.
I didn't know his name when I bought the rifle, but when I got this as my first group on paper I investigated and found he has a pretty darned good reputation in his circles:
I've done a little bit of load experimentation with 85 gr Sierra HPBTs, 90 gr NBTs, and 100 gr Interlocks because I'm a rifle looney and they all did well enough for a hunting rifle. As a first I am proud to say that after that first three-shot group I figured I better buy 1100 75 gr Hornady HPs & a 5 lber of RL15.
Well anyway, my wife took the kids to the beach late Friday afternoon so I ran home, grabbed the 6 and some experimental loads of Ramshot Hunter w/ moly'd 90 gr Speer Hot Cors that I traded into a couple of weeks ago and went out.
As I was on my way down there I decided to drop by my client's place. He planted his huge yard in soybeans and always has had a killer crop of 'chucks, so I figured there'd be even more. I was right. As soon as I pulled up I spotted this FAT HOG who ran for his hole until I stopped. He just sat there flat against his hole at about 150 yards. I reached into my back seat and uncased the 6, put on my hearing protection w/ the car still running and popped a 75 gr HP that went right through his shoulders with a MASSIVE exit wound. He didn't squirm. I wondered if I'd missed, 'cept he'd been jumpy enough that I knew he'd scram if I'da missed so I cautiously approached. Second 'chuck I've capped with this rifle and the second time I kicked myself for leaving the camera home!
I went down to a little dump that passes for a redneck shooting range and put a political yardsign in the ground w/ those peeling reflective targets on it. The "happy" charge of Hunter was 40 gr and over the roof of my car at 100 yards I printed a TIGHT little .8" clover leaf!!!!!!!!!
WHEW HA!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm pretty sure I'm getting 3k fps from it or there abouts, I got a good group from 42 gr and I'm sure that'd give me around 3250 fps or so, but those tiny little clover leaves are hard to resist!!!!! I've found Hunter to be extraordinarily useful in this rifle, giving best velocities w/out the cratered primers that plague it due to a larger than typical firing pin hole. Aren't those moly'd bullets in nickel cases purdy??
Gonna try out some 60 gr Sierra HPs w/ IMR4895 next, but it sure is nice having what I call the "magic load" for this rifle!
I'm positive I'll be running those Nosler 55 gr varmint bullets as my supply of 75s is more than half way gone! 1000 for $104 is tough to beat
!
Can't wait to take her out for the special antlerless only season this fall; this rifle will obviously come in handy for vermin of the larger, tastier sort!
This is my other varmint rifle:
A Czech Mauser action w/ 24" heavy taper 257 AI barrel:
Which shoots 100 gr Speer HPs at about 3300 fps into about one hole, and 75 gr VMaxes at about 3600 fps very nicely as well (3 clustered about bull from about 100 yds):
...and it did extraordinarily well as a pronghorn rifle:
Running 100 gr Interlocks at about 3250 fps VERY nicely, giving up groups I'd be happy with at 100 yds from 200 yds:
Both of these rifles have done very nicely for kids, too. They're just great fun to shoot!!!!!!
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