NZ Long Range Hunting

[Jimm]

NZ LRHunter ,

Howdy ! many congrats on your sucesses, especially your sons first at LR.

It is too much fun eh ? Also to think you get to do it year round ! Does the temps throw a kink in processing the game ?

Thanks a mill for your story and pix , how about some elk shootings , you do have american elk over there yes? Thought I had read about them over ther a few years back .

So , how hard is it for a fellow from the states to come there and hunt?

Jim B.

 

[IDAHO PREACHER]

NZ I enjoyed your adventures with your sons. Does the suspressor effect the velocity of the bullet any? It is evident it doesn't effect accuracy. Please continue to post. IP

 

[Charles A]

[ QUOTE ]
Does the suspressor effect the velocity of the bullet any? It is evident it doesn't effect accuracy.

[/ QUOTE ]


Not NZ, however suppressers actually increase accuracy, and usually velocity, due to a less turbulent release of the projectile.

 

[wildcat]

NZ, Awsome story!!!! and good looking rifle. Can you give us the specs on your rifle, would like to hear about it. By the way, welcome to LRH.

Wildcat

 

[yotefever]

Great story and loved the pics. It sure is nice to see how it's done in other parts of the world.
Back in '04 I got to compete with three NZ shooters in Ohio for handgun silhouette. Had a good time talking with them about NZ.

 

[NZ Longranger]

Thanks again for your comments guys.

Jim B, we call them wapiti here in NZ and they live in the remotest, wildest mountains we have, Fiordland. I go south to hunt them every year, its my favourite extreme wilderness hunting experience. Our wapiti used to be as big as your best elk, but unfortuinately through interbreeding with the red deer, their body and antler size has diminished somewhat. I'll post up some pics when I get a minute.
Anybody can come hunt in NZ, anytime of year, but antlers are hard from March to September if you're after trophies.

Blas 93, I don't know Lethien Valley outfitters but that doesn't mean anything. Tahr hunting is another one of my favourites and they are a species that ideally suit long range hunting, due to how high they live in the mountains.

I.P., Charles A. pretty much answered your question. Accuracy wise, barrel harmonics are helped by having weight in front of the muzzle, which is why barrel tuners work. A suppressor acts as a fixed tuner.

Wildcat, some specs on this rifle in post somewhere above, let me know if there's anything else you want to know.

Greg

 

[Guest]

What is the thing on the end of the barrel a silencer?or some sort of tuning device?

 

[NZ Longranger]

[ QUOTE ]
What is the thing on the end of the barrel a silencer?or some sort of tuning device?

[/ QUOTE ]
Old Bear, its called a suppressor, which reduces the bang at the gun to about the same as a 223. It can't silence as the ammo isn't subsonic, so you still get the crack of the supersonic bullet.
At the longrange the game still hear the bullet in the air, but they can't pinpoint where its coming from.
It also acts as a fixed tuner to some extent. See comments above.
Greg

 

[brianwinzor]

NZ LR Hunter, Great post! I am across the small ditch in South Oz, and I was particularly interested to hear that you are using ADI 2211.

I contacted ADI about 1 year ago and they said that ADI 2211 is no longer available to the domestic reloader. Is it still available in NZ?

This last week I have been testing H870 and ADI 2218 (H50BMG in US)in the 257 Weatherby with the 156 grain Wildcat ULD, and found that I was hitting maximum at around 70.0 grains.

The maximum H870 load represents about 82% load density and the AR 2218 load about 88%, but I would like to use a powder that gets it up in my preferred 95 - 100% region.

Does you testing show that ADI 2211 is slower burning than either 2218 or H870, and if so by how many grains with a particular bullet weight? Regards, Brian.

 

[NZ Longranger]

Brian,
2211 isn't available here anymore either, but I have 1 and a bit 15kg drums left. Its similar in burning rate to 2218, slower if anything. It works great in the 7mm/404 and 7mm RUM giving 100% loading density, good velocity and superb temperature insensitivity.
Have you tried the Vihtavuori slow powders, 24N41 and 20N29? The latter is extremely slow and gives awesome velocities, but I found powder fowling a real issue with it. The velocity and pressure just kept climbing as you fired more shots of the same load. You needed to clean after each group, which may not be an issue for a longrange big game hunter, but no good for varminting or competition.
Greg

 

[brianwinzor]

Greg, Thanks for the information on the burning rate of AR2211 and its temperature insensitivity. Wish ADI would reconsider its decision not to release it anymore. Was Vithtavouri 20N29 slower burning than AR2211?

I have considered using 24N41 & 20N29, and spoke to the Vihtavouri Oz agent about 3 months ago, and he said if I ordered at least 3kg of either one, he could include it in the next shipment in about 1 years time.

I decided to order the 20N29, as most burning rate charts place 24N41 around the same as AR2218 (H50BMG), and I am mainly interested in something slower. Have you tried 24N41?

The 257 Weatherby with the 156 grain ULD is my first serious attempt at a long range hunting rifle on medium game. So even if 20N29 fouls excessively, I should be able to handle it during my normal daily hunting cycle.

I certainly don't intend to use the 257W as a long range varmint rifle, as I have several other rifles that can be set up as a specialist long range varmint rifles. In any event there aren't many rabbits here anymore, as when the calici virus was released in 1995, nearly all the rabbits swam over to NZ to escape to safety.He!He!

Out of curiosity, what is the case capacity of the the 7mm/404? As a comparison, I have some new 7mm RUM cases on the shelf waiting for a project, and they hold 114 grains of ball powder (109.5 to the base of the neck).

 

[bailey1474]

Looks like you boys are doing it right, that's for sure. Thanks for the great pics and post!!

 

[NZ Longranger]

Brian,
Just got back from a goose, pig and varmint hunting trip down south for the week, so sorry for not replying sooner.
I've got some 24N41, but haven't tried it yet.
7mm/404 capacity is very similar to 7mm RUM, but performance is better due to excellent RWS brass.
I had some reamers ground in a 7mm/338 Lapua improved a while ago as I was running out of RWS 404 brass and the Lapua is superb. I'm putting one together at the moment. I think the capacity will be slightly less than Kirby's 7mm AM.
I've been shooting a short 7mm/338 Lapua for a while now, its the ultimate short magnum! Gives STW performance out of a short action.
Greg

 

[brianwinzor]

Greg, Thanks for the information, it should prove useful.

I have contemplated using RWS brass in several projects, but in Oz, it is often difficult to source, and always expensive.

The 7mm/404 & 7mm/338Lap. certainly are interesting projects and hope that you are able to give some progress reports. Regards, Brian.