And you're using this combination out to 600 yards?
Top of the afternoon to you. To date I've used them to 505 yds. Could I, would I go to 600 with them absolutely! I've found that I don't have much trouble stalking inside 400. But was I bent on shooting to 600 after the experiences I've had with it sub 500 I sure as heck would drop the hammer
In the last several years using the 60 Horn HP ( a lot from the mid 70's) plus a few taken with my all time fav bullet the 63 Sierra we took 49 head of game with 49 shots from 35 yds on out. One of the elk I took with the 63 was a mongo sized cow @ 308 yds, one shot behind the left front, the bullet took out the lungs, went thru the left shoulder and exited. Said cow took a short dash 15 yds or so and augured in. Of those 49, 93% of them went absolutely straight down!
If, and I say if one is patient, has their emotions under control and has good trigger control one can do a lot of killing. Being part predator will help one get some awfully good things done with the Big 22's.
I built a 8 twist 22/250 AI last year on a Kimber 84M with a Lilja cut to 23" that is .62" at the muzzle. With a 3-10 Leo with a M1 on top. This thing weighs 6.5 lbs "all up" (sling, rounds,scope) and shoots lights out! it loves 73 Bergers, 62 TTSX and 70 Hammers. I sure could build a load around the 80.5 Berg and go light the torch on critters at 600 yds.
For the way I hunt, the country I hunt and the game I hunt I am more than fine with this as my go to rig. I started using the 22/250 and the Swift in 1978, the numbers of game we've taken with it is staggering. Filling a couple Arks comes to mind.
The biggest blackie I've taken 20 3/16 was taken with the 63 Sierra @ 178 yds. The boar was rutting I called him away from his blonde lady friend and at 178 yds he turned to go after her. I hit him as he quartered away, hit him where is love handle would be. The bullet went up thru the body and exited where his Adams apple would be if bears have one. The bruin went about 15 yds and piled up.
Breaking thru the fronts on small big game like deer and lopes doesn't take much. (I've done it with a 17 Rem) Be it 200 yds or 600 if one shoots them in the lungs they just aren't long for this world.
It's easy to see by the responses on this thread who's done a fair bit of work with the Big 22's on game and who hasn't. No bigga deal really, we all have our choices to make.
Life is short, shoot straight!
