In an unlimited Prairie Dog town in Montana, there are two reasons to stop

[Spitpatch]

A .221 Fireball can be pushed to do amazing things when no wind is present. This is the gun that suffered not being reloaded in favor of a "Pause that Refreshes".


The only custom rifle I ever ordered,30 years ago when I had no business doing so. This year it made incredible hits on anything that could be defined at 10x. Built by Herb and Kurt Mueller on a Sako Action, Douglas Air-guaged Benchrest barrel. Note the fore end, which is not a cap, but an English graft to the Black Walnut burl.

 

[Koda]

The only custom rifle I ever ordered,30 years ago when I had no business doing so. This year it made incredible hits on anything that could be defined at 10x.

A lot of gun/shooting history in your calibers and craftsmanship in your collection. Its fun seeing how accurate guns used to be made compared to today's accurate guns, while great don't exhibit the same craftsmanship personalities of their predecessors. I always enjoy your postings here...

 

[dangerranger60]

Shooting is not why numbers are down. 20 years ago the feds outlawed most effective pesticides. Now there are new ones that are effective and don't harm another animal that eats the carcass. I look for Organic farms for shooting opportunities. DR

 

[Spitpatch]

Lightweight accolades were within 190 yards of a good .22WMR and the right ammo.
A 50gr bullet still has killing expansion with a chest shot at that range.

Ruger Model 77/22M Stainless Varminter. .22WMR. 50gr Federal Hollowpoint anchored this poodle inches from his hole from 190 yards.

 

[Spitpatch]

Though the gun is not "little", the cartridge is. An '80's vintage fat-barreled .222 picked up where the Fireball left off. With no wind, it was trustworthy to all ranges short of what the Pfeifer could do.

Remington Model 700V .222 Remington. Previously owned by a benchrester, this rifle came to me target crowned, glass bedded/floated (properly!) and with an exquisite trigger. The ejector had been "tuned" to deliver brass at an angle from the bolt face (and not throw it) for easy return to the cartridge box.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Fixed it for you!

View attachment 1751531

PFttttttttttttttttttttttttt
When claiming ground that has a lot of brass that I am fixing to pick up, I'll go towards the entrance and write my name to warn others that this ground is claimed by the Caveman. Don't make me give you that thousand yard stare either.

 

[Spitpatch]

PFttttttttttttttttttttttttt
When claiming ground that has a lot of brass that I am fixing to pick up, I'll go towards the entrance and write my name to warn others that this ground is claimed by the Caveman. Don't make me give you that thousand yard stare either.

That strategy is only slightly less shop-worn than telling your junior-high lunch buddies you put a bugger in your lunch somewhere so they won't eat it.

 

[Stomper]

That strategy is only slightly less shop-worn than telling your junior-high lunch buddies you put a bugger in your lunch somewhere so they won't eat it.

I hope you meant "booger" and not "bugger"…. That's a whole new dimension to go through for a mere soggy lunchbox sandwich!

 

[Spitpatch]

I hope you meant "booger" and not "bugger"…. That's a whole new dimension to go through for a mere soggy lunchbox sandwich!

Best thing about vernacular expressions is that they are flexible (as to spelling, pronunciation and definitions).

Plus, it allows me to say, "Yeah. That's what I meant."

 

[Certaindeaf]

I hope you meant "booger" and not "bugger"…. That's a whole new dimension to go through for a mere soggy lunchbox sandwich!

 

[boattail]

Shooting is not why numbers are down. 20 years ago the feds outlawed most effective pesticides. Now there are new ones that are effective and don't harm another animal that eats the carcass. I look for Organic farms for shooting opportunities. DR

This^^^^^^

I have shot for years on Beldings. I have a shooting trailer and an arsenal of guns and ammo. Once the approved poisons came back my job has ended on all but one ranch.

The last year I shot before the poison came back I shot 6000 rounds of a combo of .223, 20 practical, 17 hmr, and 22lr all in 14 days. My average kill ratio was 80% from 10 feet to 400 yards with most kills in the 200 yard range.