Zero'd a few hunting rifles this weekend

September 18, 2023, 03:02 PM

Beautiful Saturday over in east Georgia this past weekend. Got property lines and roads trimmed back, feeders and cameras running, and deer stands inspected and primed.

Oh and got to shoot a little. I recently swapped scopes around on 4 rifles and was able to zero 3 of them. I mounted and bore-sighted them last week. My bore-sight was consistently 6" high at 50 yards on all three rifles, but was solid windage-wise and at least good enough to get me on paper.
Rotating 3 rifles at a time gave barrels time to cool down and kept me efficient, although I had some shoulder fatigue. I let me buddy spell me on one gun but I didn't trust him (rightly, it turned out.)

Rifles/scope/ammo are (L to R):
Tang safety Ruger M77 in 7x57 with vintage Leupold Vari-X II 1-4x20. Shooting 140gr Nosler E-tips

Browning X-Bolt .270 Win with Leupold VXII 2-7x33 shooting 130gr Hornady Interlock.

Beretta Mato 30-06 with Leupold VXII 3-9x40 shooting some cheap ol 165gr Remington Tipped CoreLokt.

And then my buddy shooting his big, dumb 20lb .308.

No target pictures because they look like a mess but each rifle ended with a decent group given my janky rest. Big winner was a hundred yard 1.25" group from the 7x57 which was tough to do with a 4X scope.

What is everyone else shooting at a deer this fall?

September 18, 2023, 07:15 PM

sourdough44

Recently found out my main hunting partner now has heart surgery scheduled for early Nov. I’m now looking at adjusting some hunts. I’ll check the zero on my Knight muzzle-loader for IL.

I didn’t plan MI but now may be there, my 284 Winchester or a 243 will be used. Since they were sighted in last year, 3-4 shots is usually enough. My average shot distance isn’t over 75 yards.

September 19, 2023, 09:08 AM

mutedblade

That Ruger is a dream gun of mine. It’s a stunner and evidently a shooter

September 19, 2023, 01:38 PM

YellowJacket

quote:
Originally posted by mutedblade:
That Ruger is a dream gun of mine. It’s a stunner and evidently a shooter

Such a great deer caliber.

I killed my first deer nearly 30 years ago with a Ruger 7x57 just like this that was borrowed from a family friend. Always wanted one after that. Found this one on GB about 4 years ago and snagged the little Leupold at Chuck's Firearms in Atlanta for $100.

September 20, 2023, 05:12 AM

sourdough44

Speaking of older Ruger M77 rifles. There was one on consignment a handful of years ago that caught my interest. It was a ‘flat-bolt’, SN dated to 1970, good shape, in 284 Winchester. I looked at it, then passed.

I was at the same shop 4-5 months later, gun was still there. I guess nobody wanted the uncommon chambering. It came with brass, ammo, & mounted scope rings. I looked closer then gave an offer. We met somewhere on price, my other 284 is a Browning.

Yes, I know, the 284 Winchester is kinda like a 7mm-08 +p, I still like it. I have a serious problem when I go deer, bear, or elk hunting, what gun?

September 20, 2023, 08:15 AM

cas

It's got to be a pain in the ass, hauling that end table around in the woods.

quote:
What is everyone else shooting at a deer this fall?

That's usually what I do all week in the woods, try to decide what I'll bring the following year. Inevitably I will buy something or a couple somethings and mess that plan up.

I have a bad habit of buying rifles, hunting with them once then "putting them in the rotation" and then 10-15 years will go buy without them making another appearance.

Bring the "new gun". Or the "this will be THE ONE" gun (which NEVER happens). I always bring a few and there's roles usually. iron sighed gun, a scoped one, the dot sighted one? Longer(er) range gun. The bad weather gun, the beater gun, the antique gun, "classic hunting rifle", the mil surplus gun. Black powder cartridge rifle, even cap/flintlocks during the regular gun season. Used to be shotgun only area, so occasionally I will take one of them for old time sake. I was a dedicated Handgun only hunter for many years, so that's a whole 'nother category of what I bring and for what purpose.

There were times when I was younger I'd bring a car load with me and never use the same one twice. For me it's always been more about the guns. I try to bring three long guns with me every year. Invariably I will throw something else in the truck last minute, "oh what the heck. What's the point of having them if you're not going to bring them."

September 20, 2023, 11:31 AM

YellowJacket

quote:
Originally posted by cas:
It's got to be a pain in the ass, hauling that end table around in the woods.

quote:
What is everyone else shooting at a deer this fall?

That's usually what I do all week in the woods, try to decide what I'll bring the following year. Inevitably I will buy something or a couple somethings and mess that plan up.

I have a bad habit of buying rifles, hunting with them once then "putting them in the rotation" and then 10-15 years will go buy without them making another appearance.

Bring the "new gun". Or the "this will be THE ONE" gun (which NEVER happens). I always bring a few and there's roles usually. iron sighed gun, a scoped one, the dot sighted one? Longer(er) range gun. The bad weather gun, the beater gun, the antique gun, "classic hunting rifle", the mil surplus gun. Black powder cartridge rifle, even cap/flintlocks during the regular gun season. Used to be shotgun only area, so occasionally I will take one of them for old time sake. I was a dedicated Handgun only hunter for many years, so that's a whole 'nother category of what I bring and for what purpose.

There were times when I was younger I'd bring a car load with me and never use the same one twice. For me it's always been more about the guns. I try to bring three long guns with me every year. Invariably I will throw something else in the truck last minute, "oh what the heck. What's the point of having them if you're not going to bring them."

Exactly! I never go anywhere with one gun! I've been shooting my 243 the most the past few years because I haven't messed with it and have 100% confidence in it. But I've got the bad weather covered, the nostalgia covered, the long range covered (which we don't really have much of in Georgia), and the "brush gun" covered.

Problem is that I only need to kill one or two deer a year and don't get to shoot enough of my rifles.

Also, every stand has a built in end table.

September 20, 2023, 06:02 PM

egregore

quote:
Tang safety Ruger M77 in 7x57 with vintage Leupold Vari-X II 1-4x20. Shooting 140gr Nosler E-tips

Handload?

September 20, 2023, 06:58 PM

YellowJacket

quote:
Originally posted by egregore:
quote:
Tang safety Ruger M77 in 7x57 with vintage Leupold Vari-X II 1-4x20. Shooting 140gr Nosler E-tips

Handload?

No this is a factory load I found.
https://www.nosler.com/7x57-ma...-tip-ammunition.html

I am set up to handload for almost every caliber I own and I've read manuals but I'm a noob and am trying to work out a time with a friend to intro me before I take the leap.

September 21, 2023, 09:18 PM

egregore

i was curious because in spite of its storied history, 7x57 isn't that common a cartridge in the US, so I wondered if it was handloaded.

September 21, 2023, 09:29 PM

Todd Huffman

I shoot a .450 Bushmaster for close range brush hunting and a 30/06 or 7mm/08 for longer range. For me, longer range is up to 200 yards. Anything over that and I can't see it anyway.

Speaking of the .284 Winchester, Dad had a Model 100 Winchester in .284 that was an awesome gun. He killed over 80 deer with it over the years, some farther than I could see the deer. The old man was a hell of a shot.

September 22, 2023, 08:41 AM

pace40

quote:
Originally posted by YellowJacket:
What is everyone else shooting at a deer this fall?

Haven't hunted deer with a cartridge rifle in over 10 years. My "deer gun" is a custom English fowler by J.A. Wymore.

September 22, 2023, 09:19 AM

smschulz

I just did an initial Zero (and break-in) on my new 6.5 Creedmoor yesterday myself.

Did it at an indoor 50 yard range (hot outside, plus easier by not having to go out and chase targets on foot) for now.

Will adjust when I get it to my outdoor range @ 100yds.

Lot's of fun to be had.

September 22, 2023, 10:27 AM

YellowJacket

quote:
Originally posted by egregore:
i was curious because in spite of its storied history, 7x57 isn't that common a cartridge in the US, so I wondered if it was handloaded.

It is challenging to find ammo and especially high-performing hunting bullets (better than CoreLokt). That and the .257 Roberts are actually why I got started on a reloading setup. The .257R is kinda suspect without quality bullets, to me. My BIL has one and on 2 deer the CoreLokt (only factory load I could find at the time) did not pass thru, which is a no-no for me.

September 22, 2023, 10:28 AM

YellowJacket

quote:
Originally posted by pace40:
quote:
Originally posted by YellowJacket:
What is everyone else shooting at a deer this fall?

Haven't hunted deer with a cartridge rifle in over 10 years. My "deer gun" is a custom English fowler by J.A. Wymore.

Very cool! .62 caliber? What is you effective range with that?

September 22, 2023, 01:45 PM

pace40

quote:
Originally posted by YellowJacket:
Very cool! .62 caliber? What is you effective range with that?

I won't pull the trigger on a deer much past 40 yds, 50 tops. It's a smooth bore and there is no second shot. Actual effective range is closer to 100 depending on load but groups are severely increased.

September 22, 2023, 02:02 PM

MikeinNC

.62 is a 20 gauge (Fowler) the use of the round ball makes it a dual use muzzle loading gun.

My brown Bess is an 11 ga. But I only shoot round ball thru it.

September 22, 2023, 02:16 PM

pace40

quote:
Originally posted by MikeinNC:
.62 is a 20 gauge (Fowler) the use of the round ball makes it a dual use muzzle loading gun.

That's a fact! Whenever I get to thinking I'm getting good with it, I take it out dove hunting. Puts me right back in my place.