Could not find the what have you bought lately so here is another. Pretty excited. Pellet gun additions. The dan Wesson 2 1/2 in and the 347 crossman vigilante.
Guns & Shooting
New guns.
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Huntfish, I was always using the Hornady Interlock spire point for whitetail. Great penetration and expansion. Have since switched to the SST once they hit the market. Again, great controlled expansion and penetration. A hit to the vitals will yield a short recovery time. One Buffalo County buck that dressed at 242# (that's right) was shot with a 129gr SST from a 6.5x06 at 20yds. Hit him dead broadside behind the shoulder, 1/3 the way up from the bottom. Had a golfball sized exit hole. He ran 40yds and went on his chin. Everything north of the diaphram was emulsified.
Not exactly new, but I've been able to get on the range recently with a CMMG 22lr adapter that I picked up last fall. It was tested in my 16" "Looter Shooter" at 50 yds. With a 100yd zero on the carbine using my 77BTHP load, the 22lr adapter impacts 3" low at 50yds using CCI Mini-Mag. Group for 10 shots was right at 3" dia. My friend is on the USAR rifle team and has printed groups right at 1 inch at 50yds using a specific lot of Tenex and Lapua match ammo. Problem is that neither loadings have the energy to cycle his rifle.My 3" group is plenty good enough for hitting steel targets and for use on the Echo target out to 50yds.
The 22lr projectile is smaller than a 223/55 projectile and it cannot grab the rifling as well. Soooo, when you fire it in a 223/556 barrel you will never see stellar accuracy. My optic is a 3X prism sight from Primary Arms. It has allowed me to fire multiple 1 MOA groups from a solid support at 100yds using home rolled match ammo.
The 22lr projectile is smaller than a 223/55 projectile and it cannot grab the rifling as well. Soooo, when you fire it in a 223/556 barrel you will never see stellar accuracy. My optic is a 3X prism sight from Primary Arms. It has allowed me to fire multiple 1 MOA groups from a solid support at 100yds using home rolled match ammo.
Who all uses ballistic tips for their ammo? I've always used core lock tips most of my younger life until I purchased a WSM 7mm. Foresight, I bought enough boxes to keep me supplied years ago since you can't find it anymore. My experience with 140 gr ballistic tips have been far more exceeded than core locktips. Biggest buck ran 30 yards, while most drop instantly. I never get a pass through, but has not been needed. Core lock they always ran good distance before dropping.
Decided to go back to a 45. Why throw baseballs when you can throw bowling balls?
Ended up getting an M&P 2.0 Shield. My hand is closer to L size and it feels pretty good in my hand. The grip angle (for me) allows me to get on target naturally.The trigger pull is def shorter and more crisp than the trigger on my P365XL. The sights are very visible and easy to acquire. It's still a virgin, so I have no idea as to how good the sight register is and if it will cycle every time. Also got a Desantis Nemesis pocket holster to wear it between the skin and the pants at 4:30 to 5 o'clock for deep concealment. Feels secure and comfortable.
Ended up getting an M&P 2.0 Shield. My hand is closer to L size and it feels pretty good in my hand. The grip angle (for me) allows me to get on target naturally.The trigger pull is def shorter and more crisp than the trigger on my P365XL. The sights are very visible and easy to acquire. It's still a virgin, so I have no idea as to how good the sight register is and if it will cycle every time. Also got a Desantis Nemesis pocket holster to wear it between the skin and the pants at 4:30 to 5 o'clock for deep concealment. Feels secure and comfortable.
Want to get an AK(M) before we can’t. Thinking about Century Arms VSKA, will decide on furniture colors later. Reviews I have read lately are positive-Hickhoc .45 loved it. Have any of you guys got one made since they switched to American mfg last few years???
Would really like your feedback for or against.
Don’t really want to drop a grand on the higher end ones. Bud’s-guns has the VSKA for under or right around $700 lately..
Also , if you have one, did it fire the much cheaper steel case ammo all right?
Would really like your feedback for or against.
Don’t really want to drop a grand on the higher end ones. Bud’s-guns has the VSKA for under or right around $700 lately..
Also , if you have one, did it fire the much cheaper steel case ammo all right?
I've wanted a Marlin Model 60 .22 since I was 12 years old. I'm now 47. And today I finally got one! I passed on one a couple months back at the local pawn shop because the barrel was rather rusty. When I stopped in last weekend to look around I noticed this one and thought "wow...didn't sell it yet." Then I looked closer and realized this one was in really good condition!
I know it's nothing special, but I'm a pretty happy guy knowing there's one more gun under my roof
I know it's nothing special, but I'm a pretty happy guy knowing there's one more gun under my roof
tailsneyes,
I guess I would let your rifle tell you what it likes and go from there. Are you a blood trail guy that likes a hole in and hole out, or an energy dump guy that wants to deliver as much energy to the animal as possible? If you want to increase the likelihood of an exit hole, I would opt for a heavier bullet (165 gr). If you want to deliver energy and your rifle shoots them well, I would shoot a 150 ballistic tip (something like the Deer Season XP or Hornady Superformance SST). I do not personally own a .308 but have plenty of experience shooting one and several of my hunting buddies use them. It is a great woods cartridge for large midwestern whitetails, especially in a light, nimble rifle like the Axis II. A buddy of mine has a Browning BAR .308 carbine and used to shoot 180 Remington Core Lokts. 4 years ago he shot a nice 8 point buck...5 times, inside 80 yards. It just kept walking. We recovered 3 bullets under the hide behind the off-side shoulder that appeared unfired. Zero expansion other than the round nose had been flattened on them. We came to the conclusion that the lower muzzle velocity of the 180 gr. bullets out of a .308 combined with the short 18" barrel reduced the velocity to the point there wasn't enough to expand the bullets without hitting heavy bone. I don't like 180 gr bullets for deer-sized game anyway, but seeing as the .308 has lower muzzle velocity than a .30-06 or .300 Win Mag, I would opt for a lighter, faster bullet in the .308 unless your shots will be close or your rifle won't group lighter bullets well. He now shoots Federal Fusion 150 gr. and has had great results.
I will share my personal experience with the .308's long action, slightly faster cousin, the .30-06 SPRG, which I have killed a pile of deer with. I have a couple different rifles chambered in .30-06...one is a Remington 760 Gamemaster pump that I currently shoot 165 gr. pointed soft points out of. I used to shoot 180 gr PSP's, but found the 165's have similar performance with less recoil and obviously shoot flatter if need be. This is primarily a 'woods' rifle as well and does well in that role. A long shot with this rifle would be 125 yards. Most are 50-75. My bolt action .30-06 is a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle that I shoot 165 gr. Hornady Superformance SST's in. With the added velocity of the Superformance line, I get 150 gr trajectory with a 165 gr bullet. I shot a mule deer in Montana in 2018 at 380 yards heavily quartering away from me. The 165 SST entered 4" in front of the hind quarter and was lodged against the leg bone in the off-side front shoulder. Retained weight was about 120 grains after going nearly end-to-end through that buck. I was pretty impressed. I have shot the 150 gr SST's in the past, but found them to be pretty frangible if they hit bone inside of 150 yards. It would be a great bullet at standard 2900-ish FPS muzzle velocity, but at 3100+, it is a grenade!
I would see how 150 gr. Hornady American Whitetail or 150 gr Federal Fusion / Power Shoks shoot in your rifle. I prefer the American Whitetail line in my .270 and have had great luck with Hornady ammo when it comes to consistency. Federal and Winchester would be close seconds. I once had issues with a box of Remington Core Lokts not firing (6 rounds in a box of 20 failed to fire in 3 different rifles). Bad batch of primers? Perhaps, but it left enough doubt in my mind and other manufacturers have similar products that have performed very well for me at the same price point. If you want a pretty ballistic tip, the Deer Season XP line has served my brother well in his .30-06, even at close range. You may lose a little more meat with them, but the blood trails are VERY short, if even required. He has shot a half dozen deer since switching to them and had to track one about 30 yards. The .308 is such a mild-mannered rifle, don't take a light rifle like the Savage Axis II and turn it into a bully at the bench with heavy bullets. 150's should serve you well out to 300-400 yards. At the distances you will be shooting, there is no need to shoot premium ammo/ballistic tips in my opinion, but to each their own. The InterLock bullet in the American Whitetail line is a mechanically bonded bullet that holds together pretty well. They are $22-26 per box in most stores and accuracy has been very good in my rifles. Whatever shoots well in your rifle, buy a case if you can find them, or at least several boxes with the same lot #. This will eliminate the need to re-zero when one box runs out. Grab another box from the safe that was loaded at the same time and you will be good to go.
EDIT TO ADD: I second the MCarbo trigger spring kits in the non-Accu-Trigger models (I personally despise those bladed triggers). I put the MCarbo kits in a pair of 350 Legend Axis II rifles and took the trigger pull from just shy of 9 pounds to just over 3 pounds. It also includes shims to remove the side-to-side slop in the trigger as well. It takes 5 minutes to install and is the best $20 upgrade on an Axis rifle. Also, do yourself a favor and buy nice scope mounts (DNZ, Talley or similar). That aluminum garbage they include with those package rifles are TRASH!
I guess I would let your rifle tell you what it likes and go from there. Are you a blood trail guy that likes a hole in and hole out, or an energy dump guy that wants to deliver as much energy to the animal as possible? If you want to increase the likelihood of an exit hole, I would opt for a heavier bullet (165 gr). If you want to deliver energy and your rifle shoots them well, I would shoot a 150 ballistic tip (something like the Deer Season XP or Hornady Superformance SST). I do not personally own a .308 but have plenty of experience shooting one and several of my hunting buddies use them. It is a great woods cartridge for large midwestern whitetails, especially in a light, nimble rifle like the Axis II. A buddy of mine has a Browning BAR .308 carbine and used to shoot 180 Remington Core Lokts. 4 years ago he shot a nice 8 point buck...5 times, inside 80 yards. It just kept walking. We recovered 3 bullets under the hide behind the off-side shoulder that appeared unfired. Zero expansion other than the round nose had been flattened on them. We came to the conclusion that the lower muzzle velocity of the 180 gr. bullets out of a .308 combined with the short 18" barrel reduced the velocity to the point there wasn't enough to expand the bullets without hitting heavy bone. I don't like 180 gr bullets for deer-sized game anyway, but seeing as the .308 has lower muzzle velocity than a .30-06 or .300 Win Mag, I would opt for a lighter, faster bullet in the .308 unless your shots will be close or your rifle won't group lighter bullets well. He now shoots Federal Fusion 150 gr. and has had great results.
I will share my personal experience with the .308's long action, slightly faster cousin, the .30-06 SPRG, which I have killed a pile of deer with. I have a couple different rifles chambered in .30-06...one is a Remington 760 Gamemaster pump that I currently shoot 165 gr. pointed soft points out of. I used to shoot 180 gr PSP's, but found the 165's have similar performance with less recoil and obviously shoot flatter if need be. This is primarily a 'woods' rifle as well and does well in that role. A long shot with this rifle would be 125 yards. Most are 50-75. My bolt action .30-06 is a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle that I shoot 165 gr. Hornady Superformance SST's in. With the added velocity of the Superformance line, I get 150 gr trajectory with a 165 gr bullet. I shot a mule deer in Montana in 2018 at 380 yards heavily quartering away from me. The 165 SST entered 4" in front of the hind quarter and was lodged against the leg bone in the off-side front shoulder. Retained weight was about 120 grains after going nearly end-to-end through that buck. I was pretty impressed. I have shot the 150 gr SST's in the past, but found them to be pretty frangible if they hit bone inside of 150 yards. It would be a great bullet at standard 2900-ish FPS muzzle velocity, but at 3100+, it is a grenade!
I would see how 150 gr. Hornady American Whitetail or 150 gr Federal Fusion / Power Shoks shoot in your rifle. I prefer the American Whitetail line in my .270 and have had great luck with Hornady ammo when it comes to consistency. Federal and Winchester would be close seconds. I once had issues with a box of Remington Core Lokts not firing (6 rounds in a box of 20 failed to fire in 3 different rifles). Bad batch of primers? Perhaps, but it left enough doubt in my mind and other manufacturers have similar products that have performed very well for me at the same price point. If you want a pretty ballistic tip, the Deer Season XP line has served my brother well in his .30-06, even at close range. You may lose a little more meat with them, but the blood trails are VERY short, if even required. He has shot a half dozen deer since switching to them and had to track one about 30 yards. The .308 is such a mild-mannered rifle, don't take a light rifle like the Savage Axis II and turn it into a bully at the bench with heavy bullets. 150's should serve you well out to 300-400 yards. At the distances you will be shooting, there is no need to shoot premium ammo/ballistic tips in my opinion, but to each their own. The InterLock bullet in the American Whitetail line is a mechanically bonded bullet that holds together pretty well. They are $22-26 per box in most stores and accuracy has been very good in my rifles. Whatever shoots well in your rifle, buy a case if you can find them, or at least several boxes with the same lot #. This will eliminate the need to re-zero when one box runs out. Grab another box from the safe that was loaded at the same time and you will be good to go.
EDIT TO ADD: I second the MCarbo trigger spring kits in the non-Accu-Trigger models (I personally despise those bladed triggers). I put the MCarbo kits in a pair of 350 Legend Axis II rifles and took the trigger pull from just shy of 9 pounds to just over 3 pounds. It also includes shims to remove the side-to-side slop in the trigger as well. It takes 5 minutes to install and is the best $20 upgrade on an Axis rifle. Also, do yourself a favor and buy nice scope mounts (DNZ, Talley or similar). That aluminum garbage they include with those package rifles are TRASH!
Tails, I've had no issues and am happy with the Axis II. It is a solid rifle especially for the price. A few suggestions: remove scope and mounts, clean all threaded holes, use blue Loctite and torque screwdriver when replacing screws. Tighten bolt that connects the chassis to the receiver. Bore sighting the scope will save time and $$$ when you sight in at the range. The OEM stocks are fine. I upgraded to Boyd's stocks for two of mine and really like the improvement. Trigger is fine but will have side-to-side "wiggle". I purchased and installed a kit Savage AXIS Trigger Upgrade Pro Kit - Savage AXIS Spring Kit (mcarbo.com)
that made it much better. I know this may seem like a lot of work but it really isn't. Your option how much you want to do with it once you get it home. I like to tinker with stuff, you might be satisfied as is. The Axis II is a good entry level rifle as are some others such as the Ruger American and Mossberg Patriot. I have a habit of tweaking them to suit me.
Hard to go wrong with a 308 Winchester, great cartridge! I have/use a Winchester M70 Extreme Weather in 308 Win, very easy rifle to shoot. My new to me old rifle is a Remington 722 in 300 Savage. Haven't shot it yet and haven't quite decided on what to scope it with, but it will be a lower power with a wide field of view. Nice set-up for my wooded property in SW Door Co. Loaded up some different ammo to see what it likes when I do get out to the range with it, bullet I'll be using is the Hornady 150gr SP Spitzer. Lots of nice guns listed here, enjoy!
Tails, I have a Savage Axis II in .308win. Also have a 110 in .30-06 and two .243win's in the collection. I've found that my .308 likes to eat and spit out Rem Core-lokt tipped in 150gr. The two .243's, one likes Hornady 100gr, the other likes Federal Fusion 95gr. The '06 will digest anything in 150 or 180gr. Point being, each one is different. It takes some experimentation to find the load that works best for you. 150gr for your .308 is a good place to start.
Master Piker, I have decided to go with the savage 308 what weight bullet and configuration would you recommend for wisconsin whitetail. It will be a bolt action due to the majority of my time spent in a stand. When I would go to make drives I would go back to the old trusty 870 just for the comfort of snap shots. I put this out to you because you seem like a guy I could talk to about this everybody has an opinion and I have gotten many already. TIA
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