It's just past mid-July but October 15 has a way of sneaking up on me. I vowed not to be dinking around with loads and sight-in chores down into September this year. So I made a plan: I will hunt with factory ammo this year and any shooting between now and the season will not involve sight changes.
Today was the day to establish a 100 yd. sight setting of +2" for my 6.5X55 Swede and my 35 Whelen. Both are Remington 700 Classics. The Swede wears a Leupold M8 4X and the Whelen carries an old El Paso Weaver K2.5X. Chosen ammo is Federal Powr-Shok 140 Gr. SP for the Swede and Federal Premium 225 gr. Trophy Bonded Bearclaw for the Whelen. The Swede was accurized by Hill Country Rifles and came back with a sub-0.50", 3-shot target using the Federal ammo. I have since fired some 0.5 - 0.75 groups myself. Today I got a nice 1.3" triangle at 100 yds. with the Swede. That should put it just about on target at 200 yards which will handle all of my antelope and deer hunting quite nicely. Here are the antelope and mule deer taken with the Swede last Fall.
Now, go figure, I fired a 3-shot, 100 yard group with the TBBC in the Whelen today that went right at 0.4". And that was with a Weaver K2.5X! Well, I know one group is just one group but it sure felt good to see that "almost one-holer" on the Shoot-n-See bullseye. In previous years I have been impressed by the TBBC bullet in the Federal facgtory ammo. Over the years the Whelen has accounted for antelope, whitetails, elk, and one mountain lion. A couple years ago I killed an antelope doe and a spike elk with the Federal TBBC ammo. The bullet performed perfectly in both cases. That impressed me with regard to the frailty of the antelope and the toughness of the elk.
Between now and hunting season I will shoot alot of .22 LR through my old Rem. 513S (26" bbl., Weaver K4W scope) and a bunch of ammo in my 700 Classic .223 Rem. with Leupold Rifleman 2-7X. A re-check of the sights on the Swede and the Whelen, plus a few confidence shots at 200 yds. and I will be "good to go."
It's nice when things come together.
