If I can by these dag-gone Chevy adds I will try to get a post in... not an imprtant post but a fun one...
I really like this thing about being retired again. I took this morning as an opportunity to go fall turkey hunting - elk scouting - and the 52 to run by the rock pit this morning...
First turkey hunting - grabbed the 870 and headed to a heavily logged area that usually is loaded with spring turkey. I really wasn't going to work hard at hunting them - they would have to walk out in front of me and the route that I chose to walk.... more importantly I was looking for elk sign, which did not take long to find. So I am really glad I did not see any turkey's - not sure I would have taken the shot if I did. Sure would not want to spook any elk.
When I walked over Red-Stem ridge to the first ground stand it was quite apparent the elk had been browsing on the red stem. It was 11:00 in the morning so I was not expecting a lot. Sat on the stand for about 15 minutes just looking and listening... it was really peaceful. Then decided to head down a spur ridge that was normally a route used by the elk in the area. When I got about 2/3rds of the way down - I started smelling the the 'smell' and seeing the drop evidence of fresh elk sign. Turned around and headed back from where I came-eth - quietly and quickly... that was enough for me headed back to the truck and then to the Little Boulder Rock Pit.
At the rock pit I really wanted to make up my mind which bullet I was going to use for this years elk activities.
The gun and the load remained the same throughout the testing... Knight DISC Extreme 52 cal, 120 grains T7-2f, and a knight Grey 52 cal sabot made by MMP.
Originally, I had planned on using the .458/275 grain bullet, it really shoots well from the 52. Another bullet that shot well from my other 50 cal rifles was the .458/300 BB... the BB is me adding the indentifier as it is what Lehigh Dave sales to the 45-70 guys that use it for Buffalo, and of course other animals, but i once read a user story about a guy talking about how devastating this bullet was on Buffalo - so I call it the 'Buffalo Bullet'. It has deep groves around the bullet, I guess they are a benefit for rifle shooters. Well let me tell you it shoots well from a Sabot also. The final bullet I wanted to try is the new .458/300 grain Lehigh, but it is built for a muzzleloader. The deep grooves are gone and repleced by two knurling rings that grab the sabot and insures that the bullet and the sabot spin at the same rate, some bullets can stall and not spin initially in the sabot.
Can not show you any paper targets as I did not shoot any... I shot clay pigeons and pieces of clay pigeons placed on the rock wall. The targets ranged from 95 yards to 107 yards - not enough difference to really worry about but each target was shot as if it were a live animal. None of them required a follow up shot.
I think I have settled on the .458/300 DOA - although the Buffalo Bullet a serious contender - I just do not have a lot of them to practice with. I have one more test to run tomorrow at the farm. I am hoping to do some shooting at ranges greater than 100 yards... it should be fun...
Here is a couple of pics working off the tailgate of the pick up...
