Calling this morning was a bust, but on the way back I stopped to burn some powder on a few ground squirrels, and.....
Seems like someone said the Marlin's didn't like the CCI TNT's - only the Hornady V-Max. While I didn't shoot my Marlin a lot at Digger Wars this spring, I did learn that it shot the V-Max and TNT's well, to the same POI, same as my Bullberry carbine does. So anyway, thought I'd try a "Bill D" type test with it today. :wink:
Equipment was my Marlin 17VS, Rifle Basix trigger and Swift Premier 4-12X40 in BKL mounts - and the CCI 17gr. TNT Hummer ammo. Would be shooting off the hard tonneau cover on my truck with a Harris bipod and no bags - range 100 yards (ranged with my BYP 1000 LRF).
I set up a handy board found right there on the desert - used twigs to "prop the target". Shot #1 - way too easy!
Shot #1OK, back into the pocket again. Shot #2, still seemed easy!
Shot #2But would it do it repeatedly? One more time to the pocket for another thin one... Shot #'s 3,4 and 5.
Shot #3, 4, & 5Take it or leave it, but this was a one clip full test (a shortened 5 shot clip). It really didn't surprise me - I'd seen what the TNT can do in the killing fields last spring - and beyond 300 yards. What did surprise me was walking out after each shot and actually finding the targets in the dirt/rocks after they did their aerial antics after the hit.
The RigThe ResultsMarlin isn't as precise as the Bullberry carbine, but it was fun, and now I have some keepsakes for the day.
Ladobe