Shot a doe this morning, long range.....20 yards :grin: Made a big walking circle today, was windy as all get out and my back hurt to much to stand long, so I struck out across the old coal mine and was on my way back. Mine had been over planted with pines in neat rows, I was walking along one row when just ahead I saw a deer step past a pin in the row to my left. I stopped, cocked the gun and slowly eased left to see what was there, and she was not more than 25 yards ahead, looking back at me. All I could see was her head and neck, so I centered her neck and fired. Two others I had not seen (the pines and undergrowth are thick, 20 yards was max range in any direction) took off, she dropped.
Shot was perfect, bullet size hole in, 1 1/2" hole out, neck broken. Load was same as last time (I had loaded up 10 rounds for the season) Lyman 379449 (264 grains as cast) 24.5 grains of WC680 (AA1680 for those not using milsurp) Winchester large rifle primers. This load will put 3 in one hole at 50 yards all day, and brings down deer quite handily :-D (pun intended)
I had trouble with the gun Friday evening. Was walking to my stand and ever time I moved the rifle I felt the barrel move in the frame. Got back to the house and it took a .002" shim to make it close tight. I've not yet JB'd it in but man I'm tired of the things that go wrong with NEF's. While they are easy to work on, that one has to work on them at all is too much. Re sited the rifle in Saturday after lunch, groups had moved vertically 1 1/2" low from POA as set prior to looseness.
Hunted with the Remington Model 7 in 7-08 I purchased from De41mag all of Saturday, saw nothing. Still 6 weeks of hunting left to bloody this rifle, but boy I really do like that 38-55, it is a deer slayer for sure, and that 28" tube ain't no problem in close quarters either.
