Hey Lloyd, I was scrolling down the post and was going to tell you about the 8mm cases, but never mind, I see you have that covered. Oh well it's the thought that counts....right.
I have one chambered on one fo the early Sendero's with a laminate stock. I picked it up used for a great price, and figured if it wouldn't shoot I would simply rebarrel it to a 300 RUM. Well I managed to pick the right time to check for ammo as Midway had some of the Federal loaded 150gr Nosler Solid Bases on clearance for about $18 a box. I figured I would give it a shot, and found it put them into 1/2" groups at 200yds. That afternoon I ordered the rest of what they had in stock. I still have around 6 or 8 boxes sitting on the shelf, and try as I could, I haven't been able to duplicate the velocity nor accuracy of that ammo. It's listed at 3350 on the box and does that easily from the 26" barrel.
Here is a couple of shots I pulled off a video clip from my friends place. I was working on rebedding a trailer when he said "look at all those hogs, you got your rifle"?
Well I had the STW in the truck and set up right along side it prone.
He said "shoot that blonde boar and we'll go after the others later". Well he would never give me the shot I wanted and when my bud called out 385 as the yardage I was a bit hesitant to let one loose on him. Finally he started to feed directly towards us, and I settled the scope right on his whithers, and eased down on the trigger. At the recoil hogs went everywhere, and I couldn't see the blonde boar. My bud said something to the effect, he couldn't believe that shot, and wantd to know where I aimed. I told him, and we rode over to the hog pictured just how we found him laying. Thats when he started mumbling stuff under his breath about not ever wanting to make me mad, LOL
I have a Burris 4.5x14x50 mounted on top with the Ballistic Mil Dot Reticle in it. Sighted in zero at 200yds the dots are calibrated to the actual load I am shooting, and it works out as close as I can hold to 600yds.
This one doesn't kick all that bad at all, and my daughter has even used it a time or two whiel hunting our back pastures for a specific big buck she was after. She never got the buck but she has shot up a box or more of the ammo practicing with it and she don't weigh much over 110 drippin wet.
Good luck with finding the brass, I thnk the last I actually found was over at Lock Stock and Barrel before they went under. Well the last I was willing to spring for anyway. I managed to get something like 2-300 Remingtons, bagged 50 to a bag. I ahve only opened up one bag so far and this spring that rifle is on the list of loads to be worked out before fall. Hopefully with the 500 154gr Bonded blems I also picked up I can find something she likes, as I really want to keep using the 139gr loads in my standard 7mm RM.
Take care, and good luck.
