As the title would suggest, all is not well, but on the same token they aren't all bad either!
The property I wrote about before is, for the second and I suspect last time, off limits to hunters. Due to unforeseen... political issues, one of the owners is not happy with rabbits being hunted there anymore and has canned it.
You win some, you lose some. It's meant that a lot of properties I had previously not worried about are on the cards again and worth pursuing, and I'm actually bothering to track down the odd property here and there. One in particular looks very promising and is apparently overrun with the buggers - but I've known overrun to be two or three from a nearby warren, or hundreds and even thousands destroying entire areas of farming land.
Given that we've had a mild summer, lots of rain and an already quite high population I suspect rabbit numbers will take off in a big way. This is a bad thing - no doubt at all, but there is a silver lining in the form of higher yields when it comes to shooting - this is satisfying on a personal level, in both animals taken and food obtained, and also for the property owner who sees large amounts of vermin removed.
It is unfortunate that things had to end this way at the property. One minute, all ready to go, next, never to return! These things happen and it's not the first, but a lot of fond memories have been had there and I had hoped to have a lot more there, by sharing my access (with permission, of course) with a few more of the hunters and shooters I have met online and at the range. It really was prime country for a pleasant afternoon. On my second last visit there I had a long chat with the neighbour who I've previously had difficulty getting a face to face encoutner with to ask him if he wants anyone to shoot there - we got on pretty well so it might be time to jump ship to literally greener pastures too!
As I like to put it, hardship leads to solutions! You never know, while this old block was convenient, easy, and I had the run of it it never yielded the highest amount of game and so things may change...
Speaking of which, I forayed out into a State Forest for the second time today. The first time was with a top bloke named Daggaboy, we went for goat out Westish and got diddly squat but saw lots of sign, including that of pigs. I had a day off so the fiance and I loaded up the Falcon ute, chucked a few guns in and some other essentials, and went for a drive. Written permission was for me only so she could only spectate (that's all she'd want to do anyway!) but as it turned out the guns never left the vehicle. We had a good drive around, and stopped at a popular (yet deserted, so close to Christmas...) campsite, and went for a large loop walk around the creek system there. We found extensive disturbance which we suspect was pigs, forgot to take any photos, she got covered in leeches which was an unpleasant first for her while I didn't get one due to what I suspect is long-built up immunity, and then kept driving. We then had the fun realisation about an hour later that we were actually covered in ticks as well. Good fun all around! I only had one of the suckers latched on but we had a few close calls and the leatherman pliers came in handy.
I suspect next time I hit State Forest (as was strongly implied) it may be by myself... She did see her first wild snake though, which she was happy about!
I plan on returning to the same forest, armed with more information from the Game Council warden in the area, another R license holder and a full day to hike the hills and gullies. I'll get some game, you just wait...
Shooting, fishing, hunting and camping!
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Friday, 9 December 2011
Reloading bench - a construction guide.
Hi everyone. As we've all found on more than one occasion, space is an issue, especially for the reloader and shooter with all the crap we acquire, use, and store. Usually, we don't have enough space, unlike some lucky buggers!
I was sick of all my hobbies condensed inside one room in the house, so I decided to tackle the task of building a workshop setup, something I haven't had the luxury of having for a few years now. The goal behind it was to have all my reloading and shooting stuff in one convenient spot, keeping it clean and tidy (ha!) and centralised. On the way some other gear will get stored there too, namely tools and some camping gear.
First things first - where am I going to put this thing? The garage was selected. Trust me - this is the clean side.
That table is going across the garage to be semi-useful over there, but that space there adjacent to the beer fridge and other important things is where the bench is going. Once the table is gone and some stuff is shuffled, and I put in a 910 wide shelf in, I'll have 1700 left over for the bench top. 1700 it is!
You can't build a bench without timber though.
First thing there is some 12mm plywood for the top. I had a 2400x1200 sheet ripped down to three sections - two 1700x600 and one 1200x700. The two identical sheets will form the bench top and lower shelf, while the other piece will form a storage section.
The frame itself will be made of 70x35 structural pine. I've had 4 1700 lengths cut, and enough other bits to build a rectangular frame. I also had 6 legs 1000mm long cut from 90x35 structural pine. These materials should be plenty strong enough, and cheap, too.
Huh, strange... I don't remember that being there when I took the photo. Oh well.
Total cost of the timber, liquid nails (which I didn't end up using), screws and a new phillips no. 2 bit was just under $100.
Some old 30mm screws I've had for ages as well as some 65mm wood screws are the fixings for this particular setup. I ended up using another packet of the long screws.
The basic frame. There will also be a cross support in the middle there, I just can't do it yet because it would be in the way of the legs.
Again, the bench will be 600 wide. The long sections are 1700 long, and the timber is 35mm thick, so the end pieces will need to be 530. Some predrilled holes, and some 65mm screws, and presto. Frames! A bit of weight can stop any warping that may be present from the timber.
I didn't really document this stage enough, but in this photo the top has been screwed down after predrilling holes and whacking some of those 30mm screws in. Leg holes were then predrilled, and using 4 of the 65mm screws the legs affixed. I basically jammed them in tight, drilled, and screwed.
In this photo the cross support underneath has been screwed in. It's just a piece of 70x35 to provide a marginal amount of bracing.
The bottom frame has been screwed on - I had a bit of help for this as you can see, but I chocked the frame the right height off the ground (70mm, because I had 4 offcuts that size and I can store timber underneath it then. It's also a good footrest height off a tall stool.). The frame was then predrilled and screwed in to the legs, again with 4 screws each.
Wait... that wasn't in the second photo when I took it either... how strange.
The next stage is to put the bottom level in. This was accomplished by measuring where the legs are on the bottom shelf, cutting out where the legs will be, slipping it in and screwing it down with 30mm screws. To prevent serious warping, use enough screws.
To cut out the middle legs, as I don't have a jigsaw, I drilled some large holes in the 'middle' of where I was cutting out, and used my Leatherman's saw to get those tricky bits removed.
The final stage is to put the backboard on. Some clamps to hold it in place, a good predrill, some screws and she is ready.
Huh. Strange.
Once that is done, I attached the backboard to the wall with some synthetic screw anchors and some 30mm screws in some preexisting holes. I attached an old set of shelves, screwed some anchor blocks from offcuts to get my fluoro off the backboard (for the cable), attached it, and then filled it up with my stuff!
Huh... those out of focus shots sure do whack some strange optical illusions in.
Hope you liked that brief runthrough, and it has inspired you to get to it! The customisation is limitless - for instance I've screwed some bays in the back left corner for cleaning rods, and I am tempted to enclose the lower shelf.
Happy shooting!
I was sick of all my hobbies condensed inside one room in the house, so I decided to tackle the task of building a workshop setup, something I haven't had the luxury of having for a few years now. The goal behind it was to have all my reloading and shooting stuff in one convenient spot, keeping it clean and tidy (ha!) and centralised. On the way some other gear will get stored there too, namely tools and some camping gear.
First things first - where am I going to put this thing? The garage was selected. Trust me - this is the clean side.
That table is going across the garage to be semi-useful over there, but that space there adjacent to the beer fridge and other important things is where the bench is going. Once the table is gone and some stuff is shuffled, and I put in a 910 wide shelf in, I'll have 1700 left over for the bench top. 1700 it is!
You can't build a bench without timber though.
First thing there is some 12mm plywood for the top. I had a 2400x1200 sheet ripped down to three sections - two 1700x600 and one 1200x700. The two identical sheets will form the bench top and lower shelf, while the other piece will form a storage section.
The frame itself will be made of 70x35 structural pine. I've had 4 1700 lengths cut, and enough other bits to build a rectangular frame. I also had 6 legs 1000mm long cut from 90x35 structural pine. These materials should be plenty strong enough, and cheap, too.
Huh, strange... I don't remember that being there when I took the photo. Oh well.
Total cost of the timber, liquid nails (which I didn't end up using), screws and a new phillips no. 2 bit was just under $100.
Some old 30mm screws I've had for ages as well as some 65mm wood screws are the fixings for this particular setup. I ended up using another packet of the long screws.
The basic frame. There will also be a cross support in the middle there, I just can't do it yet because it would be in the way of the legs.
Again, the bench will be 600 wide. The long sections are 1700 long, and the timber is 35mm thick, so the end pieces will need to be 530. Some predrilled holes, and some 65mm screws, and presto. Frames! A bit of weight can stop any warping that may be present from the timber.
I didn't really document this stage enough, but in this photo the top has been screwed down after predrilling holes and whacking some of those 30mm screws in. Leg holes were then predrilled, and using 4 of the 65mm screws the legs affixed. I basically jammed them in tight, drilled, and screwed.
In this photo the cross support underneath has been screwed in. It's just a piece of 70x35 to provide a marginal amount of bracing.
The bottom frame has been screwed on - I had a bit of help for this as you can see, but I chocked the frame the right height off the ground (70mm, because I had 4 offcuts that size and I can store timber underneath it then. It's also a good footrest height off a tall stool.). The frame was then predrilled and screwed in to the legs, again with 4 screws each.
Wait... that wasn't in the second photo when I took it either... how strange.
The next stage is to put the bottom level in. This was accomplished by measuring where the legs are on the bottom shelf, cutting out where the legs will be, slipping it in and screwing it down with 30mm screws. To prevent serious warping, use enough screws.
To cut out the middle legs, as I don't have a jigsaw, I drilled some large holes in the 'middle' of where I was cutting out, and used my Leatherman's saw to get those tricky bits removed.
The final stage is to put the backboard on. Some clamps to hold it in place, a good predrill, some screws and she is ready.
Huh. Strange.
Once that is done, I attached the backboard to the wall with some synthetic screw anchors and some 30mm screws in some preexisting holes. I attached an old set of shelves, screwed some anchor blocks from offcuts to get my fluoro off the backboard (for the cable), attached it, and then filled it up with my stuff!
Huh... those out of focus shots sure do whack some strange optical illusions in.
Hope you liked that brief runthrough, and it has inspired you to get to it! The customisation is limitless - for instance I've screwed some bays in the back left corner for cleaning rods, and I am tempted to enclose the lower shelf.
Happy shooting!
Thursday, 8 December 2011
My favourite property.
In NSW, you are allowed to shoot on rural properties that you do not own or lease, with the owner or leasers permission.
One such property I shoot on is half flower farm, half former flower farm. The front half of the property is occupied with dwellings, greenhouses, sheds, and ploughed fields that cycle various crops of different flowers and filler plants. The owners are certainly old, as are the few staff who assist there. It's not a huge property - you can comfortably walk from the road end to the National Park it butts up against and back probably in around 45 minutes. The National Park has the advatange of harbouring all the predators and other fun things who wander on to the property. Definately no shooting allowed, though, unlike State Forests with an "R" recreational hunting license.
The front half usually has the tracks properly mown. The property is actually on top of a mountain range, so is elevated quite high. It's gently undulating, and mostly ironstone. This can be an issue when shooting, as richochets with certain cartridges are almost certain - the humble .22LR being a typical culprit. The 17HMR has never richocheted at this property or any other, so far.
The combination of mown grass, rows of thick flower crops with little alleys between them, and the nearby shelter of very very deep irrigation channels mean that there is plenty of habitat for rabbits. Unfortunately due to the small amount of staff, the part that is mown is not neccesarily the part that the rabbits frequent. While these conditions suit rabbits, it doesn't always suit hunting them and there can be multiple rabbits in a location that you simply cannot see.
Crossfire can be an issue due to dwellings, sheds, and vehicles, so careful planning of the stalk route to ensure safe shooting is a must. Rabbit behaviour when faced with a predator is to either freeze, or flee - usually one, then the other! The problem with this is that human hunting eyesight relies on movement to notice and track prey. Most of the time, you don't see the ones that sit there hoping you don't see them. When they take off, it's tricky times with a rifle to take them down - and with a shotgun, if it is at extended range it can be a nightmare with shot dispersal. That is, of course, when you can see them! One of my more memorable shots was actually about where I am standing in the title photo. I missed the first one and was about to pack it in when I could see a mate of his, basically an ear and a set of eyes the only thing visible. He wasn't as lucky as his buddy!
Given the brief window you have to take down a rabbit, often times the majority will get away. A rabbit that sees you first, and, due to being shot at nearly every week by various parties since forever, runs for its warren will occasionally stop for a second and as you get the crosshairs on it, dart into the inpenetrable lantana or camphor laurels. I have had the most success surprising them up close where they panic and freeze, or at extended ranges where they don't see you or at least don't see you as a threat. I more or less trod on one the other day, and it took me so much by surprise that I couldn't even lift the gun before it was off. The rabbits migrate around, and where you expect them to be in numbers in one month is vastly difference to the month before. You have to be on your toes because they can be literally anywhere! Often it is where you don't expect to see them that you do. There are entire football-field sized paddocks unusable due to rabbit warrens you sink shin deep into, and I've never seen a rabbit there.
The huge variance in range can be frustrating too. Mostly visibility on the ground is poor due to tall grass in the main paddocks away from the trails, but occasionally a long shot will present itself. I can guarantee it is when I am carrying the shotgun! Likewise, I will get half a dozen break from a row of flowers when I'm holding the rimfire and the lever action 12g would be incredibly handy. It really is a matter of luck more than skill often as not, as to if you can bag any rabbits at all. This is what happens when over time they are shot out, and recover. The survivors know what is going on and the young ones follow the big ones.
Foxes are in huge numbers in the area. The neighbouring properties are chicken farms but the foxes still pass through. I've seen a few and shot even less, because there is an enormous amount of cover and if a fox survives around here it's certainly a cagey creature. The neighbours will often see large amounts in a night, where poor old me less than 200m away won't get a single one!
The rear of the property is former crop paddocks, heavily overgrown with occasionally cleared trails. This is where a large population of rabbits live. I've nailed quite a few out the back but the same problems apply - poor visibility and cagey rabbits in scrub that suits them rather than you. Deer, wild dogs, and other interesting things pass through the area and you never know what you might stumble across. The very back of the property is where you have no chance getting any rabbits but on the plus side, you can basically shoot any big rifles you want as the noise won't disturb neighbours or game, and you are more or less shooting into a gully. It's always nice to have a spot like that you can just unleash any old centrefire you want, at least in moderation!
Spotlighting with LED torches has some success but they are used to lights at night meaning death. A Lightforce 240 may change that soon!
I have a love/hate relationship with this property. I've had some fantastic hunts, and some miserable experiences there, including at one stage looking like I could never go back. Fortunately, it all worked out in the end. It's an interesting blend of the maintained and run down - rabbits living under sheds and piles of tin, and on the other side, complete paddocks claimed by the furry little buggers as they turn lantana-overrun irrigation ditches into homes.
One such property I shoot on is half flower farm, half former flower farm. The front half of the property is occupied with dwellings, greenhouses, sheds, and ploughed fields that cycle various crops of different flowers and filler plants. The owners are certainly old, as are the few staff who assist there. It's not a huge property - you can comfortably walk from the road end to the National Park it butts up against and back probably in around 45 minutes. The National Park has the advatange of harbouring all the predators and other fun things who wander on to the property. Definately no shooting allowed, though, unlike State Forests with an "R" recreational hunting license.
The front half usually has the tracks properly mown. The property is actually on top of a mountain range, so is elevated quite high. It's gently undulating, and mostly ironstone. This can be an issue when shooting, as richochets with certain cartridges are almost certain - the humble .22LR being a typical culprit. The 17HMR has never richocheted at this property or any other, so far.
The combination of mown grass, rows of thick flower crops with little alleys between them, and the nearby shelter of very very deep irrigation channels mean that there is plenty of habitat for rabbits. Unfortunately due to the small amount of staff, the part that is mown is not neccesarily the part that the rabbits frequent. While these conditions suit rabbits, it doesn't always suit hunting them and there can be multiple rabbits in a location that you simply cannot see.
Crossfire can be an issue due to dwellings, sheds, and vehicles, so careful planning of the stalk route to ensure safe shooting is a must. Rabbit behaviour when faced with a predator is to either freeze, or flee - usually one, then the other! The problem with this is that human hunting eyesight relies on movement to notice and track prey. Most of the time, you don't see the ones that sit there hoping you don't see them. When they take off, it's tricky times with a rifle to take them down - and with a shotgun, if it is at extended range it can be a nightmare with shot dispersal. That is, of course, when you can see them! One of my more memorable shots was actually about where I am standing in the title photo. I missed the first one and was about to pack it in when I could see a mate of his, basically an ear and a set of eyes the only thing visible. He wasn't as lucky as his buddy!
Given the brief window you have to take down a rabbit, often times the majority will get away. A rabbit that sees you first, and, due to being shot at nearly every week by various parties since forever, runs for its warren will occasionally stop for a second and as you get the crosshairs on it, dart into the inpenetrable lantana or camphor laurels. I have had the most success surprising them up close where they panic and freeze, or at extended ranges where they don't see you or at least don't see you as a threat. I more or less trod on one the other day, and it took me so much by surprise that I couldn't even lift the gun before it was off. The rabbits migrate around, and where you expect them to be in numbers in one month is vastly difference to the month before. You have to be on your toes because they can be literally anywhere! Often it is where you don't expect to see them that you do. There are entire football-field sized paddocks unusable due to rabbit warrens you sink shin deep into, and I've never seen a rabbit there.
The huge variance in range can be frustrating too. Mostly visibility on the ground is poor due to tall grass in the main paddocks away from the trails, but occasionally a long shot will present itself. I can guarantee it is when I am carrying the shotgun! Likewise, I will get half a dozen break from a row of flowers when I'm holding the rimfire and the lever action 12g would be incredibly handy. It really is a matter of luck more than skill often as not, as to if you can bag any rabbits at all. This is what happens when over time they are shot out, and recover. The survivors know what is going on and the young ones follow the big ones.
Foxes are in huge numbers in the area. The neighbouring properties are chicken farms but the foxes still pass through. I've seen a few and shot even less, because there is an enormous amount of cover and if a fox survives around here it's certainly a cagey creature. The neighbours will often see large amounts in a night, where poor old me less than 200m away won't get a single one!
The rear of the property is former crop paddocks, heavily overgrown with occasionally cleared trails. This is where a large population of rabbits live. I've nailed quite a few out the back but the same problems apply - poor visibility and cagey rabbits in scrub that suits them rather than you. Deer, wild dogs, and other interesting things pass through the area and you never know what you might stumble across. The very back of the property is where you have no chance getting any rabbits but on the plus side, you can basically shoot any big rifles you want as the noise won't disturb neighbours or game, and you are more or less shooting into a gully. It's always nice to have a spot like that you can just unleash any old centrefire you want, at least in moderation!
Spotlighting with LED torches has some success but they are used to lights at night meaning death. A Lightforce 240 may change that soon!
I have a love/hate relationship with this property. I've had some fantastic hunts, and some miserable experiences there, including at one stage looking like I could never go back. Fortunately, it all worked out in the end. It's an interesting blend of the maintained and run down - rabbits living under sheds and piles of tin, and on the other side, complete paddocks claimed by the furry little buggers as they turn lantana-overrun irrigation ditches into homes.
Thoughts on a first rifle
This is a post I made on a forum I frequent, www.shooting.com.au, which explains why it talks about members!
There have been a lot of questions around recently, by members of various experience levels and skills, asking what rifle would be suitable for their own hunting needs. I thought it might be a good idea to get a lot of the ideas behind buying a first (or second, third... etc) hunting rifle in one thread, so people can have a browse through and get an understanding of what they need. This is not a comprehensive guide, and I am no expert, but hopefully it will be of use!
I am of the opinion that when it comes to buying a rifle, you really need to consider what your end goal is. To do this, I have created/stolen/borrowed the following list of questions you need to ask yourself.
How serious am I?
But Lulwut, why are you asking this? I am super serious! I want a fully kitted out tactical rifle with all the trimmings to go shoot rabbits at 400m every chance I get!
Are you? Really?
What sort of hunter are you? Are you going to be walking around the fields once every few weeks in Summer, popping the odd rabbit or fox under 50m? Or are you going to be doing it every weekend, in a high volume situation where you are knocking over dozens and dozens every time you go?
Are you going to go away once a year for a week to shoot a boar or two? Or are you a property owner in far North QLD, busting mobs every single day you get on your quad and inspect your fencelines?
Is "every chance I get" once a year, or 365 days a year? Is shooting 200, 300, 400m the norm, or the VERY rare exception? Consider this very well.
What sort of accuracy do I want to get?
What sort of stupid question is that, Lulwut? I want the most accurate rifle I can possibly get! It’s absolutely 100% CRUCIAL!
Is it?
If I am shooting goats at 100m, how accurate do you think my gun has to be?
Do I need to be pulling consistent .3 MOA 5 shot factory load groups?
Can I even get a sporter that will shoot as accurate as I want it to?
The short answer, really, is that accuracy has to be acceptable for the purpose. You aren’t target shooting, or at least, entering competitions with a sporting rifle. Sure, I shoot targets with my Ruger sporter, but the only person I’m trying to beat is myself.
A professional roo shooter, required to headshot kangaroos out of a ute, is going to require far greater consistency than Joe Bloggs from the back end of Whoop Whoop blowing the front end of a fox out the back end once a month when he goes out with his mates. As long as he hits the fox and hits it humanely, we’re laughing!
That’s probably the main reason most rabbit shooters don’t bother getting target .22 rifles to pop the odd bunny, when a sub $400 rimfire means the rabbit doesn’t know the difference, he is still missing half his face. It gets the job done.
Ok, you make a fair point. I don’t need to get a fully kitted out rifle, and I don’t need to get a precision gun either – just something that will be good enough for what I am doing.
How much should I pay?
You’ve been saying I don’t need something super accurate or super fancy - I guess I may as well get a cheap gun, like a Stevens 200 or something along those lines!
WOAH, woah! Slow down there! I never said you had to go cheap!
Let’s look at a few examples. Even though this is primarily a centrefire rundown, I’ll use the example of my Marlin 917S, and, let’s say, a CZ 452 at the range.
I paid approximately $500 for my Marlin. I could have paid a bit less, but that is neither here nor there. For that much, I got a heavy stainless barrel, a 4 and a 7 shot magazine, great accuracy, and a bloody TERRIBLE trigger. This thing is just appalling. On the action itself, where the bolt handle rides down the side of the receiver and locks into position, the metal has ‘flowed’ from the bolt strokes, creating a noticeable burred edge in the metal. I’ve put less than 2000 rounds through this thing, yet that problem has happened.
On the other hand, a rifle like the CZ (any 452 at the range) will basically not have that issue of the softer metal. It will shoot probably better, but at least as well, have a better trigger and much better fit and finish – taking a LOT more rounds before wear and tear starts to take its toll.
What is my point, you ask?
I’ve had to spend money on a new trigger. That has increased costs.
It won’t last as long as a CZ before it is clapped out.
It doesn’t ‘feel’ as nice.
So, did I really save money? Sure, I love it... but maybe spending a few more bucks would have got me a better rifle with better features. In my defence, I didn’t choose it!
Yeah, that’s great Lulwut, but what about centrefire rifles?! That’s the reason I am here!
Yes, I was getting to that.
I’ll give you another example.
My first centrefire sporter was (I doubt I’ll ever get rid of it) a latest model Ruger M77 Hawkeye in .223 Remington, with an all weather finish and a synthetic stock. I paid around $1000 for it.
Let me compare it to a <$400 Stevens 200 sporter, with a synthetic stock.
My Ruger has a floorplate magazine, which means at any time I can instantly and safely unload any cartridges in the magazine, without going anywhere near the bolt. I do prefer this system in most sporters, as the magazine can’t be lost and the package is neat and streamlined.
The Stevens requires that the bolt be worked to remove individual rounds from the magazine. What this means is that if you need to unload for transporting, storing, etc, you must work the bolt a fair few times to eject those rounds and render the weapon safe. How fun.
The Ruger has an all-weather finish – I’ve never seen one rust yet, it doesn’t ‘shine’ like stainless does giving you away and it requires little maintenance to stay pristine.
A Stevens I had the... pleasure... of shooting had rust on it within a few weeks of purchase – granted, this may have partly been the owners fault, but I generally expect a bit better finish than that. What if you are out in the rain and muck for a few days? What then?
The Ruger comes with great rings, and a super solid mounting base. You’ve saved yourself a few bucks there, and apart from changing ring size and height, you never need to ‘upgrade’ the system for normal hunting.
The Stevens is drilled and tapped, and requires mounts to be purchased and all the fun that goes with that. Decent rings are not cheap.
This is personal taste, but the Ruger has clean lines, and is a pleasant gun to both shoulder, shoot, and look at.
The Stevens, I personally feel, is none of those things.
Obviously, I am biased towards Rugers. But my point is that with a more expensive sporter, you do gain noticeable advantages in quality and durability. After seeing a brand new Stevens that had a few boxes of ammo at the range and seen little to no inclement weather, as well as putting rounds down range, I wouldn’t go anywhere near buying one because I like to buy for the long term.
Fair enough. What you are saying is that while I don’t necessarily need to go all out, I should get something of reasonable quality that has desirable features I’ll be grateful of when I’m out shooting stuff.
Exactly. If it's the cheapie you get, so be it. But I can tell you, those extra features are very nice to have.
What calibre should I get?
That’s easy. The bloke in the gun store said that .300 Win Mag/.30-06/.375H&H will EASILY kill anything in Australia – that is what I will get. I’ll never need to buy another rifle again!
Oh, how I wish that were true.
Let’s break it down into a few ‘sub’ considerations.
What is your shooting experience?
Well, I’ve had a play of a mates .223, and I’ve shot the club .22 a few times.
OH GOD DON’T GET A .300 WIN MAG.
The reason I would highly recommend against getting a thumping huge calibre in a new sporter is the simple reason that you will not enjoy it. Shooting is a sport we are meant to enjoy, and busting your face, flinching (and therefore missing) and getting flogged off the bench by a big thumper is no fun at all.
If you must get a centrefire for a first gun over a rimfire, get a .22cal like a .223, or hell... this is painful... a .243 Win.
Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. Honestly. Some people can go buy a .308, a .30-06, whatever, and shoot it with no worries. They are VERY few and far between. The reason is that for most people, they sell the gun within a short period of time and go find another hobby!
At the range I shoot at, a fellow rocked up one day with a brand new Tikka T3 Lite in .308. Regardless of what people may say, .308 has a fair bit of whack to it. This guy put half a box in at a property, shot the other half of the box at the range, and sold the gun to take another sport up. A bloody shame, because he was a nice guy who had a nice gun – it just wasn’t right for him.
Oh, and you don’t want to know how much .375H&H factory ammo costs...
What if I have shot a bit before, and I can take the recoil/cost/etc?
Well, the most important consideration, like with a rifle, is that it has to make you happy. Personally, the idea of a .243 is repugnant to me. I simply don’t like them, and I wouldn’t own one. Yes, I’ve shot them, but my thoughts on them are obviously different to quite a few other peoples! On the other hand, I get excited about the 6.5 Creedmoor when it is really isn’t anything super groundbreaking.
What I am saying is that there are some calibres that will intrigue you and others that will not. Get one that makes you happy and you enjoy tinkering with, or whatever the case may be.
Make sure it is appropriate to the game you are chasing, too. Don’t buy a .223 to chase Sambar, and likewise, don’t buy a .308 to just shoot bunnies. I mean... you can use the .308 on bunnies... but there are better tools for the job. You want something that will deliver the punch you need without going stupid, at the range you want with the accuracy you want.
For instance, I love the idea of the new Ruger bolt action .44 magnums and .357 magnums. I wouldn’t use one as a rabbit gun, just like I wouldn’t use my 17HMR on pigs.
All I can say is research your cartridge choice carefully, and I'd say know what you want (or a ballpark calibre) ahead of time.
Now, there is just one final rule, and it is the most important of all.
What is it? Is it what sort of bipod I should buy? What sort of sling? Oh! I know! The length of the throat!
Uhhhh, no.
BUY SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE HAPPY WITH.
If you want a .30-30 lever action instead of the .308 bolt action the salesman is trying to sell you – BUY THE .30-30 LEVER ACTION.
You have to open that safe, grab that gun, and be happy with it and have fun with it.
After all, that is the secret to our sport! Fun!
There have been a lot of questions around recently, by members of various experience levels and skills, asking what rifle would be suitable for their own hunting needs. I thought it might be a good idea to get a lot of the ideas behind buying a first (or second, third... etc) hunting rifle in one thread, so people can have a browse through and get an understanding of what they need. This is not a comprehensive guide, and I am no expert, but hopefully it will be of use!
I am of the opinion that when it comes to buying a rifle, you really need to consider what your end goal is. To do this, I have created/stolen/borrowed the following list of questions you need to ask yourself.
How serious am I?
But Lulwut, why are you asking this? I am super serious! I want a fully kitted out tactical rifle with all the trimmings to go shoot rabbits at 400m every chance I get!
Are you? Really?
What sort of hunter are you? Are you going to be walking around the fields once every few weeks in Summer, popping the odd rabbit or fox under 50m? Or are you going to be doing it every weekend, in a high volume situation where you are knocking over dozens and dozens every time you go?
Are you going to go away once a year for a week to shoot a boar or two? Or are you a property owner in far North QLD, busting mobs every single day you get on your quad and inspect your fencelines?
Is "every chance I get" once a year, or 365 days a year? Is shooting 200, 300, 400m the norm, or the VERY rare exception? Consider this very well.
What sort of accuracy do I want to get?
What sort of stupid question is that, Lulwut? I want the most accurate rifle I can possibly get! It’s absolutely 100% CRUCIAL!
Is it?
If I am shooting goats at 100m, how accurate do you think my gun has to be?
Do I need to be pulling consistent .3 MOA 5 shot factory load groups?
Can I even get a sporter that will shoot as accurate as I want it to?
The short answer, really, is that accuracy has to be acceptable for the purpose. You aren’t target shooting, or at least, entering competitions with a sporting rifle. Sure, I shoot targets with my Ruger sporter, but the only person I’m trying to beat is myself.
A professional roo shooter, required to headshot kangaroos out of a ute, is going to require far greater consistency than Joe Bloggs from the back end of Whoop Whoop blowing the front end of a fox out the back end once a month when he goes out with his mates. As long as he hits the fox and hits it humanely, we’re laughing!
That’s probably the main reason most rabbit shooters don’t bother getting target .22 rifles to pop the odd bunny, when a sub $400 rimfire means the rabbit doesn’t know the difference, he is still missing half his face. It gets the job done.
Ok, you make a fair point. I don’t need to get a fully kitted out rifle, and I don’t need to get a precision gun either – just something that will be good enough for what I am doing.
How much should I pay?
You’ve been saying I don’t need something super accurate or super fancy - I guess I may as well get a cheap gun, like a Stevens 200 or something along those lines!
WOAH, woah! Slow down there! I never said you had to go cheap!
Let’s look at a few examples. Even though this is primarily a centrefire rundown, I’ll use the example of my Marlin 917S, and, let’s say, a CZ 452 at the range.
I paid approximately $500 for my Marlin. I could have paid a bit less, but that is neither here nor there. For that much, I got a heavy stainless barrel, a 4 and a 7 shot magazine, great accuracy, and a bloody TERRIBLE trigger. This thing is just appalling. On the action itself, where the bolt handle rides down the side of the receiver and locks into position, the metal has ‘flowed’ from the bolt strokes, creating a noticeable burred edge in the metal. I’ve put less than 2000 rounds through this thing, yet that problem has happened.
On the other hand, a rifle like the CZ (any 452 at the range) will basically not have that issue of the softer metal. It will shoot probably better, but at least as well, have a better trigger and much better fit and finish – taking a LOT more rounds before wear and tear starts to take its toll.
What is my point, you ask?
I’ve had to spend money on a new trigger. That has increased costs.
It won’t last as long as a CZ before it is clapped out.
It doesn’t ‘feel’ as nice.
So, did I really save money? Sure, I love it... but maybe spending a few more bucks would have got me a better rifle with better features. In my defence, I didn’t choose it!
Yeah, that’s great Lulwut, but what about centrefire rifles?! That’s the reason I am here!
Yes, I was getting to that.
I’ll give you another example.
My first centrefire sporter was (I doubt I’ll ever get rid of it) a latest model Ruger M77 Hawkeye in .223 Remington, with an all weather finish and a synthetic stock. I paid around $1000 for it.
Let me compare it to a <$400 Stevens 200 sporter, with a synthetic stock.
My Ruger has a floorplate magazine, which means at any time I can instantly and safely unload any cartridges in the magazine, without going anywhere near the bolt. I do prefer this system in most sporters, as the magazine can’t be lost and the package is neat and streamlined.
The Stevens requires that the bolt be worked to remove individual rounds from the magazine. What this means is that if you need to unload for transporting, storing, etc, you must work the bolt a fair few times to eject those rounds and render the weapon safe. How fun.
The Ruger has an all-weather finish – I’ve never seen one rust yet, it doesn’t ‘shine’ like stainless does giving you away and it requires little maintenance to stay pristine.
A Stevens I had the... pleasure... of shooting had rust on it within a few weeks of purchase – granted, this may have partly been the owners fault, but I generally expect a bit better finish than that. What if you are out in the rain and muck for a few days? What then?
The Ruger comes with great rings, and a super solid mounting base. You’ve saved yourself a few bucks there, and apart from changing ring size and height, you never need to ‘upgrade’ the system for normal hunting.
The Stevens is drilled and tapped, and requires mounts to be purchased and all the fun that goes with that. Decent rings are not cheap.
This is personal taste, but the Ruger has clean lines, and is a pleasant gun to both shoulder, shoot, and look at.
The Stevens, I personally feel, is none of those things.
Obviously, I am biased towards Rugers. But my point is that with a more expensive sporter, you do gain noticeable advantages in quality and durability. After seeing a brand new Stevens that had a few boxes of ammo at the range and seen little to no inclement weather, as well as putting rounds down range, I wouldn’t go anywhere near buying one because I like to buy for the long term.
Fair enough. What you are saying is that while I don’t necessarily need to go all out, I should get something of reasonable quality that has desirable features I’ll be grateful of when I’m out shooting stuff.
Exactly. If it's the cheapie you get, so be it. But I can tell you, those extra features are very nice to have.
What calibre should I get?
That’s easy. The bloke in the gun store said that .300 Win Mag/.30-06/.375H&H will EASILY kill anything in Australia – that is what I will get. I’ll never need to buy another rifle again!
Oh, how I wish that were true.
Let’s break it down into a few ‘sub’ considerations.
What is your shooting experience?
Well, I’ve had a play of a mates .223, and I’ve shot the club .22 a few times.
OH GOD DON’T GET A .300 WIN MAG.
The reason I would highly recommend against getting a thumping huge calibre in a new sporter is the simple reason that you will not enjoy it. Shooting is a sport we are meant to enjoy, and busting your face, flinching (and therefore missing) and getting flogged off the bench by a big thumper is no fun at all.
If you must get a centrefire for a first gun over a rimfire, get a .22cal like a .223, or hell... this is painful... a .243 Win.
Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. Honestly. Some people can go buy a .308, a .30-06, whatever, and shoot it with no worries. They are VERY few and far between. The reason is that for most people, they sell the gun within a short period of time and go find another hobby!
At the range I shoot at, a fellow rocked up one day with a brand new Tikka T3 Lite in .308. Regardless of what people may say, .308 has a fair bit of whack to it. This guy put half a box in at a property, shot the other half of the box at the range, and sold the gun to take another sport up. A bloody shame, because he was a nice guy who had a nice gun – it just wasn’t right for him.
Oh, and you don’t want to know how much .375H&H factory ammo costs...
What if I have shot a bit before, and I can take the recoil/cost/etc?
Well, the most important consideration, like with a rifle, is that it has to make you happy. Personally, the idea of a .243 is repugnant to me. I simply don’t like them, and I wouldn’t own one. Yes, I’ve shot them, but my thoughts on them are obviously different to quite a few other peoples! On the other hand, I get excited about the 6.5 Creedmoor when it is really isn’t anything super groundbreaking.
What I am saying is that there are some calibres that will intrigue you and others that will not. Get one that makes you happy and you enjoy tinkering with, or whatever the case may be.
Make sure it is appropriate to the game you are chasing, too. Don’t buy a .223 to chase Sambar, and likewise, don’t buy a .308 to just shoot bunnies. I mean... you can use the .308 on bunnies... but there are better tools for the job. You want something that will deliver the punch you need without going stupid, at the range you want with the accuracy you want.
For instance, I love the idea of the new Ruger bolt action .44 magnums and .357 magnums. I wouldn’t use one as a rabbit gun, just like I wouldn’t use my 17HMR on pigs.
All I can say is research your cartridge choice carefully, and I'd say know what you want (or a ballpark calibre) ahead of time.
Now, there is just one final rule, and it is the most important of all.
What is it? Is it what sort of bipod I should buy? What sort of sling? Oh! I know! The length of the throat!
Uhhhh, no.
BUY SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE HAPPY WITH.
If you want a .30-30 lever action instead of the .308 bolt action the salesman is trying to sell you – BUY THE .30-30 LEVER ACTION.
You have to open that safe, grab that gun, and be happy with it and have fun with it.
After all, that is the secret to our sport! Fun!
Monday, 28 November 2011
First post and an introduction!
Hi everyone. My name is lulwut, and I am a keen outdoorsman.
I enjoy all aspects of the outdoors - hiking, camping, 4WDing, hunting, shooting, fishing and everything that relates to those things, including some politics! Of course, other stuff might occasionally crop up here but that's just how things are.
For this first post, I'll leave off with a little poem I've always liked. I'm sure you'll see why.
If a sportsman true you’d be
Listen carefully to me. . .
Never, never let your gun
Pointed be at anyone.
That it may unloaded be
Matters not the least to me.
When a hedge or fence you cross
Though of time it cause a loss
From your gun the cartridge take
For the greater safety’s sake.
If twixt you and neighboring gun
Bird shall fly or beast may run
Let this maxim ere be thine
"Follow not across the line."
Stops and beaters oft unseen
Lurk behind some leafy screen.
Calm and steady always be
"Never shoot where you can’t see."
You may kill or you may miss
But at all times think this:
"All the pheasants ever bred
Won’t repay for one man dead."
"Early Instruction"
By Carl Kauba
c. 1902
I enjoy all aspects of the outdoors - hiking, camping, 4WDing, hunting, shooting, fishing and everything that relates to those things, including some politics! Of course, other stuff might occasionally crop up here but that's just how things are.
For this first post, I'll leave off with a little poem I've always liked. I'm sure you'll see why.
If a sportsman true you’d be
Listen carefully to me. . .
Never, never let your gunPointed be at anyone.
That it may unloaded be
Matters not the least to me.
When a hedge or fence you cross
Though of time it cause a loss
From your gun the cartridge take
For the greater safety’s sake.
If twixt you and neighboring gun
Bird shall fly or beast may run
Let this maxim ere be thine
"Follow not across the line."
Stops and beaters oft unseen
Lurk behind some leafy screen.
Calm and steady always be
"Never shoot where you can’t see."
You may kill or you may miss
But at all times think this:
"All the pheasants ever bred
Won’t repay for one man dead."
"Early Instruction"
By Carl Kauba
c. 1902
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