Category Archives: Uncategorized

New Hampshire Coyotes Soon Begin Looking For A Mate – Take Advantage

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The experts say ( I am not one) that female vocalizations can draw Coyotes to your set up in January/February. I have given that a try and mix it with Coyote locator vocals and prey distress calls but it does not happen every time.

Use of electronic calls are very effective as  is having some decoy movement as in a motorized battery operated device. Get your NH 2018 Hunting License on-line and go for it.

I found solid advice here at this website: https://allpredatorcalls.com/coyote-hunting-101/

Most popular gun used is the AR-15 in .223 during the day.   I called NH Fish and Game today. It IS legal to hunt Coyote with more than 5 rounds in your center-fire clip (e.g. .223 rounds) after deer season only in daylight hours in New Hampshire. If you have questions for F&G please call.

From the F&G site: “Here’s how to contact your local Conservation Officer (CO): call Fish and Game’s Dispatch Office at (603) 271-3361. From December through September, the line is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed from noon until 1:00 p.m.); Saturday and Sunday, 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. The Dispatcher can relay a message to your local Conservation Officer.”

It is also legal to hunt in southern NH areas with center fire rifle in those Deer season shotgun towns in daylight after deer season. 

NHFG site 2018 says;

Coyotes

  • No closed season.
  • Night Hunting: Coyotes may be hunted at night from Jan. 1 through March 31. Lights may be used, except from a motor vehicle, snowmobile, or OHRV. Coyote night hunters are restricted to shotguns, .22 caliber rimfire, muzzleloaders, or archery equipment in those towns with special rules.
  • Electronic calling devices are legal.
  • Written landowner permission, filed with the local conservation officer, is required to hunt coyote at night or to place bait for coyotes.
  • Baiting is not permitted on ice-covered public waters.
  • From the close of the bear baiting season through December 15, baiting for coyote will be restricted to the use of meat, animal parts, carrion, or fish only.

Good Hunting! Send any Photos to us and we will post!

 

Reloading Tech: Wiring up a 6.5 Grendel

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I’ve had the PressureTrace™ II system for a few years now and I’ve found it handy in examining the pressure characteristics of my reloads.  It’s been particularly handy in determining the pressure differences between two projectiles of the same weight using the same powder charge.  I’ve only used the system on my bolt guns up to now. I finally wired up my new 6.5 Grendel AR pattern rifle build, the details of which I can share in another post.

In terms of published data there still isn’t that much out there compared to other cartridges, but new data is coming out all the time.  In my estimation Alexander Arms® produces the best factory ammunition for the 6.5 Grendel since it was Bill Alexander who spear headed the design of the round.

Factory 123 gr Lapua Scenar Load

I wanted to use the Alexander Arms factory loads to compare against my loadings for my Grendel.

Since I had some time off yesterday and it was raining, I decided that I would get some load testing done under cover with the range all to myself.

Conditions:
Temp: 42ºF
Baro. Pressure: 29.83
RH%: 97%
Equipment:
Pressure Trace II System
Magnetospeed Chronograph

***CAUTION The data presented below is by no means meant to represent data published via SAAMI approved testing or test methods, and may not reflect the true pressure; this pressure testing is only meant as a comparative tool***

If you are curious as to what a Pressure Trace system is, check out the vendor website at Shooting Software

The barrel I am currently running is a Shilen Stainless Match HBAR 20″ 1:9″ twist featuring a rifle length gas system.  Its worth noting that most bullets in the 123 gr weight aren’t optimal in a 1:9″ twist barrel due to marginal theoretical stability, with the exception of the Hornady 123 gr Match ELD projectiles.

On to the data:

SAAMI MAP (Max Average Pressure): 52,000 psi

Pressure readings I’ve collected from Factory Alexander Arms 123 gr Scenar rounds following an estimated offset of 13000 psi added to original pressure value measure by the pressure trace system.

I’ve chronographed these rounds in 75-80ºF outside temps and they are cruising at about 2510 fps ±10fps out of the 20″ bbl, which is a fair amount faster than at 42ºF as we see here, so I think my estimation on the offset was correct. My aim is to establish the summer time pressure readings of the factory loads as my working maximum pressures.

Pressure readings from IMR 8208 XBR with a 26.5 starting load (not shown here) in 0.5 gr charge increments out to 28.5 gr (also not shown because of pressure signs of previous loadings.

Its clear that I’ve reached high pressure characteristics and any increase in charge weight would unnecessarily strain the Grendel and could eventually approach an unsafe condition.  I now believe I’ve established a safe maximum of 26.0 gr of IMR 8208 XBR, at least in these low temps. Surprisingly the charge to pressure correlation peaked at a lower charge weight than I would have expected based on published data out there for a similar weight projectile.  Published IMR loads with the 123gr Sierra Match King peak at a maximum charge of 28.5 grains (compressed).  I may have to re-adjust the charge downward during the summertime temps to stay consistent with pressures if I decide to stay with this load.  This is another reason why it’s always smart to back off by 10% (I started 7% from max). That being said, this is an accurate powder with 3/4″ groups.  I’ll likely study other powders as well for comparisons sake, such as Hodgdon CFE223 and Accurate 2520, both known for velocity production.  There is little data on CFE223 use, this is where the PressureTrace™ II system will shine, now that I have a baseline.

26.5 gr 8208 XBR 123 gr Hornady ELD Match vs Factory Alexander Arms 123 gr Lapua Scenar

Based on the images above, the Alexander Arms rounds are close in appearance to when I’ve fired them in the summer time, so these marks may be more associated with chambering.  One thing I’ve noticed is that sometimes just chambering a round produces some ejector swipe marks.  I think the marks on the reload to the left suggests that I should back off to 26.0gr and call it a day.

If your range has a covered firing position and it’s raining out, get outside and work your craft and understand your gun/ammunition combination, you just might have the range all to yourself

Look out for a companion piece to this article, as I purchased a 24″ barrel made by Satern Barrels and sold by Brownells, testing will commence with this shortly using the pressure trace system.

Until next time….

See you at the range!

Copyright © 2017 All Rights Reserved.

TargetVision Camera

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Nearing the end of the competition season I became frustrated with the number of opportunities I had to practice a the 600 yard line.  One of the drawbacks to a 600 yard range in New England is the proximity to civilization.  Tracking your hits at such a long distance requires a spotter or someone to pull targets for you in the pits.  You HAVE to know you’re on the target.  This makes shooting/practicing by yourself a non-starter for safety reasons.  I wrote to the folks over at TargetVision and asked if I could do a review out of my own curiosity and for our readership.  They liked the idea and shipped a unit over for us to take a look at.

They sent over the LR-2 unit for us to review, which retails for $649 and is good for targets up to a mile away, wow!!  They do have other offerings for reduced distances, so take a look at the website to see what unit would better suit your needs.

When I opened the exterior cardboard box, I remarked to myself about the high quality of the carrying case for the camera system.  In the pic below, you can see that this case will protect your investment.  One of the little things that the folks over at TargetVision thought of is to ensure that the system doesn’t turn on in transit, so they taped the power switch in the off position.

From targetvisioncam.com Website:

The LR-2 is a fixed lens, portable, battery powered, wireless target camera system that can be viewed from a phone or tablet.  This target camera has a range of one mile and a run time of 12 + hours. TARGETVISION is the perfect companion for long range shooters, competitive shooters, and people who are looking for a more interactive and entertaining shooting experience.  This unit is able to clearly see .17 caliber bullet holes (and larger) at any distance up to a mile.  TARGETVISION consists of two pieces, the camera/transmitter and the receiver.  The camera sits down range about 10-15 feet from the target and can be moved within that range to adjust the field of view.  The receiver sits next to the shooter on the ground or shooting bench.

External antenna is not required to go one mile, but optional.

NO CELL OR WiFi SERVICE REQUIRED!

NO SKEW CORRECTION REQUIRED!

MADE IN TEXAS.  

Instructional Videos 

APP Video 

Hardware

Specifications

  • Resolution: 1280 X 960
  • Pivotable Camera
  • Batteries: Rechargeable Lithium Ion
  • Band: 2.4GHz
  • Weight: 13 lbs.
  • Hard Case Dimensions: 16.00″ x 13.00″ x 7″ (IP67 Rated)

In the Box

  • TARGETVISION Camera
  • TARGETVISION Receiver
  • Waterproof, Crush-proof, Dust-proof Custom Hard Case
  • 12V DC Charger
  • 2 Tripods

 

Serious protection for that hardware!

I was impressed with the quality so far and couldn’t wait to get it out to the range, but before I did, I inspected the system and made sure to charge both the Transmitter and Receiver. After the charge up, I was ready for some range action.  It was some time until I could find an opportunity to get out and take it for a spin, but I eventually got out to the 600 to use the system.  Set up was ridiculously easy!  You set up the camera/transmitter unit off to the side about 10 feet or so away, connect to the WiFi network and center the target in the camera view by making final adjustments to the ball/socket style camera lens.  After that, you head back to your equipment, confirm the image in your smartphone/tablet, and start shooting.  I had this gear up and running in 15 minutes.  See the TargetVision video below:

Below are the images from my set up at the Nashua Fish & Game Club.

Simple as 1, 2, 3!

Marking your shots is a breeze with this system.  So after set up and watching my rounds impact down range, I’m officially hooked. Guaranteed after I pick up one of these, that next season will show a marked improvement in my accuracy at distance.  The image below is from a photo I took and exported using the TargetVision app functionality on my iphone.  I am thoroughly impressed with this camera rig.  This gear gets a solid A in my book!

Not bad, but this isn’t an F-Class Target.

The bottom line is if long range shooting is on the menu, get your hands on a high quality target camera system like this one and as they say at TargetVision, “Never Lose Sight”!

See you at the range!

Copyright © 2017 All Rights Reserved.

Rifle Recoil, Accuracy and the 6.5 Creedmoor for Big Game Hunters

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It is axiomatic that most can shoot with more accuracy with a .22 LR Rifle than with a larger center fire bullet. The fundamental reason is lack of recoil or kick as some may say.

Many folks recommend the .243 Winchester (6mm) as a good rifle caliber for a young deer hunter. And for good reason, it has low recoil in the 8 to 11 ft-lb class that many women and young shooters can easily handle.

But what if I could raise the caliber to 6.5 and still shoot in the 10 to 11 ft-lb class and really be able to pack a wallop at long range and have even deeper penetration ensuring game going down faster.

The 6.5 Creedmoor does just that and with great accuracy! I am a big fan as you can tell from all of my articles!

At right is a 6.5 Creedmoor next to a 30-06 cartridge. Big difference!!  All said and done, the 6.5 Creedmoor built rifle can be lighter and easily handled in the field making it even more popular for all day or all week hunting and handling. Who doesn’t like that!

I have tested several rifles here in New Hampshire Rifleman Magazine with the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge and find that many rifle brands are extremely cost effective from say the $400 to 600 dollar range for a new rifle such as Ruger, Thompson Center, Weatherby and Savage to name a few. And all of those I tested were MOA or better in accuracy.  I mean really, that is just fantastic. If you hand load the 6.5 you are in for a treat, at the bench and at the target range it shoots holes in holes bringing a smile to  my face every time. As a varmint rifle it is in the process of making new permanent friends for Coyote and Woodchuck/Prairie Dog hunters too.

I hope to shoot the 6.5 Creedmoor soon in a Weatherby Rifle I am due to test. Look for it soon!

© 2017

Sportsmen Never Knew there was a “Bump Stock”… What to do?

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I have been shooting, hunting and writing for decades. I have been to several club ranges and never came upon someone shooting full auto like fire with this bump stock device. Never heard of it till the Las Vegas Massacre. Accordingly, I believe there are few of these stocks out there. It was created, I understand, for the “disabled” to be able to shoot. Sounds a bit crazy to me!

The NRA is correct to advance the review of its regulation as do most citizens.

All add-on devices should be on the table to review.

I do believe that the Bump Stock should have come to higher attention by ATF to Congress during the Obama Administration.

NH Rifleman Magazine believes that this device and any attached device that could suggest full automatic fire be scrutinized and/or regulated.

 

Sandpit Deer Tracks and Stuff…

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Why do deer go into fields and sand pits at night? It’s a deer nightclub in October! A place to be seen and smelled. Putting face to inter-digital gland cent and track size is a tell-all about prep for mating come the end of October. The inter-digital gland is located between the hooves of deer.

Image result for interdigital gland images

 

Sandpit or gravel like open areas are places I can go in early October to see who is in the neighborhood for bucks and does. Which doe still has yearlings still tagging along can be discerned. And just how big and wide is that track, how rounded or not can tell me that a big buck is hanging around. I am no great whitetail hunter who gets a deer in NH every year but when can, I try to put 2 and 2 together.

My twin brother at left and I did just that  a while back! He was shooting a 300 Win Mag and I was shooting a .338 Win Mag, my African Safari Rifle back then. Needless to say both deer fell right there! My nephew swears that the .338 hit the deer so hard that some of its hair stuck in the tree…on end.  Maybe so!  I shoot big guns very well, besides, no one wants to borrow the .338 so I don’t have to worry about abuse. When I go north I like the hand-loaded .375 Ruger slowed down. Big 230 grain bullets in heavy brush! In open areas the 6.5 Creedmoor, or .270 works fabulous.

Last year my buck was arriving at 2 AM so that didn’t work well. And there were too many hunters pushing the deer to new areas, like behind homes.

I believe whitetail deer use these open sandy areas to leave track size/shape and an inter-digital scent to say who they are to the does and to the potential bucks competing for mating rights.

Check those sandy areas out!

© 2017

The Left Jumps Again at Gun Control in the Wake of the Las Vegas Mass Murders…

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My sincere prayers go to all those in Las Vegas that were killed and injured by this heinous evil man.

The “left” sees this another opportunity to ban the so called assault weapons or black long guns and magazines that hold many rounds from law abiding citizens.

The simple fact is that criminals or evil doers circumvent law every single day and will get a gun on the black market or by robbery. This madman apparently found a way to make the semi-auto rifle fire as an automatic. A felony! Did he care? No! Can you legislate that? No!

Below is an interesting examination at the CATO Institute of the “Cost and Consequences of Gun Control.” I thought a good read…

https://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/pa784.pdf

The article Concludes”

“Firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens
enhance public safety.

Firearms in the wrong hands endanger everyone.

Responsible firearms policies focus on thwarting dangerous
people and do not attempt to infringe the
constitutional rights of good persons.

Background checks on firearms sales can be improved
by including more records on persons
who have been adjudicated to be so severely
mentally ill that they are a genuine threat.

Extending federal gun control to private
intrastate sales between individuals—and to
firearms loans among friends and family—is
constitutionally dubious, and imposes severe
burdens for no practical benefit. Such a system
is futile without registration of all firearms.
Gun owners have justifiably resisted gun registration
because it has facilitated gun confiscation
in the United States and other nations.

*************************

 

 

 

Maximize your Flintlock Rifle Hunt Setup

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Got my trusty flintlock rifle right? Flintlocks, despite all the movies that show them firing each and every time, need to be attended to in order to maximize the odds that the rifle will fire the charge in the barrel and send the round ball on its way.

I bought into that trusty stuff. Seeing a beautiful Longrifle can do that.

I have fired perhaps 60 rounds from my Lancaster Flintlock and a number of times the either the priming powder did not go off or when it did, the main charge did not. This was mostly my fault.

Since my rifle is new, it is likely my own newness too that needs adjustment.

Research on the internet has lots of advice. What I have done is located several sites that espouse the same things in the set-up of your lock in the deer woods. You only have one real chance to ensure the rifle fires and send the bullet on its way.

1. Keep your lock clean and lubricated.

2. Ensure your flint is tight in the clamp, clean and sharp and even (parallel) with the frizzen. If not you must knap the flint face with a brass rod to sharpen it and make it parallel with the frizzen face. If your leather wrap on the flint is too thick then the leather will absorb energy. Many, including me now use a lead wrap that you can hammer out of a lead round ball. The lead will conform to the flint and hold it in place just as the leather does but will not absorb the hammer energy. This delivers more energy of the flint to strike the frizzen and more sparks result.

On an empty gun, I observe the sparks from the flint to see that they are sent to the powder pan in quantity.

3. The rifle, most flintlock hunters say, needs to be shot just before the hunt and swabbed once without lubrication, maybe a little spit on a cleaning patch.  This is like shooting with a seasoned barrel and the bullet will not encounter lubricant which can change the point of impact.

4. Use a pin to clean the touchhole shaft after you load a round.

5. Don’t over fill the clean pan with powder.

If you shoot to practice it is wise to run a spit cleaning patch after every shot. I have just adopted this clean after each shot method and I like it.

And you can end up shooting like this shot below at a paper deer at 50 yards. I used a large post like tree in the woods to brace the rifle. See the 50 cal Round Ball hole dead center in the lungs just above the heart. The other holes are from different caliber rifles in a previous year. I will try to use a  monopod or bi-pod to shoot or find a good tree to brace.

This image of a deer was about 75% of life size. I do recommend buying these paper archery targets of deer and shooting them with no bullseye to focus on. I think that 40 to 50 yards is my limit without a bi-pod. This is the most common shooting distance encountered here in Northern New England and New Hampshire.

Good Shooting!

© 2017

To Shoot a Charging Bear with a S&W Model 69 in 44 Magnum?

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Have you practiced hitting  a 3 inch ball (the size of a bears brain) coming at you, undulating up and down at 20 miles an hour? I took some shots yesterday with the Smith & Wesson Model 69 Combat 44 magnum at just a  stationary target and I could only get one bullet, the first shot, in the kill zone out of 5 shots. See Video below.

But that was just initial practice. Serious practice with a moving target over time would be best. And you or I might reach the conclusion that we are not up for that task.

I saw a video where someone used a 1911 pistol in 45 ACP place more than one bullet in the brain kill zone however the 45 ACP is not Brown Bear medicine and would not likely penetrate the skull before the bear reached your body.

Brown bear experts suggest that a 12 gauge shotgun with slugs and 00 buckshot are best in brown bear country.

But on black bear here in New England the S&W Model 69 for general use on deer in regular gun season or bear is just fine say for an archery bear hunt where the bear is climbing the tree you are in and you want more protection than spray repellent.

So where does that leave us in our testing with the SW Model 69 Combat Magnum? I like the confidence I feel with a pistol in 44 Magnum on my hip and will share more on my carry of it in the deer woods this fall.

Note: during deer Muzzleloader or Bow season, you must have “license to carry permit with you” in addition to your muzzleloader/archery license or leave your pistol home.

Open Carry it during “regular”gun season if you like but if concealed under a jacket you need a “conceal carry permit”. When in doubt call NH F&G to get any questions answered before hitting the woods. Unless you have a conceal carry permit, you must unload your pistol while in a vehicle just like your rifle or shotgun. Bone up on pistol laws.

Be Safe! Good Shooting!