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FOXES FOR FUR An Expert’s Lowdown ADVICE 8 Great Deerhunting Tips Synthetic Or Walnut For Hardcore Hunters?

Scout Sambar For Success

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JUNE 2016

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IN THIS ISSUE

JUNE 2016

10

82

81

90

HUNTING Foxes Of Yore

10

Graham Warrender tells us what fox shooting was like in a lively fur market.

32

There’s more like 80 good bits of advice for the novice in this great How-To by Ted Mitchell Snr.

Sambar Learning Curve

46

Alex Proft tells of the patience, scouting and eventual shooting of a nice sambar stag.

60 Years Of Nikko Stirling

60

The editor relates his experiences with this iconic Australianoriginated brand of optics.

Hunting With The .308

62

It’s like meeting an old friend.

This is how Steven Spiekman has found his recent experience with the perennial .308 Winchester.

ALEX JURIS.

High Country Mixed Bag

MAIN FEATURE The fox is mainly considered to be a pest now, but shooters made good money from skins in the old days.

DEPARTMENTS OPENING SHOT

8

REVIEWED

ASK THE GUN EDITOR

OSA’s New Buffalo River .308 Ammunition 40

WEB NEWS

24

SHOOTER’S SHOWCASE

54

Blistering velocity and fantastic accuracy from a new player in the ammo game.

Ridgeline Highlander 3-in-1 Jacket 81 A high-quality, multi-task jacket that is a shield to the elements.

TEST REPORTS

18

GUN LORE

76

GAME TRAILS

80

FEDERAL PHOTO COMP

90

PRACTICAL RELOADING

92

PARTING SHOT

98

ON THE COVER A common sight to the fox whistler. A prime winter fox on his way in the frost.

Browning’s New AB3 Centrefire Sporter 26 A new concept rifle which is economical and performs well.

82

Brian Boyle is back to his old South Island stamping ground in NZ, where a variety of game abounds.

BSA’s R10 Mk 2 Air Rifle

70

A simply superb entry into the high-quality PCP air rifle market.

THINKSTOCK

8 Tips For Deer Hunters

26 WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 3

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Editor: Marcus O’Dean Email: marcusodean@yaffa.com.au Technical Editor: Nick Harvey Contributors: Nick Harvey, Marcus O’Dean, Tony Pizzata, Col Allison, Reid Hjorth, Graham Warrender, Ted Mitchell Snr, Alex Proft, Steven Spiekman, Brian Boyle ADVERTISING National Sales Manager: Tony Pizzata Tel: (02) 9213 8263 Mobile: 0411 592 389 Fax: (02) 9281 2750 Email: tonypizzata@yaffa.com.au Advertising Production: Michelle Carneiro Tel: (02) 9213 8219 Marketing Executive: Jasmine Gale Tel: (02) 9213 8242

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OPENING SHOT

A FEW WORDS FROM THE EDITOR

Innovation And Culture 1

2

ON THIS PAGE

1 2

Matt Frost and Tony beside the new ARB Summit Tow Bar.

Under the back step cover are all the appliance and tool connections. L-R trailer/camera connection. Air compressor outlet and Anderson Plug above-truly innovative design.

8 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

Our “esteemed” PM has called for Australians to innovate to save our economy. Well some people have been innovating all along.

IN our reader surveys over the years, the one common statistic that pops up, apart from Nick Harvey's “Ask The Gun Editor” column being the most popular in the magazine, is that nearly 90 percent of readers own four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles. That is a staggering demographic borne of a strong cultural group, which is self-reliant and skilful and hails from both city and country.

The number one 4WD accessories manufacturer in Australia (with a growing overseas presence) is ARB. From humble beginnings, ARB has grown to be a behemoth of Australian engineering, manufacturing and innovation, with a hard core of welded-on customers among our huntershooter culture, to whom they market unashamedly.

Meanwhile they support our publications through

sponsorship prizes and advertising. (Incidentally, you can still enter and win ARB prizes, among others, in the 2016 Sporting Shooter Buyer's Guide, on your news stands now.) It is important for us to purchase from those who in turn support us in our pursuits.

Recently Tony and I took some time out in Melbourne before the Wild Deer Expo to call on Matt Frost, National Sales and Marketing Manager of ARB, to talk about all sorts of common interests. We covered custom and common knives and sharpeners (as Matt is a keen knife collector) and, incidentally, ARB's future plans. Now ARB's footprint is very secure in Australia, so they are embarking on a program of refurbishing ARB stores nationwide with common floorplans, so you can go into your own local ARB or one

half-way across the nation and find products located in similar locations relative to others. In addition, they will feature “hero walls', with amazing outback images featuring 4WD vehicles and they will be unique to each store. In Sydney, Moorebank ARB has undergone such a refit – it's impressive and worth a look.

While layouts and store design are important, you have to have the great new products to back up the design and one that Matt showed us is what my dear old dad referred to as “the glassy marble”. It's the new Summit Rear Step Tow Bar, built around a 60.3mm x 2.6mm steel tubing frame, finished in a textured black powder coat or matched to your vehicle body colour, with a 3.5t 50mm hitch as standard, the tow hitch pin located to allow fitting of a recovery hitch. Two tow chain fixture points are integrated into the design, as well as four Hi-Lift jack points, with one on each wing and two secondary points located on each of the rear corners. And the subject of the inset photo here, a concealed, spring assisted cover panel lifts up to reveal provisions for trailer plug wiring, ARB air compressor outlet, ARB trailer camera wiring and a 50amp Anderson plug. You can see more at: http://www.arb.com.au/ introducing-summitrstb/#sthash.UsOZRW29.dpuf Some say Australian manufacturing is dead. To them I say, “Tosh!”

MARCUS O’DEAN Editor

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Fur Hunters of Yore

F

OUR DECADES ago the European fox trade was in turmoil, hitting rock bottom.

Rumours of foxes infected with Rabies virus on the European continent was common talk on the airways, and the European Fur Trade required our humble feral fox, best news of all they were sourcing thousands of hides and prepared to pay top dollar too.

10 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

fox way back in 1975. There are good lessons here.

FOX HISTORY

MAIN: Fox country central NSW with plenty of cover.

INSET: Ray Randall who also joined me on many successful fox Hunts.

WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 11

FOX HISTORY

1

Back in the ’70 s, hunting the humble fox always brought three thoughts to mind: The good side, the bad side and the darned ugly side of hunting. Once big dollars got involved, it was the ugly side of the sport that caused the major drama so let’s explore.

The Good

12 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

HUNTING

TIP

By the winter of ’75, fox hunting for me was pretty profitable. I was in my early 20’s, and the previous two seasons I had bowled over and skinned quite a few of those stinking critters, so I definitely knew how and what to do to them.

It was still easy to access private properties to hunt or spot light, or it was, for me.

I started off early on with a Martini-action .222 Rimmed centrefire, topped with a 6X Bushnell scope. I didn’t mind the Martini. Although a bit slow to use, it was accurate, but after three rounds fired in the heat of battle, I had the odd case jam in the drop chamber … a trifle annoying.

I worked for Australia Post in the Telephone Accounts section when phone calls were very expensive,

EVEN when spotlighting it pays to work into the wind to garner maximum fox kills.

our office phones had no meters fitted and I could ring anywhere in Australia unrecorded for free.

In my lunch break I’d ring countless properties within a 500 kilometres radius to try and score top shooting spots. I was never without a property to hunt pigs, goats, foxes and rabbits. Did I mention I gave those lucky owners a good discount on their bill too?

Besides good old Australia Post could afford it! (It is likely that the old Postmaster General would be pleased to have contributed to rural feral control, had they known, statute of limitations notwithstanding - Ed) On one 3000 acre spread of good sheep county, the grazier had foxes taking his lambs. I'd hit the jackpot and two nights later we there, all set up, and rearing to go.

That night in Yeoval was by far my best ever spotlighting and I shot 15 foxes in the six hour period driving in and around the sheep paddocks. He had mentioned earlier there were a few about and his words didn’t disappoint. All pelts were good bar one, which had a touch of the mange; in desperate

times I actually cut the mange patch out of some foxes to do a salvage job and get a dollar.

Back home that night I had a problem: where to peg out all those darn pelts. I soon had the pegging boards in the garage full, plus I’d nailed a few to both sides of the wooden garage door, but unfortunately still had three pelts left. The wife had gone to sleep so I really had very little choice.

We were living in a rental property in Orange which had a good six metre long fully carpeted hallway. Best of all, it had solid wood floorboards underneath the carpet which was perfect for stretching out and nailing the fox pelts down.

Minutes later, with a hammer and 3” nails in tow, I did just that, and nailed the lot straight down the hallway. … (L.O.L) Well that day caused a bit of drama in the house when first thing, the wife walked onto the moist fox pelts. Later that day, the in-laws paid an unexpected visit too. Although I never received any personal verbal abuse, I believe my name was mentioned in

I used a kerosene heater to warm the room up, and dry out the pelts while I was at work.”

ON THIS SPREAD

1

Prime winter fox pelts garnered good second incomes for many shooters of yore.

2

The great Sako Forrester in the hot calibre 22.250 A good around hunting rifle which I shot approx 10,000 rounds through the barrel.

2 dispatches; it only ever happened once.

I also invented the “quick dry” method of drying out the fox pelts. Winter has lots of cold miserable days, so I’d bring the fox pelts on the pegging boards into the house, setting them up in the bathroom. Then I used a kerosene heater to warm the room up, and dry out the pelts while I was at work.

Only problem with this quick-dry method was you would have to first remove all the fat from the hide, otherwise it would start to get hot, melt and run or drip down the pegged hides, and onto the tiles. Plus afterwards, the bathroom smelt like baked foxes. Well actually, the bathroom stunk for days. But again, it worked, and worked well. Shoot one night, dry the next day and sell the following day.

Three days later I sold the lot to our local wool and skin buyers. There were three located within the city, but I

mainly dealt with one old guy who always gave me a good honest deal. Funny thing is he actually hated handling fox pelts. I dropped the skins off in my lunch break for a payment of $295.

That put a smile on my face as I was only earning $35 to $40 a day at work.

The Martini's jamming was annoying, so this was the time to retire it. I walked out of Hanks' Sports Store with a Sako Forrester in .22-250 for $218.50 with genuine Sako two piece mounts, plus a Harris Bipod.

Why a .22-250? Well, I was chasing an all-round gun, one I could use for rabbits to pigs if need be, and anything in between. To combat the pure power and damage to fox pelts, I decided to drop the projectile weight from the factory 55 grainer to a lighter 40 gn .22 Magnum projectile over Winchester 760 ball powder. A warm load it was with muzzle velocity well over 4000 fps.

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FOX HISTORY

3 You could cover a lot of ground on foot in four hours, and in near silence too.”

4 ON THIS PAGE

3

Mother-in-Law and daughter holding the very first fox I skinned and tanned. fox pelt is 43 years old.

4

Ray Randall and his Browning BAR.

14 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

Carewith bullet placement and head shots were the order of the day under 150 metres and at 200 metres you could plant one in the chest region of a fox and it would stay inside with very little to no skin damage; occasionally it would blow them about a bit.

Trial and error found this combo to be a very safe and accurate load at bowling over Reynards and rabbits out to 200 metres-plus with the aid of a 6X Tasco scope, which I later upgraded to an 8X Leupold.

The Sako was also glass bedded, and free floated and while I owned it I fired somewhere near 10,000 rounds down that well used barrel; no target range work either.

To some that may sound a lot of lead, but in those early days I was a very keen hunter, and I thought nothing of reloading 30 or more cases to hit the rabbit paddocks in pursuit of my favourite game.

Those twice-weekly afternoon excursions to the hills were pure enjoyment with rabbit numbers jsutifying the effort, especially if a lazy fox turned up.

A once worthless feral had turned to mobile Gold! During the boom period of the mid 70’s to early 80’s, prices skyrocketed, running from $10 for badly damaged winter hit to a staggering $65-plus for top pelts from the Snowy Mountains. In those days fox hunters were quite secretive about their hunting location and would tell you nothing, myself included and even though I never shot really big numbers, I did manage to legally knock over around 120 per season.

The Bad What could be bad about hunting foxes? Well, plenty, if money is

involved, then every man and his dog is out there hunting that dollar.

Firstly, there was no longer what you would call a fox hunting season. The ideal hunting period was when the first frosts hit the Tablelands around early May. I could then shoot through the full winter to about late August. That way I’d scored the good winter coats, netting good prices.

By 1977 that idea was totally shot out the window. The majority hunters, concerned they would miss out on the quick buck, started the hunting season early. The hide buyers or perhaps the European skin buyers were mainly the blame. January, and in midSummer, they were paying $10 a head for a pretty furless pelt. (What was the point? Ed) The majority of these early summer kills were just last season’s pups, and dead easy to knock over too. At night you could drive into the middle of the chosen hunting paddock, bring out the fox whistle, fire off a few short blasts, turn on the light and you would be surrounded by several pairs of young inquisitive, beady eyes. Plus being young and foolish, and not gun shy, a quick shot or two could easily dispatch your quarry. But you’ve only got the one chance.

Should you miss that golden opportunity, it would be a totally different situation next time you met your furry friend.

By early winter the easy shots had long gone, just like the foxes.

I never had a 4WD to get mobile in the rough country, but thought of a very clever idea. I purchased a backpack from a local disposal store, and a 12-volt motorcycle battery to run a 55 watt bulb spottie. To complement the package, a 4 watt fluorescent light was added which would run continuously from the main battery source. Pretty good idea it was too.

A few minutes to set-up the lighting and we were off “spotlighting on foot.” There were no rules, just climb over the fences, and walk, walk and walk!

I shot more foxes using that method than any other way. I think half the time they had no

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FOX HISTORY

5

A few minutes to set-up the lighting and we were off “spotlighting on foot.”

6

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idea what was going on, till it was far too late. First off, we would line one up in the beam, say 300 metres out, and kill the light. We would then walk in the direction of the sighted game for a good 150 metres, I’d plant myself on the ground, flick out the legs of the bipod and tell my mate to hit the light.

In most cases, the fox would still be there just sitting and watching. Now when that light beamed lit up the darkness, you had just a few short seconds to get that 40 grainer out the barrel, and onto the target. First night out I knocked six foxes using that technique, and prior to the walking episode, it had been a fair drought!

I had access to several properties, but unfortunately, so too did several other hunters. Some nights there might be two hunting parties working the same land.

Once we switched to 12 volt power, we could get roughly four hours work from the battery before it finally died.

Best of all you could cover a lot of ground on foot in four hours, and in near silence too.

Not like a pesky, noisy 4WD shaking its guts out along rough tracks.

I'd heard of this method being adopted by poachers, who stretched the concept to enable greater access, but far be it from me to recommend such measures.

The Darned Ugly The “Rogue” or “Cowboy hunters” were by far the worst

16 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

of them all and caused far more damage to the fox hunting industry than good!

Using methods involving indiscriminate cyanide baits and other dastardly methods employed by the unscrupulous resulted in closure of many properties to legitimate fur shooters like myself. Thankfully those days are long gone now.

The Present Nowadays new age hunters, working the same old stomping grounds may see a shoot unfold as follows. The 4WD enters the property and stops. Hunter in charge of the spottie fires of a few text messages, plus a quick selfie to boot. Satisfied, they move off following the old and weathered winding track.

The shooter's about to line up on a fat fox and his phone rings – it's the missus, which results in a missus-ed opportunity. In any case, she probably wouldn't wear a fox fur from hubby’s efforts nowadays. There’s not much reason to shoot them apart from helping out the sheep farmer and having a bit o’ fun.

ON THIS PAGE

5

My Fiat X19 which at times also hit the fox paddocks. I’m on the left the hooded one.

6

A young fox startled as he came into the whistle in the 70s.

ASK THE GUN EDITOR

TECHNICAL ADVICE FROM THE GURU – BY NICK HARVEY

Letters containing questions for answering by Nick Harvey must be accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope.

Mail your letters to: The Technical Editor, 3 Reef Street, Hill End, NSW 2850.

LETTER OF THE MONTH

Norma Oryx

Q

I just bought a box of Norma 180gn Oryx bullets to try in my Model 70 Winchester .300 WSM. I’ve never heard of this bullet before. What can you tell me about it? Also, can you suggest a good load for my .300 WSM? If possible I’d like to use Winchester WMR ball powder as I have five 1kg cans on hand.

– James Baker

A

The only Norma Oryx bullet I have tried is the 156gn .264 in my 6.5-284 and 6.5x65 RWS which showed me that it is deadly medicine for big game. I’d have no hesitation tackling a moose with it. The Oryx is a superb

bonded-core bullet similar in construction to the Trophy Bonded and is cannelured.

Weight retention often exceeds 95 percent. Norma promotes it as an all- around bullet for Scandinavia where meat damage is frowned upon and moose hunters want deep penetration and a clean wound channel. Luckily, I gained good performance using WMR in my own .300 WSM. A charge of 71gn gave 29121 fps with what seemed like mild pressure.

Norma Oryx bullets are popular with Swedish moose hunters for their nice balance of expansion and penetration.

Wants To Shoot His Carcano

brass which is likely to withstand a lot of reloads.

Q

Partial Case Sizing

I have an Italian 6.5 Carcano rifle in good condition that I'd like to use for military rifle shooting. I've found that Norma is the only company offering ammunition and unprimed cases. But the price of both is unaffordable as I'm on a limited budget. Is there any other way I can get this gun shooting. So far I've had little luck in obtaining any information on this particular cartridge. Can I make cases from some other popular cartridge brass?

– Ron Jackson

A

You can make 6.5 Carcano cases from .30-06 cases, but it's not easy.

First swage the head to .448" diameter and deepen the extractor groove; Size full length in 6.5 Carcano die and trim to 2.07"; Ream neck, use .264 " bullets. Me, I'd rather save up and buy a couple of boxes of Norma unprimed

18 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

Q

I have a die set which has a full-length die but no neck sizing die. The "expert" at my local gunshop told me that I don't need a neck-sizing die and to partially size cases in my full- length die. What do you think of this method?

– Lennie Hewitt

A

I don't think much of the advice you've been given.

Attempting to partially size (neck-size) certain cases in a standard full- length die by backing the die out so that the case is not pressed all the way in sometimes results in ammo that won't enter the chamber at all. This is especially true of tapered rimless cases with gentle shoulders like the .257 Roberts and 7mm Mauser, and is caused by brass being displaced as the case body begins to be squeezed down which has to go somewhere. In

I have no more case failures than if I neck sized only.” some cases the displacement actually results in the case shoulder being moved forward. In full-length sizing the die resets the shoulder properly at the very end of the stroke, but when partial sizing is attempted, the shoulder is not pushed back into place and the case is left too long in the head-to-shoulder dimension to allow the bolt to close behind it. But even if this doesn't happen, cases which are partially sized in standard dies may gradually swell throughout several

firings and eventually become hard to chamber anyway. If you are really set on necksizing only, I suggest you buy the correct die. Actually, I've adopted the habit of resizing almost everything full-length and only have neck- sizing dies for the very few rifles in which I wish to partially resize my brass. I have no more case failures than if I neck- sized only, and, more importantly, I am sure of proper mechanical functioning, feeding and extraction with my rifles in the hunting field. Nothing is more important than reliability in your hunting handloads.

The 7mm SAUM Vs 7mm WSM

Q

I recently bought a Remington 700 rifle in 7mm SAUM from a friend of mine who said the recoil was too much for him. He has been using the 7mm Mauser for many years now and has

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ASK THE GUN EDITOR

A long barrel offers a longer sighting radius.” become wed to it. He gave me 50 loaded rounds and 10 once-fired cases and a Redding die set with the rifle. How does the 7mm SAUM compare with the 7mm WSM in terms of performance? Can you suggest a good load for deer using the 160gn Nosler Partition bullet and Alliant powder?

– Colin Wirth

A

There's not a big difference between the 7mm Short Action UltraMag (SAUM) and the Winchester 7mm Short Magnum (WSM).

The 7mm SAUM holds 69gn of water measured to the base of a seated bullet. By comparison the 7mm WSM has a water capacity of 77 grains. Factory velocity for the 7mm SAUM with 160gn bullet is 2960fps against 2990 fps for the 7mm WSM - a negligible difference.

Reloading both cartridges is pretty straightforward and pressurewise and otherwise the results are comparable to those of factory ammo.

Loading 61gn of Re-19 behind the 160gn Nosler Partition bullet in the 7mm SAUM produced a neat 3000fps; and in the 7mm WSM it took 63.5gn to achieve 3012fps. My tests convinced me that the two cartridges are so close that you'd never be able to tell any difference in the field.

Barrel Length For The .22 Rimfire

Q

I’m puzzled about how barrel length relates to accuracy for the .22 rimfire.

Your reply to a reader’s letter stated that a 457mm barrel gives the best accuracy with the .22 Long Rifle cartridge.

Why then, do so many target

20 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

rifles have barrels 650mm in length? Is there a special reason for this?

– Nigel Watts

A

Target rifle barrels are made longer for two reasons. A long barrel adds weight and balance. Two it offers a longer sight radius.

Actually, some .22 rimfire barrels are longer than necessary for the cartridge.

After a certain point which varies with each cartridge, some velocity is lost due to friction. As for accuracy, assuming the shooter doesn’t need the extra weight and longer sighting radius, it’s possible to shoot match winning scores with a short barrel, particularly a heavy one.

Buffalo Loads For The .45-70

Q

I recently purchased a new H&R Buffalo Classic .45-70 with a 32 inch barrel as I thought it would be a good "fun gun." Primarily, the rifle will be used for target shooting, but I may also use it for the odd pig, but nothing serious as I have better choices for this. I need information on handloads. I want to use the Hornady 325gn FTX or 300gn Sierra Pro-Hunter HP-FN projectile, but am not sure if the rifling twist will stabilise the lighter projectiles. I assume that the H&R has a 1:20" twist that is intended for heavy projectiles.

ADI offers loads for three different categories of .45-70 - Trapdoor Springfields, old leverguns, the new Marlin 1895 and modern guns like the Ruger No.1. But I am unsure of which category the

H&R fits, and what pressure it will safely withstand. I believe that it may be the same as the lever-actions and my handloads should be held under 40,000 PSI. Can you recommend a load using an ADI powder for these projectiles as well as Hawkesbury River 350gn cast lead bullet?

– Joe Mizzi

A

Rifling fast enough to stabilise heavy bullets will certainly stabilise lighter ones. The starting loads on page 187 of the ADI Handbook should be safe in your gun.

With the 300gn Sierra HPFN a charge of 59.5gn of AR2207 gets 2394fps; and 52gn of AR2207 drives the Hornady 325gn FTX at 2242fps. You could try 50gn of AR2207 behind the Hawkesbury River 350gn RNSP for about 2100fps.

Interested In A Muzzle Brake

Q

I'm thinking about buying a Savage Model 11 Long Range Hunter in .300 Win. Mag. which has an adjustable muzzle brake, but I am wary as I've heard the brake is too hard on your ears. Can you tell me how the muzzle brake works? How much of a reduction in felt recoil is there ? Is the Savage version worthwhile?

– David Reilly

A

You need not fear the Savage muzzle brake as it has an outer cylinder that is turned to close or open the ports, thus allowing you to activate or deactivate the brake and its increased blast at will. This necessitates wearing

some form of ear protection when shooting on a range and deactivating it when hunting.

I’m not sure of just how much of a reduction in recoil there is with the Savage brake. But we're talking about felt recoil here. The actual foot-pounds of recoil are determined by gun weight versus bullet weight and velocity,and are even affected by the weight of the powder charge. A rifle with a muzzle brake has exactly the same amount of recoil as rifle without one. Felt recoil is how hard the rifle belts your shoulder. The muzzle brake uses the expanding gases behind the bullet to create almost a rocket-like effect, and pull the recoiling rifle away from you, thus retarding its rearward movement. Actually, it acts in pretty much the same way as the jet engines on an aircraft do when thrust is reversed to slow down the forward movement of the plane. Only with a rifle it pulls the rifle forward slowing its rearward movement. The effectiveness of a muzzle brake depends not only on its design but also on the calibre and the velocity. In other words, the amount of powder gases that can be pushed through the holes.

Most makers of muzzle brakes claim a reduction of nearly 40-percent which, all else being equal, makes a .300 Win. Mag. with 30 ft/lb of recoil feel more like a .30-06 which belts the shoulder with 20 ft/lbs.

.30 Super Magnum Comparison

Q

I'm going to buy a new rifle for trophy hunting.

I've decided on a .30 calibre cartridge which will shoot as flat as possible and carry the hardest punch out at 500 metres. How would you rate the .300 Remington UltraMag against the .30-378 Wby Mag? Are both rounds easy to reload? What brand and weight of bullet and which

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A

The .300 Remington UltraMag is beltless being based on the .404 Jeffery case, whereas the .30-378 Weatherby is simply the massive belted .378 Weatherby case necked down to accept .30 calibre bullets. The .300 RUM holds 105 grains of water to the base of the bullet compared to the .30-378 Wby which holds 124 grains. As is only to be expected , when loaded with bullets of equal weight, and fired in the same length barrels, the .30-378 will outpace the .300 RUM by about 150 foot-seconds.

Nevertheless, the .300 RUM is still about 150 fps faster than both the .300 Win. Mag. and .300 Wby Mag. The .300 RUM is capable of driving the tough 180gn Barnes TTSX bullet at about 3250fps from a 650mm barrel while the bigger .300-378 Wby gets closer to 3300fps. Hardly enough difference to worry about. The best powders are very slow burning. ADI's AR2225 is preferred. A charge of 93gn of AR2225 drives the Barnes longster at 3150fps; while 105gn of AR2225 adds another 100 fps to the 180gn bullet in the .30-378. So take your pick, there ain't much to choose between them. Both are pretty straightforward to reload.

There's Nothing Wrong With the 7x64mm

Q

I know you rate the 7x64mm Brenneke highly for even the biggest deer species. In your opinion does this include elk and moose? Why don't more companies make rifles chambered for this great calibre? I decided against 22 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

The path of the bullet follows a parabolic curve.”

do not attempt chest shot

45 0 broadside 35 0

buying a .30-06 in favour of the 7x64 because of less recoil and the availability of light bullets suited for goats and pigs. Do you think I made a mistake? What bullet would you recommend for boar hunting? We have some big buggers up here in the N.T. – Bob Wilson

A

The 7x64 despite its age, (introduced in 1917), is still one of the great cartridges, proving effective on wapiti, moose, bear etc. The tag "magnum" is being applied to almost everything these days in order to make it sound glamorous. This in no way detracts from the efficiency of the old 7x64 and Europeans still chamber it in a lot of rifles; it closely resembles the .280 Remington. You made a good choice as in many ways the 7X64 is as much gun as the .30-06 is. The question arises whether you need more gun or not because the fact remains that the 7x64 is capable of handling any game of the size you are enquiring about.

Mid-Range Trajectory

Q

Am I right in assuming that mid-range trajectory height is measured at half the distance from the muzzle of the rifle to the target? Also, is it true that rifles always shoot higher in hot weather?

– Bob Barker

A

The answer to your first question is no. the path (trajectory) of the bullet follows generally a parabolic curve more parabolic than circular.

The highest point in this path

do not attempt chest shot

above the muzzle-target line is approximately 55-percent of the range from the muzzle.

Measured from line of sight, the high point moves even farther out. The higher the sights are above the barrel the farther this point is from the muzzle. This shouldn't have any effect in "holding under" for close shots since most shooters cannot estimate range nearly accurately enough to take advantage of the precise location of the high point in the rifles path.

Rifles do normally shoot higher in hot weather but to a much lesser degree than is commonly believed. Velocities are usually measured at 70 degree F in industry tests, or test results are corrected to the 70 degree value. The actual effect under normal conditions of temperature on velocity is known to be 1.7 fps per degree of temperature change with most stick-type powders (ADI excepted). Consequently, if you are shooting a factory load listed at 3000 fps in 100 degree F temperature, it will develop 3051 fps (3000 + 1.7x30). If you've zeroed your rifle during

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powder do you recommend, not only for deer up to the size of wapiti and moose, but also African plains game including kudu and eland? I want to use just one load for every kind of big-game.

– John James

90 degree summer heat then take it out next winter at 20 degrees below zero, the bullet will travel 187 fps slower. This is enough to lower the point of impact measurably at longer ranges. Bear in mind, however, that it is the temperature of the ammunition, not the air that produces this effect.

Cartridges exposed to the sun's rays may be 20-30 degree hotter than the surrounding air, as will cartridges in the gun exposed to the sun. ADI powders are not sensitive to changes in temperature which is a big advantage.

When A Half-Cock Notch Is Not A Safety

Q

I know that the half-cock notch on the hammer of traditional lever-action rifles acts as the safety, but can you tell me why the Lee Enfield striker needs a half-cock position since it already has a side safety?

– Trevor Phelan

A

The half-cock position on the Lee Enfield is not a safety. It was put there only to

reduce the strain on the firing pin spring when conditions required that the rifle be kept loaded for long periods of time. It permits partial lowering of the striker when the gun is cocked without allowing the firing pin to touch the primer. Several other guns make provision for partially unloading the tension on the mainspring that appear to be half-cock safeties, but are not actually intended to serve that purpose.

Loads For Ackley Improved .250 Savage

Q

My Remington Model 700 short-action has been rebarreled with a 600mm Pac Nor barrel with 1:10 twist in .250 Savage Ackley Improved.

I have 200 new unprimed Winchester cases, 1,000 WLR primers, and would like to know which powder I should use for highest velocity.

Powders I have are used to reload my .308 and .22-250 - W-748 and W-760. If you know of a better powder for this wildcat, please let me know and I will get some.

What kind of velocities do you think I may get with 87 and 100gn bullets?

– Ronald Hutchinson

A

You have a nice outfit there. The improved .250 Savage is considerably superior to the standard .250 Savage and was a great favourite of P.O Ackley's. He claimed it showed a greater percentage of increase than almost any other of his wildcats. It has a gross capacity of 52.5gn of water against 46.5gn for the standard case which means it holds about 7 grains more powder. Being of almost ideal capacity for the .25 bore, it is very efficient and flexible and deserving of much greater popularity than it has

previously enjoyed. W-760 may well be the best powder in the .250 Savage Improved. My advice is to load bullets out as far as the magazine/lede will permit. A charge of 44gn of W-760 behind both the 85gn Nosler and 87gn Speer will churn up 3200fps. A 41gn charge with the 100gn Hornady gets 3050fps. If you hunt deer, the Hornady 117gn BTSP and 43gn of Re-22 cracks 2800fps.

These loads were worked up in a friend's rifle and proved safe.

If you want to try increasing those loads one grain at a time, then good luck.

M-17 Feed Problem

Q

I had my .30-06 sporter based on a M-17 Enfield action rebarreled to .270 Winchester. The rifle shoots very accurately, but jams up every time a cartridge from the left side of the magazine is fed into the chamber. It works

all right when cartridges are fed from the right side. Is this problem something I can fix myself or do I need to take my rifle to a gunsmith?

– William Cosgrove

A

I'm pretty sure that as a cartridge is fed into the chamber from the left side that it catches on the edge of the extractor cut. If I am right, the way to fix this is to remove the sort of a bump which you will notice along the forward part of the left rail of the receiver.

There is a bump on both sides, but trouble only occurs on the left side. Anyone with a hand grinder can remove this raised portion along the inside rail so that the cartridge will not be pushed over so far to the right as it feeds up into the chamber. A gunsmith could do the job in a few minutes and that's who I recommend you get to do it.

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WEB NEWS

FROM MARTIN AULDIST – WEBSITE EDITOR

It’s been all about duck hunting on the website this month in the lead up to the opening of the duck seasons in the southern states. We saw some bizarre tactics from Animals Australia that fell flat, while Federal Labor politicians saw fit join Animals Australia protestors on the wetlands on opening weekend.

ANIMALS AUSTRALIA PROMISE FREE CLAY DAY FOR HUNTERS… THEN CANCEL

RIDGELINE PHOTO COMPETITION Keep the entries coming in for our Ridgeline Hunting Photo Competition. There are some great prizes to be won, so send your pics to marcusodean@yaffa.com. au. Some great pics have already rolled in, so check them out on the website.

LABOR POLITICIANS SIDE WITH ANIMALS AUSTRALIA In a bizarre stunt that seemed set to fail from the start, extreme animal rights group Animals Australia advertised that they would host a free clay target shooting day for hunters on the opening weekend of the Victorian duck hunting season. http://www.sportingshootermag. com.au/latest/animals-australiato-host-clay-shooting-day-onduck-opening-weekend Not surprisingly, the event

attracted so few bookings that it had to be cancelled due to lack interest. It just shows that Animals Australia has no idea what motivates hunters. The booking fee was donated to a Field and Game Australia trust to help buy more wetlands for hunting. http://www.sportingshootermag. com.au/latest/animals-australiaclay-day-cancelled-due-to-lackof-interest

THIS MONTH’S MOST POPULAR STORIES 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Channel 10 condemns hunting of animals NSW Firearms Registry silencer changes Borsak welcomes silencer changes Test report: The businesslike Tikka T3 Hunter Suppressors: Hearing the truth Is there a minimum area of

land for shooting on?

Animals Australia to host clay shooting day on duck opening weekend 8. Police Minister stopped shooting rats after Port Arthur 9. 22 rimfire or 17 hmr?

10. Animals Australia clay day cancelled due to lack of interest 7.

Miss something in Sporting Shooter?

Can’t find that article from a few months ago, but need to refer to it? It may now be up on the website. We’ve added a fair few stories to the site lately, hunting, technical and others of interest. So if you’re looking for something, just jump onto www.sportingshootermag.com.au

24 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

Sticking with the duck hunting theme, two Federal Labor MPs have seen fit to protest against Victorian Labor policy by joining Animals Australia protestors on the duck swamps on opening weekend. That’s a very telling alliance! http://www.sportingshootermag.com.au/ latest/labor-mps-join-animals-australia-induck-protest

Get all this and more at sportingshootermag.com.au SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER Keep up to date with the latest big news affecting you by subscribing to our weekly newsletter. You’ll get a rundown of all the website’s new content and stories so you won’t miss what’s going on in the world of hunting.

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Don’t forget to join us on Facebook: facebook.com/SportingShooterMag. You’ll get alerts as each new story goes up on the website, and see a few photos, videos, laughs and facts that don’t make it into the mag or the website.

But here’s a vital tip: After you “like” us on Facebook, hover your mouse over the “like” button until a little menu appears, then select “get notifications”.

That way you’ll receive all our alerts, not just a random selection.

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TEST REPORT

BY NICK HARVEY

1

Browningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Affordable A-Bolt 3 Stalker The economical AB3 rifle is available in both long and short action versions to handle both standard short and long cartridges as well as the .270 WSM, .300 WSM, 7mm Rem. Mag. and .300 Win. Mag.

BROWNING'S new A-Bolt 3 is a product of tough economic times which has influenced many American gunmakers to bring out a line of cheap rifles.

Some of these not only lack styling, but have draggy triggers and offer barely minute of deer accuracy.

Browning went a different route, the company designed their A- Bolt 3 to be affordable, but not an El-Cheapo, since there's a limit to what serious hunters and shooters will accept. The new A-Bolt 3 Composite Stalker is a very well-balanced rifle that functions and shoots as good as it looks.

2 26 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

The AB3 is available in two action lengths, a short action version in .243, 7mm-08, 308 and .270 and .300 WSM and a long action in .270, .30-06, 7mm Rem. Mag. and .300 Win. Mag. My test gun is chambered in .308 Win., and sports a black synthetic stock.

The finish lacks the typical, high polish that's always characterised Browning firearms, a feature serious hunters will applaud because dull metalwork doesn't reflect the sun and semaphore their presence to spook wary game.

The AB3 qualifies as a rugged, no-nonsense game getter.

Following the recent trend in budgetary firearms, the AB3 is a departure from the stalwart A-Bolt. While the receiver outwardly resembles the A-Bolt's rigid slab-sided action which is narrow at the bridges widening in the lower section, the AB3 bolt is entirely different from that of the A-Bolt. Both are push-feed designs, but while the latter has a non-rotating bolt body and a three-lug bolt head which rotates into battery, the AB3 has a large-diameter one-piece bolt and a smaller diameter head with three lugs machined in one piece, with

the entire bolt rotating in and out of engagement. The three-lug AB3 bolt employs a deeply recessed bolt face housing a plunger-style ejector and sliding blade extractor. Obviously this is a less costly bolt to manufacture which is why the design has been adopted by other makers previously.

The bolt body is plated with matte electroless nickel which makes for butterysmooth operation and affords corrosion resistance. Previous experience with similar triple-lug bolts has convinced me that the fully enclosed bolt face design is definitely an asset where accuracy is concerned and contributes to a low 60-degree bolt lift. While this low lift is often claimed to make it easier for the shooter to operate the bolt with the rifle held on the shoulder, some bolt handles are so stiff to lift that it simply can't be done. The Browning, however, is not one of these, and the bolt can be worked with great rapidity without lowering the rifle from the shoulder.

Evidently, the Browning engineers took notice of and borrowed a previously thought out solution - dual cocking

ON THIS SPREAD

1

This product image of a walnutstocked AB3 reveals an attractive trim form that follows function.

2

Detachable polymer-and-steel magazine box seat flush and holds four rounds in standard cartridges and three in magnums. Feed is smooth and positive.

3

The AB3 deserves a high-quality scope like this Kahles KX 3.5-10x50 in Browning bases with Weaver-type rings. The degree of accuracy was consistent with a variety of bullets and loads.

4

3 cams which allows shooters to more easily cycle the bolt, even when the rifle is mounted.

The AB3 has a handy shotgun-style two-position sliding tang safety. Forward is Fire and the bolt is locked when thumbed to the rear.

On the right side of the receiver bridge just behind the bolt handle there is a small detent that unlocks the bolt when the safety is in the rear or "Safe" position to allow safe unloading. Bolt travel is smooth and virtually silent and a red dot indicator located below the rear end of the shroud lets you know whether or not the rifle is in firing mode. In some rifles this kind of safety locks the bolt handle down when the rifle is on Safe, and in others it doesn't. Personally, I prefer a safety that locks the bolt handle down because when I carry the rifle on the sling with a round in the chamber and safety engaged I don't want the bolt falling open to jettison the round out onto the ground.

The bolt release is on the left rear of the receiver.

The detachable magazine is mostly polymer with spring steel sides and lips. A button

located in front of the magazine well releases the magazine which readily drops out into the hand. It is easy to load and clips back into place without having to jiggle it about.

Early in the piece, triggers on inexpensive rifles were pretty awful. The new trigger on the AB3 Composite Stalker is as good as any of the other stock Model A-Bolt triggers I have tried over the years.

Crisp with minimal travel, the AB3's trigger is also user-adjustable with an adjustment range of 3 to 5 lbs.

Turning a set screw at the front of the trigger housing changes the pull weight. Most readers will be familiar with the small safety blade that protrudes from the face of the trigger - just like a Marlin X7 or Savage AccuTrigger. The trigger guard and trigger are both polymer. Thankfully the guard is not made as an integral part of the stock. The trigger is wide and lets- off at 1.4kgs as set by the factory.

Another low cost alternative: the A-Bolt uses the ubiquitous barrel nut favoured by many modern riflemakers to attach the barrel, but instead of a large

The AB3 has a two-position tang safety, but a spring-loaded plunger behind the bolt handle root allows the bolt to be opened while engaged for safe unloading.

4 Personally, I prefer a safety that locks the bolt handle down.â&#x20AC;?

knurled lug nut, the smooth part is barely noticeable.

During assembly, a collet grabs the barrel nut and applies the proper amount of torque without marring the part. This is a good system for it sets minimum headspace quickly and allows a large-area bracket-type recoil lug to be clamped to the front during assembly of the barrel. This method is not only widely used in economyclass rifles, but some more expensive models such as the Kimber.

An unusual refinement: the barrel is button-rifled and air- gauged for consistency and accuracy and the muzzle WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 27

TEST REPORT

5

ON THIS PAGE

5

These 3-shot groups are typical of the kind of accuracy obtainable with different bullets and loads.

6

The AB3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s large-diameter, one-piece bolt is entirely different from the original A-Bolt and has three locking lugs.

has a recessed target crown.

Each barrel is inspected three times, and the chamber is hand-reamed. The barrel is quite slim, but far from skinny, and tapers a progressively from breech to muzzle. It is innocent of any iron sights and free-floated from the receiver ring forward, but the gap between barrel and fore-end is narrow and neat without any unsightly gaposis. Unlike some economy class guns,the AB3 has no Weaver-type bases and like the X-Bolt is drilled and tapped for 8x40 screws, two each on the

6

28 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

receiver ring and bridge.

With two action lengths chambered in nine popular calibres, the AB3 Composite Stalker has two different polymer magazine lengths and three different bolt face diameters, (one for standard cartridges, one for belted magnums and one for the WSMs) to accommodate various lengths and diameters of cartridges.

Standard calibres are equipped with 550mm barrels, short magnums have the 610mm length, and long belted magnums have 650mm barrels.

The matte-black slim, trim American classic-style stock is injection molded sans cheekpiece and has one long textured panel running from the fore-end rearward to take in the pistol grip. A finger shelf runs the entire length of the fore-end. Stock furniture consists of the bare essentials - sling swivel bases and a Browning Inflex Technology recoil pad which is designed for "directional deflection" to push energy downward and away from the shooter's face.

The AB3 is made for the chap who likes to carry a rifle at the trail in his hand or across his chest when he's stalking . At 3.175 kgs naked and a shade over 3.6kgs scoped, the AB3 is light enough to carry in one hand all day. Careful blending of the magazine floorplate with the stock contours makes it comfortable to grasp at the balance point For testing the AB3 was equipped with a Kahles KX 3.5-10x50 with 4A reticle using Browning Weaver-style bases and rings. Sighting

SPECS Browning A-Bolt III Composite Stalker Type: push-feed bolt action Calibre: .243, 7mm-08 Rem., .308 Win.,.270 Win., .30-06 (tested) 7mm Rem. Mag., .300 Win. Mag., .270 WSM, .300 WSM. Magazine capacity: 4+1 std calibres; 3+1 magnum calibres Barrel: button-rifled; 550mm in std calibres, 650mm magnum cals Weight: 3kgs std calibres; 3.9kgs magnum cals Overall length: 1086mm std cals; 1187mm magnums Metal finish: matte blue Stock: Composite synthetic, molded-in black finish, Inflex technology recoil pad Length of pull: 446mm Sights: none. Drilled and tapped for scope mount Likely retail price: $ 960.00

TEST REPORT

Accuracy with different Winchester factory loads was beyond excellent.â&#x20AC;?

AB3's push-feed action cycles very smoothly.

Feeding, extraction and ejection are foolproof.

in presented no problems.

After getting the crosswires centered on the colliminator's grid, I adjusted the horizontal wire to be one section (4 inches) low and fired a shot at the 25 yd. target. At this distance it landed dead centre and ideally 1/2-an-inch below point of aim. In my experience this usually results in the bullet landing from 2 to 3 inches high at 100 yds.

On this occasion the bullet hole was a shade high - about 4 inches, so I wound the elevation 6-clicks down.

The clicks on this scope are supposed to be 1/4" at 100yds. or 7mm at 100 metres. From previous experience using this scope on two other rifles, I knew the adjustments were precise, and the next three shots clustered into a neat one-inch group. Did this surprise me in the least? Hell no! The AB3 is a Browning and I've never seen a Browning boltgun yet that wasn't consistently accurate.

Accuracy with different Winchester factory loads was beyond excellent, this .30-06 shot like a varminter! Group size varied, but the majority 30 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

were sub-MoA. Some shot better than the initial sightingin group with a handloaded 165gn Hornady, but nothing shot as well as 150gn Extra Point factory ammo, which averaged 0.85" for a 3-shot group. Most desirable, however, was the way that different bullet weights showed little point-of- impact shift with light bullet landing slightly higher and heavy 180 grainers slightly lower.

Overall, the accuracy average

was pretty consistent and every bit as good as the most expensive Browning rifles.

Better still, there was no change in impact as the barrel warmed up. I shot it without allowing it to cool off between 3-shot groups, just as I would in the field.

I am happy when a brand-new, factory sporter shoots that well with factory ammo without any tuning and with minimum effort.

Some rifles I get to test really

try my patience, and it requires some tinkering to get them to perform reasonably well, unlike this Browning whichperformed well straight out of the box, and that's the way I like 'em.

This Browning is executed well with quality materials and cycles so smoothly you have to double-check that a round has actually entered the chamber. It looks, handles and in shoots like a Browning - what more can I say?

ACCURACY RESULTS Load

Bullet Weight(gns)

Velocity (fps)

Win. Supreme

165

2787

Accuracy (inches) Smallest

Largest

Average

0.807

1.20

1.10

Win. Extreme Pt

150

2967

0.550

0.89

0.85

Win. PHP Bonded

150

2972

0.672

1.00

0.88

Win. Super-X

180gn

2676

0.980

1.20

1.10

HANDLOADS Bullet (Weight)

Powder (Type)

Charge (Gns)

Velocity (fps)

Accuracy (Average)

Lapua Mega 125

AR2208

57

3215

0.975

Woodleigh 150 PPSN

AR2209

60

2920

1.00

Hornady 165 SP

AR2209

58

2870

1.15

Woodleigh 180 PPSN

AR2209

58

2698

1.30

Accuracy taken as the average of six 3-shot groups shot from benchrest. Velocities measured with Master Chrony from 3 metres

by

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DEER HUNTING HOW-TO

I asked Ted Mitchell Snr, AKA The Deermaster, to educate newer deer hunters, so they can get a jump on the next rut, or clean up at the end of this season. It is gold!

32 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

Something most hunters would love to see.

Eight Important Tips for Fair Dinkum Deer Hunters WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 33

DEER HUNTING HOW-TO Tip 1 – Get Fit. Get yourself into good condition for trekking up and down hills and hopefully carrying a back pack loaded with venison and antlers back to your camp. If you are not fit enough, then your hunt will be a disaster right from the start, unless you’re an awful lucky hunter. With me, keeping fit has been something I have always enjoyed doing. All my life I have been one to do a few exercises most mornings. Having also been walking hills chasing deer since my teens, possibly that has helped me to keep fit naturally.

Now at age 72 I still enjoy walking the mountains although certainly a lot slower than I did in my thirties.

A good easy exercise is to get into your hunting boots and wear a loaded back pack and start walking around the block, doing longer walks each time. Walking up and down stairs is great too. Once you are used to walking many miles in your hunting boots carrying a loaded pack, a slow stalk/walk in the hills will seem much easier to you.

Tip 2 – Gear You Wear And Carry Now the next thing you need to think about is what you're wearing and carrying. Firstly you certainly need a good strong comfortable pair of boots with good ankle support as sore feet or blisters will ruin a hunt.

(The walking around the block in training will certainly break your hunting boots in and make them a breeze to wear) Good serviceable clothing and light gloves, hat and a face net are very handy for the deer hunter. Maybe you can be lucky enough to run around in jeans and T shirt, with your face shining in the sunshine and jag a decent stag or buck, but to be on the safe side good comfortable hunting clothes are a must. There are many makers

1 Look for rubbed trees where a stag or buck is marking his territory.” who sell great hunting clothing, just check out the adverts in this magazine to find a few. A small day pack will be a handy thing to have along with a few snacks inside plus some wet weather gear, camera, phone, spare knife, torch, GPS, matches, toilet paper etc, etc and the list here can be endless as it depends on whether you're out for a day hunt or a full weekend or maybe even longer. (Check out Zach Spark's article on the hunter's daypack in this issue.) One other important thing is a good pair of high end binoculars. As a small but very important extra thing, a blaze orange piece of clothing should be worn, especially if you are lucky

2

34 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

enough to score a deer, as carrying a deer head on your back with nothing to show another hunter that it has already been shot, could prove dangerous. Even a blaze orange hat would do to be visible to others.

Tip 3 – Arm Yourself Next will be a rifle and scope that you know you can handle well.

Minimum calibre in my opinion for fallow deer is the humble .243 with a suitable 90 or 100grain projectile.

For larger deer, larger calibers are more suitable ranging from the 7mm-08 upwards to whatever calibre rifle suits you. Main thing being is that you can handle it well with no flinch. Importantly you should practice well with your chosen rifle and be able to fire it with reasonable consistency, whether leaning on a tree/rock or off the shoulder, as sometimes this will be what is needed to be able to get that deer that breaks cover unexpectedly. Projectiles are very important too. If they are too heavy for your chosen calibre chances are they will pass through an animal doing very little damage allowing it to run far enough to lose it. This is something we never want to happen. Reading through Nick Harvey’s column you should get a fair idea of correct size projectiles for the game you hunt, but as a rough idea a good 140grain from a 7mm-08, a 150grain from a .308 or similar, a 165grainer from a .30-06 or 180grain from a .300Win Mag

ON THIS PAGE

1

Author with a nice fallow buck taken with one 139grn projectile from a 7mm-08, a bullet appropriate to the game.

2

A nice buck seen while scouting but not a shooter.

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DEER HUNTING HOW-TO

Usually I have found the stags that make the most noise are usually the smaller stags.”

3 ON THIS PAGE

3

Photo of me and Marcus with Marcus’ stag, The hunters with their trophy shot using low country stalking in early morning.

4

A good vantage spot lets you glass lots of good country.

and so on. As deer are a relatively thin-skinned animals, normal cup and core projectiles will do the job very well so long as they are well constructed and most popular brands will get in to prove lethal.

Mono projectiles are also very good, but in my humble opinion they perform better if slightly lighter than the normal weight cup and core you would use. A good idea that is also inexpensive is to do a lot of practice shooting offhand with a .22. Shooting away a brick or two will get your eye in and give you an idea of your stance for that offhand shot, while reinforcing that vital muscle memory necessaery to be automatic.

rewarding for you. Those binoculars mentioned before will be very handy to you if you find a cozy spot high on a hill overlooking as much country as you can. With some luck you might even see some deer and be able to watch them to learn their habits. Look for rubbed trees where a stag or buck is marking his territory, scrapes for fallow and preaching trees for sambar. Wallows are good to take note of and if you own a trail camera then you should set it up in what you think is a well used area and maybe get some great photos of animals doing their thing.

Tip 4 - Know Your Deer Species

Wind direction is of utmost importance to you as a deer can smell you from a long way and just disappear without you even knowing you were close. Naturally hot air rises and cool air sinks, so early in the mornings while the air is cool I try to hunt down low as if you’re up higher than the deer your smell could drift down to it. Then slowly I make my way up higher.

Using wind direction to your advantage, in spots where it’s easy to hunt low down, moving very slowly and glassing often with your binoculars can often work for you.

(This worked especially well for me and the editor Marcus O’Dean quite recently.) Quite often though it is not possible to hunt lower down, but you must ensure the wind is in your favour. Later in the day as the warmer air rises it is better to be higher on the mountain with good

Study up on the deer species you wish to hunt and where to aim for a sure killing shot. Learn whatever you can about the chosen species, footprints, droppings, wallows etc.

For most deer hunters the rut is the main start of the hunting, but some pre-season exploring can be very

4 36 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

Tip 5 – When The Hunt Begins

views. As the day warms up even the cool air from low down will rise causing a mountain breeze. Deer don’t like strong wind as it affects their best danger detectors, their ears and noses, so on a very windy day they will often keep to lower, thicker country and valleys out of the wind. Deer also like to get warm on a cold morning, so a secluded spot where the sun first hits on a hill is often where you might spot them.

Tip 6 -The way you walk is important Naturally you should walk very slowly and as quietly as possible, stopping often to glass and check your back trail. Deer often stay still and hidden rather than run and give themselves away, then move out after you have passed. I have seen three red hinds hide behind a patch of lantana while my mate who was hunting on the other side of the mountain walked right past them within 20 metres. The country there was pretty open and the deer were probably just caught out. After he had passed the patch of lantana they just calmly walked away and crossed back over the track he was using. Maybe it doesn’t happen often but who really knows and that episode made me always look behind me every now and then when walking in the bush. Also another thing about looking behind you is you will see what the country will look like on your return trip.

People often get a bit mixed up when returning through rough country as it can look totally different when walking back.

Skylining yourself when crossing

9LVLW D GHDOHU QHDU \RX

KHUURQV FRP DX

DEER HUNTING HOW-TO

LEFT: Alex doe called this buck in from the hill way out behind us.

Set it up in a good position for a photo.”

hill tops is something you should try not to do. Use a bush or tree as cover while crossing the hill top. Staying in the shade is far better than walking in the sun as movement is more noticeable in the sunny spots. If high on the hill or mountain make sure that you are not high enough for any part of your body to be skylined as the sun starts to rise or drop, as it could make you more visible. Try to use deer or cattle tracks while hunting as these are ready made mountain roads and most of the noisy stuff has been kicked out of the way.

Also they follow the easiest ways around the hills.

Naturally deer will also follow the easiest route while walking and feeding.

Tip 7 – Hunt In The Rut

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38 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

The Rut or Roar is probably the most exciting time to hunt.

There is nothing quite like sitting on a hill listening to red stags roaring each other or fallow bucks grunting. An old cow horn or a piece of poly pipe is good to use to try to roar in a stag. Red deer may be very quiet and a small roar might just get them going.

Usually I have found the stags that make the most noise are usually the smaller stags and the big ones only let out a low moan now and then. It’s great to try to home in on a roaring stag and actually roar them in towards you. My son Brenton is an expert in this and often calls stags in very close even as close as ten metres, as being mainly a bow hunter he needs to get them in as close as possible to be able to take a shot. If roaring, don’t overdo it as often your loud roars could scare a stag away rather than towards you, or if one is close he will sneak in on you and try to work out what you are and then just disappear.

Sometimes it’s far better to just sit and listen and use their roars to enable you to get in close enough to take a shot.

Doe or hind calls will often entice a stag or buck during the rut, so practice these calls too while practicing roaring.

Usually in the early part of the rut the smaller stags will be doing most of the roaring and the big boys will come along a little later on and take over. Sitting on a hill side glassing good country is a great way to go. In some places where there are lots of deer the rut can go full swing and be very exciting with a few stags all roaring at once.

Then in other spots where there are not too many deer, the rut can be a very quiet time as the competition is just not there to harass them, but just persevere and put in the time and it will definitely happen eventually.

Tip 8 - Housekeeping Finally getting your deer is a great achievement and very rewarding. Now set the animal up in a good position for a photo shoot. Clean excess blood away and make it look tasteful as gory photos are no good at all. After the photo shoot, if it’s a stag or buck and you want to have it mounted, then take your time and do a good job of caping. If a doe, hind or stag and you want the meat, make sure the animal is well bled. Try to keep your hands that have touched the skin away from the meat until they are cleaned. It’s good to take some disposable rubber gloves with you for this reason. Once your deer has been packed into your back pack make sure you put some bright orange tape or an orange shirt over the antlers or pack for safety reasons.

Then take your time heading back and savouring your successful hunt.

Good hunting Ted Mitchell Snr

Conventional polymer tips melt in flight!

HornadyÂŽ engineers, using Doppler radar discovered that all manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s polymer tips melt. This deformation leads to both BC and accuracy loss. To counter this effect, HornadyÂŽ identified a heat resistant polymer and developed the patent pending Heat Shieldâ&#x201E;˘ tip. This revolutionary new tip creates the PEFECT MEPLAT (tip) with exceptionally consistent results from bullet-to-bullet and lot-to-lot â&#x20AC;&#x201C; results that CANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T BE MATCHED BY ANY BTHP. The Heat Shieldâ&#x201E;˘ tip combined with AMPÂŽ bullet jacket technology, streamlined secant ogive and optimum boattail design creates the most consistent match bullet on the market today â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ELDâ&#x201E;˘ Match.

UĂ&#x160;*>Ă&#x152;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;ÂŤiÂ&#x2DC;`Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160; i>Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;-Â&#x2026;Â&#x2C6;iÂ?`â&#x201E;˘Ă&#x160;/Â&#x2C6;ÂŤ UĂ&#x160; Â&#x2C6;}Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2021;VÂ?>Ă&#x192;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160; Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;­Â&#x153;Ă&#x203A;iĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x20AC;iĂ&#x160;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x20AC;>Â?iVĂ&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x17E;ÂŽ UĂ&#x160;Ă&#x160; VVĂ&#x2022;Ă&#x20AC;>Ă&#x152;i]Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;ÂŤÂŤÂ?iĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;>`>Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x203A;iĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;fiĂ&#x160;i`Ă&#x160; Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;­VÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x20AC;iVĂ&#x152;i`Ă&#x160; L>VÂ&#x17D;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;>Â&#x2DC;`>Ă&#x20AC;`Ă&#x160;>Ă&#x152;Â&#x201C;Â&#x153;Ă&#x192;ÂŤÂ&#x2026;iĂ&#x20AC;iÂŽ UĂ&#x160;Ă&#x160; Â&#x2C6;}Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;`i}Ă&#x20AC;iiĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;Â&#x153;vĂ&#x160;>VVĂ&#x2022;Ă&#x20AC;>VĂ&#x17E;Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;VÂ&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;iÂ&#x2DC;VĂ&#x17E;Ă&#x160; ­LĂ&#x2022;Â?Â?iĂ&#x152;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Â&#x2021;LĂ&#x2022;Â?Â?iĂ&#x152;Ă&#x2030;Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2021;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Â&#x2021;Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x152;ÂŽ UĂ&#x160;Ă&#x160;-Ă&#x152;Ă&#x20AC;i>Â&#x201C;Â?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;i`Ă&#x160;Ă&#x192;iV>Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Â&#x153;}Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x203A;iĂ&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;Â&#x153;ÂŤĂ&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x2022;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x160; LÂ&#x153;>Ă&#x152;Ă&#x152;>Â&#x2C6;Â?Ă&#x160;`iĂ&#x192;Â&#x2C6;}Â&#x2DC; UĂ&#x160; *ÂŽĂ&#x160; Ă&#x2022;Â?Â?iĂ&#x152;Ă&#x160; >VÂ&#x17D;iĂ&#x152;Ă&#x192;

THE PERFECT TIP The new Heat Shield â&#x201E;˘ tip creates the perfect meplat and outperforms BTHP bullets.

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TEST REPORT

BY NICK HARVEY

1

New OSA Buffalo River .308 Ammo OSA provides the answer to a hog hunters’ prayers by adding a new awesome .308 load firing a Sierra 135gn hollow-point at 3000 fps.

2

40 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

SIERRA has long been famous for the accuracy of its classic Match-King HPBT bullets which have won more target competitions than all target bullets from other manufacturers combined.

Really serious varmint hunters simply dote on company's polymer- tipped BlitzKing bullets which have proved devastatingly effective for varmint/ predator hunting even at extreme ranges. Recently Sierra introduced a new line of Tipped MatchKings which feature higher ballistic coefficients for increased aerodynamics in 69gn and 77gn .224, 125gn 168gn, 155gn and 175gn .308. But little praise has been lavished on Sierra's 135gn hollow-point .30 calibre bullet Outdoor Sporting

Agencies are loading in their proprietary Buffalo River .308 Winchester ammunition which is claimed to give fine accuracy coupled with reliable expansion over a wide range of game-shooting conditions.

Lightly constructed bullets that will expand satisfactorily at extreme ranges frequently disintegrate upon impact

ON THIS PAGE

1

Testing was carried out on a benchrest at 100 and 200 yards with a Savage Model 10 with heavy barrel and Bushnell 4.5-30x50 Tactical scope.

2

While eminently suitable for ferals, don’t discount this ammo’s role on deer species up to red and rusa in size.

20% more field of view than your standard 1-inch scopes!

PANAMAX

™

Key Features on PANAMAX™ 1-inch scopes ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀

฀ ฀ ฀

฀ ฀

฀ ฀

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TEST REPORT

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ON THIS PAGE

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Put up in good quality reloadable ADI brass carrying the OSA logo, the propellant is temperature resistant.

4

The new OSA Buffalo River .308 ammo loaded with a 135gn Sierra bullet is attractively packaged and the boarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head shows its intended purpose.

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The large hollow point has a four-leaf clover for good luck and an aid to quick expansion and deadly performance.

6

The load gets 3000fps from a charge of 47.5gn of an ADI powder resembling AR2208 which gives remarkably consistent muzzle velocities.

42 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

with closely shot game, such as pigs, often inflicting nasty but superificial wounds.

Toughening up the jacket will usually prevent the bullet breaking up, but this often results in a bullet that will not expand at all at longer ranges where velocity has dropped off markedly.

Sierra solved the problem by giving their 135gn bullet a heavier tapered jacket with a massive clover-leaf shaped open-point and a large cavity underneath.

The copper-alloy jacket takes the rifling well, obturates to seal the bore against escaping gases, doesn't raise pressures too drastically, and, I have found, normally holds the bullet together when bone or muscle is struck on medium-size game such as feral goats and pigs and smaller deer species.

The hollow point breaks open

on contact with the quarry, and entire forward section of the bullet bursts its jacket and then spreads outward and back. In other words the bullet forms a large "mushroom" and the greatly enlarged frontal surface and cuts a correspondingly large wound-channel through the game's anatomy. Too, air trapped in the cavity in the bullet's nose becomes highly compressed when the nose ploughs into the target, and this built-up air pressure greatly assists in promoting rapid bullet expansion.

A cavity in the nose of a small-calibre, high-velocity bullet often improves its accuracy, and such a bullet produces violent disruption of tissue - a very desirable objective in predator/feral eradication. This hollowpoint bullet with a flat- base is intended for game shooting

and doesn't copy the streamlined boattail bullet so highly regarded for effective long range target shooting.

But having a ballistic coefficient of 0.2750 it sure ain't any slouch in reaching out over 300 yards. When sighted in for a 225yd zero the bullet is 2.32" high at 100yds, on zero at 225 and drops 6.29" at 300, at which distance it still retains 2051fps and 1260 ft/lbs of energy. This is the most practical trajectory path.

OSA seems to have reached the quite reasonable conclusion that all desirable qualities cannot be successfully incorporated in a single game bullet for Australian conditions. Based on this supposition, they chose the Sierra 135gn hollowpoint with tapered jacket and large cavity. These bullets are real killer-dillers, and give the most reliable and all-around satisfactory performance of any .308 bullet we've previously seen used on feral animals.

On the western plains and in semi-open mountain country shots at goats and pigs often average a bit farther than they do when you're sneaking through lignum or brushy gullies. One time, several years ago, I sat and pondered how far my average shot had been and under what conditions it had been taken.

For pigs the average range was, I believe, right around 30

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TEST REPORT

Buffalo River ammo proved capable of averaging around a 1/2- MoA for seven 5-shot groups at 100 yards.

metres in cover and no farther than 150 metres in open country. Cross gully shots at goats can vary a lot, but I believe that I've taken few shots over 200 yards.

Of the various .308 loads I've used for this type of shooting, I think the 135gn bullet has a definite edge on any others.

The 150gn load which I've used a lot is good too, but the 135gn has a somewhat flatter trajectory and more shocking power and gives a somewhat higher percentage of one-shot kills on ferals.

This is important when hunting fallow deer particularly if the game has been spooked and is moving. Unless they are hit hard they can often run a considerable distance. Back in the 1960s I found that the 110gn Hornady bullet in my .270 was sheer dynamite on fallow, and the 135gn .308 seems to have just as sudden an effect. The new OSA load makes up in speed what it lacks in bullet weight. It kills just as well as the 150gn bullet and on light and medium game gives a higher percentage of one-shot kills. This theory hinges on the 44 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

question of which is more important, velocity or bullet weight. I'll go along with velocity, since every time I got one of those vicious 135gn bullets in the chest cavity of an animal the size of a goat the kill was instantaneous.

The new OSA .308 ammo comprises a special mix of local components - ADI cases and primers topped with an premium U.S bullet. The 135gn Sierra bullets are seated on top of a charge of 47.5gn of an ADI powder - most likely AR2208.

This is a good feature since ADI's powders are formulated to give consistent internal ballistics over an extreme temperature range (5 to 125 degrees F). The charge is balanced to achieve maximum safe velocities resulting in vertical bullet displacement at

typical hunting distances being greatly reduced. This is possible because with OSA ammo peak pressures are minimally affected by extreme temperature variations, something confirmed by muzzle velocities which averaged 3012 fps and varied by only 15 foot-seconds!

Not owning a rifle in .308 and wanting to find out just how accurate this hunting ammo really was, I borrowed a specialist 6.8kg outfit from my good friend Dave at the Hill End General Store. Tested in his Savage Model 10 FCP MCMillan with heavy 610mm barrel topped with a Bushnell XRS Elite Tactical 4.530x50mm scope, OSA's new .308 ammo produced excellent accuracy and consistent velocity with seven 5-shot

The new OSA .308 ammo comprises a mix of local components.â&#x20AC;?

groups running 0.445, 0.541, 0.493, 0.553, 0.757 and 0.543 for an average of 0.553 in.

OSA's new Buffalo River .308 load performed like target ammo rather than a hunting load. Having three cartridges left after sighting-in and firing seven 5-shot groups at 100 yds, I shot them at 200 yds and got a 1.40 in. group.

Handloaders will appreciate having excellent once-fired brass. After resizing, the average weight of the .308 brass was 174.5 grains +/1/2gn which compares pretty well with Federal and Norma brass, both dimensionally and weightwise.

OSA's Buffalo River .308 ammo then, utilises a medium-weight bullet driven at moderately high velocity.

Without producing excessive recoil, good quality hunting rifles rifles shooting this load should be capable of producing sure-killing hits between 200 and 300 yards - probably farther than the average hunter can reliably effect a hit with any rifle and any ammo.

BALLISTICS BUFFALO RIVER .308 WINCHESTER Range (Yds)

Muzzle

100

200

300

400

Trajectory (inches)

-1.50

+2.32

+1.22

-6.29

-49.0

Velocity (fps)

3000

2660

2344

2051

1779

Energy (ft/lb)

2698

2121

1648

1260

949

This is the most effective trajectory path for the 135gn bullet. It allows a dead-on hold on feral animals out to 300 yards.

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MAIN: The stag where he fell, just above the clearing.

LEFT: Large sambar hind, enough to fill two families’ freezers.

Sydneysider Alex Proft eats what he shoots, is ethical and more and more, he’s nipping down to Mexico to hunt the mighty Indian deer.

Sambar Learning Curve

S

INCE THE first time I was honked at by a sambar, I’ve been obsessed by them. Over the last three years much of my spare time has been spent down in the Victorian high country trying to work out the habits and behaviour of these remarkable creatures ... and of course trying to hunt and kill them. I’m drawn to them for many reasons. On one hand they look unique compared to other species, they are very large, imposing animals yet for something so big they hide so well. They are so alert and hunting them can be very challenging. But that challenge is what makes so many hunters love them even more.

46 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

DEER HUNTING

WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 47

DEER HUNTING

1 Understanding sambar behaviour is key to inding them in all kinds of different areas.”

48 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

Sambar have an incredible home in Alpine Victoria and the beautiful forests that surround it. I’ve been lucky to hunt many different spots there and if I’ve learnt one thing for certain, understanding sambar behaviour is key to finding them in all kinds of different areas. There’s one particular basin I’ve hunted regularly over my last few trips and by getting to know it well I’ve managed to take some quality deer out of there.

I had a few full weeks off work over winter this year, and I decided to spend most of it down south trying to find a good stag. But I was also feeling the pressure to fill my almost empty freezer with venison.

So my first mission to the bush was to shoot any deer I could and then find a good wallow to leave my trail camera on, to sus out what stags might be resident to the area.

This first trip went to plan.

I spent the first day scouting, and after spooking a few deer out of

2

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their bedding areas half way up the hillside, I decided to hike back first thing the next morning and ambush any sambar that was returning up the hill from its feeding area. Just as I had hoped, I put up three hinds feeding their way up a dry creek bed. As they bolted up the other side of the gully the first deer offered an easy target. As soon as I had a side on target I squeezed the 7mm-08 off and could tell she was hit straight away.

ON THIS SPREAD

1

The prized stag in his beautiful environment.

2

Large stag with the wonky antler.

3

A wild dog spotted near by on a private block. Often heard but rarely seen.

WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 49

DEER HUNTING

4 Find a good stag and keep hunting till I had him on the ground.”

5

ON THIS PAGE

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A hind in the scrub.

Young stag visits the wallow.

6

Salami, preserving the prize for months to come.

6 50 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

After following a blood trail back down the gully I found her easily. It was great feeling to make a plan and then pull it off as well.

The rest of the day was spent breaking down the carcass and packing it out to the fringe. Now that I had some venison for myself and my relatives who I was staying with, the mission became simple.

Find a good stag and keep hunting till I had him on the ground.

Over the next few days I had my camera set up on a well used wallow. I also found plenty of fresh tree rubs and had a very close encounter with a stag who was sitting in some very thick regrowth. I didn’t see much of him but I knew he was big. Every part of me wanted to track him down but my time ran out. Although I drove back to Sydney with full eskies, I felt I had left unfinished business behind. I resolved to return as soon as possible to that same gully and find that big fella.

Just over a month later I found some more time off and headed straight back to Vic. The stag had been on my mind a lot. I’d often find myself thinking about where he’d want to bed during the day, if he’d be chasing hinds around or if he’d slipped over a saddle into a new basin. When I arrived there I

went straight to the wallow and retrieved my camera. The photos I found on it were very exciting, a mix of small hinds, young stags and one large nontypical stag with an antler bending sideways.

All the deer were visiting round late afternoon and evening.

On my first hunt I attempted to sneak into the wallow round dusk, hoping to intercept deer as they came down, but as I got within 50m I hear the familiar crashing of more than one deer leaving the area. That was a bummer but it was still the first day. As I walked back to the track I heard the hills come alive with the sound of wild dogs howling. It can be a chilling sound but it reminds me that hunters are not the only predators at work in these mountains.

The second day I stalked into the wallow again in the early afternoon, found a sheltered spot to sit and wait, and wait I did for three hours till dark. I don’t usually hunt like this and I found it quite a test to sit still for that long. On dark I finally stood up, and on turning around I got the loudest honk of my life from less than 15m away. From the silhouette of its head I could see it was a hind and she bolted a few seconds later. It amazed me how I didn’t hear her move in so close, it also left me wondering how long she’d been there watching.

That night I decided if I wanted success I had to change tactics.

I knew roughly where they were bedding down, so I opted for a morning hunt instead and I would climb up the hill above them and hopefully ambush them as they feed their way back to their bedding area.

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DEER HUNTING

I get the most pleasure out of using my wits to track down and ind game.â&#x20AC;?

Just before dawn the next day I started climbing the spur that would take me up above the deer.

Two-thirds up as the sun was rising I saw a small mossy clearing on the hillside and feeding his way up the hill was a large sambar stag. It was a great feeling because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d put a plan into place rather than just taking my chances. It almost made perfect sense that I would find him there.

He was relaxed and unaware of my presence about 60m uphill from me.

I rest my rifle on a branch, put the crosshairs behind his shoulder and he dropped on the spot. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the only time Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever shot a Sambar that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t run.

The clearing where he fell offered a fantastic view across the surrounding farmland and mountains. An ideal photo spot but

Red gold, the most valued trophy.

52 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

more so a great place to stop and reflect on a great few days in the bush. With the help of my cousin I was able to drag the whole carcass down the hill and there was space in a local cool room to hang the meat.

The stag was in good condition and, prime cuts taken for steaks, the rest became salami and sausage.

I get great satisfaction from hunting in a number of different ways, but of all the rewards to be gained, I get the most pleasure out of using my wits to track down and find game, regardless of whether I shoot it or just take a photo. The more elusive an animal is, the more I desire to find it. For me its like finding buried treasure, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure many will agree that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no greater treasure than the mighty sambar.

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SHOOTER’S SHOWCASE

WHAT’S NEW IN THE MARKET – BY TONY PIZZATA

Swarovski’s new Z8i Rifle Scope

SOG – Fielder Incorporating a classic look and design, the SOG Fielder series makes a great everyday carry knife. The contrast of the vertical grain wood against the high lustre bolsters create a very appealing visual tension. This is a knife that is comfortable as a daily carry, but is equally as good in the bush.

Using the proven liner lock system provides reliability as well as easy closing of the Fielders capable blade. The blade opens easily and smoothly with the push of a thumb and the flick of one hand. With a removable low-carry pocket clip, the SOG Fielders can be carried in your pocket. Other features include a 3.5-inch straight edge 7Cr17 stainless blade, overall length of 7.8-inches and weighs only 4.4-ounces.

Ask to see the SOG range of knives at your local gun shop or visit www.nioa.com.au. Trade enquiries contact NIOA

SOG – Escape The SOG Escape can do it all. Equipped with a line cutter, glass breaker, wire stripper, and one-handed opening, the Escape is a perfect knife to stash for emergencies or carry in your vehicle every day. Featuring a partially serrated blade, which opens smoothly and quickly with the push of a thumb and a flick of the wrist, when open the blade locks back in place using a strong and time tested lockable mechanism.

Fold the blade back in to use the wire stripper capabilities built into the handle, which also employs a line cutter perfect for cutting chord, string or belts. There is even an extra blade stored under the handle slab. This is all housed in the hard anodised aluminium handle for durability and weight saving. Other features include 3.4-inch stainless steel blade, overall length of 8.2-inches, weight 4.8-ounces and also includes pocket clip.

For further details visit www.nioa.com. au or ask at your local gun shop. Trade enquiries to NIOA.

54 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

At the recent Wild deer Show, held in Bendigo, Victoria, Swarovski Optik Australia announced their new range of Z8i riflescopes. The Z8i as the name implies offer an 8x zoom that has been integrated into a 30mm tube with other features I had never seen to date. In my opinion, Swarovski are leaders in innovation and quality when it comes to top-of-the-range optics and the new high-performance Z8i is no exception.

In addition to its 8x zoom capability that offers high magnification and a large field of view, this scope also offers the optional extra of FLEXCHANGE- the first switchable reticle 4A-IF which was developed

by Swarovski Optik to accommodate different hunting scenarios in Europe. For example, on driven hunts where quick, off-hand shots are the norm, the new 4A-IF reticle has an illuminated ring that can be switched on or off with the press of a button. Designed more so for low magnification, point and shoot scenarios, the illuminated ring allows you to swing and shoot on moving game, with ease via its fast target, illuminated ring. While Flexchange is available for all four scope models in the Z8i series, it is more suited for low magnification at close quarters shooting, but equally at home if desired for longer distance shots.

Next, their Ballistic Turret Flex (BTF) can be configured separately using three different types of rings and attaches by simply clicking it on/off. Designed to be used as a top or side turret, the BTF makes it possible to stay on target at your desired distance. If it is used as a top turret, it compensates for bullet drop, or when used as a side turret will allow windage adjustment or estimate lead distance. As an optional accessory to the BTF, Swarovski also offer Personalised Ballistic Ring (PBR) for individual adjustment to all the relevant hunting distances. This PBR is engraved, based on the personal data input into the Swarovski Optik Ballistic programme and adapted to the ammunition selected.

The Z8i will soon be available here in Australia in 1-8 x 24 (optional 4A-IF reticle), 1.7-13.3 x 42 (optional 4A-IF reticle), 2-16 x 50 and 2.3-18 x 56mm.

Although I haven’t had the opportunity to test the new Z8i on a firearm as yet, I did have the opportunity to take a look at one at the show and like all Swarovski Optics, they offered excellent clarity, sharpness and field of view. At the time of writing I was told the new Z8i would be available around June, so we will no doubt test these scopes in an up and coming issue once available.

Meantime ask at your local authorised Swarovski outlet or visit www.swarovskioptik.com for further details.

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SHOOTER’S SHOWCASE

Enforcer LED140 Red-White In previous issues we have reviewed the Lightforce LED 140 Enforcer and all it’s features, however, this new addition to the LED Enforcer range of hand held lights by Lightforce is referred to as the Enforcer LED 140 Red-White with additional features and significant improvements to the lens and reflector design. Firstly, the big news is the fact that this new light offers a switch that allows the light emitted to be changed from white to red without having to fit a filter.

As many spotlighters will know, a bright light is great when searching for game, but once spotted, they sometimes become shy and won’t hold still under a strong beam. I’ve found that when spotlighting for foxes in particular, I tend to hold the fox in the outer shade of the lights beam in an effort to hold him still for the shot. This, I’ve found makes game feel they are undetected and a little more obscured in the shade of the light. The other alternative is to fit a red filter as used by many shooters in the past. The new Enforcer LED140 Red-White has taken care of that via it’s red to white capability at the flick of a switch. This is achieved via red and white diodes, allowing maximum performance in the one light and without having to fumble for filters in the field. I’m constantly amazed at just how much technology and added features Lightforce put into all their products, but then again, their design and technology team are made of hunters and shooters who know what we need to get the job done and constantly come up with ideas to better their product. Innovators not imitators are what sort Lightforce product from the rest is my opinion, as they always seem to be the first to come out with new ideas.

In addition to all of the above, the new Enforcer LED 140 Red-White still incorporates the same Fresnel Technology for maximum light output and performance as discussed in previous editorial on the Enforcer range, a built –in 4 Hour Long Life Battery and built-in LED charge indicators. I’ve found that both the lens and body of all Lightforce spotlights are virtually indestructible under normal use. They are also Australian made and comes with a 3 year warranty (not including the internal battery). For further details visit www.lightforce.com.au or ask at your local gun shop. Trade enquiries contact Lightforce Australia Pty. Ltd.

NEW

TIKKA T3x Earlier this year Beretta Australia announced the official Australian launch of the biggest product overhaul for Tikka firearms in over a decade. Finnish Manufacturer Sako, produce Tikka firearms and have updated the popular Tikka T3 to the new T3x. The redesigned Tikka T3x product family is based on a combination of their long standing gunsmithing expertise and the real experiences of Tikka hunters all around the world. Sako took on board all these changes and additions. The end result is the Tikka T3x with loads of new and improved features. These features cover some 19 variant builds in the new T3x family.

Some of the new features include a modular stock, improved grip, new recoil pad, stock noise reduction via a foam insert for synthetic models other than those with adjustable cheek piece,

improved rail attachment and a metallic bolt shroud. In addition to these new features, the Tikka T3x still contains the same familiar features and functionalities that have made their rifles worldfamous. I’m also told that every Tikka T3x offers pin-point accuracy and performance, as every Tikka rifle has to group three shots under one inch at a distance of 100 meters prior to it being sold any where in the world. That’s why Tikka have such a great reputation for accuracy. With the recent launch of Tikka’s ammunition as mentioned recently in this column (February issue) and the new Tikka T3x, shooters can expect a combo that goes above all expectations. To find out more visit www.berettaaustralia.com.au or ask at your local gun shop. Trade enquiries to Australian agents Beretta Australia.

NEW 56 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

SHOOTER’S SHOWCASE

DVD – Dreamland Proudly sponsored by Ridgeline clothing, this DVD is more so a short movie about one man’s quest for a journey into the Northern Territory’s Coburg Peninsula.

Ben Salleras is a seasoned bow hunter who’s dream was to travel to the Top End for a Banteng bull. As this was his first trip there, it was indeed an adventure into the unknown. Together with his dad Peter and brother in Law Warren, the trio embark on the trip of a lifetime encountering an array of wildlife in breathtaking scenery.

During Ben’s quest for Banteng, he encounters several good boars which are taken on film, including one that was his biggest boar to date. It was also his 100 boar with a bow and that evening the trio boiled out the skull to reveal the tusks scored a neat 32 Douglas points, in fact one tusk was some 9 ½ inches in overall length.

Sambar deer are the ghosts of the Territory and rarely seen, however, Ben manages to run into a young stag in velvet while stalking a boar and takes the stag cleanly at about 40 meters.

Very few Sambar are spotted, let alone taken in the Top End, so Ben was indeed grateful for his find. Nothing ever comes easy with bow hunting though, as you need to stalk in close for a shot and such was the case with the Banteng. While lots of Banteng

Vortex A Winner At the recent Wild Deer Show we offered a pair of VortexRaptor Binoculars and a Vortex-Crossfire II riflescope to one lucky winner to the free “Sign Up” for the Sporting Shooter E-News letter, which goes out free to readers every Friday. The lucky winner was Alex Sharp who has now been contacted. If you’d like to sign up free to our weekly E-News letter you can do so via our website www.sportingshooter. com.au Thanks to our Sponsor Extravision Australia who supplied these great products. They included a pair of Vortex Raptor binoculars in 8.5 x 32. These porro prism binoculars of mid-size featuring wide-angle design, multi coated lenses and fully water, fog and shockproof.

Also include was a Crossfire II 4-12 x 44 riflescope from Vortex featuring fast-focus eyepiece, fully multi-coated lenses, 25mm one-piece tube construction, nitrogen purged and o-ring sealed making this scope water and fog proof. To see the full range of Vortex optics ask at your local gun shop or visit www.extravision.com.au 58 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

were encountered, on several occasions Ben got to with 30 to 40 meters but couldn’t get the right shot off for a clean kill, so he’d pass on the shot.

This is another thing I admire about bowhunters. Getting in close, well past your comfort zone and then getting a clean shot are all considerations that can turn an otherwise easy hunt with a rifle into going home empty handed with the bow. But Ben’s persistence eventually pay’s off after several days of trying, when the right shot presented itself on a magnificent dark coated Banteng bull. Later the boys do a bit of fishing, hunt for mud crabs and feats on oysters.

Through out the entire presentation, Ben compares the show with lots of informative information. He also discusses the history of the area he is hunting and the origins of the species in that area. In my opinion, This DVD has lifted the bar considerably in quality and presentation. If The Coburg Peninsula and a Banteng Bull are in your sights, you’ll enjoy this quality movie that runs for 53 minutes. To get your copy ask at your local gun shop or purchase for $29.95 online at www.ridgelineclothing.com.au

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OPTICS HISTORY

1

2

3

Born in Australia, the Nikko Stirling brand has gained ready acceptance

BY MARCUS O’DEAN world-wide.

60 Years Of Nikko Stirling

I

T WAS 1956 when Malcolm Fuller, founder of Fuller Firearms, birthed the Nikko Stirling brand of hunting optics. This was to be (and still is) an optics brand associated only with hunting and shooting, no cameras, jewellery, or microscopes.

Malcolm’s early exposure and lifelong pursuit of hunting larger game provided him with tremendous practical experience that has been a cornerstone to the development of riflescopes under the Nikko Stirling range.

His philosophy began and remains to provide hunters or target shooters with optics they need to be successful in their sport and by utilising optics factories emerging in Japan in the 1950s, he founded the Stirling Scope Company Ltd in Tokyo, Japan to manufacture and export Nikko Stirling riflescopes to Europe, Africa and Australasia.

60 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

Now, Malcolm's son David Fuller continues as Brand Director in the Multinational Highland Sports Group of companies.

My experience with Nikko Stirling riflescopes over the years is much more than I offer here, due to space. I started as an 18-year-old by placing a 4x40 Mountmaster on my Brno Model 2's 5/8th inch dovetails and it gave great service until I was in my 40s, when I removed it because of a broken mount screw, which I had overtightened. It still shot where I pointed it though, through crisp optics, the three remaining screws on the integral mount bearing the load fine. It was relegated to my son, who used it as a low-power telescope until a mate of his used it as a hammer for some reason and that was the death of it.

In 1975, I had a .303 Sporter onto which I attached a Nikko Stirling

6x40 Silver Crown, from memory.

It proved solidly up to the task for a few years until I sold the outfit to an Army medic in Townsville.

When the marriage of scope and rifle proved reliable in those days, that was cause for jubilation.

In 2001 I fitted what proved a reliable 3-9x40 Nikko Stirling Gold Crown on my first .223. That scope was a beauty. Optically it was adequate, but its adjustments and repeatability were first class in my experience. One memorable instance was when I saw a crow 212 metres away. I sent a 35gn Hornady V-Max on its way and saw the raven pirouetting slowly to the deck. I’d forgotten to wind the scope up from 3-power and the crow was a fur piece distant. I did say the optics were adequate - very adequate.

Later experiences with an M17 .30-06 and shooting with friends using either old or new Nikko Stirling scopes only confirm my previous impressions. Few other makers of riflescopes can claim their origins in hunting. The entire current range is worth a serious look by the budget minded hunter who needs performance. See them at www.nikkostirling.com

ON THIS PAGE

1

Marcus’ mate Barry, drawing a bead on reactive targets with his ancient Nikko Stirling 4x scope-mounted Savage .22LR.

2

Peter Birchall with a Nikko Stirling Panamax 3-9x40AO riflescope on his Mauser .308 hunting rife. Peter, a highly experienced deer hunter and expert rifleman, is very impressed with the Panamax.

3

The Nikko Stirling Panamax 4-12x50 AO IR scope is a modern technical marvel which has 20 percent more field-of-view than similar 1-inch tubed scopes in the market.

A good boar taken using a handload consisting of a 150gn Nosler Accubond and 51.5gns of Alliant Power Pro 2000-MR.

62 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

CARTRIDGE PROFILE

Steve Spiekman has gone full circle, reigniting his affair with this .30 Cal. pocket powerhouse.

Hunting With The .308

L

ET’S FACE IT: everyone has a preferred cartridge for hunting a particular game animal. Some like the .17HMR for rabbits while others prefer the .22 Rimfire, many like the .375 H&H for buffalo but others only want the thumping power of a big .40 calibre. Truth is, it doesn’t matter what cartridge a hunter uses, the most important thing is that it does the job required and is suitable for the intended game. I’ve always hunted mid-size game like pigs and goats so I began my hunting days using the .308 Winchester. Back in the late 70’s you could hunt with just about any type of rifle, so I started out with a semi-auto Remington 742 Woodsmaster .308 carbine. I must admit it wasn’t the best looking rifle around with its rather unattractive fleur-de-lis chequering and stumpy 18.5” barrel, but crikey it was an effective pig taker and accounted for a heap of porkers. But despite its impressive performance I did what lot hunters do, I sold it to move onto the something else, and in the intervening years owned a variety of cartridges before finally deciding to get another .308.

So after owning several other rifles chambered in a variety of

cartridges, including 7mm-08, .280, .257 Roberts AI and .270WSM I once again found myself owning another .308. Make no mistake, all those other cartridges worked really well on game like pigs and goats and I have no complaints about their performance, but I liked the idea of owning a common cartridge that had the best variety of loading components on the planet, as well as a reputation as an excellent performer with an extremely wide range of powders.

And luckily, I’d already done the hard yards regarding .308 load development since my two hunting buddies use .308s and I was the good soul that put his hand up to do all their handloading.

So a few years back I bit the bullet and purchased another .308.

This time it was a Remington 700 that tickled my heart strings. My new bangstick had a 55cm barrel, jewelled bolt, hinged floor plate magazine and had better finished metal work compared to cheaper versions of the same rifle – it ticked all the right boxes and to be honest, that particular rifle had my name written all over it. A few weeks after my initial purchase and to make the rifle a lot lighter, I sold the timber stock it came with and WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 63

CARTRIDGE PROFILE

I jacked a round up the spout of my new .308 and let loose with a quick offhand shot.”

1

2 ON THIS PAGE

1

The authors lightweight Remington 700 .308 is an ideal walkout hunting outfit.

2 64 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

The .308 makes an excellent pig cartridge.

replaced it with a second hand black plastic 700SPS stock which I picked up cheap on US Ebay. I ended up getting the seller to send it to a water printing company in the US and they did some hydro graphics on the stock in Proveil: Reaper Buck before sending it on to me. The whole process worked out quite cheap and the finished product looked impressive. Next up, I fitted a Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36 scope on a set of old style Burris rings and two piece bases. I prefer the old style Burris rings and they took a few months to find but I wasn’t settling for anything else.

So with my new outfit complete and ready to be taken afield I just needed to knock up a few handloads and do some range testing to see which combination worked best in my rifle. Having done a truckload of load development for the .308 previously I had a reasonably good idea where to start when it came to bullets and powder. Despite the wide range of .30 calibre bullets available to the handloader I’ve always been a big fan of 150gn pills for hunting midsized game, primarily because they worked well for me in the past, and of course ammunition manufacturers load 150gn bullets in the .308 more than any other weight. I figured they know what they’re doing when it comes to the optimum bullet weight for a particular cartridge.

Just recently quite a few different .30cal 150gn bullets have been released and the Nosler Accubond was one I was keen to try. I’d used Accubonds in my .270WSM and .280 and they’d always worked well and shot accurately so I wanted to give them a try in my .308. Of course, mid-size game doesn’t usually require the use of a premium bullet, but what the heck, I was anxious to see how they performed on paper as well as pigs, especially big tough buggers caked in mud.

Choosing a suitable powder was my next task and luckily the .308 performs well with a wide range of powders, including ARs 2206H and 2208, BM2, BM8208, RE15, W748 and the new kid on the block Alliant PowerPro 2000-MR. Previous experience loading for the .308 suggested that despite a good range of suitable powders there is usually no real standout in terms of velocity and accuracy and individual rifles performed differently using the same load. So to get started I tried the commonly used load of 47gns of 2208 with a 150gn Accubond, which produced a 15 shot average of 2727fps from my rifle’s 55cm tube.

Another load I’ve used successfully in other rifles was 48gns of W748. In my rifle this load produced 2830fps and good accuracy. Last cab off the rank was the relatively new powder Alliant Power Pro 2000-MR, which from all reports was a top performer in the .308. I started a few grains below suggested maximum eventually working up to 51.5gns which pushed a 150gn Accubond along at 2820fps with accuracy similar to W748. Despite W748 and Power Pro 2000-MR given similar velocity I felt the loads using the PowerPro 2000-MR produced a little less pressure. So I decided to stay with that load permanently. As well as that, at the time W748 was almost impossible to obtain on a regular basis.

So with a good load found I spent the next few weekends at the range testing the combination a little more and getting my rifle sighted in as best as possible – a little practice didn’t go astray either.

My first opportunity to field test my new outfit came during a trip to Arnhem Land in October 2014.

Despite wanting to give my new rifle a thorough workout more than anything else, I was very keen to see how the 150gn Accubonds would perform on big Territory boars.

First afternoon on day one saw my two companions and I sneaking

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CARTRIDGE PROFILE

3

4

5 I had a reasonably good idea where to start when it came to bullets and powder.”

ON THIS PAGE

3

A wide range of powders perform well in the .308.

4

There is an excellent choice of .30 cal 150gn bullets available to the handloader.

5

An earless territory boar.

A Dingo attack probably resulted in this pig losing an ear.

along a fast drying watercourse, the intermittent pools of muddy water a magnet for pigs. We’d only walked 200m from the vehicle when the first boar busted out of a wallow and headed for parts unknown rather quickly. I jacked a round up the spout of my new .308 and let loose with a quick offhand shot. It was quite a difficult shot but to my surprise the 150gn Accubond landed right where I aimed and the first crusty old boar for the trip bit the dust. On inspection, I noticed the bullet had failed to exit, but there’s no doubting that bullet left a trail damage through the pigs vitals which resulted in almost instant death. Over the next few days lots of quality boars succumbed to my new outfit and to be honest, I was rather pleased with the way it performed n the trip.

Back home a few weeks later I did some more load development.

Not that I was unhappy with

66 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

combination I’d been using, it worked a treat, but I just wanted to leave no stone unturned regarding getting the best possible performance. I range tested a few more Accubond loads this time using 2206H and BM2 and they shot quite well but velocity was down by about 50fps compared to the load I used in the NT, not that 50fps will make any difference in the field. While I was in the mood for load testing, I also knocked up a few combinations using Sierra and Speer 150gn boat tails atop maximum loads of W748 and BM8208. Those combinations shot accurately with average velocity between 2750 – 2800fps. At the end of the day, all combinations worked well but the Alliant Power Pro 2000-MR and 150gn Accubond had a slight edge with velocity and accuracy in my rifle, so I stayed with that combination.

Just recently I ventured out to far Western Qld with a regular hunting mate to get amongst a few porkers. Conditions were tough due to a prolonged drought and I knew after the first day we were going to have our work cut out for us when it came to finding pigs.

The first few days yielded very little but luckily on day three we hit pay dirt when we spotted a rough looking boar wandering across a gibber plain in the middle of the afternoon. He was approaching a concrete trough, no doubt intent on having a drink. I was off my bike in a flash but he’d already heard us coming and started to move away at a steady pace. It was now or never, so I had the Leupold crosshairs on him in a flash and squeezed off a quick a shot. The 150gn Accubond was right on target; the pig took a few steps and keeled over dead.

He turned out to be a really good boar with a decent set of tusks. We spent the next few days scouring the countryside looking for more porkers and were lucky enough to score two smaller boars on our last day. While we were disappointed at the lack of game numbers, at least my new .308 performed as required and with little fuss.

So for those looking for a mid size cartridge that works extremely well on mid-size game, it’s pretty hard to go past the .308 Winchester.

I’ve heard people say “Oh, it’s too common I wouldn’t own one of them”. So obviously it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for me it really does have the right stuff with absolutely no fuss.

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TEST REPORT

BY NICK HARVEY

BSA R10 Mk 2

An Exceptional Air Rifle This sophisticated British import with a rechargeable buddy bottle is a far cry from the air rifles we had as youngsters.

MOST boys, growing up, have a succession of BB guns and cheap break-barrel models.

It's a rare sportsmen today who didn't cut his teeth on an air rifle before he graduated to a .22 rimfire rifle. We think we know all about air guns and it is true we are all pretty familiar with the basic break-barrel, side-lever and under-lever models being made in England and on the Continent. But European makers have given us a number of new highly

1

sophisticated air-powered rifles that are so refined that at their best yardage they can actually outshoot the average .22 sporter.

The British firm of BSA has always enjoyed a reputation for making sturdy springpiston air rifles that were durable and long lasting and represented the finest in engineering skills. There is no doubt, however, that PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) technology has reached an all time high with the new

BSA range of PCPs. Tasco sent me a BSA R-10 MK 2 for review. This impressive air rifle bears little resemblance to our normal concept of an air rifle. With its futuristic appearance it looks like a cross between an international free rifle and a sporter. The stock is a massive affair - a man's stock.

The rifle with scope weighs a neat 4.kgs; its heft a critical detail which makes it an adult's gun. My test gun has no sights and came with an AR Optics AR/223 3-12 x44 scope already installed.

Crude iron sights would be out of place on such a finely accurate air rifle. The firing mechanism is painstakingly finished and fitted and a good deal of the same care goes into the action that is bestowed on a quality watch.

The trigger pull is even better than most of the high-grade adjustable triggers found on the most expensive centrefire rifles. Accuracy is superb - in

ON THIS SPREAD

1

BSA R10 MK II was tested for accuracy with seven different airgun pellets at 25 yards from benchrest.

2

Rotary 10-shot magazine is inserted through a slot in the left side of the receiver. Release catch on the front of the receiver is pulled forward after bolt is retracted to remove it for reloading.

3

Monte Carlo buttstock has high monte-carlo rollover cheekpiece and tightly curved pistol grip.

70 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

2

the order of 3mm at the match distance of ten metres.

The calibre of course, is .177.

The new rifle which is stocked in walnut has a rosewood forend tip and the balance and feel of a highpowered hunting rifle.

Obviously, the R-10 MK 2 wasn't designed for serious 10-metres competition work, because it lacks the state of art features needed to meet the most rigorous practical demands of such events.

Many airgun shooting events in Europe are largely shot from the hind legs. While the rifle may have been stocked for offhand work, this is not to say that it cannot be shot kneeling, sitting or prone too.

And anyone who gets one of these new rifles and plans to use it for Air Rifle Field Target competition should practise shooting it from all these positions. This BSA PCP is a 10-shot repeater and the bolt must be operated to cock and load it for each shot. This poses no difficulty from any position and offers a real advantage over conventional break-barrel and lever-cockers.

The 10-shot rotary magazine is removed for loading by drawing back the bolt to its full extent (against the spring pressure which cocks the mechanism), pulling the knurled release catch on the left front side of the receiver forward, and withdrawing it from the slot in the left side of the receiver. The magazine is a steel casing which houses a

3 The rifle has the balance and feel of a high-powered hunting rifle.â&#x20AC;? spring-loaded aluminium rotor. It is quick and easy to load and "self actuating." After the first pellet is inserted, the rotor automatically indexes to reveal the next port until it is fully charged. The rotor is colour coded for each calibre and numbered to indicate how many pellets there are remaining in the magazine.

I struck no problems with double loading, but I suppose it could happen if the shooter gets careless. But this only comes about because the magazine indexes the next pellet in line with the chamber as the bolt is drawn back. Short stroking the bolt won't apply the pressure needed to cock the action and then working the bolt again will chamber a second pellet. This can be avoided by removing the magazine before you recock the rifle.

Overall length is 970mm, and unloaded weight 3.6kgs.

Length of pull and forend length measures 350mm and 256mm respectively, and the removable 200cc buddy bottle cylinder projects 140mm beyond the forend tip. The fully floating, cold hammerforged match-grade barrel has

a length of 455mm and a diameter of 15.5mm and is threaded for a removable alloy multi-port compensator.

As expected in an air rifle made in Great Britain and carrying the prestigious BSA label, the R-10 is very nicely finished. Its stock sports a high Monte Carlo comb with rollover cheekpiece, the buttstock has an unusual concaved contour with a butt hook underneath for improved prone hold, and a tightly curved pistol grip that not only feels good, but helps steady the rifle particularly when shooting offhand. The forend is beefy, as it has to be to house the buddy bottle (compressed air cylinder).

But it's hand-filling and rests nicely in the leading hand for all position shooting. The surface of the stock is

smoothly finished, panels of checkering in an attractive ribbon pattern decorates grip and forend and the butt is capped with an adjustable butt pad.

The BSA R10 then, is a fixed-barrel rifle with a bolt directing a rod for the direct loading breech. The bolt is manipulated in the normal way, but unlike some other PCPs, as it is drawn back, it does not automatically engage the safety catch housed in the left rear of the receiver, which must be engaged and disengaged manually.

The R-10 is powered by compressed air contained in a buddy bottle housed in the front of the forend which comes with a probe charger which makes it unnecessary to remove the bottle for recharging. A filling tube WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 71

TEST REPORT

4

5

6

ON THIS PAGE

4

BSA R-10 MK 2 has a futuristic appearance judging by the extreme contours of the stock, the buddy bottle protruding from the forend and the suppressor.

5

Beavertail forend houses the air cylinder and pressure gauge.

Ribbon checkering pattern is well executed and attractive.

6

Double-stage trigger can be adjusted to suit the most discriminating shooter using a screwdriver through slot in the trigger guard.

72 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

equipped with a pressure relief valve and filler connection attaches to the tube and a probe is inserted into a special bulk fill adapter in the bottom of the forend. BSA's self-regulating valve system and firing mechanism assures shot-toshot consistency, and low cocking effort for full control of every shot.

The cylinder must be filled with water-free compressed air when the pressure drops below about 70 bar and refilled to a maximum pressure of 230 bar. A pressure gauge next to the probe adapter measures cylinder pressure to 250 bar.

At top pressure the gun drives standard weight pellets at a given velocity of 1,000 fps (depending on pellet weight) and delivers about 60 usable shots. For testing Tasco Sales sent me a fully charged air cylinder together with a connecting hose and probe.

But the buddy bottle can be pressurised by other means, either a hand-operated pump or a scuba tank using a special adapter kit.

One of the principal

advantages of air pressure operation in an air rifle is the lack of effort required to cock the gun. Unlike spring piston and pneumatic rifles, air pressure guns do not have a long and often bothersome cocking or pumping lever.

Therefore, the shooter is less fatigued by the shot-to-shot operation of the gun and can concentrate on aiming and firing. For hunting the short bolt throw requires only minimal effort to operate.

And having a 10-shot repeater that can be readied merely by operating the bolt is a definite advantage in the hunting field.

As I already mentioned, my test gun came equipped with a 3-12x scope with focusing objective. It is my opinion that for small game hunting a scope is practically a must on an air rifle. The most powerful air rifles - the magnums - generate but a fraction of the power delivered by even .22 rimfires. Therefore, every advantage must be squeezed to the utmost when air rifles are used on pest birds and small game in order to ensure a quick, humane kill. With an air rifle, this means precise shot placement and a rabbit has to be hit squarely in the head to achieve this.

The AR Optics scope can be adjusted to eliminate parallax via a third turret. This is generally not a problem, except at very short distances - airgun ranges usually being less than 50 or so metres.

A major advantage of using compressed air as a propellant is that the R-10 lacks the spring-piston rifle's

At top pressure the gun delivers about 60 usable shots.â&#x20AC;?

SPECS BSA R-10 MK 2 Type: bolt-action 10-shot repeater Power: pre-charged air tank (buddy bottle) Calibre: .177 Barrel: 455mm rifled steel Weight: 3.4kgs Overall length: 970mm Sights: none. Receiver dovetailed for scope Trigger: two-stage adjustable Muzzle velocity: 1000 fps (.177); 820 fps (.22) Safety: manually operated Price: $1725.00 Trade enquiries: Tasco Sales, Pty, Ltd. PH: (02) 9938 3244 Web: www.tasco.com.au

9620 1313 9620 1449 SALES@HPGS.BIZ WWW.HPGS.COM.AU

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TEST REPORT

7

8 double recoil and vibration which causes scope creep.

The double recoil can force the scope, mounts and all, to slide rearward with each shot, making it impossible to maintain zero. Most mounts designed for airgun use are equipped with some kind of anchoring device, usually a stud that extends downward to engage a hole in the top of an air reservoir or in the case of the R-10 the receiver. But it is not really needed in this case due to the BSA's totally recoilless action. This pre-charged pneumatic is fitted with a regulator, a valve device that metres the precise amount of air for each shot.

This has two big advantages: first it ensures very consistent shot-to-shot variation; second its efficient use of air contained in the cylinder

allows a high number of shots before the rifle needs recharging.

I always find it a pleasure to test a well-made hunting air rifle like the BSA R-10 MK 2.

Ragged single hole accuracy was the rule when firing from the bench at 10 metres. The muzzle velocity was a rather sedate 1000 fps, compared to some of the more powerful sporters being made today which offer up to 1500fps muzzle velocity. The BSA is so precise, even offhand, that one soon gets the impression that any target the shooter can see, even out at 30-40 metres, can be hit without fail.

Thanks to quality optics and precision barrel, the BSA's accuracy is predictably outstanding. The rifle was tested for accuracy at 25 yards, but proved able to land

a magazine full of target quality pellets in a 20mm centre group out at 30 yards.

Accuracy results are shown in the table. This is the most accurate PCP air rifle of any make that I have tested to date.

A great aid achieving such fine accuracy was the new two-stage adjustable matchgrade trigger being fitted to the MK 2 models. The second stage is adjustable for weight of pull and sear engagement.

However, this is a highly sophisticated fire control system which allows the trigger to be canted to the left or right to suit the shooter who prefers it offset. As well, the trigger can be adjusted forward and back and up and down by inverting the trigger shoe section.

Besides its magnificent

aesthetics and creditable performance both in the field and on targets, the BSA is an absolute delight to shoot. Firing behaviour is naturally recoilless, without the slightest hint of perceived movement or action vibration.

Upon discharge there is the usual compressed air crack, of course, but it's no more pronounced than any other gas or pre-charged pneumatic model.

Although it carries a hefty price tag, the quality of build, razor sharp accuracy and repeat shots, make the BSA R10 MKII PCP an excellent example of a rifle that is right at home in the field. It belongs in the hands of the aficionado who can appreciate state-of-the-art technology combined with British craftsmanship.

ON THIS PAGE

ACCURACY TESTS BSA R10 MK II

7

Pellet (brand)

Type

Weight (gns)

Velocity (FPS)

Average Accuracy (inches at 25 yds)

BSA Blue Star

DO

8.02

1002

0.679

H&N Silver Point

PG

11.57

702

0.470

Beeman Kodiak Match

RN

10.8

708

0.497

Gamo Rocket

RN

9.4

805

0.888

Gamo Pro-Match

FNSWC

7.9

983

0.615

Beeman H&N Match

WC

7.9

955

0.396

RWS Meisterkugeln

WC

8.4

859

0.485

Bolt is withdrawn, and as it moves forward, the rod pushes a pellet out of the rotary magazine and into the chamber.

8

The air cylinder is filled by inserting a probe through a hole at back of pressure gauge. Full charge of 250 bar gives 60 shots.

Legend: DO-Diabolo; PG-pointed game; RN - round-nose; WC- wadcutter; FNWC-flat-nose-semi-wadcutter.

Accuracy taken as the average of ten 5-shot groups from benchrest at 25 yds.

74 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

GUN LORE

AN ASSORTMENT OF HUNTING FACTS & FIGURES

The Choice Of Bolt Action Sporter Stocks When I bought my first centrefire rifle over 60 years ago, stocks on hunting rifles were all made of wood.

1

76 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

WHEN I bought my first centrefire rifle over 60 years ago, stocks on hunting rifles were all made of wood. You could sometimes choose between different kinds of wood, but by far the most prominent wood for gunstocks was walnut, and the majority of stocks found on bolt action rifles were made of what many considered to be the finest of all stock woods. Most European guns had stocks made from the "English" or "French" varieties. American factory stocks were made from American black walnut - a good serviceable wood.

There are good reasons why walnut became the premier wood for stocking a rifle. All varieties provide a nice balance of strength, weight and durability. The best grades excel in density with a grain structure tight enough to hold fine-line checkering and carving. Fancy grades are figured, possessing great brilliance in colour - a light to medium brown, often offset by long contrasting black and brown streaks.

After walnut, the next most favoured wood for American stocks is maple. Generally lighter than walnut, maple is sought after for the weirdly beautiful figures it often shows.

"Birds- eye", "fiddle-back", "tiger-tail", and other colourful names are used to describe its various patterns. Like walnut (and other woods) maple varies a great deal in density and strength, but its main disadvantage is its susceptibility to oil penetration which causes the wood to deteriorate.

After walnut and maple come non-standard woods such as hardwoods like sycamore and birch for less expensive guns. Birch is quite popular, particularly in Scandinavia and Russia. Birch has most of the good qualities of walnut, but usually lacks character. In the past, Sako in Finland made stocks from

Arctic birch which was plain but perfectly serviceable.

It’s wrong to assume that it’s impossible to make a fine stock out of almost any wood, alder, apple, sycamore and cherry have been used quite successfully. Myrtle is handsome, but almost too weak to give good service.

Mahogany is often seen on South American guns, but is usually too heavy, porous, and lacking in character. Even black bean has been known to possess good gunstock qualities in extremely rare cases - but certain woods have desirable characteristics if they are well grown, selected and handled. Back in the 1950s Slazengers imported BSA barreled-actions and fitted them with stocks made from Australian coachwood which showed plenty of grain and figure, but alas, was prone to excessive warping.

All woods must be seasoned carefully to produce good stock material. Gun makers can’t wait around for decades of natural processing, so kiln drying was widely practised, because it can shorten the curing process from years into weeks, but it’s drawback is that it results in brittleness which can be a serious weakness.

When walnut began to get scarce back in the 1970s, some gunmakers, like Remington, started using hardwoods like birch for their less expensive guns such as the Remington Models 600 and 788. Although plain looking, they performed well.

However, beauty is, or should be, a secondary consideration in a working gun as there are other functions of a gunstock other than serving as a handle.

It must be a stable bedding platform for the barreled action.

It is a fact, however, that a one-piece stock of walnut or any other suitable stock wood is not the most stable stock material. It shrinks when subjected to dry

2

ON THIS SPREAD

1

Model 70 (left) has brown laminate stock, Model 70 (centre) has an injection-molded synthetic stock, and Ruger M77 (right) has factory stock of black walnut. All are designed to be functional.

2

Laminated stocks are often given a camo pattern to improve their appearance and make them more appealing to a buyer.

3

Black synthetic stock on current Mod 70 Winchester bears a close resemblance to French walnut stock on 1950’s era F.N Mauser Supreme.

3 An injectionmolded stock can duplicate the shape of the most graceful custom walnut stock ever crafted.” heat and swells when exposed to wet conditions, unless it is weatherproofed with a coating of a good, waterproof waterresistant finish like polyurethane. And this means coating all surfaces including the inletting, checkering and beneath the recoil pad.

But a worse problem than swelling or shrinking is warping which can cause the fore-end to shift to one side to the other or upwards and downwards. This can cause a stock that's even had the barrel free-floated, to change point of impact. In an extreme case, it's not uncommon to have the rifle shift several inches left or right or up or down - or in two directions at the same time! Stock blanks for bolt-action rifles should be laid out so that the grain runs parallel to the direction of the grip, and so that the grain in

the fore-end runs diagonally, not parallel to the barrel. This lessens any tendency of the fore-end to warp up or down.

In the late 1960s, benchrest shooters started utilising synthetic stocks made by Chet Brown, Lee Six and Gale McMillan for competition shooting. These early "fibreglass" stocks were hand laid-up and soon began duplicating the shapes of factory originals by Weatherby and Sako. It wasn't long before every commercial gunmaker was offering synthetic stocks as an alternative to wood. Today, the majority of synthetic stocks are injection-molded polymers.

From a practical and functional viewpoint the laid-up fibreglass stock is a foam-filled shell which is lighter and stronger than the injection molded polymer stock, but the latter is less expensive to produce and

therefore sees wide use on factory guns.

An injection-molded stock can duplicate the shape of the most graceful custom walnut stock ever crafted. It puzzles me, therefore, why so many synthetic stocks are as ugly as sin, even grotesque; it costs no more to make a mold for a graceful, classic-style stock as it does an ugly one! The Marlin XL7 offers beautiful and simple lines Synthetic stocks definitely eliminate the warpage problem encountered with wood. Although I've read that injection-molded polymer stocks are not thermally stable which means they can expand in high temperatures and shrink in sub-zero temperatures. And that they can grow soft and bend in heat of 40-plus Celsius and harden in cold climates at temperatures of 40 below. I've WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 77

GUN LORE

5 4

also heard that extremes of temperature can affect the bedding and thus change zero and point of impact. Personally, I like the functionality of synthetic stocks and have never experienced any problems with them.

Hunters who prefer the warmth of wood often choose laminates over synthetics.

Laminates pre-date synthetics, having been offered as semi-inletted blanks by Bishop and Fajen back in the mid-60s, but they didn't see widespread use until 1986 when Ruger, Savage, U.S Repeating Arms and Thompson-Centre started offering their guns in stocks

comprised of green, brown and black veneers. Now laminated stocks are comprised of 1/16th inch hardwood veneers epoxied together under immense pressure. Alternative wood laminate stocks are offered by almost every gunmaker in a variety of colour combinations ranging from conservative all-brown to eye-catching multi-colour patterns.

Laminate stocks are extremely stable, because each veneer's grain structure is positioned differently from its neighbour, thus cancelling out the tendency to warp in any direction. Each layer is separated by a micro-thin layer

fitting you, the lines of the stock should please you without sacrificing its general utility.

No matter what the stock material, it can be shaped into any configuration from fancy thumbholes to a simple classic. Today, you can get a synthetic in almost any imaginable shape both standard and aftermarket - the choice is yours, but I believe that on a rifle intended for the toughest hunting conditions and extremes of weather, a synthetic handle makes the most sense.

of epoxy, and finished internally and externally with a hard epoxy finish which makes the stock highly resistant to the entry of moisture. Laminate stocks normally weigh 140 to 170 grams more than a walnut stock, but are so strong that they can be hollowed-out in the butt section and along the bottom of the fore-end for a worthwhile reduction in weight without sacrificing anything in the way of strength.

Regardless of what kind of stock you choose - walnut, laminate or synthetic, stock style and fit are extremely important. It should be so designed that its proportions enable you to mount and handle and align your rifle quickly, and hold it steadily.

The comb and cheekpiece should put your eye dead-inline with your sights whether iron or scope, and in addition to

ON THIS PAGE

4

Laminate thumbhole stock on this Savage varminter can be depended upon to hold its zero and not change its impact point.

5

American black walnut on this Model 70 Featherweight is dense and close grained enough to take a fancy pattern with fine checkering.

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1/04/2016 9:15 am

GAME TRAILS

BY REID HJORTH

Wakey wakey, hand off snakey!

Reid’s father goes away rabbiting and gets a nasty surprise.

1 2 I JUMPED at the chance to hunt a new property, timing the visit for when my dad was available. A long overdue father-and-son hunt over three nights came with vague instructions from the farmer regarding our accommodation.

The word “shed” got thrown in and I thought all was good; what more do we need? Four walls and roof, we'll be right.

It’s great to get out and rough it, away from the grind of home, just living basic. And while our new digs didn't bother me too much, dad wasn't too happy about my lack of research and the fact that I didn't bring much to help the situation. Instead of two swags, I just took a couple of small blow up mattresses to save room as I figured we'd be inside. We were “technically” inside a shed - it just didn't have four walls. The November days were hot for my old man who

was on the wrong side of 70, but the nights were still quite cold.

To placate him a bit, I got us out chasing his favourite animal – rabbits. The land near our 'shed' was crawling with rabbits. This had the desired effect, us spending the first afternoon popping off bunnies with my Sportco .22LR. We shot dozens of rabbits with Powerpoints, my preferred rabbit ammo, and you couldn't wipe the smile off the old man's face. Phew!

Next day was similar, plenty of rabbits around to test us out to maximum .22 range and we had a ball swapping the rifle between us, strolling along, taking it in. My dad hadn't seen rabbits so thick since he was a young fella and I was enjoying seeing him having so much fun. He did say that he should have brought along his .222 for those extra long shots, but it

Game Trails is proudly sponsored by:

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didn't really matter in the scheme of things.

The hot day ended, dinner followed with some cold ales and we retired to our “quarters” for a peaceful night ... or so we thought.

At Dad’s age, he needs to get up and keep the dust down every few hours. Well, normally not a problem, but when you make up to “#*&@, REID” you know something is wrong.

Semi-counscious, I grabbed the torch and shone it his way. “Oh #*&@” indeed, as I saw a bloody big snake slithering off from his sleeping bag. “You bitten or what?” I shouted out. “I don't think so,” he said, but his adrenaline was pumping. I followed the snake to verify what sort it was and am relieved to see it was “only” an 8-feet long python.

Dad wets the dust down and fills me in on what had just

unfolded as he jumps back in his sleeping bag.

As he went to unzip his bag, he put his hand straight on the snake as it was trying to get into the warmth of his bag. Knowing it was brown snake country, he pretty-near soiled his own bag, while yelling expletives in the process. My sleeping bag then got wrapped really tightly around my neck as I tried to drift off back to sleep.

Expect the unexpected, it's one of the joys of a hunting trip. Dad surely won't forget it and he can now say, his isn't the biggest trouser snake he's put his hands on either.

ON THIS PAGE

1 2

The snake in question.

Reid’s dad, pleased as punch to be amongst serious rabbit numbers.

TEST REPORT

BY NICK HARVEY

Ridgeline Highlander 3 In 1 The Claymore of Foul Weather Jackets.

1

2 3 THE Highlander Jacket by Ridgeline brings to mind the Laird of the Scottish estate, clad in tweed thornproof, striding with his ghillie through sleet-sodden heather in pursuit of a red stag, From this heritage Ridgeline has designed the premier cold weather jacket in its lineup, but there is nothing dated in the Highlander 3 in 1.

Your average Australian hunter would not be routinely stowing one of these substantial jackets in his pack. Its conceivable uses for outdoorsmen are manifold though.

With the inner lightweight full zip fleece inside the Quiet-Tex® Waterproof Outer Shell this jacket makes an unsurpassed shield against nasty weather and deep biting cold.

It is perfect for those nights in August spotlighting when you can see the frost laying down in front of your eyes or you get lashed by shrieking winds out of the southwest. A short amble to a stand before dusk, when you are waiting for that big stag to walk down the game trail or over his wallow. When you take your kids to winter sport to stand on the sideline cheering as their boots crush the frost, you will value this jacket above all, particularly as its only colour selection is a tasteful “teak” so you won't be seen as a camouflaged terrorist at junior rugby.

IN USE. Once the sun melts the frost, you can separate the jackets, wearing either the lightweight black polarfleece inner if the wind is light or, if you need to cut out wind, stow the polarfleece and just wear the outer shell. The elasiticised cuffs on the outer shell are not overtight, but softly comfortable and can be tightened with a velcro tab.

The two garments are simple to connect or disengage with three nylon press-studded loops, at the neck and cuffs of the outer; these loop through polyester double-sewn loops at corresponding locations on the polarfleece inner.

An inner zip down the front of the outer shell corresponds with an outer zip on the inner. Zips run really smoothly and should give long trouble-free service. It all works very well, not interfering with the line or feel in use, being unobtrusively functional.

POCKETS. The inner has two external and two internal pockets in common with most similar separate jackets. Two masssive hip-level bellows pockets are on the outer shell; the top opening can be restricted somewhat with snap closures, while the flap closes by way of two points where silent magnets are sewn in. Two vertical-

4 access chest pockets, suitable for a binocular in the 8x30 class are closed via waterproof zips. Again, the zips are noiseless and reliable.

You may use these for maps, phones etc needing protection from elements.

THE HOOD. This massive hood shrouds the head very well from exposure, being very roomy and comfortable, but it can be constricted by its toggled cord. It is detachable via a waterproof zip.

THE WRAP UP. In the crowded field of outdoor apparel I come across something exceptional twice a decade. This Highlander 3 in 1 jacket fits that category. When you pull it on, it's like going back into the womb (in my imagination). All surfaces are soft to touch, inside and outside, every feature is well thought out and executed and you are getting foul weather protection up there with the very best modern garments can provide. The 3 in 1 comes in sizes XS to 5XL. Ridgeline products are distributed in Australia by Outdoor Sporting Agencies and you can purchase Ridgeline at your local gun shop. Check out their product range at www.ridgelineclothing. com.au

ON THIS PAGE

1

Detail on the outer shell bellows pocket showing quality expansion snap closure and sewn in magnets on flap closures which are absolutely silent in operation.

2

One of two verticallyoriented waterproof chest zips on the outer; suitable for securing optics or electronic devices, includes a thoughtful protective flap at the top to prevent water ingress.

3

The inner shell is more snug and well cut on my frame, with handwarmer pockets common on similar stand-alone garments.

4

The Highlander is generously sized, beautifully soft to the touch and comfortable to wear in any configuration.

WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 81

NEW ZEALAND

MAIN: The back of the The Hossack Station in North Canterbury; ideal country for chamois, deer and pigs.

INSET: Brian with a 12 point management red stag taken with a Kimber Montana .308 at 369 metres from the opposite face.

82 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

Brian Boyle hunts a North Canterbury station he worked on 25 years ago and takes a mixed bag of game animals with the rifle and camera.

High Country Mixed Bag

I

WAS BOUNCING along a track in Hanmer Forest in North Canterbury looking up at the snow covered tops above the pine forests talking to John Angland the co-owner of the Hossack Station about the area. I thought to myself how good it was to be back here.

I left Hanmer Springs 25 years ago to move to Australia and it was great to be back and headed for a high country station I had shorn sheep and hunted on in the mid to late 80â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. The station is a mixed grazing operation running cattle and sheep. It is also now a guided hunting operation catering for free range and estate hunting, as well as fishing and gamebird shooting. John runs the hunting operation on his statin because of his love of hunting.

WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 83

NEW ZEALAND

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2 84 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

I had organised with John and paid for a free-range management hunt for a non-trophy red stag so I could get a bit of venison for my whanau (Maori for extended family) back in Christchurch and spend a few days in an old stomping ground. I was also keen to get out and possibly do a bit of game photography. The Hossack has red deer, fallow deer, chamois and pigs running free range as well as in the estate which also has odd wapiti and Arapawa ram.

We arrived at the station homestead late in the afternoon, where we met John’s mate Pete who had come up for a few days with us and had volunteered to do a bit of cooking while we were in the hills hunting. The old station homestead was unchanged from 25 years ago

and was warm as toast from the fires Pete had going and there was a hot brew waiting for us. John then asked if I wouldn’t mind going up the river with him and shooting any pigs or hares we saw because of the impact they were having on some of the paddocks and fodder crops for the stock and possibly shooting a fallow doe for meat.

Would I mind? Are you crazy?

We packed our firearms into the vehicle, I had my Kimber Montana in .308 topped with a Leupold Boone and Crocket vari-power scope, it’s a lovely light and accurate firearm and my favourite for carrying around the hills in New Zealand for tahr and deer.

John grabbed his bull-barrelled Remington .223 with a moderator. I was looking forward to the chance

I could get a bit of venison for my whanau (Maori for extended family) back in Christchurch.”

3 to use the .223 with the moderator to see how it would go. I wouldn’t be disappointed, it is a sweet and accurate rifle and the moderator makes it feel and sound like a .22 magnum when you shoot it. I long for the day when sensible firearms legislation returns to Australia and we can use them over here. If the Shooters and Fishers Party keeps going like it is and hunters support it, it may not be that far away.

We headed up the river on the station track which took us onto a number of terraces that had winter feed. It wasn’t long and we started seeing pig sign and a few hares which were dispatched with the .223 and put in the back for dog tucker. I said to John that back in Australia I would be dressing them to eat. He said that with the number

of deer, pigs and chamois around these days they didn’t need to muck around with them. But the hares still needed to be shot as there certainly were plenty everywhere we drove and they had an impact on his winter feed for his stock.

A few kilometres up the river we stopped and walked down to a vantage point over the river flats to wait and see if a pig or a deer came out just before dark. I had my Swarovski spotting scope, so I set it up on its’ tripod and got the camera ready to attach if any game photo opportunities presented and began glassing the opposite faces. No deer or pigs were seen but a nice chamois buck fed out onto a steep rocky gut about 200 metres above the river and 500 metres away directly opposite us. It was great watching

this beautiful animal feed and move about. I got a bit of video footage, but the light had faded too much for a good still shot.

We headed back down river, putting a spotlight over the flats and terraces and shooting a number of hares. Back at the station we had a great feed of roast venison waiting for us and John made up a sensational entre of smoked rainbow trout that he had caught at Lake Taupo the week before. We then hit the sack for an early start next day.

The following morning a good hard frost greeted us as we headed up the river towards Middle Hut, aptly named as it is in the centre of the station. It had been raining and snowing for the previous week so there was a good chance the deer

ON THIS SPREAD

1

Brian and station owner John Angland after recovering a red hind. John is a passionate hunter and does the guiding mainly because of his love of hunting.

2

Brian with a hare taken with a moderated .223 which are a perfectly legal (and sensible) option for hunting in NZ.

3

A big but un-even fallow buck, spotted while digiscoping a chamois buck.

WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 85

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NEW ZEALAND

4

5 ON THIS PAGE

4

A hind and yearling photographed while looking for a stag. The amount of game in New Zealand is much higher now than 25 years ago, mainly as a result of less helicopter hunting operations.

5

A nice boar stalked and photographed while climbing a ridge to look for some chamois to photograph.

would be out warming up on some sunny faces. We saw a number of mobs of red deer but the 2 stags seen would have been trophy class, not management stags. We also saw a number of fallow deer and a couple of pigs.

At around 10:00 am we saw a couple of fallow deer about 200 meters above the track. John asked if I would shoot one for meat for them. So I got into a prone shooting positon on a nice rise with the daypack to rest on. I asked John to range them with his rangefinder and thought I heard him say 215 meters so I lined up the second cross hair on the reticle up on the doe’s chest and touched off the shot. At the shot the doe lurched down to her right and disappeared and Pete said she’s down. We went up to the spot and she was lying about 10 meters from where she had been shot. The shot was a little lower than I thought as the range had actually been 259 meters. The doe was dragged back to the vehicle gutted and tied onto the

88 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

there was a good chance the deer would be out warming up on some sunny faces.” bull bar for the trip back to the station chiller.

That afternoon we headed out to another area and saw a very nice 10 Pointer which would have passed as a management stag as it had no brows. Unfortunately it fed over into a steep matagouri choked gut and was not seen again. A number of fallow deer and red hinds were seen but no other red deer stags were to be had. The afternoon was filled by me shooting one medium sized sow and stalking in and photographing a big old blonde boar which we left alone for John to bring an American client back on at some time in the future. We shot hares on the way back to the homestead in the dark where Pete had cooked up another venison dish and John topped it off with a salmon and whitebait entre. With that, the hunting, the good NZ wine and the Rugby World Cup on the television I was in Kiwi nirvana!

The following morning we headed out to another part of the station and saw quite a bit of game

and photographed and video, a couple of chamois bucks, a fallow buck with a great palm on one side – weak on the other, and a number of red stags. Finally we came across a small group of stags one of which John said was a management stag.

The stags were moving across the opposite face which John ranged them at 310 metres. John asked if I wanted to have a shot. So I set the daypack up again on a small matagouri bush. The stags had now moved up the face and John gave me the range at 369 metres. I took a couple of deep breaths, line up the third cross hair of the reticle on the stag’s chest and touched off the shot. The stag staggered to the right, carrying its right front leg. I fired again and the stag went down in the matagouri and manuka.

We climbed back up to the vehicle drove around the valley and got to within 300 meters of the stag. A steep climb and a quick search and John’s Jack Russell terrier located the stag which was lying under a bush 5-metres from where it had been hit with the first shot. I was very happy with the performance of the Kimber as well as the 12 point stag I had taken. A few photos, a quick butchering job and we packed the meat and head back to the car where John had left a beer to cool in the creek for us.

On the way back to the homestead we saw a mob of red hinds and John asked if I would shoot one for him for meat. I used his .223 to take the hind with a neck shot at 180 metres so that we could recover all the meat. The hind was duly recovered, field dressed and tied to the bull bar for the trip back to the homestead where it was hung with the fallow doe and legs from the stag.

The following day we butchered up the meat and put it in a couple of “Chillie Bins’ for the trip back to Christchurch. What a trip this had been for me, re-visiting an area I used to live, work and hunt in and seeing, hunting and photographing a variety of game. One of the best parts of the trip was doing it with two great guys John and Pete. I’m looking forward to going back in a couple of years and hunting a stag in the roar.

OUR PASSION

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WINNER

Nathan Seeney Bagged his very first boar on his first hunting trip out west NSW, it was shot on the last day of the trip after 5 days of tough hunting, Nathan shot this Boar using his Sako A7 .270 combined with Federal 150gn Ammunition which resulted in the pig being dropped in one shot.

Shane Madden took these three foxes in NSW from 100m out to 300m using his Tikka T3 .270 running 130gr Power-Shoks.

90 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Gav O’Brien’s pic of one of two offending cats had been bashing the house cat up for about a fortnight until I installed the “Bait Station” (Bag of Whiskas) and hid in the shadows for them to arrive. I used the most effective cat stopper I own (Winchester 94 30/30 with a 2-7 Redfield) to stop the monsters with Federal 125gr Hollow points to help the house cat out.

I felt like I was on Safari waiting them out. Thanks and best regards, Gav.

Zac van Wegen decked this nice young fallow buck with his .308 with Federal Premium ammo.

series scope. Features include: Stainless steel barrelled action with black synthetic stock, AccuTrigger & Savage’s renowned accuracy. To be in the running is all you need to do is include a box of any Federal branded ammunition in the submitted photo.

RRP: $1225

RRP: $105 Email entries labelled Federal Power-Shok Photo Competition to: marcusodean@yaffa.com.au.

For entry to be valid the following contact details must be included: Sur Contact phone numbers (most important) and email address if available.

Please note : This competition is not a game of chance. To achieve competition entry photos must be submitted to the satisfaction of the Sporting Shooter editorial team. The winner must be over 18 years of age and needs to be suitably licenced as purchase. Firearm industry staff, paid shooting publication contributors and staff are not eligible for this competition. * NIOA reserves the right to substitute prizes of an equivalent value where necessary.

WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 91

PRACTICAL RELOADING

TECHNICAL TIPS & INFO – BY NICK HARVEY

Handloader’s Update Shooters who “roll their own” are always interested in any new product that will make their task easier. Anything that increases the accuracy of their rifle, or makes it shoot a little flatter and adds to the success of the hunt is worthwhile.

1. RELOADING TOOLS Magnetospeed Chronographs At last, a chronograph that doesn’t need to be placed 3-metres from the rifle’s muzzle or jockeyed about to shoot through it at a target set up over 100 meters away. The MagnetoSpeed attaches directly to the rifle’s muzzle and uses electromagnetic sensors to measure every shot fired and record the velocity which is also displayed on the Home Screen. Available in two models, the expensive V3 and the economy model Sporter which is affordable by the average handloader. Magneto Speed allows you to compile more accurate reloading data and get more satisfaction from your guns. Contact: Huntsman Firearms. PH: (07) 3117 2654.

Web: www.huntsmanfirearms.com.au

Lee Precision Classic 4-Hole Turret Press Easy and convenient to use, Lee’s new press offers versatility. Install each set of dies on a separate turret to effect an instant change and make it simple to switch from loading one cartridge to another. Features solid steel linkage of the Lee Classic Cast press, for silky smooth operation with minimal effort to work the lever. Long stroke allows cases over 76mm long or even those over 102mm long by deactivating auto-index.

Rigid cast iron frame supports the ram with over 12 square inches of area.

Heavy duty ram is drilled through to dispense spent primers through an attached PVC tube. Includes the new Lee Primer System (LPS) and the Lee Safety Prime tool makes priming on the press dead easy. A new Lee Precision Deluxe Turret Press Kit is also available which includes Pro Auto-Disk powder measure and riser, a suite of case prep tools; a cutter, lock stud, chamfer tool, primer pocket cleaners, a tube of Lee case lube and a Lee Safety Powder Scale. Distributor Herron Security and Sport. www.herrons.com.au

Hornady Case Neck Wall Thickness Gauge An accessory for the Hornady Concentricity Tool, the Neck Wall Thickness Gauge accurately measures case neck thickness down to .0005”. It slips into the concentricity tool and is retained by a thumb screw.

Easy to read dial indicator makes identifying any variations in neck wall thickness simple and fast.

Comes with 10 common trimmer pilots - .224, .243, .264, .277, .284 s, .308, .338, .358 and .4521.

Concentricity tool sold separately.

For all Hornady products contact: Herron Security & Sport. Email: Also Outdoor Sporting Agencies.

Hornady Lock-N-Load Magnum Sonic Cleaner Easy to clean tank holds over 3 quarts of cleaning solution - triple the size of the original L-N-L Sonic Cleaner. Tightly woven stainless steel mesh basket keeps smaller cases from falling into the bottom of the tank. A second transducer doubles your power for faster cleaning. Features and adaptable heating element that lets you dial in the correct temperature for maximum cleaning efficiency.

92 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

PRACTICAL RELOADING

SIERRA Infinity Version 7 Exterior Ballistic Software Sierra’s INFINIT Y Exterior Ballistic Computer Software version 7 provides multiple trajectory charts and graphics, point blank range, calculate zero, uphill/downhill shooting, maximum range, minute of angle, profiled wind, improved atmospherics, revised print formats trajectory in mils and more. Easy to use Windows format makes INFINIT Y extremely user friendly. Bullet library includes all major bullet companies as well as ammunition companies and allows for addition of new and custom bullets. Renowned Sierra Ballistic Consultants Ted Almgren and Dr. Bill McDonald, who have written all Sierra Software since 1970, also wrote INFINIT Y 7. Both are retired Chief Scientists from a major aerospace company. This program is available in CD-Rom format only. Interface and program architecture design by Rodney Korn. System requirements are: Windows XP, Vista, 7, or 8, 800x600 resolution, and 120MB hard drive space. Sierra products are distributed by Outdoor Sporting Agencies.

Web: www.osaaustralia.com.au

RCBS Competition Powder Measure Handles all types of smokeless powder - ball, flake or stick.

Combines the proven Uniflow measure with precision-ground metering drum and honed main casting with a powder baffle and Micrometer adjustment Screw. Pistol/ Small Rifle measures 5 to 40 grains; Rifle metres 10 to 110 grains. Combo unit handles b both ranges .5 up to 110 grains. Distributor Nioa www.nioa.com.au

2. NEW RELOADING MANUALS AND DVD’S Speer Reloading Manual #14 Speer manuals date back to 1954. The 14th edition is the largest Speer has ever produced, and many new cartridges have been added. Much of the data for older cartridges has been researched and updated for currently available powders and new dimensional cartridge drawings are included. A 175 page section includes step-by-step reloading instructions, black powder, cast bullets and western action cartridge loading. There’s complete exterior ballistics tables. All data uses Speer bullets and ATK components. Contact Nioa. Web: www.nioa.net.au

Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading 9th Edition Wow! This newest edition of Hornady’s Manual lists data for more than 200 cartridges, with hundreds of powders, bullet types and weights, including new Hornady bullets like the Monoflex, NTX, GMX, and F TX, as well as premium V-Max, SST, A-Max and more. New data for the .17 Hornet, .327 Federal magnum, .356 Win., 5.56mm NATO, .416 Barrett and .505 Gibbs. Contains more than 900 pages of comprehensive charts and tables accompanied by explanations of internal, external and terminal ballistics.

Contact: Herron Security & Sport. email: info@herrons.com.au and Outdoor Sporting Agencies. Web: www.osaaustralia.com.au

94 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

PRACTICAL RELOADING

Woodleigh Bullets Loading Manual Compiled by Geoff McDonald, Graeme Wright and Hans Bossert Not before time Woodleigh has finally come out with a Loading Manual of its own. A quality hardcover book with 349 pages of which 249 contain loading data for popular American and European cartridges with ADI, Alliant and Winchester powders. in calibres from 6.5mm to .700 Nitro. What sets the Woodleigh manual apart is that it contains data for British double rifles as well as old obsolete bolt-action cartridges like the .318 Westley Richards, .333 Flanged Express,.400-350 N.E and .360 No. 2 N.E. and .375 Flanged Magnum.

You won’t find loads for these old timers anywhere else.

Starting loads and maximum loads are listed together with muzzle velocities. I particularly welcome data for some of the heavy-forcalibre bullets Woodleigh makes, such as the 224gn PP SN in .30 calibre. Readers often write in asking me for loads for this bullet in everything from .308 to .300 Remington Ultra Mag. Now I can suggest reliable data.

The front part of the manual gives the history of the company together with a description of the full range of Woodleigh bullets including Hydrostatically Stabilised Bullets. Of particular interest is the chapter on Reloading Recommendations and testimonials from various authorities who have used Woodleigh bullets on buffaloes and other dangerous African big game. As a gunwriter I am obliged to test all the various brands and designs of hunting bullets available, including Woodleigh. I’ve found them to be precision-made, nicely finished and very accurate, but just as importantly their performance on game cannot be faulted. In 2015 I used them to take five trophy class stags, including two sambar - all one-shot kills. I cannot recommend them too highly. Contact: Woodleigh Bullets. Web: www.woodleighbullets.com.au

Nosler Reloading Guide 7th Edition The latest Nosler manual has been much-expanded and thoroughly updated with data for even more cartridges and Nosler bullets. New to Guide Number 7 are loads for .17 Fireball, .300 AAC Blackout, .308 Marlin, 6.5 Creedmore, 6.5 Grendell, .30 T/C and more. Data for the most recent Nosler projectiles - the Varmageddon, E-Tip and Ballistic Tip Lead-Free bullets. Contact: Nioa. Web: www.nioa.com.au

Lee Modern Reloading 2nd Edition At the time of writing, Lee is the only American die maker who lists a two die set for the new .338 Laser Magnum, but it's a special order item. Lee's Modern Reloading 2nd Edition is a must for the serious handloader. It lists over 28,000 loads for 167 different cartridges and includes the latest information on pressure and exclusive pressure and velocity factors. A never before published in depth analysis of current load data gives you an insight into the effects of reducing and increasing a charge. For Lee products, contact: Herron Security & Sport. Web: www.herrons com.au

3. NOSLER NOTES New Bullets For Hunters The company is offering their Bonded Solid Base bullets as a component in 64gn .224 and 168gn .308 calibres. The protected point design has tapered jacket to ensure controlled-expansion while the bonded core prevents the bullet breaking up and high weight retention. The Nosler Ballistic Tip has a new 300gn .458 calibre; the Audubon calibre been extended with the addition of a 142gn .264; and the Nosler E-Tip now includes a 55gn .224 bullet with a green polymer tip over the E2 cavity.

With the tapered jacket that ensures controlled expansion at a wide range of velocities and Nosler’s proprietary AccuBond®

96 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

bonding technology, the BSB is an ideal bullet for hunting deer and smaller game with .22 calibre, centerfire rifles. The BSB is ideal for 223 Rem and because of the protected point design on the 22-64gr BSB, they will reliably stabilise in a 1-14” twist barrel commonly seen in rifles chambered for 22-250 Rem. Nosler Custom Brass now includes the .260 Remington. This high- quality brass is made to precise dimensional standards, with flashholes deburred, and necks deburred and chamfered and is weight sorted.

Contact Nioa. Web site: www.nioa.com.au

TRADING POST Firearms lawyer in WA Ross Williamson 0407 426 796 irearmslawyer.net.au rosswilliamson@iinet.net.au Like facebook.com/Firearms Lawyer

C&J TANNING

FOR ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES CALL TONY PIZZATA ON (02) 9213 8263

For all your tanning needs.

From deer capes and skins to fox skins.

For Further Details

Call Chris on 0418 360 126

FIREARMS LAWYER Simon Munslow Specialist irearms, prohibited weapons & game lawyer.

Wide technical knowledge, passion & experience T: 02 6299 9690 F: 6299 9836 E: solicitor@bigpond.com W: irearmslawyer.com.au Gun Law Info http://www.sportingshootermag.com.au/gun-law

“We test our bullets” Hydrostatic bullets are recommended for all game including deer and hunting in the bush.

Mr. Geoff McDonald of Woodleigh Bullets shot this old elephant bull with his 500 Nitro double Webley + Scott & 570gr Hydrostatic solid. Courtesy of Ndumo Safaris www.huntingsafaris.net.

Woodleigh Bullets Contact us or your local gun shop for a free brochure PO Box 15, Murrabit, Victoria 3579 Ph. 61 3 5457 2226 Fax. 61 3 5457 2339 Email: zedfield@iinet.net.au www.woodleighbullets.com.au Buy

Australian

WWW.SPORTINGSHOOTER.COM.AU | 97

PARTING SHOT

NEWS, VIEWS AND INSIGHTS – BY COL ALLISON

Mounting Trends I followed the general American trend to more natural and aesthetic trophies.”

Side-slippage!

The styles in taxidermy have changed and evolved over the years.

WAY back when a handful of deerstalkers like the late Gordon Alford, Joe Leslie, Robert Borsak, Steve Isaacs and myself mounted our own trophy heads, exposed shields were all the go - by amateur and pro taxidermists alike.

Some of these shields were carved in oak leaves and grape vines, Germanic style, or just plain stained timber.

I abhorred any wood surrounding a shoulder mount with as much cringing as looking at a carved rifle stock with raised comb and white plastic inserts.

Not surprisingly, I followed 98 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ JUNE 2016

the general American trend to more natural and aesthetic trophies. Detractors said such mounts looked as though “they’d poked their heads through the wall.” But I reckoned their heads were woolly, with brains befuddled from shooting too many .577 Nitro Expresses!

It’s rare today to see a shoulder mount sitting on an exposed backing board. At least outside of Europe where bleached full skull mounts on shields are de rigueur.

With many trophy rooms now featuring at least one small or large fullbody mount, the time’s have moved on. A later trend is towards pedestal shoulder mounts – where heads sit on wooden pillars on the floor or desktop and can be spun around to view the trophy from all angles, like a world globe. It’s space-saving and evolved into the wall pedestal mount in my pic.

Invariably, using McKenzie imported forms, the mounts have a shoulder exposed to reveal more details of the animal. In fallow deer, particularly, vital areas of colour and spotting are lost with standard shoulder mounts.

The big problem with these mounts is a tendency to slip sideways on the wall as pin-pointing the exact centre of gravity is an exacting measure. As you can see from my example, it’s a tricky dilemma. The commercial forms are stock standard and the larger the head, the more likely side-slippage will occur. I take responsibility for the issue seen here.

Speaking of full mounts, I’m always thrilled when I walk into my trophy room/ office and past a growling lion waiting to pounce off a big log. I’m one of the last to import a lion and many Aussie hunters have lions

overseas they will probably not ever see again. This is thanks to the “world’s greatest minister,” our own Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, who lionised greenies and demonised lion hunters with a ban on the importation of the big cats.

The US has now upgraded lions to endangered status, making import all but impossible. As I foresaw years ago, the result is a push to kill off legal lions.

The Bubye Valley Conservancy – all 850,000 acres of it, has announced it is likely to cull up to 200 lions as there are just too many. The wildlife reserve said its current population of around 500 lions is unsustainable due to the dramatic decline in hunters, caused in part by the controversy over Cecil, a lion killed quite legally near Hwange National Park last year.

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