In the Rock Pit this Morning

[Sabotloader]

In my last post I did no say that I also use a muzzleloader during our rifle seasons over here in Idaho.  In doing that I use what I call a modern ML (scoped).  I can nt even remember when I last used a center fire rifle to hunt with. Also remember that I am in Norther Idaho and there is very litte flat land up here... you guys in Washington got most of the Palouse flat lands...

It is terrible waiting for the Big Game season to get here... So this morning I slipped out on a short Turkey hunt and then figured I would run to the rock pit later in the morning...

It is terribly dry here has been that way for a long time and no sign of any rain coming... on top of that we have been living in wild land fire smoke from all the fires in the area...  It has gotten so bad thay have cancelled high school footbal games and other sports because the air is un-healthy to breath...  In all my years fighting wildland fires for the Forest Service - I really do not remember them telling me that as a ground pounder... I do remember them telling me 'drink water'.  Oh well.

Anyway after an uneventful stroll in the woods looking for some turkeys, but more looking for elk sign, I headed back to the pickup and headed to the Rock Pit.

It looks like I will be hunting with ole #71 this deer season.  It is DISC Elite 45 cal with thumbhole stock and a Lehigh conversion installed.  The other thing I wanted to do was shoot some different bullets just for drill, so I grabbed a box of Speer 40-180 grain Deep Curls.  Thought it would be a good change of pace from the preferred Lehigh/Bloodline 40-200's DOA.

This little Speers are no slouches... driven with a 110 grains of T7 in a tan MMP sabot - they really do zip down range get on the target like an angry bee and sting something more like a great kick from a full grown Mule.  They really do hit hard.

When I got to the pit it was already to hot to shoot, 80*, but I was there so I was going to shoot.  Set up the bench and rests then headed down range with 7 clay birds + some one had set out two pumpkins.  I really like that as I thought they still might be moist enough to give a really good show even with the little Speers.  When I got down and placed the birds I noticed that the pumpkins were old and already had many bullet holes in them - so they seemed pretty dry. 

I loaded up and took the first three shots... Shooting these Knight 45's can really be boring but it is fun to break things.  After the first three shots the breech was really warm so I tought I would let the gun cool a bit.

During the cooling... trying to think of something to do besides standing and looking - I thought might as well check the 870 Turkey gun and I have the birds.  So I placed birds at 28 - 44 - 58 yards.  I placed 2 of them on the floor of the rock pit and the last in the branch of a bush in the bottom of the pit.  I wanted it to be suspended so that I really had to hit to break it.

I had just mounted new TruGlo sights on the rib and thought this would also be a great opportunity to make sure they were going to do what I thought they should do.

Walked back to the truck and loaded up the Knight - took to more shots at the 100 yard birds on the wall.  Then set it aside and got the Remington out of the truck.

Ran a shell into the chamber and sat down at the bench and decided to check out the first bird at 28 yards.  Two things I can tell right off the bat... the trigger in the Remington not any where as good as the Knight... and after shooting the Knight the recoil of the 3" turkey load in the Remington - is one hack of a lot more that any ML that I have shot.  It got my attention in a hurry... BUT... the hit on the clay pigeon was really powerful. The bird just vaporized... Next at 40 yards was an old half eaten apple I found on the floor of the rock pit and set up on a rock.  I decided it was next... only this time I was more prepared for the trigger pull and the recoil.  Preparation for the trigger pull worked great... I pulled the take-up out and then pulled the trigger and the shot went off.  The recoil was just as stiff as it was the first time.

Went for the 44 yard bird and puff it was gone...

Decided to wait on the long bird and finish shooting the 100 yard birds with muzzleloader.  Loaded up and completed the birds.

It really is my feelig that the Speer 40-180 grain bullet would be an outstanding bullet for deer hunting... Just to check I decided to get the pumpkins.  I did not expect much to happen but when the bullet hit the first one it split the pumpkin and half and the pumpkin rolled of the ledge to the bottom - not what I expected but it was cool.  Even though the barrel was hot I loaded up one more and took the last pumpkin - same results...

Back to the shot gun and the 60 yard bird.  I know this is really to long to expect much but I really want to know if those #4 BB's could get there and do any damage.   The answer YES! - it did not vaporize the bird but it did break it into several peices...

The pictures are terrible - cell phone camera - forgot my good one...





Good smokey morning...

[busterbrown]

Great Story and Information. Thanks again for sharing.

[Sabotloader]

Great Story and Information. Thanks again for sharing.

Thanks.. it was not earth shaking but I do like sharing...

During the ML season can you folks in WA use a 40 cal bullet for deer?  We can not over here during ML as we have to use a full bore lead conical.

[busterbrown]

45 cal. min for deer or elk. A 45 will bring a deer down with the right bullet and correct distance. I dont think I would try this on a elk unless you were real close, good shot placement.

[Sabotloader]

45 cal. min for deer or elk. A 45 will bring a deer down with the right bullet and correct distance. I dont think I would try this on a elk unless you were real close, good shot placement.

The 45 will easily take a deer even this little 40 or the 40-200 Bloodline that I normally use will do the job.  And I as you would not use a 45 for elk unless I was really willing to limit my shots in range and perfect conditions.  Other than that I would want to be over prepared...

[busterbrown]

For deer, do you think a 45 is better than a 50 or 54? Does a 45 with a small bullet, lighter, faster work better for shooting farther and flatter?

[Sabotloader]

For deer, do you think a 45 is better than a 50 or 54? Does a 45 with a small bullet, lighter, faster work better for shooting farther and flatter?

For myself only... I think for deer I would go with the 45 during rifle seson because of the 40 cal bullets that are available and there is going to be a new one coming out shortly, but right now very few 45's will be able to shoot it.  Then depending on what you are saying for the rules for your ML season (45 cal minmum) does that mean the rifle or the bullet?  If it is the bullet... the only really good 45 caliber bullets that will load in full bore in a 45 cal rifle are the big lead conicals.  If the restriction applies to the rifle bore and you can use a 40 cal bullet then would still go with the 45 during ML season for deer.  In our case we can use a 45 cal ml but it must shoot a bullet that measures .429 in diameter.  So the case I would go with a 50 cal either shooting a sabot or conical and again my case I would go with a devastating sabot and bullet from a 50 cal ML.

The second part of your question... Not necessarily - it will shoot faster and possibly flatter - but range wise it could be a toss up because of mother nature.  External forces are the biggest factors in shooting the longer ranges and because of the limited velocities of a ML - the 50 might out perform the 45 in the longer ranges.  THe 54 is so limited in projectiles - I really would still prefer a 50.

Remember these are just my thoughts... and what I do and how I feel about the subject.... the guys that shoot big lead would tell you I am nutz...

[busterbrown]

If I remember corretly, it's rating as bullet size. So a sabot load in a 45 caliber gun would be under 45 caliber and therefore illegal?

[Sabotloader]

If I remember corretly, it's rating as bullet size. So a sabot load in a 45 caliber gun would be under 45 caliber and therefore illegal?

Well then there you go... for you guys the 50 would probably be the most versitile...