Big Magnums - Marketing genius?

[G.R.K]

B.C's are great on paper,it's all about trigger time.Temp/elevation/humidity/play a hugh role in the game.

[JoshT]

B.C's are great on paper,it's all about trigger time.Temp/elevation/humidity/play a hugh role in the game.

I've run a couple hundred rounds downrange in the last year with the RUM... I've found the higher BC bullets tend to be a little less effected by the above list. Out to about 8oo I haven't found the effects of temp & humidity to be a problem at all... at least not enough to worry about. Shot angle seems to be the trickiest aspect of LR shooting... other than wind of course. But... you're correct about trigger time... it's the only way to figure that stuff out.

[haugenna]

Josh,

I noticed in a past thread that you were sending a scope into leupold for turrets.  I am doing the same with my RUM.  Any advice?  I am using the 180 BT's b.c. of .507.  

Can you explain trigger time as well?

[257 Wby Mag]

haugenna, what Josh and Andy mean by trigger time is, getting out and shooting. Shooting in different field conditions, ranges, etc...

[huntnphool]

Can you explain trigger time as well?

Repetition is the mother of all skills!!!

[Huntbear]

My dad killed every deer and elk he shot with a .300 Savage.   (he was of the mindset, you keep shooting elk till they fall, too)

My first rifle was a .308.  I killed lots of deer and a few elk and they all died quickly.  Then came the day I will never forget.  I came out of a patch of timber to a 1000 acre clearcut, and there was the bull elk guys dream about, a huge 6x6 Rosie.  Quartering away from me at 350-400 yards.  No way to get closer, I sat and watched him walk away from me.  I hunted that bull for a week and never saw him again.  The next week, I bought my Sako .338 WM.  Never will I have to watch a bull like that walk away again.

Smaller calibers are great, and I own several non-magnums.  .308, 7mm-08, 257AI, and others, but when it comes to elk, bear, moose, etc... I want the knock down power of those 210 gr. Partitions at 400 yds. if the need arises.

That being said, there is no substitute for practice at all ranges you may shoot at, and learning where to put the bullet.  (To me that means a minimum of a hundred rounds a summer)  If you can not hit what you are shooting at, then you need to quit hunting with a rifle.  If a magnum beats you up to bad, and you feel you have to shoot one,  first make sure it fits you right, then add a good recoil pad and a muzzle brake.  Otherwise, just shoot the biggest non magnum you can handle, and KNOW your limitations.  Wounding animals due to bad shots is not just unethical it is morally wrong, and it should be avoided at all costs. 

[JoshT]

Josh,

I noticed in a past thread that you were sending a scope into leupold for turrets.  I am doing the same with my RUM.  Any advice?  I am using the 180 BT's b.c. of .507.  

Can you explain trigger time as well?

Get the turret installed... then go out and shoot a drop chart. If you want me to send you a basic chart to get started, I can do that pretty easily. Don't rely on the chart though... you need to shoot your data, and record your adjustment. I keep a laminated card on my stock that gives me my elevation corrections (in inches) all the way to 1200 yards in 50 yard incriments (25 yards after 1k). I range, I dial, I check the wind, and I send it... pretty easy actually. Wish it would have worked out a Jud's today... but with a hot barrel and only partially sighted in 7 mag... I couldn't hit a milk jug a 500... I think I scared it though!

Card for the 180 NBT at 3400 would look like this (assuming 100 yard zero):

300 = +2.5
350 = +3.5
400 = +4.5
450 = +5.5
500 = +6.5
550 = +7.75
600 = +8.75
650 = +10.0
700 = +11.5
750 = +12.75
800 = +14.25
850 = +15.75
900 = +17.5
950 = +19.25
1000 = +21.0

If you range the target at 750... you just dial the turret up 12.75"... check you wind... hold the crosshairs dead on... and fire away. If the range is 825, then dial in 15" (or one complete revolution of a Leupold turret)... and bombs away.

It's a concept that takes 5 min to learn... and hundreds of rounds to master. Also... shoot in the field... not just at the range. Off the bipod... across a canyon... down hill, up hill... in the wind etc. That's the only way to find out how accurate YOU are... not just you shooting system and your drop/wind data.

Here's a little video that Jamieb made on using turrets... it's excellent info. Jamie is probably the best shooter under field conditions that I've ever shot with... he shoots a lot up in the canyons and knows his schitt... heed this advice.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v376/elkhunter/?action=view&current=turretvideo.flv

[haugenna]

what about using the turrets you dial the yardage into vs inches?

Does that limit you to one bullet/elevation?  I was thinking about buying two turrets, one for 1000K feet and one for 5000k feet.

Thoughts?

[JoshT]

Same concept... range... dial turret to range... make adjustments for wind and shot angle... fire away. It's not exactly rocket surgery.