Had a bit o’ time to make a gif of one of the above shots…
Small varmint kills (the bastards!)
- Thread starter carbonbased
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Had a bit o’ time to make a gif of one of the above shots…
Barrel buring was one of the reasons I concisely to trade off the 22-250. Even still I’m happy with the trade but want the 22-250 back. It was a gift to myself when my time in the service was over .
View today through the S&B 5-25 H2CMR reticle on the 22-250.
I was a big holdover type shooter but dialing with this reticle, the DTII+ turrets, and turret tape might change all that…
I’m a hold over guy to - as I’m primarily a hunter / varmit killer - almost never time to dial , and when there is - have to laze first cause the deer - coyote - pig woodchuck don’t come in at 50 yard increments .
Why I’m always trying new glass - to find reticles that match with my load and rifle - and many do alright - some do well a few even spot on - at the range past 500 I dial . In my AO a shot on game past 300 would be notable .
Good ole 22-250 strikes again.
50gr Hornady Superperformance and/or 50gr Varmint Express (had a mix of ammo today).
That was exactly my argument! However, the use of turret tape has made dialing very fast. I used the regular Ballistic Tape, but the X version is taller.
Tentatively, I’ve found that speed-wise between holdovers vs. dialing it’s a wash as I tend to forget the holdover once or twice after looking at my scope-attached range card while I’m juggling the LRF binos and refinding the critter in my scope.
Dialing: after lazing, I spin the turret to the correct colored hash (for example, I’ve written “3” above the mark for 300yds) and away I go to refind the pdog in the scope. If the target’s at 350, I glance at the scope-attached range card and dial that. I might even mark the 50yd increments on the tape as well.
What I’m getting at is I can’t forget what to dial as I do that immediately after lazing (I’m not THAT forgetful). When holding over I must keep a number in my head (mils or yards) during the whole refinding process.
Anyway, YMMV and I was quite a critic of dialing for pdogs before I tried the tape solution. Not saying I’m going all-dialing but I’ve surprised myself here.
For pdogs (or any small critter) dialing with a simple reticle sure helps you spot both the target and the next target vs. a Xmas tree, which kinda occludes little varmints sometimes.
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Jackrabbit with a 300blk
Her first confirmed gopher kill. She has caught several but usually make it back down the hole dragging their back end. She gave this one an impressive head shake and chomped down on its head..... So proud of herself
Her first confirmed gopher kill. She has caught several but usually make it back down the hole dragging their back end. She gave this one an impressive head shake and chomped down on its head..... So proud of herself
204 40gr Hornady Superperformance, 193yds
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282 yds; 22-250 and 50gr Hornady Superperformance.
Frame grab of the hit (prev posted):
In its automated routine, I think Ezgif.com skipped that frame in the animated gif.
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Here it is full frame…
…and then shortened/slowed down to see just the vapor trail (whatever you want to call it). Normally the trail doesn’t move across the screen…pretty neat.
…and then shortened/slowed down to see just the vapor trail (whatever you want to call it). Normally the trail doesn’t move across the screen…pretty neat.
Been too hot, muggy and buggy to hunt mus, but it cooled down last night.
SJC
SJC
Went to try my new bipod I won but the dozen or so I got were all kneeling or standing. There aren't that many out now so I try to keep it headshots only.
Thought I got a beaver but instead got this guy swimming past at 93 yards. Was hard to judge the size.
Thought I got a beaver but instead got this guy swimming past at 93 yards. Was hard to judge the size.
Sounds like you could use a Tango Innovations Fire4000. They're pretty awesome. I have one in all two colors.
The only small drawback I have found is the plug for the remote is quite exposed but after trying a few things I have settled on protecting it with a KAC style (but not actual KAC because I'm cheap) rail cover:
Back from my pdog trip. A WMLRF sure would’ve been handy and would've sped up the shooting.
Maybe soon…
Using a late 1970's Beeman .177 pellet gun my Dad gave me a kid. The backyard varmints don't stand a chance.
View attachment KIMG0279.JPG
View attachment KIMG0279.JPG
Guess the pellet gun pic is to big to display and you have to click on it to view apologies for the double post
Guess the pellet gun pic is to big to display and you have to click on it to view apologies for the double post
Using Snapchat to riff on small varmint kills lol
I share them with my sons and a few others that are of the same mind set.
Up close and personnel.
Amazing how accuracy improves after you clean a rifle properly.
SJC
Amazing how accuracy improves after you clean a rifle properly.
SJC
Watching this one I feel like I’m in a Predator movie lol
I forget, is this a pellet gun?
Been trying to get this one since 2024.
The elusive long tailed MF'er.
It's luck ran out this morning and after cleaning the rifle, it's capable of headshots again.
SJC
The elusive long tailed MF'er.
It's luck ran out this morning and after cleaning the rifle, it's capable of headshots again.
SJC
Yes, a PCP .177 cal death machine topped with an S60R thermal.
SJC
I'm liking the 55 blitzkings out of the .223 more and more... off hand shot at 50yd
![IMG_1867[1]0.jpg](https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/attachments/img_1867-1-0-jpg.8735813/ "IMG_1867[1]0.jpg")
and poked one at 10yd with the .17hmr when I was out checking the deer cameras the other day
![IMG_1880[1]0.jpg](https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/attachments/img_1880-1-0-jpg.8735814/ "IMG_1880[1]0.jpg")
and poked one at 10yd with the .17hmr when I was out checking the deer cameras the other day
18" 6 creed shooting 58gr Vmax at a touch over 3800fps. It's one of the most destructive pdog rifle/load combo I have currently.
I shot one yesterday at a bit over 200 yards and honestly there were parts and pieces everywhere in a 25' radius around it.
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I have quite a mission specific ground squirrel eradication operation I started about 3 months ago. I'm in the back end of a subdivision and there are 20 some acres of open lots yet to be bought. The ground squirrels have gotten out of hand. So, since I can't discharge a firearm in town, and no suppressor state, I checked out the pellet gun offerings. I got a .22 cal Benjamin semi auto Marauder for the close game, and a .22 cal Barra 250Z for the long game. I'm getting roughly 6 kills per session from 50-125yds. I set a wind flag out to help cause the dialing is like shooting LR real gun shit. 6 mil drops and 2 mil wind holds.
From the living room windows. Lol. "Scout" loves this too! I really just key off of her. If I see her in the window all stiff and pointing, I know a GS or rabbit is out back.
From the living room windows. Lol. "Scout" loves this too! I really just key off of her. If I see her in the window all stiff and pointing, I know a GS or rabbit is out back.
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I thought I might have to keep everything inside the living room to help deaden the sound. Nope, that moderator so quiet I sometimes think the gun is broke when I shoot till I see a GS explode! LOL
Temp cooled down so it's back hunting mus.
This one did a pirouette for me.
SJC
This one did a pirouette for me.
SJC
Neat! Nice shooting. Good representation of what the optics can do too.
I got a couple more muskrats but only one was on the shore. Got him in the head with a MiniMag from 77 yards. I wandered out and picked him up so I would have something to post here.
I wasn't even there that long but I forgot bug spray and it felt like this:
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Back in post #259 I posted about a fellow church member who had a gopher problem and how I volunteered to thin the population. Little did I know it would turn into a part-time job. Started the projects with rimfires and eventually worked up to centerfires.
![20250713_183343[1].jpg](https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/attachments/20250713_183343-1-jpg.8739970/ "20250713_183343[1].jpg")
Most of the shooting was with a Tikka SV .223 and the Bergie 17HMR. The SV was new this spring and I had some trouble finding a load the 8 twist barrel liked. Finally used some Hornady 60 gr Vmax and could keep 5 in a 1" dot @ 100 yds. The result are quite satisfactory.
![20250802_171615[1].jpg](https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/attachments/20250802_171615-1-jpg.8739974/ "20250802_171615[1].jpg")
I figured out a simple method of keeping tracks of hits and ended yesterdays shoot with 1,088, all from the same landowners property. I'm sure there's another hundred or two left to add to the count.
![20250802_172330[1].jpg](https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/attachments/20250802_172330-1-jpg.8739985/ "20250802_172330[1].jpg")
As soon as they roll up these windrows there will be more good shooting.
Best retirement job ever!
Most of the shooting was with a Tikka SV .223 and the Bergie 17HMR. The SV was new this spring and I had some trouble finding a load the 8 twist barrel liked. Finally used some Hornady 60 gr Vmax and could keep 5 in a 1" dot @ 100 yds. The result are quite satisfactory.
I figured out a simple method of keeping tracks of hits and ended yesterdays shoot with 1,088, all from the same landowners property. I'm sure there's another hundred or two left to add to the count.
As soon as they roll up these windrows there will be more good shooting.
Best retirement job ever!
As my Norsk buddy Sven would say "Yay, you betcha"
Rimfires:
Start each shooting session with full boxes of ammo and empty mags. Load the mags and start shooting. With a miss, pick up an empty case and drop in your pocket. At the end, count how many rounds fired by the number of empty boxes and the empty holes in remaining boxes. Count pocketed empties, deduct from total. One must be honest with one-self. Using the 17HMR makes this easier, much better splat factor then the LR.
Centerfires:
With a hit, place brass back in case primer up. A miss, primer down so that great big zero is looking you in the face.
I only started using the .223 when the close dumb ones were gone and on the really windy days. There's something quite special when you hear that "whomp" after nailing a 4 oz. fur covered water jug with a fast moving CF slug.
My mus encounters are very close range, most inside 10 yards and using a 1280 res optic is overkill.
I leave them where they lay unless in a spot my dog can get at them.
This one just wouldn't stop.
Nothing will die if lead doesn't fly.
SJC
I leave them where they lay unless in a spot my dog can get at them.
This one just wouldn't stop.
Nothing will die if lead doesn't fly.
SJC
I think that is too much for me, but thanks for the technique. I do something similar to count up my total round usage during a trip, though.
I’ve used a crowd counter to count kills.
But it’s kinda easy to press accidentally. I might move to a small notebook
Got him through the heart region at 55 yards with a MiniMag.
The younger ones may be cute but they represent a Clear and Present Danger to the girls when I let them outside, and these three really like going outside.
The younger ones may be cute but they represent a Clear and Present Danger to the girls when I let them outside, and these three really like going outside.
I like to think that's not a stock image and 2,015 gophers is an average afternoon for you.
This one was in the water.
I saw a pack of four foxes in my back yard after I got the one a few days ago. It's like a fox jamboree.
Maybe they just show up better because of the light colored coat but he was covered in bugs. I understand they start jumping off the body immediately after the host dies. This was a must:
I saw a pack of four foxes in my back yard after I got the one a few days ago. It's like a fox jamboree.
Maybe they just show up better because of the light colored coat but he was covered in bugs. I understand they start jumping off the body immediately after the host dies. This was a must:
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Those bugs are fleas, and they will find you given half a chance. I used to spray a dead fox with a heavy dose of Raid, and even then one would get a few when skinning. Glove up, bag it then bury. Fleas wash away in the shower.
This is why I don’t handle prairie dogs! As many of you know, they may carry the bubonic/flea plague (and maybe the septicaemic/blood and pneumonic/aerosol plagues too?). Yeesh.
If at first you don't succeed.......
Ended up I loaded a magazine with sized test pellets.
SJC
Ended up I loaded a magazine with sized test pellets.
SJC
When the correct pellets are used.
SJC
SJC
Okay thanks, I figured but I'm no expert. I had seen the odd flea or some mange on coyotes but this thing was just crawling. I usually glove up then bag them in a feed bag. Handwashing and showering follows.
This one had a friend that didn't stick around after the fun started.
SJC
SJC
