686

Tikka has a little better trigger IMO and more aftermarket stock and barrel options. Tikka actions are teflon coated and about as smooth as an action could get. I am getting a rifle chambered in 7 PRC this year, and would be buying a Tikka, but they haven’t started chambering for that round yet.

Here’s another view of the creek bottom, I food plotted it with cereal rye and oats last fall and I planted apple trees in the cages a few years ago. It took at lot of work to make it like this, but Wildlife and livestock love this spot.

Had a good weekend at the ranch. Put in 4 culverts over some low water crossings, and got in a morning of hunting. The 4 toms were locked in on two hens and the hens were kinda moving erratically. They were 200 yards across a field with no cover, so I waited for awhile and they started moving towards a springfed Creek area that has some cover. I made a long circle around and got in front of them and came up the creek bottom quiet and concealed. Watching the gobblers strut in the green grass in that Creekbottom area was really great. Got him at about 40 yards. Also made it really satisfying is that this creek bottom area was completely brushed over a few years ago and I spent a lot of time clearing it out and making it productive. We had a huge bluebonnet year.

Mine is adding onto a trust I’ve had for a long time, ugghhhhh. This is a lightweight suppressor I’m thinking about elk hunting with this year, along with a new rifle to go with it, but I need some time to get comfortable with the arrangement.

Ok, I just went to my FFL and got my eForm4 Submitted on a suppressor. What’s the wait time after that? Purchased last week of December.

That Arkansas raid is some stupid cowboy bullshit like Ruby Ridge, etc. Infuriating. On a lighter note, I’ve been looking for a Double Stack 1911 in 9mm for awhile and decided to go with the Springfield Prodigy. It fit my hand better than some other options and I like the features/design, I like Springfield, and there’s a lot of aftermarket stuff for them. I got this one reportedly unfired from a guy who had invested in an ignition kit upgrade that lowered the trigger pull, flat trigger, mag well, green dot and three extra mags. Shot it today for the first time and it is easier to shoot than my 1911 A1, but I’m still more accurate with the A1. The Prodigy needs some sight adjustment and more practice. It’s fun to shoot and a delight to handle. This week I had my first tactical pistol shooting lesson with a lady FBI agent that taught at Quantico, and she kicked my butt. She’s intense. After breaking down all the shit I was doing wrong for about 30 minutes I had to think real hard just to get the pistol unholstered and on target. Things got better though and I’m going to be so so much better with a pistol after a couple more lessons.

It was ok but it seemed like they really truncated the big battle scene at the end. I mean you got so much material to work with: dudes riding in on sandworms; massive sandstorm; future weapons; and all we got was three worms approaching the emperor’s encampment, and then a bunch of sort of knife, fights. And they kind of played it, that Paul and his group approached on foot from what look like over a mile away, I don’t ever recall him and his group riding a worm in. I mean, I actually like the Kyle McLaughlin version of that battle scene better.

Do you have turkeys?

You’re correct. I’m sick and brainfarted on the 300/9mm confusion.

It’s rated for 300 BLK in an 8” or longer barrel. Thread pattern may not be the same. I think 45 is .578” diameter vs .9mm which is typically 1/2”, but try it. Rugged sells an adaptor for the diff thread diameter I think: https://ruggedsuppressors.com/suppressor-guide-cat/caliber-ratings/ https://ruggedsuppressors.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/3lugflowchart.pdf Here’s where it says you need the 9mm piston and booster system, which I think will adapt your 45 to the 1/2 tread pitch of most 9mm barrels.

If you just want to put in a couple chokes and not mess with it, I’d start with SK and IC, but that’s me. Depending on the flight of the clay, switch to using your close barrel first or second. Here’s a chart

One of my many regrettable decisions was passing on a Mateba autorevolver on GunBroker about 15 years ago for the seemingly high sum of about $700, now they’re 10x that and very hard to come by. Thanks for reminding me.

Thanks @Handcruser I will check all of this out. Staccatos are pricy so I need to measure twice and cut once on this thing. Since everyone is lobbing plastic at me, maybe I’ll go to a local range and shoot some Tupperware and see how it goes. There’s bile in my mouth again.

Yeah the so many options part is where I’m getting overwhelmed, and I’d like to try and not learn a bunch of muscle memory stuff in this training that I’m going to have to unlearn later if I switch platforms. The instructor shoots a Glock, so I’m probably doomed to fail already.

I bought some “tactical” type shooting lessons at a charity auction. AR and pistol platforms to be covered by a long time FBI agent. I’m set on the AR side, but thinking I should probably look at a “modern” pistol to get the most out of this training. I haven’t been paying attention to pistol stuff for 15 years. I shoot a full size 1911 with a suppressor when I’m plinking. I also probably need to get my CCL at some point. I have a Colt Mustang Pocketlite that is a decent carry option, so I think this other pistol would be more home defense setup. I want a rail for a light, provisions for a red dot, preferably double stack mag (~12+ mag cap). I’d also like a threaded barrel at some point. Probably 9mm, could be .45, but double stack 45s that check these other boxes are really hard to come by from what I’ve seen. I’m probably missing something. Options I see: I could go with a nice “modern” 1911/2011 platform with a rail and provision for red dot. These seem to be really pricy. Staccato, Dan Wesson, etc. i’m decently proficient with the 1911 platform. I could move from the early 20th century to the late 20th century and look at custom Beretta 92’s, like those from Langdon. Also pricey. I could look at striker fired polymer stuff, but not Glocks (I threw up in my mouth a little just typing that out). I don’t like plastic pistols and Glocks look like shit to me. Apologies. I’m sure that eliminates some good functional options, but I just don’t like them. Also I do like a manual safety. I tried understanding what Sig has done with their pistol line, but too much to sort through. Looks like some nice stuff, but kinda all over the place, so now I’m asking for help. I’m assuming with the right gun this training will have me shooting like John Wick, so you guys tell me what I need to get there.

Feed bill Im guessing

This is both awesome and hilarious. It simultaneously feels crazy to think that could have actually been the issue, but who’s to say it wasn’t, and you made the change, and it worked out. I’m all about changing something, anything, up when things aren’t working.

This afternoon was awesome. My uncle, second cousin, and a friend. Mix of white wing and mourning doves. Told some old stories and had a lot of laughs. So many birds you could be really selective and only shoot what you know you can hit, not be in a rush as three more fly by as you’re reloading or retrieving. Weather turned out great too after all the wind died down from this morning.

Thanks regarding the zebra rug - my taxi did an absolutely primo job on it - I’ve never seen a nicer rug. Zebras are awesome plains game and the rugs are really great. Really great that you are going with a group - I put together a small group for my 2018 safari and it was a lot of fun that way. Regarding caliber- you could look at 7 Rem mag as well; the 155grain Federal Terminal Ascent (the old Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullet) is excellent in that chambering from my experience, and should be about 20% less recoil than the 300win mag with a 180 grain (20lbs vs 25lbs per Chuck Hawks). The Barnes 150gr TTSX would also be a good candidate.

I just saw a headline about more units maybe going “locals only” for caribou. Is that just for the units around Kotsube? I’ve been looking at 40 mile heard hunts out of Tok.

Yes, brakes do reduce the recoil. But they increase the noise and muzzle blast. The muzzle blast bothers me more than the recoil these days. My left ear hasn’t stopped ringing since I pulled the trigger on my 2021 elk. 300 Wby with a muzzle brake, no ear protection. I was next to a tree that bounced a bunch of the blast/noise at my left ear. I’ve done tons of other loud shit over the ears with no ear pro, its cumulative, but that was the event that started the tinnitus I will live with maybe from now on. Also, muzzle brakes make it really loud for your guide/PH/tracker. It is inconsiderate/uncouth to shoot a braked rifle on a guided hunt or on an African hunt. The African Professional Hunters (guides) aren’t going to put on ear protection - they need to hear everything going on and speak in whispers to you and the trackers. There usually standing next to you and slightly behind, right where the muzzle blast is going. That’s why I’m going to a suppressor on my hunting rig. When game is busting out of the forest in front of you, it just doesn’t really work to start digging around for your ear pro and cramming it in your ears. Electronics can be nice but kind of impractical to wear all day, and if your not wearing it then your in the same boat of trying to dig them out again when a shooter suddenly steps out. Muffs are too awkward to deal with on a mountain hunt or safari IMO. I’ve had a heavy steel suppressor for years, too heavy to comfortably mountain hunt with, but hopefully the 8oz titianium unit Im getting along with a 24” barrel in lieu of 26”will be the weight/length/sound and recoil dampening compromise I’m looking for.

https://www.biggame.org/day-pass-purchase/ $35 for a day pass. I think they said they are remodeling the Kay Bailey Conv center. They also announced they are going to have a summer Dallas convention starting in ‘25.

@deadshank wow what a beautiful buck!

Good to know that they have a minimum. For nilgai specifically, the outfitters I’m sure don’t want a long tracking job. I know I don’t. South Texas brush is worse than South African brush. I would agree that for less than 30 cal, shot selection and bullet placement becomes really, really critical. Nathan Foster (Ballistic Studies, great website and books) has commented specifically that 7mm wound channels can be notably more narrow than .300 wound channels. I’m not a great shot and am impatient and tend to take risks on shots with quartering-on and other less than ideal presentations, so I’m taking my 375 as my primary rifle on that hunt.