Newbie with questions.

[Novice]

I’ve gone out twice now for turkey with a friend. Both unsuccessful I have a beretta a300 Outlander. Be nice to have a turkey/deer/waterfowl gun (3 guns) but I’ll keep using the beretta as long as is necessary.

 

[TheGDog]

RE: Shotgunning skills - Doves and Quail man. Farveknugen they will piss you off in the beginning with all the misses. I'm much more of a n00b with shotgun. I owned a single shot for a bit as a young adult and that's it. But gotten lots better since participating in Dove/Quail and also Ducks.

RE: Shooting Rest - 20$ Cabelas Kwik Stix shooting sticks! I routinely use these for longer shots on Ground Squirrels. They can sometimes be a lil bit frustrating on softer soils with the ends wanting to sink in at times. But that's about it. Not a big deal. They don't weigh much at all either! Though for ultimate, like if I know I'm going out for predators, I'll bring the Primos Trigger Stick Tripod Short. More weight but when you're posted-up on slopes and stuff, much easier to deal with.

Cabela's Kwik Stik Bipod Shooting Rest | Cabela's

The Cabela's® Kwik Stik™ provides rock-solid stability for accurate shooting from a wide range of shooting positions on any terrain. The Kwik Stick adjusts silently to any height or any terrain with a

www.cabelas.com

 

[Novice]

Nice cheap option.

 

[TheGDog]

Nice cheap option.

Yeah, and there's no reason you shouldn't be able to pull off like 200-250yd shot with these.

 

[Novice]

You don’t think I should use my reticle for drop points after sighting in at 100? I have StrelokPro as well to enter data and it shows precise spots to use in my reticle if need be as well.

308 is fine. Read this again:

I think 150s are great for deer, antelope, elk, whatever. They'll shoot pretty flat too.

You have an excellent scope - Vortex Razor HD. 2-10 is perfect for hunting. don't get into dialing your scope, use point blank range and you'll find a 200-250 yard zero will give you point blank hold out to 300 yards or more. I do this and have shot antelope 350 yards away and 25 yards away on the same hunt.

Be careful about taking what you read to heart. Half of it is regurgitated marketing hype. 1/4 are guys trying to be heros and act cool. and 1/4 of it might be reasonable. We all have differing situations and circumstances. *Only buy what you need, what you can try out/on, and what you can afford.* If you can't afford what you want, save another year and see if you still want it.

Target practice with a .22 or even a pellet rifle is good. Trigger time is what you want. Just know that the air rifle won't be as accurate as a "real gun" and don't get upset if you don't hit a penny every time at 50 yards.

I hunt in long johns and jeans to hunt most of the time. was in CO for subzero temps and big storm in 2019 - long johns and jeans, 400 gr boots with wool or cabelas ultimax socks (I use em both), long john top, flannel shirt, fleece vest, fleece jacket and a breathable rain jacket. Also wore a fleece beanie and wool gloves. The expensive pants guys say i should be dead - LOL! Did get a nice buck. Had a great time. Aint no way I'm spending $1,000 for an overpriced, highly marketed hunting outfit. so they can sponsor some trespassing & poaching "face of the company".

I bought a $500 pair of binocs in 2017 and buddies bought $175 binocs in 2019 - guess who's could see the bedded mule deer better? The cheaper ones (Leupold McKenzies). Go figure. I still haven't been able to talk myself into new binoculars.

Again - be careful what you read and believe. They call it the hunting INDUSTRY for a reason - lots of folks are out there only to make money off of you.

 

[Novice]

I’m not going to do anything stupid and buy one (seriously) , but man I do lust after the Havak PH2 and Element. The element is too much money but damn it looks good lol. I often wonder what 22” 300wm is like on large game compared to the same length bbl in 30-06/308 etc. Does it lose a ton of killing power? Different thread material actually.

That and a heavier rifle for shooting prone or at the bench would be cool one day. Again, different thread and I’m not buying anyway.

 

[TheGDog]

You don’t think I should use my reticle for drop points after sighting in at 100? I have StrelokPro as well to enter data and it shows precise spots to use in my reticle if need be as well.

BDC marks are fine.

But the benefit of doing a MaxPBR zero is that (for big game hunting at least where the targets aren't so small) it could save you vital time such as if the animal is looking antsy like it's gonna move along or something like that.

With the PBR way of thinking, the idea is you've Zero'd it such that you know if you put the crosshairs on something... the bullet will hit somewhere within a 3" radius out from that bullseye. And with a little practice I'm sure you could quickly train your brain to remember the bullet flight path points at milestones yardages along that PBR distance it's zero'd for.

one benefit I noted in looking at ballistics chart when they've been sighted in for MaxPBR is that it usually results in the bullets flight path, when closer to the muzzle, meet up with the line-of-sight of the scope a little quicker at ppoints closer in to you. That can be helpful sometimes when smaller game hapens to come along closer by. Lil less of this remembering you need to hold an inch high stuff.

Since the zero is further out, they gotta crank the angle up of the bore, so it's a steeper angle towards the line-of-sight axis then it would be if you're zero'd for regular 100yd. Since the bullet path has to rise ABOVE the line-of-sight high enough to then arc down in to be on target at that newer farther MaxPBR distance.

 

[Rich M]

You don’t think I should use my reticle for drop points after sighting in at 100? I have StrelokPro as well to enter data and it shows precise spots to use in my reticle if need be as well.

I had no idea you had all that stuff. Just figured a regular reticle. Learn how to use it, test it and run with it. Smoke em if you got em!

I also have a Diamondback bdc scope i use w 350 Legend, works well. W 243 or 3006, i do the piint blank thing.

 

[Novice]

This is the reticle. StrelokPro is an app on my phone. I’d be lying if I said I’ve actually used either yet lol.

hsr-4 reticle - Google Search

 

[TheGDog]

Go out and setup object at distances near to what the BDC marks are suposed to be for. Then take some shots and get used to using them.

 

[Novice]

Great idea. Except at my range I have 200 tops. Unless I sneak down the road to the 200 and set up when no one is watching lol

There’s a spot further away that has 300 though. Another range I mean.

 

[TheGDog]

Trust me I know about the pains of not having rifle range of any appreciable length anywhere near where you live.

 

[Novice]

Getting excited about my rifle, as I posted, I bought some 178 ELD-X. 3 boxes. Shot like 3-5” groups at 100. So bad I couldn’t and wouldn’t bother finishing sight in (I say sight in because I re leveled my scope and gave myself better eye relief).

So I bought some federal hybrid 168 Berger and Hornady 150gr SST. Brought along some Hornady 150 white tail.

Shot the 150 White tail after firing 2 fouling shots. .75” group. Yay!!!!

So I shoot the sst. 3” group.

Berger 1.5” and 1.25”.

I tried whitetail 2 more times. 1.5” each.
Berger a few more times. 1.25-1.75”
Sst 2
More times. 2.5-3”

I’m not a great shooter so I could definitely be the issue in most scenarios but all these groups were very consistent with their matching loads. I kept getting 2 rounds either touching or very close then one way off except for the eldx and sst. They were just flat out horrendous.

Action screws and ring screws have all been checked multiple times. Rifle was thoroughly cleaned.
Caldwell front rear with Caldwell rear bag
Controlled breathing and slow trigger press for surprise break. One hand firm but not hard on the forend and same with the grip. Same spot in shoulder.
Reticle level and crosshairs holding on the same spot each time. Feet planted.

I’m not so great but because of all these checked boxes and the consistency of the groups I think it’s the rifle.

Bergara sent a rma and a shipping label.

Very enjoyable early morning before work that was soured by frustration.

And yes, now I not only want my gun to be fixed but I want a new one too hahahaha!

Rich