27 replies to this topic

[chuckocaster]

And I'm a VERY happy man!!! I cannot say enough good things about Matt Huston at "Huston Custom Guns", he is THE MAN. He fitted the new stock, bedded the action and free floated the barrel. He also polished the action and did a trigger job. It now breaks at a KUHLEEN 2.5 lbs, smooth, crisp, and everything a good trigger should be. For now I'm using the Bausch and Lomb 3200 series 3-9X40 I had put on it years ago. Great scope, but I'm saving up for a Leopold VX3 4-14 with the CDS.

I'm shooting Federal Premiums with 70 grain Nosler ballistic tips, they're moving at 3,500 fps. Groups are easy clover leafs all day long with no POI shift with a hot or cold arrel. I've always loved this rifle, it's always shot sub MOA, and now the groups have shrunk in half!

Got to bloody it today by head shooting a HUGE ground squirrel at 150 yards. I am SOOOOO happy with this gun. I always loved it, but this fine tuning has just pushed it over the edge. I'm looking forward to zapping some dogs with it, and seeing how far out I can push it on a steel range. Get it on, bang a gong, GET IT ON!!!

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•  2012-10-17 17.45.53-1.jpg   40.5K   11 downloads

[chuckocaster]

Forgot to mention she's chambered in 243 Winchester.

[Hemiallen]

From the color and size of the beast, I would have guessed Rock Chuck, or yellow bellied marmot.


Nice shot. Looks like a Vanguard, was it one of the black synthetic stocked Weatherby's, or did it just get a bedding/ adjustments on a Varmint model?


Allen

[chuckocaster]

It's a 1989, I took the wood stock off and put this on so I don't feel bad about banging it about. This is the biggest California ground squirrel I've seen. I should have weighed him!

[chuckocaster]

Hopefully some more carnage tomorrow, I put the extra bipod I had on it so I can lay on the berm and blast away.

[jeager]

Matt is a fine gunsmith and an excellent shot!

[Desert Fox]

Amazing what a little tune up can do to a factory rifle.

If you get into reloading, try the 87 grain V-Max. I use it exclusive on my 6MM Remington. It has better ballistic number than the 70 grainer. I once shot a crow with it perched on top of a sumac at a laser range of 598 yards. The crow exploded into pieces on impact. That's how devastating this bullet is even on smaller games.

[chuckocaster]

Thanks for the tip! I plan to reload, especially with the price of 243 being what it is. Do you think that 87 Grainer would be ok for deer? I plan to mostly shoot dogs n squirrels, but would also like to not have to switch loads. If I have to then I will.

Thanx Desert Fox, you've been VERY helpful.

@ Jeager: Matt is the best! I take ALL my work to him, always have! He exceeds my expectations everytime.

[Desert Fox]

Chuck, The 87 rain V-Max is designed for varmint hunting and not recommended for big game. The 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip and any 100 grainer offered by all bullet manufacturers, are more appropriate bullet for deer size game.

If you want to stay with a lighter bullet for deer, the 80 grain TTSX from Barnes will be your best choice. It's a monolithic bullet so you can push it as fast as you want without fear of bullet pulling apart on impact.

[chuckocaster]

I kinda figured that was the case. I think what I'll do is have two loads and just write down the "clicks" difference between the loads.

Here's the carnage from today, head on shot at 160 yards. He was hiding out in a pipe... Well THAT didn't work! Hahaha

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•  2012-10-21 16.33.41-1.jpg   61.47K   2 downloads

[ShooterJohn]

Not much left to eat when you do that to them.

[Kephers]

Not much left to eat when you do that to them.

[chuckocaster]

Not much, damn near skinned 'em!

[Thumper Dunker]

Nice. I love my 243. If Im not shooting a bow thats the rifle I grab.

[chuckocaster]

Sadly I can't shoot my bow anymore due to my wrist... I miss it a lot, but am making up for it with all the rifle shooting! I agree whole heartedly, the 243 is such a pleasure to shoot, and packs quite a "wallop".

[ShooterJohn]

It's just hard to carry the rabbits home when they get shot up like that.

[Kephers]

Make a stew

[chuckocaster]

Pre tenderized...

[chuckocaster]

Scope's getting ordered and should be on the rifle the end of this week or beginning of next! Woohoo!

[Kephers]

What scope are you putting on it?

[chuckocaster]

Leupold VX3 4.5-14X40 with CDS! Not cheap, but it came highly recommendEd from a Guy who KNOWS Scopes. It has a nice scope now, I just want more magnification, tuned turrets, and a sunshade. Yeah, the sunshade ain't crucial, I just think they look cool!

[Kephers]

I agree. I have yet to add any sunshades to my scopes. I want to just have never got around to it. I think my leupold was a 4-12x40. Think vx2? Been a while I havent tripped off it. Its on the Rem 700 sps v in 223. Going to be getting a better one and putting it on my varmint gun and adding this leupold to my wifes AR.

[chuckocaster]

Well, I should have the scope on her tomorrow! Matt ordered it today and he says it normally takes a day to get. So hopefully I can go sight her in tomorrow and pop a couple squirrels! The Baush&Lomb will go on my Model 70, so that'll need to be resighted in, oh darn...

I'll post some more pics soon. Now I just need to find a way to sleep, I'm WAY too excited!

[Rob]

DF has the recipe:
Frist select the 6mm/243...now add the 87 gr V-Max...sprinkle in 44 GR of H4350 (bake until it gets to be somewhere near the 3200 Ft/Sec number) and toss it three or four flips into the air and PRESTO....vaporized varmit goolash pie!
Hey bartender...raptor food all around.

[Desert Fox]

Rob, You make me hungry.

[chuckocaster]

The scope came in today! So I raced down to Huston Custom Guns and got it mounted. I went with the Leupold VX3 4.5-14X40 AO with CDS, just the regular fine duplex. Went ahead and put on new Leupold rings and bases, added the sun shade and bore sighted it.

I was gonna go shoot today but will have to do that tomorrow, I ran out of time with other commitments. Oh well, that gives me time to mount the Baush and Lomb on my Model 70! That means I can sight in TWO rifles... Lucky me! \m/

I'm sooooooo excited with how this rifle turned out! My hat is off to Matt Huston, he truly is a great gun Smith and nice Guy!

Enjoy!

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•  2012-10-24 14.49.49-1.jpg   18.62K   1 downloads

[chuckocaster]

Figured the least I could do is say a little prayer for them...

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•  2012-10-24 22.13.49-1.jpg   19.35K   0 downloads

[Kephers]

haha thats cool man. Who and where is this gunsmith? I'm looking at trying to get another rifle and I'm on the fence as far as what to get for a 500-100 yard paper puncher. Was thinking either a 300 win mag, 308 or 6.5x284 (wildcat but I'm assuming id have to have it built which is where gunsmith would come in). Still on the fence I want to actually be able to afford to shoot it, but I will be reloading everything. No factory ammo at all.