Thank You Kirby!

[esshup]

I'd like to thank Kirby Allen for being such a gracious host. I flew out yesterday and met him for some Long Range shooting basics and also to try and figure out which caliber I wanted. I met him at the house around 8:00 a.m. and then we headed out to do some shooting.

I am amazed at the quality of the rifles that he builds. For someone that hasn't shot at anything further away than 350 Yds, using good equipment makes hitting the steel at further distances easy.

I started out at the 630 Yd gong, (Kirby, correct me on the distances if I have them wrong) and promptly rang it with the first 2 shots from the 7mm AM. Then he gave me the correct dope to line up on the 860 Yd gong and that one made a satisfying GONG after the next shot.

The next gun out of the case was the 300 AX. I didn't bother with the closer gong, but after one fouling shot the steel made noise again. Then he brought out the .375. After getting the the dope using Exbal, and firing a fouler, the gong rang two more times. The last shot proved to be too much for the target and it promptly fell over. So, we decided to pack things up and drive over, calling it a day for the shooting part of it.

I'll be trying to post pics shortly, but I'm amazed at the accuracy of the guns. When you look at the black square target, the lowest left splat is from the 7mm, the middle right splat is from the 300 AX, the splat to the left and slightly below the one from the 300 AX is the first shot on the target from the .375, and the uppermost right splat is the next shot from the .375. There was a slight wind from left to right, but I held right on and didn't allow for any wind for all the shots. Also, if you look at the right rear leg, that small hole is the fouler from the .300. Sorry Kirby!

Kirby, you have the steel and you can measure it if needed, but I think that's a pretty good group for that distance from 3 different calibers and rifles!

Thanks for the tips on judging goats. For a flatlander that will hopefully be goat hunting this Fall, it was a tremendous help!

Thanks again,
esshup

 

[esshup]

7mm AM @ 630 Yds

7mm AM, .300 AX and .375 AM @ 860 Yds

 

[esshup]

O.K., any tips on inserting images in the forum??? I downloaded these from photobucket.

 

[WildcatB]

For photobucket, it seems that you can't use the URL from your browser. You need to copy the "Direct Link" URL that they provide located in the lower left of each picture. Then paste that into the dialog that comes up after you click the "insert image" icon from LRH's editor - or just type BEFORE and AFTER the link copied from photobucket with typing in LRH's editor.


[IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/esshup/100_0536.jpg

 

[WildcatB]

What gun did you decide on?

Just curious.

 

[Buffalobob]

Kirby in person is a great guy. I only spent an hour with him but I liked him immensely.

When you see the country he lives in, you suddenly remember the people who actually make America a great place to live. Good honest hard working people. Living in DC, I see too many of the people who try to make it a terrible place to live.

He is a remarkably honest and straightforward guy, and a remarkably good gunsmith.

 

[esshup]

Just curious.

Thanks for posting them! As for inquiring minds, 7mm AM While this will be used first on an Elk hunt in 2009, I will most likely be using it on Mulies and Antelope in the future as well. I wanted a gun that would be light enough to pack around, but still be able to reach out and touch them. I think this one will fill the bill!

 

[Fiftydriver]

It was great to have you out to the range. THis is what is so great about my job, the people I meet that become friends weither they are customers or not that means little to me but the friendships are what I truely appreicate.

It was great to have you come out and shoot. By the way, you shot very well!!!

As for the exact ranges, the close gong was 685 yards, the long one was 868 yards.

The two smears on the round gong measured 2.85" ctc. Not to bad for a sporter rifle.

At 868 yards, the two 375 AM shots were roughly 4.5" ctc. Again, for shooting this class of rifle for the first time as basically 1/2 mile, you did very well my friend!!!

Your 7mm AM will be a shooter I assure you!

Again, it was a great day, sorry we could not track down more goats for reference but you should be fine, just stay off the trigger until you can get some glass on a few bucks, you will figure out quickly what is and is not a shooter.

Take care and thanks for the kind words. You spend a sizable amount of money and time to come out for the day, I hope it was worth your time. I know your rifle will do what you want.

 

[Ridge Runner]

yup thats what I said 3 years ago when kirby built my 7 AM, he's one helluva smith who takes time to make sure your getting what you want and what you need, and he knows more about this **** than I can dream about. My only regret is I live too far away to go shooting with him.
RR

 

[Eaglet]

Kirby,

I guess some of us would not let you work if we lived closer!

Google says 1023 miles from my place to yours, that'd be 17 hrs 22 mins.

You're pretty safe from me! LOL

 

[esshup]

Eaglet:
I left the house @ 5:00 a.m. and could have arrived at Kirby's around 2:30 p.m. if I hadn't checked into the hotel first. But, I'm worse off than you, I'm over 1300 miles from him.... You could probably get here quicker than I did!

 

[royinidaho]

Kirby,

I guess some of us would not let you work if we lived closer!

Google says 1023 miles from my place to yours, that'd be 17 hrs 22 mins.

You're pretty safe from me! LOL

Eaglet,

The secret is to not start from there.

Go some place closer and start. It makes for much shorter trip.

I can't even get there from here. My plan is to go to Dillon MT and start.

 

[Eaglet]

esshup,

That's a lot of driving!
--------------------------------
Roy,

You mean like... I go visiting someone I know lives in Idaho... and then from there keep on going... something like that?

 

[royinidaho]

Yep