Buffalobob
Well-Known Member
After wandering around the megalopolis of Fort Shaw lost for a little while I finally arrived at APS. I was kind of like going into Baskin Robbins and having them ask what kind of ice cream do you want. There were guns everywhere of every shape and all kinds of metal workinging machines. Most of my attention was fixed upon a certain long barrel gun in a black A-5 with green and orange tiger stripes. Kirby asked me if I had ever seen a 7AM case and a wildcat bullet and when he showed them to me all I could do is laugh. It was kind of like pulling up the hood on a vette and seeing a 454 with a big carb. You just know you are going to be having a fun time with that.
Because I was going to be out scouting and hunting for two months Kirby had run a field test to check to see how much elevation I had on the scope and assured me that the gun was set up for 100 to very nearly 1800 yds. Then Kirby took all of my brass and ran it through a series of neck collets to get it down to 284 diameter. This eased up me having to be necking down brass out in the sage brush.
Drove over Bannock Pass into Idaho and decided it was time to call it a day so I took the first Forest Service road I came to and drove down it to Wildcat Creek and pitched my tent. I thought it was appropriate to start to work on the 7AM on Wildcat Creek. I did some of my cornmeal fire forming of brass there.
Here are the specifications of the gun
Lilja 34 in , 9 twist four groove barrel fluted (some contour that I do not remember, it was what ever Kirby recommended) - allows one setback if ever needed and as we have seen delivers a dump truck load of velocity - 3340fps w/ 200gr Wildcat
Nesika Model M single shot action with Nesika 20 MOA rail(courtesy of Ballistic 64 of this forum)
Night force Scope 8 X32 X 56mm NPR2 reticle
Somebody's rings with more bolts and screws than I have ever seen in my life. The cross bolt has a nut that is bigger than the lugs on my tires
Jewel trigger set a 2.3 # ( when I fall down one of these steep Idaho mountains I don't want the gun to go off)
Shawn Carlock Brake - For some reason I got a four slot brake
A5 Stock w/ adjustable cheek piece and butt plate, 4 flush cups and a bipod stud
I don't have a clue as to the trigger guard except that is black crinkle and really nice and fits with the finish of the stock.
And 500 wildcat 200 gr RBBT bullets
I would say that my general instructions to Kirby was that I wanted a gun capable of delivering a lethal strike on an elk at a range of up to 1500yds. While my present level of ability might not be up to the gun, I once was that good and with practice may yet regain those skills. Kirby was a pleasure to work with and as the gun unfolded was always on top of the issues and there was never any time when we disagreed on strategy. Many people have horror stories about Mac A5 stocks being late but Kirby insured that mine was done when it needed to be. Kirby said he would try to have my gun done by the first of October and he had it ready by early September.
Here is my camp on Wildcat Creek
The elk gun
Because I was going to be out scouting and hunting for two months Kirby had run a field test to check to see how much elevation I had on the scope and assured me that the gun was set up for 100 to very nearly 1800 yds. Then Kirby took all of my brass and ran it through a series of neck collets to get it down to 284 diameter. This eased up me having to be necking down brass out in the sage brush.
Drove over Bannock Pass into Idaho and decided it was time to call it a day so I took the first Forest Service road I came to and drove down it to Wildcat Creek and pitched my tent. I thought it was appropriate to start to work on the 7AM on Wildcat Creek. I did some of my cornmeal fire forming of brass there.
Here are the specifications of the gun
Lilja 34 in , 9 twist four groove barrel fluted (some contour that I do not remember, it was what ever Kirby recommended) - allows one setback if ever needed and as we have seen delivers a dump truck load of velocity - 3340fps w/ 200gr Wildcat
Nesika Model M single shot action with Nesika 20 MOA rail(courtesy of Ballistic 64 of this forum)
Night force Scope 8 X32 X 56mm NPR2 reticle
Somebody's rings with more bolts and screws than I have ever seen in my life. The cross bolt has a nut that is bigger than the lugs on my tires
Jewel trigger set a 2.3 # ( when I fall down one of these steep Idaho mountains I don't want the gun to go off)
Shawn Carlock Brake - For some reason I got a four slot brake
A5 Stock w/ adjustable cheek piece and butt plate, 4 flush cups and a bipod stud
I don't have a clue as to the trigger guard except that is black crinkle and really nice and fits with the finish of the stock.
And 500 wildcat 200 gr RBBT bullets
I would say that my general instructions to Kirby was that I wanted a gun capable of delivering a lethal strike on an elk at a range of up to 1500yds. While my present level of ability might not be up to the gun, I once was that good and with practice may yet regain those skills. Kirby was a pleasure to work with and as the gun unfolded was always on top of the issues and there was never any time when we disagreed on strategy. Many people have horror stories about Mac A5 stocks being late but Kirby insured that mine was done when it needed to be. Kirby said he would try to have my gun done by the first of October and he had it ready by early September.
Here is my camp on Wildcat Creek
The elk gun
