Eddybos Oryx rifle pretty much ready to ship....

[Fiftydriver]

James,

In my testing of my 375 Allen Magnum which has roughly 10-12 grains more capacity then the 375 Chey Tac, I would have to say that if we had the right bullets it would be a better choice then the 338 AM. With the bullets we have access to, basically the 350 gr SMK that are affordable anyway, it will match the 338 AM in velocity at 3300 fps. The BC of the 350 gr and 300 gr SMK are both said to be exactly the same at 0.780. In my testing the 300 gr SMK is roughly .800 out of the 338 AM and the 350 gr SMK closer to 0.770 but very close. Basically, out to a mile or so, they are pretty much ballistic twins but the 375 has a higher kenetic energy payload.

If we could get a lead core, aluminum tipped 375 bullet with a BC in the .9 range, it would truely be an amazing machine. Pretty **** impressive as it is now. Well, actually amazingly impressive, I am just numbed to the performance having played with the 338 AM so much.

The barrel life on the 375 would be far superior as well. I have word from several bullet makers that there will be more lead core 375 bullets coming out soon for this type of use so when that happens it will be hard to pic one over the other.

As far as the 50 BMG, other then kenetic energy, it does not compare at all to either the 338 or the 375 on the Chey tac case with the right bullets. Windage it does pretty good but bullet drop is MUCH more then the smaller rounds.

ANd for all the fuss, and rifle weight and cost of bullets and powder, I would just as soon have the ballistic performance in a portable rifle.

 

[esshup]

Eddybos:

Just make sure that the stand that is holding the steel gong is strong as well. 2 shots with Kirby's .375 was all it took to knock his steel gong over @ 868 Yds!

Nice looking rig to say the least. I figure that I've got about 9 months to wait for mine. 6 months for parts, and 3 months for Kirby to build it & get the bugs worked out.

 

[eddybo]

Okay I have been busy as a one armed paper hanger but I got a chance to shoot a few more rounds through this rifle. I am really slipping because my round count is now 6, actually 5 for me and one for a buddy. I took one of the cases that I fired on Friday afternoon cleaned the neck sized it and cleaned the primer pockets. I then primed the case poured 140gr of BMG in and seated a 300 SMK.
Got set up on the bench and sent one down range. I jumped in the truck and rode to the target marked the hole lightly so I would know which hole was which. First shot was about 6 inches below my POA. Drove back and reloaded the case and fired again. Same drill until I had a 3 shot group on my 800 yard target.
I do not think I will be doing any load work.

Sorry about the pic apparently my camera fogged up when it came out of the AC into the 90 degree heat. But the 3 shots right above the poison can are the 3 shots I fired today. I have shot a couple of groups better than this with other frifles but know I actually cant hold much better than this and anything I shoot smaller than 1/4 MOA at 800 yards is a comedy of errors.

Kirby did a great job with his stock work on this one. The finish is as good as I have seen and it shoots as well as anything I own. That big slab brake is something else. It is very gentle for the shooter, but do not stand behind anyone capping a 338AM with one of these brakes.

Thanks Kirby. I am very pleased and impressed. It has been a pleasure dealing with you. I think she is going to be a shooter. I saw a couple of guys arguing whose 338AM was the best........I think I have a dog in that hunt now

 

[jmden]

That is impressive. I'm trying hard not to be jealous! Thanks for the pics.

 

[Fiftydriver]

Great shooting. I think she will serve you well for a long time to come. I believe there will be an oryx in some serious trouble. Remember the pics, at least what you can get so I can put some on the APS Wall of Fame!!!

Pleasure doing business with you as well.

 

[eddybo]

Kirby,
As I told you, I will not be shooting my gong very much with this one....here is why.

That crater has to be 1/2 inch deep. Nothing has done that kind of damage to my steel. That thing has probably been slapped 1500 times by everything from a 223 with 52gr bullets to a 300 wby with 208gr bullets. The only rounds that it isnt immune to are APS rounds. I was surprised what the 270AM did to it, but dumbfounded by what the 338AM did. That was actually the first round I fired out of the gun. I just bore sighted by looking down the barrel it and dialed up 11 MOA. I still do not have a 100 yd zero. I will wait on that drop chart your sending me to get my zero then I will confirm it. I have a place to shoot a mile lined up if I can ever get out of the office and quit playing with my mill and lathe.

Here is what the the 270AM did. Impressive but not as kick butt as the 338AM.

 

[eddybo]

I finally got to try the new rifle out at longer range. I wanted to try a mile but the spot I got permission to use was only 1401 yards. I had a 6.5 MPH wind coming from 1 o clock. I dialed in my info from exbal 31.5 MOA I think. I fired two rounds and drove to the target. I found two holes in the big dirt pile just left of my two foot wide target, but very close to each other. I drove back to the rifle where I realized I forgot to dial in the 1.5 MOA windage. I dialed it in and fired one shot, then let my buddy shoot one. We drove back to the target. We found two holes a tad over 6 inches apart with equal parts elevation and windage. The holes were pretty much centerd up on the target so I guess I am ready. I will not be shooting that far on my upcoming hunt, but it is nice to know that the guns capable.

I let my buddy shoot the 270AM to get it ready as my back up rifle. (Since I blew up my other back up rifle) I told him to dial up a full turn and 9 more MOA in addition to the 12.9 MOA that was alreadydialed in. He went one turn plus 9 clicks instead and proceeded to burn up all 3 rounds kicking up dust. I found the mistake fixed it and he scored a 1.5 MOA low center hit on the 3 foot x 2 foot target with the fourth and last round we had with us.

At least I havent destroyed anything in the last couple of days. I guess I get it honest, my grandpa once burned down his tractor and his barn when he forgot to turn off the diesel pump after filling his tractor before he left for deer camp. 500 gallons of diesl ran out on the ground before something ignited it. I get so excited about hunting that I get ahead of myself. I have been having to tell myself to slow down before I mess with anything critical. I just get scatter brained before a hunt.

 

[Fiftydriver]

I suspect your leaving pretty soon?

Keep us posted. Take your time, run through your mental or writen check list before the shot to make sure you do not forget anything, like windage adjustment of compensation.

She will serve you well, just have to make sure you remember to tell her what you want her to do with the adjustments!!!!

Good luck, have fun. Full report when you get back.

 

[eddybo]

The staff on the range and the new mexico game officials were all very nice folks who were very helpful and personable. I am not going to say anything about the hunters as I do not want my BP to spike.

I took a mature animal for meat on the way off of the range. He had two broken horns and was traveling with a nice but immature bull. The conservationist in me kicked in and I took the old broken horn. I wish that I could have found a cow for meat but the animals were spooky by then and it was the last minute of my hunt. I held out too long for a trophy.....everyone does it occasionally.

The only great thing about the hunt was the number of animals on the range, they are everywhere. I would love to just ride around out there one day when they were not being harassed by truck hunters.

If anyone makes that hunt planning to use a bipod, there will be areas that you are not going to be able to set up.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Sorry to hear that it was crouded with undesireable hunters. Tell us how the rifle performed. What was your shot? How did the bullet do? etc.

Glad you got one. Does it taste good?

Steve

 

[eddybo]

The 338 AM worked flawlessly....but I shot the oryx with my 270 AM at only 380 yards. The 169 WC did not exit from the heart shot and I didnt even try and recover the bullet. From the reaction of the oryx I would say it did the trick.
I didnt process the animal because I was leaving for TX instead of home, but had an opportunity to eat oryx on 3 occasions while I was there. Right now I would say that oryx is the best wild game that I have ever put in my mouth. I cant wait for the meat to arrive. It is better than axis deer or buffalo or elk and it doesnt leave a film in your mouth when you eat it cold.

I am not going into the several misses that I had because my scope was still dialed up for a longer shot I have to get some zero stops.

I think the biggest problem I had on this hunt was the fact that I cannot set up quick enough and refused to rush it. If anyone saw you setting up for a shot they would rush to where you were looking. I had this happen 3 times. Seems like some of the hunters were watching each other more than the animals. I spoke with at least 4 groups of hunters who had similar problems. At one time I had a guy take a 800 yard shot at a bull I was getting ready to shoot at less than 400 yards. This "hunter" saw that we were set up to take the shot. I swear I think he did it to run the animals off. Another guy ran his truck into a herd and ran them off after I had everything dialed in to make a 600 yard shot. He was going to where we were looking and couldnt even see the animals until he had run right in amongst them.

 

[Buffalobob]

My condolences on the hunt. Getting involved with fools and idiots can ruin a hunt very quickly.

I would suggest that when you get a chance, that you lay out all your equipment that is needed for a shot on the floor and stare at it and remove the stuff that is not needed and when you get it down to only what is needed, you try to get it organized. The objective is to have a pack where everything is very quick to reach and everything has a pocket and place and hanger etc. Nothing should ever be in the wrong place and nothing should ever be missing. Shop around and get an assortment of gear carrying items and tailor the pack system to your preferences. A bottomless pit pack where all stuff is just dumped in is the very worst way to go. Even then there is a lot of time involved in ranging distances and measuring wind and tapping on the PDA.

If you are using NFs, then they will retrofit a zero stop for you. I had it done to one of mine because I cannot ever remember to reset my scopes.

 

[eddybo]

BB,

Sage advice, wish I had heard it before now. I was using a canvas mail carriers pouch. It is not the best option for hunting. I have been using it when I travel over to the place where I shoot longer ranges. It worked fine for that purpose, but in a hunting situation where time was limited it was useless. If hunting unmolested animals it probably would have been fine, but animals that were being herded made this systems shortcomings apparent.

I have an offer to take 10 people on a cow elk hunt in NM for a decent price considering the accomadations. The guides will be long range friendly. I am hoping to put the oryx rifle to better use on this hunt.

BTW the cost on the cow elk hunt is 1100 all inclusive including meals tags lodging in a really great lodge for 5 days. I think it would be worth that just for the accomadations, especially considering the view. I have a few slots left to fill if anyone here is interested. The ranch is 66K acres, not sure we will get to hunt the bottom half, but we probably will.

 

[rdc]

I think the biggest problem I had on this hunt was the fact that I cannot set up quick enough and refused to rush it. If anyone saw you setting up for a shot they would rush to where you were looking. I had this happen 3 times. Seems like some of the hunters were watching each other more than the animals. I spoke with at least 4 groups of hunters who had similar problems. At one time I had a guy take a 800 yard shot at a bull I was getting ready to shoot at less than 400 yards. This "hunter" saw that we were set up to take the shot. I swear I think he did it to run the animals off. Another guy ran his truck into a herd and ran them off after I had everything dialed in to make a 600 yard shot. He was going to where we were looking and couldnt even see the animals until he had run right in amongst them.

Welcome to NM!! Did the ugly hunters have white tags front and back or were they yellow. I've had people drive across country as I crawled while muzzle load hunting antelope. Needless to say that was my last muzzle load hunt after 3 days of crawling to have a **** truck jump up from no where and come hauling *** to my intended buck. We need a more serious effort of enforcement in NM. And it shames me that you were treated that way. NM is screwed up but most of the pig hunters are not NM natives!!