Hunting with a Bolt Action as a Single Shot

General RE LEE

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I measured the CBTO and COAL for the Berger 180 grain VLD I plan on loading for my 7mm STW and got the COAL 0.015 off the lands to be 3.955". This well over the 3.65" magazine length in the Rem 700 Sendero.

Anyone hunt with their bolt action as a single shot to accommodate the extra COAL from a long bullet or throat in their rifle?
 
I haven't done exactly that, but haven't ever really come across a situation while hunting big game where it would have mattered much. As long as you know where your ammo is, and you've done it a few times, single shots can be surprisingly quick to reload. My 375 cheytac is a repeater, but I've never fed a round out of the mag, it's a single shot to me, and as long as I'm not looking for a follow up in under a couple seconds it doesn't matter. For a long range rifle, I wouldn't really care if it was a single shot. For a brush gun, I wouldn't prefer it, but could make it work. It's all about practice, I like repeaters because it's an easy place to keep a couple extra rounds, not really about the speed of the next shot. Those times can and do happen, but it's not on the top of my list of important things. Follow up shots are pretty rare for me and not something I prioritize. To each their own.
 
Looks like my hunting rifles are going to be well over magazine length to get .015 from the lands. I did find they have a M+ magazine available for the T3x I ordered from Europtic which will allow 2.9" OAL in 6.5 Creedmoor
 
I haven't had to do a follow up shot on big game either. On varmints I've had to do a follow up shot or have multiple target scenarios with fast multiple shots. I train for follow up or multiple shots.
 
No, but I never intend to make a follow up shot, nor have had to.
Never have had to make a follow up shot?

I make them way more often than I'd like to admit, but then again, between whitetail, coyotes, and small game, I probably hunt 150 days a year, and in total, (not even going to try to count flying birds), I probably kill 60-80 animals each year. Some years I do better than others. My follow up shot percentage would easily be double digits consistently..
 
Did you actually shoot it to find 0.015" off is where you need to be? Or just racing paper to get a starting point?

Secant ogive bullets can have a second (or even a better first) node sat deeper into the case. Berger recommends backing out in 0.040" increments with their VLDs: (note that is for secant ogive VLDS only, they recommend starting at 0.015" off and backing out by 0.005" for tangent and hybrid ogive)
1. .010 off the lands (jump)
2. .050 off the lands (jump)
3. .090 off the lands (jump)
4. .130 off the lands (jump)

I thought I was going to have a 300 RUM at 3.820" with 210 VLDs but the 3.7xxs are looking more promising so far. Probably still doing the 4" Wyatt's just because if the action is coming out for the cuts, might as well go all the way. Not sure what barrel it'll wear in the future.
 
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