Although I am new to this forum I am not new to hunting, although I have come back to it after a layoff of a number of years. I spent almost 20 years in Northwest Montana, and during most of my time there I both hunted and guided in what can honestly be call God's country. Due to a combination of things, including a divorce, a few motorcycle crashes and job demands, as well as a move to New Mexico, I was out of both hunting and shooting for a number of years and only got back to it a few years ago, right after Obama was elected, which made it fun trying to find components.
Since then I have gotten involved in IDPA, qualified for 1000 yards and shot F Class and am now shooting tactical matches but all of those motorcycle crashes and falls from horses caused me a few back surgeries and I am at the point where I am also pulled out of line when I go through the metal detectors at the airport, so hunting was not up there on the list. But I figured what the heck, its time to get back into hunting, which presented me with the dilemma of choosing a rifle, primarily for deer and antelope, as my elk hunting days are behind me.
I have always been both a fan and a proponent of shooting lighter bullets at higher velocities and although I have missed my share of animals I have never lost one that I have hit. I shot 210 Nosler partitions out of my 338, 165 Speer Grand Slams from my 308 Norma Magnum mountain rifle and 100 grain Nosler Partitions out of my 25-06. So, after doing a bit of research I decided on one of the newer short magnums and bought a Savage Model 11FCNS in 270 WSM with q 24 " barrel, Accustock and Accutrigger. I also had a brake installed by Score High Gunsmithing in Albuquerque, who does fabulous work. Consistent with my history, I chose 130 grain bullets for the type of hunting I would be doing, i.e., deer and antelope.
Well, to make an already too long story short, I tested some loads today and to my great surprise and enjoyment a found that over my chronograph this rifle is pushing 130 grain Nosler Accubonds in front of 74 grains of Magpro and Federal 215M primer at 3,530 fps and shooting .80 MOA groups.
Let's hear it for progress and sorry about all of the babbling.
Since then I have gotten involved in IDPA, qualified for 1000 yards and shot F Class and am now shooting tactical matches but all of those motorcycle crashes and falls from horses caused me a few back surgeries and I am at the point where I am also pulled out of line when I go through the metal detectors at the airport, so hunting was not up there on the list. But I figured what the heck, its time to get back into hunting, which presented me with the dilemma of choosing a rifle, primarily for deer and antelope, as my elk hunting days are behind me.
I have always been both a fan and a proponent of shooting lighter bullets at higher velocities and although I have missed my share of animals I have never lost one that I have hit. I shot 210 Nosler partitions out of my 338, 165 Speer Grand Slams from my 308 Norma Magnum mountain rifle and 100 grain Nosler Partitions out of my 25-06. So, after doing a bit of research I decided on one of the newer short magnums and bought a Savage Model 11FCNS in 270 WSM with q 24 " barrel, Accustock and Accutrigger. I also had a brake installed by Score High Gunsmithing in Albuquerque, who does fabulous work. Consistent with my history, I chose 130 grain bullets for the type of hunting I would be doing, i.e., deer and antelope.
Well, to make an already too long story short, I tested some loads today and to my great surprise and enjoyment a found that over my chronograph this rifle is pushing 130 grain Nosler Accubonds in front of 74 grains of Magpro and Federal 215M primer at 3,530 fps and shooting .80 MOA groups.
Let's hear it for progress and sorry about all of the babbling.
