Thanks

[Hicks]

Well, I have to brag a little bit. I also need to extend my gratitude to the site and those here who I've learned so much from. I appreciate the knowledge and wisdom from those who've replied to the threads I've started in which I asked a bunch of junior level questions. I've only known about this site for about 4 months; I was turned on to it by my dad who kept sending me links to interesting articles and thread posted here. He made to initial jump into the RUM world about 3 years ago and I did the same about 16 months ago with a new Remington 700 CDL in 7mm RUM. If I knew then what I know now I'd have got it in .300 RUM, like he did, but that's neither here no there. In any case I was able to turn what was literally a 4+ inch rifle into this:

This is a group I shot last Wednesday evening after reading, reading, asking questions, and more reading. To date this is the best group I've shot with any rifle ever. 3 shots at only 100 yards but you have to crawl before you walk, and in this case crawling consisted just getting a tight group on paper. The longer ranges will come. I know this because I now have confidence in my rifle. My setup is this: 700 CDL in 7mm RUM, Leupold 6.5 - 20 X 40mm AO, 160gr Accubond in front of 92 grains of Retumbo, Remington 9.5 primer, Remington brass. I'm guessing the speed is somewhere right around 3200fps as we could not get the chrono to work. I'll figure that one out later. In total I've spent about 10 hours pillar bedding the stock (which I consider the $200 a gunsmith would charge a REAL bargain), and about 2 hours sweating over a stock Remington trigger which I have breaking at just under 2lbs. I invested in some good cleaning equipment and a first rate ballistics program. I'm not quite satisfied with the Retumbo, but as hunting season arrived last Saturday I'll go with what I've got so far. I have not delved into the far reaches yet, but I intend to do so this winter and spring. And again after MANY hours reading threads on this site, this next picture made it all worth while.

I got this guy just after he woke up from a nap, 11:45 am last Saturday. After some hijinks with my Dad's trusty yardage pro he was able to range the shot at 367 yards. This is my longest kill. I'm sure that there will be longer ones in my future, but for now I'm very happy that I get to put this guy on the wall. So, to everybody here, a very appreciative and humble thanks.

Hicks

 

[ss7mm]

Sounds like you're hooked now. Looks like you did a pretty good job in changing the habits of your rifle. That's quite an improvement.

Great looking speed goat and 367 yards is nothing to sneeze at. You'll be stretching her out soon from the sounds of things. Keep us posted.

 

[Len Backus]

Hicks, guys like you are the main mission of this site. I am glad things are working out for you.

 

[Joel Russo]

Congratulations Hicks..

It's a slippery slope from here....

 

[lovdasnow]

nice work, I've got that same gun in 300RUM, and it takes a lot of work, but you can get them to shoot. I'm not getting groups as good as that, but close.

I think my best is with H-1000, and 200gr AB. about a 1", 5 shot group at 200yds. I think all the work has made me want to get a custom rig more than ever.

nice job on that antelope!!! congrats.

 

[Hicks]

nice work, I've got that same gun in 300RUM, and it takes a lot of work, but you can get them to shoot. I'm not getting groups as good as that, but close.

I think my best is with H-1000, and 200gr AB. about a 1", 5 shot group at 200yds. I think all the work has made me want to get a custom rig more than ever.

nice job on that antelope!!! congrats.

Thanks a lot! I hope that I can get 1" groups at 200 yards. I'll be working on that this winter. If things don't go as well as I'd like with it I think I'll just plunk down the cash for a new barrel in .300 RUM. That will give me access to many attractive bullets. By the way, here is my dad with his antelope. He got it at something over 200 yards with his .300 RUM shooting 150gr Sierra GameKings, which took this guy right off his feet. We're pretty sure the speed on those is right around 3500fps (another reason to upgrade from a 7mm to a .300; I could never get that velocity...). He's a chronic lurker, so if you'd all be so kind please encourage him to post something.

Hicks

 

[elkstalker300]

I have the 300 RUM in the sendero, after a muzzle break and trigger job I am very pleased with the performance. Took my first antelope at 355 yds this year in southern new mexico, funest hunting I think I have ever been on. How the heck do you post pics with your stories

 

[jwp475]

Congradulations hicks to you and your Dad...............

 

[yotefever]

That's great, nice looking antelope!!
One thing I noticed in the pic is your safe hunting practices after the hunt. Your action was open and you were wearing glasses.
Our Specialty Pistols WY antelope hunt is in honor of one of our members that died in a hunting accident.
Keep up the good work!!!

Mike

 

[Hicks]

That's great, nice looking antelope!!
One thing I noticed in the pic is your safe hunting practices after the hunt. Your action was open and you were wearing glasses.
Our Specialty Pistols WY antelope hunt is in honor of one of our members that died in a hunting accident.
Keep up the good work!!!

Mike

Thanks. I always open the chamber when a gun is around, or I explicitly tell the folks I'm with that I'm on an empty chamber. When I was just starting out, maybe 12 years old, I left my loaded shotgun propped on a fence while I went off to the truck to get something. I was hunting with the "big guys" and I thought myself pretty grown up. When I came back, I noticed that the action was opened, which I had not done. Somebody that I greatly respect quietly told me, so no one could hear, that you never, ever leave a gun with a round in the chamber. He said that was a good way for someone to get killed. Now, no one got hurt, and nothing happened, but this was a lesson I should have learned in hunter safety or even earlier. Never the less I was embarrassed and I was ashamed; I was not as grown up as I thought, at least in the eyes of those around me. Luckily the only thing damaged was my pride. I have never forgot that lesson. In any case the older I get the more careful I have become. I can't imagine not being able to hunt, but just the same we all have a lot to loose.

Hicks

 

[Hicks]

I have the 300 RUM in the sendero, after a muzzle break and trigger job I am very pleased with the performance. Took my first antelope at 355 yds this year in southern new mexico, funest hunting I think I have ever been on. How the heck do you post pics with your stories

They grow them big in New Mexico I hear. I'd like to take a trip there some day. I have to agree that hunting antelope is the funnest hunting there is for me, at least from the hunting I've done. Before I shot that one, I passed up three others that morning, and we had to sneak carefully because of all the ancillary bucks trying to get in on this guy's hot does. I might change my mind though after I (some day) hunt Marco Polo sheep.

The pictures have to be loaded from a web server, you can't insert them. I think it has to do with storage limitations, but I'm not sure. I used Webshots - Photo Sharing, Free Wallpaper and Free Screensavers. It was pretty simple to set up an account and you can link to various sizes for the pic you want to include. When you want to insert a pic, just hit the little button up above that looks like a picture of a mountain. A pop up dialog box will appear and all you have to do is paste the location of the pic.

Hicks