The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Hunt

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old January 28, 2018, 02:08 AM   #26
FrankenMauser
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 25, 2008
Location: In the valley above the plain
Posts: 13,400
Quote:
Hey me too. When you travel 300+ miles it's good to have a back up. Never needed one but it's good to have.
I do the same. --Sometimes with "alternates" as well as "backups".

The first two times I didn't take a backup, I needed a backup.
1. Scope lost zero. --Borrowed a rifle and made an amazing shot an hour later.
2. Scope failed. --Got the job done with the broken scope, but... Worst hunting experience of my life.
3. Trigger decided to stop functioning. --Grabbed the backup and filled both tags with ease.

I always have a backup now, even if it's also an "alternate" -- like a Marlin 336 .30-30 with iron sights backing up and also offering an alternative to a scoped .270 Win.

Sometimes, though... There are dozens of rifles in our hunting camps.
In 2019, for example, my family has a special hunt planned in one of the wilderness areas in Idaho.
Day one is lever-guns or single-shots only. (Special exception made for my father with his .450 Nitro double rifle, as he doesn't have a single-shot or lever-gun and doesn't want to buy or borrow one, but the double is close enough.)
Day two is mil-surps only. (Sporters allowed without optics.)
Day three is 'favorites'. (Your favorite legal hunting rifle. -- 90% will be scoped .270s or .30-06s.)
From then on, it's whatever you feel like hauling up and down the mountain(s).

So, at a minimum, each of us will bring two rifles. Those that will be loaning out mil-surps, single-shots, or lever-guns will have to bring those, as well. Most of us will also have backups.
At last count, I have to plan on taking nine rifles, and one of my brothers will have to take at least six. Fifteen rifles (plus ammo!), between two people, plus what the other party members are bringing to fill the slots that they can.
Plus... Most of us will have at least one rimfire rifle and at least one shotgun.
It's going to be a bit ridiculous...
__________________
Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.
FrankenMauser is offline  
Old January 28, 2018, 08:38 AM   #27
thallub
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 20, 2007
Location: South Western OK
Posts: 3,112
Never carried two rifles in the woods. Sometimes i took both a muzzleloader and center fire rifle into my stand or blind. That was not practical and i quit.
thallub is offline  
Old January 29, 2018, 12:50 PM   #28
Tallest
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 23, 2016
Location: West of the Atlantic
Posts: 418
Quote:
My answer for a very similar situation is a 7mm-08 with a 140 partition at about 2800 fps. Nosler actually offers this as a factory load
I have not tried the partitions... depending how the Sierra GKs work, I'll put the partitions, expen$ive as they are , on the short list of go-tos. Not the first time I've read good things about them.
__________________
Matthew

"All men are ignorant. The topics of our ignorance may vary, but the nature of the world is that no man may know everything." ~ R Jordan
Tallest is offline  
Old January 29, 2018, 01:03 PM   #29
Tallest
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 23, 2016
Location: West of the Atlantic
Posts: 418
Quote:
Isn't legal everywhere to have 2 rifles in the blind. However, if you know where your rifle shoots at 50 to 480 you're good for all distances in between too. Regardless of the terrain. The terrain isn't a consideration when sighting in anyway. And there isn't enough meat on Bambi's ribs for there to be significant meat loss.
"...the crest of a flat, wooded ridge..." So your shots are all down hill?
"...the right gun for the distance..." It's not the rifle. It's the shooter.
Not all shots are down hill. The crest where the tree line is looks down hill to the east, and levels out flat, and wooded, to the west.

And while I get the point behind "It's not the rifle. It's the shooter," I think that's bit of an oversimplification. I am not an expert marksman, but I am a proficient shooter. I don't take dumb shots, and I hit where I aim a large majority of the time. That said, hitting where I aim is, at least in part, a product of the machinery. And a 30-30 is not the right rifle, for a 400 yd shot. Conversely, while a 7mm-08 will kill really nice and dead at 20 yds or a 500, it destroys more meat at 50 yds than a 30-30 does. Hence the original question.

I can shoot the shoulder to knock them down right there and absorb a lot of bullet energy. But the shoulders make dang good jerky, and if I'm honest, I'm a jerky fiend! So... I prefer behind the shoulder into the boiler room without one massive exit wound or 7 small ones.
__________________
Matthew

"All men are ignorant. The topics of our ignorance may vary, but the nature of the world is that no man may know everything." ~ R Jordan
Tallest is offline  
Old January 29, 2018, 01:05 PM   #30
Tallest
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 23, 2016
Location: West of the Atlantic
Posts: 418
Quote:
So, at a minimum, each of us will bring two rifles. Those that will be loaning out mil-surps, single-shots, or lever-guns will have to bring those, as well. Most of us will also have backups.
At last count, I have to plan on taking nine rifles, and one of my brothers will have to take at least six. Fifteen rifles (plus ammo!), between two people, plus what the other party members are bringing to fill the slots that they can.
Plus... Most of us will have at least one rimfire rifle and at least one shotgun.
It's going to be a bit ridiculous...
Nothing wrong with ridiculous!
__________________
Matthew

"All men are ignorant. The topics of our ignorance may vary, but the nature of the world is that no man may know everything." ~ R Jordan
Tallest is offline  
Old January 29, 2018, 02:43 PM   #31
Picher
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 14, 2004
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,694
I can't imagine having more than one rifle in the field or blind. Just be sure you have a rifle that will kill deer out to 400 yards, but try to keep shots inside of that, due to trajectory drop-off and poor hits. I've used a .270 Win for about 20 years and an '06 before that.

Use a 3-9X scope and zero it to not be above or below the kill zone between the muzzle and 350 yards. At longer distances, you might want to shoot for the shoulder instead of lung-heart, so you don't have to trail it far. Set it at 6x to handle moving deer, but still be able to shoot accurately beyond 300 yds. (I use and recommend Leupold VX2 40mm).

Consider using Winchester's new Deer Season XP ammo, since it seems to be the near-perfect ammo for deer, according to recent magazine articles and accuracy testing in my .270 Win. (It seems like a good step-up and I may use it instead of my whiz-bang handloads.)

Seems like you have a great stand. Hope you can just relax and enjoy hunting. It's not brain surgery, (unless you try for head shots).
Picher is offline  
Old January 29, 2018, 04:40 PM   #32
Doyle
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 20, 2007
Location: Rainbow City, Alabama
Posts: 7,167
Tallest, I've had great success on hogs using Sierra GK's in .260. Unfortunately, they have been largely unobtainable in recent years so my supply is almost gone. I haven't checked in the last few months to see how available they are now.
Doyle is offline  
Old January 30, 2018, 08:19 AM   #33
GeauxTide
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 20, 2009
Location: Helena, AL
Posts: 4,415
Quote:
I always took two rifles to the hunt camp, "in case of in case" that one of them had some problem. But just one when actually hunting.
Bring the rifle to the stand that will handle the longest range. I would re-think the handgun. I've been carrying 44 Special and 45 Colt revolvers. Shooting hard cast bullets at 1000fps, they will blow through deer and hogs from any angle without meat loss.
GeauxTide is offline  
Old January 30, 2018, 09:33 AM   #34
jackstrawIII
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 20, 2016
Location: Upstate NY.
Posts: 901
I'm with the guys that say to plan for the long range shot, and if you want to shoot a deer closer, just do it. Use a bonded bullet that won't explode on impact, and you're good to go.

If it were me (and I wish it was!) I'd bring the 7mm08 loaded with Accubonds. They'll open well and stay together (not explode or shrapnel) over a wide range of velocities. Also, consider using a heavier bullet that leaves the barrel a bit slower. It will give excellent long range performance, and also not be quite so hot for the short range shots.

Or just bring two guns, we won't judge.
__________________
In God we trust.
jackstrawIII is offline  
Old January 30, 2018, 11:46 PM   #35
Prof Young
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 21, 2007
Location: Illinois - down state
Posts: 2,399
Tried it a couple of times.

I've squirrel hunted with a 410 pump and a 22 semiauto in tow. 410 for tree shots in a direction where I don't want the bullet to travel far and 22 for shots on the ground.

Now I have a Savage 42 with a 410 lower under a 22 mag upper. Great squirrel gun.

Life is good.
Prof Young
Prof Young is offline  
Old January 31, 2018, 11:43 AM   #36
the possum
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 6, 2004
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 555
There have been times I carried two muzzle loaders up in the stand, since I had multiple tags & wanted a quick second shot.

In your case, it sounds like the stand is large enough that you'd have to switch positions to get a shot out of either side. So you could just leave one gun at each window and pick up the appropriate one as you switch back and forth, if that's what you wanna do.

I tend to agree with the others that any gun that will kill a deer at 400 yards should do the same at 50, and choosing the proper bullet and/or shot placement should take care of excessive meat damage. But in the end, don't let anyone tell you how to enjoy your hunt. If it makes you happy to keep a dozen guns at hand, then do so.
the possum is offline  
Old January 31, 2018, 12:45 PM   #37
RaySendero
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 23, 2010
Location: US South
Posts: 857
I have never taken 2 rifles to a blind.
I don't get this "2 rifle thing"!?

Our hunting lease has a rule:
If a yot or hog shows up the hunt is over;
we are asked to shoot the yot/hog.
Doesn't matter to me what rifle I have - I shoot the yot or hog.

If I'm deer hunting - rabbits and grouse get a pass.
If I'm hunting rabbits/grouse - the deer get a pass.
Yots and hogs get NO pass regardless of the rifle I have on hand.
__________________
Ray

Last edited by RaySendero; January 31, 2018 at 12:51 PM.
RaySendero is offline  
Old January 31, 2018, 01:00 PM   #38
Tallest
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 23, 2016
Location: West of the Atlantic
Posts: 418
Quote:
I've squirrel hunted with a 410 pump and a 22 semiauto in tow. 410 for tree shots in a direction where I don't want the bullet to travel far and 22 for shots on the ground.

Now I have a Savage 42 with a 410 lower under a 22 mag upper. Great squirrel gun.
Neither situation or the solution seems relevant to my question.. unless of course, I want to invest in a custom double rifle...

Quote:
I have never taken 2 rifles to a blind.
I don't get this "2 rifle thing"!?
I don't think it's a thing. It's a question - which I took time to explain in detail. I guess not getting it led to your response that had little bearing on what I asked.

All that aside... I appreciate everyone's feedback. Still not sure what next season will look like, but I have some good content to consider.

Thank you all!
__________________
Matthew

"All men are ignorant. The topics of our ignorance may vary, but the nature of the world is that no man may know everything." ~ R Jordan
Tallest is offline  
Old January 31, 2018, 01:01 PM   #39
rodwhaincamo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 7, 2009
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,246
Not familiar with how the action works but the idea of a barrel swap on a T/C seems a lightweight option if it's easy and quiet to swap them. Maybe have the close in barrel attached with the long range barrel off to the side where time and noise may not be quite the issue.

I've been intending on buying a few barrels for my Lyman muzzleloader to do just this. A handy carbine for patched ball, a shorty .54 cal for thick stuff or tracking a wounded hog, a .45 or .50 with either peep sights or a Malcolm style scope for fields, and a barrel reamed to 28 ga. However I need a punch and mallet to pull and seat a barrel. I could do it quiet enough as it doesn't too much effort.

Or maybe you should practice shooting with a pistol, especially something like a T/C Contender as it can be chambered in something good out to 100 yds and scoped if you wish.
rodwhaincamo is offline  
Old January 31, 2018, 10:18 PM   #40
Panfisher
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 30, 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,337
My 7-08 also loves 120 grain Barnes TSX bullets. I guaranty you are not going to drive them fast enough to blow up. Shoot them behind the shoulders and lungs go "poof". An improperly handled .30-30 will damage more meat than a properly handled 7-08. If you can hit one with a .30 30 you can most certainly place the bullet precisely with a scoped 08. However there is certainly nothing wrong with packing 2 or 3 rifles to the stand if that is what you want to do.
Panfisher is offline  
Old March 2, 2018, 06:57 AM   #41
WV_gunner
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 14, 2011
Location: WV
Posts: 938
Illegal here. And a .30-30 will kill fine at 400 yards.
WV_gunner is offline  
Old March 2, 2018, 07:39 AM   #42
Tallest
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 23, 2016
Location: West of the Atlantic
Posts: 418
Does anyone hunt with dual long guns?

Quote:
Originally Posted by WV_gunner View Post
Illegal here. And a .30-30 will kill fine at 400 yards.


And a 4 oz. ball peen hammer will drive a 16P framing nail. Doesn’t make it the right tool.

Most 30-30 rounds have dropped 42”+ at 400 yds, and that’s more holdover than I’d like.

Much more importantly, 200 yds is the just about the max for reliable bullet expansion. After that, your velocity is diminishing too fast. At 400 yds you’re likely sub-1200fps.

That’s just not the right way to do it... for me at least


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Tallest is offline  
Old March 2, 2018, 07:41 AM   #43
Doyle
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 20, 2007
Location: Rainbow City, Alabama
Posts: 7,167
Plus the fact that getting "minute of deer" accuracy at 400 yds is EXTREMELY rare in a lever-action rifle.
Doyle is offline  
Old March 2, 2018, 10:10 AM   #44
Lohman446
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 22, 2016
Posts: 2,192
I know someone who carries a crossbow and a rifle when hunting. He figures shots with a rifle in one particular direction are not safe due to the angle of terrain and proximity of neighbors. Its the closest thing I have heard that makes "sense" to me. Touting a rifle and a crossbow out to the blind seems like a pretty big commitment to me.
Lohman446 is offline  
Old March 2, 2018, 04:55 PM   #45
Rachen
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 10, 2006
Location: Weekend cowboy
Posts: 542
In one of Dixie Gun Work's earlier Blackpowder Annuals there is a very interesting article titled "Backup Guns of the Buffalo Hunters", and it examines the gear and weapons carried by commercial hide-hunters of the middle and late 19th century on the Great Plains. The article states that some novice hunters would hit the field carrying only their massive "Buffalo Sharps" or Remington Rolling Blocks and literally trust their lives on just that one gun. And many of them lost their lives when bands of Comanches and Kiowa, enraged at the destruction of their chief meat animal would attack the hunters. The Sharps and Remmies were absolutely awesome guns and they fired a massive, hard-hitting round. But they only fired one round at a time and when you are only with a few others facing off against a band of 50-100 warriors with lances and repeaters, you are pretty much broiled alive.

According to that same article, by the late 1870s, it is not uncommon for a commercial hunter to carry a Sharps or Rolling Block as his main gun, but also a Model 1873 Winchester or Spencer has a backup. The leverguns were not just for defense against possible Indian raids. They were also for harvesting jackrabbits and other small game for the ranch wagon. You don't shoot a jack with a .45-70 and expect to see a lot of edible meat left afterward.
Rachen is offline  
Old March 2, 2018, 07:03 PM   #46
Hawg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,177
I have had similar situations and have never even considered a 2nd gun. I carried what I felt like hunting with that day and if something came up out of range I let it walk and didn't worry about it.
Hawg is offline  
Old March 3, 2018, 07:48 AM   #47
Schlitz 45
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 14, 2018
Location: Colorado
Posts: 383
I have only had one freezer filler gun for deer/elk/antelope over the last 40 years here in Colorado. Most kills were quick & close in heavy timber with a few long distance kills on the open plains. It was also my go to coyote getter on the farm/ranch. My trusty 308 has never let me down.
Schlitz 45 is offline  
Old March 3, 2018, 08:58 AM   #48
Sure Shot Mc Gee
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 2, 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,876
Oh ya: "Beware the man who only has one gun. He probably knows how to use it!" lol
Sure Shot Mc Gee is offline  
Old March 29, 2018, 07:16 AM   #49
Picher
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 14, 2004
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,694
I once hunted with a .22-250 and got several deer with it, but one day, was walking through the woods and saw a doe coming, so got behind a hardwood tree and waited until it was about 50 yards away and broadside. I noticed it was limping on one front leg, so didn't want to spoil a lot of meat and decided to shoot it in the head.

Well, I fired 5 times at the head, but as it limped, the head bobbed up and down, so I never hit it. Had to reload and shoot it through the lungs. What a frustrating experience!!!
Picher is offline  
Old March 29, 2018, 11:52 AM   #50
Don Fischer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 2, 2017
Posts: 1,868
I always have a backup rifle along but it stays in the Bronco unless I need it. Hunt elk now with my 30-06 and 6.5x55 along as back-up. wanting to do deer with my 308 and cast bullet's, back-up is the same 6.5x55. East of the cascade's for deer my 25-06 get's the call but same 6.5x55 back-up. Ya know I could just use that 6.5x55 for every where! Love that rifle and cartridge!
Don Fischer is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:39 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.13385 seconds with 10 queries