How much practice

[Bambistew]

So the wife and I bought a couple tickets to Montana. We plan on doing a little elk/deer hunting in November.

The question is... I have a rifle at my folks house. I haven't shot it in at least 3 years. Do you think we'll be ok if we just show up, cycle a couple through to check zero, and then go hunting? Pretty sure my wife hasn't shot it, but I can't remember, its a M700 in 7 Rem Mag. Its never failed to hold zero in the almost 20 years I've had it (dam I'm getting old)...

Should I load up a couple boxes of ammo to take with, and let the wife shoot it a bunch, or just wing it? She only been shooting/hunting for about 3 years.

The more I think about it I'm wondering if the long action and longer/heavier rifle will screw her up, she's used to a short action, and short rifle.

 

[THWAK1]

Show up and shoot it. If you don't have the ability to reload when you get here, I'd pass that option and buy some premium ammo instead. The reason being, if you are having trouble sighting in the rifle (or do a lot of shooting during season), all you have to do is go out and buy a couple more boxes of the same ammo instead of having to reload more.

 

[belly-deep]

Is this another one of your "questions"?

My advice: GO LOCAL STYLE...buy the cheapest crap you can find at Walmart, have some guy behind a gun counter "bore sight" it (thats good enough, don't ya know), then attempt some 600 yard shots. Its a 7 mag, so it will pretty much kill anything anywhere you hit it.

 

[T Bone]

I'd take her rifle with you.

 

[Bambistew]

I'm actually serious this time. I'm not supper worreid about it, but want to make sure the long action and longer barrel won't be harder to learn/shoot. A gun's a gun to me, but I've been shooting them since I was about 5. I know some people like short actions compared to long.

I'll take some reloads down with me just in case we need some trigger time. I have the recipe, and components.

 

[Oak]

Is this another one of your "questions"?

I get the feeling the point of Bambi's questions are generally to see how many of us answer correctly.

 

[belly-deep]

I get the feeling the point of Bambi's questions are generally to see how many of us answer correctly.

Do you think he actually keeps a grade book of hunttalkers?

I wonder who is the valedictorian right now?

 

[mtmuley]

Minute of paper plate at 100 is good enough for a lot of folks. mtmuley

 

[JCS]

There are no little elk/deer left in Montana. You will have nothing to worry about.

 

[Lawnboy]

I'd just wing it. She obviously can keep it together. Be sure to tell her that kicks way less than your gun up there and you'll be fine.

 

[noharleyyet]

Fear the one rifle hunter.

She can handle the 7 mag Ivan.

 

[mdhunter61]

Practice

Bambi,

I'm no expert, but i'm wondering if not letting her practice with it would increase the chances of short-stroking the bolt on the longer action and possibly jammingf a round?

Congrats on your shep success, take care of the shoulder and have a great time in MT!

Michael

 

[1_pointer]

Unless you have a known load for the rifle, I'd suggest just using factory ammo. If you know that it likes, go a head and bring the handloads. IME, flying with a firearm is not all that troublesome and really doesn't cost all that much, so I'd just bring her's with you. To me that'd be cheap piece of mind vs. dealing with her getting scoped or not having a good experience in shooting a critter.

 

[Bambistew]

Unless you have a known load for the rifle, I'd suggest just using factory ammo. If you know that it likes, go a head and bring the handloads. IME, flying with a firearm is not all that troublesome and really doesn't cost all that much, so I'd just bring her's with you. To me that'd be cheap piece of mind vs. dealing with her getting scoped or not having a good experience in shooting a critter.

I forgot that the wife has shot my 280 some, but not much recently, so she's familiar with the long action. I know she has a tendency to short stroke, even on a short action, all a matter of practice. I'll get her to the range and get her to shoot it more than just off the bench and practice cycling rounds quickly. She hates shooting the 280 MT rifle because it "kicks" too hard... I guess the 325 and 300WSM are pussy cats? More a factor of the stock and brick of a recoil pad, than actual kick I think.

I have a few loads that work good in that rifle, and have all the components. Might take an extra box or two along just in case.

Anyone else getting excited to hunt mule deer? Been a couple years since I shot one, I sure miss chasing those buggers.

 

[thecrittergitter]

...... I know she has a tendency to short stroke, .........

I think this issue comes from somewhere else.... Maybe some more "evening" practice is in order

Sorry, couldn't help it

 

[thecrittergitter]

She seems like she has the shooting thing pretty figured out, I think you can take that trusty old rifle and have her shoot a couple shots and be ready to roll. I can't imagine it being too much different for her......

 

[SWMontana1]

I probably only shoot 10 rounds through my big game rifle, 300 wsm, right before opening weekend... Had it for 5 years and am very comfortable with it, dead on, and never made a bad shot....

with that being said..... how much are you guys shooting before the season?

 

[danr55]

WHat happens if you show up and put a couple through it and it's wrong? What do you do then? Shoot it before you go....a lot. You owe it to the critters to make the first shot a good one.

 

[Bambistew]

What do I do then? Plan B, chose one of the 10 other rifles in the cabinet next to it. I think she'll be ok, she shoots a lot of different rifles, and shoots them as well as anyone, but most are short action.

 

[JoseCuervo]

She isn't going to "practice" shooting the same conditions as she would when she has an animal.

What is your practice going to be like? 5 shots standing, followed by 400 yard run, 5 shots prone, followed by 50 jumping jacks for 5 shots sitting followed by 200 yards bear crawl and 5 shots with a bipod?

If the gun is on, and, she can figure out how to pull it up to her shoulder, and adjust the scope, and find the safety, and pull the trigger, she is good to go. Abusing her with 20 rounds of recoil so that she doesn't "short stroke it" is going to develop a good case of flinches.

For people with low experience, I much prefer dry firing practice.