Red Rabbit

All 6 Arizona national forests start the fire ban this Wednesday 4/22. https://gcmaz.com/u-s-forest-services-bans-all-campfires-in-arizona-starting-wednesday-through-june-30th/?fbclid=IwAR1dPLBuPhuoz1v9K2fe5pjyTpx_d3azK5SfIWpcZ0iPZLdDGYAASoA_Uzo

From the hammerbullets.com website " We have found that Hammer Bullets are not sensitive to seating depth. Seating to mag length for repeating rifles or just off the lands will generally work very well without need to adjust for better accuracy. " Maybe Lance can share what he has found. I am starting 0.025" off the lands and will see how they group this week.

The Badlands Bulldozer is the most accurate bullet I have shot from my 6.5 WSM. I did not get to try it on the last elk hunt as I saw more feral horses than elk. But is fun to play with new bullet and loads, hence the effort with the Hammer Hunter.

This table was posted on another forum. If accurate, the RPM is very close to the WSM. When I measured my 6.5 WSM case capacity, it was about 7% less than the 264 WM

The ejector marks are indicating pressure. I tried measuring case expansion but I do not have a mic. The caliper was showing an increase of 0.001" from 3174 to 3367. There was not a big jump of velocity from 3367 to 3392 with the last set, indicating near max (although more data points would be good). 6.5 RPM load data showed 3200 as max. https://weatherby.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/6.5WBYRPM_Data.pdf And its not a 26 Nosler 😉

I used my data from the 125 Bulldozer as a basis for the 124 Hammer velocity test loads. The 4 test loads got 3174, 3252, 3367, 3392 fps. No hard bolt lift and no flattened primers for any of the 4. I did notice slight ejector marks on the base for the upper 3 loads, but not with the 3174 load. So I will work around the first load and not push things much. It looks like the case capacity of the 6.5WSM is close to the 6.5 RPM Weatherby, and less than the 264 WM. The 6.5 RPM lists a factory load for the 127 LRX at 3225 fps, so 3200 is in the ballpark. Next will be some 5-shot groups of various charges.

Most of the forest roads around Flagstaff are now open. Gobble Gobble https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprdb5339811

Chris, yep, a long time ago 😉 I used this 6.5 WSM when we went on my 34A and 33 Coues hunts. New barrel now though. This is my third rifle in a WSM.

Lance, I figure I should get similar velocities between a 130gr-140 in a 270 WSM. The Magnum load data for the 270WSM tops the 130 gr at 3308 fps and 140gr at 319fps. When I loaded the 125 Bulldozer I got best accuracy at 3150fps (0.260" 3-shot) but 0.386" at 3286fps, and worst at 0,805" at 3169fps. Granted, these were only of one 3-shot groups. My barrel is 26", 1in8" What intrigued me about the Hammers was that the petals break off to act as extra projectiles (rather than lead fragments) and the flat front of the base to cause deep penetrating damage. Steve's post and the article on wound theory were good information. http://rathcoombe.net/sci-tech/ballistics/wounding.html https://hammerbullets.boards.net/thread/431/hammers-work-on-game I imagine that the petals also break off with the Bulldozer, but the center is not drilled as deep iirc @ 5guys- nice group/load

I was getting 3278 fps with the 125 Bulldozer and 68gr Magnum. We will see what the test loads bring with the Hammer Hunter over the chronograph

I saw a boat heading north on I-17 this morning, so I suspect to Lake Powell, if so, they will be in for a surprise as all the launches are closed at Lake Powell. https://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

Dogs love peanut butter, mine included, but some peanut butters may contain the sugar alcohol Xylitol which could kill your dog. Make sure your pack of sugar-free Trident or Mentos gum is not on the counter either. Even small amounts of Xylitol can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure or even death in dogs. Here a couple of lists of peanut butters and other foods that contain Xylitol: https://www.preventivevet.com/xylitol-products-toxic-for-dogs?fbclid=IwAR0HczR1V78nssDOKGTd6-UKjyy8AeSsWLd_mVB-h82O9IB3sibNJL76JZE https://www.seniordogdays.com/alphabetical-list-of-peanut-butter-for-dogs/?fbclid=IwAR1VvyUPSXPahbgxQOkHVcxINEifxTB6KZXMpYBWBSUcW_hr4lhJ1L6LDSE

It would be nice if the ASNF website home page had a readily visible quick link on road status like the Coconino NF does.

Good price as these are $1800 new. If your interpupillary distance is short, these binos area great consideration. BTT.

try the phone

Rifle cow (second choice)

Portal shows draw results now

I have used a 200gr Accubond/125 yards and 180 Scirocco/100 yards on two bulls from a 300WSM, and a 180 Accubond from a 300WinMag on a cow at 200 yards. The only bullet I recovered was the 200 AB under the far hide behind the shoulder. It only went through ribs and lung. Only one shot per elk was needed. Sorry, but most of my elk tags have been archery.

Here's a topic to whittle away the time until the hunt draws are posted on our portals. What was the first rifle you purchased for big game? Why did you choose that rifle and chambering. Is it still your go-to? For me, it was a Remington 700 BDL chambered in 7mm Remington Express (.280Rem). I was living on a ranch in south Texas after college in 1980 and having just started hunting, I needed a deer rifle. A couple of my friends had Remington 700 ADL in 270 which consistently shot touching cloverleafs. So why did I not go with a 270? Well, I read an article penned by John Wooters about his first custom rifle which he chambered in 7mm Express. Since it was good for the dean of South Texas deer hunting, I went with it also. Since factory ammo was limited for the 7 Express, I thus started handloading and shot the 140 Sierra BTSP with Norma MRP. I no longer have this Remington rifle, as Browning came out with their Stainless Stalker in 7mm Remington Mag several years later, and I thought it would be better in inclimate weather, so the 7 Express was traded in. I've always thought it is time to come full circle and get a rifle stamped 7mm Remington Express again.

The 7-08 with the 140 partition will work great for him and bull elk.

Last week I received an invite to hike to The Wave in northern Arizona. BLM only issues 20 much sought after permits a day, so I was happy at the opportunity. I had not been there in five years, so I had a chance to update older images or take new compositions. We started hiking in two hours before sunrise and returned to the trailhead two hours after sunset. I ended up liking the images produced in the shade or reflected light as the purples and pastels shows nicely. I had Clover, my GWP pup, leashed to my waist the whole time. She did surprising well and did not come close to toppling the camera tripod 🙂 I have posted many more images this Wave trip on my website, if you may be inclined to look further. https://www.plateaulightphotography.com/New-Work/The-Wave-February-2020/ While editing the last of these images, I was hoping for AZGFD to procure some funds from my account, but it does not look like antelope is in the near future. Good luck in the draw.

End of next week sounds about right. Then we will know if we are hunting cows or pot-bellied bulls.

Good to hear you are on the recovery road Tony

I drew a unit 9 archery bull tag back in 92, got hooked on the unit, and have pretty consistent in applying for 9 as it offers a better chance at good bull compared to the other local units. I have had a couple unit 8 tags though.

I tried calling him but left a voice message