Red Rabbit

Blessings to y'all this Christmas. May Santa stuff your stocking with a premium game tag too.

You might check the gun makers guild. ( I did not see any listed in AZ) You may have to go outside of Arizona. https://www.acgg.org/ https://customstockmaker.com/gunsmithing-services

What is your favorite bullet to use for Coues deer? Partition, Accubond, LRAB, TTSX, LRX, VLD, ELD-M, ELD-X, Scirocco, e-tip, BT, SP, BTHP, SST, core lokt? Did you arrive at your decision based on cartridge velocity, distance of shots, past performance good or bad (detailed elaboration is good to hear), accuracy, recommended by a stranger?

I have used older 130 .277 ballistic tips in a 270Win. Once had a 3" entrance hole on the shoulder, which I thought may have been due to "splashback" This may have been before the jackets were beefed up a little by Nosler. Other bullets that have been launched at Coues include 140 Partitions and 150 Ballistic Tips in a 7 Rem Mag. 140 Sierra BTSP in a 280Rem. Aside from the 130 BT from the 270, I have not had any excessive or too little damage and all Coues died in short order. Only lost deer was with a 6.5mm 130 Scirocco which I admittedly hit the deer too far back (operator mental error). Seems I have no favorite bullet as each deer season with a tag seems to have a different bullet loaded or a different cartridge. Bullets have been chosen based on a mix of construction, BC and accuracy in the rifle.

There have been some posts on other hunting forums about the Gamechangers

SPF

Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14x40mm Boone & Crockett reticle 1" tube matte finish white numbers on dials seen easily slight ring marks, no scratches on glass $450 shipped

Sold

Velbon Ultra Luxi Tripod with PH-237Q Head Tripod without head weighs 2.0 pounds (2lb, 9oz with head) . Extends from 13 1/4" folded length to 47" unextended center post height (61" to top of extended center post) 5 leg sections twist to extend. 3 leg angle positions. Camo tape was added to legs. SOLD

I have a small tripod in the classifieds.

$200 shipped

RCBS Rockchucker press. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/513567/rcbs-rock-chucker-supreme-single-stage-press RCBS scale. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/232621/rcbs-m500-mechanical-powder-scale Lee Powder Dippers. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/943305/lee-improved-powder-measure-kit Forster Case Trimmer. The RCBS trimmer works too. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/614276/forster-original-case-trimmer-kit Satern aluminum anti-static funnels, caliber specific. they fit the necks well and powder does not cling to the funnel. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/294705/satern-powder-funnel-264-caliber-65mm-aluminum-and-brass Priming tool. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/582486/frankford-arsenal-platinum-series-perfect-seat-hand-priming-tool Reloading Trays. I like the base specific ones rather than universal as they hold the case better. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019379134/national-metallic-reloading-tray-50-round Shell Holders. https://www.midwayusa.com/s?targetLocation=%2F_%2FN-19786%2B4294967253%3FNp%3D2%26Nr%3DAND%28p_visible%3A1%2Ccustomertypeid%3A1%29%26Nrpp%3D24%26Ns%3Dp_metric_sales_velocity%7C1%26Ntpc%3D1%26Ntpr%3D1&userItemsPerPage=48&persistedItemsPerPage=0 Case OAL Gauge. Very useful to set bullet depth a certain distance off the lands. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/570611/hornady-lock-n-load-overall-length-gauge-bolt-action Comparator set to use with OAL gauge and caliper. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/231904/hornady-lock-n-load-bullet-comparator-basic-set-with-6-inserts OAL case dummies. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012753414/hornady-lock-n-load-overall-length-gauge-modified-case Digital Caliper. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/297498/national-metallic-digital-caliper-6-stainless-steel Primer Pocket cleaner. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/467111/lee-primer-pocket-cleaner For dies, I like Forster micrometer seating dies and Redding. There are many options and brand to choose from. Above is what I use. Others may have less or more essential tools and preferences. Most of the powder and bullet companies provide reloading data online. One can also spend more and get power trimmers, RCBS or Frankford power case prep center, and RCBS Chargemasters, case neck turners, concentricity gauges, flash hole uniformers, high quality Lapua Norma brass. As 10Turkeys said, a lot depends on how much you shoot, spare time to reload and range time to test loads, $ to invest. Factory ammo is much better than 30 years ago and sometimes a good factory load is not worth trying best by handloading, unless you like just trying different bullets for S&G like I do.

Thanks Stallone. I have not had any problem with this RF. When doing research before I purchased it, the Leica had the lowest dispersion of the beam. I currently have the Leica 1600B

$100

There are two triangles on the power ring to generally match 3 groups of cartridges. https://cdnp.leupold.com/products/productDownloads/ballistic-aiming-system-manual.pdf?mtime=20170626163401

Often I head to southwest Colorado and the San Juan Mountains to photograph the aspen colors at the end of September. Last year, I journeyed to the Grand Tetons. This year however, I stayed home and photographed the San Francisco Peaks just outside of Flagstaff. Colors were nice and we were blessed with some snow on the mountain. A complete set of images can be seen on the website too. https://www.plateaulightphotography.com/Landscapes/Arizona-Landscapes/Fall-on-the-Peaks-2018/ Thanks for looking.

70-300 is SOLD. Others are still available.

SOLD

Barnes 7mm 168gr LRX. Two unopened boxes of 50 each, 100 total. SOLD

Thanks for your comments and taking time to look. ctracingraptor- if you are interested in purchasing a print, there is a "buy" button in the lower right corner of these images in the Fall on the Peaks gallery on my website. https://www.plateaulightphotography.com/Landscapes/Arizona-Landscapes/Fall-on-the-Peaks-2018/

Congrats on a nice double and completing your Coues quest of 100"

I have read many good results with Berger VLDs and Scenars on deer. The 147 ELDM is getting good reviews too. You might try seating the ABLR a little deeper so they have a jump like a VLD. You did not say how far off the lands you were. http://www.bergerbullets.com/vld-making-shoot/ I had poor luck with accuracy of 129LRAB in my 6.5CM, but have not tried them in my 6.5WSM. I had good accuracy success with H1000 and Ramshot Magnum, but not Retumbo using 130 Accubonds, 130 Sciroccos and 130 Bergers. Are your 3-shot groups a sample of 1 and possible flukes? Try a few 5-shot groups with each load.

Prices reduced in original post. Lenses will work on both full frame FX and crop DX Nikon bodies

bump

$110 located in Flagstaff