Big Dog

Guys thanks for all you comments. I will try the gun out agaon myself to see how it shoots. I will also look into replacing the barrel. I was thinking of changing it before this happened but I don't think I will now. I will let you know what become of this. Went to the pistol range today, took my daughter, we had a lot of fun, no worry about bulged barrels. Update you soon

Guys I seems to have developed a problem, maybe even just today. Was at the range this morning with my son where we had a great time shooting my .22lr, .222 and 6.5x55. We came home and I started the task of cleaning. I noted as the put the jab down the .22lr barrel there seen to be a free section, like as if you had exited the barrel but then it would tigthen again like the rest of the barrel, it was a 1 1/2 section. I check the outside of the barrel and oh no! there is a bulge in it. The rifle is Ruger bolt action I think is 77/22 or something like that in stainless. The only think I am aware of that could do that is to fire a shot without cleaning out any previous oil. What do you think, is there other reasons??? Big Dog

Hi Guys. Been a while since I last placed a post. Tonight I was loading some 6.5x55 rounds and some of my Federal brass which has been use a few times dropped out the primers and the primer just dropped in. The same primers fitted other cartridges ok. Has anyone found this happening with theirs?? Is it an expansion issue?? I am stalking this weekend so don't want to end up with rounds that go click :blink: Love to hear you thoughts BD

Hi guys. I am just interested in known if there are any terrier hunter on this forum that live in N. Ireland? If so what quarry do you hunt and what breed of terrier/cross do you use???

I am just interested in knowing if there are any terrier hunters on this forum that live in N. Ireland. If so what breed of terrier/cross do you work and what quarry?

Thanks Guys. The vet called me at 1830hrs to say the steel plate has not arrived so the operation will now be Monday. He assured me it will not negatively impact the healing. As I haven't seen her since Wednesay morning and she was fine then, I am really missing her. Sound silly but she is my best M8 and hunting buddy. Hope the next time I update here she will be home. Ill try to upload a wee picture where she found a deer for me in Sept. BD

HI Guys. The dog, Nell, is 2 years old. The operation was put of from yesterday until today as when they went the vets went to start they had no steel plates small enough. Appartenly from talking to them yesterday the break is in the best place for recovery. It is not near a joint and the plate will not impede movement. She said there is no promises but it Nell was her dog with this break she woud be very happy as I should have a high % for healing. As you say apache, I have to down scale her life for up to 2 month. In the house I need to keep her is a cage, only let outside with a lead on and I have had to make a gate for the bottom of the stairs as she takes flight about 1/2 way down the stairs and jumps to the ground floor.

Guy my Pat/Parson cross got run over with a car this morning when my wife was letting the bantams out. The dog, Nell, picked up the scent of a fox and set of on it across the road. She has serveral fractors to her front left leg and will need a steel plate put in it to get the bone to knit properly. Have any of you ever had anything like this and did it heal back to full strength. My worry is Nell is very athletic and will half kill herself when on a hot scent. She is such a lovely friendly fun dog and is as much my best friend as well as my hunting dog. I field hunt with her more that going to ground. She has track down shot deer for me and it is this style of hunting I bought her for. As a 8 wk pup, she never took her nose of the ground. You can hide nothing on her but she finds it. So I want to make sure she isn't at risk of re-breaking it later. Big Dog

Guy my Pat/Parson cross got run over with a car this morning when my wife was letting the bantams out. The dog, Nell, picked up the scent of a fox and set of on it across the road. She has serveral fractors to her front left leg and will need a steel plate put in it to get the bone to knit properly. Have any of you ever had anything like this and did it heal back to full strength. My worry is Nell is very athletic and will half kill herself when on a hot scent. She is such a lovely friendly fun dog and is as much my best friend as well as my hunting dog. I field hunt with her more that going to ground. She has track down shot deer for me and it is this style of hunting I bought her for. As a 8 wk pup, she never took her nose of the ground. You can hide nothing on her but she finds it. So I want to make sure she isn't at risk of re-breaking it later. Big Dog

I know this is an old post but I have found the discussion helpful on the 6.5x55 Nosler 120g BT for deer. To date I have used homeloads with Speer 140g soft points and they sure do the job well. However, my rifle groups much better and shot much straighter with 120g. I have tried to get Speer 120g head here in NI but can't, Nosler 120g BTs are shooting really well but I was unsure of them for stalking, especially large stags.

Hello guys. Its a wee while since I have been posting on the site. I live in N. Ireland and I have a wee reloading problem. I shoot 6.5x55SM for deer stalking. Currently I use Speer 140gs but my rifle like 120g better (nosler). I would like to try 120g Speer Hot Cor bullet heads but can not fine a supplier here. Do any of you know of anyone who supplies them in UK mainland or ROI? Thanks guys

The Pro-varmint with wildcat mod in .222 is awsome. I have a 2 stage adjustable trigger in mine (special order) and it is the best gun I have ever used. I love it. I will post a better photo of the gun latter so you can see the set up but here it is in action. The attached photos are foxes I shot earier this summer. The 3 shot was early one summer morning with my Steyr Pro-varmint .222, using 50g v-max for the 2 adults and a 40g moly v-max on the club. A farmer contacted me to say he had a fox problem. A 0630hrs visit to a hilly field enabled me to glass and spot the home of his problem within 2 mins. A 30min stalk and dog never knew he was dead. The vixen ran a field length and stopped to look back, another humane kill. I knew the club would return to the home sight so I waited 5 mins and shot it too. I shot the other 4 club about a week earlier while lamping rabbits one evening with my .22LR; al about 25/30yards. The 2nd photo shows a humane kill of a fox shot with the .222 using a 40g v-max

Over here the foxes are going blind there is so many lamping and missing (missed a view recently too ). How I get around to shoot foxes: This varies depending on time of year, weather and just how lazy I feel. E.g. This summer I shot a lot of cubs and parents which is unsual for me. A lot of famers were at me so as I shoot their land I shot foxes. I used my car to entre fields early in the morning, park up a hill and glassed the area. This worked well for spotting one family which I dispached in total. Early morning walks any time of year where I think a fox is working. At this time of year mostly from a 4x4 at night using a lamp. Calls: I normally use my hand. Lost a great wee call bought in USA of Canada 25yrs ago. Can remember its name but had great success with it. To be honest like someone else said I prefer not to use a call if I can. Lamp: Have been using a Lightforce lamp both rifle and handle options. these are ok but big £££s. My battery pack stopped working last month no kick in it at all (Debens) One other thing: If you normally shoot at night (bed timeish) if not getting anything try going to bed early and get up early and go out at 0400 to day break. I am just at that point again where I think the foxes are starting to out smart us on time. I may be worth a try. Anyone got thoughts on other battery or lamp options??? I may raise a new post on this latter.

Yip realise the debit card was a bad idea. It was a new card account and I just saw Visa on it and didn't think straight as it was debit not credit. A hard lesson. I just received an email tonight from them saying they were having problems refunding my money so I should go to my card company. That's bad as the company will not chase debits. I guess I an **** on,

Guy just to warn you off if you are thinking of purchasing a camera or range finder from www.crazycamers.com I ordered a Bushnell range finder from them. A month later they cancelled my order and said the would refund my card. That was a view weeks ago and no refund. My card was Visa Electron which means they debit the money from my account. Because it is Visa I thought I was protected; wrong, not with the electron. I have emailed them relentlessly and no reply at all. I have reserched the web to see what people have experienced from CRAZYCAMERAS and I wish I had done that before spending £226 with them. Not one review was better that minis. Most people had been burned. So I think I have lost my money so do not buy from CRAZYCAMERAS

Those Winchester soft points will do the job. Keep all your brass. The .222 is a nice we round to reload; I use Winchester brass (old use cases from my early days). I use 50g ballistic Hornada bullet heads and Federal primers and varget powder and get great results by my standard.

Thanks Plinker. :yp: I had a ART8 Reflex that rusted through. Fair play to Jackson Rifles, I had looked after it well, WD40-ed it and blew out with air linner after each use. They replaced it with no quams and within days I was back in play. I live in NI.

Did the foxes complain that you used a .222 in stead of a .22 250 :yp: Good luck with your .222. I think they are great and enough gun for the job. I am changing my .222 Steyr Pro Hunter Mountian M2 for a .222 Steyr Pro Varmint. I gave a lot of thought about upping calibre but stuck with what works for me. Most fox are shot within 150yrs and many between 80-100yrs.

Hi Guys. Its been a while since I have been on the forum, so hello. I have just ordered a new Steyr Pro-Varmint with a two stage technical trigger (special order). I am trading in my old Pro-Hunter Mountian MK2. As both riffles have different moderator threads I am trading in my curret ART8 Reflex. I am thinking of going for a Wildcat Mod'. It is similar in cost as the ART8, is a take down style""" and light. As I have 2 Reflex I want to know what is the experience out there on the Wildcat? What are the fors????? What are the againsts?B)??? Would you buy one & why? :yp: Thanks you wildcats

Hi John. Nice to see your looking after fox control down south. You will have to get the government to authorise you guys with moderators Happy New Year. Big Dog

No6 will do most small game/vermin Fox I use 00 down to 4 or I used to when I shot fox with my shot gun on regular basis. Shooting bolting fox from holes in tight areas I would have had some No6 coming up first and getting stronger as I emptied the gun. Crow, I use No 5 & 6 and get best results with 5. Many dedicated crow shooter use 5. But I have shot many with 6 and also 4. So it pick what you want and find something you trust to you and your gun, then stick with it. Have fun

Good straight shoot there, well done

Mc Cloy inport all winchesters and has load of .22lr Mc Kerr in Lurgan sold me .222 v-max. You wont need to power doc for those. The power doc only took me about a week or so Mc Cloy opens late some evenings - give him a call

Sorry forgot to say that I bough my Winchesters from D.Mc Cloy Toome - he import winchester is at the last time I bought he was charging me £8.75 for 20 (I bought 200) normally £9 box 20, when other mentioned charged £13 for 20. Sako was £10 = 20 rounds I have only had trouble with a view Winchester brass split. I am reloading serveral time now with most of it. Sako is a good round but I have not reloaded it yet.

Hi scallopdiver, I didn't realise you were from the home country until you mentioned Moy. So far I have been getting my stuff from 2 palces: Power and CCI primers from Stephen Mc Kerr (Mc Kerr's Hardware Union Street Lurgan (3834 3021) I also got A-max 6.5x55 bullets too. He has a range of powers and may have what you want. He did't have many 6.5 pills, no idea what in .222. But he is a really good all round guy, quick to order too. I bought .222 V-max from Tannyoky guns Pointspass (3831 8308) They have a stack of stuff and will most likely have anything you want. You may find them a little more pricey but against that give you choice. Pointspass is other side of Banbridge. You could go through Portadown/Lurgan out to Tandergee and then P,pass. They are 5 mins from the village but best to call them from village and they will direct you. If you are driving up, I guess more West, take a 12g and have a go at their very varied clay pigeon shoot; skeet range, sporting, DTL. All can be operated solo. So there you go, a great day out in Co. Down (Watch you don't get A-max. I am not sure about A-max. I have heard conflicting info from shooters and the factor spec not clear to me either. Thie look like V-max but as I understand don't expand as quick. Some say use only for target; what I am using them for. Other say shoot small med game. Honestly I don't know so will only shoot paper with them. V-max on the other hand, you know what they can do) Hope this is helpful