stirky Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 After careful barrel run in, and testing some home loads, i found the 50gr Vmax to shoot very well. After several days of fog it finally cleared enough to try a field test for the new gun. All i could find was a rabbit, a quick range find showed 248yds, steady rest on the bipod and squeeeze the trigger. With the .223 being a light recoil calibre i was able to see the bullet strike bowling the rabbit clean over, not even a twitch. First impressions with the new calibre is a big Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunganick Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 love cooper rifles so i cant wait to see this are you the chap who ordered through brian fox? thats the exact same model i like i styled my custom stock forend on one of those rifles. Also considered having my barrel bead blasted to get the matt stainless any chance of some pics of just the rifle in some good light? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 Top shot that, what a great way to blood your new rifle, good man. Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 the dog looks well pleased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadeye ive Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 After careful barrel run in, and testing some home loads, i found the 50gr Vmax to shoot very well. Snap I'm using the .224 50 grn v-max also...... 24.2 grn N133 federal brass CCI benchrest primor What your combo ?.........Nice set up btw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stirky Posted December 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Thanks for the feedback lads, yep the rifle was orderd through Brian Fox back in may (?) so its been a loooooooong wait, i orderd it with a 1/9 twist barrel so it will shoot bullets in the 50-75gr weight, which so far proves to work, i have shot sub half inch groups @100yds with both bullet weights, the 75gr Amax with H4895 works very well, so does 50grVmax with H335. Cooper guarantee half inch groups @100yds and now i know they are right, well worth the money and having to wait so long. I will post some photos when the weather improves and you can get a good view of the AA grade walnut wood, so far almost every day has been foggy so getting out into the fields has not realy been possible, things will be changing soon, but then i will be out with the ten bore, hopefully giving the geese some pain. PS. yep the dog is my stalking companion, she get in on the photo at every chance, i have not been on the forum all summer so i have some more photos of her while stalking with my .243 and some nice roe bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mr Pieman Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Can I ask a question - at the risk of proving unpopular? Why do so many people on this forum feel the need to 'test' their rifle's accuracy on rabbits at extended distances? It seems kind of mean to poor Mr Bunny Everyone claims to always hit the target, first time - which I doubt - and I think it is bad press to the sport for such things. Why not shoot at a paper target to prove your rifle shooting prowess, or does being able to pronounce something 'life extinct' mean more than I give it credit for? Stirky, this isn't dircetly aimed (sorry for the bad pun) at you, but your post has merely raised an issue I meant to comment on some while ago. If the nearest you can get to a rabbit is 200 yards+, you either don't have a rabbit problem or have the stalking skills of a ballet-dancing hippo!!! Just a personal opinion PP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGalway Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 MP, I reckon Stirky did plenty of testing on the accuracy of his home loads on paper before going into the field. Good shot btw Stirky and that's one yummy looking rifle you have there After careful barrel run in, and testing some home loads, i found the 50gr Vmax to shoot very well. After several days of fog it finally cleared enough to try a field test for the new gun. All i could find was a rabbit, a quick range find showed 248yds, steady rest on the bipod and squeeeze the trigger. With the .223 being a light recoil calibre i was able to see the bullet strike bowling the rabbit clean over, not even a twitch. First impressions with the new calibre is a big Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stirky Posted December 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 I think i know what you mean Mrpieman. I have spent plenty of time testing on paper @100yds to know that the load i was shooting is very accurate, so much so that i was confident at killing the target at that distance. Do you shoot a centrefire rifle ?, if so you will appreciate that these calibres are not restricted in their ability to kill cleanly even if the bullet strike is not in the intended head/shoulder area. As far as the hippo comment, i have been deer stalikng for 17/18 years (roe deer), not culling large ammounts of deer, but six per year on average is enough for the venison that i want to eat or pass on to friends and regard my self to fairly competent. I could have walked another 30yds, just over the crest of the hill and shot any amount of rabbits @50yds, personally i do not think that a 50yd shot is testing enough for this calibre or rifle, having said that i would have done so if the 248yd shot was not there and restricted it to head shots only. These rabbits will be shot soon with my .22 rimmy, before the farmer starts lambing time and is checking his sheep day and night and i get my annual ####ing from him for not shooting enough rabbits or should i call them "poor Mr Bunny". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 I think i know what you mean Mrpieman. I have spent plenty of time testing on paper @100yds to know that the load i was shooting is very accurate, so much so that i was confident at killing the target at that distance. Do you shoot a centrefire rifle ?, if so you will appreciate that these calibres are not restricted in their ability to kill cleanly even if the bullet strike is not in the intended head/shoulder area. As far as the hippo comment, i have been deer stalikng for 17/18 years (roe deer), not culling large ammounts of deer, but six per year on average is enough for the venison that i want to eat or pass on to friends and regard my self to fairly competent. I could have walked another 30yds, just over the crest of the hill and shot any amount of rabbits @50yds, personally i do not think that a 50yd shot is testing enough for this calibre or rifle, having said that i would have done so if the 248yd shot was not there and restricted it to head shots only. These rabbits will be shot soon with my .22 rimmy, before the farmer starts lambing time and is checking his sheep day and night and i get my annual ####ing from him for not shooting enough rabbits or should i call them "poor Mr Bunny". Good reply, agree with alll said. Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mr Pieman Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Yes I shoot centrefire. You are missing the point though. Why not put a target out to 300 yards (or 400, or 500) and shoot that? In my humble opinion you are killing to prove a point (only you know what that point is), not pest control etc. You could never argue that shooting rabbits at those distances are efficient or effective methods of rabbit control! It looks like 'big white hunter syndrome'. But, like I said, its only my opinion. As for the hippo comment, experience is not a function of time. I am sure you are a capable and safe shot, but you could equally have been shooting all that time and shot consitently badly!! Show me a 3 a shot group at 300 yards on a target and I'd be really impressed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunganick Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 shooting rabbits at these ranges is a hobby in itself to others. Whilst they are pest which is how i can justify the meat damage, the cost of shooting the rabbit is irrelivent. just because i choose to shoot a rabbit with a 25-30p centerfire round as opposed to a 12p shotgun cartridge or 3p rimfire cartridge dosent mean its not pest control. Just consider how much time and money is spent buying equipment like this cooper, testing our handloads, driving to do this, buying scopes, driving to where we shoot, driving to gain shooting permission. It could be 3k easily on one rifle in combined costs. So is spending 30p on a rabbit that bad in the scheme of things? rabbits are a pest, centerfires are about the most humaine way to dispatch any animal avalible to us. If the rabbit is hit, the expansion through the rotation of the bullet will almost always kill the animal, even a bodged shot will produce a large enough shock wave or enough shrapnel to dispatch the animal. Dont get me wrong if you want to unjure a rabbit with a centerfire it is possible, but its harder to do this than say miss estimating the lead needed on a bolting rabbit? its swings and round abouts. Whilst you might enjoy taking a rabbit at 20yards when its bolting with your shotugn and think this is sporting and fair to the animal (not saying it isnt) others of us enjoy shooting rabbits at long range and testing our equipment to its full potential (which 240yards certainly isnt) this is an equally sporting shot, but in a different way. It requires skill to judge hold over, range and windage. even with a laser range finder, you still need skill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mr Pieman Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Nick interesting angle - although it seems my post has burnt you for some reason?! And, out of interest, why do you keep making reference to shooting rabbits with a shotgun? Don't recall them being mentioned at any point....... 3k to try to shoot the odd bunny at 250+ yards? There's an interesting 'money and sense' equation in there somewhere I think I guess its about a different outlook on shooting. I shoot living things out of need for control, but would never deny I enjoy the task. However, I would never belittle a living creature to viewing it as just a 'sporting shot'. I never questioned the skill pre requisite either. Surely, the same skill to put together my 400+ yard clover-leaf group shot on a beer mat would require an equally sound knowledge of hold over, under, windage, elevation and the inside of public houses?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunganick Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Nick interesting angle - although it seems my post has burnt you for some reason?! And, out of interest, why do you keep making reference to shooting rabbits with a shotgun? Don't recall them being mentioned at any point....... 3k to try to shoot the odd bunny at 250+ yards? There's an interesting 'money and sense' equation in there somewhere I think I guess its about a different outlook on shooting. I shoot living things out of need for control, but would never deny I enjoy the task. However, I would never belittle a living creature to viewing it as just a 'sporting shot'. I never questioned the skill pre requisite either. Surely, the same skill to put together my 400+ yard clover-leaf group shot on a beer mat would require an equally sound knowledge of hold over, under, windage, elevation and the inside of public houses?! no mate your question just caught me at the wrong moment, its a question that normally gets me going and i just got in from work, so tht explains the attitude i was coming across as having. You shooting a shotgun was just a fictional situation as often people consider walked up shooting with a shotugn to be the most sporting form of shooting. your point about shooting clover leafs on a target @ 400 yards could also be put across equally on clay pigeon shooting. at the end of the day your right it comes down to if you admit you enjoy your shooting. I enjoy shooting my rifles at long range. By shooting rabbits and crows i am able to kill two birds with one stone. I am enjoying my shooting and also removing a pest for the farmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatingisbest Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 With a .223 I expect it would be hard have an injured bunny, 99 times out of 100 if the bullet hits the bunny, then he would be sent to the big bury in the sky, great shot stirky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mr Pieman Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Now I'm really confused. By shooting rabbits and crows you are killing 'two birds with one stone'!! I'd check to see if the rabbit has feathers, and I hope they are expanding stones you are using They'll play havoc with the rifling!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunganick Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Now I'm really confused. By shooting rabbits and crows you are killing 'two birds with one stone'!! I'd check to see if the rabbit has feathers, and I hope they are expanding stones you are using They'll play havoc with the rifling!!!!! was waiting for this one best get my glasses changed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...8&hl=pigeon pieman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mr Pieman Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Hi Tiercel I'm still using the exact same set-up and racking up the numbers Very best wishes PP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 racking up the numbers is this more justifiable than talking them at long range. so people do it a different way to you , live with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mr Pieman Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 I'm doing what I'm paid to do - control rabbit numbers for farmers. It's not a 'sport' or 'hobby', although I enjoy it immensely - live with that, foolish boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 I'm doing what I'm paid to do - control rabbit numbers for farmers. It's not a 'sport' or 'hobby', although I enjoy it immensely - live with that, foolish boy your a hypocrite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mr Pieman Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 And you can't punctuate sentences properly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 And you can't punctuate sentences properly! yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conor Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 love the rifle stirky its a beauty! good shot too! bunny gets hit with 223 bunny goes to big bunny house in the sky! first live quarry i shot with mine was a rabbit at 225 yds was quite happy with it! hope i dnt open a can of worms but its not the same shooting at paper targets. and if its for pest control then whats the difference between them getting shot at 50yds or 250yds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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