hangunnr

Welcome aboard terry!!! hangunnr

If I might make a suggestion..... Starting out with a thumper like the ones mentioned above might just be too much of a good thing. I would suggest getting a Encore with a 308 Win or maybe a 30-06 barrel and getting used to shooting something of this power level. If you find yourself wanting more power you can then either order a custom barrel or have your 308 or 30-06 barrel rechambered up to 300WM. The barrel on my 300WM started life as a 308. FWIW.... hangunnr

You'd have to go with a Encore for a belted mag cartridge like the 300WM. Here's my 300WM Encore, a good performer in a short barrel. hangunnr

Ok then... If you already know you're not using the reticle as it was intended what do you expect out of your scope? The way you're using the scope it's gonna take mucho range time at each power setting of the scope to find out just where the bullets are gonna impact in relation to the dots. You'd be much better suited with one of the Burris Ballistic Plex reticles. They provide a drop chart for standard bullet weights at known velocities. hangunnr

The Encore frame is substantially stronger than the Contender or G2 frames. You can get the frame wherever you want. Just be sure to get one labled as a pistol. Just to let you know... Unless you handload you'll be spending anywhere from $100-$175 per box of 20 rounds for the 458WM. hangunnr

Mil dots are a ranging device not an aiming device. A mil typically subtends 3.6" in at 100yds. Knowing that, you will be able to range known size targets at different distances. Having the milling reticle set for a single power allows the measurements to be more accurate. You simply set your scope at 10X measure the size of the target with the milling reticle and set your elevation for that distance then you can crank up the power to better see your intended target. For instance... A man size target is roughly 72" tall or 20 mil at 100yds. If you measure that target with your milling reticle at 10 mil you know that target is about 200yds away. If you range the man size target at 5 mil that tells you the target is approx. 400yds away. A mil dot reticle is virtually useless when engaging targets of unkown size. hangunnr

Coyote Guns dosen't have a website but you can give the owner a call and discuss your wants. Coyote Guns (260)691-2684 There are other makers out there such as SSK, Bullberry and MGM. I believe all have websites. Once you have an Encore PISTOL frame you can have some real stomper barrels made. Converting a rifle frame into a pistol is a legal no-no though. hangunnr

Now wait one minute..... You told me you had some problems with hard kickers. What do you think you'll be in for with a 500 Smith? Even with the brake this is gonna come back hard. I'm eagerly awaiting a shooting report....LMAO... hangunnr

This chambering is only available from a custom barrel maker. My barrel came from Coyote Guns located here in Indiana but any of the custom makers should be able to accommodate you. Prices for a custom tube can run from about $300 up to as much as you want to spend. hangunnr

45 Colt is a good whitetail caliber. It might take a little tweaking to get it to hit to the point of aim. hangunnr

I've got the same gun in blue. I'd like to have a dollar for every round mine has eaten over the years... hangunnr

That's the nicest stock I've ever seen on a Ruger. I wonder if I could get them to put a piece like that on my 458? hangunnr

Real pretty piece of wood. Do you know who restocked it? hangunnr

It was a good time. Ya gotta make the next one LifeNRA... The plates measure about 11"X18". They are made out of 1/2" T1 armor plate. hangunnr

Yep, your Stevens and the Savages use the exact same action. Stocks should be interchangable. hangunnr

Been awful busy around here with the deer huntin and that other time killer...work. Sorry for the delay in posting this. I gotta admit I lost track of the picture taking once the shooting started. That won't happen again. The '07 OTPG Blastoff was a roaring success. This years event was attended by forum members Strut10 (our host), Snapper, Pudd, myself and Struts buddy Dave. The ammo boxes contained 44Mag, 7mmRem Mag, 7STW, 300Win Mag, 375 Weatherby Mag, 416 Rigby, 458 Win Mag and the star of the show the mighty 50BMG. If I've left any out please advise. A little size comparison of the 44Mag to the 50BMG. After a hearty lunch we headed out to the Strut10 artillery range for some serious powder burning. I had made up some steel gong targets and was really wanting to see how well they stood up to the pounding of some heavy hitters. When the day started they looked like this... We set one gong at 300yds and started banging. We all did a pretty fair job of steering our bullets in the right direction with a couple exceptions.... Ole snapper felt compelled to test the chain to see if it was bullet proof.....it wasn't... I couldn't stand to see the poor gong just hanging there by one chain so I cut it off. It did take 2 shots with my 300WM but seeing as I was guessing just where the chain was I aint complaining about wasting a extra bullet... Here's a video of snapper shooting Struts 375 Weatherby. You can hear the bullet smacking the gong after the shot. Video }}}---------------> http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v117/hangunnr/?action=view&current=DSCN2107.flv Here's another video of Struts buddy Dave shooting Pudds T/C Pro Hunter 416 Rigby. Video }}}--------------> http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v117/hangunnr/?action=view&current=DSCN2104-1.flv What's this..............These guys shot something bigger than a 270 and center punched the target and neither of them died? How could that be? We soon tired of the short range shooting and moved our gear across the farm to the 600yd position. Both gongs were set and the shooting started. I was amazed at just how easy it was to hit at this distance. Everyone was able to find steel. Pudd brought a dandy State Arms single shot 50BMG. I think everyone got a change to run some downrange with this rifle. Unfortunately the scope on the rifle wasn't very well suited but we still managed a few hits. I believe with some decent handloads and a better piece of glass that this rifle would be a tack driver. After all the shooting was done the steel targets had taken a beating... That 50 just ate right through. The other rounds didn't mar the plate but did play havoc with the mild steel frame and legs. The hits shown here were all made at 600yds with basically stock hunting guns, no fancy target rigs. All in all the day was a great time. I really hope to be able to do it again next year. hangunnr

Nice going mihunter!! I've got the exact same revolver. Haven't hunted with mine yet though. Did you use factory ammo or a handload? hangunnr

Not that I'm aware of. hangunnr

BWHAHAHA....... He was having trouble seeing (or at least hitting) the 600yd gong with what he had.....LMAO... hangunnr

From Wikipedia... "The U.S. Model of 1917 Winchester is a Model 1917 Enfield Military Rifle manufactured from 1917 - 1918, in this case, by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company of New Haven CT. It is a modified Mauser-type bolt action rifle chambered in 30-06. It has a 26� barrel, 5-shot box magazine, adjustable rear site, and blade front site, supported by a military type stock with a semi-pistol grip. Weight is 9.25 pounds. It was designed after the English .303 caliber P14 Enfield (Pattern 14) that was being manufactured in the U.S at the time for the British government by three gun U.S. manufacturers: Winchester Repeating Arms Company of New Haven CT, Remington Arms Company of Ilion NY, and Remington Arms Company of DE (actually located in Eddystone PA, later the Midvale Steel & Ordnance Company). In 1917, the U.S. Government contracted with these three firms to manufacture the same rifle for the U.S. armed forces, only chambered in 30-06. Over 2 million were produced, with the majority surplused (not distributed for service). None were made after WWI, but the U.S. later supplied over 1 million of this surplus of these rifles to Britain during WWII. My father bought one from an NRA (or similar) surplus sale in 1947 for $11 (yes, eleven dollars). We still own the gun, and here in 2005, I'd rate it an honest 75%. It still shoots well. The 2002 BBGV rates this gun as follows (add 10% if a Winchester manufacture): 100% $700 . . . 98% $600 . . . 95% $500 . . . 90% $400 . . . 80% $350 . . . 70% $315 . . . 60% $265 Source: Gun Trader's Guide (2002 - Stoeger Publications), the Blue Book of Gun Values (2002 - Blue Book Publications)" ----------------------------------------------- Check some of the firearm auction sites for what people are really paying for them. hangunnr

That's a fine buck there Todd. Do you happen to know how old he is? hangunnr

I'm sorry I didn't get to this post sooner. The Silvertip is a very soft bullet. I seriously doubt you'll get complete penetration even on a broadside shot. I personally prefer 2 holes for easier blood trailing. I've used the 200 and 240gr Hornady XTPs on many deer and haven't ever had issue with bullet performance. I even shoot them in my ML guns. Your 4" barrel will be fine at the ranges you listed as long as you are up to the shot. My next 44mag will be a 4 incher. Good luck and hopefully we'll see some pictures. hangunnr

Our firearm season opened here in Indiana yesterday morning. This doe sauntered by my stand right around 8am. I introduced her to a Hornady 300gr SST from my Rem 1100, she deceided to stick around...The buck showed up just before 9am. It took 2 300gr SST to persuade him to stay.. The doe weighed in at 120# and the buck 171# dressed. hangunnr

Post them in this thread. I'll start off this year with a groundhog I smacked while out in Penna the last week of Oct. We were out in Strut 10's front yard when his buddy Dave spotted this hog on the hill opposite his house. I got the 458WM pistol set in the rest and held about a foot over his head. I had previously zeroed this load at 50 yds and had no idea just where it would impact at this yardage. When the shot was fired the impact was just where I had been holding. Dave said to hold dead on as he was able to see the impact on the hill. I can't believe the hog stayed put long enough for a second shot. This time I held right on his head and touched off the shot. The bullet entered the back of his head and exited his mouth. The range was then lazered at 160yds. Nothing like a little OTPG varminting... hangunnr

In any auto the only thing you really need to be concerned with is if the round will feed everytime. Seating depth will vary with different guns. You likely can't go with the same overall length as a ball round as the hollow point bullet is basically a flat point so the bullet would have to be seated out quite abit further to acheive the same OA length. I would hazard a guess you'll have feeding issues with these seated out that far. hangunnr