DannoBoone1

All good suggestions. Also, if you plan on shooting any boat tail bullets, you should get a VLD neck chamferring tool. Seems like mine is Lyman, but I believe RCBS also has them. This gives a longer and better chamfer inside the neck, and also works better for flat based bullets. A GREAT case trimmer is made by Lee. It is caliber specific, and cuts down the neck to SAAMI specks. Using the drill attachment, it takes very little time to whittle 50 cases down to size. The only downside is that it trims to just that one length.

Does field experience count? With rifles, both CF and ML, it's much more the bullet design than the cartridge which makes them more or less dangerous in populated areas. Nothing, even a shotgun slug is safe at all if the backdrop is nothing but open sky and the target is missed. Projectiles constructed to pass completely through game (for a good blood trail) can go some distance. I've hunted deer in only two states, Nebraska and Iowa. Iowa just recently has allowed CF in the southern two tiers of counties, but that's it. I have always hunted with a ML in Iowa. If there's any subject that will stir up angry discussions on practically any forum, it is using frangible bullets on deer.........but for populated areas they are the most safe. Shots to the boiler room are also totally lethal, even if there is little blood trail. If they do exit, it is usually in small pieces and go little distance at all....nor does the deer. My Dad, brother and I used 55gr Hornady SP's on deer without failure.....these bullets would also blow a prairie dog to pieces, so we always used lung shots on deer. If they even got 50yds, we considered them to be a pretty tough critter. I have hunted a couple of populated areas here in Iowa. When doing so, I use light XTP's (both areas offer only close up shots, not exceeding 100yds). By "light" I mean 180gr bullets. Again, lung shots only......again, if they do pass through, they are fragmented, and again, if they make it 50yds, I consider them to be tough deer. I wouldn't even consider using a heavy shotgun slug in these areas because of safety concerns, yet others do! They're going to hurt someone someday! There are those who HAVE to have their blood trails, but perhaps they should just practice more pre-season and have the patience to pick their shots. Your county would be best served to have everyone prove their expertise with their rifles (like certain guide outfits do out west), and encourage the use of frangible bullets than make slug guns mandatory.

WHY are they leaving the 7mmWSM out of the lineup??

I recently inherited a Rem 788 22-250. In years past ('60' to early '70's), I shot it quite a bit and there were no problems. However, it is now pretty difficult to pull the bolt up into the cocking position, both when a shell has been fired and when there is nothing in the chamber. After the firing pin is in the firing position, the bolt pulls up normally with no resistance. I have taken the bolt apart, thoroughly cleaning the area around the firing pin & spring. Have also polished the area where the pin is pushed back on the bolt for firing position. The lugs are cleaned. There has been very little negligible improvement. Anyone know what could be causing this problem?

I have, from the instructions you can get at this link: http://www.bellmtcs.com/Prod_and_Serv/free_cd.htm It's just a tad bit difficult to just explain it. He has photos (a picture is worth a thousand words) as well as the explanation. If you have the original trigger/sear spring, it is much easier to replace than the aftermarket springs, if you need to go that far.

I guess there are too many people using the name "Montana" in their advertising. I was referring to the Montana Rifle. They make barrels & actions, while you supply the rest. Their action could be defined as an improved Winchester M70 action. Barrels can be had up to 28" or about as short as is legal. From the info I can get out of reloading manuals, the 7mm Rem Mag and the 7mm WSM are very close to identical ballistic twins. The 7th Edition Hornady manual gives a slight edge to the WSM for 139gr bullet loads while all others are about identical. But then, Hornady is understandably conservative with their loads and certain rifles could be loaded with a bit more power with either cartridge. All things considered, my order will probably go to Montana Rifle (in MONTANA) for a 7mm WSM with a heavy 26" SS barrel and a laminated Boyd's stock. The buttstock will sport a Simm's butt-pad over an 11 oz mercury recoil reducer. (Hey, when I go elk hunting, it will be on a horse!)

Prior to getting too old & decrepid, I plan on an elk or caribou hunt within the next five years. The caliber of choice is 7mm. Having reloaded since the mid '60's, I don't care to reload belted cases, and am interested in the SAUM or WSM. My choice is to load all rounds, rather than using factory loadings. Please, only those who are experienced in one or both of the rounds listed respond: Referencing Hornady 7th Addition Reloading Manual, the SAUM is 200fps slower than the WSM with most weight bullets. Which is generally more accurate? There are very few rifles available for either round, but the Rem 700 can be had for the SAUM less expensively than the WSM can be had from Browning. Has anyone used either of these rifles for either round; which is more accurate? The WSM seems to pack more of a punch than the 7mm Rem Magnum........but at how much more recoil? What would be the perfect rifle for either round? (I haven't ruled out Montana Rifle or Savage. The Browning A Bolt in stainless can be had for about the same price as the Montana with MB receiver and stainless barrel. The stock would be extra. The Savage would be less than half of either, but I have heard stories of horrific recoil in Savage models.) Any replies are welcome. Thank-you.

I personally don't own a Knight....mine are Encore, Savage 10ML, and Lyman Trade Rifle. However, I know several hunters (personally) who own and use Knight's with tremendous success. Just because one owns a T/C and is personally satisfied with it, doesn't mean a Knight is a POS. Afterall, the Knight people started the revolution of inline ML's.

I used to have a Hornady Reloading Handbook that I got in the mid-'70's. In it there were a couple of loads for their 75gr HP and their 100gr SP using IMR-4895, one propelled the 75 @ 3300fps and another sent the 100gr SP off at 3100fps. These were also classified as their accuracy rounds, and indeed, they were most accurate in my Rem 700 .25-06 as well. Due to BC's, the trajectories were almost identical. This made for fantastic combinations for both varmint and deer rounds!! I have since lost that reloading handbook and the newer manuals don't even list loads using IMR4895 for the .25-06. Does anyone have info from the old Hornady Reloading Handbooks of the mid-'70's or know of where I could get such info? (Yes, Hornady MAY have it........still awaiting their email reply.)

Re: scope for .17hmr ? Well, I put a 3-9x40 Bushnell Trophy on mine and am very pleased with it. The stainless Marlin has taken crows out at 165yds. Place your shots (either head or lung) on squirrels & rabbits, and you will have plenty of meat left. My rifle likes the Hornady 17gr ammo the best.

Re: 17 HMR targets It is absolutely accurate enough to head shoot squirrels (as your target would suggest). I've shot both head shots and lung shots without tearing up any edible meat. Messy? YES! But all the good meat was unharmed.

Re: Cracked Encore Butt-Stocks

Re: Cracked Encore Butt-Stocks One thing I should mention, "glue separation" should have been the term used rather than "crack". Just because this happened to mine, doesn't mean it will happen to yours, Mike. I don't blame Boyd's at all for this -- they just buy the laminated wood and cut stocks out of it. There may have been an area in the lamination which just wasn't filled quite as well as the rest of it. That may very well not be the case with your stock. At any rate, "the fix" is almost done and I will post a photo or two of it when finished.

Re: Cracked Encore Butt-Stocks Thanks, AJ, am thinking about that pillar job. I didn't want to go to the expense of getting the VV stock back then.... but now, wish I had. too pointer, ya ain't gonna like this. When the crack was discovered, the action was sporting a Tactical 20 barrel, which is a ballistic twin sister to the .204 Ruger. The recoil is so light that one can keep the scope on target upon firing. I haven't shot 150gr loads with the 209x50 barrel for years. This stock has only received recoil from around 120gr of T7 for just a few shots (weren't accurate) about three years ago. Since then its been a max of 120gr of Clean Shot, and lately, under 100gr of anything.

Re: 17 HMR Living along a wooded creek bottom has many advantages, but there is also a downside.....lots of various types of varmints....crows, starlings, fox, 'possum, coyotes, skunks, and WAY too many raccoons. The 17HMR has taken care of all these but the coyotes. For my uses, there is no better rimfire. (OH, and it's a fantastic squirrel rifle, too, being accurate enough to make head shots or through the ribs at rediculous rimfire ranges." This thing shoots more like a small CF than a RF!