Drake Magazine Online

Heero[CntRmbrPwd] wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 11, 2018 8:17 am

First one. Over the moon.

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Redchaser wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 13, 2018 8:08 am

Heero[CntRmbrPwd] wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 11, 2018 8:17 am

First one. Over the moon.

4324B65B-7244-4B64-8B53-E45C991A4D21.jpeg

Hey Heero, congrats, especiall shooting with open sights. Tell us about that rifle.

Heero[CntRmbrPwd] wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 11, 2018 8:17 am

First one. Over the moon.

4324B65B-7244-4B64-8B53-E45C991A4D21.jpeg

Heero[CntRmbrPwd] wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:05 am

It is a Traditions Hawken Rifle. 50 caliber. I shoot with 95 grain pyrodex (performs better), patch and round ball. It’s the cheap one. It was $300-$350 on sale at Bass Pro Shop a bunchve years back -- they didnt even do a background check when I bought it which I thought was weird but whatever. They did put my name down on some list every time I purchased powder, double weird.

It shoots great. Dead on balls accurate up to 75 meters (why the gun range measured target station in commie meters rather than MERKAN yards Ill never understand!). Pretty good to 100 meters, also, with good conditions. I practice a fair bit because why not.

The shot I took on the beast was close to 100m, if not just about there. Hiked in about a mile in the dark and situated myself on a hilltop overlooking a couple draws. After creeping my way through thru sage a ways hoping to cut off a bachelor group of 3 bulls I had seen on the horizon first light, it turned out I anticipated right and they came thru the draw I thought they would. I ran out of sage as cover so I waited as they continued toward me. They werent going to come any closer to my position, so at their closest point I took the shot on the first as he showed me his side passing into the draw. Almost an hour from the time I first glassed them to the shot. Accounted for a little drop, doubled lunged him, just as Id hoped. The ball hit a couple ribs and lost enough velocity that it made it out the other side but not through the far hide so I recovered it while dressing which is a pretty neat memento.

Pretty textbook. I couldnt believe my luck. Patience and luck.

Quartered and cut every last piece of meat off then hauled it out. Had some help, a friend person who occasionally tolerates my presence was watching a herd of cows 1/2 mile or so away hoping they’d cross the fence to thenpublic. Able to grab him, took us about 5 hours from shot to get it all butchered and packed out. Then he got one of the cows that evening and back I went to help haul out his. What a day.