Rog's Rod & Nimrod

I know that there is too much technical talk in today’s column for some readers, but we need to look at what’s new out there as far as our big game and bird hunting is concerned.

Targeting big game animals at exceedingly long ranges, what I will call sniping, has become increasingly popular in today’s hunting world. Because I am “old school,” I am an endangered species. I don’t use or own a laser range finder. My rifle scope is not computer programmed, and I still believe in getting as close as possible to my intended target. I have no desire to take or make 800 yard shots, and I question the ethics of this practice as I believe that it leads to more wounded and lost animals.

I believe my reasons for opposing this long range practice are objective. For many years I did my big game hunting with a 300 Winchester Magnum, a high performance cartridge. With a 150 grain spire point bullet, it will have a muzzle velocity of approximately 3000 feet per second (FPS). It will also produce 3000 foot pounds of energy (FPE) at the muzzle. At 600 yards, the muzzle velocity is down to 1564 FPS, and the muzzle energy is 814 FPE. These figures do not meet our SD Game, Fish, & Parks minimum muzzle requirements.

Now let’s look at the “puny” .30-30 Winchester cartridge. With the same 150 grain 30 caliber bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2000 FPS, the muzzle energy is down to 832 FPE at 200 yards - still more than the 300 Mag at 600 yards, yet the experts would frown on any shot at an elk with a .30-30.

My argument amounts to is this. Even with a 300 Winchester Magnum, at 600 yards the power necessary to properly expand the bullet is gone! Yet the long range enthusiasts talk about 800 yards and more!

The Barnes bullet people have listened to my rationale. They claim their new VOR-TX LR “Long Range Ammunition” is effective out to 700 yards and beyond. They claim their new LRX bullet is optimized specifically to deliver lightning-like terminal results. In other words, their new bullet peels back and forms massive expansion at lower velocities.

While I’m somewhat relieved that the people with the computerized lazar scopes and high dollar MOA (minute of angle) rifles can now kill more humanely at long range, I still believe in skill at distance judging, knowing exactly what one’s rifle will do at 200-300 yards, and getting as close as possible to the intended target. It requires little skill to get within a half mile (800 yds) of an elk.

There’s another new development in ammunition. Not too long ago shotgun shell manufacturers went to 3-1/2 inch magnum twelve gauge shotgun shells. Bigger was better, and three inches wasn’t enough. Personally, if I can’t kill it with a three-inch mag, I’m not going to shoot. Now Federal has brought out the “shorty,” a twelve gauge 1-3/4 inch shotgun shell meant to be easy on the shoulder. The Federal load packs a 15/16 ounce of #8 shot at a muzzle velocity of 1145 FPS.

This new Federal product is pricey. It retails $5.95 for a box of ten. I don’t quite get it. A box of 25 Federal “game loads” costs about $6.00. With these budget rounds, we’re looking at an ounce of #7-1/2 shot at a muzzle velocity of 1290 FPS. Is the difference between 1/16 oz. of shot and 45 FPS worth the 35 cents per shell difference? My shoulder couldn’t tell the difference, but my billfold could.

I’m personally interested in this. When I had the deep brain surgery for the tremor in my right hand, they put the battery in my left shoulder to accommodate hunting recoil in my right shoulder. Now I’m having deep brain surgery for the tremor in my left hand. Will the new battery go in my right shoulder? Does this mean no more hunting, or at least my using rifles and shotguns with far less recoil? I’m told that recoil could disconnect the wire that goes from my brain to the battery. I’d give up hunting before I’d let that happen. I’ll keep you posted.

There’s talk of our SDGF&P Department considering 500 “Special Buck” tags for East River Deer hunting. For the record, I’m strongly opposed as this is all about money. Remember the Mitchell Gun Show March 14-15.

See you next week.