Couple of LR Rockchucks

tt35

New member
Yesterday was one of our rare-for-this-year sunny and relatively calm days so when my son got home from school, I asked him if he wanted to run out and try for some long range rockchucks. I was shocked when he said, "yes".
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So, we grabbed a quick bite to eat, loaded up our stuff and headed out.

We don't have a ton of rockchucks in our area so we try not to take them too early and impact our populations too bad. Our agreement this year was to not take any shots under 1000 yards until May. It tends to make it quite a bit easier on the resource if you know what I mean! We had made a couple of attempts this spring but hadn't connected until this trip. We set up near the road in a spot we had shot earlier. Both of us shoot M700 .243AI's with eight-twist Kreiger barrels in A5 stocks. Ben's shooting 105 grain A-maxes and I shoot 105 gr Berger VLD's. We both had a pretty good idea of our drops from the previous trip so when Ben (Verminator2) started shooting he was immediately putting rockchucks in danger at 1100 yards. Being the good dad I am (and, because I shot first on the last trip
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), I spotted for him until he shot up the 14 rounds he brought. On the 5th shot we both saw a rockchuck's head drop but it went out of sight so we couldn't confirm the kill.

It was getting late by the time Ben finished shooting and the rockchucks were starting to go down but we spotted quite a few rockchucks on another rim that was a little closer--only in the 1025 to 1050 yard range. I only had a 1000 yard trajectory chart taped to my rifle and the drops start to change pretty dramatically at that range so my first shot was about one and a half minutes low. A couple of adjustments got me dialed in for elevation but now the diurnals were battling the previous wind complicating the windage calls. Long story short, After several attempts, I center-massed a large 'chuck just as it was getting dark. We were able to drive to within 40 yards of the 'chuck for a hero shot then Ben headed to the other rim to check on his shot. Before I could get all my stuff together, I hear Ben hooping and doing a jig in the evening glow on the top of the other rim like a Neanderthal that just discovered psychodelic mushrooms. His 'chuck was confirmed as well!

Not exactly one shot, one kill sniper stuff but we'll take it!

Ben added his rockchuck to one he took last year at 1044 yards. This was my first 1000+ yard varmint. Gonna have to start shopping for a .338 Lapua now to go 1500 with!
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My 1030 yard rockchuck.

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Ben's 1109 yard 'chuck. Not bad for a sixteen year old kid.
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Ben allowed as how it took a lot less skill to hit my rockchuck than his because mine was so much bigger...I'll give him that!

 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeI can see now Ben's gonna need one heck of a job to support is habit in the future !
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And that's only half the problem, Tim. As soon as he takes another step, I either have to step up too or find a new hunting partner! It's getting pretty expensive for his dad also! I may have to get a job also!
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Thanks for the kind words, guys. This long range stuff does get addicting. You start measuring in yards instead of headcounts...
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Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeI can see now Ben's gonna need one heck of a job to support is habit in the future !
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I know! And now that I'm driving my own rig I need gas money too
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One of these days I'll hopefully become rich and not so famous.
 
Originally Posted By: Verminator2Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeI can see now Ben's gonna need one heck of a job to support is habit in the future !
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I know! And now that I'm driving my own rig I need gas money too
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One of these days I'll hopefully become rich and not so famous.


And then there is ... ...........girls !
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......
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Tim, Don't foget that 338 Lapua burns way more powder that your 243AI ! I can see the $$$$$$$$ already !
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Pshhh girls..... Gotta keep my priorities straight
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If I'm gonna push it farther I'm thinking 7 WSM. A 180 VLD or JLK will keep supersonic to 1 mile I believe. I could be wrong, but you can stretch them a looong ways.
 
I was hoping my .280 AI would, but I found out that it only has a 1-10 twist after I bought it. It will barely, barely stabilize 162 Amaxs, but they won't shoot worth a hoot.
 
Tim & Ben,
Congrats to both of you. Having a father/son 1k+ afternoon is always one for the record books and good memories.

Ben,
The 7mm WSM will do you a great job as will the 7mm Dakota.
I have both, albeit in single-shot specialty pistols.
 
Congrats, Ben and Tim. Some fine shooting none the less.

Ben, re-barrel that .280ai with a '9 twist and you'll be good to go with those 162's. I think once my 6.5-284 dies, I'm going to go .280ai.
 
Ben,
When you rebarrel that 280 AI, I completely agree with SS110.
I use Broughton, Brux, Krieger, Lilja, and Bartlein, and they all deliver excellent performance, as anyone who uses htem knows.

For the price McGowen has given me excellent accuracy, capable of pd kills way beyond 1k, and groups at 100 that are equal to what the big boys do.
I am not saying every barrel of theirs will do this, but I have four chambered to date (two 6x47 Lapua's, 243 Win, and a 6.5-284), and 1-9 twist 7mm that will be a 7 Dakota some day. The four are really superb.
E
 
It will be a while before I get a new barrel on that 280 AI cause its mainly a big game rifle. It has a Shilen barrel on it right now and will shoot the 160 Accubonds well, but that's not giving me much advantage over my .243 AI at this point. Maybe one of these days I'll put on another 8 or 9 twist barrel.

I need a new barrel for my .243 AI as it is. I think I have 1600 rounds through it. Accuracy hasn't dropped off too much as far as I can tell, but by this summer, after shooting rockchucks, I'm sure it will need a new one.

Has anybody used the 115 DTac's or Bergers on varmints out past 1000? I like the 105 amaxs because they will leave a good hole in a chuck out there and the chuck won't crawl off. I'm not sure I want to shoot a bullet that will just pencil through. I don't know how much advantage the slower 115s have over the 105s, but they might get me to 1500.
 
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