SmallCaliberCentral

Rick.....Thanks for sharing again!! Looks like you enjoy writting as much as shooting. Great write up and pics. Don't know how far away that messa is in the background in one of you pics, but looks a nice vantage point for some looong range shooting down on "Death Valley".
Thanks again and glade you got out your friends and made the most with them.
Later
Ray P

Good to hear from you, Rick. Glad to hear yopu had another successful season! I've been so busy with 'rat hunters that I haven't been able to keep up with the Forum very well myself this year. The weather has been much more cooperative this season than last although there were still plenty of jackets and gloves days. Glad you guys were able to keep your shooting going this year. I hope it continues--great place you've got.

Tim Titus
No Off Season
Predator and Varmint Gear and Hunts

"No crowds, no limits, no seasons...no bad days."

It is quite easy to tell the difference between ravens and crows. If it is flying around, it is a raven. If you just killed it, it is a crow Hate them either way but don't get me started.

RAMOS wrote:It is quite easy to tell the difference between ravens and crows. If it is flying around, it is a raven. If you just killed it, it is a crow

Ramos: Funny, that's the same method of identification we use here! Seems to work quite well too.

Rick you are spoiled but in a good way. After reading all that you wrote up and enjoying the picks you took makes it feel like i was setting in the back seat watching. That is alot of rimfires you went threw and it sound like you will be busy preping brass for awhile. Glad you had a safe and eventful trip.
How is the new 4 wheel buggy treating you?

Rick,

Thank You for sharing the pictures and a recap of the trip. I am still hoping to get out there sometime in the next couple years, my trigger finger is itchin.

Brad

Rick,
Thanks for the tip on the Winchester Power Points, I just ordered 500 online to see how they will do. I've been in the market for a good anti-squirrel .22LR round. I also ordered some CCI segmented 1080fps and some of the new Winchester Varmint HE, segmented to compare. I'm shooting a Kidd 20" barrel on my 10/22. So far I love it.

Clint E wrote:How is the new 4 wheel buggy treating you?

Clint, It hasn't been to any mule deer or elk funerals yet, but so far she's lookin' to be a fine rig. Hooked her up to my camp trailer yesterday in preparation for summer mtn biking and camping, now that our varmint season is pretty much over (sob!), maybe except for another couple of rock chuck outings. I'm lovin' it so far.

wirelessguy2005 wrote:Rick, Thank You for sharing the pictures and a recap of the trip. I am still hoping to get out there sometime in the next couple years, my trigger finger is itchin.

Brad: We can't have that finger itchin' too much. The cure is a large alfalfa field, loaded with ravenous squirrels and a 204 at your side. Warning: If you come, you may not want to go home.

Bodei wrote:Rick, Thanks for the tip on the Winchester Power Points, I just ordered 500 online to see how they will do. I've been in the market for a good anti-squirrel .22LR round. I also ordered some CCI segmented 1080fps and some of the new Winchester Varmint HE, segmented to compare. I'm shooting a Kidd 20" barrel on my 10/22. So far I love it.

Bodei, fellow squirrel shooter....over the years I've tried about every 22LR HP on squirrels possible. The WW Power Points were originally designed and manufactured in Oz for use on their large Austrailan hares. The performance on our ground squirrels really has to be seen personally to really be appreciated. The terminal effect is "very graphic" to say the least. Those HP's really expand on rats, sometimes cutting them in half inside of 25 yards.

In all my 22LR rifles and handguns, it is the best performing 22LR HP I've ever used, and very accurate to boot. My Clark Custom 10-22 will cut a ragged hole at 35 yards with it, and shoot inside of a dime at 50 yds from a rest. We can hear the "thwop" of the HP hitting the rat clear to 100 yards. It really thumps 'em good......some rats look to have been hit with a 223 shooting 40 grainers instead of a measly 22LR. Very good stuff to be sure.

Rick,
Looks like everyone except the rats had a good time. Thanks for the story and pictures, looks like those rats can tear up some real estate. Too bad they don't stay out longer.

Melvin Eades wrote:Rick, Looks like everyone except the rats had a good time. Thanks for the story and pictures, looks like those rats can tear up some real estate. Too bad they don't stay out longer.

Melvin: Heck buddy, if the rats stayed up any longer, I'd have to take out a home loan to pay for components! It was indeed a grand time for everyone except Skippy. Now the long wait till next year......oh wait....... There's still rock chucks to play with!

A shameless 'hero shot' from last week near here when Chuck and his pals came out to play.....



Did I mention I love this time of year?

Rick,
I grew up hunting groundhogs and spent a lot of Saturday evenings monitoring the bean fields instead of going out on dates, the hunting was less stressful and cheaper. Our groundhogs starting disappearing in the early 70's and we are just now starting to get a few of them again. I miss those days (hunting groundhogs, not the dating)!

Really enjoyed the pics and write-up, nicely done...both volumes

hemiallen wrote:Looks like tons of Fun Rick. Thanks for the 2 part story.

Are your settings in inches or clicks for your tall cap Leupolds? I was good setting my gun zero at 200, but we didn't try any of them in the neighbors fields in Alturas...

Allen: Yep, it was a grand way to finish up the 2012 rat season. Sorry, forgot to respond to your question about the turret spec's.....

All my drop charts are made up in MOA increments. By doing so, the 1/4" click value on the scope turrets can pretty much be extrapolated to MOA from any ballistics program. It's worked out quite well so far....... Skippy does NOT approve!