Open Desert Walkabout

[Rick in Oregon]

Over the weekend, two of my good buddies and I went for what we call a desert walkabout here in Central Oregon. We do this a couple times a year, usually take our tactical rifles in 7.62 NATO, sidearms, a 22LR for bunnies, and all the trappings for long range rifle practice, and some coyotes of opportunity.

We shoot out to 900 yards with the 7.62's (sometimes 1,000 when the wind Gods smile), and just get stealthy while practicing at long range. Rangefinders, military 7.62 elevation/wind dope, and all the other necesary gear for such treks.

My buddy from Leupold, and my longtime friend from Glock (1st Gulf War Vet) were on this foray. My Glock buddy is the one who makes those killer ghillie suits. The one he had this trip was tailored for the Sierras, but seemed to work just fine in this environment. Here's some shots of the outing.

Dave on his rifle, engaging a "Taliban Rock" at 760 yards:



Here he is in his ghillie engaging an 660 yard target;



Another view:



Yours truly on the "Taliban Rock" at 760 yards. The target is a 2' rock on the shelf between the lower and upper rock outcroppings, across the sage flat. Dialed in for both elevation and windage (5 MOA on the wind). We all were able to make cold barrel first shot hits on the rock, then pounded it with 5 shot groups until we had a nice 6" tunnel dug into it.



On the rifle engaging the "Taliban Rock":



Good rifle practice with good friends in the wide open spaces: excellent!

[Hawkeye Joe]

Like two little kids playing in the desert. Looks like you had a good time. It also looks like lots of fun Nice, I see you drove BIG Red.

[Rick in Oregon]

Actually three little kids playing in the desert with big-boy rifles.

Big Red goes all the time....she's been to alot of elk funerals in the 32 years I've owned her fresh from the Canadian factory. All I have to do is take her out of the drive way, point her east, take a nap, and wa-la, I'm in the outback.

[Ryan S Albright]

Looks like fun. Wish I was there. I'll be up this spring. Some of the guys down here are doing real good on the Preditors.

[fattrav10]

rick I may have to buy one of your rests now nat gear and .308 shooting I love this game oh the guilles are nice as well making my first tonight

[Rick in Oregon]

fattrav10: Let us see your ghillie handiwork when you're all done.

[Ray P]

Rick glade to see you enjoing what come natural to you and your friends. I use pop some river rocks up hear Pa, while warming up 338 lupa with 300 grn sierras. What sound of impact and a cloud of grey smoke. My shooting buds nick name me D-9 for moving the earth with the 338 lupa.
Later and enjoy!
Ray P

[Rick in Oregon]

Ray: Ha! D-9.....I love it!

I can relate to your 338 Lapua, as I own and shoot a very accurate .330 Dakota, the ballistic twin to yours....nothing like rock-smoke out there at 600+ yards from a 300 SMK! Talk about reaching out and touching something! Oh baby!

[Ray P]

Thanks for the reply. Yep the .338 LIMP #2 is under construction again. New reamer with 35* shoulder and bullet datum set out for the 300 grn sierra. Gona wear a A-5 McMillan stock and a 30" fulted Hart barrel. The reason for LIMP is everyone I seam to let shoot IT limps away from the shooting bench. Not intended for all friends. Haha.
Thanks and enjoy. Later
Ray P

[savage rookie]

wow this thread has been done for a while, but just this morning while i was admiring a sav. .308 that i put together, I was thinking about this thread and thinking how much fun that would be!

funny.

[Rick in Oregon]

Ray: Wow, that will be a sweet LR rifle for sure. Be sure to keep us fixed up with data and photos when she's done. The small bores are beau coup fun, but there is nothing like launching a very wind-resistant 250 or 300 grain Sierra Match King at 3000+ fps waaaay out there to really get your attention.

I shoot my M700 tactical .308 out farther than the .308 was ever intended, but when you move up to a big case launching .338" bullets very fast, it's a whole new ball game, and twice the fun! I'm considering building another .330 Dakota in HB configuration just for that very purpose. By the way, your stock choice mirrors my own for the 'future rifle'.

Savagerookie: If you do snag that Savage .308, you'll be amazed at how effective the .308 or 7.62 NATO is at long range. Many poo-poo it as being a ".30-06 short", but nothing could be farther from the truth, especially with all the new powder and bullets (I shoot both). Even if you never hunt with it, busting rocks at long range with it will teach you things you never knew were possible. It's no wonder the military is still using it now, after 50 years of distingushed service. Many an enemy has been terminated at ranges past 600 yards with the old warhorse.

[Ray P]

Rick...... Will do on the updates and progress as she comes together. Onto the good old 308 win. Nothing but praise to say about that cal. My smith, who has since re-tired. Inroduced me to 1000 yrd benchrest shooting, and we started out with 308 win w/ 45.0 Hodgen Varget/ 175 grn sierra. I had a 1st relay and had to put the rifle back on paper after he had it apart for som adjustments. I shot 12-1/2" group at a grand. He shot next relay right after me. Never adj the scope and shot an 8-1/2" group at a grand to beat me. He shows the he'lls still "The Master" behind a good rifle and I'm still learning.
Thanks again for all the good input and pics.
Later
Ray P

[savage rookie]

Rick-

That was the main reason in my choosing of the caliber, proven military and LE record. When i began this project (my first savage put-together, can't really call it a build) i was looking for a good long range (relative term), high volume shooter.

I'm on a bit of a budget so i purchased a savage varmint takeoff, did a bit of modifacation (devcon grips, alum/epoxy forarm reinforcement, etc) and then went in search of a barreled action. Over on savageshooters.com i found a guy from KS (works at GAP) with the B/A I was looking for, and went from there. With the B/A he also included ALL of the rifles history (targets, sightins, etc...) as well as the dope for it out to 800 yrds. pretty good find.

This is what i ended up with...

savage takeoff
10 fp action
20" .308 (needed a subaru rifle, so couldn't get the 24 or 26" it wouldn't fit in the overhead gunrack)
homade cheekpiece/hardware
CEB scope (cheap eastern block)
waiting on a farrell base and BA rings

saving my nickels and dimes for a 10x SS, but my real dream would be a USO or NF.

sorry for deviation from thread topic, just proud of my first put together...







Still need to clean up the cheekpiece, cut a trigger gaurd, bed, and shoot. and hopefully a B/C or Stockade stock later.

[WrzWaldo]

When I think 7.62 the first name that comes to mind is Staff Sergeant Gilliland.

[Rick in Oregon]

Ray P: 12" at 1,000 yards? THAT my friend is some very good shooting in anyone's book! Nice! Keep us up to date on the next LR rig. It appears you really know how to drive one. A group like that from the 7.62 NATO is a nice accomplishment. Tell that one to the .308 naysayers.

savage rookie: Looks like a neat, compact tactical rifle you've got there. Many LE agencies use the Rem M700 Urban Model with a 20" barrel, including a good friend. Surprisingly, not very much velocity is lost to the shorter barrel, and being shorter, the rifle handles very well, and is stiffer too, so the accuracy is very, very good. Many of the top BR shooters are using 20" barrels for this exact reason. Looks like a neat project.

I still have not camo'd mine, see no reason, as I don't hunt with it, just smack rocks from afar, but if I ever do, it will resemble Dave's rifle above on the walkabout. Here's mine at rest:



Waldo: I recall hearing that name....enlighten us as to the 'who', 'when', and 'where'. Is he the sniper of recent fame from Iraq who made that very sweet 1200 meter shot on the fool insurgent in the hospital window using his M40A2 7.62 rifle?