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A tale of two scopes...and rifles. |
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tejas
Optics Journeyman Joined: March/08/2010 Location: Lone Star State Status: Offline Points: 575 |
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Posted: March/22/2011 at 23:41 |
The first and eldest of these two rifles is an Armalite AR-10A4, Burris PEPR mount, Trijicon 2.5-10X56 green mildot and Harris bipod. I've been using Barnes Vortex 165 grain TTSX ammo in it. I have had it in its current configuration for a couple of years. The second is a Browning Bar in .270 WSM, DNZ Game Reaper one piece mount and Vortex Viper PST 1-4X24. It is brand new. I know what your thinking - He should've put the Trijicon on the Browning and the Vortex on the AR. Well, maybe i will. The purpose of both of them is hog hunting although I like to tear holes in paper at the range once in a while too. I normally hunt off of my ATV in the south Texas brush, pretty much exclusively at night. I don't want to carry my rifles in the gun rack because they are constantly getting jostled and besides-you can't shoot it if you aren't carrying it. Both these rifles have safari slings.
Lets look at these two rigs with the clear understanding that I am not an expert by any means. Armalite plusses: Semi auto, very reliable, very accurate, cheap ammo, easy to clean (for a semi auto) Trijicon scope is bright, clear and absolutely lethal with that tiny green dot in the center. The bipod is nice for when you have to sneak up on foot and take a shot. Its disadvantages are few, but important. It's heavy and has lots of square metal edges that constantly poke and prod you. Did I mention that it's heavy? Honestly it's a great gun and I love it other than the fact it just beats the sh*t out of you over time. Now the Browning. Plusses: Semi auto, supposedly reliable (time will tell) light, balanced. I love the pop of the 270 WSM. Vortex scope is sharp and clear. The reticle will turn down plenty low enough which is something I was worried about. It is small and light which is what I wanted. To keep the weight down it is not equipped with a bipod. I carried a shooting stick in my gun rack. Now for the minuses, but let me mention this first: this gun cost a little over half what the Armalite cost. Ammo is expensive and difficult to find (my fault I know) not as accurate as the Armalite, a real pain to clean the gas system. I really don't care much for the reticle on this scope. The illumination is fine, it's the shape. The bold outside edges overwhelm the center dot making it difficult to aim with precision at nighttime and I really, really hate walking in the brush after a boar. Here is the bottom line: if I can find a factory load that will shoot well out of the Browning, i will move the Trijicon scope to it and start using it. That scope is larger and heavier than the Vortex, but for hog hunting, it's a tough scope to beat. I like that Vortex scope a lot though and will put it on the Armalite which it IS better suited for anyway. Above is the Armalite with the Trijicon. This is the Browning with the Vortex though you can't see them well.
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14962 |
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BAR - B - QUE
Congratulations job well done. Think about loading your own that takes the sting out of the WSM cartridges cost.
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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Great write up and awesome pictures.
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tman1965
Optics Master Joined: July/20/2010 Location: South Georgia Status: Offline Points: 1456 |
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Good read and pics, thanks for sharing! |
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Midwest_Hunter
Optics Apprentice Joined: January/07/2011 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 102 |
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Sounds like some nice setups. Good post
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supertool73
Optics God Superstool Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 11814 |
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I have been shooting a BAR for 15 years, my dad has been shooting his since the late 60s I believe. Good guns, ours are the older safari style. In my experience the gas system does not need a lot of maintainence. They are a pretty clean semi auto, nothing like the di on the ARs.
I think you will enjoy it, I have always really liked my BAR. |
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Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service don't mean a thing when your gun fails during a zombie attack.
"A Liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own." |
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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Tejas, you described exactly why I went with a more potent chambering in the AR15 platform rather than going with a larger, heavier AR10 based rifle for my hog hunting. I shaved 1.5 - 2 pounds of rifle weight in doing so. I chose 6.8 SPC for a variety of reasons, but several other chamberings (6.5 Grendel, .264 LBC, .450 Bushmaster, .458 SOCOM, .50 Beowulf, etc.) would work well on hogs. In order to further shave weight and minimize protuberances and sharp edges, I went with a mid length 18" barrel, a lightwight, round hand guard with only a single rail on top (Troy TRX), a "slick side" (no dust cover, no forward assist) upper, no BUIS, retractable buttstock, etc. The result is a potent, nice handling rifle for fast follow-up shots on hogs.
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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Did you say 450 Bushmaster?
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hunterwingler
Optics Master Joined: April/03/2009 Location: Idaho Status: Offline Points: 1420 |
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nice looking set ups man
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I wasn't upset about the black cat crossing my path this morning but mouthing "your fu@#ed" as he passed was just rude.
If Guns kill people mine are all defective |
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tejas
Optics Journeyman Joined: March/08/2010 Location: Lone Star State Status: Offline Points: 575 |
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Thanx for all your input and suggestions. SVT, that is a good looking rig. Is that the new SS? Rifledude, I looked hard at getting the 450 Marlin upper from here last year. http://www.ar-10-rifles.com/index.php
Guess I'm glad i didn't now that I've spent the money on the Browning to "get lighter" I had ordered some 270 WSM ammo last week which arrived today. These include the Federal 110 grain Barnes TTSX, the Winchester 150 grain Silvertip and Blackhills 140 grain accubond. I had already tried the Federal 130 grain accubond and the Winchester 150 grain XP3. Wasn't impressed with either. Hopefully the BAR will like one of these better. I'm hoping to get 2 inch groups at 100 yds or better. Urimaginary friend is right-I should start reloading.
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Kickboxer
MODERATOR Moderator Joined: February/13/2008 Status: Offline Points: 23679 |
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Good stories, good guns, good hog (dead)...
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Opinion,untempered by fact,is ignorance.
There are some who do not fear death... for they are more afraid of not really living |
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Ed Connelly
Optics Retard God of no Chihuahua Joined: December/16/2007 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 24225 |
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Whoa!!! Great hog and photos!!!
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14962 |
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Yea you really have to with some calibers because the ammo is so darn expensive. If you can find Winchester Power Max try a box of that. Also Horniday is loading ammo now and I like their bullets I reload their AMAX bullets a lot.
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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SVT_Tactical
MODERATOR Chief Sackscratch Joined: December/17/2009 Location: NorthCackalacky Status: Offline Points: 31233 |
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yep thats the new SS
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ccoker
Optics Master Joined: February/13/2008 Location: Austin, TX Status: Offline Points: 2041 |
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I love the 6.8 for hog hunting..
I handload 95g Barnes TTSX My baby, Wilson Combat 18" Recon and S&B 1.5-6 Zenith Flashdot #9 Hogs don't like it much |
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www.TacticalGunReview.com
Pro Staff - Silencer Shop http://tacticalgunreview.com |
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Alan Robertson
Optics Master Joined: October/31/2009 Location: Oklahoma Status: Offline Points: 1763 |
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+1 The .30 cal 208gr Amax is great- stock up when I can because they seem to be perpetually out of stock and with price increases every time a new shipment comes in. |
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"Garg'n uair dhuisgear"
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Alan Robertson
Optics Master Joined: October/31/2009 Location: Oklahoma Status: Offline Points: 1763 |
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Oops! Meant to include this in last post- Great rigs and hogs, guys!
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"Garg'n uair dhuisgear"
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tejas
Optics Journeyman Joined: March/08/2010 Location: Lone Star State Status: Offline Points: 575 |
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Well, I moved the Trijicon scope to the BAR and took my three new, and part of an existing box of 270 WSM to the range this morning to try and find the best factory load. This is a whopping 150.00 or so worth of ammo. Here they are as mentioned above: Federal 110 gr. Barnes TTSX, Black Hills 140 gr. Accubond, Winchester 150 gr. Silvertip, Federal 130 gr. Nosler Partition. As I expected, the 110 gr. Federals didn't "zero" anywhere near where the other rounds did, so if i shot this, I would have to shoot it exclusively, or write down POI adjustments. It ended up not making a difference. The Black Hills ammo shot a good bit better than the others so that's what I'll be using. I averaged around 2" groups @ 100 yds. with it and 3" or more with all the other loads. Thats not spectacular, but I'm not a spectacular shot either and I was using a sand bag, not a lead sled. Anyway, it's good enough for a semi auto hunting rifle. The recoil of the 270 WSM isn't bad out of the Browning. I would say its about like a 308 out of a bolt action. The 270 WSM out of a bolt action would probably grow wearisome to shoot after ten or so shots. It definitely would grow wearisome on the wallet. The Vortex scope on the AR is a nice fit. Look's cool too. This scope would certainly make a good hunting scope even if that isn't it's intended purpose. The shape of the reticle, which I didn't care much for at first, grows on you. This rifle has always been a tack driver, even with cheap military surplus ammo. Moving this scope to it didn't hurt that any. It still shoots great, even with such a drop off in magnification. If I were buying a scope solely for hog hunting, I'd still buy the Trijicon in 2.5-10X56. Its bigger, bulkier and heavier than a lot of others. If that's a problem, consider a Trijicon in a different model like the 3-9X40. The reticle on these what makes them so good for night use. If you want a "tactical" scope you can also use for hog hunting, You can do a lot worse than the Vortex Viper PST 1-4X24. |
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tejas
Optics Journeyman Joined: March/08/2010 Location: Lone Star State Status: Offline Points: 575 |
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CCoker, that's a good looking rifle. Nice pig too.
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tejas
Optics Journeyman Joined: March/08/2010 Location: Lone Star State Status: Offline Points: 575 |
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Edited by tejas - March/26/2011 at 13:29 |
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