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Once In A Lifetime Shot |
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Ernie Bishop
Optics Professional Joined: January/26/2010 Location: Gillette, WY Status: Offline Points: 765 |
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Posted: July/02/2022 at 07:32 |
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The Wednesday after Father's Day, there were seven of
us out trying to shoot a prairie dog past 1K with specialty pistols.
Steve Hugel (My longtime hunting buddy from Pueblo) and I spotted for
four plus hours. There were others who would shoot for awhile, and then
turn around and spot as well. Jeremy
had 2 kills over 1100 yards, with the one that stayed topside at 1126
yards, shooting his BCG 6mm Creedmoor Alpine clone XP-100, using a NF
scope. After all of us were done shooting and we were out taking
pictures, Jeremy grabbed the wrong 6 Creed XP. He has two of them so the
one in the pictures is the wrong gun. He didn't realize what he did,
till they had been on the road for four hours. The Correct XP! Jeff
took one at 1025 yards with his center-grip XP-100 chambered in 25
Creedmoor, using a Sightron S-III 6-24, with 135 grain Berger's. Glenn
hit one at 1161 yards with his BCG center-grip XP-100 in 22 Creedmoor
(Sightron S-III 6-24), using the 88 grain Hornady ELD-M. I watched the
bullet hit the dog, but it went into its hole. Later on, we found blood,
but it went deep enough down, we couldn't see it. Before we got
everything loaded up, Steve challenged me to kill a prairie dog over a
grand in 10 shots or less. He said he would buy my lunch if I could get
it done. The conditions were good, so I started pulling stuff out of the
Yukon. Now I had a decision to make. I had three 22 centerfire
specialty pistols with me. A H-S Precision HSP, 15" center-grip 1-7T,
with their H-Brake chambered in 223 Remington, shooting 77 grain TMK's
(2675 fps), with a Rockwell stock, and a Burris XTR-II 3-15 scope. Steve
had been shooting the H-S Precision pistol for the past couple of days.
I also had two 22GT specialty pistols that Peter Angelos of Omega
Precision Firearms here in Gillette, put together for me. One is a
center-grip XP-100, with a 15.9" Hart HV 1-7 twist barrel, with Holland
Radial Baffle brake. It has a McMillan stock, and a Leupold Mark V
3.6-18x44 scope. Alpha brass, RL 26, Hornady 88 grain ELD-M at 2886 fps.
The one I decided to shoot is a rear grip set-up using a Kauger Arms
PRS action, 18" 1-7 twist barrel,Trigger Tech trigger with an MDT
chassis. I have the Burris XTR-III 3.3-18x50mm with the SCR MOA Reticle. I
had shot the Kauger Arms rear-grip two days earlier for fun, so I chose
it. I found a dog, and ranged him at 1004 yards, dialed up 22.5 MOA,
looked at the conditions, and felt the wind, and dialed left 1.25 MOA.
Steve had not had time to get on his Kowa Big Eyes yet, as I guess he
thought it would take a shot or two to get dialed in or he was just
trying to locate where I was going to shoot. I believe Jeremy's dad, Leo
and Jeff or maybe Jim was on spotting scopes. I can spot my own shots
with this rear-grip, so I wasn't worried about someone needing to spot
for me. I hit him in the head on the first shot cold bore. I doubt I
will ever be able to hit that small of a target at just over a grand
again on the first shot with that many witnesses. Steve couldn't believe
it, and since he hadn't got on the dog yet, he didn't get to witness
it. At first, he thought I was teasing him, so I told him to look
through my scope, and he saw for himself the small dead prairie dog
topside. Then it rang out, "there is another dog right beside him!" I
got back on the gun, since I had 9 more rounds to use, and proceeded
with the more typical kind of shooting for this distance on a very small
target (just right, just left, just over, etc..). Both of these prairie
dogs were yearlings or extremely small for their age, and not the Boone
and Crockett level you would prefer for this type of distance. On the
9th shot I took out the second one. Another unique thing is we had a
group of vultures gather around the two dogs. After about 10-15 minutes,
a bald eagle came down and cleared them out and took the second dog
away-LUNCH! It was my day to look good. Steve was
spotting for me with his Big Eyes for the second pd, and that made
everything sweeter, as Steve had been my spotter when the two of us
committed to LR dogs back almost 20 years ago when we made our first
endeavor of 1K+ to one mile plus pd shooting. I do recognize that my
cold bore shot was probably once in a lifetime. I also understand the
good fortune I had for those nine shots. For a reality check, Glenn and I
went out again the following week for several hours, as I wanted to
kill one with my center-grip 15" 223 Remington HSP. In the course of the
morning, I fired 92 rounds, and hit one at 1058 yards. Another prairie
dog ended up dragging him down a hole-Grrr! Back
to our original morning, I asked if anyone wanted to shoot the Kauger
22GT rear-grip, and Jim said he would like to shoot it. He killed a
prairie dog beyond a 1/4 mile with it in 5 shots if I remember right-It
sure shoots good! We were shooting off Glenn's portable bench. Good
times with good friends. Lunch at Los Compadres was very tasty! |
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Ernie
"If you think you are perfect, just try walking on water." |
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Dogger
Optics Jedi Master Joined: January/02/2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Online Points: 8914 |
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Excellent Ernie, that’s a class of shooting I could only dream of!
B&C prairie dogs is a new one for me LOL!
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God save the Empire!
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Peddler
Optics God Joined: July/04/2012 Location: Oswego,NY Status: Offline Points: 13526 |
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👍👍👍🎂
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When you are dead, you don't know you are dead.It is difficult only for others.
It is the same when you are stupid. |
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Ernie Bishop
Optics Professional Joined: January/26/2010 Location: Gillette, WY Status: Offline Points: 765 |
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Thanks. It is a phrase I have been using for prairie dogs for awhile. I also use that term when intentionally hunting for uncommon doe antelope (horned doe). We are always looking for the biggest horns. It makes it fun, and more of a challenge. Head this way next June, and I will put a specialty pistol in your hands that is ready to go for distance...You will have to pay for your ammunition though |
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Ernie
"If you think you are perfect, just try walking on water." |
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tejas
Optics Journeyman Joined: March/08/2010 Location: Lone Star State Status: Offline Points: 575 |
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Great read. Always enjoy hearing your exploits with those long range hand cannons. I’m actually reloading some 6.5X47s for my Encore pistol now. Going to try IMR8208. I get massive fireballs with Varget out of that short barrel so maybe the faster burning 8208 will be a little more user friendly.
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Ernie Bishop
Optics Professional Joined: January/26/2010 Location: Gillette, WY Status: Offline Points: 765 |
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Does your Encore have a brake? If so, what kind?
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Ernie
"If you think you are perfect, just try walking on water." |
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Scrumbag
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: October/22/2013 Location: London, UK Status: Offline Points: 4205 |
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Nice shooting!
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Was sure I had a point when I started this post...
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Ernie Bishop
Optics Professional Joined: January/26/2010 Location: Gillette, WY Status: Offline Points: 765 |
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Thanks!
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Ernie
"If you think you are perfect, just try walking on water." |
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tejas
Optics Journeyman Joined: March/08/2010 Location: Lone Star State Status: Offline Points: 575 |
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This is a custom Match Grade Machine barrel, the brake is machined into it. I have 12.25” of barrel from the breech to the beginning of the brake. What I’m doing now is sort of an experiment. My original load was fine and I expect muzzle blast from a rifle cartridge fired from a pistol length barrel. Here’s my thoughts and they could definitely be in error. Varget, with a 123 grain bullet, Lapua Scenar, may not be optimal in my barrel. I’m wondering if my the bullet is at the brake or even exiting the barrel before the pressure completely spikes. In other words, maybe it’s still burning as it leaves the muzzle. The load I’m trying is from the Hodgdon website using a 130 grain Sierra MK and IMR8208XBR. It shows less velocity than Varget, but that’s out of a long barrel. Im hoping it’s more efficient out of mine. I was also thinking about using a magnum primer but decided I’d stick with a regular. I admire your skills Ernie, but 300 yard shots with a pistol are challenging enough for me. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts, or anyone else’s for that matter. |
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Ernie Bishop
Optics Professional Joined: January/26/2010 Location: Gillette, WY Status: Offline Points: 765 |
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I run 130's and 140's through my 15" Kauger Arms Black Widow. I did run 123 A-Max's through my 6.5x47 Lapua MOA Maximum back in the day though. I used Varget for all of the above. A Encore or Contender is going to be harder to shoot accurately compared to a bolt specialty pistol in general. I have never had that chambering with that short of a barrel, so you may have something there. Nothing wrong with trying a Magnum primer, as long as you reduce your load when doing so, to make sure you stay in a safe zone. I sure don't see a negative in experimenting, unless you are real low on components. Trigger time is always good. When I went to a rifle scope it made everything easier as well. I think if you had a opportunity to shoot a different set-up you would be surprised how easy it is to shoot further distances. Every year at WY-SHOT we help remove the intimidation's that new handgun shooters have concerning their ability to shoot much further than they have done before.
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Ernie
"If you think you are perfect, just try walking on water." |
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Ernie Bishop
Optics Professional Joined: January/26/2010 Location: Gillette, WY Status: Offline Points: 765 |
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Do you have a chronograph to compare things?
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Ernie
"If you think you are perfect, just try walking on water." |
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tejas
Optics Journeyman Joined: March/08/2010 Location: Lone Star State Status: Offline Points: 575 |
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I do. My velocity with 36.0 grains of Varget and a 123 Lapua Scenar is 2620. That’s considerably slower than my 6.5X47 rifle gets but that’s expected. Sorry about high jacking your post btw. I’ll start a new one and post the velocity of this new load. Might be a few days. Early morning Is the only time to to go to range in July here in Texas.
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Ernie Bishop
Optics Professional Joined: January/26/2010 Location: Gillette, WY Status: Offline Points: 765 |
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By all means, keep it on THIS thread. You are not hijacking anything as far as I am concerned
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Ernie
"If you think you are perfect, just try walking on water." |
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Ernie Bishop
Optics Professional Joined: January/26/2010 Location: Gillette, WY Status: Offline Points: 765 |
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My 15" Kauger Arms Black Widow 6.5x47 Lapua: 130 ELD-M 35.3 grains of Varget = 2532 fps 123 A-Max = 2514 fps 140 Nosler RDF = 2350 fps
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Ernie
"If you think you are perfect, just try walking on water." |
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Ernie Bishop
Optics Professional Joined: January/26/2010 Location: Gillette, WY Status: Offline Points: 765 |
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6.5x47L With 130's at 673 yards https://youtu.be/M2BVVq4H7Yc
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Ernie
"If you think you are perfect, just try walking on water." |
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Sparky
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: July/15/2007 Location: SD Status: Offline Points: 4569 |
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Great shooting BTW!!
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Ernie Bishop
Optics Professional Joined: January/26/2010 Location: Gillette, WY Status: Offline Points: 765 |
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Some info: https://sebrests-usa.com/wy-shot/ Send me a PM and will give you my cell, and we can visit. ernieemily@yahoo.com or you can contact me through my website |
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Ernie
"If you think you are perfect, just try walking on water." |
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Ernie Bishop
Optics Professional Joined: January/26/2010 Location: Gillette, WY Status: Offline Points: 765 |
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We have new shooter's every year. I am usually working with the new shooter's myself (I put the folks with me typically), and I also have loaner XP's that are ready to for distance. You would need to pay for the ammunition you shoot though
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Ernie
"If you think you are perfect, just try walking on water." |
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tejas
Optics Journeyman Joined: March/08/2010 Location: Lone Star State Status: Offline Points: 575 |
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Don’t put too much faith in my chrono numbers. I use it to determine deviation and/or consistency more than to find an actual velocity. It’s an old and inexpensive unit that’s been rained on and has spent weeks at a time sitting in a hot truck during the summer. It continues to work for what I use it for but it seldom agrees with other peoples chronograph’s I’ve shot over. I know you use rifle scopes on your pistols. Have you ever used a Burris 3-12 handgun scope?
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tejas
Optics Journeyman Joined: March/08/2010 Location: Lone Star State Status: Offline Points: 575 |
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THAT is some impressive shooting. I’d be hard pressed to match that with my 6.5X47 rifle.
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