Apr 03, 2002

Re: 17 cal Match Bergers or MEF's for woodchucks?
Re: 17 cal Match Bergers or MEF's for woodchucks? -- B.W.		Top of thread	Archive

Posted by: jim saubier
04/04/2002, 07:59:48

I used the 25 grain Starkes last year which are probably closer to the MEF's. The chucks that I shot, responded very favorably to the Starkes, with a tail twitch at the most. I did have one very nasty exit on one hog that looked like it had been hit by a .22-250, but the hog didn't move other than being rolled over by the impact.

Match
Re: 17 cal Match Bergers or MEF's for woodchucks? -- B.W.		Top of thread	Archive

Posted by: BROOKS
04/04/2002, 09:19:51

I shot a yote at 175 yards with the 18 gr MEF Berger at 4011 from a 17 Ack Bee and finished it off with a pistol after 2 shots. The first really messed up the shoulder but he was hobbling off. The second was in the boiler room but he was still alive when I got to him. I have gone back to the Berger 22 gr match. Previously I shot with dirrerent 17 rifles. A 17 Ack Hornet and 20 Hor V-Max and a 17 HeBee with the Berger 20 gr Match. Both one shot kills.
Brooks

Re: Match
Re: Match -- BROOKS		Top of thread	Archive

Posted by: foxhunterbubba
04/05/2002, 02:39:03

brook i have had simular expcept my yode was shot with a gr berger mef, the bullet was travling at around 4200fps from my 17 ah.ruger. i had a two and a half inch hole in the brush to shoot through . the bullet hit the yode in the sholder blade blowing a quarter size hole all the way into the chest cavity. the yode was dead when we inspected him, he had simply fallen over backward.
one season i shot 60 yodes for new mexico state university from there collage ranch. the means of harvest was a remington model 7 in 17 remimgton loaded with 30 gr bergers match bullits. 60 yodes shot 60 recovered of those that were'nt dropped in there tracks (about 20%) a second shot was nessecary while they were doing there get well whirles,you know when they start spinning in circles at high speed then take off like a bat out of hell. the trick is to get a second bullet into them before they get strieghtened out.
before the beginning of the next season i ran out of 30 gr match and started shooting 30 gr mef they required twice as many follow up shots. i did not notice any bullit failures with either bullit, no blow ups on the hide. the gun shot about the same about .25 five shots at 100 yds.
i did get a chance to shoot marmonts in colorodo around independence pass. it didn't seem to make any diffrence which one i shot (mef or match) the result was the same pick them up and drop them dead.marmonts weigh about 8-14 lb.

bob

Re: Match
Re: Re: Match -- foxhunterbubba		Top of thread	Archive

Posted by: BROOKS
04/05/2002, 08:35:37

Hey Bob, I got a whole lot of Berger MEF's to trade for some match bullets.
Where do you reside? I grew up in Odessa and did some hunting aound Chama and a lot of fishing just over the line in Colorado.
Brooks

Re: Match
Re: Re: Match -- BROOKS		Top of thread	Archive

Posted by: foxhunterbubba
04/05/2002, 15:29:06

brook
i don't live in west texas but i do hunt around jal nm tatum nm las cruces nm. i did live in colorodo springs co for 12 years, did a lot of fishing and hunting all over colorodo. . contact jd or jim about a video i sent them. you would probably get a kick out of it. its a video of two days of hunting and calling about 20 foxes with only one escaping.

bob

Re: 17 cal Match Bergers or MEF's for woodchucks?
Re: 17 cal Match Bergers or MEF's for woodchucks? -- B.W.		Top of thread	Archive

Posted by: Tom Brush
04/04/2002, 12:36:20

I have had good luck with the match 25 gr. Bergers in both the .17 Rem. and the Mach IV. I have shot groundhogs, rock chucks and prairie dogs out to 400 yds. I tried some of the 30 gr. Bergers. They gave an exit hole. The 25 grs. did not.

Last of the .20 33gr V-Max?
			Archive

Posted by: Dan Golding ^Ž
04/03/2002, 22:35:05

Author Profile

Just learned today from very good authority that Hornady plans
to dump their .20 33gr V-Max after they get production going on
their .20 36gr Boat Tail V-Max. They are giving the reason that
they don't want that much inventory on their hands. Gee, don't
we .20 users want MORE variety of bullet choices? I imagine the
heavier boat tails will do quite nicely in my Tactical 20, but
what about the smaller 20's? And I would still like to have the
33's on hand for striped ground squirrels! Back to "inventory",
look at all the .22 offerings they have in their inventory!

Let's let them know they have a market for these explosive
little wonders, and that we want to keep them around. Right now,
their site is undergoing upgrades, but we can use their
furnished toll free number (800-338-3220) to ring their phone
off the wall and let them know our needs!

Personally, I would love it if Calhoun would quit trashing
the 5mm and start making his double hollow-points in 20
caliber, like 33 grain!!!

Sad news indeed......glad I still have 2000 left......
Re: Last of the .20 33gr V-Max? -- Dan Golding		Top of thread	Archive

Posted by: 17VLD
04/03/2002, 22:43:11

I think the reason the 20Tac does so well is that little jewell.
I would very much like a 20cal 36grn V-max also but not at the expense of the 33grn!
Regards
Matt

Very reason for the 19 Calhoon/19-223
Re: Last of the .20 33gr V-Max? -- Dan Golding		Top of thread	Archive

Posted by: Stan in Ar
04/03/2002, 23:46:38

In making my decision on the two calibers(.198vs.204)was that James Calhoon has a personal interest in making bullets for his calibers, whereas Hornady(that reads big company profit motive) is going to produce what they can make money on.

Stan

nearly the same reasons I chose the .20
Re: Very reason for the 19 Calhoon/19-223 -- Stan in Ar		Top of thread	Archive

Posted by: Mike J
04/04/2002, 11:39:55

Strange that the exact reasoning that lead you to chose the .19 drove me to the .20. Calhoun, at least for now, is the ONLY one that has personal interest in making the .19, not to mention that their website seems to take little jabs at the twenty. That irritated me some.

I am not sure who makes his .198 barrels (Pac-Nor?) but there are at least 4 .204 barrel makers, Pac-nor, Shilen, Lilja & Douglas, plus two bullet makers Hornady and Berger.

Heck, I hope the .19 picks up a profit minded manufacturer someday. I'd be more inclined to try one if there was more company backing.

Mike Johnston

Re: Fastest Growing
Re: nearly the same reasons I chose the .20 -- Mike J		Top of thread	Archive

Posted by: Dan Golding ^Ž
04/04/2002, 19:20:15

Author Profile

From the same reliable source, who got his information from
a reamer company, the Tactical 20 is THE fastest growing wildcat
of all. Although the market is still small compared to other
calibers, any company not picking up support components now
could lose out later. Yes, it's a gamble -- what ain't? And I'm
not saying this JUST because "I" have a Tac20. There are also
quite a few other "20's" out there which are less powerful, and
really NEED that 33gr bullet.

At least for Encores, VVCG will supply Shilen barrels for the
19/223. If I remember correctly, Steve Stratton or Dave Branham
(VVCG) told me that Encore barrel orders go through James Calhoon, and he sends to VVCG for the work to get you their
barrel. Pac-Nor also makes the barrels for the converted CZ's
and Rugers.

And again, if James Calhoon would just quit trashing the 5mm,
and start making 20 cal. bullets which would take velocities of
4000fps+, I'm sure he could pick up PLENTY of business using
his double hollow points!!! He would get mine, and I'm sure a
lot of others, especially if Hornady drops the 33gr.!

Other than the 800 number I gave in the original post, here is
an email address for Kathy McArthur of Hornady: kmcarthu@hornady.com, and a partial message she gave one of my
on-line friends, "...you have to remember there isn't a large
enough market to have two bullets in 20 cal. If we introduce
another one, we're dropping the one we have. No choice.
Sorry". They're no doubt basing this decision from their recent
sales history. So who's getting the most orders, Hornady or
Berger? My limited experience with the 33gr V-Max has been
better than the 36gr MEF. What about anyone else?