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Old 05-29-2010, 11:34 PM
Alex Alex is offline
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Smile Well, you guys convinced me!

I went "serious" groundhog hunting this afternoon. Friday, on the way home, I went by a friend's field that I hadn't bothered with 'cuz I thought it was in corn. Nope, the bad weather kept the corn from getting planted on time, so it's in early beans. They're about hand high, and two spots were already eaten up. Didn't even have a gun in the car, so I went back this afternoon.

My Cooper 17AH has been riding in my pickup, but today I drove my CRV. Put my Tac 20 Jackson V/T and it's little brother, the same in 20VT in and shot one round from each at 150 yards to test the POI, then headed out, leaving my little 17AH Classic behind.

Two holes, about 10 yards apart at about 70 yards out each yielded a pretty good sized 'hog. One stood up facing me and I blew him back into his hole. The other only showed his head and a little shoulder. I waited about 5 minutes and he didn't come out any further, so I aimed right at the 'hog/dirt edge. 'Hog just disappeared. Walked down to check on both. First one looked like someone had tried to push him down the hole backbone first with front and back legs sticking up. Second one was backside down the hole, missing his head completely, with nothing but guts visible above his shoulder.

There may have been a third 'hog, or some pups in the two holes. I'll check again in a week or so. Was another hole a ways away just beyond the edge of the field, with the beans nearby eaten down. Think that one will be a "sit and waiter", probably with a 17 HMR.

I've been totally convinced by Sonny Pruitt that I was going to use my 17AH almost exclusively this year, with maybe just a few 17M4 shot's downrange. Not so sure at this point. Last year my 20VT's accounted for 3/4s of my kills.

One thing against the 20Tac JVT, however, is that I didn't see the hits. Would have with the 20VTs.

Good way to start the 'hog season.

Alex
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  #2  
Old 05-30-2010, 12:04 AM
ab_bentley ab_bentley is offline
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Alex, you have to take the camera with you next time. Adam
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  #3  
Old 05-30-2010, 02:47 AM
RebelSquirrel RebelSquirrel is offline
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A Professor and former writer for SCN and no pics of the smoke poles and hogs?

I sure hope you and Pruson (two of my purchase mentors) don't start this season with the 20VT's. I've managed to stay "Vartarg free" up to this point.
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Old 05-30-2010, 11:15 AM
pruson pruson is offline
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Way to go Alex. I killed a couple yesterday evening with the 17 AH naturally. First one only showed his head and shoulders in the hole, shot him in the ear at 144 yds. Second one was down on all fours feeding broadside at 198 yds. Sounded like I hit a canteloupe (ker-whop), ribcage impact, no visible entrance or exit. Only up to five this year, but really only getting started.

Rebel, I am staying with the 17 Ackley Hornet, however a forth coming project is a 17 Tac. Already have the barrel removed from the donor A Bolt.
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Old 05-30-2010, 12:18 PM
RebelSquirrel RebelSquirrel is offline
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Pruson, glad to hear about your 17 Tac project. I have one due 3rd week of June. Will be fun comparing load data sometime on the forum. I bought my own 17 Tac reamer from Dave Kiff (Pacific Tool) with the no-go gauge as the smith I sent my action to didn't have one. Print for it was so that I could use the new Lapua 20 Tac brass as parent. Throwing one of those Kindler Gold 30gr boat tailed hollow points at nearly 4,000fps makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.
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Old 05-30-2010, 04:15 PM
pruson pruson is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RebelSquirrel View Post
Print for it was so that I could use the new Lapua 20 Tac brass as parent. Throwing one of those Kindler Gold 30gr boat tailed hollow points at nearly 4,000fps makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.
My exact intentions, sir!
It may be awhile before I am shooting mine, but the project has started, no turning back now.
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Old 05-30-2010, 04:55 PM
montdoug montdoug is offline
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Please keep the load data on those .17 Tac's coming as due to torrential monsoons I still haven't started serious load development on mine yet. I'm using IMI brass, gonna start with Ram Shot Big Game and 30 Berger BT's I'm well stocked with.
Keep me posted with your progress please, and thanks in advance.

"Yo Alex"

"QUOTE"
Good way to start the 'hog season.

Alex

"quote"

Not for the hogs .
It's tough having so many great choices for Hog stompers ain't it?
"A delicious dilemma" if you will
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  #8  
Old 05-30-2010, 04:55 PM
Alex Alex is offline
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Smile Paul, I wouln't want to lead you astray, but...

... my 20VT's are in my "favorites" group. Had a piece in the last issue of SCN published highlighting 'em. Be glad to further your mentorabilitiness by sending you a copy of the article.

I would have taken the little 17AH but the wind was 10MPH down here on the water and I wasn't too sure how close I could get to the holes. The field is about 600 yards long and there are some places a 'hog can see you easily from that distance. I'd gotten desperate to shoot one so wanted something I was absolutely sure of.

Last time out on a fox hunt I had one I'd just shot blink at me, stumble, get up and run off. I was using a little 17AH that I almost had to cut one of Sonny's hands off to get it back the first time he saw it. Not sure what happenned with the fox.

Did have a camera in the pickup. Cameras are always a jinx on me. Maybe that's why these two 'hogs were the first ones of the season. You'll notice that there are very few pics of dead 'hogs in my articles. Only take the camera when I'm on a roll. I guess I should go back and find a post I made over on GGVG years ago about taking a camera.

Gonna visit another "honey hole" tomorrow if I'm not loaded to the gills with honey dos.

Alex
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Old 05-30-2010, 05:13 PM
RebelSquirrel RebelSquirrel is offline
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MontDoug, I've been meaning to ask how you had faired with your Cooper 17 Tac loads and all, sorry to hear about that Weather up there where the air is thin. I'm jumping into load development the day after mine arrives. The balistics of that caliber have me stoked pretty hot. B.C. like the 20 Tac only with a tiny 17, thats just down right awesome. I'm still playing with the 17AH and have another in a Coop Phoenix coming. Going to spend the hog season this year with .17's. 17AH, 17FB and 17TAC.

Alex, you sent me that article awhile back on the 20 VT's. I pulled it out last night and read over again, very impressive caliber and nice right up. Only thing holding me back from a 20 VT are my custom built 204 and my Cooper M21 Tac 20. I use my custom 204 with 32gr pills and the Tac 20 with the 39gr pills. Kinda have the high and low 20 caliber spectrum filled but the desire continues to grow for a VarTarg nonetheless. Can't have too many guns!
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