sixshot
Buckeye
Recently I've been shooting a customized Ruger 30 Carbine using 32/20 Brass & testing several different bullets. Today I mounted a Leupold 4X & retreated to the shooting range for some 18 degree load testing. Using powder coated 113 gr. HP's sized .312" over 10 grs. of 2400 & ignited with a winchester srp it took me 3 shots to get out of the snow & onto the paper at 25 yds. After another 4 shots things were really starting to look interesting.
Here's the next 5 shot group using an MTM pistol rest & very cold fingers.
I didn't chrono this load, it was too cold & no doubt this load can be increased when the weather warms up but for now this load will easily handle all my bunny shooting for the winter along with my 32 maggie. With the added weight of the Blackhawk frame & the scope & mounts this load is like shooting a rim fire.
Now it was getting late so its off for a quickie bunny hunt. I quickly spot one but its blended in with some grass & sagebrush in the background & I'm having a hard time seeing it even with the 4X scope. I pick up my Swarovski binocs & I can see him holding tight, that big black eye is a dead give away on Cottontails. I put the glasses down & pick up the scoped 30/32/20..... Hybrid. Aiming on what I think is the eyeball I gently break the great trigger & he starts kicking snow. A nice 35 yd. shot & my new toy is officially broken in & I've just shot both eyes out of the rabbit.
Five minutes later I'm watching a "hopper" thats what I call a bunny that won't stick, he keeps moving on me. Most of them hold in one spot, sometimes you get a hopper & they move around on you & you have to keep stalking them. All of a sudden I see why. Fifteen yds in front of me an Ermine is stalking the same Cottontail, he see's me & stands up & offhand I take the top of his head off, yippee! You see an Ermine (weasel in the summer) about once every 4-5 years & I've never taken one with a sixgun until now.
They are amazing killers, I've watched twice in my life as one has killed a Cottontail & it doesn't take them long, they are like a Cobra when they attack.
Here's the bunny with both eyes shot out.
Here's my prize of the year, a prime Ermine pelt.
After gathering up my prizes I move on down the snowy road & soon spot another bunny, this one is close so I punch his ticket with my proven 32 maggie & the 100 gr powder coated official rabbit eliminater using 3 grs. of WST, mild but nasty!
I take him back to the truck & its getting late & off in the distance I see another bunny sitting right out in the open at about 60 yds, way to far to try with iron sights but I have my new secret weapon in the truck. I sit down on the seat & use the window for a rest & take a few breaths to steady the cross hairs. I'm having a hard time keeping the scope on the bunny after climbing up the hill in the snow so I have to wait a few seconds to get my heart rate down a bit. OK, things are looking good, easy, easy, crack, that hollow sound from that 113 gr. HP smacking a bunny is a wicked sound, even with muffs on, it really crunched his lunch!
On my way over to retreive him I managed to fall in a crevice in the snow where it had bridged over the lava rocks & I was in a bad way for 10 minutes or so. I couldn't get my bad foot out of the crack, my rubber pac kept trying to pull off. I didn't want to lose my boot in the deep crack. Laying down in the snow I kept working my foot back & forth holding onto my walking stick with my free arm. Finally I got my boot free, it was kind of spooky for a while. I found my bunny & headed for home, 3 bunnies & a very rare Ermine, what a day!
Dick
Here's the next 5 shot group using an MTM pistol rest & very cold fingers.
I didn't chrono this load, it was too cold & no doubt this load can be increased when the weather warms up but for now this load will easily handle all my bunny shooting for the winter along with my 32 maggie. With the added weight of the Blackhawk frame & the scope & mounts this load is like shooting a rim fire.
Now it was getting late so its off for a quickie bunny hunt. I quickly spot one but its blended in with some grass & sagebrush in the background & I'm having a hard time seeing it even with the 4X scope. I pick up my Swarovski binocs & I can see him holding tight, that big black eye is a dead give away on Cottontails. I put the glasses down & pick up the scoped 30/32/20..... Hybrid. Aiming on what I think is the eyeball I gently break the great trigger & he starts kicking snow. A nice 35 yd. shot & my new toy is officially broken in & I've just shot both eyes out of the rabbit.
Five minutes later I'm watching a "hopper" thats what I call a bunny that won't stick, he keeps moving on me. Most of them hold in one spot, sometimes you get a hopper & they move around on you & you have to keep stalking them. All of a sudden I see why. Fifteen yds in front of me an Ermine is stalking the same Cottontail, he see's me & stands up & offhand I take the top of his head off, yippee! You see an Ermine (weasel in the summer) about once every 4-5 years & I've never taken one with a sixgun until now.
They are amazing killers, I've watched twice in my life as one has killed a Cottontail & it doesn't take them long, they are like a Cobra when they attack.
Here's the bunny with both eyes shot out.
Here's my prize of the year, a prime Ermine pelt.
After gathering up my prizes I move on down the snowy road & soon spot another bunny, this one is close so I punch his ticket with my proven 32 maggie & the 100 gr powder coated official rabbit eliminater using 3 grs. of WST, mild but nasty!
I take him back to the truck & its getting late & off in the distance I see another bunny sitting right out in the open at about 60 yds, way to far to try with iron sights but I have my new secret weapon in the truck. I sit down on the seat & use the window for a rest & take a few breaths to steady the cross hairs. I'm having a hard time keeping the scope on the bunny after climbing up the hill in the snow so I have to wait a few seconds to get my heart rate down a bit. OK, things are looking good, easy, easy, crack, that hollow sound from that 113 gr. HP smacking a bunny is a wicked sound, even with muffs on, it really crunched his lunch!
On my way over to retreive him I managed to fall in a crevice in the snow where it had bridged over the lava rocks & I was in a bad way for 10 minutes or so. I couldn't get my bad foot out of the crack, my rubber pac kept trying to pull off. I didn't want to lose my boot in the deep crack. Laying down in the snow I kept working my foot back & forth holding onto my walking stick with my free arm. Finally I got my boot free, it was kind of spooky for a while. I found my bunny & headed for home, 3 bunnies & a very rare Ermine, what a day!
Dick
