Hunting Spoons

[pwd72s]

One man's perspective, so to each his own.

Me? I have two calibers in traditional bolt actions...both purchased in the previous century. The .257 Roberts Remington model 721, and the 7mm Remington Mag Ruger M-77. I'd grab one or the other back before my hunting buddy died. Mostly quit after that...it just wasn't the same.

Anyway, a fun video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO8sK5V5VRA&ab_channel=RonSpomerOutdoors

[Jeff Higgins]

Big, big respect for Ron Spomer. If there is anyone who ever has, he has certainly "been there, done that" as far as big game hunting. The advice he offers is spot-on. He had maybe two or three real hunting rifles on offer, the rest are what I call "range rifles". Either too heavy or too cumbersome for serious hunting.

I am a little bit disappointed that he left out my personal favorite (discounting my love for muzzle loaders and 19th century breach loaders), the Ruger #1. The Dakota he shows is essentially the same thing, just five times the cost. I've always seen a fine single shot as the purest "hunting" rifle or "stalking" rifle, demanding a somewhat different mindset from their users.

One other thing - I'll never be convinced there is an "all around" caliber. I've hunted where 300 yards is a "close" shot, and where 30 yards is a "long" shot. I've hunted 50 pound "big game" animals, and I've hunted one ton and larger "big game animals". No way one rifle, one caliber will ever cover all of that. Besides, that's no fun. We all need excuses, er I mean "reasons" to buy more rifles. So, I have an "all around" battery of #1's, rather than just one.

Left to right, 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser, .375 H&H Magnum, .458 Winchester Magnum, .30-'06, and .220 Swift. All are sized "just right" for their respective calibers, all balance and carry wonderfully. These are my picks as the "perfect" modern rifle.

[pwd72s]

Quite the lineup of #1's, Jeff. A good "reason" for every selection...

[Bill Douglas]

I only kill paper. But this is what I kill paper with.

Sakos 7mm Rem Mag, .223 slow twist, 17HMR and 22LR.

[rusnak]

I am not a hunter. Big respect to you guys for operating bolt action with wooden stocks. LOL. I couldn't or would not want to do it especially if you add walking and hauling a few hundred pound of bloody meat to it.

[id10t]

I don't have a place to hunt.

That said, here in N Florida, you are looking at scrub brush, sand hills, or planted pines. Maybe some edges of fields if you know farmers.

Should I end up with a spot to go, I've got a 1963 vintage Ruger 44 mag carbine that should do a treat on the whitetails and hogs around here within 75 yards or so (all my eyes are good for with the BIG irons it has).

If more distance is needed I can move over to my 762x39 AR or 762x39 Howa bolt action or 300bo Ruger boltgun with irons, red dot, or scope as needed. I bang 4" steel plates at 200 yards with them. Should be GTG for deer/pigs.

[Jeff Higgins]

Love the Sakos, Bill. I've never owned one, but have had the opportunity to handle and shoot many of them. Of the highest Finnish quality, that's for sure. I might have to come up with a "reason" to get one...

So, I see a couple of small-ish "suppressors" on the two rimfires. How difficult is it to get one of those in your neck of the woods? It's getting easier here, so I've been kind of considering trying one out. If I can come up with a good "reason" to, of course...

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Quite the lineup of #1's, Jeff. A good "reason" for every selection...

Heh heh... yeah...

Mr. Spomer touches on how quickly an "experienced hand" can cycle one of these. I had occasion to do that once, with the .375. I wear an Uncle Mike's nylon cartridge holder, meant to fit over the buttstock, on my left wrist when I hunt with a single shot. They are just stretchy nylon, with cartridge loops, and fit pretty much anything. Including a wrist with a heavy jacket over it.

The way these things work, we simply use the three fingers of our strong hand to push the lever down and forward. That puts that strong hand in just the right place to grab the next cartridge from that wristband. We do that as the rifle is up in recoil (no shortage of that with the .375 and .458) and then, as we bring it back down, stuff the next one in and close it back up. I can do that faster than most guys can cycle a bolt. It's kind of one fluid motion, finished by raising the muzzle back up and re-acquiring the sights. The butt never leaves the shoulder.

So, really, a single shot is not "slow" if one practices. I actually had a rather experienced guide tell me one time that it kind of put his mind at ease to have a client show up with a #1 or similar single shot. Especially, believe it or not, when hunting more "serious" game. It just sent a message about the hunter that the newest, most trendy "range guns" failed to send.

[Bill Douglas]

Thanks Jeff. Something about them I like too. My favourite one would be the .17HMR (second from the right.) The second from the left is the one you gave the reloading tip on neck sizing and other stuff. Thanks, shoots like a laser.

Here in New Zealand you just walk into a shop and buy a suppressor. No questions asked. I'm guessing it's because it's an accessory for a gun which means you already have the gun and needed the gun licence to buy it.

Odd our sets of rules are so different. Around here you need a special licence to own handguns. I have to shoot at a pistol club 12 times a year and can take the guns home. I got a warning that I'm not allowed to just turn up for lunch but have to actually compete LOL

I've also got a collector's licence so I can legally buy fully operative Browning machine guns, anti aircraft guns, whatever. I'm just not allowed to shoot them (although I suspect certain individuals do).

Another odd one is a 15 year old kid who has just got their ordinary gun licence can go out and buy a bolt action .50 BMG cal rifle.

I remember my granddad was a bank manager and had a 1911 .45 in the top draw of his desk "No one's going to rob my bank.

Probably good we don't have too many handguns around here as we have more than our fair share of morons.

[aigel]

I'm with Ron on a light weight mountain gun. I took the plunge a couple years ago (titanium and carbon fiber are not cheap!) and it is so much nicer to go hump the hills with a 5 lb rifle and even better if you have to pack something out. I am too bad a shot, especially at 200+ yards to go single.

[Jeff Higgins]

When I was still young enough to do some serious backpack based hunting in our Cascade range, this was my "mountain gun":