jon_norstog
11-28-2016, 09:54
I mostly hunt elk, so a box of deer loads lasts me a while. Last batch was loaded in 2011, 150 Hornady RN over 45 gr. of H380. It was a fairly easy load chrono-ing out at about 2300 fps.
This year we are bringing up a young hunter who lives near my brother Paul in N. Idaho. All my brother has are these cannons, 8x57, .35 Whelen and .338. I handed my old Remington-Lee over to Paul for the kid to use and sent along a couple boxes of elk loads. When I got home from this year's hunt I loaded up a couple boxes with 150 Sierra RN over 42 gr H4895 and took them up when I went up for Thanksgiving.
We didn't get out hunting but did take the guns out to shoot, in the rain. The kid was out of town and he had my Lee so I shot this load in my Krag. Chrono readings were in the 2450-2500 fps range. It was too wet and crappy to get down prone, but the shots seemed to go where you were shooting, off hand, and they hit significantly harder than a 30-30. Primers look OK too. I think the Krag would be OK even if I upped the load, but can't think of any reason to do so. The Lee, of course (IMO) is a much stronger action with its 2 front lugs, bolt rib and safety lug.
385233852438525
Because the Lee rifle has this half-cock safety on the striker, it isn't what you would want to carry in a situation where you might jump an animal. Otherwise it fits the kid perfect. I think we'll put him on a stand and drive for him. Eventually he's going to want to hunt areas, track animals and stalk them. Until then the Lee will work fine for him. he can get a job and buy the gun he wants when the time comes. What's in it for us is we are of an age where we probably shouldn't go out alone hunting in the mountains. All Paul's hunting companions have quit or moved away .. same for me.
I'll put up a post in the gun talk page covering this fall's elk hunt - it was a desert hunt and I used a KAR 98 sporter in 7 mag.
jn
This year we are bringing up a young hunter who lives near my brother Paul in N. Idaho. All my brother has are these cannons, 8x57, .35 Whelen and .338. I handed my old Remington-Lee over to Paul for the kid to use and sent along a couple boxes of elk loads. When I got home from this year's hunt I loaded up a couple boxes with 150 Sierra RN over 42 gr H4895 and took them up when I went up for Thanksgiving.
We didn't get out hunting but did take the guns out to shoot, in the rain. The kid was out of town and he had my Lee so I shot this load in my Krag. Chrono readings were in the 2450-2500 fps range. It was too wet and crappy to get down prone, but the shots seemed to go where you were shooting, off hand, and they hit significantly harder than a 30-30. Primers look OK too. I think the Krag would be OK even if I upped the load, but can't think of any reason to do so. The Lee, of course (IMO) is a much stronger action with its 2 front lugs, bolt rib and safety lug.
385233852438525
Because the Lee rifle has this half-cock safety on the striker, it isn't what you would want to carry in a situation where you might jump an animal. Otherwise it fits the kid perfect. I think we'll put him on a stand and drive for him. Eventually he's going to want to hunt areas, track animals and stalk them. Until then the Lee will work fine for him. he can get a job and buy the gun he wants when the time comes. What's in it for us is we are of an age where we probably shouldn't go out alone hunting in the mountains. All Paul's hunting companions have quit or moved away .. same for me.
I'll put up a post in the gun talk page covering this fall's elk hunt - it was a desert hunt and I used a KAR 98 sporter in 7 mag.
jn