GUN STUFF

[Johnny OrganDonor]

It was unseasonably warm at our weekend hideout that will see the annual gopher emergence within a couple months.  I just picked up my idea of the ultimate gopher rifle for our place and had a chance, with the warm weather, to break in the bore and sight it in. Haven't bought a brand-new gun in over 30 years so I splurged.  I have guns for other game but this will get the most use right off my front porch.

Cooper .17hmr Jackson Squirrel Rifle




I put a nice scope on it.




First 5-shot group after bore sighting - 50 meters, off bags, into particle board.



Best group after zeroing at 100 meters - the guy at Cooper told me to expect nickel sized groups at 100 yds.



Beautiful handling rifle/scope combination.



Sleep well in your cozy dens for now little varmints, Mr. Cooper is patient.

[Monsterlover]

That's pretty awesome!

[WarrenJ]

I've only known Cooper Rifles by reputation - but it looks like your rifle lives up to it in Spades! Great shooter and beautiful wood.  I got two rabbits out the back window with the 17 HMR yesterday morning as fast as I could run the bolt. My wife got one the morning before with her CZ 452 with Lapua subsonic hollowpoints. They did a lot of damage to my fruit trees, raspberries and blueberries last winter. Your gophers are in a world of hurt!

[WarrenJ]

What ammo were you using?

[Monsterlover]

What ammo were you using?

And how much does .17hmr run these days.

And what does hmr stand for?  Never mind, wiki'd it.

[Johnny OrganDonor]

I wanted an heirloom quality dream gun and considered an Annie (particularly the new 1727 with the fast straight-pull biathlon action) but the feel of the Cooper was unmatched - and it's also made right here in Montana.  I was using run-of-the-mill Hornady 17 gr V-Max.  It's spendy, about 30 cents +/- per round but at least you can find it (I was finally able to buy a few boxes of 22lr at local shop for $4.50/box BTW).  I borrowed a friend's Savage 17 HMR last year and concluded the round is perfect for our place, fairly flat out to 150 yds then drops off pretty fast.  You can still nail small critters out to 250 yds.  We have horses and the neighbors run livestock so I like that it's a frangible round (no ricochet) and after about 300 yards, it's probably as lethal as a spit wad.  It is very wind susceptible though - I totally missed a fence post out about 150 meters shooting through a crosswind.

added: Here's another pic showing the gorgeous stock a bit better.

[SpikeC]

  Boy howdy, that is one purty rifle!

[WarrenJ]

I like the 17 for the same reasons.  I get asked to remove critters from around farms on occasion and it works well, especially the limited range and frangibility of the bullet.  Its not as good of a killer as the 22 mag on larger critters like foxes or coyotes but on the small stuff, its great.  I find myself occasionally overshooting things because I can't adjust to how flat it is.  I've been shooting the CCI hollowpoints instead of the v-max style bullets.  They don't seem to be as violent - you can still eat a rabbit as long as you keep the shots in the front shoulders or noggin.  Where are you at in Montana?  I skied in Whitefish the last three winters - not this year unfortunately.  Also was in Whitefish for the Montana Firearms Institute Forum in September of '12.  Camped and fished in the Beartooth.   

[Johnny OrganDonor]

Might have to try the hollowpoints sometime.  Whitefish is a great town and probably the most dog-friendly in the State.  I have a good friend there.  I live in Bozeman but our place in the photos with all the gophers is near Augusta up against the Rocky Mtn Front near the Bob Marshall and Scapegoat wilderness areas.

[muskrat]

Sounds all cool but the Frisco gun club membership is $7,500/year. I can shoot at my farm on my steel Arnzten targets for free and hog hunt. If I was rich sure I'd join and take my friends but I'm not. Ergo... I shoot at the farm for free. Still I'd love to go check it out for fun.

10 or 20/hour Fastwin.  Yes you can get a membership but you don't need one unless you want to shoot class III guns.

You should invite all your dmf friends to your farm

that's what I've been saying for 5 years and he still hasn't called. 

[fastwin]

10 or 20/hour Fastwin.  Yes you can get a membership but you don't need one unless you want to shoot class III guns.

So is it $10-20/hour for non-members?

Last time I went to Target Masters it was $16 range fee for all day. As in check in, shoot, leave for lunch, come back later and shoot so more and it's all under the same range fee. Which is nice.

I've doped in a long gun on the 50 yard range at TM. Had issue with my scope/mount set up, went home and fixed it and came back to finish the dial in. No extra charge. Just the one fee. I just had to tell them what I was doing and that I'd be back to finish. That's good business.

[muskrat]

https://www.friscogunclubinc.com/range.php

[Johnny OrganDonor]

Yeowsa! Thoughts on this round?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJGH7cDFw7c&app=desktop

Shotgun slugs in future developmnet   

[zach (Slag)]

Gimmick.

[Johnny OrganDonor]

Might be, they claim a muzzle energy of 490 ft-lbs but 96 gr at 1265 fps should yield 341 ft-lbs unless I'm missing something.

Still looks pretty nasty.