# Sight in day.



## Tilden Hunter (Jun 14, 2018)

Today was sight in day for the bear rifles. I brought three rifle: A Remington 700 BDL from 1969 in 350 Remington Magnum, a Marlin 444SS, and a Winchester Big Bore model 94 XTR in 375 Winchester. To keep the post shorter I'll just cover the 700, which I plan to hunt with.

The range:










The rifle:










The scope, an IOR/Valdada 4x32 with a German #1 reticle. Sadly it was discontinued about two years ago just when I was about to buy a second one. It has 1/2" @ 100 yds. clicks, but they are a little mushy, which is my only complaint.



















The ammo. The cartridge to the left was the bottom round in the magazine, and had its' nose battered by the recoil of three shots. The load was the 225 gr. Sierra SPT/59.0 gr. IMR4320/WLR primers/R-P cases. Sadly IMR4320 and the Marlin 444 bullet shown are both discontinued recently just like the scope.










The results. The top group in the first pic was the first. The second and third shot were with cartridges that had their noses flattened from recoil in the magazine. I was disappointed with the size and location. The last time I had fired this rifle was 9/22/19, and from a seated off hand position it hit 1" high and 1/2" right. I adjusted the scope down 6 of the 1/2" clicks, and ended up 1" low and 1" left.










I made a full correction, and that was a mistake, because I was now 1" high and 1" right. After this group I adjusted down and left 1 click splitting the difference. Clearly this scope over corrects.









I'm hopeful that there is nothing left to do but bait and wait.


----------



## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

Tilden Hunter said:


> Today was sight in day for the bear rifles. I brought three rifle: A Remington 700 BDL from 1969 in 350 Remington Magnum, a Marlin 444SS, and a Winchester Big Bore model 94 XTR in 375 Winchester. To keep the post shorter I'll just cover the 700, which I plan to hunt with.
> 
> The range:
> 
> ...


Sub moa. Shouldn't need it but it sure adds confidence. 350 Rem mag...Excellent bear medicine.


----------



## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Good luck


----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

I'll be using a 30-06 with 180 grain interlock bullets. Savage 110. It barely squeaks 2 moa but according to the luggage scale it is 6 lbs with scope and my shots will be 20 yards. Hence it is chosen over my far more accurate .308s and .243.


----------



## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

We hunted last fall. Buddy had a bear at 25 yards with his 30-06. Clean miss. Think it can't happen with a sub moa gun ? It can. Not sure what happened but it was obviously him that was the problem. That really stinks. We hunted almost the entire month and the only shot at a bear and a clean miss. The only thing good about it was the bear wasn't hit poorly.


----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

I don't miss.


----------



## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

shaffe48b said:


> I don't miss.


Three words a prudent man never says. But, I hope your luck and skill hold for at least one more season.

Good Hunting!


----------



## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

Tilden Hunter said:


> Today was sight in day for the bear rifles. I brought three rifle: A Remington 700 BDL from 1969 in 350 Remington Magnum, a Marlin 444SS, and a Winchester Big Bore model 94 XTR in 375 Winchester. To keep the post shorter I'll just cover the 700, which I plan to hunt with.
> 
> The range:
> 
> ...











I went with a Leupold red dot because I was loosing the cross hairs on black bears. But, I think this Euro style reticle is a great option for those situations. 
Good Hunting!


----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

Nostromo said:


> Three words a prudent man never says. But, I hope your luck and skill hold for at least one more season.
> 
> Good Hunting!


Oh I'm a lot more prudent than a bear at my bait site. Misses happen but then again I shot a bear at 250 yards last year along with a Pronghorn and a deer both through the heart at 200 and 50 yards respectively. So I wouldn't want to be in the bears shoes. Even with an inaccurate gun that only prints a half inch group at that range.


----------



## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

That's funny and probably the last thing you should have said. It's funny how we all can shoot bungholes all year long and clean miss a broadside animal for some reason. Targets never move. Outside factors never play into range work because we pick our days to shoot targets. So much can go wrong in the hunting setting. I shoot ELR quite a bit. Yes wind is the biggest factor at 2000 yards. 1000 yard targets are like shooting 100 yards when you shoot them enough yet it's unexplainable how you can miss a buck at 200 yards. Live game animals are steel or paper targets. Rests and clothing with a little environment thrown in can make huge changes in a plan.


----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

Most of the time you don't shoot an animal when it's moving. The Pronghorn I shot was moving when I pulled the trigger. The deer and bear were paused momentarily. Those weren't targets. Difficulty reading a post perhaps?

It's called confidence. Confidence born from putting at least 1000 rounds down range per year mostly from field positions. These aren't extreme target shots from a bench. Realistic training leads to positive outcomes.


----------



## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

shaffe48b said:


> Most of the time you don't shoot an animal when it's moving. The Pronghorn I shot was moving when I pulled the trigger. The deer and bear were paused momentarily. Those weren't targets. Difficulty reading a post perhaps?
> 
> It's called confidence. Confidence born from putting at least 1000 rounds down range per year mostly from field positions. These aren't extreme target shots from a bench. Realistic training leads to positive outcomes.


You have alot to learn. Range work gives you confidence and gets you the best you can be. Your forgetting the part when the animal can move when the trigger is pressed. That's called real life. Realistic training can't train you that. Maybe you have a crystal ball. If so, I apologize for my realistic explanation.


----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

johnIV said:


> You have alot to learn. Range work gives you confidence and gets you the best you can be. Your forgetting the part when the animal can move when the trigger is pressed. That's called real life. Realistic training can't train you that. Maybe you have a crystal ball. If so, I apologize for my realistic explanation.


You brother have a lot to learn. In reality they literally make targets that pop up and down and move. Some even move unexpectedly. I've shot at them. If you were that worried, you'd get them. Regardless, I can promise you that a bear doesn't suddenly move quick enough to outrun a bullet, my lock time, or my non old man reaction time unless he's already moving. 

Why you are this concerned about this post is beyond me. Maybe trying to vindicatively defend your inept buddy. We all do dumb things. But going into your hunting season thinking you are going to miss because a bear is going to jump your bullet isn't going to get you anywhere. If you think you're going to miss 25 yard shot then you'd better practice until the probability is negligible.


----------



## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

shaffe48b said:


> You brother have a lot to learn. In reality they literally make targets that pop up and down and move. Some even move unexpectedly. I've shot at them. If you were that worried, you'd get them. Regardless, I can promise you that a bear doesn't suddenly move quick enough to outrun a bullet, my lock time, or my non old man reaction time unless he's already moving.
> 
> Why you are this concerned about this post is beyond me. Maybe trying to vindicatively defend your inept buddy. We all do dumb things. But going into your hunting season thinking you are going to miss because a bear is going to jump your bullet isn't going to get you anywhere. If you think you're going to miss 25 yard shot then you'd better practice until the probability is negligible.


I have better things to do than worry about a miss. They happen. Period. I'm not ignorant enough to think I'm invincible tho. Your sure worked up over my opinion. I'm simply saying there's things you can't control. Your disagreeing. I'm ok with that. You can't miss and don't miss. That's great. I hope that run continues for you. I'm not a mortal man. I do miss occasionally. I shoot more than most people and still miss when things I can't control happen. This won't change. But then I'm just a man.


----------



## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

I know we're talking about Michigan bears. Not really a concern but as I said, something went wrong last year. It happens. Out west in conditions that are totally different is a completely different situation.


----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

I never said I can't miss. I said I don't miss. Big difference. If you don't think your practice is sufficient then that's a personal problem. Don't project your personal problem onto me.


----------



## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

Well that's a play on words for sure. Keep up the good rhetoric. I'm sure someone will buy it


----------



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

johnIV said:


> Well that's a play on words for sure. Keep up the good rhetoric. I'm sure someone will buy it


Well if a bear comes through this year we'll see if he buys my rhetoric. Or more accurately whether he thinks it's rhetoric. 

Assuming dead bears can buy or think...I guess that would be a play on words then.


----------



## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

shaffe48b said:


> Well if a bear comes through this year we'll see if he buys my rhetoric. Or more accurately whether he thinks it's rhetoric.
> 
> Assuming dead bears can buy or think...I guess that would be a play on words then.


Truce Buddy. I'm not here to criticize you. I'm hear just to add or take away. Good luck on your bear hunt. Shoot straight. John


----------



## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

shaffe48b said:


> Oh I'm a lot more prudent than a bear at my bait site. Misses happen but then again I shot a bear at 250 yards last year along with a Pronghorn and a deer both through the heart at 200 and 50 yards respectively. So I wouldn't want to be in the bears shoes. Even with an inaccurate gun that only prints a half inch group at that range.





shaffe48b said:


> Most of the time you don't shoot an animal when it's moving. The Pronghorn I shot was moving when I pulled the trigger. The deer and bear were paused momentarily. Those weren't targets. Difficulty reading a post perhaps?
> 
> It's called confidence. Confidence born from putting at least 1000 rounds down range per year mostly from field positions. These aren't extreme target shots from a bench. Realistic training leads to positive outcomes.


----------

