We have some feral grasshoppers who are sneaking in and eating the hay we have stored in a shed at the other homestead.
Overseer thinks there might be between 30 and 40 culprits at last count..
Time for some remedial feral removal...
No-one lives at that homestead, so I can pokk with impunity...
I figured out I can likely get within 250-300 metres of them before they are aware I'm around...
Looking in the ammo pantry, I find the ERG (Exploding-Rabbit Gun - Remington VSF .308 in a TAC-21 chassis) has a goodly 90 rounds of 150Gn SST's ready to go.
I'm running a bit light in spare rounds for the Ruger Precision Rifle (also .308), and only have a handfull of 7mm-08 rounds loaded up at present.
While the .243 might be a bit more appropriate, the trigger on the old Krico is a bit clunky for this sort of distance, and there's no option to adjust it...
So; ERG it is!
Somewhat overkill, but there's no doubt they will stay dead...
Naahhh; overkill would taking the big box of Barnes 165gn T-TSX "BullPhukker Specials" out for a run...
So, this arvo, I thought I had best sight in the ERG for the 150Gn SST's, as the last ammo used in it was some 168Gn Zmax's.
I set up my table outside the door of the house, and go to work.
Well, it seems the load I've made up for the 150 SST's are warm, as I'm getting a slightly sticky bolt. Might have to dial the next loading back a few tenths of a grain.
Interesting shooting the ERG; it's been a while. I really noticed the lack of a muzzle brake, and how much more clunky that chassis is, compared to the Ruger Precision. The RPR has been my walk-around and go-to rifle the past 12 months.
Not that the ERG shoots badly, but it is a much more bulky rifle, and the trigger is a bit heavier than the RPR(Timney 2-stage).
So, I dialled the 150SST's in, and we are good to go. Put 10 rounds into the 100 metre target, and I'm happy enough with that.
So, just before I put everything away, and on a whim, I thought I'd see if the RPR could even chamber the ERG ammo.
[I usually run separate batches for each, but there are only 90 in the batch, so I dont really care if they need to all be resized for the ERG again.]
Loaded up 5 rounds, and seeing as the first one chambered, thought I'd see what difference the 150's made.
The RPR is currently sighted in for the 125SST load that I've been using for a while.
From my thoughts, I expected it to be an inch or so low.
Yeeahhhhh...it put all 5 rounds into one ragged hole at point of aim!
The RPR shot a better group than the ERG!
Mind you; the muzzle brake and the lighter trigger help a lot.
I really like the ergonomics of the RPR, and if it will shoot all of these warm rounds that I'd loaded for the ERG, then even better.
The fact I dont even have to re-zero when I'm done, is just awesome!
I think sunset tomorrow might be something of a traumatic time for the grasshoppers...
Happy days...