What did you do today?

[bigpete]

Recovered from yesterdays 303 shoot at VRA Castlemaine, 300m Snap then 300m Rapid followed by 500m Deliberate using a mates Lithgow No6, great little carbine. Alas by the end I was in so much pain I couldn't clear the line and had to be physically assisted off the mound while the Mrs cleared the rifle and gear. My days of prone shooting are over.

Thats pretty sad to read

[bigrich]

Picked this up last week.
Must be 18 months old ?

IMG_20250323_145902.jpg

There is/was a much bigger one around but i haven't seen him for abt 8-9 months.

geezus that's some mighty strong constitution you've got OB, serving that up for dinner

dunno how you'll go getting through it with that knife and fork still, if your anything like your Fester Addams avatar anything is possible

[Wm.Traynor]

Recovered from yesterdays 303 shoot at VRA Castlemaine, 300m Snap then 300m Rapid followed by 500m Deliberate using a mates Lithgow No6, great little carbine. Alas by the end I was in so much pain I couldn't clear the line and had to be physically assisted off the mound while the Mrs cleared the rifle and gear. My days of prone shooting are over.

Thats pretty sad to read

It most certainly is.

[Oldbloke]

Recovered from yesterdays 303 shoot at VRA Castlemaine, 300m Snap then 300m Rapid followed by 500m Deliberate using a mates Lithgow No6, great little carbine. Alas by the end I was in so much pain I couldn't clear the line and had to be physically assisted off the mound while the Mrs cleared the rifle and gear. My days of prone shooting are over.

Sorry to hear that No1.

Personally I've always found prone shooting a awkward position.

[Oldbloke]

Hung this in my office.
Got him last year.

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[Wapiti]

Went out to feed cottoned to the Reds because the roar has started and they're fighting. Fallow are croaking too, such a melody of sounds.

[Wapiti]

Hung this in my office.
Got him last year.

The attachment IMG_20250324_121504.jpg is no longer available

Trouble with a most deer is the antler quality isn't managed, and people take animals either before their prime, or before the good ones can spread their genes. The current way hunters treat the roar for example is completely self destructive. Australians aren't good at this for sure.
Here's two of my boys earlier this year whilst they still have some growing to do. I must get some pics of them now, I'm quite happy with how things are going and I hope to have some more Hungarian influence brought in later this year if I can get the fencing time in.
Edit: and this from a bloke who pays little attention to Fallow.

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[Oldbloke]

Also loaded 80 rounds of 223

[Oldbloke]

Hung this in my office.
Got him last year.

IMG_20250324_121504.jpg

Trouble with a most deer is the antler quality isn't managed, and people take animals either before their prime, or before the good ones can spread their genes. The current way hunters treat the roar for example is completely self destructive. Australians aren't good at this for sure.
Here's two of my boys earlier this year whilst they still have some growing to do. I must get some pics of them now, I'm quite happy with how things are going and I hope to have some more Hungarian influence brought in later this year if I can get the fencing time in.
Edit: and this from a bloke who pays little attention to Fallow.

Messenger_creation_255E7BDE-5C86-41A8-9308-B838EB930A4B.jpeg

Thing, is. I ambushed this bloke in SF, in fringe country. If I passed him up some one with a spot light or thermal would likely have shot him.
It's a real gamble.

I tried to get to this spot for abt 5 years. But illness and two family deaths prevented me. So, wasn't going to pass him up.

[bigpete]

Hung this in my office.
Got him last year.

IMG_20250324_121504.jpg

Trouble with a most deer is the antler quality isn't managed, and people take animals either before their prime, or before the good ones can spread their genes. The current way hunters treat the roar for example is completely self destructive. Australians aren't good at this for sure.
Here's two of my boys earlier this year whilst they still have some growing to do. I must get some pics of them now, I'm quite happy with how things are going and I hope to have some more Hungarian influence brought in later this year if I can get the fencing time in.
Edit: and this from a bloke who pays little attention to Fallow.

Messenger_creation_255E7BDE-5C86-41A8-9308-B838EB930A4B.jpeg

Thing, is. I ambushed this bloke in SF, in fringe country. If I passed him up some one with a spot light or thermal would likely have shot him.
It's a real gamble.

I tried to get to this spot for abt 5 years. But illness and two family deaths prevented me. So, wasn't going to pass him up.

And neither should you have or feel like you should have

[Oldbloke]

Loaded 40 rounds of 30.06. Well stocked now.

[bladeracer]

Tested some blackpowder .38 Special loads this morning, good fun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vTPOvHQK40
Ten rounds averaged 871fps, ES 60fps, SD 20fps.
They were 17gn of FFFg, a lubed felt wad, then a 125gn bullet at 1.475".
I'll try 15gn with two wads, but wads will get expensive very quickly at that rate so I'll look into other options for wads.

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I also found a Falcon Cowboy 12ga. load in the ammo box so I fired it over the chronograph, after a pair of standard 28gn field loads. The field loads made 1250fps, the Cowboy load made only 824fps. Much more pleasant to shoot, but I need to start making blackpowder shotshells too very soon. Little River Raiders are doing a two-day blackpowder-only shoot in July that I want to do.

Finally got permits approved and picked up four pistols today, the pair of cap and ball 1858 New Model Army .44's, the Hi-Power 9mm, and a Morini CM22M .22LR match pistol. Permits took right on 21 days to approve. I also bought a Rossi 12ga. Coachgun last week but my CatA/B licence expired yesterday and the dealer says they won't look at the permit until they approve my renewal, but that should happen next week.

[No1Mk3]

Tested some blackpowder .38 Special loads this morning, good fun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vTPOvHQK40
Ten rounds averaged 871fps, ES 60fps, SD 20fps.
They were 17gn of FFFg, a lubed felt wad, then a 125gn bullet at 1.475".
I'll try 15gn with two wads, but wads will get expensive very quickly at that rate so I'll look into other options for wads.

Screenshot 2025-03-25 202829.jpg

I also found a Falcon Cowboy 12ga. load in the ammo box so I fired it over the chronograph, after a pair of standard 28gn field loads. The field loads made 1250fps, the Cowboy load made only 824fps. Much more pleasant to shoot, but I need to start making blackpowder shotshells too very soon. Little River Raiders are doing a two-day blackpowder-only shoot in July that I want to do.

Finally got permits approved and picked up four pistols today, the pair of cap and ball 1858 New Model Army .44's, the Hi-Power 9mm, and a Morini CM22M .22LR match pistol. Permits took right on 21 days to approve. I also bought a Rossi 12ga. Coachgun last week but my CatA/B licence expired yesterday and the dealer says they won't look at the permit until they approve my renewal, but that should happen next week.

G'day bladeracer,
I use Tapioca or Semolina as a space filler in BP cartridges under the lubed wad. Mostly Tapioca because I've hated Tapioca Pudding since I was a kid.

[bladeracer]

G'day bladeracer,
I use Tapioca or Semolina as a space filler in BP cartridges under the lubed wad. Mostly Tapioca because I've hated Tapioca Pudding since I was a kid.

Don't know what happened there, I wrote a page of stuff and it all disappeared when I posted it, bugger.

Never had tapioca but I know they offer it to me in hospital. Rose has given me some polenta to try.

[Cape_Yorkee]

Had plenty of time up my sleeve yesterday and today so decided to refurbish a stock. Grabbed a roll of 120 grit paper and went to town on it, minus the chequering. Followed it up with 240 grit and used some turps and water to remove any old lacquer and gunge from the chequering. Grabbed a bottle of Casey Birchwood Walnut stain which I'll apply in the next few days.

[Cape_Yorkee]

Photo for good measure

[Wapiti]

Looks very noice.

[Wapiti]

Just went for a run for a few hours as the weather's cleared finally for a bit, deposited a few 308 shells somewhere in the grass and restocked the pig trap, swapped out the cameras and got some great video of stags roaring and carrying on, and some big bucks croaking. The fallow boys are well and truly advanced into the rut already, the reds are just yelling at each other like an internet forum fight. The ladies obviously aren't cycling yet, that'll come soon enough. Next full moon should trigger it.

[Oldbloke]

Photo for good measure

I like it

[Wm.Traynor]

It will be very interesting to see how the stain turns out. Good luck with it Cape_Yorkee

[Flyonline]

Went for a walk today looking for goats, have been very busy with work so haven't had much chance to get out so today was a bit of a leg stretch and see how the local was coming along. Found a pair of what looked like angora type billies, I thought there were brothers they were so alike from 100m or so when i first saw them. They were bedded on a little ridge at the bottom of the gully in the sun enjoying the warmth, but mistakenly got up and walked downstream giving me a ridge to hide behind. Managed to sneak into a later ranged 35m and put a Sub-x through the first, the shot was aimed at the front half of the shoulder, but I didn't allow enough for the steep uphill angle and it later found it had somehow managed to pass in front of the nearside shoulder, and come out above the top of the offside shoulder so no heavy bone was encountered (ribs were though). It collapsed and rolled into the creek bottom so as the second headed up hill above me, I put a 150gr corelokt through the shoulder as soon as it paused. This one managed to run maybe 15m before tumbling down hill and fetching up against a log. As I pulled my earplugs out, I could hear scuffling in the creek bottom and an occasional half hearted bleat, so I quickly raced down and ran a knife through the first goat to put it down without destroying any evidence of projectile damage. When I brought them together for a photo and a quick autopsy, I discovered that the first goat was somewhat bigger than the second and was possibly the biggest bodied animal I've ever laid hands on. Both were poll and could have been father and son rather than brothers, and were quite possibly part of the same mob of billies I again shot two out of last time I was in this creek.

When I took the front shoulder off the first billy, I found a clear entrance would, but couldn't track it further than the other side of the brisket, so I'm not sure if it completely vapourised, or it deflected on its path as I was only able to find a heap of shredded meat on the far neck right where I'd run my knife through so I couldn't definitively see the outcome.

I dragged the carcasses up as high as I could off the valley floor and opened up the gut cavity and took a shoulder off each to open them up for the eagles, ravens and foxes.

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[Sarco]

Something a bit different,

Went to the open day at the Arcadia Native Fish Hatchery (up Shepparton way), including a tour.

I found it really interesting both from the point of view of what they are doing, the expansion of what they are doing and how widely the fingerlings are distributed throughout Vic. No commercial activity, all about rebuilding native fish profiles around Vic.

Staff indicated that it seemed most attendees were from around Vic/Melb with a relatively few locals only.

Last time I visited a Hatchery it was primarily (maybe even only) trout and was in my very early teens at Snobbs Creek in the 60s, things have come a long way. However I do have every intention of going out to Snobbs Creek for their open day in early May.

[Die Judicii]

Had plenty of time up my sleeve yesterday and today so decided to refurbish a stock. Grabbed a roll of 120 grit paper and went to town on it, minus the chequering. Followed it up with 240 grit and used some turps and water to remove any old lacquer and gunge from the chequering. Grabbed a bottle of Casey Birchwood Walnut stain which I'll apply in the next few days.

Do you have any idea on what specific timber it is ?

[Oldbloke]

I've spent the last four evenings out having a look around for fellow not far from where I shot the white buck last year.

Anyway the two first afternoon's I had a wander around in some fairly thick bush that have been burned I guess about 18 months ago but to know avail. Plenty of roos and wallabies and that was about it really. Plenty of animals gettin' in the area but I didn't see any fellow or sign. And no croaking.

So yesterday late in the afternoon i sat in the same spot where I shot the fellow buck last year looking over a small clearing of sorts with some shooting sticks. After sitting there for about 15 minutes two does turned up walked out in the open and trotted off away from me and I couldnt get a shot so nothing that evening.

Then this evening same spot again, again wind was right, but arrived a few minutes earlier settle down with the shooting sticks sitting there watching the birds. Low and behold after 40 minutes out steps a white fellow buck at abt 70 yards probably closely related to the one I shot last year. His antlers were i guess 18 inches but no palms. Anyway he turned right and started to walk towards me and got within about 40-50 yards and I have the crosshairs on him. Anyway I decided to let him go. Would have probably tasted awful. I must be getting soft. Well I'm off home tomorrow I want try and get back in about a week. Hope to get a doe for meat.

[Wapiti]

Was out on the tractor out the back and this silly bloke was caught in an old sheep fence. Sheep fences are killers of deer and goats, because they are mischievous and bucks and stags like to thrash them when wound up when the Rut is on. And it's been on full-on for a few weeks now.
I've been replacing these fences for years, but exclusion fencing has taken priority and there's too much going on.
He ripped out a whole section of fence, and was never going to get out. I did try, but there was no way.
I've had a bicep ripped off the bone at my shoulder and had to have it screwed back on in surgery when after drugging a buck stuck this way to sedate him, he attacked me, fair enough because he didn't understand my English telling him I was there to help. I will try to avoid that now. When upset and full of adrenaline, they can take twice as much of the drug and you can kill them with it.

[Wapiti]

He was an average buck, second head, showing some promise. Unfortunately there are hundreds more way better here. You can see he has broken and worn off his points from earlier troublemaking.

[Wapiti]

But the dogs have a great feed, as do the pigs that come to the trap on the north end. Not the best from a rutting buck, particularly one full of adrenaline from having me approach after he's been trying to get out and freaking. This is a section of rump muscle from him, incredibly healthy meat.

[jezzab]

Headed out to play with the new Tikka T3x CTR 6.5CM in an MDT chassis I rescued from WA (I thought some of my rifles were heavy but this 6.8kg is insane).
Did a little visual bore sight in at home until the chickens decided it was fun
Fixed the muzzle brake that was on a cocked angle by cutting a shim from some shim sheet with the fibre laser
Swapped some scopes around, put the 6x36x56 scope on the 6.5CM, put the 5x25x56 scope from that on the 7mm-08.
Sighted the two in
Tested some 223 and 7mm-08 hand loads of different grain weights from light to heavy.

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[Wm.Traynor]

jezzab!
You have a passenger

[bigrich]

i'm currently stuffing around with leupold scope mount bases . having to modify the rear base so it doesn't come into contact with the bolt handle on my FN 98 commercial action . i switched scopes to a vx1 2-7x33 and found the windage adjustment lacking . i had weaver bases on previously and i prefer these , but the leupold classic bases have windage adjustment . rifles currently a 308, late 60's musgrave built. i've ordered a lothar walther barrel to convert this old beauty into 7x57 . 6 month wait, but it's still quicker than any local makers . i love to tinker, when things go right