The 1 Thing You Learned- Rifles

[Oregon Hunter]

Don’t overgun yourself. Shot placement is more important than horsepower.

We spend so much time arguing over calibers, when I think we should put more thought into the actual bullet. The newish Terminal Ascent looks like an outstanding elk bullet, especially in a sweet shooting caliber like a 280 ai

 

[Oregon Hunter]

know your rifle well. and know it will perform. tape the muzzle because you never know when you may get something in it.

if it is wet and cold check to see if you firing pin is frozen or the trigger has ice in it.

my bud sat for 20 minutes once watching a bull while he held a bic lighter to his bolt to thaw it so he could kill the bull.
once i checked my rifle before leaving camp and it was froze up. i took my rifle apart and held the bolt and trigger over the stove to thaw it, when the moment of truth came it went bang.

I wonder if there is a type of light oil or grease that would keep your firing pin from freezing? Do any of our friends who hunt in really cold climates have some insight on this?

 

[Oregon Hunter]

We’ve had a bunch of questions about when some of our gear will be back in stock, so I wanted to let you know what’s just come in. This dang Covid has really screwed up our supply chains, and we appreciate your patience. Here is what just came back into stock:

RedKettle Spartan Javelin Holster

Javelin Pro Hunt Tac Bipod

CLASSIC M-LOK ADAPTER

 

[Oregon Hunter]

We’ve had an outstanding response from all of you on these “1 Thing You Learned” series. I just created a new forum thread about glassing smarter.

Head over to this link if you’d like to share one thing you learned about glassing, horror stories, or want to learn a secret for making the most out of your hard work in the field!

 

[Oregon Hunter]

We’ve had an outstanding response from all of you on these “1 Thing You Learned” series. I just created a new forum thread about hard lessons learned about choosing scopes for hunting.

Head over to this link if you’d like to share one thing you learned about scopes, horror stories, or want to learn a secret for making the most out of your hard work in the field!

 

[pitspitr]

The one thing I've learned... Always be sure to turn the scope down as far as you can BEFORE seeing that buck. If he's far enough away to need more magnification, you'll likely have the time to dial it back up.

Oh, and 2.5-10 is a great range, and there's a reason just about everybody makes a 3-9 and has for years. 4.5-14 might be ok on long range critters like speed goats or muley's, but most of the time it's a lot.

 

[Burnt Reynolds]

boy, where to begin...

Well-worn and broken in with experience handling in the field (all the things - guns, apparel, packs, binos, etc) is the precursor to success. I buy more new kit than anyone. On the planet. LOL. But I use the shit out of it before it ascends to game day kit.

Suppress all guns.

Eye pro.

A shorter gun is better than a lighter weight gun IMHO. There's a balance to be sure - find yours. IE, I had and enjoyed a Javelin bipod but ultimately got rid of it in favor of a heavier Atlas. I have like 5 now. In field shooting I don't often deploy it fully but love having it out front folded up to square my rest on my pack or a stump or whatever else is at hand. Weight penalty is worth it. Plus, it's way easier to deploy one leg for a tree trunk or branch or something.

2.5-10x mag scope (or less) is ideal.

Pack a fresh shirt to change into if you're going on a high effort hike/climb.

A sweet and salty trail mix is the shit.

Know your various rifle carrying positions and strap configurations.

3 position safety is excellent.

Spend time getting the perfect zero, then spend 10x more time shooting at rocks or other things out in the boonies at odd yardages and from odd positions.

Baby wipes are worth 10x their weight in gold.

Buy OnX or other mapping software and be versed in its use, AND have hard copy maps you can actually use. A good ballistics calculator is good too.

Crawdad traps in the truck or back at camp are routinely an added bonus.

Stainless steel doesn't equal zero maintenance.

Keep finger-nail clippers in your pack.

Shooter/spotter practice is always good.

Practice with all kinds of calibers and firearm types. AR's, bolt guns, 22's, shotguns, pistols...do it all the time and chase all different game throughout the year. You'll see your honey holes all throughout the season(s) and develop knowledge of everything from where animals like to be to where the best place to take a dump is.

Tape your muzzle!

Have in the truck or back at camp a decent firearm tool kit and be versed in its use. Be able to do everything from cleaning a gun to re-setting a scope to disassembly & reassembly. Odds are you won't be doing this for yourself, but someone else. They will owe you all the beer when they knock over a bull after you fixed their gun from the tailgate of your truck.

Legacy calibers are never a bad choice.

Forest naps are probably better than punching a tag.

Don't cheap out on ammo, socks, or binoculars.

If hunting with kids, always have a bbq at the truck/camp for a little hot feast. An EZ Up is great if just going for a day trip and weather is imminent. Take the kids across creeks, up hillsides, through timber...make it a crazy adventure. Then feed them hot food. They will never forget and will tell their first hunting story(ies) forever.