cpdlm@marlin.jcu.edu.au (Dominique Morel) (04/23/91)
I have been reading all the talk about the .223 Remington etc. I have
6 rifles
a Unique semi-auto in .22 long rifle
a SAKO heavy barrelled in .222 Rem Mag (almost identical to the .223)
a SAKO in .22-250 Rem
a M17 actioned custom in .308 Norma Mag
a K98 actioned custom in .308 Norma Mag
and a BRNO ZKK602 in .375 Holland & Holland Mag.
Here in North Queensland our main game is Wild pig, Chital deer (Axis
Axis), wild cattle, wild horses and of course the Kangaroo. Well all
of the above rifles except the .22 kill pigs ok, but only if the shot
is well placed be it with a .222 rem mag or the all round African Game
gun the .375 H & H mag. I have had good one shot kills with the .222
Mag and I have had to put three shots into a boar with the .375 H & H.
The first two went too far back through the gut, it was not until that
I had cornered that pig and that he charged me that I was able to put
a shot in the head that he stopped. My first pig was shot with a .22
mag you know 40 grain pill at 2000 feet per second and he did not move
>from the spot that I hit him.
I find that the .222 Mag to be a very nice gun it is very accurate .4 MOA
(0.4 inch group at 100 yards) and if you have time to place the shot it
kills wonderfully, but I use it mainly for crows and rabbits and goats,
(yes we have feral goats to hunt too) but if I go hunting pigs I take
the H & H as it feels better. It has that classic European stock with no
cheek piece, single set trigger (that goes off at 6 ounces when set and
three pounds normal), and shoulders like a custom British shotgun, and
that is what makes a rifle. If it comes to the shoulder and is on target
then one can let off a quick well placed shot and when one does ones
confidence builds up and one becomes a better shot. Naturally it is the
BRNO that goes with me to the Northern Territory when we go buffalo
hunting, and it will be the one that will go to Africa when I get there
in a couple of years time.
Since the SAKO L461 is so short I have to seat the bullets very deep so
that the cartridges will fit in the magazine which is contradictory to
good accuracy so I have two loads 52 gns Sierra HPBT seated just short
of the lands for target/accuracy (.4 MOA) and 63 gns Sierra spitzer BT
for game (.9 MOA), but the surprising thing is that a group shot with a
mixtures of 52 and 63 grain projectiles group 1.2 MOA at 100 metres and
it the only rifle that I know that does this. When I go hunting with the
.222 mag I have a magazine full of 63 grain pills and a pocket full of
52 grain ones so that if I need the accuracy I just single load the 52
grain bullets above the magazine and if the need arise for the heavier
bullets with there greater penetration and killing power they are there.
Because you never know when a pig is going to show its head.
Something that I have found in my shooting experience is that the
heavier bullets do a better job on game. I have played with 40 grain
bullets in the .22-250 pushed by 40 grains of 760 Winchester powder and
that gives 4000 fps. Great fun but useless, same as 220 grain bullets
pushed by 84 grains of IMR4064 for 3300 fps in the .375 H & H cuts roos in
half but not much good for anything else. I find the best load for game
in the .375 H & H is a 300 grain Sierra Spitzer boat tail pushed by 81.5
grains of AR2209 (AR2209 is an Australian powder equivalent ??? to
IMR4350) this give about 2650 fps and kills great.
What comes to mind always when the talk of guns to kill this and that comes
up is the one from one of my friend that goes to Africa every other year is
how he got his first elephant. He was in Rhodesia hunting kudu and cape
buffalo where the lodge offered him an elephant hunt cheap less than half
price. Apparently this loud mouth Texan had booked a hunt with them, he
carried a .460 Weatherby Mag that he had never fired and the firs shot was
going to be on an elephant. The lodge hunters tried to talk him into a bit
of practice at range first, but he would not be in it. Well when it came to
it a big bull with 60 - 70 lbs tusks presented it self 50 yards away and
the loud mouth Texan flinched so much that he cleaned missed the elephant.
The next day he flew back to Texas and the lodge had this $6000.00 elephant
licence fully paid for at their disposal.
I have fired one shot from a .460 WM and I did not find it a pleasant
experience, but it was at a target and it did not matter if I missed.
(Actually it was quite a good shot.) I think a lot of cartridges are
stifled by their factory loadings all the .22s from .223 up should use
the heavier projectiles 60 to 70 grains. The 5.56 X 50 mag uses (I think)
a 77 grain bullet, and is classified a great roe deer cartridge. In the
.30 cal the 180 grain or heavier is better. The bullet should expand
enough to stay inside the game, but be sturdy enough break both shoulders.
This is very dependent on the game you are hunting a 300 grain .375 cal
softpoint at 2650 will stay in a pig with a shoulder shot, for elephant
to achieve the desired result you need a steel full metal jacket projectile
of the same weight and speed.
In conclusion the talk about is this gun big enough for this game is to
me a bit of a load of cods wallop the most important is does the gun fit
and can you use it well. If you are a good hunter you have to be a good
shot and that means going to the rifle range and doing some practice
not only to improve you ability, but also to get accustomed to the rifle
that you are going to use. Natural good shot are few and far between. A
good choice of projectile is also of paramount importance.