Retiring To Caldwell

[JR]

Well, I finally set a date to retire, and will be moving to Caldwell in mid March 2013.
Up to this point I've pretty much been lurking, daydreaming and planning.
During the few trips I've had to Caldwell over the last two years, I've managed to hunt some wistlepigs on Pearl Road, and I've made it up to Siver City. Have yet to see a Coyote and all the Rock Chucks I've seen were in the Interstate Median!
The plan is to get moved, buy a UTV, setup my reloading bench, get dope on my .308 out 1,000yds, and my .17HMR to 300yds and then learn how to successfully hunt Coyotes, and Rock Chucks.
About me: I shot NRA Distinguished Expert small bore as a kid, and the same in Highpower in the US Coast Guard, then NRA Metalic Shillouette (pistol) in New Jersey. I am trying to re-learn shooting in the wind, and now that I've got nothing but time on my hands, I'm going to keep trying until I can shoot 8" at 1K coldbore.
I'm looking forward to meeting all y'all in March or April, but right now I'm escaping from The Peoples Republic of Washington and that's taking a lot of time and energy!

John Snell
[e-mail]

[Eric]

Looking forward to your arrival. You share the same interests as everyone in this club. Id love to pick your brain on distance shooting and would be happy to get out in the field varmint hunting.

Eric.

[broper]

JR,
When you get here come to one of our meetings. If you like what you see and hear, we'd be glad to have you join us. We're always glad to have another varmint hunter join us. By the way, families are welcome too. Looking forward to meeting you.
Bob

[JR]

Thank you both! I'll try to make the March meeting, April for sure. I'll be making the first big step to Caldwell in mid-March.

I LOVE to talk about shooting in all it's wonderful aspects, and I love to SHARE what I know, and LEARN what I don't, so brain-picking will definately be ok.

My wife Norleen is a pretty fair shot too (golf balls at 200yds w/22-250 = 100% hits), but we sold that rifle, so now I've setup a spare Encore action/stock and 'donated' a 22-250 barrel to her. Shooting live targets is going to be a challenge for her though.

I like to shoot just about everything. Currently working with 22LR, 17HMR, 204 Ruger, 22-250, 25-06, 308 Win. The 204, 22-250 and 25-06 are Encore barrels that I have outfitted with Pressure-Trace transducers - I'm working up OCW loads. Next steps include measuring crimp tension vs pressure rise time and velocity spread. The Remington 700 308 has a new barrel - well actually whole new everything except action - I had Russ Haydon blue print and install a Shilen barrel and cut a match chamber. Glass bedded in a thumbhole laminate stock. Initially shooting into the 3/8 MOA range with 168 and 175 SMK's using Varget and zero jump.

[Eric]

Your talking my language

[72camaro]

Be careful, because you may find me throwing an anchor to hook up on your travel down there. The wife is still not in the mood to move down as it is a numbers game and the most grandkids are up here with only one down in Idaho. Plus, I've got to keep working a good handful of years before retirement. But I certainly wouldn't mind moving there, that's for sure.

[JR]

72Camaro you'll have to catch me first! (Besides I've got a few years head start on you!)

I did a little futzing with the schedule and I think now I may (weather permitting) be rolling into Caldwell in the first week of March. As I understand it that will be just about prime time for Coyotes? And I'll be there in time for the March meeting.

We are leaving family behind too, seems the only time the kids reach out to us is when they want something - well now they are going to have to reach a little further. We think they may never make it ... too bad for them. (All our kids are adults with their own kids.)

After all this time, we just want to kick back and relax for a few minutes (or years) - and for me that means: load/shoot/evaluate/tinker ... repeat as necessary. Not sure but I'll probably be happy when everything goes into less than 1/2" at 100yds, then the trick will be to get into 8" at 1,000 (or whatever is appropriate to the caliber), and yes I know 8" is bigger than 1/2 MOA at 1K, its that pesky wind thing ...

Then there's the "How to hunt Coyotes" thing - I've been watching Fur Takers on the Outdoor Channel - they seem to have no problem getting Coyotes to come in - I think my problem may be SEEING the Coyotes!

Well I've got steel targets to keep me shooting.

[Eric]

Well you'll certainly be here right in time for whistelpigs, chucks, badgers and some other critters i know Im forgetting about. I live right next door to Caldwell in Nampa and would be happy to show you a couple places that I go shooting at most every weekend. Ive been able to shoot out to 700yds but I know there are places that would allow for 1k. I was only shooting a 22-250 at the time so 700yds was more than enough.
I want to say that the Parma gun range goes out to distances of 1000yds. Can anyone confirm that?

Eric.

[broper]

I haven't been to the Parma range but it use to only be 500 yds. or 500 meters I guess.

[Eric]

Yeah after you spend time out in the BLM grounds you might not want to spend time at a range anyhow. Lots of other people at the ranges which isnt a bad thing but can be a hassle sometimes and the ranges cost money.
So im really interested in the finer points of reloading. So far Ive been reloading using pretty much the basic techniques to build loads for accuracy; seating depth, various grains of powder, case trimming, different primers, etc. Id certainly like to learn more of the finer details and tricks involved with reloading for ultimate accuracy.
Im currently shooting a 204 ruger, 22-250, 25-06 and 30-06. The later two are my hunting rifles but the 25-06 needs to get involved in varmint hunting more.
Im also highly considering building a rifle in the 6mm caliber. Looking for recommendations on rifle actions, barrels, stocks etc.
Weve got a lot to discuss when you get here JR

[cody6308]

Hey Eric next time you reload a bunch can I come over and learn the basics? I keep considering getting into reloading so I save my brass but just don't know if I shoot enough yet to make it worth the money!

[Eric]

Absolutely! Ill probably be at the bench this weekend. Give me a call.
*Forewarning* Ill probably put you to work

[JR]

Sorry I was out of comms range there for a while.
I would look forward to putting on some reloading seminars for all interested members.
Could cover stuff like case neck tension (inside, outside turning and crimping and how it affects pressure curve. OCW (Optimum Charge Weight) theory and how to run an OCW loading pattern/shooting test. Or we could start at the beginning with stuff like choosing and adjusting dies, selecting powder, primers, bullets ... heck just that will take quite a while if we go all the way into exterior balistics to figure out which available bullet is best for a given task in the chosen caliber. Any of that sound interesting?
I have all sorts of test equipment we can use; kesterl, cronograph and pressure trace in particular. I have more fun spotting for a good shooter than shooting my own self sometimes, better yet is coaching an new shooter.
I also built and am just waiting to test a camera system that can be positioned downrange has a good zoom lense to watch impacts, should be able to see .17 cal holes in black paper 1,000 yds no problem because it ought to work out to about 10 MILES.

Would love to visit all your reloading benches ... and of course when I get mine up and running again y'all are welcome but it'll be tight, I only get 10'x12' to work with and there are a lot of other things competing for space - may make up a portable reloading bench in my cargo van if it comes to that.

Also would very much like to visit some good varmint locations. I'm pretty familiar with Pearl Road, and I've Google Earth'd the BLM North of Caldwell (has potential), but what I really want is ROCK CHUCKS - last time I had a chance to hunt them was on a friends farm in Scranton PA with a Parker Hale .243 I bought just for that purpose. Didn't get many shots but had a wonderful time ... that was 1971 or 2 ... All the Chucks in WA are in risk of extinction as far as I can tell, except those inside National Park boundaries (had a pair fighting then roll into me once on the flanks of Mt. Raineer on the way up from Sunrise).

[Eric]

Well Im certainly interested in all that reloading information. I keep a pretty detailed log of all relaoding recipes Ive put together along with cut outs of the targets. But Im only doing what I consider to be the basics of reloading; trimming, seating depth, different powders, primers, bullets, etc.
If your here in time were having an IVH members rock chuck camp out sometime this spring (june time frame). I went last year and it.. was.. AWESOME! I cant wait for the chuckin' season to start up again this year.

[JR]

Eric, I am so excited to get started varminting that I bumped up our date to arrive in Caldwell to either the 2nd or 3rd of March. My buddy and I are each buying UTV's (that'll take a day or two maybe) I expect to be ready to go hunting that week. Won't have the reloading bench set up for a while but then I've got enough of something loaded to keep me in business for a while. Last report I heard we may end up waiting 9-10 months before components are back on the shelves. I like to keep about a thousand round worth of components on hand for each caliber I load.
Will definitely make the rock chuck campout, but may not be squared away with the camping part yet.