Thread: Upgrading varmint rig

Thought I might upgrade the varmint rig, to bring some greater certainty in dealing with the big buck possums that predate my lemon trees at night. I've settled on a 4 gauge rifle, spitting out a 1750 grain bullet pushed by 550 grains of powder, producing a recoil of 315 ft-lbs (a 12 gauge produces 26). Should do the trick....

Photo shows a .308 for comparison.

So it's a four gauge..like a four bore = four balls of pure lead of barrel diameter=one pound in weight?? Yip should be interesting to use.please make sure to get someone to hold your beer and film proceedings so we can share in the fun.

Yeah...might get the wife to pull the trigger...but I'll hold her beer cos that's the sort of bloke I am..

Talking about recoil ,À few weeks ago I spoke to an old gentleman who used to fish wales with an harpoon gun in the sixties, there was a good reason the gun was bolted to the floor of the boat due the huge recoil produced when fired.
I also heard that there was another gentleman in nz who is or was is charge of finishing beached wales with a 50 cal …. Rumour was that he also had a Russian 14,5mm rifle serving the same purpose.

That should sort those pesky lemon trees

Originally Posted by Friwi

Talking about recoil ,À few weeks ago I spoke to an old gentleman who used to fish wales with an harpoon gun in the sixties, there was a good reason the gun was bolted to the floor of the boat due the huge recoil produced when fired.
I also heard that there was another gentleman in nz who is or was is charge of finishing beached wales with a 50 cal …. Rumour was that he also had a Russian 14,5mm rifle serving the same purpose.

I know the man myself.
True story

Sent from my SM-A556E using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by andyanimal31

I know the man myself.
True story

Sent from my SM-A556E using Tapatalk

He is indeed an interesting gentleman

Originally Posted by Friwi

Talking about recoil ,À few weeks ago I spoke to an old gentleman who used to fish wales with an harpoon gun in the sixties, there was a good reason the gun was bolted to the floor of the boat due the huge recoil produced when fired.
I also heard that there was another gentleman in nz who is or was is charge of finishing beached wales with a 50 cal …. Rumour was that he also had a Russian 14,5mm rifle serving the same purpose.

This is what DoC had made for their staff who euthanase whales.. 14.5 x 115 round (.308 for comparison ). Mind you, back in the 1980s, the Forest Service ranger at South Head (Kaipara Harbour) routinely despatched beached whales with a 6.5 x 55! It's all about bullet placement.

Very 'merican, but interesting.

Originally Posted by Ranger 888

Thought I might upgrade the varmint rig, to bring some greater certainty in dealing with the big buck possums that predate my lemon trees at night. I've settled on a 4 gauge rifle, spitting out a 1750 grain bullet pushed by 550 grains of powder, producing a recoil of 315 ft-lbs (a 12 gauge produces 26). Should do the trick....

Photo shows a .308 for comparison.
Attachment 253488

Do you honestly think it's big enough???? The buck possums can be hard to kill.

How much per round compared to 22lr?

Apparently its hard to beat .303 mk 6 215 gn round nosed ammo for whale despatching

Originally Posted by vulcannz

How much per round compared to 22lr?

What's a .22LR?

LOL, 4 gauge!

Beats my latest possuming excursion with a .45 ACP. Lots of totara trees on my place and if the possums are hiding in the top branches, a .22lr will often deflect off small branches and go zinging into the night. The 230 grain .45 goes through the branches and the possum. With the 4 gauge you'd be able to take down the tree and the use the bayonet to deal with the possum.

Originally Posted by MB

Very 'merican, but interesting.

Typical American BS. Everybody else on the planet knows that Baker used a 2 bore.
GPM.