Thread: $5k plus rigs, what do you have? Favour?

Id used my dad’s 303 for 30 years and it was starting get hard to source projectiles. Plus deer would always walk a bit before dropping and I was gradually taking shorter snd shortr shots, seldom more than “100” (no range finder then). My mate bought a Finnlight in 7mm08 and got me to help sight it in. My first shots were the best centrefire group I’d ever got and I was impressed with the rifle.

Finances were temporarily good and I spotted just the gun I had wanted: Sako 85 stainless synthetic in 7mm 08. $2800. It took months for the right ammo to arrive (Norma w 140gr NBT).

I transferred my current scope off the 303, the VX1 2-7 and set out hunting. Within a few months I had killed all I shot at and taken the two longest shots Id ever done (just over “200”). It was a fantastic weapon.

No scope was on the horizon but I bought a RX 1000 rangefinder which was $800. Essential part of the kit. Perhaps not always functional beyond 500m but ultra rugged and still going strong a decade later.

I ordered a S&B PMII in 3-12 with $1000 deposit and after more than 6 months it arrived, total cost $3400 plus several hundred for 34mm optilocks. The scope does exactly what its supposed to: clicks move just 1cm straight up and down and back to zero; I can hold by mildots if Im in a hurry and they are exact. The cross hair is a bit fine at 3x but when you use that you dont need it.

Next it was reloading gear and an experienced mate pointed me to the buy once cry once gear: Co-Ax press, Redding dies, ( went halves on a Chargemaster). Result was straight in to a good load that Im still using to this day. It replicates the Norma factory components and is just as deadly. Trajectory verification and ballistic app setup went easily and have proved correct on gongs at many different ranges. Interestingly, this gun has always struggled to group under m.o.a. Yet it is very stable and effective.

A few years later, suppressors came in and I bought an ATEC (another $800) and had it fitted by Dean Maisey.

Ive used it a lot, including some field target shooting and its done 3000 rounds over a decade. That gun just feels good in my hands. The 3 lug bolt is easier to use than many other actions; the 5 shot steel drop out mag is easier, feeds well and is just better to use than plastic or rotary. Also, rounds seldom jam in the mag like they did with the SMLE. Its great to be able to take the bolt and mag apart for cleaning with bare hands. The optilock ring system is good for an ordinary hunter to set up and maintain himself.

The experience is like holding a bullet in my hand and placing it in the deer, not always 100% successful, but its like I’m not even aware of the gun when I use it.

The stock’s deeply scratched, the rubber grip panels worn smooth, the bore fire cracked, suppressor full of coke. But its still going strong, still shooting deer and punching targets.