Everett Headley 12.13.22
“Beware the man who only uses one gun, he knows how to use it.”
Who will get credit score for this pithy phrase might be misplaced to us, however there aren’t any shortages of options. The spirit of the phrases are extra necessary than the supply. Reaching again to World War II and the soldier’s use of the M1 Garand, shooters who devoted important vary and discipline use to their chosen weapon grew to become adept marksmen with it. Adjustments and high quality tuning of a person’s rifle made them much more correct. There are fascinating tales of GI’s discovering inventive methods to sneak their weapons again residence after the warfare and use them to hunt on the farm. Over seven many years later, shooters share the identical affinity for his or her weapons.
My One Gun
I consider myself as a one-gun-hunter, however doubtless there are only a few “true” hunters with only one rifle within the protected. My Browning X-Bolt chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum is my major rifle accompanying me on massive recreation hunts. Out of the field, I’ve been very impressed with all of the X-Bolts I’ve dealt with. A traditional spherical and nonetheless wildly well-liked, my .300WM is ideal for bigger recreation and longer distances, however barely (or drastically, it makes no distinction to the goal) overgunned on my favourite recreation, antelope. I might slim all the way down to one thing lighter, my shoulder is likely to be grateful, however I discover myself reaching for the device I do know in and out. My confidence in it’s unshakeable and any miss is due to the human factor I entered into the equation.
Customizing It to My Fit
While it might be a manufacturing unit gun, that doesn’t imply it stayed that approach for lengthy. I traded out springs within the set off for just a bit much less creep. Thankfully this rifle got here threaded with the 5/8×24 my AAC Jaeger suppressor required. If you haven’t shot suppressed or puzzled if it was well worth the expense and wait, do your self the good service and get one. The Vortex Viper has extra magnification than I would like, however I wished to have choices at ranges additional than I usually hunt. I maintain the sunshade on, one thing I discover only a few others use. The comb is adjustable which is a characteristic I strongly advocate for these seeking to tighten teams and enhance distance. I added a pad of reminiscence foam with vet wrap to it to melt the recoil on my cheek. It additionally helps maintain my eye inline with the scope. My hand loaded rounds are in tune to this rifle’s distinctive harmonics. All this provides as much as a rifle that shoots higher than myself. Overkill, maybe, however with so many variables that may negatively alter the end result of a hunt, my gun isn’t one which causes me anxiousness.
My Plus One (or Ten)
This quantity of effort makes it tough for me to contemplate an alternative choice. However, totally different jobs require totally different instruments. If you strive constructing a home with only a hammer, you might succeed, however it received’t be fairly. My AR-platform .223 is setup for distance and animal management and a .22 Ruger lives in my truck for these occasions when a chance presents itself for a squirrel, grouse, or the rest within the woods. I’ve slightly 6.5mm that could be very serviceable for brief photographs on the ranch when looking whitetail does. I even maintain a .270 Winchester I picked up on a whim at a pawn store after Christmas sale for $200 in good situation ought to a brand new hunter, or forgetful one, want one thing to borrow. I’d embrace my .50 caliber percussion muzzleloader, however then my heirloom 30-30 lever gun and the household of shotguns I maintain would all really feel overlooked. While l could consider myself as being devoted to utilizing only one firearm, the truth is there are others. And actually, I’m most likely already searching for the following one.
Learn Your Rifle
Hunters who spend the time studying the quirks and nuances of their rifles make higher photographs. They study the ballistics and actual world outcomes of what might be completed. Bullets are chosen with a care in direction of accuracy that interprets into cleaner, faster kills. Sometimes this develops into fanaticism, however provided that extra gun and ammo purchases equate to extra Pittman-Robertson {dollars} for wildlife conservation, it’s simply forgiven. My early looking days didn’t have a really giant price range. My 7mm Remington Magnum was entry degree with a sloppy set off that struggled to get higher than a two inch group. Nevertheless, it labored and I introduced residence many deer with it. My level is that we develop into totally different instruments as we progress via proficiency. That shouldn’t convey disgrace or envy, only a dedication to be as correct as potential. We owe it to our quarry to convey a fast kill with out struggling.
The day could come when my looking is proscribed to at least one species, yearly. I’d then turn out to be a real one-gun-hunter. Until then, I want the device greatest fitted to the job and the excuse to spend just a bit extra time on the vary.
