Dare To Be Different Ben Peal
My son David prepares to butcher Matt’s fi rst hog. A 120-pound male such as this makes a lot of ham, ribs, and pork chops.
hot weather is here. A trip to the range may fi nd several of our local hunters getting ready for a varmint hunt. These folks shoot all year long and are very good with their rifl es. Some will have rifl es they use for both big game and varmints. Have you ever considered this? How about using a 22 centerfi re for something larger than a coyote? You may be surprised at the number of hunters who do just this. Many shoot- ers believe centerfi re 22 bullets blow up without penetrating larger game and are suited for nothing but varmints. That may well be true if you favor the light, thin-jacketed bullets that are pushed at extremely high velocities. You choose the right bullet for your 30-06 or 7mm Magnum when going after deer or elk. Why not choose a suitable bullet for your varmint rifl e to be used for something like hogs or deer? Excellent cartridges like the 22-250, 222, and 223 Remington, even the tiny 221 Remington Fireball, are popular for use as a combination
D Page 108 Spring 2012
eer season has come and gone, our brief spring is over, and
The Remington Model 7 CDL. This little rifl e shoots very good groups with a variety of bullet and powder combinations. I was pleased to see that the 53-grain Sierra MatchKing turned out to be the best of all the bullets I’ve tried. I have used this bullet since the early 1950s in a lot of 22 caliber rifl es and I’ve never been disappointed in its performance.
rifl e for a number of hunters in our part of Texas. Another misconception applies to lightweight rifl es: These rifl es seem to have a reputation for being inaccurate. That simply isn’t true. These are age old argu- ments, with some swearing by them and others swearing at them. While our 22 centerfi res are great
for crows and coyotes, they also have done a fi ne job for us on hogs and deer. Now before some of you overbore mag- num fans get bent out of shape about using 22s for larger game, let’s look at just what a rifl e, any rifl e, is supposed to do. It should be accurate and handle well. It also should be one you will en- joy shooting the year around. It should quickly and humanely dispatch the critter you are after. Shot placement is the name of the game with any rifl e you choose to shoot. I don’t care what you use – if you can’t put the bullet in the right place you aren’t being fair to the game or yourself. If you can’t manage your musket effi ciently you need to do one of two things: [1] get a rifl e you can learn to shoot really well or [2] sell your
rifl e and buy a set of golf clubs. And just where is the right place
to put your bullet? We aim for a crow’s chest or behind Wily coyote’s shoulder if he is standing broadside. We shoot a hog behind the shoulder or behind the ear. And if that old boar is charging you with fi re in his eyes and tusks popping, there is nothing wrong with shooting him between the eyes. You had best put him down because you sure can’t outrun him and those razor sharp tusks can be wicked weapons. Most deer hunters I know favor the shoulder shot. Many Texans hunt from elevated box stands where it’s like shooting from a benchrest. Others may sit on the ground with their back to a tree, although this may be hazardous sometimes if you make a poor hit on an old boar that is too close to you. Either way we are assured of a steady position and should be able to let off a good shot. A visit to the range each fall makes
you realize there are some folks who really shouldn’t be hunting. I recently watched a guy shooting excessively
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