These views should clarify the method. I chose drills that resulted in a slightly too-small hole at the bottom and a slightly-larger-than-spring- diameter hole at the top. This way, the cap holds the spring positively (although this matters only during die assembly) but the spring is still free to compress and expand, as needed. A too-stiff spring would be counter- productive and a too-soft spring might not create suffi cient force to pop a bound primer free of the decapping pin. This Brownells spring was just right. Note dressed end of spring: this is important so that the spring does not bind with or gouge into the end of the decapping rod.


So, I modifi ed the die to solve the


problem. Using a #9 drill (0.197-inch), I produced a hole about 0.47-inch deep from inside the Collet Die cap toward the top end. Then, using a #6 drill (0.204- inch), I drilled the hole larger to a depth of about 0.35-inch. Then I prepared a length of nomi-


nally 0.200-inch diameter coil spring from the Brownells Heavy Spring Kit (#71). I cut that to about 0.6-inch length. Then I dressed the ends to a fi nished length of 0.55-inch (0.1-inch longer than hole depth). I applied a dab of Loctite 609 to the end of the spring and forced it to bott om in the slightly-too-small


portion of the hole. I then reassembled the die and


continued to decap and neck size the remaining 250 cases without experienc- ing a single stuck primer. Why did I not do this sooner! You can bet that I will similarly modify all my Lee Collet Dies.


New Year’s Resolution Member Terry L. Mixell


my wife informed me that she was going to run into work the next morning. With the kids wanting nothing more than to be left alone with the Xbox, I decided to spend the day fox hunting. I had not been fox hunting for several years because of the severe bout of mange and poor snow conditions. This year, how- ever, would be different. With nearly 20 inches of snow on the ground from a Christmas blizzard, I was ready to check on the local fox population to see if the numbers had improved. As dawn broke on January 1 the


A


thermometer read minus 7 degrees with a northwest wind around 10 mph – per- fect conditions for hunting. As I started my vehicle and began heading north, my mind raced back six years before when fox were plentiful. My hunting partner Todd Nyhus and I spent many mornings driving the southeast part of South Dakota after fox. We man- aged to shoot a fair number of fox, but I had grown very disappointed with the amount of time sewing fox after shooting them with a 22-250. Todd, however, had a custom 17 Remington built by a local gunsmith, Stan Ware in Westbrook, Minnesota. Needless to say, I had become very impressed with the


s my wife and kids and I celebrated New Year’s Eve,


killing power of the small caliber with no damage to the pelts. I contacted Stan at SGR Custom


Rifles and had him transform a 223 Remington 700 into a tack driving 17 Remington, featuring a Shilen barrel, Tubbs recoil lug, H-S Precision stock, Shilen trigger, and a Leupold scope attached to a blue printed receiver ma- chined by Stan. My load of 24.1 grains of Varget, match grade primer, and a 20-grain Hornady V-Max have been a ticket to success. With most shots within 150 yards, wind is manageable with the small bullet. Many decisions about this gun were answered by reading mem- bers’ articles, especially articles by Tim Holien from North Dakota. With Tim shooting hundreds of fox with the little 17, along with personal observations of Todd’s kills, it only made sense for me to own one too. Anyone who is serious about fox hunting should consider add- ing the little 17 to his arsenal. As I traveled north from my house


that day, it did not take long for me to spot my fi rst fox lying along a fence line. The cherry red fox was curled up with its back to the wind. The sun had not yet peeked over the horizon and it appeared the fox was fast asleep. A quick check of my plat book allowed me to fi nd the farmer’s house only a mile away. After a


short chat, permission was granted and the planning begun. Based on the wind and the amount


of open distance I had to travel to get into position, I elected to try to work my way to a row of round hay bales I could see about 200 yards from the sleeping fox. If I could make it to the hay bales without being detected, I would attempt to coax the fox in with a mouse squeaker. If it failed to respond, I still would be within distance for the shot. From my starting point I had to


crest a small hill to get a full view of the fox and the hay bales. As I made it to the top of the rise, I was surprised to see another fox on the hay bales. This fox was completely hidden from the road because many of the hay bales were below the hill. This fox, unlike the one sleeping to the west of me, was busy grooming itself and occasionally entering an escape hole that it had at the base of the bales. This created a dilemma. No mat-


ter what direction I approached from, the fox would spot me. After lying in the snow for 30 minutes watching the nervous vixen, I decided I needed to act. Every time the fox disappeared into its hole, I would get up and walk as fast as possible toward it. When it reappeared, I would stop and slowly kneel, keeping


www.varminthunter.org Page 175


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