airedale

Congratulations on your versamax purchase, my motto is you can not have too many guns. Al

The 7600 has a very strong action but I would back off a gr or 2, be safe and and work your way up. Your empty fired cases will tell you what you need to know. Go for the load that that does not show high pressure and that shoots the best, believe me a Deer hit with one of those bullets going from 2700 fps to 2900 fps will not know the difference. Al

I am not well versed in handloading 30/06 shells but some time ago I loaded up some 165 hornady spire points for a friend of mine using IMR 4350 57 grs, that is near the top in most manuals. They shot well in his Winchester model 70 bolt action. If I remember right they were hitting somewhere around 2900 fps, his rifle had a 24 inch barrel. Al

I believe their diet consists of mostly various rodents like mice, chipmunks and squirrels also rabbits-hare and probably any small birds they can catch. I don't think they mess with Turkeys. Al

Dan you and I have a lot in common, like you been there and done that more times than I care to remember. There is nothing that will ruin your day worse than when your hunting dogs tangle with a porky. Hail to the Fisher! Al

They are a favorite of mine, any animal that does in Porcupines and eats them is a friend of myself and my dogs. I wish there were a lot more of them around. Al

Hope those dreams come through for you WJ and if they do I sure would like to see the final results. Al

I am an addicted rimfire fan and shooter and at the Syracuse Gun Show a few years ago there was a fellow with some Cooper Rifles. He had a Cooper Bolt Action Western Classic 22 LR that was so pretty it would bring tears to your eyes. That rifle had every custom touch there is to be had on it. The wood grain the best, the checkering the best, case coloured action and matching rings, octagon barrel, skeleton checkered buttplate, inletted sling studs and on and on along with a test target, one hole at fifty yards. I actually have had dreams about that one. Al

Hey Dan, Back in those days who had more fun than us? Al

I say go for it, if you have a dream rifle and you can swing it why the heck not. The 375 H&H is a great caliber and can be reloaded down with a 235 gr bullet designed for smaller game so it can be usable for both Deer and Bear. The Ruger Number 1 is a beautiful classic rifle, I have one myself in 222 Mag and love it. Al

I say go for it, if you have a dream rifle and you can swing it why the heck not. The 375 H&H is a great caliber and can be reloaded down with a 235 gr bullet designed for smaller game so it can be usable for both Deer and Bear. The Ruger Number 1 is a beautiful classic rifle, I have one myself in 222 Mag and love it. Al

The 222 case is quite a bit shorter than the 223, you have to push the shoulder back quite a bit. I believe when you are making that big of a change you need dedicated case forming dies that form the case in several steps. After that is done the neck will be way over length and will have to be trimmed. I don't know who makes forming dies these days, CH and Corbin did at one time but I do not know if those outfits are still in business. Al

Doc has made no false and misleading statements, he has stated facts and the facts speak for themselves. In case you are not aware high velocity lead core bullets have been around and used in large numbers for nearly 100 years and fired these days by the millions. Those early jacketed bullets had lousy performance and shed their jackets easily on impact. It would be safe say if there was the lead poisoning problem some Doomsdayers make it out to be there would have to be plenty of evidence by now! There is still zero credible concrete proof of any hunters and their families are getting lead poisoning from consuming meat taken with such bullets. Al

Well brand me "UNFIT", my Grandfather ate meat shot with lead, my Dad ate meat shot with lead, I ate and still do eat meat shot with lead and both of my boys grew up eating meat shot with lead and still do. I would not change one thing and do over everything exactly the same!!!! We have always taken care of our game meat properly, all questionable meat is removed and discarded, none of us were ever sick from lead poisoning nor do I know one single hunter who ate meat shot with lead ever to come down with some sort of lead malady! Al

ApexerER congrats on your new S&W I hope it works out well for you. I had a heck of a time finding something I liked and could stay with. Over the years I have tried out a bunch of small cc revolvers and pistols looking for the ideal gun, I first went with some rimfires with the thought that they would be easy to shoot and cheap to practice with. I started with a S&W 34 snub nose kit gun, really had no complaints, top quality, 100% function, reasonably good accuracy. I then got my hands on a Budischowsky TP 70 22 LR, a sort of US copy of the Walther tph, liked the concept but it was totally unreliable. An S&W 422 sportsman, small, reliable and decent accuracy. I kept the sportsman and sent the other two down the road. I then upped the power and picked up a nice older Walther PPK in 32 acp, very nice, functioned perfect and accurate. I know James Bond and his secret service thought well of the 32 acp but I did not care for it at all. Very limited in ammo and pretty weak as far as I am concerned. Had it been chambered in 380 acp I would probably still have it, so in the end that went down the road. Decided to up the power more and gave a 2 3/4 inch 357 Colt Python a try out, beautiful craftsmanship, accurate, powerful and loud, but very heavy and pretty hard to comfortably conceal. I sent the Colt packing. After all the auditions I think for me I finally found what I wanted, the Sig p938, small size and easy to conceal power, reliability and good accuracy and most of all a single action. To make it right for me I did change out the trigger and hammer spring to get the pull the way I wanted it. Mutt and Jeff

Yes do updates with some photos as you bring your project along it will be interesting to watch her progress. Al

Hey dbHunterNY, That Savage 12 Varmint rifle is a very good one and the 223 chambering is a very good varmint round also. That Savage rifle has long had an enviable reputation for fine accuracy, they are pretty heavy to carry up to the top of those hills down your way. I am happy to hear you have decent chuck hunting and hope you and your Savage have continued success this coming summer. Al

As far as I know the sky is the limit when it comes to numbers as long as your wallet can handle it and you have a very understanding wife. Al

To see a Woodchuck these days is actually a rarity, they have virtually disappeared. I drive through country where I use to see scores of them in the big open alfalfa fields now I see none. Lots of theories on why their numbers have tanked. I have to believe that the demise of the family farm is one of the reasons and the changes in the way farming is done these days. Farmers do not like them and there are some kind of killing devices that can be put down their dens to kill them. Another theory I have had run by me is the huge increase in Coyote numbers in the last 25 years. I was at the NY State Houndsman banquet some years ago and one of the guest speakers was a state biologist that studied the eastern Coyote. He said that upon examining the stomach contents of just about every summer killed Coyote they could get ahold to perform tests on had Woodchuck in them. He flat out said if anyone there wondered where the woodchucks disappeared to he felt the Coyotes had to have had a big effect on their numbers. I have noted that when I do see a Woodchuck it is always very close to roads or buildings and just maybe they survive in those places because is it is not comfortable habitat for a Coyote to hunt. When it comes to numbers I find it is the same with Cottontail rabbits and Pheasants. The old Ruger 220 Swift has not killed a Woodchuck in many years, their numbers are so low I don't hunt them anymore. Al

Yes I know it is more expensive but I have no choice in the matter when it comes to waterfowl hunting with any of my doubles. If it is priced anywhere near Hevi Shot they can keep it, I will continue to load my own. Al

As I posted previously last fall I tried very hard to find and purchase suitable non toxic shot for older guns, none was to be had anywhere because no one was making it. I just found out that Kent is going to be soon producing their own Bismuth shot and will put back into production shot shells that can be used in barrels not proofed for steel. Hopefully it will be priced within reason. Al

What pt0217 said. Al

Hevi-Shot is comprised of tungsten alloy (tungsten is an element which is harder than steel/iron), nickel, and iron. Hevi-Shot pellets are very hard and they must be contained within a special non-toxic shotcup. I do not have any Hevi-Shot because of it's price so I do not know if they have a warning on their box but with the above being the case I personally would not shoot Hevi Shot out of any older shotguns that did not have barrels that were proofed for steel. Al

I worked in a friend's sporting good store in the late seventies and early eighties when steel shot started being used. We sent several barrels back to the manufacturers for repair, we were advised by all firearms manufacturers to tell customers not use steel shot in their firearms unless they were proofed for steel!!! Al

Copied off the boxes of three different ammo manufacturers I have on the shelf, in the fine print of course. From the horse's mouth! 1." Winchester Xpert Hi-Velocity Steel shot, Use only in firearms designed for steel shot that are in good condition with markings exactly matching ammunition!" 2." Kent Fasteel Precision Steel, Potential barrel damage may occur when using steel shot in some guns. If no information exists that can confirm your guns ability to shoot steel shot do not use it!" 3. "Federal Speed Shok Steel, The use of steel shot can cause damage in some guns, our protective shot cup is designed to prevent or minimize this tendency, but we will accept no responsibility for such barrel damage resulting from the use of these shells!"