the path to madness within us all

Mungo

Well-Known Member
I'm sure many of you will be familiar with the following:

Over several years, I painstakingly amassed what to me was the perfect battery.

Each new acquisition required hours of obsessing and research, weeks of fiddling and changing, frequent swaps and new purchases, as first scopes, then mounts, then whole rifles were tuned, adjusted, upgraded, adjusted again, and again.

I went through 2 rifles in each of three calibres (.222, .243 and .308), with at least two scopes on each. I went through countless combinations within these and tested dizzying arrays of ammunition. Each new change required multiple trips to range and field, with endless agonising and tinkering in between.

Two weeks ago, I got to that unthinkable place: I had 4 rifles that all shot beautifully, that had loads that worked perfectly for their chosen job, that had scopes well suited to both looks and function of each rifle.

There really was nothing left to do. I could leave them as they were - never adjust a thing - and they would all kill deer until the day I die.

I breathed a sigh of relief and thougt 'well, that's it! I'm done. No more faffing, no more wasted time, no more expense. I can just go stalking'.

It lasted all of 10 days. Three days ago, I began to worry. The scope on the .270 wasn't quite right - it was meant to be a long range, open hill specialist, but it only wore a 6x42. And the .243 never gets used at longer range than 150 metres, but has a 4-12x50. But I can't just swap them, because one is an 1" tube and one's a 30mm tube. And I really like the .243 set up. And what about the .222? I really don't use it much - hardly at all. Do I really need it? Perhaps I could sell it and use the money to pay for a new scope for the .270? But I might regret that one day, and it is a nice rifle. Maybe I could just switch the 8x56 from the .222 onto the .270. Oh - but that won't fit because of the ild iron sights on the .270. Maybe I can get those removed? But that would spoil the look of the rifle, and maybe I might just one day use the irons. Well, at least leave myself the option...

And on and on.

Why are we incapable of leaving well enough alone!!
 
Good God! An open hill rifle, a .270 in fact, and it wears "only" a 6x42! There's many that would say that is more than adequate for any open hill stalking in that calibre. In fact there's some that still might say that 4x36 is all you need. My own rifles have 3x9-36 Zeiss Diavari 'scopes. Or are you stalking weasels at a thousand yards?
 
its a medical condition called Boystoys Itis,there is no cure.symptoms involve a large collection of scope,s knifes ,shooting sticks ,rucksacks/backpacks and waist packs.also reloading equipment and its sub division dies/presses and tumbler,s.the subject usually has an aversion to believing all is well with their equipment and the only cure is to buy more.Sorry Mungo your a hopeless case and my advice to you is a new scope ,rifle ,bipod and reloading set asap.Failure to do this will lead to a loss of self belief and sleepless nights.:old:
 
Good God! An open hill rifle, a .270 in fact, and it wears "only" a 6x42! There's many that would say that is more than adequate for any open hill stalking in that calibre. In fact there's some that still might say that 4x36 is all you need. My own rifles have 3x9-36 Zeiss Diavari 'scopes. Or are you stalking weasels at a thousand yards?

Oh - I know very well (in the rational part of my brain that occasionally gains control) that it's more than adequate. In fact, my rational brain, my wife and my FEO all know that, really, I only need one of the 4 rifles and the .22LR. But where would the fun be in that??

And anyway - if I were to get a variable on the .270, then I'd really have to get a variable on the .308 (which also wears a 6X42). But then they'd basically be doing the same thing, so really I should sell one of them - but which one? One's an ancient war horse, which I got to use in filthy conditions and to use as a loaner, the other is a beautiful and elegant, practically new work of art (so really, they're TOTALLY different, and I need both...).

Madness, I tell you. Madness.
 
I thought you were going to say something was missing and now realise it is a 22 Hornet.

Nope. On that I have no doubt - of all the .22 centrefires, there is only one King, and that is the .222. No question. End of discussion. You're wrong, I'm right and I will spit venom and bile at you for being (a) ill informed; (b) unconerned about animal welfare; (c) of dubious parentage; (d) willfully perverse; (e) almost certainly a headshooting with Amax at 300 yards deviant who secretly wants a Blaser.
 
Nope. On that I have no doubt - of all the .22 centrefires, there is only one King, and that is the .222. No question. End of discussion. You're wrong, I'm right and I will spit venom and bile at you for being (a) ill informed; (b) unconerned about animal welfare; (c) of dubious parentage; (d) willfully perverse; (e) almost certainly a headshooting with Amax at 300 yards deviant who secretly wants a Blaser.

Perhaps then you need scope rings & mounts of less dubious parentage atop the 222??

K
 
Perhaps then you need scope rings & mounts of less dubious parentage atop the 222??

Almost certainly.

Something that starts with 'cone' and ends with 'trol'?

Funnily enough, I was looking at their website last night. I don't totally understand how they work. Could you explain (bearing in mind that I am less than usually mechanically adept).
 
Almost certainly.

Something that starts with 'cone' and ends with 'trol'?

Funnily enough, I was looking at their website last night. I don't totally understand how they work. Could you explain (bearing in mind that I am less than usually mechanically adept).

I can but not sure there is much point as I think they are just about to cease trading. Much if not wholly due to the age, mindset and health of the Owner, George V. Millar.

Sent George a LETTER over a month ago bemoaning the lack of response to quite a few SD member’s enquires. Yep, you guessed, no reply.

Very sad

K
http://www.conetrol.com/mounting_tips.htm
 
Oh well.

I will say that rings and mounts in general drive me crazy.

I'm increasingly of the opinion that the only sensible approach is to hand the rifle to a good smith, tell them to sort it out and zero the damn thing, and then come back when it's all done.
 
In keeping with my general approach to kit, I try and work towards the greatest possible simplicity. The scope on my Steyr is mounted with Warne fixed rings because that's what came in the combo. After zeroing, the screws rusted a bit so now they can't easily be removed. As a result, that scope is pretty much welded into place. Good, it means that nothing much can go wring with it!
 
Oh those wonderful scope swapping evenings I used to have with a late friend of mine over a very long period. His widow recently told me he enjoyed it more than sex.
3-12x50 all change to 1,5x30 for driven boar then to a red dot type thing and back to start for deer, it's all like a game of snakes and ladders.
The only way out of the Asylum my friend is 3 rifles

One for rabbits etc.
One for small deer
One for big deer

All scopes to be identical .That's what I have and I now use Big one for deer,medium for foxes and small for others with great contentment at last.
 
Oh well.

I will say that rings and mounts in general drive me crazy.

I'm increasingly of the opinion that the only sensible approach is to hand the rifle to a good smith, tell them to sort it out and zero the damn thing, and then come back when it's all done.

After tangling with scope mounting for over 40 years, my preferred approach is a picatinny rail and Burris Signature Rings with offset inserts is the way to go. Regards JCS
 
Thats the thing about my Mauser M03 you have no choice but to use their mounts. At the moment the Aimpoint sits on the rifle sighted in for practice ammo for a stint down the range on Saturday. Saturday evening the S&B will go on for a night at the boar. It takes just a few seconds to change scopes.
 
The only way out of the Asylum my friend is 3 rifles

One for rabbits etc.
One for small deer
One for big deer

All scopes to be identical .That's what I have and I now use Big one for deer,medium for foxes and small for others with great contentment at last.

I think you're absolutely right. But! The question is: WHICH?
 
Oh those wonderful scope swapping evenings I used to have with a late friend of mine over a very long period. His widow recently told me he enjoyed it more than sex.
3-12x50 all change to 1,5x30 for driven boar then to a red dot type thing and back to start for deer, it's all like a game of snakes and ladders.
The only way out of the Asylum my friend is 3 rifles

One for rabbits etc.
One for small deer
One for big deer

All scopes to be identical .That's what I have and I now use Big one for deer,medium for foxes and small for others with great contentment at last.
That’s no use when renewing one’s FAC!


1. Squirrel – 22 FAC-Rated Air Rifle
2. Rabbit – 22LR
3. Fox/Muntjac - 222 Remington
4. Roe – 243 Win/220 Swift
5. Fallow/Sika – 250K

6. Red – 6.5X55SM
7. Boar – 300 Weatherby Magnum

8. Fun – 22 Hornet

K
:D

 
I got to a point and think what do I do now ?

ive got the sako P94S .22lr with a swaro z6i for rabbit and Squirel ground dwellers
ive got the Mauser M03 with barrels in .223 ( which isn't used ) , 6.5 x 55 for fox and deer , .308 for big deer I have 2 x swaro z6i scopes one for the 6.5 which is on there permanent as a go to rifle and the other as a spare for the .308 or .223 they are all rail mount in a mount ready to use


I got to a point and thaught what do I buy now as I can't really get an any better combination yes it's took a long time and loads of buying and swapping over the years. But I think I'm at the point of that's it no more buying

although a 3006 barrel or a pair of new swaro Binos would be nice
 
Back
Top