Viscount Stalking

A quick check with a collimator or laser bore sight should be sufficient, if the point of aim has changed it sticks out a mile! Just make sure you make a note of the POI on the grid.
 
I have a couple of bore sighter kits, & some laser calibre specific ones, but you just can't beat that feeling you get when you make that little hole in the target! :)
 
I do agree with all whats said just how many of us... check our guns before we start.
I'm out all the time and know my tackles good.
It was just a statement.
Guns do go out of zero same as indicator/brake lights go how many check them before you drive.
If you have faith in your tackle you are half way there.
I would have no problem going to a target first and shooting a group.
But have shot enough with my guns that I dare go out without a check on every occasion.
If I know the client and his ability and his honesty I will allow espesially on a a.m. stalk to go without the shot check.
If they are new to me they have to prove themselves.
A 4a.m.start in a built up county after a roe buck is'nt the same start as a day on the hill.Or out for a doe at 8a.m. dodging the dog walkers and trying to get to the deer before they move back into deep cover.
Also when ranges are sub 50m's (a gun out of zero is no excuse)But its is not 250m's.
Please dont read to much into my coments they are just that coments.
I am happier when newbies use my gun I know it is right.
As I have said I will not condone a gun out of zero and we need to check the ability of the shooter.
But I will cut some slack if i know the client and his tackle.
They dont want to f**k up any more then I want them to.
They know what the guns been through since last shot.
Its not always that easy for everyone.
Newbies usually come tome for a p.m. stalk that allows for practice.
 
Quote yorkshireroestalking

"But I will cut some slack if i know the client and his tackle.
They dont want to f**k up any more then I want them to.
They know what the guns been through since last shot.
Its not always that easy for everyone.
Newbies usually come tome for a p.m. stalk that allows for practice."

I agree with that comment as having had to prove zero for nearly all the invitations ive been on for the first time this year..

Rarely have i had to prove zero with the same people again..

Though i certainly would be more than happy to prove zero when and if asked..

And yes - the pressure of not wanting to f**k up when out for the first time or anytime as a guest is immense..

Terry
 
I have been going to the same estate in Scotland on the hinds for one week for the last 15 years, and yes they know well by now.

They know I can shoot ok and that my kit is A1, but on every visit every year its onto the target the first day out to check zero.

Im happy with that, there ground there rules no problem :)

Max
 
Max said:
I have been going to the same estate in Scotland on the hinds for one week for the last 15 years, and yes they know well by now.

They know I can shoot ok and that my kit is A1, but on every visit every year its onto the target the first day out to check zero.

Im happy with that, there ground there rules no problem :)

Max

you every had a zero problem in them 15 years??
 
viscount

I have been out with this guy nice fella nice ground so has a friend he is based around ashdown forest.

ATB Steve
 
finnbear270 said:
In our case, we have areas where a check shot can be taken, travelling in 4x4 / mules / argo's etc any rifle can take a shift in zero at any time, I feel confident in saying there are very few of us who have not thought, ouch! that sounded quite a heavy knock, would you on collecting your case from the knuckledraggers, not check zero after looking at a dent in the case? plus there are those of us who are addicted to load developement & have lots of stuff to choose from, some times for up to a dozen rifles, easy to have some rounds get mixed up a little. :lol:


Hmmm this made me smile:-

some times for up to a dozen rifles,

Oh come on now only a dozen :lol: that's only two rifles for each species ;) one setup for each species with a back up 8) I like the thinking :!:

Now back to the subject in hand ...................... When going to a new place it has been the norm to check zero and I am very happy to do so. After many visits to stalk with my mentor/friend it sort of slipped by I always check zero a day or so before the stalk and one particular time I recall having a new to me rifle to stalk with. Sure I handloaded the ammunition and zeroed it and arrived as usual pre dawn had a cuppa after the 100+ mile drive up and we got into his pick up and went to the wood and we got onto a nice Muntjac Doe. Crawled forwards to use a plantation fence post as a support and fired and missed :eek:

The doe was about 70 yards into the plantation and it ran through a line of trees into the next line. Cliff says go on shoot it but I knew something was up so declined and we went back to the pick up where I cased the rifle after it was unloaded and put it away. Cliff persuaded me to continue and use his Shoenauer.

Later that morning over a late breakfast we discussed it. The afternoon evning stalk I used my back up rifle and took a nice yearling Buck Muntjac for the freezer. Later on a range session I discovered that I had done just what "finbear270" was talking about I had picked up the wrong ammunition. The rifle was a Mannlicher Schoeanuer in 6.5x54MS and I had developed a handload using the 120 grain Ballistic tip. The rifle had come with a few handloads with the 140 grain ballistic tip and I had picked them up instead as they were both in RWS ammo packs :oops: . That is when I started labeling the boxes with sticky lables and writing on the case in fine marker pen. The 140's shot about 10" high left a totally different POI so it went over her neck. I pulled them all and dumped the powder.

I have further refined this by now loading fresh ammo for a stalk and checking zero from that box and packing that box after the test ready. Unless it's more than a day or so then I put the new ammo in one particular cabinet. I am arranging my next stalk now and it's going to have to be an overnighter as the drive is going to be 3 hours+ each way and with a days stalking I don't fancy the risk of being to tired behind the wheel driving home. As it's going to be with the new stalker/guide we can check zero the afternoon evening before so everyone is happy :p .
 
the first time i went stalking was with a guide and an estate rifle. i did the 3 shots to see if i could shoot routine. the group was ok inch or two, problem was it was 10" high and 5" to the right. the guide wouldn't let me change the zero on the rifle.
If this happened now I would insist on changing the zero but back then i just went along with it and the muntie i shot I had to aim just above its head to hit it in the heart.
 
Brithunter said:
finnbear270 said:
In our case, we have areas where a check shot can be taken, travelling in 4x4 / mules / argo's etc any rifle can take a shift in zero at any time, I feel confident in saying there are very few of us who have not thought, ouch! that sounded quite a heavy knock, would you on collecting your case from the knuckledraggers, not check zero after looking at a dent in the case? plus there are those of us who are addicted to load developement & have lots of stuff to choose from, some times for up to a dozen rifles, easy to have some rounds get mixed up a little. :lol:


Hmmm this made me smile:-

some times for up to a dozen rifles,

Oh come on now only a dozen :lol: that's only two rifles for each species ;) one setup for each species with a back up 8) I like the thinking :!:

Now back to the subject in hand ...................... When going to a new place it has been the norm to check zero and I am very happy to do so. After many visits to stalk with my mentor/friend it sort of slipped by I always check zero a day or so before the stalk and one particular time I recall having a new to me rifle to stalk with. Sure I handloaded the ammunition and zeroed it and arrived as usual pre dawn had a cuppa after the 100+ mile drive up and we got into his pick up and went to the wood and we got onto a nice Muntjac Doe. Crawled forwards to use a plantation fence post as a support and fired and missed :eek:

The doe was about 70 yards into the plantation and it ran through a line of trees into the next line. Cliff says go on shoot it but I knew something was up so declined and we went back to the pick up where I cased the rifle after it was unloaded and put it away. Cliff persuaded me to continue and use his Shoenauer.

Later that morning over a late breakfast we discussed it. The afternoon evning stalk I used my back up rifle and took a nice yearling Buck Muntjac for the freezer. Later on a range session I discovered that I had done just what "finbear270" was talking about I had picked up the wrong ammunition. The rifle was a Mannlicher Schoeanuer in 6.5x54MS and I had developed a handload using the 120 grain Ballistic tip. The rifle had come with a few handloads with the 140 grain ballistic tip and I had picked them up instead as they were both in RWS ammo packs :oops: . That is when I started labeling the boxes with sticky lables and writing on the case in fine marker pen. The 140's shot about 10" high left a totally different POI so it went over her neck. I pulled them all and dumped the powder.

I have further refined this by now loading fresh ammo for a stalk and checking zero from that box and packing that box after the test ready. Unless it's more than a day or so then I put the new ammo in one particular cabinet. I am arranging my next stalk now and it's going to have to be an overnighter as the drive is going to be 3 hours+ each way and with a days stalking I don't fancy the risk of being to tired behind the wheel driving home. As it's going to be with the new stalker/guide we can check zero the afternoon evening before so everyone is happy :p .
Brit, I can't help it if my mate has kleptomania, & his local force let him suffer it can I? :lol:
 
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