A break from stalking to bag some bunnies

Stoney Creek - Purpose Built Shooting Clothing
Not sure how interested you'll be as it's not stalking but I had a break from my recent run of 7 outings without my 1st deer to bag some bunnies last night. We have a small farm permission that has some paddocks that I've not visited for a while and have been asked to trim the bunnies somewhat.

Only had an hour or so between work and sundown but managed 4 bunnies, all using my Limulus quad sticks to head shoot them with the 32ft/lb Rapid 7, the furthest being 60yds with 1.5 mil dots holdover :D It's great practice for stalking and shooting off the sticks, head shooting bunnies and trying to get close enough to my 40 yard zero as much as poss!!

I also spotted some nice field mushrooms and shaggy ink caps which will be consumed later in an ommlette for tea!!

Normal service will be resumed at the weekend to hopefully grass my 1st solo deer!

Stratts

 
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Adam f

Adam f

Well-Known Member
I'm with you on this. I've been stalking a fair bit this year, so this week, for a change, I went back to where it all started for me, my S410 .22 12lb air rifle. Stalking freehand with a led lenser on top for lambing, I had great fun trying to stalk in close for a 30yd shot.

​Well done on the bunnies.
 
Tom270

Tom270

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Supporter
+1 I like all shooting write ups and have started to take my .22 rf rabbiting as seriously as stalking. I think care and precision with the rf helps my centre fire shooting. Where as snap free handing rabbits I feel can be detrimental to my cf shooting. I guess it depends how much of each you are doing but I use the rf the majority of shots fired by far. Liked the write up.
 
stratts

stratts

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Cheers chaps still waiting for my 1st after another blank yesterday morning!!

It's an early Mk1 FAC mate with a few custom tweaks to the internals and is a cracking piece of kit, albeit a bit heavy now I've gone up to a 500cc bottle and 19" barrel to raise the shot count. Certainly takes no prisoners putting 21gr bis mags out at 32ft lb!!
 
T

techno

Well-Known Member
i'm quite interested in that rapid, whats the exact spec? did you fit a reg?apparently the mk2 has a reg fitted from new,was the barrel upgrade a theoben part or an after market piece.?ta Paul
 
stratts

stratts

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Hi Paul,
It has a titanium stem, silent pip, upgraded hammer springs and a couple of other internal bits I can't remember as a friend on the Rapid 7 forum helped me with the work.
I fitted the 500cc bottle and Dr Bobs pressure guage then drilled the stock for the quickfill adapter to fit underneath.
It needed the 19" barrel so the moderator would fit as the original 16" barrel was not long enough for the bigger bottle. Barrel is an Anshutz, not sure what Theoben used from the factory before they went bust though?!
Mod was another custom made reflex job by another member on the forum designed by himself and made from Delrin which is super quiet and lightweight!
No reg fitted as I don't think it's possible with the old Mk1. This was bought mint from the original owner from new and is from 1987!!
Only thing wrong now is the original Gamo trigger is not as crisp as I'd like, but my friend has a custom one we are going to try and fit in the next month or two hopefully. It could also do with the barrel polishing as it's pellet fussy and only groups the heavy bis mags how I'd like. It would be nice to use 16gr pellets to flatten the trajectory but I know the holdover perfectly now so it's not a biggy. My furthest bunny to date is 75 yds headshot which is 3 dots holdover on 10 mag, simples, lol!!

Stratts
 
T

techno

Well-Known Member
Thanks Stratts, that sounds good to me, ive just joined the rapid 7 forum and i'm reading up on them.I'm going to have to sell my AA 510 fac as ive only one slot on my fac for air.The 510 is a great rifle,but i just fancy a change and to check out the Rapid 7 and see why they are rated so highly and cost so much more!atb Paul
 
stratts

stratts

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Supporter
No problem mate they are a good bunch on there. There are bargains to be found I only paid £300 for mine in it's unmolested form, but it seems since they went under the prices are going up a bit! Few on guntrader around the £500 mark at the minute,

Stratts
 
Spix

Spix

Well-Known Member
stratts said:
Cheers chaps still waiting for my 1st after another blank yesterday morning!!
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As a daybreak stalker it's really all about being out early enough. I appreciate that everyone has different ground and a different approach but I like to be on the ground, settled, quiet and ready at least 90 minutes before sunrise. These little deer have fairly well defined periods of movement, getting there quietly and staying quiet without disturbing them can pay real dividends, being early enough not to disturb the pigeons works for me. And best of luck !! I find it really frustrating to have a run of blanks.

S
 
stratts

stratts

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Supporter
Cheers chaps, Spix that's probably where I went wrong on Saturday then. I got to the farm at about 7am so was stalking the ground as the sun came up. Maybe a touch too late and disturbed everything. It's quite frustrating at the moment but still enjoyable!
 
Spix

Spix

Well-Known Member
stratts said:
Cheers chaps, Spix that's probably where I went wrong on Saturday then. I got to the farm at about 7am so was stalking the ground as the sun came up. Maybe a touch too late and disturbed everything. It's quite frustrating at the moment but still enjoyable!
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Thursday morning is probably your best bet this week, Stratts, if you can get out, it should be dry !

I'll be trying again, probably 05.00 start, relaxed, ready and chambered by 06.00 ; took another doe last week, 07.10, she had absolutely no idea I was there, it's humane and the only way.

If you get out, and if you miss bud through having had too much coffee or breathing on the end of your scope I'd recommend a diet ; shelve the rapid and eat only what you can head shoot with a springer :thumb:
 
tjm160

tjm160

Well-Known Member
If you don't mind me asking stratts, how did you get your confidence to sufficient level to complete the gralloch (and butchering)?
 
stratts

stratts

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Spix said:
Thursday morning is probably your best bet this week, Stratts, if you can get out, it should be dry !

I'll be trying again, probably 05.00 start, relaxed, ready and chambered by 06.00 ; took another doe last week, 07.10, she had absolutely no idea I was there, it's humane and the only way.

If you get out, and if you miss bud through having had too much coffee or breathing on the end of your scope I'd recommend a diet ; shelve the rapid and eat only what you can head shoot with a springer :thumb:
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I don't need a diet lugging that thing around mate I should be as fit as a fiddle!! :D

tjm160 said:
If you don't mind me asking stratts, how did you get your confidence to sufficient level to complete the gralloch (and butchering)?
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I don't mind at all mate. Basically I just chuck meself in at the deep end a bit. I've still never done a full gralloch on my own, just been shown and helped with a couple and watched loads of youtube vids!! :D I just approach things methodically and treat the deer I have skinned and butchered as big rabbits. When you get them on the table the bits generally seperate easily and you can see where you need to cut (and again I've watched some great youtube vids on butchery too). If I can find a certain series I'll PM you the links as they are very good tutorials.

I'm also pretty confident in tackling anything new and I have this personal saying in so much that if another person can do something, then so can I! (Just not quite as well until I practice enough!!) ;)

Stratts
 
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