Not long range, but fun hunting. For the third year in a row I went to Four Aces Ranch near Madras, Oregon.
http://www.fouracesranch.net/contact.htm (451) 489-3467
I used a Weatherby Mark V six lug action in a Pendleton Composite Stock; which is nine ounces lighter than the factory setup. It has a Timney trigger set by the 'smith at twenty ounces. The barrel is a 24" about 8 1/4" twist that measures .600 at the muzzle. The muzzle has a home made brake. The Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50 sets in Talley light weight rings. The cartridge neck and shoulder looks like a .257 or .270 Weatherby and was named by the 'smith "6.5Coyle". The powder capacity matches a .264 Win mag. The brass is necked down 7 Rem Mag Laupa with the belt turned off and the rim turned down to match a 9.3X64 Brenneke. The 6.5mm Hammer Sledgehammer 130 grain bullets were charged with H1000 sparked by Rem 9 1/2 Mag primers.
Jake, the guide, took us all over the 4,000 acres looking for a pig. Frustrated he said, “Normally we see a couple when we make that circuit.” After traveling over hill and dale in a four passenger quad we came around a bend into a small clearing and there were three big porkers. Tom, of MOA Precision, asked if I wanted to take one. Despite sighting the Weatherby in at about 250 yards and installing a bipod, I got out and range one: A whopping 24.8 yards. I informed, “I put this bipod on my rifle so I’m going to use it.” I laid down to fire. Jake said, “Put one behind the ear,” so I did. The pig weighed 320 pounds. But I wanted another.
Over hill and dale. Eventually we came to a clearing with a pink pig and a black pig. Tom volunteered to use my rifle in hopes of catching one of my bullets . I ranged the pig at 59 yards. Eventually the pink one turned face on and Tom fired. The Sledgehammer traveled 30 ” before exiting. Even the four petals exited. All of us were surprised. It weighed 290 pounds.
