Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Elk Rifle in Hand

Late yesterday I got a call from Wyatt's Sporting Good that my M70 was in. I had ordered the scope, rings and mounts after I ordered the gun but they all got here at the same time.
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<br>Glockblaster had the scope mounted and bore sighted by the time I got there.
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<br>I noticed the Winchester didn't come with ignition keys like the "R" word rifles lined up in the rack with little green thingys hanging on their trigger guards.
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<br>Thanks to all who participated in the discussions. I learned a lot including how much I don't know about elk hunting.
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<br>Current checklist:
<br>Continue with physical conditioning
<br>Order ammo
<br>Sight in the rifle
<br>Make sure the stock fit is optimal
<br>Order laster range finder
<br>Start getting hunting clothes organized
<br>Find the outfitter and reach agreement
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<br>Very interesting. I don't want to wish my life away but I am looking forward to the hunt next fall.
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<br>Norm

Norm,
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<br>Congrat's!! So how are you gonna fire that rifle up without the ignition keys?? Can you hotwire those M70's?
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<br>Good Luck!
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<br>George
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George,
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<br>You can hotwire M70's. Open bolt, insert cartridge, close bolt, aim, squeeze the trigger, and BLAM it's hotwired.
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<br>I didn't get it to the range Sunday so I am stuck with an unfired (by me that is) rifle until Thurs or Fri.
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<br>Thanks,
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<br>Norm

Congrats Norm! Good rifle, the planning is half the fun, enjoy. Do sight it in and post targets and you impressions.

Can't wait to hear how it shoots.

Sounds like you are doing your homework. Great job and good luck next year in all your endeavours
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<br>p.s. an old time elk hunter told me , what i feel is the most important thing of all, You have to be exposed. you gotta be out there.

Norm-I'm guessing this is your 338 ? Once it's hot wired I would be interested in knowing how well it shoots.-Keith(KT28)

T LEE
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<br>Just back from Springifeld, MO bus trip. Looks like Thursday is out for the new rifle do to conflicting plans.
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<br>Friday will be the day.
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<br>Norm

Promises, Promises! LOL

Keith,
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<br>Yes it is the .338.
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<br>I'll be heading to the range at the first opportunity. I'll keep you posted at to how well it shoots.
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<br>Norm

Ihateelmerkeith,
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<br>Thanks, I appreciate your comments. As for doing my homework, I really owe a great debt of gratitude to the members of the Campfire. Before the computers and the web the kinds of interactions I've had with experienced hunters would have been impossible.
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<br>Norm

Dupty Norm you will love that elk bustin piece of gun craftsmenship. My new rifle is shooting right at 1.5 inch groups at 100 yards with the factory 200 grain bullets. Plenty accurate enough for big game at normal yardage's. .
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<br>I have my wife to thank for putting this awesome gun in my hands. It is really an early Christmas gift and I am using it for hunting whitetail deer at the present time. I am later having a Decelorator Pad put on the rifle, which should tame some of the recoil down a bit. It is a select grade with nice walnut wood. The wife picked it out, I would have been satisfied with the regular one or the stainless version. I am shooting 200 grain factory bullets at the present time, waiting on a set of reloading dies.

Chigger,
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<br>Sounds like you got a pretty fine shootin' machine too.
<br>You know how yours shoots, but I haven't had a chance to shoot mine yet. I was out of town the first of the week and now that I'm back it's rainin'.
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<br>One of the gun clubs I belong to has a covered line and lots of crushed stone in the parking lot and the remains of clay pidgeons range out to the back stops. So I may say the heck with it and shoot in the rain.
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<br>I've got six boxes of Federal Premier Safari 210 grain Nosler Partition and two boxes of Winchester 230 grain Fail Safe to start with. I got more votes for Federal but have always had good luck with Winchester so I am trying some of both.
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<br>Thanks for your comments.
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<br>Norm

The fellar's I know that has the .338 mag seem to all say that the caliber is not real particular of what they feed down the barrel. I been staying with these lighter bullets to ease into things later on.
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<br>I would like to try and work up my own loads for the gun as I am sure from what I have been reading and heard, that it will have plenty of smackem power for out West and those big elk.

Chigger,
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<br>Cold and spitting snow today. I am hoping the weather will break a bit tomorrow so I can put a few rounds through the .338. Glockblaster did the bore sighting for me and he's usually pretty close. I'll start at 35 yards to make sure I'm on paper then work at 100 and 200 yards.
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<br>Now that I've invested the crown jewels in ammo, I'll probably accumulate the cases for a while before getting into reloading.
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<br>Norm

Deputy Norm, I got a great buy on some Federal ammo, which are loaded with the TBBC 225 grain bullet. I got them for $26.oo a box, they were marked down from $40.00 a box. There goes my extra Christmas money!
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<br>I shot 2 three shot groups at a 100 yards off a bench and they shot great, going around 1 and 3/8 inches.
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<br>I shot 3 shots off handed standing and managed to keep them all within a 3 inch group. I figured that is close enough for this elk hunter.
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<br>Saw 14 deer over at my friends farm today. I didn't have my rifle with me and his wife said that he had been wanting to go hunting for deer himself to fill the freezer. I looked at a 10 pointer through the kitchen widow and what looked like a spike and a 4 pointer about 70 yards away at the other pond.