Sometimes the stars align

[MTA]

Got a chance to take out my Sako S20 for its second range trip ever. Not sure if anyone remembers but I got this off of Cabelas' website as a "display model". Basically NIB for $900 something after .mil discount.

The first trip out was spent sending some factory garbage ammo down range to break the barrel in. Decent 1-1.5moa groups as expected on that trip. This rifle is one of two candidates that might come with me to Africa this spring for plains game. Keeping this in mind, I decided to make use of an 8 pounder of MagPro I had in the safe and paired that with Barnes 175gr LRX.

This was the first group that I shot. Sometimes the reloading Gods bless us with a perfect recipe on the first try. I was so impressed that I am on gunbroker about to spend big money on a .308 in this model

The rifle in question

 

[ZX9RCAM]

What game would 1.5" at 100 yards not be sufficient for?

 

[MTA]

What game would 1.5" at 100 yards not be sufficient for?

Realistically, at 100 yards its perfectly fine on WT sized game imo.

I am mainly handloading for my trip to Africa for two reasons, I am spending big money to hunt there and I will be in an area called the Eastern Cape where longer shots are very common. Id rather shoot 0.377" at 100 as that translates to very tight groups at 300 or 400 yards.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Realistically, at 100 yards its perfectly fine on WT sized game imo.

I am mainly handloading for my trip to Africa for two reasons, I am spending big money to hunt there and I will be in an area called the Eastern Cape where longer shots are very common. Id rather shoot 0.377" at 100 as that translates to very tight groups at 300 or 400 yards.

Ah, didn't realize it would be that far.

 

[jrbfishn]

Nice group. You don't often land on something that good on the first try.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

 

[MTA]

Ah, didn't realize it would be that far.

yea the known distance range I go to does 100 yard paper and 300 & 400 steel ranges. No love for 200 yards there unfortunately

 

[baboon]

Get a paperback (for the plane ride)& hard copy of The Perfect Shot.
The thing to remember is Africa's critters are always on high adrenaline from predators, more so the North American game.

 

[hullhullhull]

Nice group.

 

[robertc1024]

You better post a shit-ton of pics from your Africa trip. I was fired up about the recent penguins.

 

[candcallen]

Remember how blessed you are.

As I have said. AFRICA is a dream I will never see this side of the grave.

 

[Dawico]

Very nice group for sure. Shot from the rest or off bags/ bipod?

What caliber is that one?

 

[paknheat]

Excellent results from that load. Magpro is some good stuff & it’s really good in a 25-06 too.

That group was from your .300 Win Mag?


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[MTA]

Very nice group for sure. Shot from the rest or off bags/ bipod?

What caliber is that one?

Excellent results from that load. Magpro is some good stuff & it’s really good in a 25-06 too.

That group was from your .300 Win Mag?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Yep forgot to list the caliber. Its a 300wm and this was off of a caldwell stinger rest

 

[baboon]

Are you taking the suppressor? They are legal to hunt with in RSA. Not sure Uncle Sugar allows for them to leave the country.

 

[MTA]

Are you taking the suppressor? They are legal to hunt with in RSA. Not sure Uncle Sugar allows for them to leave the country.

yea I am. I have it cleared with customs for entrance back into the US already

 

[baboon]

yea I am. I have it cleared with customs for entrance back into the US already

Learn to shoot off of shooting sticks, or someones shoulder. Remember that most of the black South Africans are multi lingual, English being one of the languages. Drag along chewing gum, hard candy & other things to give your trackers. I had seen a stick of Juicy Fruit be torn into pieces, over the whole stick at once. Often the support people in camp are worse off then our hood rats, Kind bars were a big treat for them to tack back to their family at night. South Africans tend to eat a lot less then we do. Breakfast tends to be instant coffee & Rusks. Brunch after the morning hunt tends to be a big meal & the evening meal might be lots of booze.

Don't be surprised when the South Africans hate you in secret, for being an American & a Texan. Don't really trust them, especially if you hear we have a plan. A muzzle brake is very frown upon.

Plan on bring extra money to buy other animals especially if you bought a package hunt. Upgrading animals when the chance permits can be done.
Check with the PH as far as if they would like you to bring something from America that not as easily had there. Extra money comes in handy if you should stop @ a pharmacy. Their over the counter drugs might be RX only here, pain killers were very available. Good old fashion mercurochrome while banned here was readily available there.

 

[MTA]

Learn to shoot off of shooting sticks, or someones shoulder. Remember that most of the black South Africans are multi lingual, English being one of the languages. Drag along chewing gum, hard candy & other things to give your trackers. I had seen a stick of Juicy Fruit be torn into pieces, over the whole stick at once. Often the support people in camp are worse off then our hood rats, Kind bars were a big treat for them to tack back to their family at night. South Africans tend to eat a lot less then we do. Breakfast tends to be instant coffee & Rusks. Brunch after the morning hunt tends to be a big meal & the evening meal might be lots of booze.

Don't be surprised when the South Africans hate you in secret, for being an American & a Texan. Don't really trust them, especially if you hear we have a plan. A muzzle brake is very frown upon.

Plan on bring extra money to buy other animals especially if you bought a package hunt. Upgrading animals when the chance permits can be done.
Check with the PH as far as if they would like you to bring something from America that not as easily had there. Extra money comes in handy if you should stop @ a pharmacy. Their over the counter drugs might be RX only here, pain killers were very available. Good old fashion mercurochrome while banned here was readily available there.

good advice. Do they hate all Americans or just stereotypical Americans?

 

[baboon]

good advice. Do they hate all Americans or just stereotypical Americans?

I think its a jealous thing to some point. If your hunting with Africaans/Boers they hate the English going way back to the Boers Wars/Great Trek days. Lots of people think RSA is a turd world country, and that really pisses them off.

As far as Texans go I think they the jealousy thing is exaggerated. The ones I knew did the SCI shows around the country and seen plenty of blow hards.

Don't be scared to ask them about night hunts for some of the nocturnal critters. Be sure to tell them how you want to hunt, or expect lots of time a blind or shooting from the truck.

Don't go out & buy a bunch of Safari clothes either. Those are the guys that gets eaten alive. Cargo shorts & t-shirts were my main outing cloth. A pair of gaiters keep seeds, burrs other crap from working into sons & boots.

 

[hornetguy]

Got a chance to take out my Sako S20 for its second range trip ever. Not sure if anyone remembers but I got this off of Cabelas' website as a "display model". Basically NIB for $900 something after .mil discount.

The first trip out was spent sending some factory garbage ammo down range to break the barrel in. Decent 1-1.5moa groups as expected on that trip. This rifle is one of two candidates that might come with me to Africa this spring for plains game. Keeping this in mind, I decided to make use of an 8 pounder of MagPro I had in the safe and paired that with Barnes 175gr LRX.

This was the first group that I shot. Sometimes the reloading Gods bless us with a perfect recipe on the first try. I was so impressed that I am on gunbroker about to spend big money on a .308 in this model
View attachment 371045

The rifle in question
View attachment 371046

That is a phenomenal group from a hunting rifle. It would be a pretty good group in benchrest, much less a serious cailber hunting rifle.
Good job!
Although, I could shoot a group like that, if I stopped with one shot.... just sayin..