2026 varmint shots.
- Thread starter Stinkdog
- Start date
Rick in Oregon
Well-known member
Who really knows what goes on inside these things? One day all is well, it's possible the very next day is one of the worst ones you've had in ten years. My worst day was some time ago when my desktop hard drive decided to die without notice.
Lesson learned.....the hard way.
Sieg
Active member
Good attention to detail Rick, the diagram in Nosler's book shows case length at 1.410, others show 1.400, Nosler's factory loads are 1.403 to 1.406, and somewhere else I saw 1.406, so for the sake of addition bullet grip I decided to try it. Just measured and inspected the last 10 fired hand loaded cases and they are 1.409 - 1.414, nothing about the necks look abnormal. Factory Rem cases are trimmed to 1.400, fired cases were 1.406 - 1.411. I'll likely go back to the 1.400 - 1.402 range.Seig, since your tweak, I see them all now.
Looks like that 17FB is working out very well for you. Not so much for the squirrels though.Your squirrels shown have a much longer and bushier tail than our Beldings do. Obviously a different species of grass rat.
View attachment 925
Nice tripod setup in the back of your truck. This is my first season with my BOG Death Grip tripod. My primary use is for rockchucks here. So far, it's working out as good as hoped.
Question: The Fireball case trim length is listed at 1.400" and is for the 17FB, 20VT and 221FB also. I see on your box label you have your cases trimmed to 1.406". Do you have a custom chamber with a longer neck length? What am I missing?
When I have more time, I'll check their BTS measurement. I haven't experienced any heavy bolt issues or seen any other pressure signs.
Those squirrels are California Squirrels, pretty big, extremely cautious, and tough to get close to, 75yds is a gift.
They will also put the hurt on a dog trying to kill them.
This picture was posted using my SmugMug link....
The other squirrels in the Valley here in the orchards are Silver Greys and an abundance of Eastern Fox Squirrels.
The Beldings are like going to a shooting gallery compared to these Californians. But they deliver a great report when hit!
My first season using the tripod and saddle too. I think the direct connection via Arca rail and clamp would provide more stability and easier to release the rifle. But if the rifle has a nice factory wood stock, I'm not butchering it to mount a rail.
Rick in Oregon
Well-known member
Well Sieg, it appears it's working our okay for you with the long cases over the established norm of 1.400". In reality, that extra few 'thou of neck length most likely is not really a factor in terms of bullet grip or neck tension, but who really knows? Interesting how that dimension varies from source to source....seems odd to me.
To that end, you might want to consider the Sinclair Chamber Gauge Set to know for sure just how long that chamber really is (and all your other rifles). I've used them for years with good success and have come across a few surprises along the way. Some chambers have proven to be much shorter than SAAMI spec's, some much longer. Only the use of a gauge will tell what's what. The set includes most popular bullet diameters.
Wow, that grass rat really put the hurt on your pup! Hope he didn't get an infection or worse, some rodent disease transmitted from the bite. The Beldings we shoot are just plain stupid. That's the reason I always have a 22LR belt-pistol handy for the retarded ones that pop up 15 yards from the bench and dare you to hit them. Fun for us, fatal for those who dare.
Copy that. I like the Death Grip that just clamps the rifle stock to the tripod, but like you, I'm not even considering butchering up a nice Cooper wooden stock or any of my other rifles for the ARCA rail. It might be a tad more stable as you note, but the clamp arrangement is stable enough for me and the shots I take with it.
Shown here in another post, but last month while in rat camp next to our trailers, I set up the tripod with my Annie 17HMR and a lawn chair on the edge of a freshly harrowed field and had my way with Skippy and his pals out to 215 yards; the longest hit that afternoon with that setup.
It was a nice relaxing way to kick back, but still be behind a rifle and have my way with the rats.....right in camp.
Next month I'll have it out with my Cooper Furball for our local rockchucks to really put it to use right proper like.
I love this time of year!
Sieg
Active member
After this experiment, I'll be trimming at 1.400. I'd don't want you to lose any sleep over it.Well Sieg, it appears it's working our okay for you with the long cases over the established norm of 1.400". In reality, that extra few 'thou of neck length most likely is not really a factor in terms of bullet grip or neck tension, but who really knows? Interesting how that dimension varies from source to source....seems odd to me.
To that end, you might want to consider the Sinclair Chamber Gauge Set to know for sure just how long that chamber really is (and all your other rifles). I've used them for years with good success and have come across a few surprises along the way. Some chambers have proven to be much shorter than SAAMI spec's, some much longer. Only the use of a gauge will tell what's what. The set includes most popular bullet diameters.
Wow, that grass rat really put the hurt on your pup! Hope he didn't get an infection or worse, some rodent disease transmitted from the bite. The Beldings we shoot are just plain stupid. That's the reason I always have a 22LR belt-pistol handy for the retarded ones that pop up 15 yards from the bench and dare you to hit them. Fun for us, fatal for those who dare.
Copy that. I like the Death Grip that just clamps the rifle stock to the tripod, but like you, I'm not even considering butchering up a nice Cooper wooden stock or any of my other rifles for the ARCA rail. It might be a tad more stable as you note, but the clamp arrangement is stable enough for me and the shots I take with it.
Shown here in another post, but last month while in rat camp next to our trailers, I set up the tripod with my Annie 17HMR and a lawn chair on the edge of a freshly harrowed field and had my way with Skippy and his pals out to 215 yards; the longest hit that afternoon with that setup.
It was a nice relaxing way to kick back, but still be behind a rifle and have my way with the rats.....right in camp.
Next month I'll have it out with my Cooper Furball for our local rockchucks to really put it to use right proper like.
I love this time of year!
I've been contemplating casting the chamber so there's little speculation.
FWIW - I FL size, bump the shoulder .002-3, and seat base to ogive. When I purchased the gun with 180rds through it, I made a reference round to know where the lands were before firing it.
Regarding the pup (Rev RIP), that was one of three times he really got bloodied up. Numerous small bleeders and never had any infection issues.
He was a slow learner until he watched me head-stomp enough of the real fighters he'd wounded.
As to the chair tripod set up, I'm working on a camouflaged screen or tent system because those California squirrels are extremely observant and very spook sensitive. If they see a human or a dog at 120-200yds they'll typically run to the nearest hole take one more look and dive. Those Belding's are a shooting gallery event, and Californians are a pre-planned hunt.
Thank you for all insight and wisdom sharing.
Rick in Oregon
Well-known member
Sieg, once you get your tripod/screen/tent arrangement finished, be sure to post it up here. Sounds interesting for sure. And you're right in that the Beldings are about as dumb as a critter could possibly be. Your CA squirrels have the same 'see-bail' quality as prairie dogs it seems. We used to shoot the Alturas CA area for years. Those squirrels were large compared to the Beldings, but not as large as the CA squirrels you posted.
When we shoot here for Skippy, we set up our benches about 50 - 100 yards apart, sometimes much closer and have at it. Even with all the shooting over hours, those rats keep feeding, standing on their mounds and going about their rat business totally oblivious to us and what we do. Amazing to see no sense of self-preservation whatsoever. No shooting blind required with these guys; shooting gallery indeed.
One thing about a chamber cast; it not only lets you know the chamber length, but also the neck ID of the chamber. I was surprised when Cooper sent me a chamber cast of my M21 204 MTV showing the neck was .234". I was under the impression it was .232". Another lesson learned, take nothing for granted.
No lost sleep over that trim length. That trim length on your cartridge box just jumped out to me. I was not aware of all the varying trim lengths in the manuals for the FB case. Still seems odd to me.
Thanks to you also for sharing your knowledge and experience. We're all in this together.
When we shoot here for Skippy, we set up our benches about 50 - 100 yards apart, sometimes much closer and have at it. Even with all the shooting over hours, those rats keep feeding, standing on their mounds and going about their rat business totally oblivious to us and what we do. Amazing to see no sense of self-preservation whatsoever. No shooting blind required with these guys; shooting gallery indeed.
One thing about a chamber cast; it not only lets you know the chamber length, but also the neck ID of the chamber. I was surprised when Cooper sent me a chamber cast of my M21 204 MTV showing the neck was .234". I was under the impression it was .232". Another lesson learned, take nothing for granted.
No lost sleep over that trim length. That trim length on your cartridge box just jumped out to me. I was not aware of all the varying trim lengths in the manuals for the FB case. Still seems odd to me.
Thanks to you also for sharing your knowledge and experience. We're all in this together.
