The above is an image from my trip to the range Sunday. Now, normally I'm there every other week or so as soon as the snow's gone (usually in March/April) right up until I head out hunting. But, I acquired the family boat last July and have spent every spare moment I can out fishing ever since.
The boat........My dad bought it brand new in 1977. It's a 16' Starcraft with an open bow and a 70 Evinrude on the back. We're a family of 7 and 6 of the 7 ski so you know this boat has had thousands of hours on it. The hull is tight and doesn't leak a drop and the engine still performs well. It has one choke issue which is going to require me to change the solenoid for the choke (next spring) and in it's life has had the impeller changed twice....and that's all it's ever had done to it! I'm the only fishing nut in the family so I've spent far more time in that boat than any of my siblings so I suppose it's fitting it ended up with me. After my brother gave it to me I outfitted it with depth finder, bow mounted trolling motor and new pedestal seats. I did a few other things to it and the trailer as well. All told, I think I spent about $3,000 turning it mostly into a fishing boat. I considered getting rid of the front seats and turning it into a casting deck with a live-well but since the seats are in good shape said "Screw that" and opted for using a stringer instead of a live-well.
So, the above image is my initial 4 rounds at 100 yards. That's using my Remington 700 VT in .308 with a Swarovski z5 3,5 - 18x44 BT (ballistic turret) scope (additional changes to stock rifle include Kwik Klip removable 4 round magazine and Timney trigger) shooting off a bipod.
I can do almost as good with my Savage 99C that has a Bushnell Banner 3-9x40 scope on it shooting off a rest (my ammo can with a soft gun case on top) at 100 yards.
All told, I put 50 or more rounds through both guns and had a nice time sitting sipping coffee and smoking an AF Anejo #48 with the whole range to myself. Sadly, our range only goes out to 200 yards so to check my presets on the ballistic turrets of my Swarovski I'll be heading out into the country in about two weeks. I bought an 8" gong target and built a portable target stand so I can do some shooting at 400, 500 and 600 yards before season starts.
I"m planning my last outing to fish in my boat this coming Saturday and I'll winterize and park it when I'm done. I may still get out once or twice more with a friend of mine that owns a fishing boat but I have to start prepping for my annual hunting trip the 1st week in November so it's time to park the boat *sigh* We had a terrific summer and all told I caught several hundred walleye but it's time to start thinking seriously about hunting. This year I only got drawn for antlered mule deer. I will buy a 'general white tail' (good for either sex first week of Nov, as of the 7th - antlered white tail only) and general elk (3 point or better bull elk) which I can use out where we hunt the first week and also in the one zone I hunt in the most around home here after returning from out west.
All in all, I'm happy with my performance and that of my hunting rifles!
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Last edited by CptnBlues63; 09-19-2017 at 09:58 AM.
Reason: the usual
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
***William Ernest Henley***
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Originally Posted by Mizicke5273
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