27 Oct 16
Hunting in OH!
Yesterday, Vicki and I were in the middle of our annual hunting adventure at Shawnee Ridge in OH (http://shawneehunting.com/)
Using her Robar Polymar AR (“VF” model), equipped with an Aimpoint T1, and 53gr Cor-Bon DPX ammunition (5.56×45), Vicki brought down a mature Painted Desert Sheep with a single shot! Range was 75m, and he went down in his tracks. Never took another step! Weight was 80lbs.
The single bullet hit high on the shoulder and went through and through. On-the-spot autopsy revealed no damage to the animal’s heart, but he was completely paralyzed!
Once again, 5.56×45, with high-performance, DPX ammunition proves more than a match for animals this size!
When we approached, the animal was still kicking, but death followed in less than a minute!
An hour later, I had the opportunity to engage a 540lb pig with my Robinson Arms XCR/L in 300Blk, also equipped with an Aimpoint T1. I was using Cor-Bon 123gr MPR (“cup and core”), supersonic. My preference is DPX, with its solid-copper bullets, but it is not available right now.
The 300Blk is only marginally adequate for an animal this dense and this big, but I decided to give it a go!
In any event, I was able to get within 50m of this huge pig, but he was facing me, so I waited for him to turn sideways. When he did, I put the red dot high on his shoulder and pressed-off the first shot. It hit exactly where it was aimed, and I could see the animal react.
Determined not to merely wound the pig and then chase him around for the rest of the day, I caught the link and delivered my second shot less than a second later. It hit just behind the first. Back on the link, I delivered my third shot. The pig was now in motion, and this one hit the middle of his torso. All three shots were launched within two seconds. My XCR has a suburb trigger!
Now the pig was moving fast, but he changed directions several times.
Still in my sights and on the link, I hit him three more times. I actually fired four additional shots (a second apart), but one hit a tree as the pig ran behind it. Hit six times, the pig precipitously collapsed and was DRT within a minute. It was like being in a gunfight!
Most of the my bullets were not recovered. We did find pieces of two, and both had “over-performed,” that is they expanded, but to the point of core separation. They still did their job, but next time I’ll be using DPX once more!
Autopsy revealed heavy damage and much internal hemorrhage. However, his heart was undamaged!
Later in the day, a student and colleague who was hunting with us, and having borrowed my XCR rifle (same ammunition), shot a smaller pig (but still good-sized), at a range of 25m. Hit four times in rapid succession, the pig went down. This time, the pig’s heart was shredded. My friend was thrilled, as his training had paid-off!
We regard these opportunities to hunt with our military rifles to be priceless, and it always represents a highlight of our year.
In the excitement of the hunt, it is still necessary to stay in precise control and adhere to your training, running the trigger correctly (ride it back and ride it forward), never losing contact, and simultaneously moving your red dot with the target. Fighting is always in the “present tense,” and staying mentally engaged, not relaxing too soon, is critical to victory.
The process is never perfect, but every opportunity to text oneself is invaluable!
/John
