Author Archives: Ed Hale

About Ed Hale

I am an avid hunter with rifle and Bow and have been hunting for more than 50 years. I have taken big game such as whitetail deer, red deer, elk, Moose and African Plains game such as Kudu, Gemsbok, Springbok, Blesbok, and Impala and wrote an ebook entitled African Safari -Rifle and Bow and Arrow on how to prepare for a first safari. Ed is a serious cartridge reloader and ballistics student. He has earned two degrees in science and has written hundreds of outdoor article on hunting with both bow and rifle.

Fathers Day 2023 with my Browning 7mm Rem Mag 26″ X-Bolt and Nosler 175g ABLR

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If you didn’t read my last article on this rifle, bullets, powder and primer. Here it is…

Browning X-Bolt Speed 7mm Rem Mag/w Nosler 175g ABLR at Sub-MOA w/ Timney Trigger/Leupold VX-6 – Wow Accuracy at 3000fps

I am very pleased indeed. I was wondering what difference the Norma case makes from new to 5 times shot. So I shot today, between rain drops out of boredom, with a new case, a 3x shot case and a 5 or 6x shot case. The primer went in easy with the 5 or 6x shot  case and harder with the new case. The older case necks were annealed and bullets seated easier than the new case.

I shot the three rounds with 2 old and 1 new case at 150yds. No wind.  The three shot Nosler 175g ABLR group measured 1/2 inch.  MV 3000fps. COL 3.44 inches. See below.

Looks like it makes no difference between new and old cases. I like it!

Good Shooting!

©Copyright 2023

 

 

 

June Rain, Boat Issues; On the Bright Side – The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow

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It’s all a matter of time, patience and some cash for me to get back outside to my Outdoor Life hunting, fishing, boating and camping. I began my spring with pulling my 2007 Key West boat and trailer out of storage with one of the brake pads frozen.

So much for chasing early striped bass. The fix included ordering pads and then having them installed and bleeding the air out of the trailer lines. It wasn’t cheap. But then it was windy and rainy which makes striper fishing crappy. Rain, rain go away as the saying goes. 

I got the boat home and cranked my brand new 200 hp Yamaha over and it purred in my driveway like a kitten. Nice! I was running a checklist before launch. I grabbed the hydraulic steering wheel and turned it to center the outboard but the helm wheel just spun in circles. Must have air in the hydraulic lines or something. Back to the shop.

A new helm and purged lines later, I was back in business. It is just money, right?

Next, the trailer, a bunk type needed TLC so I decided while in the shop to do repairs on it and will sell the trailer for a new roller type and protect my sizeable investment in the boat. Boat stands for; (Break Out Another Thousand $).

This is my third power boat and true to form, it is costly but you can’t trade its ocean and lake benefits of freedom on the water. Todays fiberglass, well equipped boats of my size can cost more than twice what I invested so I should take heart. 

And soon the sun will shine and the fish will bite once again.

Good Fishing and Boating and Sunshine!

© Copyright 2023

 

 

Browning X-Bolt Speed 7mm Rem Mag/w Nosler 175g ABLR at Sub-MOA w/ Timney Trigger/Leupold VX-6 – Wow Accuracy at 3000fps

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The Browning X-Bolt Speed 7mm Rem Mag 26 inch 9.5 twist barrel I have tested this past three months with a new Timney trigger (set at 3 lbs), simply put a wide smile on my face today. 

X-Bolt Speed

Some shooters say 7mm Rem Mag in 9.5 twist is said to rarely achieve 175g spitzers at 3000fps and MOA accuracy. This may be true for some, but not here.

I am here to tell you that I have achieved hand-loaded sub-MOA results with Nosler 175g ABLR and other bullet manufacturers to 3000 fps.

Using Alliant RL 22 or Vihtavuori N560 Smokeless Gun Powder have both pushed Nosler 175 ABLR to 3000 fps while achieving sub-MOA 3 shot 100 yd accuracy. . Standard Deviation hovers around 10 fps. I am using Norma Cases and CCI or Winchester Mag primers.

I have achieved the bench rest group below three times in a row today. It’s no fluke!

I attribute my success with attention to handloading detail, a great Browning rifle, a Leupold scope, a Timney Trigger, Nosler bullets and world class powders. Note: 7mm Rem Mag ammo is on the shelf across the world for hunters.

Good Shooting!

© Copyright 2023

New Hampshire Lake Fish for Breakfast, Lunch Or Dinner

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Got Fish License and Rules?

https://www.eregulations.com/newhampshire/fishing/freshwater

Yup! Lets go catch a New Hampshire Lakes Region bred fish or two and cook em’ up.

There are fish species that make great table fare besides trout and salmon. And some fish species you never heard of or perhaps mistaken for another. I put a night-crawler on a hook and cast it 20 feet from shore. In just seconds, I caught a few tiny yellow perch and recasted in the same spot. And my rod bent sharply. The 12 inch fish fought mightily but I pulled it to shore. Oh, I saw that it was a warm water species that is plentiful in New Hampshire lakes and rivers.

Some call it a sucker or whitefish but it is really a giant minnow called a “Fallfish” Genus Species Semotilus corporalis. And it is very edible but not a sought after target species.

You wont find it listed in the NH Freshwater Guide. 


 

It is a minnow that can grow to 20 inches! Good fighter too! As table fare goes, it is very edible but by many, not considered a target species. I caught several  in the Androscoggin river as a boy.

I had fun wrangling this fish!

So what… if its not high on the “elite” fish list.

I filleted these and removed the scaly skin and pan fried coated with flour salt/pepper/garlic. Today with folks smoking meats/ fish on grills, like my Traeger, with seafood rubs, this fish is a keeper by those who know how to chef/cook in the wild.

Another recipe is to make Fish Cakes with this fish or with Yellow Perch. And I did…

The meat of perch is delicious and holds together well. I chose to make fish cakes. I sauteed the fish in a shallow pan and mashed the cooked fillets with mashed potato, salt/pepper/herbs/garlic. I mixed in a raw egg and bread crumbs. I made fish cakes and added more fine bread crumbs and parsley to coat and fried to a golden crust. I created a remoulade sauce as a condiment but ketchup works too.  Wow!

In the future, I intend to smoke some of these fish too.

Delicious!

Good Fishing!

 

© Copyright 2023

 

 

 

Muzzleloader Bullet Thoughts

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I ran into a friend who shot a doe with spitzer type muzzleloader bullet. The deer ran hundreds of yards before dropping. And he recovered the bullet, which never mushroomed to deliver killing energy.

I advocate for semi-spitzers with rounded nose, round/flat nose or hollow point bullets for muzzleloaders that deliver sufficient energy to open/ mushroom the bullet. 

Do your homework and read up.

Avoid spitzer styles that are difficult to open and mushroom.

Most shots are taken at 40 to 60 yards and do not need sharply pointed bullets. 

You will be glad you changed bullets. I like a 300 grain semi-spitzer/hollow point for my 50 cal.  and at least 100 grains of pyrodex. 

Some examples of better mushrooming bullets.

Powerbelt Copper Plated Muzzleloading Bullets 50 Caliber Hollow Point PackPowerbelt Copper Plated Muzzleloading Bullets AeroTip

Powerbelt Platinum Muzzleloading Bullets 50 Caliber 270 Grain AeroTip 15PKHornady XTP Bullets 50 Caliber Sabot with 44 Caliber (.430") 240 Grain Jacketed Hollow Point Box of 20

Thompson Center Maxi-Hunter Bullets 50 Caliber

Now is the time to shop!

I avoid sharp sleek pointed bullets that are not designed to readily expand. 

Good Shooting!

 

 

Hornady 7mm 175g ELD-X and Nosler 175g ABLR – 3000fps in Browning Speed 7mm Rem Mag/w Timney Trigger and Leupold Scope

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Browning X-Bolt Speed SR Bolt Action Centerfire Rifle

Using Alliant RL 22 powder, I have experimented to find my max load and best accuracy for long range moose hunting this fall. At 500 yds I still have 2000 ft-lbs of energy. 

Reloder 22

I found that each bullet type responded well to incremental loadings of Alliant Reloader 22 powder. This powder has been known by some hand loaders, including me, finding lot to lot variation thus load data I worked up is for my rifle and this powder lot only.

My first objective was to be safe and inspect each round before proceeding in incremental increases until either I achieved my velocity/energy goal or ran into case/primer concerns. I was able to achieve just over 3000 fps with nary an issue, even with a 9.5 barrel twist. 

My COAL objective was to set it at 20 thousandths less than the rifle lands and chronograph each bullet, then shoot for 3 shot groups at 100 yards. .On  the first pass, I achieved a 7/8 inch group at 100 yards with outside temp around 70 degrees and a cold barrel.

My Timney trigger was set a 3 pounds and worked crisply. Thanks Timney!

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Leupold VX-6 3-18 was set at 10x. Love my Leupold!

Leupold VX-6 CDS Rifle Scope - 307376, Rifle Scopes and Accessories at ...

I believe 3 shot bench groups are all that is necessary for hunting accuracy.  It is very rare to fire more than 3 rounds at one big game animal. My confidence is very high with this Browning in hand. Next is to shoot off hand and with a tripod type rest and shoot a fast follow up shot with the short 60 degree bolt throw.

Good Shooting!

 

Browning X-Bolt Speed and Cartridge Overall Length Surprise

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Hand-loaders love to experiment with bullet seating depth to increase accuracy.  In a new rifle, I sometimes discover that the magazine length or clip is the limiting factor for OAL and not the bullet distance to the rifling. This can be disappointing as it limits bullet OAL and can affect best accuracy. 

Pleasantly, I have been surprised to find the clip length for my Browning 7mm Rem Mag is 3.57 inches.

X-Bolt Rotary Magazine – Burnt Bronze Cerakote

 

SAAMI lists the max overall cartridge length OAL at 3.29 inches for off the shelf ammo. The chamber and magazine in my Browning allows me to hand-load longer than published OAL, thus leaving room for accuracy experimentation we hand-loader often do.

The caveat here is that the bullet must contact the case neck at least to bullet diameter. In my case that length is .284 inches. 

OAL can vary from spitzer to round nose.  I measure max OAL for each cartridge and bullet and subtract 20 thousandths (give or take) for spitzers and 50 thou or more for round nose.

Experimentation will tell where your best accuracy is.

I find that in my 7 MM Rem Mag, I’m not be limited by SAAMI OAL of 3.29 inches. I can use OAL’s out to 3.4 inches with my Nosler 175 g ABLR. Very nice indeed!!

Good Shooting!

©Copyright 2023

 

 

Reloading: 6.5mm Lapua Mega 155 bullet now in stock at Midway

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May 2, 2023 In stock

One of my favorite New England deer/bear hunting 6.5 mm bullets for my Creedmoor. It hammers them and puts brown to the ground in brushy terrain. 

Lapua Mega Bullets 264 Caliber, 6.5mm (264 Diameter) 155 Grain Soft Point Box of 100

Quote from Midway-

“Mega soft point bullets are constructed to be an ideal hunting bullet. The bullet’s flattened nose causes a powerful shock immediately after impact. The jacket extends all the way to the tip of the bullet, protecting the nose both in the rifle and flight, if it hits a branch or twig. The crown-headed jacket tip is thinned toward the point and deliberately folded to ensure even opening and mushrooming on impact up to 2.5 times the original diameter.

The jacket is substantially thickened at its middle section which arrests the mushrooming at precisely the right stage. The “step” farther inside the jacket holds the lead core within the jacket. This construction combines maximum weight retention (averaging 90%) and ideal penetration with superb accuracy.”

See my article below using Superformance powder.

6.5 Creedmoor Superformance Load Data with Lapua Mega 155 grain Soft Point Flat Nose

Another article on round nose bullets below.

Round nose bullets drop them faster! Hornady makes round nose for 6.5mm too.

Round Nose Bullets, Too Often Overlooked

Good Hunting!

Reloading and Shooting 7mm RM 175g ABLR 150yd Sub MOA Max Load

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Reloading and Shooting Thoughts for Long Range Hunting.

It is important to recognize that there are significant differences from hunting vs target reloading/shooting.

Hunters want a light rifle, (6 to 9 pounds) that shoots accurately out of a cold barrel.

It is the first cold barrel shot that really counts to anchor your big game, not the second, third or fourth shot.

Sure, a follow up shot is also important in the case that your game is still on its feet, but that first cold barrel shot is key.

Shoot for 3 shot groups not 5 shot groups.

Below from my new Browning X-Bolt Speed 7mm Rem Mag  at 150 yards at 7/8 inch group at 3000fps. I will practice out to 600 yards.

Nosler 175g ABLR 3 shot
group RL 22 at 150 yds 2975 fps
7/8 inch

Target shooters on the other hand want a heavy rifle and  heavy barreled rifle (often well over 10 to 20 pounds to absorb heat from the barrel and reduce felt recoil. Best target groups are from a warmer barrel not a cold barrel. And the bullet is chambered to engage the rifling thus increasing chamber pressure.  

Hunter’s who reload, prefer to reload to around 15 to 30 thousandths off the rifling lands and often can shoot a hotter and faster bullet to maintain more delivered energy to big game. My 7mm Rem Mag Browning X-Bolt delivers 2000 ft-lbs. of energy at 550 yards. 

By reloading for your hunting rifle, you can customize case, powder, bullet and primer, save cost, get more satisfaction,  while increasing long range accuracy from a cold barrel.

Since preparing to hunt moose this fall, at long range, I pay more attention to case concentricity, seating depth and neck tension. It has helped greatly.

l_749007305_1.jpg

One final thought, I swab the bore at the end of cleaning with a degreaser solvent to remove any lubricant or cleaning agent to improve the first cold shot.

KG KG-3 Gun Cleaner-Degreaser 19 oz Aerosol

It works great!

Good Hunting!

©Copyright 2023

 

 

 

Redding Competition Bushing Neck Sizer Die for 7mm Rem Mag

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For Long range shooting I need consistent neck tension on my bottleneck bullets. I ordered this Redding Bushing Neck sizer die from Midway for $148 dollars and a Titanium Nitride Bushing $34 below for my 7mm Rem Mag.

Do you need this special neck sizer for hunting here in New England? Not really, unless you shoot beyond 200 yards or are strong on the details side of things. 

Redding Competition Bushing Neck Sizer Die

Below: Titanium Nitride Bushing

Redding Neck Sizer Die Bushing

Reading the instructions, I had to unscrew the micrometer and spring/shaft portion from the body and place the bushing into the main body tube where the micrometer came out.

This die comes with a primer-remover-shaft that allows you to use the primer remover, or not, by adjusting the shaft in or out. I did not want to de-prime, as my brass was full length sized, confirmed concentric to 0.003″ or less on my Sinclair gage, and then primed.

My already loaded rounds measure 0.311″ Outside Diameter.  My neck bushing has a 0.309″ opening will now size the empty primed and full length brass to 0.309″ to grip the bullet by 0.002″ tension.

Here is a photo and Stat’s of the latest Nosler 175g ABLR 3 shot Nosler 175g ABLR 3 shot 7/8″ group RL 22 at 150 yds.

 

Stats – Average 2964.82 fps
Stats – Highest 2975.04 fps
Stats – Lowest 2953.98 fps
Stats – Ext. Spread 21.06 fps
Stats – Std. Dev 10.55 fps

Primers and case look normal. I could punch the 3000fps mark but with this really tight 150 yard 7/8″group, I am very happy here with an SD of 10.

Good Shooting!

© Copyright 2023