Damn, That Was Quick

Boomershoot, The Gun Thing

Seems like it was just a couple weeks ago that I was bemoaning the cancellation of Boomershoot 2020, and here we are, looking down the barrel (so to speak) of Boomershoot 2021.  My spot for last year has been carried forward to this year, so I will be going.  I booked my hotel yesterday.

Now to the business at hand:  guns ‘n funds.

First, the gun.  Last year I purchased this bad boy:

…and the lucky winner of its raffle got it in time for the hunting season, despite it being a near-virgin.  (No news on what if anything he bagged, but that’s okay.)

This year I’m approaching the whole thing in a different way.  We have a time squeeze (I’ll be leaving for Boomershoot on April 27), so if we’re going to do the raffle this year, we’re going to have to do it with some urgency and alacrity.

Here’s what I’m proposing.  Last year I vacillated between .300 Win Mag and .308 Win, ending up with the .300 Win.  The response from everyone was lackluster, so after all cost and expenses and such, I didn’t quite break even.  I put the disappointing response down to two reasons:  1.)  the .300 Win Mag chambering isn’t to everybody’s taste (and I understand that), and 2.)  economic (tickets cost $40 instead of $25).

So this year, we’re going to do it differently, and for some other reasons that I’ll talk about below.

Firstly, I’m going to get a rifle chambered in .308 Win.  While not everyone might like a .300 Win Mag rifle, everyone should own at least one in .308, right?  And let’s bring the price of entry down, too, and go cheap and dirty (one of my personal favorite approaches, anyway).

Here’s my thinking on the rifle:  something inexpensive, like this Savage 12 FV, which typically sells for less than $450:

…or this Remington 700 ADL Varmint, for  about $50 more:

…or this Savage 10T-SR for about $100 more than that:

…but whatever rifle I get, I will be putting some decent glass on it like the Burris Veracity or Vortex Viper, but whatever brand it turns out to be, it will likely be 5-25x50mm (30mm tube).

NOTE:  I should point out that in the current gun-buying frenzy that we find ourselves in, I will be forced to choose from places that have whichever of these items actually in stock (at time of writing, all the above are thus, but that’s no guarantee in a week’s time).

The lucky winner will be getting a rifle that is well sighted in, and a proven record of accuracy, in a popular caliber.

Now for the fun stuff:  the funding — and pay attention, because things are different this time.

Ticket cost is $25 BUT — unlike in times past — you may buy as many tickets as you wish.  Yes, this means that the 1% will have a better chance of winning than the Pore & Starvin (i.e. folks like me).    I can’t help that.  The reason I’m lifting the restriction on ticket sales is that I’m going to need some overflow moolah to be able to afford the trip, so what doesn’t get spent on the rig will go towards defraying the cost of attendance.

Also, this time you don’t have to send me a paper check, as I’ve finally figured out how to get the proper output from PayPal — but if you’d rather stick with paper like last year, that’s okay too.  Just make a note in the PayPal entry that it’s earmarked for Boomershoot NoR Lucky Guy. (Thankee to all who pointed out the PayPal problem.)  Anyone who’s not interested in the rifle but still wants to help out with the expenses, you are fine and wonderful and have my blessing.

Let’s get this show on the road.

Oh and by the way:  if anyone has an issue or any bad history with the specific rifles, let me know.

21 comments

  2. I vote for the Savage 10.

    However, do NOT put anything in the PayPal notes that’s at all gun related (shoot, bullets, rifle, etc.) or both sending and receiving accounts will be locked and PayPal will keep the money. Flag it as “tickets” or some such.

    1. I came here to say this as well. You should choose a different tag for the paypal entries. Even if it doesn’t specifically violate their firearms policy (not sure on that), why risk a lock?

  5. Using PayPal you get a choice of family and friends transfer or purchasing a product….which are you folks using ?

  6. I contributed two tickets… concur with using .308 Win (already stocked) and look forward to your considered deliberation and reasoning on selection.

  7. Go with the Savage if you can. Even though people say that Remington quality has gotten better why take the chance? Now if you could find a gently used Model 700 I might think otherwise. I’ve got a late 1960s 700 in .25-06 that does most of what a guy wants except for the long action and light weight bullets. I have about 500 rounds of 150 grain ballistic tips loaded in .308 and I bet that they would shoot pretty nice out of the Savages you show. Either scope is a good choice.

    I’m old school so I’ll get a paper check in the mail to you before the weekend. The post office needs the work. Have fun.

    1. +1. The Savage AccuTrigger puts the current Remington trigger to shame. And yes, I am aware of Remington’s past legal difficulties. Not going there.

      Just for general info, the triggers on older 700’s are adjustable for pull weight, sear engagement, and over travel. The adjustment screws are just buried under dabs of epoxy. Obviously, do your homework first.

    1. That’s a thought, but NF scopes are spendy, and putting a $1,200 scope on a $600 rifle seems a little… excessive.

    1. Probably not. My personal history of bringing ANY boolets back from Boomershoot is not good.

  11. ..Kim du Toit says:
    March 18, 2021 at 7:35 AM

    That’s a thought, but NF scopes are spendy, and putting a $1,200 scope on a $600 rifle seems a little… excessive.

    Nah, that’s becoming more normal. I’ve got a sub-MOA Thompson Center “Compass” rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor. $250 rifle wearing an $800 Vortex Viper PST 5x20x50/MOA turrets & reticle. If the rifle and loading will deliver the accuracy, then the only limitation IS the quality of the glass. If your glass won’t clearly resolve the wee Chinese takeout boxes at Boomershoot, the accuracy potential of the rifle itself may lie unrealized, due to the scope.

    I’d not hesitate to put the most scope one might afford atop any of the rifles you’ve listed.

    Count me as another “vote” for the .308. Because it’s a common .mil chambering, ya never know when some friend in any given State N.G. might “accidently” loose track of a crate or so.

    Jim
    Sunk New Dawn
    Galveston, TX

    1. I haven’t gone down the long distance precision rifle rabbit hole yet but everything I have read and seen steers me towards putting better glass on the rifle.

      There’s a video I through on from Warrior Poet Society, hosted by John Lovell and the guest is Ryan CLeckner who was a Ranger Sniper. They set up three rifle and scope combinations from “cheaper”, moderate and money is no barrier. One point Cleckner made was that you can always sell a rifle second hand but selling glass second hand is more difficult. I think he has a point.

      I had a BUrris Fullfield II on a Ruger 77Mk II that cost me about $200 in 2005 or so. I’m upgrading to a Leupold VX 3i 3.5-10×40 CS ZL that I got with points from a box store. I Can’t wait to get that set up.

      JQ

    2. Makes sense. Only problem is that few of the dealers seem to have the $1,200 scopes in stock, but that was just a quick look.

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  13. I would love to add a Savage to the collection… I can’t find the email to send funds using PayPal… would someone post it?

    Apologies if I’ve missed it.

    1. I used the email from ‘Contact’:

      Email: kim – at – kimdutoitdotcom

      Hope it’s right, or I just sent some other Kim $50….

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