Tag: Lapua Center X

Rimfire Accuracy Tips for Hunting

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

Small game season begins September 15th and that means getting gear in order for a trip to Michigan’s North country.  With a camping reservation at the Rifle River Recreation Area, it was time to sight in one of my favorite .22 caliber rimfire rifles: a scoped, 73 year-old, O.F. Mossberg model 152.

Mossberg Model 152 with Folding Forearm and Bushnell 4X Rimfire Scope

First on the agenda was cleaning of the vintage semi-auto carbine – an important step in readiness and often overlooked until feeding or extraction troubles force the issue.

Next, 5 cartridges were removed from a box of Lapua Center X .22 rimfire ammo and loaded into the magazine to begin the process of sighting in.

With a sandbag-rest I fired a total of 3 shots at a target 25 yards downrange and quit.  The reason:  The 3 shots were in a tight cloverleaf group slightly above center – perfect for the desired 50-yard zero with the super accurate, sub-sonic fodder.

A real tack driver

There was no good reason to burn up more expensive ammo, as one critical matter was crossed off the camping list.

Here are some tips to get the most out of your favorite rimfire.

Experiment with sub-sonic ammo, which may be referred to as standard velocity or target ammo.  Most of this type of ammo may cost more than bulk ammo in a milk carton, because of supply and demand, but it is more than adequately effective on small game.  It’s also relatively quiet compared to high-velocity options and that can be helpful in the woods.

Get the proper rimfire scope.  Good glass can be expensive, but most folks will do well with more entry-level optics specifically designed for rimfires’ related distances.  A big mistake is to mount a typical scope designed for high-power calibers.  Although they make look good, they won’t produce the accuracy because of parallax, which is a difference in the apparent position of an object viewed along two different lines of sight.  It can fool a shooter into questioning causes of inaccuracy.

Too see parallax, put the scoped firearm on a bench with a solid rest.  Then, without touching anything, peer through the lens and move your head in different positions, while viewing the target.  If the crosshairs appear to move as you move, you have experienced parallax – an accuracy killer!

Several options exist and include not only rimfire scopes, but red dot optics and those with adjustable objective lenses, referred to as AO.  Red dot scopes essentially eliminate parallax but typically have no magnification, although magnifiers can be added to high-end models.

Adjustable objective scopes eliminate parallax when the proper distance is dialed in; however, they are typically larger optics and somewhat cumbersome to operate during changing field conditions.

An inexpensive alternative is a fixed 4-power rimfire scope for a solid, all-around solution.  Also, air gun scopes are well suited, because their parallax is set at the factory for the shorter ranges of rimfire rounds.

Understand that a reticle for hunting may utilize thicker crosshairs that are visible in low-light; conversely, a target scope will have very fine crosshairs conducive to controlled lighting in target shooting or clear daylight.

Finally, a good trigger is one that breaks cleanly without any stickiness and excess travel.  If yours doesn’t, a qualified gunsmith may be able to help, although results are sometimes limited with old trigger mechanisms.

On the other hand, an example of modern technology is apparent in the highly successful and relatively affordable Ruger model 10/22 semi-auto.  It is a reliable work of engineering that can be modified in any way imaginable to produce the utmost in accuracy.

Ruger 10/22 with silver Nikon Scope

So, there you have it – a few options to achieve more enjoyment from the little .22 – the most popular caliber in the world.

Ammunition, Firearms, Hunting , , ,

Small Game Opener in the Squirrel Woods

By Glen Wunderlich

The wait is over.  Hunting season has arrived and brings with it renewed anticipation of wild game encounters to come.  For some, it means loading up a dog or two and heading to the north woods for upland game.  Busting the brush for woodcock, before they depart along their migration routes, or bumping a few thunder chickens are time-honored traditions that signal the unofficial start of the season.  Some even work a bit of stream trout fishing into the mix before September’s final day halts the action.  For me, it’s bushytails in the tall mast trees.

Unlike other game that can only be found in the upper stretches of Michigan, squirrels are everywhere.  This under-utilized renewable resource can be a challenge to bag and offers some fine table fare, as long as the cook understands that preparing them cannot be rushed – much like the pursuit of them in the big woods.  Oh, I realize they can be startled to flee by strolling along a trail and blasted from their perches with shotguns, but I gave up on that method decades ago.  Since then, I’ve learned a few tricks and have completely avoided the nuisance of biting down on hardened scattergun pellets, which is about as nutritional and pleasant as fish bones. 

One experiment involved an untrained beagle-dachshund mix, a squirrel whistle, and a long length of string.  The plan was to coax a bushytail into the open by responding to the alarm whistle of my mouth-blown call and some impromptu commotion.  The little dog, which was relatively well-mannered, stayed at my side, while I tied the string to a bush.  We’d then sneak off to hide some 30 yards away and just sit quietly.  After a good while, my plan was to yank furiously on the string, blow the whistle, and drop the first inquisitive squirrel that would show itself. 

I wasn’t sure how the little dog was to fit in, but I was about to find out; it was time for the ruse.  I sounded the alarm, repeatedly pulled on the cord and the bush came to life.  But, so did my four-legged accomplice, as he scurried to that bush in full attack mode!  Lesson learned.  Although squirrels love nuts, acting like one can give them the last laugh.

Since then, the pursuit of squirrels has been a more solitary activity and is more of an opportunity to be one with nature and to enjoy the solitude of the forest.  While a shotgun can utterly disturb the peace, the diminutive .22 rimfire makes no more sound than a breaking twig – that is, if sub-sonic ammo is used.

I’ve become obsessed with accuracy over the years and I don’t mind the extra expense of quality rimfire ammo.  Lapua Center X works flawlessly and its quality is more than adequate to satisfy my passion for perfection – a catch phrase of the Lapua brand.  The sub-sonic nature of the cartridge allows a shooter to remain hidden after a shot and to minimize disturbance to the immediate area.  In fact, I’ve taken numerous squirrels from a single sitting position and even added a fawn-killing coyote to a morning’s take after doing so.  Of course, a good rifle with clear optics doesn’t hurt, either.

Red squirrels taken with a Ruger 10/22 topped with a Nikon scope

Maybe the excitement’s about just getting out there for another season of surprises; I really don’t know.  But, what I do know is that feeling has returned to me again.

Hunting , ,