Post by kings6 on Nov 9, 2021 9:02:56 GMT -5
Most of you know that transplanted Oryx or Gemsbok live in southern NM including a robust herd on the White Sands Missile Range. Every year there are some draw hunts for the big antelope and last year there was a hunt for veterans or active duty military who served in ‘Stan could apply for. While my son did not get drawn, Ashly his wife did draw one of these tags. The hunter can have two people accompany them do Remington and I get to tag along.
Oryx are supposedly tough animals with different skeletal systems versus vitals placement compared to North American game such as elk. On these animals the heart lies directly behind the front leg bone so it is suggested to use a tough bullet to break through the front leg bone to reach the heart and lungs. Ashly used a 7mm-08 for her first elk last year but while the guide said make sure you bring a rifle you can shoot, something along the lines of a 7 mag/300 mag would be better. Being a fairly trim and slight built woman we were wondering about a good gun for her to use. Zeus offered to build us one with a good brake on the barrel but we decided to have her try the 1962 made 7 mag that was my dads. I gave this rifle to Remington a few years ago and he sent it down to John and Isaac and they went through it, cleaned things up and smoothed the internals.
My concern was Ash getting pounded pretty good with full house 150-160 grain loads. Yesterday I took her and Rem out to the farm up the road to see how she did with the 7 mag. Once we got all set up and the shooting sticks adjusted she snugged up behind the extra slip on recoil reducing pad and lined up to shoot. Her first shot was right at 2” high and right at 11:30 in relation to the center. She said the recoil was not bad and she cycled the next round in and shot two more shots. All were 2” high and ranged right at 1-1/1/2” horizontal spread so I said we were calling it good for today. The last thing I wanted to do was have her get sore and gun shy of the gun. We will get in a few more sessions then I’ll take her to where we can do some 300 yard shots and let her shoot at the average kill length according to the guide.
Should be fun!
Oryx are supposedly tough animals with different skeletal systems versus vitals placement compared to North American game such as elk. On these animals the heart lies directly behind the front leg bone so it is suggested to use a tough bullet to break through the front leg bone to reach the heart and lungs. Ashly used a 7mm-08 for her first elk last year but while the guide said make sure you bring a rifle you can shoot, something along the lines of a 7 mag/300 mag would be better. Being a fairly trim and slight built woman we were wondering about a good gun for her to use. Zeus offered to build us one with a good brake on the barrel but we decided to have her try the 1962 made 7 mag that was my dads. I gave this rifle to Remington a few years ago and he sent it down to John and Isaac and they went through it, cleaned things up and smoothed the internals.
My concern was Ash getting pounded pretty good with full house 150-160 grain loads. Yesterday I took her and Rem out to the farm up the road to see how she did with the 7 mag. Once we got all set up and the shooting sticks adjusted she snugged up behind the extra slip on recoil reducing pad and lined up to shoot. Her first shot was right at 2” high and right at 11:30 in relation to the center. She said the recoil was not bad and she cycled the next round in and shot two more shots. All were 2” high and ranged right at 1-1/1/2” horizontal spread so I said we were calling it good for today. The last thing I wanted to do was have her get sore and gun shy of the gun. We will get in a few more sessions then I’ll take her to where we can do some 300 yard shots and let her shoot at the average kill length according to the guide.
Should be fun!
