A couple of unexpected visitors

[JohnGalway 1,043]

I went out tonight to check whether my lamp modification cured the slight light feedback being reflected from the mod into the scope. I took an 18cm plant pot, cut most of it away only leaving a lip out over the scope, the shadow of which covers pretty much all of the T8. Seemed to work fine.

 

Thought since I was out I'd take a short walk up the path and out onto the hill. As soon as I'd reached the gate leading out to the hill proper I saw a fox look and turn away from me ambling out the old path.

 

I quietly, and slowly unlatched the gate, got through and closed it up again. One of those affairs that has never hung right and never will be hung right. I moved off up the path a piece and went left up onto a hillock. As I thought my fox had gone up along the wall and through a gate into a neighbours cattle field.

 

I sat my ass down on the hillock waiting for the damp to soak through, was I ever glad it'd been a dry day. Spying my fox halted among some creeping gorse I rested the rifle on my knees and squeezed off a H.... Federal 40 grain.

 

Now I've seen muzzle loaders and cannons from hundreds of years ago fired on YouTube with less smoke. I had forgotten about the WD40 being sprayed into the mod after my last run out. All I could see was blue and grey smoke, but after the Psssshhhttt I heard that Thwok! so I knew all was good. Dog fox, range under 50 yards.

 

Seeing as I was already out I decided to head for a place on the side of the hill which has yielded results before. The rabbit squeal was on all of thirty seconds when I spotted a pair of eyes bouncing in around a rock face really close to me :eek:

 

No time to clip the scope to the lamp I sat down, held the lamp in my left hand and rested the rifle across my left forearm. Lining this lot up is trickier than when using a shotgun He stopped for a look up at me, Pssshhhtttt-Thwok! Another dog fox well under 50 yards.

 

Not bad considering I wasn't even going to take the bolt or the three Federal rounds with me. I only had the camera phone with me.

 

[sounder 9]

well done john looking good for you this year so for

atb sounder

[slyfox 0]

Well done John but bet you tried for a third

[dafmla 1]

nice foxes well done

[dave1372 83]

Great shooting and write up John What is the lamp setup you use for your rifle then, and what kind of range does it give you?

[hw100sniper 2]

Nice going John ,nice write up as well mate

[JohnGalway 1,043]

Thanks all. No, I didn't try for a third. As I say I wasn't even going to bring the bolt. I've a cold or some dose all week so wasn't up for a regular night out.

 

Lamp is a scope mounted Lightforce Striker 170. Farthest fox I've shot with it has been 275 yards. Given the right conditions, contrast between fox and background, moisuture in the air blah blah it'll go farther, if or when I choose to shoot foxy that far away. I prefer to have them in close.

[hw100sniper 2]

What rifle is that John ,nice looking stalk on it?

[JohnGalway 1,043]

Remington VL SS .223, comes with the Boyds laminate thumbhole stock as standard. I've fitted a Jewel trigger myself, then had the action pillar & glass bedded and barrel screw cut by a rifle builder. Much more accurate and consistent now.