Lamping Rabbits With The Bsa

[danco1987 27]

Headed out at 7ish tonight for some rabbits on probably my favourite permission - a nice big, very well run farm, loads of fields and plenty of bunnies. It was pretty windy but hey I wanted to get out.

 

Couldn't be bothered with the night vision monocular for spotting tonight so just used my trusty SAIK SA-6 LED torch with red deben filter. This thing can throw white light for miles and with the red filter on I can still get a good or so yards on full zoom so I can spot from long distances with the white light and then spot closer in with the red filter flipped on. Mounted on my BSA Scorpion T10 .177 is a Laserware 1R Red Led torch. This has a red led pill in it and comes with a switch. Cost about £40 odd quid on e bay, it's zoomable from flood to spot and comes with a switch, wall and car charger - well worth the money and doesn't spook the rabbits as much as a torch with a red filter on.

 

Anyway shortly after arrival I checked my zero and figured out the windage adjustment for the wind that was blowing. I then went to one of the fields I have rarely been to previously and spotted a group of rabbits in the distance. The grass is long in this field and parts flooded from the terrible rain we've been having. I quietly headed across the water logged field and gott to about 40 yards. Quick flick on of rifle mounted red LED and the one remaining rabbit looked like it's was going to bolt any second. So I think sod it, need to take the shot now and this one needs to be off the bipod, so I lay down on the water logged grass, line the shot up perfectly (the scorpion's zeroed at 37 yards) and gently squeeze the trigger.......hear a loud shot and off runs the bunny , that's not right, this rifle with the HW mod is normally silent...o right, I've knocked the bloody bolt open a bit before the shot! So no rabbit at this stage and I'm wet already, great!

 

Spot a few more rabbits in another field but can't get within range due to the waterlogged conditions on the edge of the field. So off I go to my favourite and the most productive field. Not much going on there, a few badgers chasing each other about the place might of had something to do with it. As I progress further, I come to a point where the field borders the drainage stream which runs through the farm and the flow is pretty high because of all the recent rain. The rabbits are all burrowed up along the field border next to the stream. It was waterlogged and my steps made a squishing noise but the sound of the high flow of the stream countered this. The sky was pretty clear tonight so the moon lit up this part of the field so I didn't think I had much of a chance until I saw movement about 20 yards ahead. I stopped and flicked on my torch and it was a rabbit, it froze so I took a quick standing shot, allowing for a little hold under and struck it right in the kill zone.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/danco1987/IMAG0404_zps9cc28a84.jpg

 

The second rabbit involved me stalking a group of rabbits for a very long time, through waterlogged grass up the other end of the same field, from about 100 odd yards down to 40 yards, only for them all to have disappeared once I laid up ready to take the shot off the bipod. Just before I screamed out profanities, I swung the torch around into the open field and spotted 2 more rabbits, one about 50 yards away and the other further than that. Up I got and crept, my front soaked through, quietly and carefully taking each step. I guessed 10 yards in paces and just lay down, looked through my scope where I believed the rabbit to be and flicked on the red light. Bingo, there it was, presenting itself nicely and judging from the size it's head in my reticle, I determined it was probably closer to 35 yards than 40. The wind had died down by this time, so I rested the crosshair just in front of the ear and squeezed off a jsb exact heavy which struck home perfectly and rolled the rabbit over.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/danco1987/IMAG0411_zpse850d11c.jpg

 

So bar a few moments of frustrations, I was quiet happy with two tonight. It was good being out and it's always nice when your shooting is spot on.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/danco1987/IMAG0409_zps2082d93c.jpg

 

Soon I won't be using the lamp as much because my pulsar challenger nv add on is attached to a nikko sterling platinum nighteater and just awaiting a n1000 ir laser to finish it off but I'm sure there will nights when I just can't be arsed with it and get the trusty led torches out again.

 

[The one 8,477]

Nice read and twos a good number these days

[Gaz 177 263]

Nice post / shooting

[Stuart1985 256]

Great result and good write up

[Mawders 595]

Cracking write up and looks like it was worth the outing. Well played.

[villaman 9,983]

Good read and shooting mate . Those JSB heavies are the best hunting pellet in most .177 guns imo , I use them in the BSA ultra and the Daystate regal .

[Barney88 7]

Great write up and a good pair of bunnies

[Newlife2 55]

From my home in Canada at -15 Celsius, this was a great read and I am happy you shared this outing with me..

[danco1987 27]

Thanks lads. I'm off out again tonight if it stops chucking it down. Hopefully get another couple for the pot.

Edited February 18, 2014 by danco1987

[danco1987 27]

Villaman - definitely agree with you about the jsb heavies. I'm lucky they produce really nice groups for me, my bsa's barrel gets on really well with them. They have a good ballistic coefficient plus their shape and extra weight over most 177s mean they really do hit hard. Defo recommend people who haven't tried them to give them a go and see if their rifle's barrel likes them.

[villaman 9,983]

I have used them a Daystate regal , HW100kt , BSA r10 , BSA ultra and the groups are fantastic out to about 55 yards

[Geordieboy 23]

Love reading these write ups! I love to read and have a canny imagination so I was right there with you..soaking but well worth it!

 

Good shooting pal

[Ben Hewson 1]

Brilliant write up...!!! Just wish it would stop raining, there's a local golf course i want to get down to and have a walkabout with the Groundsman....but in this weather i don't fancy it too much.

[danco1987 27]

I know. Todays looking lovely down here but I'm not able to get out tonight, got plans. Hopefully tomorrow night it stays the same and I can get out again