.45 Colt Rossi vs. speed goats
Posted: 02 Nov 2017 23:12
My hunting partner and I finally rode up to Wyoming last weekend to fill our 4 antelope tags. While driving into camp, we spotted a couple of stalkable herds. I dropped into a deep wash with my Aussie/border collie at my side and SS Rossi in hand. Mark circled the goats and set up a quarter mile away hoping they'd flee his way. He was carrying an old top eject Winny 94 .30-30.
At just the right place I eased up out of the wash right on top of one herd and dropped a right and a left with my 250 gr. XTP handloads, then sent the dog. I heard Mark shoot twice too, and hoped he'd done the same. He soon texted me saying he'd seen my two drop but had missed both of his shots. His misses seemed mysterious.
Hours of target shooting in camp the next morning, both with his W 94 and his Marlin 1894 .357 showed us that not only were his Williams peeps out of adjustment, but also that his eyes were not up to the task of accurately using his aperture sight equipped rifles.
In frustration, he asked to try my Rossi. It's carrying a Leatherwood 2x7 Scout scope on an NOE rail. Every shot he took with the .45 hit point of aim.
So, out to the sagebrush we drove. His next two shots dropped two speed goats, the second at 200 yards. He can still shoot, he just can see well enough to shoot peep sights, so it seems.
I'd advised him to hold at the top of the animal for that 200 yard shot. He held only 2/3 of the way up its chest. The bullets held its windage, but struck low breaking the brisket and a leg. The antelope went down after a few steps, but got up and started off. Once again, I told Gypsy, my Aussie/border collie, "Get 'em."
To see her fly those now 200 plus yards, heel that goat, and hold on to it for us was one of the highlights of the trip. I was able to get around the far side to head it off and safely finish it with my 1858 Remington .45 Colt Pietta revolver shooting a Unique load with a 255 SWC Keith type cast bullet.
Although we feared bitter cold and brutal wind, we totally lucked out. Nights got to about 20 degrees and days were in the 50s. We camp in a 100 acre patch of aspen with plenty of dead trees for firewood.
A splendid good time was had by all (except for the antelope of course).
At just the right place I eased up out of the wash right on top of one herd and dropped a right and a left with my 250 gr. XTP handloads, then sent the dog. I heard Mark shoot twice too, and hoped he'd done the same. He soon texted me saying he'd seen my two drop but had missed both of his shots. His misses seemed mysterious.
Hours of target shooting in camp the next morning, both with his W 94 and his Marlin 1894 .357 showed us that not only were his Williams peeps out of adjustment, but also that his eyes were not up to the task of accurately using his aperture sight equipped rifles.
In frustration, he asked to try my Rossi. It's carrying a Leatherwood 2x7 Scout scope on an NOE rail. Every shot he took with the .45 hit point of aim.
So, out to the sagebrush we drove. His next two shots dropped two speed goats, the second at 200 yards. He can still shoot, he just can see well enough to shoot peep sights, so it seems.
I'd advised him to hold at the top of the animal for that 200 yard shot. He held only 2/3 of the way up its chest. The bullets held its windage, but struck low breaking the brisket and a leg. The antelope went down after a few steps, but got up and started off. Once again, I told Gypsy, my Aussie/border collie, "Get 'em."
To see her fly those now 200 plus yards, heel that goat, and hold on to it for us was one of the highlights of the trip. I was able to get around the far side to head it off and safely finish it with my 1858 Remington .45 Colt Pietta revolver shooting a Unique load with a 255 SWC Keith type cast bullet.
Although we feared bitter cold and brutal wind, we totally lucked out. Nights got to about 20 degrees and days were in the 50s. We camp in a 100 acre patch of aspen with plenty of dead trees for firewood.
A splendid good time was had by all (except for the antelope of course).
