My 303-25

[CoElkHunter]

@Cervus elaphas
View attachment 405202this is the last one I shot and no it's not a spiker. He was a 9 or 10 year old with antlers like frozen dog turds. The mate estimated his weigh at 250 to 270 kg on the hoof. One shot with the 270 at around 170 yards all done and dusted. Very Nice eating after aging. For comparison I'm 6 and a half feet and around 250 pounds.
Bob

Bob,
That's a nice sized animal. Now, take it down, quarter it, and then put a hind quarter on your frame pack and haul it two miles back to your camp. After several round trips, you'll be done and can have a Bundy! Ha! Ha! Ha!
CEH

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob,
That's a nice sized animal. Now, take it down, quarter it, and then put a hind quarter on your frame pack and haul it two miles back to your camp. After several round trips, you'll be done and can have a Bundy! Ha! Ha! Ha!
CEH

@CoElkHunter
How many times do I have to tell you I'm basically a lazy bastard. It was a hard retrieval we could only get the tractor within 10 foot of him and had to tie a chain on to drag him out to where we could get him. A cut behind each Achilles tendon hook him on the times the drive back the 2 miles to the shed. Shit it was hard. Skun him 5 days later after hanging outside in minus 9 to 4 degrees Celsius daily temp. Cut him up with the farmers band saw, boned him out the vacuum packed an dx into the fridge for another 10 days before freezing beautiful and tender.
Bob

 

[CoElkHunter]

@CoElkHunter
How many times do I have to tell you I'm basically a lazy bastard. It was a hard retrieval we could only get the tractor within 10 foot of him and had to tie a chain on to drag him out to where we could get him. A cut behind each Achilles tendon hook him on the times the drive back the 2 miles to the shed. Shit it was hard. Skun him 5 days later after hanging outside in minus 9 to 4 degrees Celsius daily temp. Cut him up with the farmers band saw, boned him out the vacuum packed an dx into the fridge for another 10 days before freezing beautiful and tender.
Bob

You are a lazy bastard! You should've at least pushed the truck back the two miles to simulate packing it out! It was probably all downhill anyway! Ha! Ha! Ha!

 

[Cervus elaphus]

@CoElkHunter
How many times do I have to tell you I'm basically a lazy bastard. It was a hard retrieval we could only get the tractor within 10 foot of him and had to tie a chain on to drag him out to where we could get him. A cut behind each Achilles tendon hook him on the times the drive back the 2 miles to the shed. Shit it was hard. Skun him 5 days later after hanging outside in minus 9 to 4 degrees Celsius daily temp. Cut him up with the farmers band saw, boned him out the vacuum packed an dx into the fridge for another 10 days before freezing beautiful and tender.
Bob

That's the secret Bob, always hang venison for days until the meat goes dark before processing. I've eaten fresh backstraps but only because I was hungry and had run out of tucker and after a sound beating and cooking, it was still tough as old boot, mind you my teeth were in better shape back then.

 

[Cervus elaphus]

@Badboymelvin
View attachment 405197View attachment 405198View attachment 405199Russ top photo is a,100 yard target with 115grain nosler combined technology silver tips
Middle 2 loads of 25/303 Epps 100grain Barnes ttsx and 115 grain Nosler combined technology silver tips
Bottom my P14
If you really want to ring the best out of the cartridge you need Hogdon superformance powder. ADI 2213sc a close second.
100grain Barnes TTSX chronoed at 3,670 fps both the 117grain SST and the 115 grain Nosler 3,340fps
I modified the Epps version from a neck length of .311 to .257 moving the shoulder forward to give even more powder space.
Any time you want to build one let me know my reamer has only cut two chambers.
Bob

Love the distinctive shape of the P14 timber, built like a Russian brick outhouse. The rifle was cheap as chips in the 50's & 60's. Does anyone remember the Long Tom ?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

You are a lazy bastard! You should've at least pushed the truck back the two miles to simulate packing it out! It was probably all downhill anyway! Ha! Ha! Ha!

@CoElkHunter
Ah grasshopper you still have much to learn about life. The older I get the more I work from the shoulders up. When younger we work from the shoulders down.
Work smarter not harder and still get the same results.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Love the distinctive shape of the P14 timber, built like a Russian brick outhouse. The rifle was cheap as chips in the 50's & 60's. Does anyone remember the Long Tom ?

@Cervus elaphas
Yes
Bob

 

[Dr Ray]

I remember him!
And if I remember correctly he was the guy who used to ride a little motorcycle through the bush/ scrub after deer!
As you said he liked the .303/243 for sambar hunting and I'm sure it served him well, but all things considered I prefer my .338WM...
But getting back to the .303/25, I'd love to get a .303/25 EPPS in a nice strong front-locker and really wring it out to see what it could do...

But the minimum caliber in Victoria (sambar country) is the 130 grain 270!

 

[Dr Ray]

I remember Len too - he used to write for Sporting Shooter magazine. I can remember a photo of him sitting on a sambar deer he shot.

 

[CoElkHunter]

But the minimum caliber in Victoria (sambar country) is the 130 grain 270!

Dr Ray,
If the guy chases deer on a motorcycle, how much do you think he's concerned with the caliber of the rifle? I'd be more concerned about the correct head stamping of the cartridges. Ha! Ha! Ha!
CEH

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Holy smokes this thread grew while I was at work today. Thanks guys for all the interest.

 

[CBH Australia]

That sure is a stunted head,

View attachment 405202

Stunted head hey?
That's no way to talk about our mate.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I’m still trying to wrap my head around Bob using a 270.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

But the minimum caliber in Victoria (sambar country) is the 130 grain 270!

@Dr Ray
Back in those days Ray there was no such thing as minimum caliber.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I remember Len too - he used to write for Sporting Shooter magazine. I can remember a photo of him sitting on a sambar deer he shot.

@Dr Ray
No Cammo for him back then. Just the overalls checked shirt and old Dunlop sandshoes.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I’m still trying to wrap my head around Bob using a 270.

@Wyatt Smith
When I bought the Stevens 200aka savage 110 it was in 270 and I just had to try it to see what a lot the fuss was about. It didn't do anything my 25 wouldn't do as well or better.
That's why it became the 35 Whelen.
Bob

 

[Dr Ray]

I’m still trying to wrap my head around Bob using a 270.

Maybe an impersonator

 

[bruce moulds]

it was probably bob o'connor.
sir robert de whelen would never lower himself to the level of a serf.
bruce.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Maybe an impersonator

@Dr Ray
No mate up until then I had not tried the 270 so I thought I would see what all the fuss was about.
It didn't impress me As anything to rave about. I suppose I was spoilt by my 25.
Bob

 

[Dr Ray]

@Dr Ray
No mate up until then I had not tried the 270 so I thought I would see what all the fuss was about.
It didn't impress me As anything to rave about. I suppose I was spoilt by my 25.
Bob

Ha