By John Farnam
Ft Collins, CO –-(Ammoland.com)- Hunting in OH!
Yesterday, Vicki and I were in the middle of our annual hunting adventure at Shawnee Ridge in OH (www.shawneehunting.com)
Using her Robar Polymar AR (“VF” model), equipped with an Aimpoint T1, and 53gr Cor-Bon DPX ammunition (5.56×45), Vicki brought down a mature Painted Desert Sheep with a single shot! Range was 75m, and he went down in his tracks. Never took another step! Weight was 80lbs.
The single bullet hit high on the shoulder and went through and through. On-the-spot autopsy revealed no damage to the animal’s heart, but he was completely paralyzed!
Once again, 5.56×45, with high-performance, DPX ammunition proves more than a match for animals this size!
When we approached, the animal was still kicking, but death followed in less than a minute!
An hour later, I had the opportunity to engage a 540lb pig with my Robinson Arms XCR/L in 300Blk, also equipped with an Aimpoint T1. I was using Cor-Bon 123gr MPR (“cup and core”), supersonic. My preference is DPX, with its solid-copper bullets, but it is not available right now.
The 300Blk is only marginally adequate for an animal this dense and this big, but I decided to give it a go!
In any event, I was able to get within 50m of this huge pig, but he was facing me, so I waited for him to turn sideways. When he did, I put the red dot high on his shoulder and pressed-off the first shot. It hit exactly where it was aimed, and I could see the animal react.
Determined not to merely wound the pig and then chase him around for the rest of the day, I caught the link and delivered my second shot less than a second later. It hit just behind the first. Back on the link, I delivered my third shot. The pig was now in motion, and this one hit the middle of his torso. All three shots were launched within two seconds. My XCR has a superb trigger!
Now the pig was moving fast, but he changed directions several times.
Still in my sights and on the link, I hit him three more times. I actually fired four additional shots (a second apart), but one hit a tree as the pig ran behind it. Hit six times, the pig precipitously collapsed and was DRT within a minute. It was like being in a gunfight!
Most of the my bullets were not recovered. We did find pieces of two, and both had “over-performed,” that is they expanded, but to the point of core separation. They still did their job, but next time I’ll be using DPX once more!
Autopsy revealed heavy damage and much internal hemorrhage. However, his heart was undamaged!
Later in the day, a student and colleague who was hunting with us, and having borrowed my XCR rifle (same ammunition), shot a smaller pig (but still good-sized), at a range of 25m. Hit four times in rapid succession, the pig went down. This time, the pig’s heart was shredded. My friend was thrilled, as his training had paid-off!
We regard these opportunities to hunt with our military rifles to be priceless, and it always represents a highlight of our year.
In the excitement of the hunt, it is still necessary to stay in precise control and adhere to your training, running the trigger correctly (ride it back and ride it forward), never losing contact, and simultaneously moving your red dot with the target. Fighting is always in the “present tense,” and staying mentally engaged, not relaxing too soon, is critical to victory.
The process is never perfect, but every opportunity to test oneself is invaluable!
Photos are now posted on our Web Page (defense-training.com)
/John
About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor John Farnam will urge you, based on your own beliefs, to make up your mind in advance as to what you would do when faced with an imminent and unlawful lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance if any. Defense Training International wants to make sure that their students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or inactions.
It is our duty to make you aware of certain unpleasant physical realities intrinsic to the Planet Earth. Mr. Farnam is happy to be your counselor and advisor. Visit: www.defense-training.com
This article is filled with ammunition for people that are anti-gun and it makes you look foolish.
“It was like being in a gunfight!” The pig was not trying to kill you.
“We regard these opportunities to hunt with our military rifles to be priceless” This is not a military firearm.
“Hit four times in rapid succession…” “…as his training had paid-off!” Perhaps he should have received training from someone who desires a kill shot versus acting out call of duty while hunting.
Next time think before you write.
This ‘hunting with our military rifles’ BS is like saying, We use SWAT tactics to hunt wild pig. This shoot’em up is no better than the 10 goose hunters who fired aimlessly into a flock of geese then knock one down with the gun barrel. They were laughing with giddy excitement. That is not honorable hunting just as 6 shots to kill a pig is not honorable hunting. If a woman in Alaska can use a WWI rifle with iron sights to take down a caribou at 100 yards, and even do it off-hand, these SWAT hunters need to get… Read more »
LOL John… looks like you just got your ham handed to you!
If I had ever ever taken 6 shots to down one animal I’d keep it to myself.
Hell, if I did that my 76 yr old father would scold me saying, “I never raised you like that!”
You may want to think about what the term “Kill Shot” means.
1 pull is your goal. ONE.
The .300 Blackout is SUCH a great round, Yes it is!
None of the above mentioned rifles were listed as M-16, M-4, or any other “M” designation, so why are you calling them military rifles?
Unless you have no intent to harvest your ham, your shots should always be at the head. When he was looking
striaght at you, that was the perfect, humane time to execute your shot.
Please, do not refer to your rifle as “military” unless it actually is “military.”
There’s nothing quite like giving ammunition to hoplophobes.
Also please do not refer to hunting as like being in a gunfight. The game is not shooting back.
And I would not brag about using not enough gun, and taking so many shots to down your game. This is also giving anti-hunters a gift.
I agree completely with the comment above on all point! You should be looking for as few shots as necessary and no more.
What the ???? is “caught the link” and “back on the link” ? Is it some strange reference to shooting a link fed SAW ? You alienate readers with such inside jargon.
Maybe a suburb trigger means he lives in the burgs. That is not the superb place to live if you like to keep busy with guns.
A “suburb” trigger? Really. Hire someone that graduated high school to edit your work. It would be an improvement.