Posted By: wvhitman
Perfect Packin' groundhog, turkey, deer pistol - 04/24/2019 3:15 PM
OK, OK, I know. John Taffin coined this term. But, he applied it to small, medium caliber revolvers meant for human and game protection. I think I've "found" a handgun that fits in a new hunting category. That would be my FA 7 1/2" .454. I've taken over 800 groundhogs, over 30 turkeys, and over 200 deer with this gun. Numero uno in my hunting world.
I just completed my Groundhog Ace status with my new .44 Anaconda. I could "feel" my .454 screaming for equal time. Mission accomplished in the last 10 days. 7 groundhogs. Now a .454 Ace.
I sneaked up to this pile of railroad ties where I'd not seen anything this year. The hole was fresh. He was asleep on the ties. BogPod, PSR, 74 yards.
Neck shot. Accurate gun.
I sneaked up to the fence line in the top of the photo. The groundhog was laying on the stump. How to shoot? Easy. Rest my backpack at a 45* angle from the fence post to the top fence wire. Very stable.
58 yds. Note exit in shoulder from the AFrame. Also, my comfortable Cape buff holster. Wears easy daily.
Next, I returned to the high wall where I made the long 6mmAI shot a few weeks ago. I knew there was a hole in the field below. As soon as I start setting down a 'hogs comes slowly out of his hole below me. I slowly put my backpack on the ground, SLOWLY lay down. 4X on the Bushnell
Big exit (AFrames are nice), 48 yds. My backpack is a critical part of my hunting.
Enough of this rest shooting. Off to the airport. I sneaked along the fence close to the runway using it for partial camo. Got to a big hole that was very fresh. Did my whistle thingy. 1 minute out he comes and stands up. I was already cocked with my thumb between the hammer and frame
He was facing me. Exit in the back. 42 yds. offhand. Airport buildings in the back.
The rest of the 7 'hogs were all similar shots.
Now on to bigger things.
Last day of turkey season 2 years ago. Cold. 15-20 mph winds. I'm sitting in a hollow for protection with a small fieldlike opening ahead. Here comes 7 turkeys. #1 is a hen. #2 a nice gobbler. The hen gives me time to range them. 140 yds. Oh, my!
20#, 9" beard, 1" spurs. .454 does it again. Best turkey gun I've ever seen or used.
Deer. There are so many, but this one stands out.
Summer crop damage permits. Overlooking a large clover field with high brown grass 50 yds. deer in front of it. I sit for 45 minutes. Nothing. I get up and so do 2 does angled away in the brown grass. I drop down to my backpack that's already there. They don't move. Shoot. #1 drops. #2 doesn't move! It's very hot. Do I shoot? I'm "paid" to shoot deer. What the heck. #2 drops
Mid shoulder and high shoulder hits. 260 gr. Speer Mag HP. #1-101 yds., #2 104 yds. I sweated a lot cleaning them ,but I loved every minute of it.
This .454 is some kind of gun. It's easily my do everything, take everything revolver. As much as I love my .475 and .500s, the FA .454 has a very special place in my heart.
I love doing this kind of stuff.
I just completed my Groundhog Ace status with my new .44 Anaconda. I could "feel" my .454 screaming for equal time. Mission accomplished in the last 10 days. 7 groundhogs. Now a .454 Ace.
I sneaked up to this pile of railroad ties where I'd not seen anything this year. The hole was fresh. He was asleep on the ties. BogPod, PSR, 74 yards.
Neck shot. Accurate gun.
I sneaked up to the fence line in the top of the photo. The groundhog was laying on the stump. How to shoot? Easy. Rest my backpack at a 45* angle from the fence post to the top fence wire. Very stable.
58 yds. Note exit in shoulder from the AFrame. Also, my comfortable Cape buff holster. Wears easy daily.
Next, I returned to the high wall where I made the long 6mmAI shot a few weeks ago. I knew there was a hole in the field below. As soon as I start setting down a 'hogs comes slowly out of his hole below me. I slowly put my backpack on the ground, SLOWLY lay down. 4X on the Bushnell
Big exit (AFrames are nice), 48 yds. My backpack is a critical part of my hunting.
Enough of this rest shooting. Off to the airport. I sneaked along the fence close to the runway using it for partial camo. Got to a big hole that was very fresh. Did my whistle thingy. 1 minute out he comes and stands up. I was already cocked with my thumb between the hammer and frame
He was facing me. Exit in the back. 42 yds. offhand. Airport buildings in the back.
The rest of the 7 'hogs were all similar shots.
Now on to bigger things.
Last day of turkey season 2 years ago. Cold. 15-20 mph winds. I'm sitting in a hollow for protection with a small fieldlike opening ahead. Here comes 7 turkeys. #1 is a hen. #2 a nice gobbler. The hen gives me time to range them. 140 yds. Oh, my!
20#, 9" beard, 1" spurs. .454 does it again. Best turkey gun I've ever seen or used.
Deer. There are so many, but this one stands out.
Summer crop damage permits. Overlooking a large clover field with high brown grass 50 yds. deer in front of it. I sit for 45 minutes. Nothing. I get up and so do 2 does angled away in the brown grass. I drop down to my backpack that's already there. They don't move. Shoot. #1 drops. #2 doesn't move! It's very hot. Do I shoot? I'm "paid" to shoot deer. What the heck. #2 drops
Mid shoulder and high shoulder hits. 260 gr. Speer Mag HP. #1-101 yds., #2 104 yds. I sweated a lot cleaning them ,but I loved every minute of it.
This .454 is some kind of gun. It's easily my do everything, take everything revolver. As much as I love my .475 and .500s, the FA .454 has a very special place in my heart.
I love doing this kind of stuff.