well tomorrow is the day oregons 1st coastal elk season opens, this is the only opportunity for a branch bull as second season is spike only. I haven't been able to shoot much with my wrist but rather than go to a long gun I'm going to wrap my wrist and take the 375JDJ out. I was hoping to take the 475 also but i just mounted a 4x Leupold on it and the wrist won't take a sight in session so it will be the contender or nothing. I'd like to hold out for a nice bull but with meat going up and with me having a hair tag if it's an elk I'm shooting. I've got an area I've been watching with a herd that's been coming through fairly regular and with being stoved up I can still watch it pretty easy and I've got help to get it out so hopefully I'll be able to report back some good news in a couple days and I'll let you know how the 260gr Accubond does if I'm able to connect. Good luck to everyone else heading out this weekend and stay safe.

on a second quick note, I know I've been pretty opinionated lately and I appreciate those of you that have not only supported my positions but tolerated them.

Good luck to you. I have already hunted on my first tag but only took a revolver. Saw plenty of elk but none close enough. I have a cow only tag now and am waiting for the perfect time as it is good till late January. Hunt hard.

Lots of luck to you!!

Good luck Rod!! I guess I'm a little jealous cause, we ain't got no wapiti in Mississippi. Hopefully, one these days I'll be able to hunt one. As soon as you're able, you definently need to get a brake on that Reeder. It's a shame having a fine revolver like that and having to leave it at home cause it's painful to shoot. I think it's the best $150 I could have spent on mine. Well, lay the smack down on a wapiti and post some pics...KRal

Good luck Rod!

Been there on the first one!

Hay buddy, you have saved my but more than once. It is time that I return the favor!

To bounce of Kral’s thought, have you thought about sending the 475 of to Magnaport? I am a firm believer in using a brake when it merits one… but I don’t like the extra length on short guns.

Kral… I added your name into my spell check so it stops setting it off. Thought I would make you feel a little more special.

Duane

yep, I'm thinking the magna port on the revolvers, especially my shortbarreled belt gun. I'm hoping to send them out here pretty quick since I'll be in the hospital with my back next month and the wrist the next. I have no idea how long before I'll be able to shoot them again but hopefully between the porting and the plate in my wrist it won't hurt anymore.

Good luck on the elk hunt,Even bigger good luck on the surgeries.Oh and my definition of luck is is that sweet spot where....Preparation meets opportunity.

dorson

Rod, just curious, do you still have the 410 GNR and if so, what's the recoil like compared to the 475?

Good luck on the upcoming hunt and the surgeries.

Larry

yep, still got it and it's a pussy cat compared to the 475. It's like a heavy 44 with twice the muzzle blast. Without a brake the blast is worse than my 460XVR was.

Good luck and bag a nice one Rod!!!

Good luck Rod, becareful and be safe.
And while you are healing up from surgeries I would be more then happy to come over and keep the moss from growing off your big bores!

things didn't go as planned today, on my way out this morning the sling on my contender slipped out of the buckle and the gun hit the ground. I figured I'd recheck the zero when we broke for lunch after the morning hunt so I threw my marlin 1895 in the truck figuring it wouldn't be an issue but i was wrong. I got up to the area I wanted to watch and no sooner did I get the truck stopped and start getting ready to find a place to sit and watch the hillside a bull came up out of the canyon apparently spooked by my truck. I hit him going across the old skid road I was on and again on the hillside, I found him piled up in the brush about 200yds from the road the first shot too far back and the second hit his rack as he was going straight away and I shot over his back and the third his heart when he turned quartering away. I'll have to wait another year for my first handgun elk but I can't complain about having a bull on the ground before 8:00 opening morning. He has a typical Roosevelt small 5x5 rack but a live body weight between 700 and 800lbs.

that is great rod i know you wanted to use a handgun but meat
is meat well done
larry

Awesome Rod.

congrats on an opening day bull...if I'd known it was that easy, I would have alreadry hunted elk...LOL...how bout your 'Tender, was it hurt?

Fantastic Rod! I am glad you were wrong!

Was your tender off?

Congrats Rod!!

Elk is some good eating.

Thanks guys, I still haven't shot the 375 since dropping it, things happened so fast this morning and as you guys know once a bull is down the real work starts and I'm a sore pup tonight. Even though it would have meant more to take it with my handgun it was cool to take it with a lever gun when everyone else is packing bolts and the local cartridge of choice is the 30-378wthby and I got it done with the ancient 45-70 and 350gr Hornady round nose bullets handloaded to around 1900fps.

Dude...that rocks!!! Jealousy is running wild tonight!!

Right on Rod, you still got to put one down!! Maybe next time on your 375.

Rod… would you like to borrow my grinder? It ground up 50 pounds of meat and had it stuffed into 23 bags in under 1 hour!

Duane

Heading off to Pen. Fl... be back in a couple of days.
Fair winds and following seas

Congratulations Rod. Awesome hunting trip. There is always next year for the tender.

WTG, Rod! You got one on the ground= meat on the table. That'll work.

Congratulations, its funny how things work out some times

Way to go Rod! Gotta love the .45-70 whether in a handgun or a rifle! With this and the issues you ran into during bear season a while back, you've had more than your share of handgun problems this year.

Rod, Good God in Heaven as I honestly say that I know how you feel when it comes to your wrist and shooting the 475. For the first time in my life I limited the amount of rounds fired at the range to less then 20 with my 475 as I don`t want to damage it any more then it is. So with that said let say that you have my congratulations on the taking of your 5X5 Roosevelt elk which is no small feat in itself......

just got done butchering, the bull is in the freezer and I've got enough to last a long time. I finally got a pic and here is the bragging board link for it. No laughing, he's a cute little 5x5

http://www.handgunhunt.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1390&limit=recent