THE 7-30 WATERS SCORES at 193 YARDS !

One down, one to go.

The wife, grandkids and I ventured south of the US Dam Road down into the Mud Lake Bottom this afternoon about 3:45PM. I drove over to a spot south of a patch of willows. These willows are about 50 yards at the thickest north to south, and about a quarter mile east to west. We set up next to a tree a couple hundred yards south of the willows towards the west end. The wind was blowing out of the northwest.

At about 4:15PM or so I spotted a nice sized doe headed right for us. I got the wife in position and we waited and waited. All of a sudden I realized that when the Deer came out from behind the scrub trees she would be directly down wind from us. I no more than thought that thought the Doe was running back towards cover east of us and disappeared into the willows on the east side.

I quickly decided that we were in the wrong spot so at 4:30PM I moved. There are some scrub trees a hundred yards or so south of the willows and I headed for a little scrub tree at the farthest southeast corner.

We had sat there about a half an hour when I spotted the doe again. This time she was coming east to west north of me right up against the south side of the willows. I quickly ranged the doe at 193 yards, flipped the legs of the bipod down and rested on the hood of my Blazer while kneeling on the ground beside it.

When everything looked right I thumbed the hammer back and touched the trigger on the G2 Contender. The sound of the hammer striking down (a misfire) sounded like a blacksmith banging a hammer on an anvil. The Doe snapped to attention and started walking. I was committed so I thumbed the hammer back again and when the doe stopped and the crosshairs were right on the spot I again touched the trigger on the G2 Contender.

This time the 7-30 Waters came to life and the sound of the 120gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip striking the doe was unmistakable. At the shot the doe's chest hit the ground but she was quickly back on her feet and back tracking to the east. She covered about 20 yards and tipped over. When I got to the doe she was stone dead.

In my haste to get her dressed out, loaded up and out of there before dark set in (you have to remember I had the grandkids with me) I didn't see where the bullet entered but there is about a 25 cent piece size exit hole through the off side ribs cage, centered directly on a rib bone.

To say I was pumped would be an understatement. I have only had previous experience with the 7-30 Waters out of a 10" Contender, and now I know that the cartridge works also out of a 14" Contender.

Thanks for reading.

Larry

PS, sorry there are no photos. In my haste to leave town (I knew I was going to have the grandkids with me) I totally blew off taking the digital camera with me that was in the work vehicle (where it usually is).

I posted before, congrats again!!!
Yep, I love my Waters too!!

WTG Larry!!!! Thats quite a poke you made. You done good.........real good.

Way to go Larry! The 7-30 Waters and 120 NBTs are hard to beat. You've had me wanting a 10" barrel ever since I read your article.

Hunlee is very pleased to see another deer fell to the fast travelin 7-30 water!!!!!!Hunlee allso like to shoot 120 bullit for the 7-30 water but Hunlee never shoot deer yet with said 7-30!!!!!!Maybe it is time for Hunlee to go on the hunt with 7-30 water scope up with 3-12x power Burris!!!!!!!Sure wood be fun to shoot at long rang but Hunlee hunt in the brush most time but Hunlee have access to field edge aswell!!!!!Hunlee can setup on field edge with 7-30 water and wait for long range oppertunity to arive!!!!!!!Hunlee wish everyone a good and prosperiors life and may you all reproduce many time!!!!!

hunlee

Very cool! Congratulations.

Love the hunting story.

Lars

CONGRATS LARRY!!

WTG, Larry!!

Great job! I have no experience with the 7-30 waters but I have read much and I am thinking that I might pick one up for deer hunting here in the east next year. I currently use a 44 mag Smith at the moment. Once again, good show, Larry!

What cause gun to not fire first time? Were you using handloads? congrats.

Yes Hunlee wonder about misfire!!!!!!Why you suppose this happin??????This consern Hunlee!!!!!!

hunlee

Congrats larry!

Well the 7-30 Waters SCORED AGAIN this afternoon. This was kind of a wierd deal. The wife didn't really want to go hunting as she said she felt like she is getting a cold.

I said OK, we'll drive out to the White Rock Colony and sign the permission slip so I could hunt Deer and Coyotes on their land (which we did). Once that was done I told the wife we'd just do a little scouting this afternoon. I drove down to the Game, Fish & Parks Boat Landing for a look see. Above the Boat Landing the hill side is solid Cedar Trees.

As we were driving back out from the Boat Landing I spotted something along the edge of the Cedar Trees. I slammed on the brakes, grabbed the binoculars and sure enough it was a Deer.

I looked and looked and there was no antlers, but a really nice sized deer. I quickly made my way to a little stock dam below the cedar trees, got a good rest and one shot from the 7-30 Waters did the deed.

Turned out it was a buck with it's antlers broken off just above the bases. The buck was quartering towards me at a sharp angle so I put the crosshairs on the front edge of the near side shoulder and touched the trigger. At the shot the buck took off to the south (I was northeast of the buck) carrying one leg. The buck covered 30 - 40 yards and tipped over.

I will know more about the bullet performance after I get it hung up. It was getting dark on me and I had a long drag back to the blazer so I didn't waiste any time.

Larry

Way to go Larry!

Cool Larry, Sure do miss hunting them south dakota deer!!! Lived in custer and rapid valley for 13 years.

Lars

COOL Larry!!

Range buddy, what range?!??!!

Thanks guys. The RANGE was lasered at 124 yards. After I got the deer hunt up tonight I could more easily see the bullet path. The bullet entered on the near side shoulder, then broke a rib on it's way to the lung. Another rib was broke on the way out leaving a 1 1/2" exit hole.

Here I have been preparing for a 300 yard shot this fall and the longest one so far has been 200. We'll see what happens next as my nephew is going to use my SST Super 14 7-30 Waters to fill the last tag we have. Hopefully that will be Saturday or Sunday so then I can put the SST Super 14 .223 Remington Barrel back on this frame and get after some Coyotes.

Man it is COLD here tonight, 7 degrees right now. Sure hope my deer isn't froze by morning.

Larry

I haven't totally figured it out yet Hunlee. But I am thinking it may be the CCI BR2 Primers as I have had misfires in the past with Contenders using CCI Primers. At least that is the first thing I am going to try different.

Larry

WTG on #2!! Your missfire may have been due to a primer not being fully seated rather than brand. I've used CCI's for close to 35 yrs and the only misfires (there have been duds!)have been when I didn't get the primer fully seated. Just my $.02.

Thanks, you may be right these primers really seated HARD.

Larry