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Thanks for your welcome and kind comments on my new rifle. I'll try to get my digital working tommorrow for pics.

Well, I shot my rifle today. First its pretty clear that JJ is a better shot than I and used to open sights and heavy recoil. Today I shot off a tripod of sticks or offhand. The most rifle I've shot before is my 375H&H. Good news is that the recoil isn't any more unpleasant with my new rifle than with my 375H&H. That rifle weighs 9 1/2 lbs and the recoil is a "wake me up", my new rifle is 10lbs 9oz. I shot a couple 270gr and 300gr 375 rounds to tune up for what I expected to be a beating. I started with 350gr Federal loads and was pleasently suprised that I didn't land on my backside. In fact the 500gr loads were ok too. More than the 375 but with more push and less sharp. I shot 24 458 rounds today, 14 350's, 5 500 solids and 5 510 softs and I'm not sore or bruised.

I only tried four acuracy shots and these were with the 350 Federals. Off the sticks they shot horizontally level or maybe a half in" low with POA but crossed with the rights 2-3" left of poa and the lefts the same but right of poa.(all shots at 50yds)

With the 500's the groups were low maybe 2" and a bit left. I wasn't trying too hard just getting used to the gun. I might have tried for accuracy but I only brought 5 softs and 5 solids with me, not expecting to be able to shoot more than a few at a session. Shooting offhand was a treat. I shot six quick 350's and all were in a 6" ball a bit left and high of POA.

The front trigger is considerably heavier than the rear and this is annoying. It needs to be lightened. The rear trigger is great and breaks clean just at the moment or a touch before you expect it to.

Though the stock has cast off and I'm a lefty the groups were definitely more left than JJ's. This I atribute to the guns inability to recoil too far right since my cheek and right hand are there. The gun felt great even though its set up for a righty. I can feel the cheek peice under the heel of my left hand but its no bother.

Ejection and extraction were flawless. Empties land 10' behind, a foot or two apart. I like a leather covered recoil pad on my shotguns but the leather covered pad on this rifle seemed to want to wander over my shoulder no matter what I did. I think I'm going to try to roughen it up to get it to stop sliding around.

I think I need to buy another 22 and leave this one with open sights modified to duplicate the Thys and my 375's express style sights to relearn how to shoot open sights.

Thanks again,

JPK

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