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My wife and daughter had me spending the Christmas holidays In the Smoky Mountains this year. I took my new Tikka 512 along. I found a shooting preserve that had cow elk and Russian boar, and a host of other game. I know this is not hunting but it was something to do and a way to fill the freezer. I walked this mountain for two days carrying the 9.3x74 barrel set. I was very impressed by how well the rifle carried and how handy it was. I have reduced both trigger pulls to 3.25 lb. All my shot were on call. I had 8 rounds of 286 gr Norma. The first animal to fall was the cow elk at 90 yards. My shot went through the hart and out in a straight line. She stretched forward but did not take a step, I waited about 4 seconds and put another next to it about 2 “ up and over to make sure I double lunged her. It was not needed. I hate to see an animal suffer. She was dead on her feet with the first shot. I was impressed by the damage done and lack of blood shot meat. As they say you can eat up to the hole. My next shot took 270 lb Russian boar at 80 yards. One shot through the top of the heart. Bang flop. The bullet traveled straight through, but did show more expansion than on the elk. Again you could eat right up to the hole. The cow elk was thin so I was offered a feral pig about 300 lbs. This shot was about 75 yards and placed under the ear. The bullet deflected and took out the first or second vertebrae and came out the front of the off shoulder taking out the leg. The bullet must have come apart; I also had a small hole on the near shoulder. At first I thought I had missed my shot at the head. But I did find a bullet hole were I was aiming. I don’t know if it was a bone chip or piece of the bullet that caused the exit wound on the near side. I would not recommend this bullet for Cape buffalo; it should have tracked straight through that pigs head. Over all I was very pleased with how the rifle has performed.
So far I have take several limit of ducks, some quail, a cow elk and two large swine.
Now to the loading bench.

JD

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