New rifle coming to the gunsafe.

Hey folks got a strange  story here.

This guy I work for went to a Texas Conservation banquet and auction last night.He went with a few of his friends who are big time salt water fishermen here.He tells me this morning when I get to work to come to his office.

This guy never really hunted a lot until I got him to predator hunting with me.I called in 7 or 8 yotes for him on his place and he has been hooked ever since.He doesnt deer hunt or anything else, but anyhows back to the story.

He shows me this auction tag for a 2 day youth deer hunt on a ranch in south Texas and a new Ruger M77 youth model in 243 Winchester with a Leupold VX1 2x7 scope on it.I said heck what is this?

He said I bought this at that auction last night for you to take Cody(my son).My mouth about hit the floor.

A two day trip all lodging,grub and guide provided with a brand new rifle for the boy.Hell,I dont know who is more excited.Me or the boy.His rifle is being fitted with the scope and will be here this week.This guy also bought a 3 day trip on a charter boat for him and his family saltwater fishing in the gulf..

Heck I guess it does pay to introduce people to the joy of hunting and the outdoors....Gene

TJ,I hear ya. I wish I could afford to do that.I`ll get some pics of his rifle when it gets here and some  pics of his groups with his hunting loads.

Tikka,Gunrunner yep it goes to show hunters are good folks.

I didn`t know Ruger made any youth models either.Gonna look and see what I can find on the web.My boss said it is camoflage stocked so I`m guessing its wearing a synthetic skin...Gene

Thanks Klallen.I have taken the boy with me calling yotes a few times.He has seen me pop two of them when he`s been with me.I let him carry my 10/22 a few times but he has never gotten off a shot.Like you said, now he`s got a good varmint rifle that will double as his first deer rifle.He liked going with me hunting yotes,maybe now he`ll get really hooked since he has his own serious shooter.I planned on givimg him my Weatherby in .223 Rem when I bought myself a 204 Ruger or had a .17 Rem built.This way he has his own rifle (gotta figure out a new tidbit to toss to the wife why I need a 204 or 17 now..lol)

I planned on buying him some factory ammo for now,figured probably 100 gr bullets for him to deer hunt with.I dont have any dies for a 243 Win or have any buddies that do,but I`ll get him a set of RCBS dies as soon as I hit the Temple gunshop.Any thoughts from you guys that shoot .243`s as far as suitable grain weight bullets for deer and any good loads for one?I figure this is a good way to get him interested in reloading too.Since he`ll be shooting his own stuff I hope I`ll have a buddy in my reloading room with me on a regular basis from now on...Gene

Gene,

Awesome deal! 

Sounds like that convention place had everything figured out - not only give a young man a rifle but also a place to hunt and someone to take him - in my book, that's tops for preserving the sport and introducing it to new folks!

I bought two tickets for a gun bash this weekend at my girlfriend's hometown.  I went to three places (all sold out at the last minute) and finally ended up going to the drawing location itself.  Being the last few tickets and from outta town you'd have thought that I'd have won something!  The lottery winners are ALWAYS from outta state or from outta town!  Not with me though!  Oh well, good cause anyway.

Good deal TGhost, you lucky S.O.B., hope you have a great time and send some pics of the critters taken and the gun!

OK Fellas, got some pics here.The rifle is a laminated stock as opposed to camoflage as I was first told.Here is the pint sized gun for a pint sized deer hunter.

He is mighty excited with this new rifle.We`ll get him some dies and 24 caliber bullets pretty soon.I`ve never loaded any 6mm so we`ll have to go blow a few  dollars at the gunshop.I know it is terrible going shopping at a gunstore....

more pics

This rifle looks kind of strange to me with its compact stock and 16.5" barrel.It is very nicely done though.As always Ruger produces a good looking,good quality firearm.

Pardon my socks in the photos.....Gene

Can't wait to see pics of groups.

Aren't those scope rings a little tall?

Thanks fellas.Moose, I got to looking at them rings after you noticed it.They are kinda tall,like for a 40mm or bigger.I figure that those are the rings that come with the rifle.Doesn`t Ruger supply a set of rings with all their rifles?Anyways, I figure the gunshop that donated the rifle for auction prolly did`nt want to fork over for another set of SS rings to put on it...

I stopped off after work at Walmart to buy some Copenhagen and sadly bought a box of factory ammunition...Winchester,100 grain power points.We are gonna sight in his rifle this evening and let him burn a few through it to see what he thinks.Hell ,at least it`s 20 rounds of fire formed brass to start loading with.It is definate, I`ll start with 4350 in it.I hear to much good from all you guys about it, so its gotta be a good .

Brad ,thanks on the shadow box.I used to keep all that stuff in a box in my bedroom closet.My wife works at a retirement community where a lot of military retirees reside.She seen a shadow box in a retired Army Colonel`s apartment and liked it.She bought me one and put it together as a Christmas present for me.She says thats where they should be, rather than locked away in a box in a closet.Its missing an oak leaf on the Arcom I got at ETS and a HSM I never got orders for but most of its all there....Gene

Thanks on the tips CB.There is a writer for HANDLOADER that is always touting Vihtavouri powders.I cant remember his name, but he says he uses some form of Viht in about everything he shoots.Appreciate the load data..Gene

We bore sighted this evening and got 5 rounds off.I ran out of daylight as we got started late.Plan to finish zeroing tomorrow and then let him get busy with it...