And it's a chamois rifle too
Well back from a couple of days in the bush (and above it) and I can confirm the Sako-with-brake is a fine chamois rifle too.
I had not seen anything except sign all day and was coming back down the steep side of a deep gut, picking my way very carefully as I was on my own, when I spooked a chamois buck feeding below me.
Not sure who got the biggest fright, but he was off like a rocket up the other side, got bluffed (most unusual for a chamois), came back down again, disappeared from sight behind a rock, reappeared again heading up the side towards the bush, stopped momentarily (as they do) and looked back.
Meanwhile I was shedding my pack, removing the scope covers and trying to balance on a narrow ledge while feeding a round and trying to pick him up in the scope (had to adjust the scope too as I had left it on 8x rather than my usual 4x). I managed a quick, kneeling, 175 yard shot as he paused and looked back at me. The muzzle brake worked a treat and I actually saw him flinch but he didn’t fall over as I expected but turned, took a few steps, and disappeared from sight.
I knew it must have been close, if not an actual hit, so as I made my way down the gut I kept looking up for a brown object on the slope above, came round a rock outcrop and to my surprise found him at my feet in the creek! He must have tumbled over a 100ft - tenderised the meat a bit I guess. A bit of a fluke shot given my precarious position but I would never have managed it without the brake. The rifle is now a pleasure to shoot and 270WSM is a great flat-shooting calibre for a chamois rifle.
I take your point Kraigwy about correct position but in circumstances such as the above you take whatever position you can
The circle in the picture below was where I took the shot and the picture itself was taken about 30 yds from where the chamois stopped. I wasn't game to get any closer.
David
Well back from a couple of days in the bush (and above it) and I can confirm the Sako-with-brake is a fine chamois rifle too.
I had not seen anything except sign all day and was coming back down the steep side of a deep gut, picking my way very carefully as I was on my own, when I spooked a chamois buck feeding below me.
Not sure who got the biggest fright, but he was off like a rocket up the other side, got bluffed (most unusual for a chamois), came back down again, disappeared from sight behind a rock, reappeared again heading up the side towards the bush, stopped momentarily (as they do) and looked back.
Meanwhile I was shedding my pack, removing the scope covers and trying to balance on a narrow ledge while feeding a round and trying to pick him up in the scope (had to adjust the scope too as I had left it on 8x rather than my usual 4x). I managed a quick, kneeling, 175 yard shot as he paused and looked back at me. The muzzle brake worked a treat and I actually saw him flinch but he didn’t fall over as I expected but turned, took a few steps, and disappeared from sight.
I knew it must have been close, if not an actual hit, so as I made my way down the gut I kept looking up for a brown object on the slope above, came round a rock outcrop and to my surprise found him at my feet in the creek! He must have tumbled over a 100ft - tenderised the meat a bit I guess. A bit of a fluke shot given my precarious position but I would never have managed it without the brake. The rifle is now a pleasure to shoot and 270WSM is a great flat-shooting calibre for a chamois rifle.
I take your point Kraigwy about correct position but in circumstances such as the above you take whatever position you can
The circle in the picture below was where I took the shot and the picture itself was taken about 30 yds from where the chamois stopped. I wasn't game to get any closer.
David
