[Bob La Londe]

I had the .177 Marauder tuned to about 915 with 10.65 Copper jacketed H&Ns. I was also getting about 80 shots at that power. Today I decided to crank it up a little. The throw is already at max, so increased the preload by one turn, and stepped outside to take a couple shots. Alas its way to windy today to do any real groupings, but I spotted a gopher back near the irrigation canal. My first shot was a miss, but he barely flinched. I adjust and came up a hair short and hair short and a hair left. On my third shot I saw him turn and dive down the hole a fraction of a second before I heard that distinctive TH-WAP!. I thought I missed the way he dove, but that impact sound had me thinking maybe I didn't. Then a second later he came out from behind the dirt mound in front of his hole laid on his back and died. Scratch one more canal breaking pest.

It was way out there, and the way the sound reached me well after he went down I had to pace it off. 91 yards. No freaking way. Now I have to get the Pro Chrono out and see how fast I have this thing shooting. Its still well below the sound barrier, because the shot was still dead quiet, but the impact sound had the thwap of a 20 yard kill shot.

I was thinking about cranking up the speed of the .25 for those long range shots, but if the .177 will do that, then why bother.