Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[MechanicMatt]

Woodchip, I'd get .223, already have several hundred rounds for it. She loves shooting my Mini14. Just looking for something she's gonna not be afraid of and a bolt to slow her right pointer finger down...
When she was younger and I got her the 10/22 I didn't mind so much, it was only .22 going bang bang bang, and the smiles were worth more than anything. But .223 is a bit more pricey.

 

[nomad_archer]

Alright we are talking about guns again. I picked out my next rifle. I'm giving one of these chassis rifles in 6.5 Creedmoor a try.

https://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/BAStealthLH

Mike what do you think? I'm not worried about weight since this rifle is just slightly heavier than my 300 mag that I carry with out issue.

 

[nomad_archer]

So I dunno about you but it's 18* and all I'm doing is feeding the stove every few hours and spending time tying some flies.

 

[JustJeff]

5F here this morning. The NC30 did fine. My biggest issue is coals. Loaded about 930PM. Woke up at 2AM. Could only get a half load in but I set the draft all the way closed after I loaded at 9PM so the coals didn't burn down much. Mostly just secondaries burning before I went to bed. For people with noncats are you shutting stoves down all the way to where its just secondaries burning on a regular basis? I dont normally do that. At 2AM there was no fire left. Just alot of hot coals. So on a pretty full load with the draft closed I still only get about 4hrs burn time.

I damp mine down pretty good. I have found that properly seasoned dry wood is very important to get the burn times without the fire getting too low. I am fortunate that my house is fairly new and well insulated, otherwise I’d need a larger stove to get the the overnight heat.
Last night was -15 with a stout wind. I had a smaller fire going all evening then at 11 I loaded the stove with 3 larger splits and a couple smaller ones and let it roar for a bit, dampening it down a bit at a time until it was idling along nicely. Was 74 degrees in the living room when I hit the hay. I’m guessing it probably hit 76-77 before it started to cool. Was 69 when I got up at 8. Opened the stove and there was a low bed of coals, left the door open while I made coffee and chucked a couple pieces in. I’ll burn with the damper more open to burn coals down.
That’s my system. It’s tough to heat a whole house with a woodstove and I ain’t getting up at dark o’clock to feed it!

 

[MustangMike]

NA, looks real nice for long range open field, but it is expensive. My Ruger American rifle was under $400 and shoot about 1/2 (w/handloads). I call that a bargain!

Short barrels are more accurate, but a 223 will loose significant velocity with a barrel that short (the higher the velocity, the more it looses).

I even chronographed 30-30 ammo in a 20" and 26" barrel rifles, and the difference was exactly what the charts said, about 20 FPS per inch difference.

With a 223, it will be at least 30 FPS difference.

 

[nomad_archer]

NA, looks real nice for long range open field, but it is expensive. My Ruger American rifle was under $400 and shoot about 1/2 (w/handloads). I call that a bargain!

Short barrels are more accurate, but a 223 will loose significant velocity with a barrel that short (the higher the velocity, the more it looses).

I even chronographed 30-30 ammo in a 20" and 26" barrel rifles, and the difference was exactly what the charts said, about 20 FPS per inch difference.

With a 223, it will be at least 30 FPS difference.

Good thing I would be getting it in a 6.5 creedmore with a 24" barrel which is right in the velocity sweet spot for that cartridge. As for price they run about $900-1000 on the shelf which is just slightly more than what the majority of the other rifles I was looking at cost My .300 mag was a bit over $700 5 years ago. The browning xbolt I was looking at was in the $800-$900 range. Good guns that I like and are south paw friendly got expensive. But thats why I dont own many just a few i really like. I'm a lefty so I am screwed when it comes to finding a bargin on the shelf or used gun rack. It is what it is and I need to pay to play. Your ruger sounds like a bargin and you got a good one. I have never been a fan of ruger or remington for that matter just a personal preference kinda like the stihl, husky, echo thing. I also can't stand injection molded synthetic stocks which takes a lot of rifles off the table. In the ruger line up this rifle is equivilent to the ruger percision rifle.

Also interestingly enough I just found out there is a sportsmans club about 40 minutes from me that has a 600 yard range which I may seriously start to consider joining.

 

[svk]

-26 at the cabin right now and a chilly +53 outside the condo. Going to go jump in the hot tub in a bit then get to work.

 

[woodchip rookie]

I damp mine down pretty good. I have found that properly seasoned dry wood is very important to get the burn times without the fire getting too low. I am fortunate that my house is fairly new and well insulated, otherwise I’d need a larger stove to get the the overnight heat.
Last night was -15 with a stout wind. I had a smaller fire going all evening then at 11 I loaded the stove with 3 larger splits and a couple smaller ones and let it roar for a bit, dampening it down a bit at a time until it was idling along nicely. Was 74 degrees in the living room when I hit the hay. I’m guessing it probably hit 76-77 before it started to cool. Was 69 when I got up at 8. Opened the stove and there was a low bed of coals, left the door open while I made coffee and chucked a couple pieces in. I’ll burn with the damper more open to burn coals down.
That’s my system. It’s tough to heat a whole house with a woodstove and I ain’t getting up at dark o’clock to feed it!

I'm heating the whole house. I didn't get up intentionally to feed it. Just got up for water and restroom and checked on it. Reloaded (half load), shut the draft all the way then pulled it back open a touch then went back to bed. At 5AM when I got up for work there was such a big pile of coals I didnt even put wood in it. Just stirred the pot then left the draft all the way open. It might be cool when I get home but atleast it should be ashed down some.

 

[James Miller]

So I dunno about you but it's 18* and all I'm doing is feeding the stove every few hours and spending time tying some flies.

You Gona come try them out at the damb this summer. They look good.

 

[54bogger]

Scrounged up a load of red oak Saturday at a new construction site. There's another red oak and a white oak they said I could have also.

 

[nomad_archer]

You Gona come try them out at the damb this summer. They look good.

Best I can do is maybe

 

[MustangMike]

Good guns that I like and are south paw friendly got expensive.

Too bad you don't like em, they feel real good to me, and bedding and trigger are both VG. They are also avail in Left Hand versions.

I was just looking for a low cost rugged hunting rifle in 06, and this fit the bill. I like a tang safety (I learned to hunt with lever actions), and the 3 lug bolt is very smooth. I should have waited till the stainless version came out, but who knew? I have numerous more expensive hunting rifles, but based on weight, feel, accuracy and ruggedness, I'll choose this one all day long.

 

[svk]

Scrounged up a load of red oak Saturday at a new construction site. There's another red oak and a white oak they said I could have also.

View attachment 621214 View attachment 621215

Looks good!
My family lived north of you in Camden SC for many generations.

 

[nomad_archer]

Too bad you don't like em, they feel real good to me, and bedding and trigger are both VG. They are also avail in Left Hand versions.

I was just looking for a low cost rugged hunting rifle in 06, and this fit the bill. I like a tang safety (I learned to hunt with lever actions), and the 3 lug bolt is very smooth. I should have waited till the stainless version came out, but who knew? I have numerous more expensive hunting rifles, but based on weight, feel, accuracy and ruggedness, I'll choose this one all day long.

Maybe I will look at them again one day. How good is VG for the trigger for you? I love my savage accutriggers that come in around ~2lbs.

 

[nomad_archer]

@MustangMike I conceed on your advice I may give the ruger american a look for a next, next rifle. A 6.3lb $400 rifle in 7mm-08 feels like a great brush beating walk all day kinda gun.

 

[nomad_archer]

Just finished my first round of venison jerky. Need to try some other pretty made seasonings. These taste good but very salty.

 

[54bogger]

Looks good!
My family lived north of you in Camden SC for many generations.

Small world.

 

[H-Ranch]

Today's work... well, not even a tank of fuel, but still plenty cold to be out cutting. Actually wasn't bad for a short session. And it was just into the neighbor's property. (She told me I can cut all I want after she had it logged 2 years ago.)
[rant]
The property looks like this, with 2' ruts and anything they didn't cut got pushed over or scarred. In my opinion - hacks!
No way I would allow a logger anywhere near my woods (yeah, yeah, I'm sure there are good ones.) In fact, the last guy who drove on my private road to ask if I was interested in selling timber dropped his cigarette butt on my driveway. Just wish I had seen it before he left.
[/rant]

 

[farmer steve]

evening scroungers. cooler temps have me burnin the snob wood. (hickory and locust.) saving my spruce for a wienie roast this summer. stay warm guys and enjoy that scrounged wood you worked hard for.

 

[woodchip rookie]

Scrounged up a load of red oak Saturday at a new construction site. There's another red oak and a white oak they said I could have also.

View attachment 621214 View attachment 621215

Meanwhile I'll be over here burnin my silver maple popsicle sticks