Funny (now that I look back at it, no so funny when it happened...)

I actually took two shots at a different deer on Saturday afternoon at the beginning of my week-long hunting trip. (Weekend before T-giving through Friday night after). Both at about 100 yards with moderate winds (5-10 mph). I missed her twice. She was quite a bit bigger than the one I shot and I could not believe that I missed her twice. My muzzleloader can usually put 9 out of 10 shots into a pie plate at 200 yards, and the scope is a BSA Cats Eye, at 4.5 the deer filled all of the view finder. I figured that maybe the mount or scope was banged during transit or the two weeks after I sighted in.

So I figured that I would spend Sunday morning getting sighted back in and try to figure out how much windage was affecting me. I ran into town for more powder and shots. They had exactly my brands at the hardware store. Score!

I got in about 8 shots getting back on target (it was about a foot off at 100 yards, more than it had ever moved in the mounts before.) I couldn't remember it getting any hard knocks or anything, but it was sighted in at 90 degrees and I was hunting in about 50 degrees. Shouldn't mess it up that much. Anyway, I was about to do a three shot proofing of my scope adjustment. On the second shot I pull the trigger and nothing happens. I do a quick function check and everything looks OK, the firing pin just wont release. I pull the 209 primer and try some more adjustments. Nothing. I pull the bolt and it still wont work like it should. I break it down, clear the chamber and take a look at the trigger mechanism. One of the pivot points is broken. CVA has a lifetime warrantee, so I figure I will call them Monday morning and have them overnight me a new part.

CVA is good with the warrantee and when I call them on Monday morning he says that he can get a new part in the mail to me right away. I tell them that I will pay for overnight shipping. He says it will actually be two day, as the overnight stuff already went out. (At 9:30 in the morning, when they start taking calls at 9:00!) I am in the boondocks, so I ask him if it will be USPS or UPS. He says USPS, so I give him the PO BOX number in town. I sit down to wait, expecting to pick it up on Weds. 1/2 of my hunting week is already down. But, it gives me more time to hang with the wife and 6 month old daughter. (Who loves nothing more than being out in the fall woods!) Well, Weds comes and no package at the post office. I call CVA and they tell me that UPS won't deliver to a PO BOX. "Of course not" I say, "That is why I asked you UPS or USPS." So, no trigger coming for me. It is my only rifle and I don't have any backup items. I started calling around and found a friend of a friend of my Dad that might be able to loan me a single 12 gauge and some shells. I go over to get it.

I used his 12 gauge on T-giving morning. During the day on T-giving I took another look at the trigger unit. It is all one piece on a CVA, with riveted on side plates hiding all of the internals. But, I finally spot what broke and devise a way to get it lined up and held while I drill out a pivot and put in a piece of drill bit. It isn't pretty but it just might work. I get it back on the rifle and it seems to work without too much fuss and won't drop the bolt prematurely.

I take it out on Thursday night and watch deer graze contentedly about 250 yards away. The wind is too blustery and my confidence is too shot from the misses on Saturday to try the shot. I wait. Friday morning in a different place yields no deer. Friday afternoon sees me back in my stand, but the wind is even higher and blustery. But, about 10 minutes before closing light the doe comes up from behind me on my left. I wiggle around in my stand enough to get the muzzle on her and let it rip. Even 40 yards away the bullet hit about 8 inches too far left, upwind. I was estimating about 6 inches of windage needed in that 20 mph sustained, 45 mph gusts. So, I held on the back of her rib cage and that is where the bullet hit her. Almost no windage at all.

All this story and what I am really trying to tell you is that sometimes you miss. Sometimes it is the guns fault. Sometimes it is nobodies fault. Sometimes it is your fault. If she had been facing into the wind instead of downwind and my windage estimation was as off as it was, I would have missed again. (Then I think I would have just jumped out of my tree stand in frustration.)

Just try to get to know your rifle and how it performs in "real world" situations. Shoot more when the wind is blowing. Sit in a chair or something else like your stand, if that is what you use. Try to shoot wearing your hunting jacket if it is affecting your shots. About a year and a half ago I swore off of bench rests for almost all shooting, especially with your hunting rifles. My aim points were just too different when shooting from a rest as opposed to freehand or supported elbow or sitting.

Good luck next time.

Chubber