I picked up my new Ridgeline from my ffl buddy late last week. I had just enough time to take it home, tinker with it a bit, mount the scope, and then get to the range for a rough sight in before taking it hunting Saturday.
Even so, with what little time Ive spent with it, Im beginning to feel that this is a great rifle even for the high price.
First off, specs on the rig.
I ended up buying the stainless and black Ridgeline, in .280AI with a 26" barrel. Id have preferred the bronze and green, as a buddy down the road has the stainless and black in .300WM.
The rifle came with the radial brake mounted, and my Initial sight in was done with it in place. It also rang my ears right thru the ear plugs so quickly go yanked off when i got home.
The scope I mounted on this was a Zeiss Conquest HD5 3-15x42 z800 reticle. I chose this particular scope because of the relatively low weight, magnification range, and cost were all good, to very good, as compared to other brands of similar models.
I have to say that im quite happy with the scope, and i think its an excellent option for this combo.
The scopes mounted in a set of Talley mediums.
I was unsure if the lows would work with the larger 42mm objective, and the larger barrel diameter the Ridgeline sports, but it looks like i could have gotten away with it. I may go ahead and change them as my head does float a bit.
I think the parts list, and workmanship make this rifle a very good deal in the 1700-1800 dollar range. If theres one knock i have on the rifle, its that their spot bedding job is exactly that. One spot of bedding compound. This is actually probably plenty with as well fitted the stock and pillars were on my rifle, but i went ahead and gouged it out and skim bedded the whole thing.
In the field this rifle carries like a regular weight hunting rifle, its balance actually makes it feel lighter than the 8.5lbs it weights. The weight and distribution is also such that it hangs extremely well for off hand shooting. So much so that I chose not to run the bipod that @troy fairweather so graciously sent me, on this hunt as most of my shooting would be quick, off hand. I did zero the rifle with the bipod and found it very easy to shoot set up like that (i had to epoxy bed the pod to the rifle since the thin forend dosent play well with the pods relatively wide contact plate.
The only shooting ive done with it so far is to zero quickly with federal .280 140fusion rounds, test 3 or 4 rounds of 168 ABLRS over 63 grains of retumbo in hornady .280ai brass, one shot while hunting, then another 7 at the range on the way home. Thus my opinion is NOT fully formed as to how well this rifle will shoot, but i must say its promising
The 140 fusions clocked 2960-3010ish during fire forming, and accuracy was well within Christensens MOA guarantee.
My Retumbo loads ran a couple hundred fps slower than i expected (2770-2800), and this Isnt the first time Ive noticed this. I opened this particular jug back in 2010, and am just hitting the end of it now. Which could be the cause.
Anyway PICTURES!
ohh...need my phone for those...ill get them uploaded
powders to try!
gun PrOn
Last targets shot with the federal fusion after hunting Sunday.
Shot off a stable bench, but from a loose sandbag front rest, and wadded paper towel rear rest.
200yds
corrected 3 clicks right and used 300yd hash mark at 15x for first shot (low right)
changed to 12x and rest for 3rnd group above that one.
admittedly this isn't horribly impressive for guys that can really shoot, but it's about as well as I can do on my best day. This is also cheap factory 280 ammo, shot about as fast as I could shoot and load. (we were already about 2hours late heading home)
I'll actually go measure the groups but the 200yd is about 1" and the 300 about 2" (I think the red circle is 2" anyway.
Even so, with what little time Ive spent with it, Im beginning to feel that this is a great rifle even for the high price.
First off, specs on the rig.
I ended up buying the stainless and black Ridgeline, in .280AI with a 26" barrel. Id have preferred the bronze and green, as a buddy down the road has the stainless and black in .300WM.
The rifle came with the radial brake mounted, and my Initial sight in was done with it in place. It also rang my ears right thru the ear plugs so quickly go yanked off when i got home.
The scope I mounted on this was a Zeiss Conquest HD5 3-15x42 z800 reticle. I chose this particular scope because of the relatively low weight, magnification range, and cost were all good, to very good, as compared to other brands of similar models.
I have to say that im quite happy with the scope, and i think its an excellent option for this combo.
The scopes mounted in a set of Talley mediums.
I was unsure if the lows would work with the larger 42mm objective, and the larger barrel diameter the Ridgeline sports, but it looks like i could have gotten away with it. I may go ahead and change them as my head does float a bit.
I think the parts list, and workmanship make this rifle a very good deal in the 1700-1800 dollar range. If theres one knock i have on the rifle, its that their spot bedding job is exactly that. One spot of bedding compound. This is actually probably plenty with as well fitted the stock and pillars were on my rifle, but i went ahead and gouged it out and skim bedded the whole thing.
In the field this rifle carries like a regular weight hunting rifle, its balance actually makes it feel lighter than the 8.5lbs it weights. The weight and distribution is also such that it hangs extremely well for off hand shooting. So much so that I chose not to run the bipod that @troy fairweather so graciously sent me, on this hunt as most of my shooting would be quick, off hand. I did zero the rifle with the bipod and found it very easy to shoot set up like that (i had to epoxy bed the pod to the rifle since the thin forend dosent play well with the pods relatively wide contact plate.
The only shooting ive done with it so far is to zero quickly with federal .280 140fusion rounds, test 3 or 4 rounds of 168 ABLRS over 63 grains of retumbo in hornady .280ai brass, one shot while hunting, then another 7 at the range on the way home. Thus my opinion is NOT fully formed as to how well this rifle will shoot, but i must say its promising
The 140 fusions clocked 2960-3010ish during fire forming, and accuracy was well within Christensens MOA guarantee.
My Retumbo loads ran a couple hundred fps slower than i expected (2770-2800), and this Isnt the first time Ive noticed this. I opened this particular jug back in 2010, and am just hitting the end of it now. Which could be the cause.
Anyway PICTURES!
ohh...need my phone for those...ill get them uploaded
powders to try!
gun PrOn
Last targets shot with the federal fusion after hunting Sunday.
Shot off a stable bench, but from a loose sandbag front rest, and wadded paper towel rear rest.
200yds
corrected 3 clicks right and used 300yd hash mark at 15x for first shot (low right)
changed to 12x and rest for 3rnd group above that one.
admittedly this isn't horribly impressive for guys that can really shoot, but it's about as well as I can do on my best day. This is also cheap factory 280 ammo, shot about as fast as I could shoot and load. (we were already about 2hours late heading home)
I'll actually go measure the groups but the 200yd is about 1" and the 300 about 2" (I think the red circle is 2" anyway.
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