My new "Kitty Getter"

My first black rifle in a while:



The major parts:
Ameetec Lower
M&A 16" Varmint Upper (kit)
RRA NM trigger
4-pos CAR stock
Versapod
Nikko Stirling 1.5-6x44 (Trying something different for the heck of it)

I'm calling this my "kitty getter" since the plan is to try to take a mountain lion with it.

No, they don't. I'll be limited to a 5 round mag. I bought one already, just didn't have it in the gun for the pic. I also can't use any FMJ or armor piercing ammo designed for military use. I think 68 gr Black Hills JHP's should take care of the big kitties pretty well.

Thanks guys! I really want to go try it out. I've never even fired a .223!

Mountain lions can be anywhere from 70-150lbs according to AZ's G&F website. I think the one I saw last year was closer to the high end of that range. When I saw it for the first time I thought I was looking at a really big dog, but then I started to notice the thicker legs, long u-shaped tail with a black tip, smallish head, etc... It was dusk when I saw it both times. Here's a cut-paste of my big kitty story:

I had a close encounter with a mountain lion last year. I saw it 20 yards away while I was archery elk hunting one evening. At the time I didn't take the shot because I didn't have a tag. The next evening the cat tracked me down or found me or whatever and snuck up to about 5 yards away from me! I was watching for it because I'd seen it the night before, but it snuck up on me from my 12 o'clock while I was watching my 7-8 o'clock position. I drew the 1911 I was carrying on it, but in the time it took to clear the holster, take the safety off, put my finger on the trigger, etc... the cat was taking a couple of leaps into a ravine and out of view. I think the combination of being seen and me making a lot of quick movement scared the cat off. I didn't fire a shot.

Click to expand...

GGB: Is that a reference to hunting kitty, eating kitty or a non-PG comment?

At one point in my decision to build this thing I couldn't find a name for what the end result would be so I called it a "tactical varmint rifle". The cat with the sniper rifle looks more like a tactical varmint!