Further Information

GOLD RUSH cast member Jack Hoffman stops by the Leatherwood/Hi-Lux Optics booth to take a look at a Model 1903 A3 that has been set up for Vintage Sniper Rifle competition - and to talk about the need for stringent wolf control. He loved the Hi-Lux Optics addition of the 8x USMC Sniper model to the Wm. Malcolm line of vintage riflescopes. When he picked up the rifle, his comment was... "Now here's a real rifle!"

What really sets the newer versions of the ART system apart from the military ART models of the 1960's is the cam system which automatically allows for the trajectory of the round being shot.  Let's face it, the original ART scopes were set up to allow tactical shooters to keep hits on a man-sized target out to around 600 yards ... shooting rifles chambered for the U.S. military rifle cartridges of the time - the 5.56x45mm NATO (.223 Remington) and the 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Winchester).

This year, we used two .50 caliber No. 209 primer ignition in-line muzzleloading rifles for conducting the test - one of the exquisite Model 22 ML rifles produced by Cooper Firearms of Montana - and one of the .50 caliber Strike models now offered by Thompson/Center Arms.  The Cooper rifle sported one of the Hi-Lux 3-9x40mm TB-ML model scopes...

I think I'm really going to like this rifle!  This next week, I'll be loading the same 45-grain charge of Accurate 2520 behind some of the 168-grain A-MAX bullets...to see if they perform as well.  I'll also do some shooting to determine bullet drop at 300...400...500 yards.  In two weeks, the Montana deer and elk season opens, and my first hunt will be for mule deer...or whitetails...in the Missouri Breaks.  There's one river-bottom hay field on the ranch that can call for shooting to 700 or 800 yards.  Once I know my "hold over" to 500 yards, I most definitely would have no problem taking the shot with this rig out to that distance.  I'll then refine my hold over for still longer ranges through the winter.

As I begin to wring out some of the newer Hi-Lux long-range scope models, you are sure to see more of this rifle on this blog.