Marlin 39 Club - Postcard Match

[Jaguar]

You are right Frank, I have invited several but I don't want to seem pushy about it. This is not an invitation only event, everyone is welcome, the more the merrier.

Here is an update of the list.
1. JustsayMo*
2. Jaguar *~
3. RimFire45
4. woof
5. Bazooka Joe71
6. DMK
7. Ithacaman
8. Fast Frank~
9. johnmcl
10. Nematocyst
11. Sistema1927*
12. ArmedBear
13. Mal H*
14. KMBRTAC45
15. tubeshooter
16. Beetle Bailey
17. BamBam-31*
18. Black Majik
19. MikeS.

*I have your entry for non-magnified
~I have your entry for magnified

56 days to Thanksgiving, and the end of the match!!

 

[Fast Frank]

All you need is:

1. A model 39.

2. A 3"X5" index card.

3. Three bullets.

4. An envelope with a stamp.

 

[AStone]

5. A brave spirit to stand up to a charging 3X5.
(They can be vicious, especially when they think their young (post its) are in danger ... )

 

[Fast Frank]

[Crickets]chirp chirp... chirp chirp... chirp chirp... [/crickets]

Sure is quiet in here.

BUMP!

 

[AStone]

Gettin' close to hunting season, Frank.

I'll bet folks are out buying ammo, sighting in rifles,
and generally getting ready to go after their limit of 3x5's.

Of course, there's not as many hunting the elusive 3x5 anymore.

Why, there was a time when every family had to go out and hunt their own 3x5 every year.
They knew how to track and stalk them, when to shoot, how to track wounded 3x5s,
how to skin and clean them, and preserve them.
(Drying was most common, especially 3x5 jerky; smoking and salting never went over big.)

Nowadays, you can walk into a chain store and find 3x5s already harvested,
skinned, gutted, and wrapped in plastic on a shelf.

Why, young folks don't even know where their 3x5s come from anymore.

And the store-bought ones must be riddled with preservatives, because they're not even refrigerated!

No, thanks. Give me a mess of wild, range-fed 3x5s that one brings back from a hunt.

What's humanity coming to?

 

[Fast Frank]

[Elmer Fudd voice] Shhhhhh! Be vewy quiet... We'we hunting tree by fives![/Fudd voice]

 

[Mal H]

Yep, free range 3X5's. Now that's some good writin'!

A group of us are going up to 3M country in a few weeks to go long range 3-by hunting. I hear they're taller there than your average Eastern cards, they're 5X3's I hear tell. I can't wait to see that bleached white pulp mist in the scope!

 

[Fast Frank]

I'm tempted to post a pic of my card.

I'm wondering if there are folks out there that aren't shooting with us because they might think they don't stand a chance of winning.

 

[AStone]

... hahahahahha ...

( ... that took about 8 seconds to sink in ...
... just now working on first cup of coffee ... )

Hmm, what'll we call that offer?

Maybe target altruism ...

(In 3x5 hunting stories of ancient times,
legend holds that FFrank sacrificed for the greater good ...)

 

[Sistema1927]

I hear they're taller there than your average Eastern cards, they're 5X3's I hear tell.

Same out here in the Rocky Mountains. Mine was a 5x3, not a lowly 3x5.

 

[AStone]

There's a theory that 3x5s evolved back east where the mountains are relatively low altitude.

Back there, they're mostly subterranean (burrowers eating roots, grubs and stuff),
so are adapted for moving through underground tunnels (long but short).

Eventually, a bird carried one across the Mississippi
(previously a migration barrier since they don't like water ... ).

Once out west, where the mountains are taller and skies are bigger,
they've moved above ground, and prefer walking up right, thus appear taller.

As a result, there are very different hunting strategies for eastern and western subspecies.

 

[Jaguar]

Oh man, you guys are cracking me up.

As a result, there are very different hunting strategies for eastern and western subspecies.

I would love to hear this hypothesis when you have time to explain it in detail.

 

[Sistema1927]

Eventually, a bird carried one across the Mississippi

Was that, perchance, a swallow? (If so, then African or European?)

They have been known to carry coconuts across the English Channel.

 

[AStone]

Fossil remains of the bird do not exist.
Not known if it was a swallow, thrush or hawk.

Hunting strategies:

Eastern: mostly underground. Must wait until they pop up like prairie dogs; then, nail them.

Western: mostly above ground. Must track (*) and stalk or use tree stands.

(*) Tracking: they leave distinctive tracks; just look for tiny cardboard corner imprints in soft ground precisely 3" apart.

 

[Mal H]

The latest word in the Western 5X3 hunting camps is that the cards have developed a new protective strategy. If they happen see a hunter stalking them at a distance, they will turn sideways and stand perfectly still. They've seen entire herds of cards literally disappear right in front of their eyes. They're almost impossible to spot that way, and even if you're lucky enough to see one, they're extremely hard to hit.

 

[JustsayMo]

I agree with Mal H. Not only are they tougher to see and to hit when turned sideways complete penetration is less likely, even with hypervelocity ammo. The bone and muscle along their sides is strong when turned on edge and may defect a bullet before it reaches the vitals.

I don't know about you guys but I don't like tracking a wounded 3x5 in thick cover.

 

[Jaguar]

Although using a .22 rimfire is fine for your run-of-the-mill 3x5, and even the more elusive 5x3, I would recommend nothing less than .223 for an aggressive 5x8. When heading into known 5x8 country, I would think a .30-30 or .308 is the minimum caliber one should take.

5x8s are strong and agile office supplies that will defend themselves,their young, and their territory (usually storage rooms or shelves) if they feel threatened. All 5x8s are potentially dangerous; they are unpredictable and able to inflict serious paper cuts. NEVER feed or approach a 5x8 in the wild.

 

[AStone]

While I heartily agree with our friend Jag about the dangers of 5x8s, I must respectfully disagree that a .30 cal rifle is necessary to take them down safely and effectively.

I suggest that .243 is more than enough for most situations, especially when shots will be inside 100 m. 7mm08 would be a reasonable choice for grassland 5x8s, where shots will be necessarily longer. (Ever tried to stalk a 5x8 in open grassland or steppe? Sheeesh, they can see you from 1/2 mi away and just bolt.)

Now, if we start talking file folders, then I'd agree that .30-30 is a minimum (I'm talking 170 gr or Hornady LE), if not .308.

But, now we're moving into big game.

What caliber for filing cabinets? Gees, that's another whole thread ...

 

[Mal H]

Yeah, but all 5X8's I've ever encountered were yellow. They run away so fast when you point a gun at them you need to be a Sharpie Shooter just to put a mark on them!












Somebody stop us! This is getting out of hand!

 

[AStone]

This is getting out of hand!

Ain't it th' truth?

I think we're well beyond "hand" by now.

Still, this is the most fun I've had on THR in a while.

But if we keep it up, this thread could be moved into "Hunting".

(Or into a nut house ... ... )

 

[Fast Frank]

I'm pretty sure that mentioning a model 39 or the postal match every now and again will keep the thread here.

(Having just mentioned both, you're covered! Proceed gentlemen!)

 

[AStone]

Proceed gentlemen!

And let's not forget the women.

 

[BamBam-31]

Hey, so how did I do? Did I beat anyone out for last place yet?

You know, for some strange reason, I thought we were supposed to shoot one card, period. I shot one tube of Wolf at a steel gong, just to slick up the barrel with the Wolf's waxy lube, then I shot the one and only card. Man, if I knew we could cherry pick, I woulda coulda shoulda....:banghead:

Black Majik and Beetle Bailey shot some decent groups last time out. Their cards should be coming in soon enough....

 

[AStone]

Is there any rule that says you can't submit another card?

(Just asking here; don't know ...)

Nem, still without a 39

 

[Fast Frank]

From post #1:

"Each participant may submit one card per class per rifle."