A Sub-$450 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg’s Patriot Predator

Authors Bolt-Action Gun Reviews Rifles Thomas Gomez

Editor’s Note: When this review was first published the Mossberg Patriot Predator had just come out and wasn’t yet widely available. It has since proven itself to be a very versatile, reliable, and accurate option especially if you are on a budget. They are also now widely available.

I fondly remember picking up my grandfathers old dusty, faded hunting magazines and reading about hunting rifles. Unless you were buying a rifle from Kenny Jarrett, or other custom builders, sub-MOA rifles were nary to be found. Sometime during the late 90’s or early 2000, factory rifles started to appear that could produce MOA results with factory ammunition. These days, companies guarantee MOA accuracy and owners seem to fly into a fit of panic if their new rifle fails to group 1.047 inches at 100 yards.A Sub-0 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg's Patriot Predator

I recently got to spend some time behind a Mossberg Patriot Predator rifle, chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor, and had no problems hitting a 24-inch plate at 1,800 yards. How times have changed.

SPECS

  • Type: Bolt Action Rifle
  • Cartridge: 6.5 CreedmoorA Sub-0 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg's Patriot Predator
  • Capacity: 5 rds.
  • Barrel Length: 22 in. fluted; threaded 5/8×24 TPI with a 1:8-in. twist
  • Features: Spiral Fluted Bolt with Oversized Handle
  • Trigger: LBA Adjustable Trigger
  • Drop-Box Magazine
  • Picatinny Rail
  • Flat Dark Earth Synthetic Stock
  • Finish: Matte blue
  • Length of Pull: 13.75 in.
  • Weight: 6.5 lbs.
  • Overall Length: 42.25 in.
  • MSRP: $441
  • Manufacturer: O.F. Mossberg & Sons

A Sub-0 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg's Patriot PredatorPre-Testing

Before field testing, a dry patch was run down the bore of the rifle to clean any residual oil. I took advantage of the threaded muzzle and attached a SilencerCo Trifecta muzzle brake. I also checked the screws on the scope base and found them to be slightly loose. The scope base was removed, the screws were cleaned, dabbed with Rocksett thread lock and the scope base was re-attached. The trigger on the Predator rifle is adjustable between 2 to 7 pounds. For testing purposes, I left it at the factory setting which measured just shy of 3 pounds.  Since the majority of my testing would be done in the prone position, I built up the comb using some foam and athletic tape. Proper comb height mitigates issues related to parallax and, increases fitment and comfort.A Sub-0 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg's Patriot Predator

Accuracy

Accuracy testing was done at the family ranch, in the prone position. The target, an RE Factor Tactical Hitman Target,  was 100 yards away and stapled to an old wooden shed. For testing purposes, I used a Nikko Stirling Diamond 4-14X power rifle scope. During testing, I positioned myself so that wind would be at my back. This was to mitigate horizontal deflection related to aerodynamic jump.A Sub-0 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg's Patriot PredatorA Sub-0 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg's Patriot Predator

The results of the accuracy testing are represented in the pictures. From the pictures, you can see that the 140 grain Barnes Precision Match and the 127-grain Barnes VOR-TX LR hunting ammunition performed the best, printing .65 and .50 MOA 3-shot groups at 100 yards. Hornady’s offering also performed well. The 140 grain Hornady American Gunner held .75 MOA, while the 147-grain Hornady Match held 1 MOA. Hornady 147 ELD-X Hunter held .75 MOA. The round that performed the worst was the 130-grain OTM Match + round from PRIME. Typical groups from the PRIME ammunition were around at 1.25 MOA. For the long-range portion of testing, I chose to use the Hornady 147-grain Match ammunition, due to performance at 100 yards, and the fact that I had a significant amount available.A Sub-0 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg's Patriot PredatorA Sub-0 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg's Patriot Predator

Field Testing

For the long-range portion of the test, I wanted to push the Mossberg Patriot Predator out to 1000 yards. I believe that a well-made rifle, regardless of barrel profile, when paired with good glass, and good ammunition should be able to hit an 18-inch target at 1000 yards. For the long-range portion of the test, I set up an 18 and 24-inch steel target. During my field test, I shot the Mossberg Patriot Predator at 100, 200, 450, 800, 1000 and 1800 yards. Field conditions for the test were less than ideal. I had a 1/2 value, 15 – 20 mph wind that alternated from 2 o’clock to 10 o’clock. The wind, combined with the dry air created a dense mirage that periodically obscured the steel targets. With that said, I had first round hits all the way out to 1000 yards, and though I was shooting at a relatively large target, the rounds were at least MOA. Things got interesting when we drove to the 1800 yard line. The mirage combined with the erratic wind would make this shot difficult. Shrugging off the perceived challenges, I took a wind reading with my Kestrel, grabbed D.O.P.E. from the Applied Ballistics mobile application on my phone and cooked off 10 rounds at the 24-inch target. Of the 10 rounds shot, 4 connected. Not bad for a thin barreled, lightweight factory rifle paired with factory ammunition!A Sub-0 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg's Patriot Predator

A Sub-0 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg's Patriot PredatorA Sub-0 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg's Patriot Predator

I have done a lot of coyote hunting, and I consider the Mossberg Patriot Predator rifle to be damn near perfect for the task. In my opinion, a good coyote rifle should be lightweight, accurate and rugged. The trigger should be crisp and predictable. The straight comb, though not optimal for heavy use in the prone position, is excellent for shooting in a sitting position of a tripod or shooting sticks. Since the Mossberg comes from the factory with a threaded barrel, an end user can attach a muzzle brake or suppressor to mitigate recoil and observe hits, or misses.

A Sub-0 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg's Patriot PredatorThe Best Caliber

What is a good caliber for hunting coyotes? I prefer a round with a high ballistic coefficient, flat trajectory and a lot of energy for a quick ethical kill. Of late, I have been moving towards the 6.5 Creedmoor for all of my hunting and competition work. 6.5 Creedmoor is accurate, has a flat trajectory and bucks the wind better than its counterparts. The round itself can ethically kill deer and antelope and would make short work of a coyote. If I wanted to merely kill coyotes, I would opt for the Barnes VOR-TX LR or Hornady ELD-X precision Hunter rounds. If I wanted to harvest coyotes for their fur, I would use a match round and punch a round through the heart and lungs. I have found that MATCH rounds do not damage the pelt as much as a hunting round, but require better-shot placement for an ethical kill. If the 6.5 Creedmoor is not your thing, pick an accurate round with a high ballistic coefficient, mild recoil, and a flat trajectory.

A Sub-0 Bolt-Action Ringing Steel At 1,800 Yards — Mossberg's Patriot PredatorLasting Impressions

The Mossberg Patriot Predator rifle is a fantastic piece of hardware. It is lightweight, well made and very accurate. As its name implies, the rifle would excel at hunting coyotes, but it would also be perfect for any large game in North America. The Mossberg Patriot predator would make a fantastic “ranch” or back-country rifle. I recommend the 6.5 Creedmoor version of this rifle, due to the inherent accuracy of the round. The rifle I tested was not made for long range shooting, but as demonstrated, you can see that I stretched the range on this particular rifle. The Mossberg Patriot Predator was a joy to shoot, and unlike other rifles I have tested,  I did not have to “fight the rifle” during testing.  These rifles retail for around $350, which for the performance you get, is a steal.

To purchase a Mossberg Patriot on GunsAmerica, click here.

For more information about the Mossberg Patriot Predator, click here.

For more information about Barnes ammunition, click here.

For more information about Hornady ammo, click here.

 

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  • ACE September 3, 2020, 10:27 am

    Good article. I purchased a Mossberg 6.5 Creedmoor, last year for deer season. Sighted it in and was impressed (for me) with it’s accuracy out to 400 yds. Which is about 200 yds further than any shot I’ll probably make. I zero’d it in at 100 yds, using Winchester Deer Season Xp. First day of rifle season, knocked down a management doe at 165 yds, with a pinpoint drop shot. Two weeks later, dropped an 8 pt at about 180 yds. I was on a budget, and I paid $349/combo w/Vortex Crossfire II scope, out the door. Great gun period. Even greater, if you’re on a budget.

  • Mark Potter June 9, 2020, 7:35 pm

    I wish you had posted a pic with the comb built up. Since it is not an adjustable stock that was interesting…. but I am guessing not something I would do because it “sounds” ghetto. Maybe its not. We’ll never know now.

  • Taylor May 8, 2020, 10:11 pm

    Jesus Christ there is a lot of backseat driving in this comment thread. if you don’t like the article, there’s a simple solution. Hit the backspace button and read something else.

  • Rene April 13, 2020, 1:54 pm

    Sorry but I found it. The answer to my question. Nikko Stirling Diamond 4-14X power rifle scope.

    Thank you,
    Rene

  • Rene April 13, 2020, 1:51 pm

    Hi Thomas Gomez,

    Great article about the Mossberg’s Patriot Predator.
    Could you please tell me the brand, model scope that was used on this particular review?

    Thank you,
    Rene

  • SD April 13, 2020, 10:06 am

    I have three 6.5 Creedmoors. One Mossberg, one Ruger and one T/C. I would put the Mossberg in last place of the three. The accuracy is there yes, but the trigger pull is very gritty. I sent it back to the factory and it came back the same. I’ve adjusted it as per instructions and sent it back to the factory a second time….no change. It sucks and I’ll not buy another Mossberg rifle again.

  • Chris April 13, 2020, 10:05 am

    I like the looks and I like the price. My poor poor right shoulder though, does not like recoil at all. I would like to try one of these in .223/5.56 but they’re not listed on Mossberg’s site. The only Mossberg I currently own is a model 500 pump shotgun that’s so old it never had a serial number. It’s been a great gun although I seldom shoot it any more. It was bought as a predator remover because my wife likes her livestock. Now the only predators it might face would be in my house and on two legs, but I’m sure it would work just fine for those too if I wasn’t able to grab one of my handguns.
    Given how reliable and easy to shoot my shotgun has been, I’m sure one of these would be a great rifle to have and shoot.
    I hope they add the .223/5.56. If they do I’ll be down to my local gun shop as soon as I find out they’re available.

  • Steve Bean April 13, 2020, 7:35 am

    Not really a rifle shooter, but enjoyed your article and comments.

  • Walt December 22, 2018, 2:27 am

    I know this article came out a year ago, but I just read it. Great review of the Mossberg Patriot Predator. I have several 6.5 caliber rifles. 6.5 Grendel, 6.5 creedmoor, 6.5-06, 6.5 PRC. I found one of these Mossbergs on sale for $329 so I bought it. Should make a great ranch rifle.

    Thanks again.

  • John April 23, 2018, 10:49 am

    Thanks for the review Thomas. With your review I decide to throw myself in the 6.5 mix. I like my browning .270 Win, but I am only comfortable with it out to 350 yards. Looking for a little more distance rifle for mule deer and elk. As for Coyote hunting also depends on your demographics. Maybe where some of these people live there is plenty of game to sustain the populations of the predator numbers. But here in Nevada with drought conditions cattle are more of a target, so are domestic animals as they are easier to prey on, lack of other animals because water is in short supply, and competing with foxes, bobcats and the occasional mountain lion. We need to keep populations under control as to keep the ecosystem balanced. Also, I am going with the new Vortex strike eagle 4-24x 50mm for optics.

  • Jim Remsburg December 18, 2017, 3:03 pm

    This weapon could be fielded as shown for >$1K US?

    • Thomas Gomez February 5, 2018, 1:31 am

      Scope and rifle? Around $800.

    • Tim Goslin February 25, 2018, 8:06 pm

      The picture with the vortex pst you said you used used a niko sterling scope ?? I call bullshit

      • Thomas Gomez July 3, 2018, 11:42 pm

        I used the Nikko. Feel free to come out to NM and I will show you how it is done.

  • kerry purcell December 18, 2017, 9:10 am

    another story promoting way too far of ranges on hunting animals,,deer and antelope you say ? with the small 6.5 creedmore,,sure its a good deer cartridge,,,,,,,but not at the extreme range talk,,,,,,,this whole idea, that animals are paper targets way out in the next zipcode,leaves me cold,,,,,,,,as far as the coyote debate,,,,we dont kill them all,the rabbits ,gophers and voles get out of control when there is not many coyotes,,,,,,its pays to leave some,,,,

    • Nashoba December 18, 2017, 9:39 pm

      Yep, you are right Kerry. I have stopped hunting but still shoot. My hunting rifle up until I quit was a Browning 1885 Highwall 7MM Rem Magnum. It would put three bullets through the same hole and have five holes all touching at 100 yards, as long as I did my part. Great hunting rifle. But 375 to 400 yards was as far as I ever shot it when hunting. Just did not want to take a chance of not getting a clean kill with one shot, as the rifle was a single shot. And I never had to shoot twice at any game with that rifle. One shot per animal in about 20 years. Great gun. Last time I ever needed to shoot anything at 500 yards was during the winter/Spring of 1969-1970 when I was in Basic and AIT at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO. And the rifle was an M14.

    • Thomas Gomez February 5, 2018, 1:35 am

      Where did I talk about long range hunting in this article? If you can kill it with a .270 Winchester, you can kill it with a 6.5 Creedmoor. The distance at which you harvest animals is up to you. My personal limit is 600 yards, even though I have the knowledge, skill set and hardware (300 WSM) to kill animals at 1k.

      In regard to killing coyotes, as long as they leave my calves alone, we leave them alone.

      • James Casey October 15, 2019, 8:17 pm

        I’m glad you did this test and review and posted it on here. I have several rifles and wanted to try the 6.5 so I found me one and I got it in the Mossberg Patriot and I really like it. I have the Athlone 6+24+50 ffp on it scope cost more than the rifle but it’s a good set up and I love it just as much as my bdls or any other rifles I have.

    • Sweet Shot February 5, 2018, 2:15 pm

      you sound so salty. maybe you can hit anything at long range.

    • Charles April 13, 2020, 5:19 am

      Correct

      • Charles smith April 13, 2020, 9:10 am

        Will any of these bolt action riffles that have a clip use any of larger AR 15 clips?

        Thanks

  • Ricky Price December 18, 2017, 9:10 am

    Just wish they would put 24 inch barrels on them. I would buy one then.

  • srsquidizen December 18, 2017, 8:01 am

    I figured some argument would ensue due to the author’s use of the word “ethical kill” when he should have said “humane kill”. I’m glad his accuracy with a rifle is better than his accuracy with the English language. The killing of what animal under what circumstances is a highly subjective and complicated matter with regard to the “ethics” of doing so. The “ethics” of some people are so weird they think an omnivore species (that’s us) should unnaturally refrain from eating meat. Others like myself believe all hunting that is beneficial (or at least not harmful) to the balance of nature is ethically acceptable.
    But whether the animal dies instantly or suffers pain before dying is a much simpler matter. Only a sadist would prefer the latter. All responsible hunters want the game being taken to die instantly if that can be accomplished, and all should hone their skills and choose their equipment toward making that the result. “Ethical kill” should only be used to distinguish legal hunting from illegal and/or environmentally harmful hunting.

    • Nashoba December 18, 2017, 9:43 pm

      +1

    • Thomas Gomez February 5, 2018, 6:13 pm

      An ethical kill is where I shoot the animal, and it fall down and quickly dies. For mule deer hunting I look for a bullet that is still going about 1800 fps and packing at least 1000 foot lbs of energy. That will usually dictate how far I will shoot a large animal. My personal limit is 600 yards. At 600 yards a 143 grain 6.5 CM is going about 2020 feet per second and packing around 1300 ft/lbs of energy. Perfect for a quick kill. For a large bodied elk I still want at least 1800 fps, but in regard to energy I want at least 1500 ft/lbs. For a 6.5 CM that is about 450 yards. With that said, if I am hunting Elk with my 6.5 Creedmoor my limit is 450 yards.

      I have no idea why you would think I would want an animal to slowly die or be in unnecessary pain.

      • John Doe February 22, 2019, 12:40 pm

        If you hadn’t replied, you would have been better off. He didn’t say you “think I would want an animal to slowly die or be in unnecessary pain”. I understood what you meant in the article, even though I agree that the word “ethical” was not as good of a word choice as “humane” or even “clean” kill.

        Regardless – replies like that make an author look bad. Sometimes it’s better just to accept the criticism even if you don’t agree with it.

    • Chris April 13, 2020, 9:53 am

      I think you’re nitpicking. It seemed extremely obvious to me that an “ethical” kill would be humane. Not only that but it would be legal and also good for the environment. What environment would determine whether or not a kill would be ethical.
      An “ethical” kill would automatically include being a “humane” kill.

  • Brian December 14, 2017, 8:09 am

    Great article! You mentioned that you used a Nikko optic, however, your picture shows a Vortex. Can you please provide the specs on this scope?

    • Thomas Gomez February 5, 2018, 6:01 pm

      Hi Brian. it was the Nikko Stirling Diamond 4-16 FFP Scope. Perfect for 1000 yards and in.

  • Charles Stebbins November 8, 2017, 12:53 am

    I am confused. I see two targets and four boxes of ammo. I guess this is just a “background” for the picture but it gives the impression that the groups were shot with that ammo. I think it would be more “honest” to show the box with an actual group shot with the ammo from that box, or use a different background. Otherwise I enjoyed your article.

    • Travis Ryan November 13, 2017, 9:39 am

      Charles, don’t be confused. He shot more than one group out of each box….WOW.

  • MB November 7, 2017, 6:27 pm

    Wow! I have never taken shots at 1800yards, though have shot extensively with rifles costing thousands of dollars and using handholds that are chronographed and tuned to obtain groups that measure less than an MOA out to around 1000 yards.
    You took a $300 rifle and similarly priced scope with a few select boxes of factory ammo and “rang the gong” at 1,800 yards? Granted, you were spraying and praying. What’s the point?

    • DaveGinOly November 8, 2017, 8:13 am

      Someone with experience with multi-thousand dollar rifles who has never shot at 1800 is denigrating the accomplishment of using an inexpensive rifle and scope, and factory ammunition, to get 4 hits out of 10 at that range? Get real! Spraying and praying is what was done a few weeks ago when a long-range hit “record” was made on the 37th shot (with no attempt to repeat the feat). Forty percent hits on a 24″ target at 1800 yards (under less than ideal conditions) is pretty damn good shooting.

    • Thomas Gomez November 9, 2017, 1:03 pm

      Spraying and Praying? I fired 10 rounds in the worst conditions, using a finicky scope and a cheap bolt action rifle. It was a demonstration that you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to make a shot like that. I will be going to the range in the near future with fancy Howa and my $2000 scope and I am going to see if I can push the 6.5 CM to 2000 yards.
      I hope this finds you well.

    • Tom December 18, 2017, 4:25 am

      Sounds like someone has “equipment envy.” Get over yourself!

    • J Brooks December 18, 2017, 10:12 am

      MB, what’s your point? In less than ideal conditions he hit the target at extremely long range to see if he could. He had first hits out to 1000yds. Remember this is a $450 rifle and that is pretty impressive….

  • RJC November 6, 2017, 4:37 pm

    Question regarding article, how many moa was your holdover? My ballistic calculator a 6.5 Creedmore with Hornady 147 match bullet has stated factory muzzle velocity from of 2653 FPS. This would mean you would have at least a bull bullet drop of over 950 inches ( 75 ft) at 1800 yards?
    I know the 6.5 Creedmore is a great round, but I question 1800 yards?

    • Thomas Gomez November 9, 2017, 1:21 pm

      Hello RJC
      For the shot I used the Nikko Stirling Diamon 4-14 FFP reticle. I zeroed on the top mil dot in the reticle, essentially a poor mans Horus, which gave me 19 mils of hold over in the reticle. For 1800 yards I needed about 22’ish mils. So I held 19 mils and dialed 3 mils. I did not have full value wind so I did not have to worry about Aerodynamic Jump. Density Altitude was around 8000 feet. Temperatures were around 65 degrees and my average muzzle velocity was 2,644. Due to the nasty mirage, I dialed down magnification to around 10x. Biggest issue with the Nikko was to have consistent head placement to mitigate parallax issues. I mounted the scope so there was a slight shadow around the edges.

      The 6.5 Creemoor is a fantastic round, and I recently attended a long range shooting class, and I had a higher hit percentage then a gentlemen using a custom 300 win mag cooking off fancy 215 grain Bergers. For long range, you need concentric bullets with even velocities. Hornady’s 147 grain Match round’s have a G1 BC around .6. Outstanding round. I am going to jump on my fancy high end Howa 6.5 CM and push that round to 2k in the near future.

      I hope this finds you well.

      • RJC November 10, 2017, 11:15 am

        Thanks for information. Good luck with the Howa 6.5 CM at 2000 yards. Hope you can maintain bullet stability at that distance .

  • Rogue November 6, 2017, 4:27 pm

    Great article. I have some accurate fairly long range rifles but they are also fairly heavy so it’s good to see the great accuracy of a lightweight, inexpensive easy recoil rifle. I thought I had bought my last rifle but this has me thinking.
    As to Coyotes Jim has a good point but around my neck of the woods they have become responsible for killing a lot of local dogs, including a beagle of mine. A close by neighbor had one attack his dog as well. It’s when their numbers grow and they pack up that they are the most dangerous to our pets and to small game that we like to hunt.
    I have a feeling Willie don’t understand what “Length of Pull” means.

  • william wessels November 6, 2017, 4:06 pm

    Well written and researched. Thank you. Lived in Clarkston Washington for a number of years when I was younger and met Elmer Keith in Lewiston Idaho (Just across the Snake river form Clarkston). I enjoyed his articles very much. I think that if you keep up this quality of good work you will follow in his footsteps. I am a Vietnam veteran and was recruited heavily to be a sniper and went through the quick kill program in basic training. I certainly did not wish to be a sniper (thought I wanted to be a pilot) and ended up eventually in a much worse scenario than if I had been a sniper. Live and learn (maybe).

    • Thomas Gomez November 6, 2017, 11:41 am

      Thank you for your service William. I hope this finds you well.

  • Mike H. November 6, 2017, 1:29 pm

    A while back You had an article about the 6.5 Creedmoor round. One of Your readers, I don’t remember who,said the round was anemic. I have been shooting this round for a while now. I have taken a couple of deer with it with no problem whatsoever. Maybe he needs to learn how to shoot.

  • Pitt2500 November 6, 2017, 1:19 pm

    Was your long distance shooting done prone or off the tripod?
    Great article on a nice REASONABLY priced shooting “rig”!!!

    • Thomas Gomez November 8, 2017, 4:24 pm

      Hello Pitt

      Shooting was done off a Harris bipod.

      I hope this finds you well!

  • DagoBert November 6, 2017, 12:01 pm

    I have a Mossberg Patriot in .243 Winchester and one in .308 Winchester. With the rigbt factory loads accuracy similar to Tom’s is easily achievable with both.
    I wish that he would have allowed the Patriot’s secret of accuracy and affordability to remain secret.

    • Thomas Gomez November 9, 2017, 1:23 pm

      Hello Bert

      Thank you for the comment Sir.

      I hope this finds you well!

      – Thomas

      • DagoBert December 18, 2017, 7:09 am

        I am well, thank you, and hope that you are also.
        I have read your piece about the Patriot again and decided that it would be acceptable for me to have another Patriot rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor.
        Santa Claus has been notified and (she) seems to have approved the acquisition.

        Thank you for the information in your piece and, equally important, that in your replies to comments.

  • john November 6, 2017, 9:29 am

    I do not know what rock you have been living under, but Weatherby has been guaranteeing their rifles for a very long time.

  • Terry November 6, 2017, 8:50 am

    The article stated “1:10-in. twist”. I couldn’t believe they would put that twist on a 6.5 creed so I checked the manufactures website and indeed its “1:8 twist”.

    • Laura Kovarik November 6, 2017, 2:39 pm

      Terry,

      Thank you for bringing that our attention. It was a typo. We’ve since updated the SPEC list.

      Best,
      Laura

  • Springwater Steve November 6, 2017, 8:31 am

    Great article. One question; in the article you said the rifle you tested had a Nikko Sterling scope, but the picture shows a Vortex scope. Did the companies merge or just an ooops?
    P.s. – I have Nikko’s on more than one rifle, and for the money they can’t be beat!

    • Thomas Gomez November 6, 2017, 11:45 am

      Hello Steve,
      All testing was done with the Nikko Stirling. Good scopes, they have a few quirks, but overall they perform well. After I tested the Patriot, I pulled the Nikko off for another review. When I did the product shots, I simply threw on a Vortex and took my photos. Good eye!

      I hope this finds you well. Thanks for sharing your experiences with Nikko Stirlings!

  • Jim November 6, 2017, 8:19 am

    I find myself asking folks like you lately what is up with shooting coyotes. I am on a ranch in Oregon with a large coyote population. They don’t bother the cattle and their diet consists primarily of voles and sage rats. If the coyotes go away those two species become intolerable. In all my years of ranching I can count on one hand the number of times that I’ve come across or witnessed coyote predation involving the deer or elk. Heck…cars and trucks killed 780 deer in my County alone in 2016. I mostly see younger guys shooting coyotes simply because they can. Just asking why you Do it if not just for fun. I don’t have much patience for people who just shoot animals for fun. Thanks.

    • Thomas Gomez November 6, 2017, 11:51 am

      Hello Jim.

      The only times I will kill coyotes on the ranch, is if they are actually killing calves. If they are leaving the calves alone, we leave them alone. A ranchers best friend is a pack of coyotes that doesn’t kill calves, because they keep other potential calf killing coyotes off the ranch. As soon as we have calf die from a coyote we will do a cull. From my research, the more pressure you put on coyotes the more they will breed, and their litter size will increase. Fascinating animals. I personally do not enjoy killing animals, and with the exception of coyotes, will always eat what I kill.
      I hope this finds you well.

      • Mark N. April 13, 2020, 2:11 am

        Los Angeles has done similar research and come to the same conclusion: the more pressure you put on a pack, the faster it breeds to make up the losses. The key is finding the balance.

      • CaptRon April 13, 2020, 9:51 pm

        Thomas, you posted “and with the exception of coyotes, will always eat what I kill.” Damn, hope you never
        have and ole skunk gett’en your chickens that might need dispatching. Was told only Cajun’s dine on that
        fare. Levity intended…..

    • Scott Schwebe November 6, 2017, 5:26 pm

      Raising prairie dogs on a 5 acre “Ranch” is not a herd partner. Anyone that grew up on a ranch or farm knows why and if I have to explain it to a so called rancher I’d say your a keyboard rancher for sure.

    • Alan November 7, 2017, 12:28 pm

      And I don’t have patience for folk that push their silly ethics on hunting and alleged “killing for fun” either.
      Perhaps you should learn about ‘conservation’, and realize that if you intend to go down that path, become a vegan.
      I can respect a vegan, I cannot respect those that allow others to kill for them (for whatever the reason, killing is killing, period)while criticizing those that kill for themselves in legal pursuit of that kill.
      Poaching and wanton waste is a different matter, and not analogous here.
      I kill Coyotes and Prairie Dogs legally all the time, for you to put your false ethics on me is insulting, and demonstrates gross ignorance of Conservation and game management.

    • ES November 13, 2017, 12:47 pm

      I find killing coyotes or anything “just because i can” ignorant of the fact that these animals serve a great purpose and do not need to be target practice. I could not agree more that if a coyote is not killing domestic farm animals then by all means let them clean out the voles and sage rats. Just my two cents and i realize this irritates Alan. As for me, I’d never shoot an animal that can assist removing the above without having to use alternative means.

      • Alan November 14, 2017, 11:15 am

        And again, you and others don’t understand Conservation, or you would understand too many of any animal is NOT a good thing for that species, nor others.
        The real ignorance is that many of you don’t think the various States Dept. of Wildlife control these animals take, if it’s LEGAL, it’s most likely because that D.O.W. has determined it’s necessary.
        Too many coyote, not enough rabbits, or other species for them to live on ALSO means not enough for certain Raptors, fox or other predator species.
        It’s an entire ECO SYSTEM, and apparently beyond some peoples grasp to understand.
        This is especially true of coyotes, an animal that has taken over in many parts of the country, and has become a problem species for many D.O.W.’s, killing too many fawns and eating themselves and other species out of house and home.
        The fact that I have to explain this to ADULTS is absolutely unreal.
        And on a gun forum no less.

        • Tom December 18, 2017, 4:32 am

          Well said, Alan. Some people are quite content making sure that facts don’t interfere with their preconceived notions and uninformed judgments.

        • Chris April 13, 2020, 9:31 am

          In the town where I live, it’s 2 blocks to the Walmart and a Smith’s, a couple of pharmacies, 1 block from a brake shop, a car wash/tinting place, half a block to a pain management center, and I have coyotes living in a vacant area adjacent to my property.

    • SD April 13, 2020, 10:00 am

      I have a friend that put a trail camera on a coyote den in the summer. In one month he got photos of the mother coyote bringing back 17 fawns to feed her young.

  • Willie November 6, 2017, 8:05 am

    Yeah, I don’ wanna gun with:
    Length of Pull: 13.75 in.
    It’d take me forever to pull the trigger.

    • Thomas Gomez November 6, 2017, 11:52 am

      Hello Willie

      Length of pull does not relate to trigger weight, but the length of the gunstock.
      I hope this finds you well.

  • mtman2 November 6, 2017, 7:17 am

    Very interesting but not surprising.
    With almost perfect sectional density and ballistic co-efficiency of the 6.5 bullet= not needing high velocity for quite decent trajectory with a fast twist barrel in which penetratration was unequalled.
    The Swedes accomplished this science of balance 125yrs ago with their 6.5 caliber cartridge configuration’s in quality high grade rifles in
    the Mauser 94, 96, 38 + 42B Ljungman semiauto- which was the forerunner of the AR15 design,.
    Finally the US. Military woke up to the superiority and very favorable ballistics of the 6.5 caliber.

    • Thomas Gomez November 6, 2017, 5:14 pm

      Hello,
      You are 100% correct. I want to try a 2000 yard shot with a 6.5×55 Swede. I am new to the 6.5’s, but my colleague Phil Massaro has been ranting and raving about them forever.
      Thanks for the comment! I hope this finds you well.

  • Pete November 6, 2017, 6:14 am

    Great review Tom!

    • Thomas Gomez November 7, 2017, 8:23 pm

      Thank you Sir.

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