All posts by coldboremiracle

A Stalk to Die for

October 26, 2025huntingDeer, deer hunting, howa, howa mini, mule deercoldboremiracle

Preface

Spot and stalk Mule deer hunting is at the top of many hunters list of to-do’s. Living at the forefront of the Wasatch range of the Rocky Mountains, I often get to practice this style of hunting. The romantic allure of outsmarting one of these bucks is a draw for sure. Today I bring you a story of a stalk to die for, perhaps one of my best executed spot and stalks. And it was sealed with blood and sweat, instead of the more common sweat and disappointment. To add even more value to this hunt, my sweet tiny wife was along to run the trigger for this hunt. And it served as the crown jewel to a hunting season littered with success. Our kids had already shot three deer this week, and we had packed out every one of them. So as the sun began to rise yesterday, I could still feel every pound and mile in my sore legs and feet.

deer hunting, mule deer, — Santiago packing out part of his buck earlier this week. Hiding under all that mess is his **Browning X-Bolt 2** and suppressed by the **Banish Backcountry can**

Sunrise

It was the morning of the seventh day of our Utah Mule deer general season. Our success this year had been above average, as I had yet to see anyone else harvest a buck on the same mountain we hunted. Due to an unanticipated change in plans, instead of watching the sunrise from our typical ridge-top spot at 8500 feet above sea level we started at the bottom of our valley.

From the foothills where I grew up hiking and camping as a kid, we watched the red morning light creep across the frosted landscape. My wife, our youngest and I peered through glass looking for deer. My expectations were low, as several days of prior scouting hadn’t turned up anything worth a second look, at least not down here, but things were about to change.

From roughly a mile and a half away, I picked out a couple does feeding on an open grassy area. As I broadened my search area around them, I picked out another deer that was instantly identified by his boney headwear. From that distance I wasn’t sure of an actual count on points, I just knew he would certainly do.

mule deer, deer hunting, — our buck, seen through the **Nikon Monarch 82mm Fieldscope** from nearly two miles away

A Plan

For several hours, and moving several times to relocate him, we watched this buck move. He was the only buck we’d seen this morning, and I didn’t want him to get away. We followed him across several faces, until it seemed he was ready to bed down. He had been closely following the two does, perhaps in some pre-rut activity based on his body language. They finally slowed down, and fed in an open area in a small bowl. I knew why they’d chosen that spot, it was rugged and thick enough to provide ample security, and far enough away from people to avoid contact. Unless of course they were being watched through my spotting scope off in the distance.

rokstad, vector optics, tripod, carbon fiber, nikon, fieldscope, Nikon Monarch 82ED-A Fieldscope — my **Nikon Monarch 82A Fieldscope** mounted on the **Rokstad carbon fiber tripod**

I knew the way to get to that bowl, and my plan was to hike in from the north. It would be about a mile and a half, gaining a couple thousand feet along the way. So we stuffed our packs accordingly, removing everything we didn’t need, and with enough snacks to wait them out through the afternoon.

The three of us carried our packs, and I carried my wife’s rifle in my Eberlestock Just One pack for comfort. Her rifle is a Howa Mini chambered in 6 ARC, she has done very well with this rifle in the past. Today we would lean hard on the accuracy of the little ARC loaded with Hornady 105 grain BTHP match bullets.

hunting, deer hunting, — a turkey feather cunning placed as we climbed

The Approach

A few hours (and snacks) later, we had gained enough elevation to get into the bowl where the deer hid. To my great relief, the wind was moving perfect for our plan. It came from the side where the deer were expected to lay, and at a fairly constant 5-10 mph it blew in our faces. We’d came in high, as I’d planned to get a good look of the area. Over the course of another half-hour, we quietly snuck deeper into the bowl. Eventually finding the perfect hideout; a large rock structure with a grassy depression where we could build a hide and wait them out. Our position put us downwind, and above the suspected bedding area about two-hundred yards away.

For the next few hours we watched, and rested. Peering over the edge of our towering hide, we’d occasionally see a doe or two feeding about in the thick and thorny bottom.

Weather was inbound, and the 5-10 mph wind was increasing. The overcast skies looked to darken, and potentially bring rain. I felt an urgency building, despite having fought off the desire to bust in their bedroom guns-a-blazin’. So we changed our plan a bit, I sent Santiago our youngest on a mission. To circle around the bowl and get just close enough for the deer to notice him, which they certainly would. Meanwhile his mom and I would be watching from above.

Full-Circle

With my wife in position, she prepared for a shot that was coming. Finding the most steady position, resting the rifle over the rock’s edge. Santiago quickly reached the spot where we had planned, which turned out to be much closer than I’d thought to the deer’s beds. There he was instructed to chill, knowing full well that this kid would be loud enough that the deer would quickly get nervous.

This isn’t the first deer this little Howa Mini has taken

I could feel tension building, was the buck even in there? Had he slipped out already? Or could this possibly work out to be the most perfect stalk we’d ever executed? It was time to find out.

We watched in horror, as instead of sneaking out, three deer bounded from the thicket. But in the classic Mule deer practice, they stopped after only a few hops to look back at the twelve year old threat they had perceived. Mrs. Coldboremiracle was way ahead of them, spotting their very first movements and calling it out. And now our target stood there, just his head, neck and shoulders in view. With his haunches towards us, most of his back was slightly obscured by brush. One more hop was all he needed to disappear and live another day, but the ARC was about to bark.

Success

The shot broke, and the 105 grain bullet was on its way across the 250 or so yards to its target. It struck him at the back of his ribcage, with a heading directly for his heart. As it passed behind the ribs, it travelled under the spine disconnecting large plumbing arteries along the way. Eventually it reached the lungs, imparting what energy was left there.

The handsome buck did a bit of a stagger upon impact, and a split second later I saw him roll his head and topple. Then all I saw was feet-antlers-feet-antlers as he disappeared down a very steep and thick brush covered hill.

We hugged with excitement as the last eight hours culminated to this moment. Everything had worked out as though perfectly planned. We descended to meet Santiago, where all three of us moved in to find the buck. With such a high in the torso impact, there was less blood than I’d anticipated. But the disturbed ground where he tumbled was as obvious as blood. We approached the downed buck with huge smiles and excitement, as we had worked so much to reach this point.

A Fitting End

For the first time we got a good look at his antlers, he was a legit 4 by 5 with nice eye guards if you are an eyeguard kind of guy. We couldn’t have been more happy with him. We set him more comfortably to admire him, and revered his handsome looks. All three of us were incredibly grateful, and we quietly acknowledged the blessing we had just been given.

her rifle uses a **US Optics** riflescope and Maxim **Suppressor**

It was still half a mile back to a location were we could extricate him, so I ended up dragging him through rocks, brush and eventually yellow dry June grass. As the three of us maxed out on exhaustion, and hunger, it was a perfect fitting end to a week of the same. Seeing the buck in the bed of the truck gave amazing satisfaction, something I couldn’t have imagined eight hours earlier miles away.

The satisfaction only grows now, as he hangs outside cooling in the cold October night. He and the other deer will become tasty steaks, burgers, sausage and other delicious meals to feed our family over the next year. Though my legs still ache, I can’t wait for the next opportunity to do it again. And together with family makes it all the more valuable.

-CBM

For more hunting stories click here

Arken Optics EPL-4 6-24×50 Riflescope

October 22, 2025Optics, Product review6-24x50, arken, Arken Optics, epl-4, riflescope, scopecoldboremiracle

Preface

Among the many brands of optics available to you now, Arken Optics is one of the more affordable options. Toting their Japanese made lenses and other great features, Arken is well known for happy customers. We’ve seen some of their other scopes before like the EP5 model, which led me to get into this Arken Optics EPL-4 6-24×50 riflescope. I was looking for a good scope that wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg, it would be going on a custom rifle for a family member. It wouldn’t take long to figure out if I’d made the right selection.

Arken Optics, EPL-4, 6-24x50, riflescope, scope, unboxing, NIB, Arken

Unboxing the Arken Optics EPL-4

In my experience, Arken Optics come with a pretty no nonsense kind of packaging. Everything you need and nothing you don’t. The scope included a thread-on sunshade, which I really like. As well as an inexpensive bikini lens cover. Adequate instructions and a battery for the illuminated reticle were all there. There was little needed other than a pair of rings to get this scope mounted and on the range.

For that I chose a simple pair or Warne 30mm medium rings. They set the scope close to the bore, and allowed proper eye relief for the scope. They also offer some custom flip caps for this model that I will have to get later.

remington 700, 25-06, 25-06 remington, two vets tripod, cole tac, carbon fiber, arken optics, epl-4

A Rifle to Match

This scope would be married to a custom Remington 700 chambered in 25-06. Together I hoped they’d sing a beautiful and accurate song. Using the above mentioned rings, I mounted the scope to the picatinny rail, and adjusted it for level and eye relief. Once that was done, I torqued everything down evenly.

Then it was time to boresight the scope at the range. I centered the target in the bore of the supported rifle. And carefully adjusted the reticle to the same location. You can read more about how its done here.

It only took a few shots to get the rifle zeroed, and I was quite happy with the consistency. After shooting several groups to confirm, I set to zero the turrets of the EPL-4. This was easy following the directions. I loosened the turret set-screw, and turned the turret to zero carefully paying attention that no clicks were felt or heard. Once on zero, I retightened the set screws. The windage turret uses a hand tightened cap, that doesn’t need any tools. And it can be either capped or used openly.

Zero-stop

After checking everything for proper function, it was time to set the very easy zero stop. The stop functions using a screw that when set in place hits an internal stop, preventing the turret from being turned past zero in the down direction. The hex-bit screw is in the top of the turret, and it is secured by a second set screw that goes in the side of the turret.

You loosen the set -screw, then you can tighten the zero-stop screw in from the top until it stops. It should engage when you dial the turret down to zero, and should stop hard on zero. Once you’ve got that done, tighten the set-screw, and you are ready to go.

mule deer, deer hunting, remington 700, 25-06, arken optics, dead air, nomad, suppressor,

Field Shooting with the EPL-4

As with other Arken scopes I’ve used, I found the optical performance to be great. Considering the price of these scopes I think they punch above their weight. Using the scope in the big country of the Rocky Mountains gave ample opportunity to evaluate the scopes performance. Later, we would take the rifle on a deer hunt in the deserts of Southern Utah.

Quality

I would say this, you can tell Arken Optics are made to meet a lower price point. I think they are going after a portion of the shooting market where people want a great performing scope for under 500 dollars or even less.

Focus adjustment, as well as parallax was smooth and precise. Tension and clicks of the controls were exactly what I’d want. The illumination and its control was easy on the eyes, and having an off setting between brightness.

remington 700, 25-06, arken optics, dead air, nomad, suppressor, Arken EPL-4, 6-24,

That’s not to say the scopes aren’t built well, you can just see that they focused hard on making the features most shooters want. And they did it without spending an exorbitant amount on many of the components, keeping price reasonable. All that said, I believe your average shooting enthusiast upon unboxing and looking through an Arken scope, would be happy with their purchase.

Durability

While this particular scope is just getting started (and its off to a great start), I have several friends who have been running this and similar Arken scopes for some time. I look forward to seeing how this scope continues to stand up to our use, and I will update this as we build history with it. But based on my experience and those I trust, I expect this scope will far outlast my expectations.

Value

Value seems to be a massive part of Arken Optics operation. It wasn’t that long ago that I would have expected to pay well over a thousand dollars for a scope with these features. The optical performance is even comparable to scopes that cost triple the price as little as 10-15 years ago. When I first got started in this game decades ago, a three to four-hundred dollar scope for a precision rifle would have been taboo. Most would have considered it junk at that price, but today I find myself quite happy with them.

Last Thoughts

Once again, I find myself impressed with how well a relatively inexpensive rifle scope performs. Like other Arken Optics I’ve used before, this one seems to be a great buy. There are scopes with much more bells and whistles. But if you are looking for a quality scope with most of the features like FFP, Milling reticle, 8 MRAD turrets, zero-stop, and so on, these scopes are a great option.

-CBM

Check out more optics reviews here

A Junior Mule Deer Pro-Am

October 21, 2025huntingbrothers, Deer, deer hunting, hunting, mule deercoldboremiracle

Preface

Few things are more satisfying than watching your children grow up. As a hunter, the same thing can be said about watching your children grow into successful hunters. Some of you might have followed me long enough to have seen my son grow into a successful hunter. But today’s story is about both his latest and our youngest boy’s first deer hunting experience. Today’s exciting adventure is in jest; a junior Mule Deer pro-am.

The Pro

My Ridley has been hunting since he reached our state’s legal hunting age of 12. His very first year he managed to shoot both a Mule Deer and a cow elk using his little custom Remington 700 that I built for him that year. He must’ve inherited some shooting skill, because this kid has been a dead ringer from the start. His first deer was taken with a clean single shot at 490 yards, and his first elk from a touch further. He has repeatedly made some impressive shots over the years shooting nothing but that short little rifle. Whether it be shooting supported off a backpack at extremely high angles, or shooting an escaping deer bounding off through brush.

His rifle has always craved the same load, a simple one using PRVI 120 grain BTHP match bullets. Nestled over a load of Benchmark powder producing just shy of 2800FPS, this load has put a LOT of deer and elk meat in our freezer.

Junior first elk, ridley, elk, cow elk, — And his first elk 2016

The rifle has always used a small LPVO, which I have found easier for inexperienced marksmen to find targets. It currently has a US Optics 1-8 power scope on it, but it may be time for something with a little more magnification as Junior is inexperienced no longer.

The Amateur

Santiago on the other hand, is in his rookie year of big game hunting. He has shown even more interest in shooting and hunting than his older siblings. Add to that having grown up watching everybody else have success, his excitement and desire to hunt himself are at an all-time high as hunting season began this year.

He’s spent a lot of time behind a riflescope, accompanying me on countless shooting and hunting expeditions. Everything involving outdoors, guns and hunting seem to appeal to this young man. And with his first Mule Deer hunt approaching, he asked for extra opportunities to practice and sharpen his own shooting skills. And to be candid I have been impressed with both his passion and skill when it comes to shooting well.

howa, mini, 22 ARC, lucid optics, MLX, silencerco, omega 36m, suppressor, — hunting varmints has been good practice

For his rookie season, we chose the Browning X-Bolt 2. I typically start young shooters off with something a little lighter on recoil, but Santiago also drew a cow elk tag for later this winter. I wanted him to have and become proficient with a rifle that would do well for both elk and deer. This ruled out using some of the typically smaller caliber rifles we had in inventory. The 308 Winchester X-Bolt uses a Vector Optics 2-12×44 riflescope, tipped with a Banish Backcountry suppressor to keep things tolerable. He had spent a great deal of time learning how to use this combination, hoping to be ready when the time came.

Browning, x-bolt, x-bolt 2, x-bolt speed, 308 win, vector optics, continental, 2-12x44, banish backcountry suppresor, — Earlier this summer hard at practice

Sunrise

With the first signs of light peeking in the east, we found ourselves at the top of a Rocky Mountain ridge near 8500 feet above sea level. It had snowed up here a day or so prior, which still lingers in the high altitude freezing air temps. The hard frozen snow crunched under boots as we endured a strong wind cresting over the ridge.

We spotted a group of deer on a distant ridge below us, I was hoping to find something much closer based on historical experience. But after spending more time than I’d of liked looking, there were almost no other deer that were out braving the freezing wind with us. So in perhaps a hasty decision, I told the kids to grab their packs and gear so we could go after them. Besides the two boys, my Daughter Bria also came along. We decided to leave her rifle behind as we’d only seen two bucks in the group, and even if we’d seen more she could shoot one of the boy’s rifles. The rugged and steep pursuit demanded taking as little gear as possible.

The Stalk

Once we were dedicated to the stalk, we moved quickly. I knew we were making a descent that would be unpleasant to return from. But the sooner we got a deer on the ground it would be that much less ground we’d have to ascend on our return. Keeping the ridge between us and the group of deer, we moved fast and into the wind that still blew uphill into our faces.

deer hunting, mule deer, eberlestock, — shameless plug for my **Eberlestock Just One pack**, that made packing out a lot of deer comfortable

We closed the distance to 470 yards, where our cover ran out. Moving closer would have severely compromised our surreptitious approach, and the deer would have easily spotted us moving across the open sagebrush. We picked out a high perch, with room for both boys to setup their rifles. An added benefit to our approach was the sun rising directly behind us, which made it even harder for the deer to see us.

As Ridley looked through his riflescope, I ranged the deer again, trying to see where the buck stood among them. Ridley spotted him first, as I helped Santiago get in place. Ridley pronounced he was ready, and Santiago prepared to back him up should the deer try and escape.

Time to Kill

Ridley initially held 3 MRAD over the buck’s shoulder, who was quartering away to the left. His initial shot went right over the buck, who didn’t react. So he fired a second this time holding 2.5 MRAD, this shot landed perfectly hitting at the back of the buck’s ribcage and traversed the vital zone stopping just under the right shoulder. The buck jumped as he was hit, and bounded a few times before he piled up and slid down the steep hill.

The four of us celebrated in our triumph. But there was still another buck, who stepped out after the commotion of the first deer. The boys both quickly returned to their scopes, as we identified which of the deer was the remaining buck. After Santiago had found the buck, and identified him to both Ridley and I, the rookie was cleared hot for his first real kill shot.

The young buck stood broadside nearly five-hundred yards downhill from us, looking our way. With his rifle doped for the distance, and steady behind the rifle, Santiago announced he was ready and we all watched. The shot broke, and the buck jumped as though he had been hit. He lept uphill running across a flat area, my initial thought was he moved like an uninjured deer. But after about forty or so yards, he slowed and turned, before doing a faceplant into the snow. There he scrambled around for a moment trying to get back up, but he slid into a bed under the brush for one last time. Once again, we cheered and excitedly exchanged hugs and high-fives.

Double Recovery

All four of us found our way down the ridge, where we searched a moment for the second buck. He had fallen in some tall brush which made him harder to find. Once we’d found him, Santiago got to put hands on his first deer. Watching kids soak up the experience is great for a dad too.

We took a few pictures as the boys recounted what had happened, and discussed what they’d each seen as the events unfolded earlier. Santiago’s shot was placed perfectly, the broadside shot had hit the deer just behind his right shoulder, and came through the left shoulder. The 175 Sierra Match King X left an exit wound around three-inches in diameter, with bits of bone fragments coming out. We did some quick forensic analysis, then we hurried over to the edge of the ridge to find the first deer that Ridley had shot.

deer hunting, mule deer, kids, children, browning, x bolt 2, 308 win, vector optics 2-12x44, banish backcountry suppressor, — Santiago was shooting the **X-Bolt 2** chambered in 308 Winchester, shooting **Sierra 175 grain Match King X bullets**. Suppressed by a **Banish Backcountry titanium suppressor**

We had left the first deer for last, mainly because we knew he was dead as could be and had not moved since the shot. As we approached, we let Ridley make first connection. He was a handsome little buck, a 2×3 with some good eye-guards for a small deer. His antlers were heavier than we’d expected, so as you can imagine we were all happy as could be. After the initial inspection Ridley asked for a moment of quiet while we gave the handsome animal the respect he was due.

ridley, mule deer, deer, deer hunting, remington 700, .260 remington, cole tac, suppressed, — another notch in the stock for ‘ol meat-in-the-pot. A .260 Remington cut at 16″ with the **USO 1-8 scope**, and **YHM suppressor** covered by the **Cole-TAC Python suppressor cover**

Again we took a variety of photos, as the rest of the family hiked down to us to help. My brother and his daughter were a great addition, giving both help and praise. It was right about this point that the fun part ended, and the hard part began.

The trip back up the ridge to our vehicle would have been impossible without cutting up the deer. So we quartered them up, and pulled as much meat off of the carcass as possible, leaving it attached to the quarters to avoid contamination. These kids love deer burgers so I wanted to maximize the meat haul. All the kids would help as we cut large portions of meat off, they would lay the meat on clean patches of snow. After which they covered the meat with more snow to quickly cool the meat and keep it clean.

mule deer, deer, deer hunting, butcher, quartering, — my brother giving the boys instruction on field butchering

Everybody pitched in and helped with butchering both deer, as well as packing them back up the mountain. To this dad’s surprise, not a single complaint was heard hiking back up. Of course we were all tired, and everybody hurt, but nobody was whining and asking for someone else to carry their weight.

Conclusion

It’s a beautiful life that we get to share as a hunting family, and its not absent from my thoughts that I once dreamed of having the life I now get to live every day. Sharing great experiences like this one with my children are the crown jewel of my own adventures, and I cannot wait to do it again.

-CBM

deer hunting, mule deer, deer, browning, x bolt 2, — Santiago with his Mom

junior, ridley, mule deer, deer hunting,

A 25 For ’25: a modern 25-06 Remington

October 20, 2025blog25-06, deer rifle, hunting rifle, remington 700, rifle buildcoldboremiracle

Preface

I’ve mentioned many times that I started out with a 25-06 as my first real rifle. So it should come as no surprise that I’m a fan of the caliber. But today is about a more modern project, the 25-06 has been around for a long time, and this one needed a nudge into modernity. Today I bring you a 25-06 worthy of 2025, a modern 25-06 Remington.

remington 700, 25-06, 25-06 remington, us optics, txh, 3-18, two vets tripod, cole tac, carbon fiber — I also did some initial shooting with my **US Optics TXH scope**

A Donor

This project began as a bone stock Remington 700 Long Range model, chambered in 25-06 Remington. While there was nothing wrong with it, it still featured similar barrel design features to the original. Mainly it used a slow barrel twist rate like a 1:10, and the steel barrel was a little heavy for mountain hunting.

The plan was to rebarrel the rifle, with a new Proof Research carbon barrel with a faster twist to allow use of modern bullets like the Hornady 13 4 ELDM and the Sierra 131 Match King. Other things like a threaded muzzle and such would also be added to make this rifle a little more appealing to modern culture.

remington 700, 25-06, proof research, carbon fiber,

Since the original fiberglass stock wasn’t terrible, I decided to stick with it. It wasn’t overly heavy, and both fit and looked good. Though we did shorten the stock for its future user, to make it even lighter and a better fit.

Fresh Threads

Since this rifle was built to hunt, we cut the barrel at 20-inches. This might be a little short for some folks taste, but with the horsepower of the big ’06 case I expected velocity to be between 2800-2900. More than enough for most of the hunting we would do.

With a Proof Carbon barrel finished at twenty-inches, and a 7.5 twist. This rifle would do fantastic. Most of the machine work was done at my friends shop E.S. Tactical. I did a little machining myself to ensure the barrel channel would fit the large MTU style profile.

Once the barrel had been fitted, and the stock inlet for the new barrel, it was time to assemble the rest. With the trigger adjusted properly, and screws torqued town, it was time to mount a scope.

Range Prep

I ended up mounting a scope from Arken Optics, their affordable quality is matched by quality glass. This would make a good match for this rifle. I installed a Weaver picatinny rail, which was actually a touch longer than would work with my scope and ring selection. So I trimmed about half-an-inch off the front, which made it perfect.

The Arken EPL-4 is a 6-24x50mm scope, which would be more than enough for most hunting purposes. I mounted it in a set of Warne rings, followed by a quick boresight job. With the scope ready, I attached a Harris bipod and grabbed my Anechoic 35 suppressor to keep the noise down.

Ammunition Prep

With quite an inventory of 25-06 brass, I grabbed some Remington cases, and began prepping them to be loaded. After various tests, it seemed the 134 liked a charge of Hodgdon Hybrid H100V. Seated about 20-thousands off the lands, they would typically group around half an inch.

In the Field

The rugged Rocky Mountains where this rifle will prowl are home to big spaces. On various occasions now, I’ve taken the rifle into the high country where bears and elk roam. There we stretched the rifle out to see how it would perform in this country.

Shooting at small targets has been a great way for me to evaluate a rifle’s utility. I picked out a small rock surrounded by soft dirt, still damp from the previous nights rain. At 425 yards the rock measured about 6-inches round, a suitable target for a hunting rifle. After punching in some hard numbers to my ballistic solver, it came up with 2 MRAD. I dialed it in and fired several shots, all found their mark. I repeated the process for six-hundred, and nine-hundred yards as well. With predictable accuracy on 1 MOA sized targets. I knew I had a winner in my hands and couldn’t wait to put the hurt on some Mule deer with it.

The Deer Hunt

All that was left for this rifle was it maiden trip into the deer woods, in this case it would be the deserts of Southern Utah. The open country with sandstone peaks and Cedar trees would make perfect testing ground for this rifle.

This rifle was actually built for my cousin’s oldest daughter, and after practicing a bit with it she was ready for opening morning. Today was that morning, and Harley made a perfect shot, making an accurate double lung shot on a nice four-point Mule Deer from 370 yards.

Final Thoughts

My love for the 25-06 has only gotten better with this project, and Harley seems to be at the beginning the same kind of scenario. This little rifle promises to bring years of accurate shooting, and peak performance in a package that a 100 pound girl can run with authority. Or maybe even a guy like me.

-CBM

A Spike in Elk Hunting

October 19, 2025blogelk, elk hunting, rocky mountain elk, spike, utah, venisoncoldboremiracle

Introduction

Few things compare to elk camp, and it is the highlight of my year each fall. The perfectly cool weather, in the high Rocky Mountains in the prettiest time of year. And perfected by the sometimes distant song of rutting bulls. This year I changed up my plan a little bit, and hunted a different area than I have been for the last five or so years. Changing your hunting plans can be a roll of the dice, creating potential triumph or bust. It wouldn’t be long before I would find out.

this mature bull spent 30 minutes bugling on this hillside as we watched him

Terrain and Weather

The mountains of Central Utah are a unique collection of geography. Interesting layers of rock, clay, and stone conglomerate you would normally see in the desert, have all been pushed up over millennia to an altitude over eight-thousand feet. And at this altitude, the typical alpine and aspen forests grow. That is where elk thrive, and we had made our way into this country in search of immature spike bulls.

At this high altitude, storm clouds crash into the mountain range and squeeze out all their precipitation. I actually enjoy a little bit of weather, mingled with good. It tends to keep animals active when they otherwise might not. And the weather we encountered had caused the local elk to endure their rutting mating rituals, which was a great help for us.

Junior and I enjoying a bit of sunshine as bulls bugle in the background

Despite the less than ideal weather, my son and I took every opportunity to explore, hunt, and even fish some handsome Cutthroats from the nearby creeks. Until he had to leave halfway through the hunt.

Bonneville Cutthroat filled the tiny creeks

Bull elk had been bugling so frequently during our time in the mountains, that I was beginning to develop elk tinnitus. I was beginning to hear bugles in my sleep and in my thoughts.

An Opportunity

After many days of hunting, I had seen quite a few elk including some mature bulls we couldn’t engage but through the binoculars. I’d even caught a glimpse of a spike running through the forest. But an actual shot opportunity had evaded me.

It was an evening hunt midweek, and three of us were stalking quietly through clearings in the forest. Sagebrush pastures surrounded by Aspen groves and thick pine covered ridges allowed us to move pretty quietly. Thick dark clouds hung overhead licking the tops of the tallest pines, causing the effect of a premature twilight as the sun hung low in the western sky.

With me that day was my old friend Nathan, and his son Jacob. The three of us approached a small open draw buried in the thick forest, hoping to see the brown and tan figures we were after. Moving very slowly to avoid detection, and with the wind in our faces, we crept over the edge looking into the draw below.

US Optics, USO, LXR, riflescope, x-series, 4-24x56, scope, 6.5 PRC, PVA Modus, cole tac, elk, elk hunting, — The **US Optics LXR** mounted on my PVA Modus rifle

Taking the Shot

I spotted one elk feeding calmly opposite us, down the draw and up the other side. We watched her through binoculars as a calf fed out alongside her from the thick pine trees nearby. We prepared our gear as we watched for additional potential targets. A third elk fed out of the trees, and I was sure it had short antlers. Watching through my scope, I whispered to Jacob who was on the spotting scope, seeking confirmation that the third elk indeed was a unbranched antlered bull. Jacob confirmed what I suspected, and it was time to shoot…

Hardware

The rifle I carried that day was my Patriot Valley Arms Modus rifle, chambered in 6.5 PRC. I had used the rifle several times before for both deer and elk hunting, I’d even managed to have some success the previous season. The Modus wore a brand new US Optics LXR 4-24×56, one of my favorite new scopes. Aside from the typical bipod and sling, I’d also installed my Anechoic Anechox 35 suppressor, to keep things quiet.

The rifle was loaded with my pet handloads, made from Peterson cases loaded with Hodgdon Powder and the Hornady 140 grain BTHP match bullet. Muzzle velocity was just over 3000FPS, and had been tested extensively out to distances well beyond 1000 yards.

As the young bull fed quietly 430 yards away, I rested the rifle atop my upright backpack, sitting behind it. As Nathan and Jacob both watched, we waited for the bull to turn broadside. I’d dialed the 1.6 MRAD elevation correction into the LXR’s elevation turret, and I evaluated the breeze as I tried to calm my elevated heart pace. The killshot came as his broadside show between two pine trees, I confirmed with my spotters that was indeed the bull, and sent one of the handloaded Hornadys through his chest. His shoulder rippled with the impact, and he charged out of sight into the pines.

Recovery

The centered shot just behind the shoulder looked good, I expected the bull to be dead a few yards away. But as we quickly hiked into the location I didn’t see him, and the increasing rain threatened to wash away any blood sign. So we quickly set to find a blood trail.

As we did, I heard the thrashing sounds of the dying bull. About forty-yards into the pine trees, his legs kicked against the brittle sticks where he’d fallen. We approached the fallen bull as the eerie sound of his last breath escaped from the wound in his side.

I knelt beside him as the rain continued to fall. We quietly revered him in the damp silence, listening only to the sounds of the forest and our thoughts of gratitude.

Food for Thought

After an exhausting extraction through rain and mud, the young bull hangs in a tree a few yards from camp. Using my pocket knife, I cut a tenderloin from his belly. I cleaned it and trimmed it up as I heated a dutch oven and butter. As Nathan, Jake and I sat to eat this fresh piece of our prize, I considered a thought that frequents my inner dialogue. There was a time, where I would hunt like this whether accompanied or not. But as I’ve aged, I find the solitude less entertaining.

I’ve found that without someone I love to share my adventures, they aren’t quite as bright. Without one of my kids to teach something, or a brother or friend who can share in the suffering and triumph, the memories fade faster than those I share with loved ones. Nothing will stop me from pursuing these adventures, but these days I spend as much time including kids and others as I do planning the adventure itself. And those memories are refreshed every time we taste a delicious deer burger, or slice a juicy elk steak.

-CBM

The Guns of King of 2 Miles

October 13, 2025blogELR, king of 2 miles, KO2M, long-range, long-range shootingcoldboremiracle

Introduction

Long-range shooting has become a very popular sport across the world, and the folks on the extreme cutting edge of this sport are the extreme long-range (ELR) shooters. Today I am writing you from the world championship King of 2 Mile competition, where ELR enthusiasts are pushing the limits of non-guided munitions. Since it is a bit challenging to explain the entire ELR scene, I decided to share with you something a little more familiar and exciting for gun folk. Today we are going to be looking at the guns of King of 2 Miles.

Cadex, nightforce — this custom-built **Cadex Defense rifle** is supported by a long carbon fiber Accu Tac bipod extender

Shooting 2 Miles?

Can that even be done? What could you possibly hit from two miles away? Is this even a practical sport? These are all questions you might be asking yourself, and you aren’t alone. So before we get too deep, lets get some context on what’s happening in this event.

target, king of 2 miles — Here you can see one of the many distant targets, if you look closely (about 3.4L and 2.5D) you can see the target cameras setup to watch the targets

Targets

Yes the targets are big. To a typical shooter they might even seem ridiculously big. But when you push these targets out across a wide desert canyon three to four-thousand yards away, they become quite small. Small enough in fact that when seen through the scope they measure around one to two minutes-of angle (MOA). Imagine for comparison; a typical paper target you shoot at the range is likely twenty or more MOA in size. So essentially, ELR shooters are shooting for just a tiny portion of a typical target. Like one of the squares on the target you might zero your rifle with.

chronographs like this one use doppler radar to get exact muzzle velocity for every shot. That way, if a shot lands lower than expected but is correlated with a low muzzle velocity the shooter knows immediately. This prevents making unnecessary corrections

PRS shooters are aiming at targets of very comparable size, but shooting 1 MOA targets is much easier when its done at distances like a thousand yards or less. Wind is the name of the game in ELR, and there can be many different layers of wind to deal with at distances like these.

Rifles

Big rifles are used to engage these big targets. Most of these rifles are shooting large cartridges like .375 Cheytac, and .416 Hellfire. Many of them are both custom cartridges and chambers, and they are all built to be heavy. Not just because of the cartridge size, but because a heavy rifle makes a more stable launch platform.

Heavy barrels with incredibly thick profiles add both weight and stability. Most of the barrels I saw came from companies like K&P Precision, and they used aggressively fast twist rates. This is due to the long length and highly efficient bullets that are typically used. These are CNC lathe turned solid copper bullets that are exceptionally uniform. Shooting bullets from Cutting Edge and using mostly Peterson Brass.

Most guns don’t use an ejector, spent cases are pulled from the action by hand. Expensive and carefully prepared brass are too valuable to be tossed into the dirt or gravel. Every rifle I’ve seen here uses large muzzle brakes, to help keep the rifle as stable as possible.

Optics and Mounting

You can imagine that only the best optics are used to see such distant targets. High end optics from big names like Nightforce and Zero Compromise adorned every rifle. And just as important as the scope itself, was the mounting and offset solutions used.

Heavily canted scope mounts allow shooters to aim dead on targets even at these extended ranges. Using optical offset wedge prisms of various types allow you to shoot and test your rifle as close as 100 yards, while still being able to make hits two miles away. For example, I looked through one of the rifles with dual prisms to inspect a deer crossing the range perhaps half a mile away. But when I pointed the rifle at where the deer was, I could only see the dirt halfway between the deer and I. To see him I had to look at the ridge behind him.

Various prisms were used on nearly every rifle, the prism sits in-front of your riflescope. it works by essentially bending the line of sight as seen through the scope, and it bends it an exact amount. This allows you to add or remove large amounts of optical offset, they can even be stacked to multiply the effect

Precise optics paired with very robust mounting systems are required. And the repeatable adjustment of both mechanical and optical offset’s are paramount to being able to make these hits.

Ancillary Equipment

Aside from the gun itself, there is a necessary collection of support items as well. Very large bipods are used to hold up these heavy guns. Accu-Tac Bipod extenders allow the rifle’s balance point to be moved to the rear. This makes the gun more stable, and recoils straight into the shooter for maximum control.

this rifle incorporates a bipod extender, they have a set of collapsible carbon shafts that allow you to push your bipod out even beyond the muzzle. You can see the feet of this Accu Tac bipod are also made to slide back under recoil. Also you can see the thin carbon fiber mirage guard that covers the barrel, this works to keep heat waves out of your line of sight to prevent obscuring the target

Rear bags and inflatable cushions are used to make micro-adjustments in the way the gun is held on target. Stability is another important part of this type of shooting.

This rifle chassis made by Accuracy Solutions incorporates the bipod extension into the chassis itself. At the rear you can see a bag-rider rail under the buttstock, this is made to slide on the bag under recoil. The bag itself is a heavy sandbag that incorporates an inflatable air bladder controlled by a squeeze-bulb in the shooters support-hand

Chronographs like the doppler radar Garmin Xero were used on nearly every rifle. Electronic leveling indicators as well. Knowing each shot’s velocity can mean the difference between corrections from one shot to the next.

long custom barrels give maximum velocity with these high performing **solid bullets**

Taking the Shot

Shooting a target two miles away takes a few seconds. In fact, depending on the target there was often enough time to reload, and have a brief discussion with the spotter before the bullet would hit the target. After each shot, the collection of people sitting behind spotting scopes would finish their conversation and about the same time all would turn to their scopes to watch for impact.

shooter and spotter work as a team to watch for impacts, and evaluate the wind for the next shot

Spotters

Spotters would use very large spotting scopes and binoculars to watch conditions. Keeping an eye on the boiling mirage downrange, and watching it shift and where. A true skill in its own right; being able to evaluate the shift shot to shot and suggest the corrective action for the shooter. All this is done under a time limit, while everyone else watches with excitement. This is also why both the shooter and their spotter are awarded at the end of the match. The impacts can also be watched by target cameras setup downrange, giving a clear view of each hit or miss.

king of 2 mile — monitors setup for spectators to watch, each target can be seen by remote cameras

Loading

Every rifle I witnessed was manually loaded, even though some of them had magazines. There are several reasons for this, first off; even the guns with magazines replaced the mag with a single shot dummy mag.

cartridges are loaded carefully, and extracted by hand as well. With as much time and money as shooters invest in their ammunition, it makes sense to take care of them

large muzzle brakes help drastically reduce recoil helping the shooter stay on target, allowing the shooter an opportunity to spot his impact

Finish Reading Here

US Optics SXR 1-6 LPVO

October 9, 2025Uncategorized1-6x24, lpvo, riflescope, scope, sxr, us optics, USOcoldboremiracle

Introduction

I have grown quite fond of low power variable optics (LPVO’s), and they have worked their way into my gun collection nicely. Today I am taking a fresh look at a relatively new LPVO from US Optics, it’s called the US Optics SXR 1-6. I have had several US Optics LPVO’s over the years and have been very happy with them, you can read about the TS Series of LPVO’s here. But today its more about the new stuff, and the newest line of scopes from US Optics is the X-Series of scopes. The SXR 1-6 is the smallest member of that family, but does this scope punch above its weight?

US Optics SXR 1-6

Upon inspecting the US Optics SXR I was very pleased with its presentation. The scope is available in either a second focal plane option or a first focal plane. The option we are testing today is the FFP version, with the SRM MRAD reticle. I like this version a little more than the other alternative as I’m not a big horseshoe reticle kinda guy.

The first thing to stand out to me was the robust 34mm tube which is bigger than most LPVO’s. Typically I prefer 34mm tubed scopes, but for LPVO’s I am still deciding if I prefer them over 30mm. The larger 28mm objective lens certainly does offer more collection of imagery.

With capped turrets you can use the reticle of the SXR to hold over for any distant shooting. Though the turrets do appear to be quite useful uncapped as well. The finger adjustable turrets are 1/10 MRAD per click, and have a total of 10 MRAD per rotation. This is great on many scopes, so I found it particularly welcome on this little scope.

US Optics, SXR, 1-6, lpvo, USO, low power variable optic, — If you like the Desert Tech WLVRN, you can read more about it here

Adjusting the power magnification is done at the rear, I was glad that US Optics had incorporated a removeable throw lever to the magnification ring as well. This makes it easy to blindly grab for and adjust your scope in a quick shooting scenario.

Specifications

Magnification:	1-6X
Focal Plane:	First Focal Plane (BDR5556, SRM) \| SFP (SFP MIL)
Eye Relief:	3.5 in
FOV @ 1x:	119.16ft @ 100y
FOV @ 6X:	19.86ft @ 100y
Parallax:	Fixed @ 100y
Illumination:	Red
Tube Size:	34 MM
Objective Diameter:	28 MM
Ocular Diameter:	39.92 MM
Elevation Adjustments:	1/10 MIL
Windage Adjustments:	1/10 MIL
Length:	11.835”
Weight:	22.265 oz

For mounting the SXR to a rifle, I used the ZRO Delta 34mm cantilever mount. This would make it easy to mount on most rifles with the proper amount of eye relief. The first rifle I would mount the scope to would be my Desert Tech WLVRN chambered in .223. It was a great companion for this rifle, as it does very well at short and medium ranges.

US Optics, SXR, 1-6, lpvo, USO, low power variable optic, ar15, ar

On the Range

My first trip to the range was to zero the SXR on my WLVRN. I zeroed the rifle at 100 yards, which was quite easy using the finger adjustable turrets. After confirming a good zero, I set to zeroing the turret. This was easily done using a coin to loosen the turret cap, then setting the turret to zero and reinstalling the cap.

US Optics, SXR, 1-6, lpvo, USO, low power variable optic, turret, — resetting the turret to zero after pairing with the rifle

After zeroing the scope, I did some additional shooting at both 100 and 200 yards using the reticle to hold over. I found the reticle to be perfectly serviceable for precise shooting within the limits of the six power magnification. And at lower magnification particularly with the reticle illuminated it gave a great field of view. Bracketing targets in red made shooting fast up close.

Quality

This is the highest quality US Optics LPVO I’ve used, at least recently, it reminds me of the old SN and SR scopes they made. The optics are top notch, giving and incredibly clear picture at all power settings. The sharp reticle is great for hold overs, and isn’t overbearing for a short range optic.
The Turrets are also fantastic, whether you choose to run them exposed or cap them. They feel very tactile, and you can hear each click. they are also low profile to keep them from snagging on everything.

Durability

While I believe durability is best tested over the course of a year or so, I feel this scope is very robust in structure. And based on my experience with other similar scopes from US Optics, I expect it will stand up to my typical routine. Switching the scope from rifle to rifle, and mount to mount. Be sure to follow along, as I will update this article in the future with additional feedback on durability.

US Optics, SXR, 1-6, lpvo, USO, low power variable optic, ar15, banish speed k — the SXR mounted to an AR with a **Banish Speed K suppressor**

Value

In a market flooded with LPVO scopes, it might be hard to stand out. The under $500 market is packed, and there are plenty of good options. The $500-$1000 market is a little more competitive, and the SXR is on the lower end of that spectrum.

The US Optics SXR 1-6 is in good company, comparing to other brands like Eotech and Trijicon. And available for less depending on where you buy it, of course if you use my %15 promo code shown here you can get the best price.

My Summation

Having spent some time shooting with the SXR scope, I have become quite a fan. It is a big step up over previous LPVO’s in the TS line from US Optics, and it gives users a high quality product for a good price. The large lenses give fantastic clarity and high definition of targets and their surroundings. The overbuilt turrets are great for dialing if you choose to use them so. The SXR SRM reticle is a great dual-use reticle, it can be used for fast target bracketing up close or for more precise work. Using its graduations allows you to make accurate holdovers and corrections should you use the scope for precision shooting.

I am a big fan of 34mm tubes, especially on precision optics. It makes sense that for some folks the 34mm tube may be a bit much, and adds both bulk and weight. But so far it hasn’t bothered me at all.

Little add-ons like the built-in throw lever and the easy to adjust turrets add more value and usability to the scope. It may be a step up in cost, but I think the scope punches above its weight. And it compares well to scopes that cost more. I would love to see another variant of the SXR in a 1-10 with adjustable parallax.

-CBM

The Race to the Bottom: Smaller Bullets Carrying a Heavier Load

October 7, 2025blogbullet, cartridges, moderncoldboremiracle

Preface

Science is a neat thing, especially as it improves our shooting abilities. A long time ago, these very same mountains and valleys were hunted by our ancestors. They were likely using equipment of the time, perhaps the first black powder cartridges or muzzleloaders. I find it fascinating how American rifles have gone from big guns shooting massive projectiles to tiny sharp bullets moving two or three times the speed. Modern bullets have allowed us to do so much more with less, and today we will discuss what has made that possible.

springfield Armory model 1898, 30-40, krag, krag jorgensen,

A Revolution

America was born of powder and bullets, so our affinity for shooting runs deep. The weapons our forefathers used like the Brown Bess fired huge projectiles weighing nearly five-hundred grains. And their effectiveness was dismal by comparison to even our modern muzzleloaders. Accuracy and power of OG American’s weapons was somewhat sad, with projectiles that barely achieved supersonic speeds.

musket, musket ball, bullet, projectile,

Even so, they managed to secure both a country and the food they were after. And it wasn’t long before Americans started hunting everything in sight. Using old Sharps rifles and Remington rolling blocks they hammered away at bison and other game animals. And though they were much better off with the .45 and .50 caliber cartridges, they still had a somewhat limited range and power.

The Advent of Bottleneck Cartridges

As smokeless powder and bottleneck cartridges have reigned over the last century, technology has only made them better. Impressive improvements in powder and bullets have massively changed the game. I remember a time when hitting targets at 1000 yards was something exceptional. But these days I do it frequently with a variety of rifles chambered in as little as .223 Remington.

257 blackjack, 45-70 government, lever gun, — the modern wildcat cartridge 257 Blackjack compared to the old standby 45-70 Gov

The cost of the equipment needed to shoot like this has come down significantly. Even manufactures known for more affordable firearms have models capable of performing tasks that were unbelievable 30 years ago. And what’s even more interesting is that folks are doing it with less and less. Even 20 years ago, people shooting 1000 yards were typically using a large 30-caliber magnum. Or perhaps a slippery six-point-five cartridge like a 6.5x.284 or 6.5-06.

even more recent long-range rifles were shooting bigger bullets and cartridges

Velocity

The powders we load our cartridges with these days also have much to do with these advances. Black powder muzzleloaders and cartridges were significantly slower. Our smokeless powders today allow velocities going double or more compared to the cartridges of the past. The increase of velocity drives the energy up significantly, which is part of the reason we can get so much out of small bullets.

A .54 caliber muzzleloader for example, would likely generate around 1500 lbs of energy at the muzzle. This energy would drastically drop as it gets further downrange. By comparison, a lowly 308 Winchester could have the same energy as far away as 500 yards. And even smaller cartridges (like my next example) have even more, at further distances still.