Calhoon 19 Badger

F

flp

New member
I have not posted here before but have been lurking. I just got a Calhoon 19 badger last week at some of your suggestions and have just taken it out squirrel hunting. I had Jim build it up for me at Calhoon. It is very accurate and the bullets perform very well. I will see if I can figure out how to post a couple of pictures of the groups. 10 shots each at 100 yds.
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t110/floydpackard/P3260007.jpg
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t110/floydpackard/P3260006.jpg

I am very pleased. It was deadly out to 250 to 300 yds. You just had to put the cross hairs on it and squeeze the trigger. It was almost automatic. I am looking forward to getting my upper back from Dtech also at your suggestion. It is being rebarreled and should be here soon. Thanks for your help in suggestions on guns and loads.
 
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Wow, that's really nice!

I like the .19 Calhoon too but just wouldn't/couldn't commit because of the proprietary nature of his bullets. I was scared that if and when Fred passed on (Hope not any time soon)that the supply of bullets would dry up in quick fashion.

I think now with Big Green selling factory .17 Firball's (Mach IV's) and with .204's all over the place the only thing that he has to offer is something that's not mainstream, and God bless him for that.

You should post a picture of the rifle it sure shoots well enough!

BTW When your in photobucket if you cut and paste the IMG file underneath the pics in your album your pic will apear in the thread rather than a link to the pic. Just be sure you resize your large images to keep the moderators happy. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
When I bought my 19 Calhoon, I asked Jim just that...what his age was,and was he in good health. All kidding aside, if a guy is worried about bullet availability, the answer is to simply buy about five thousand and figure that will out last the shooter!
Jims various 19s are way more than a curiosity, they fill in many voids where 204s and 17 mach 4s dont go, great caliber,and Jim builds a spectacular rifle. Ive got the 19 Calhoon hornet,and looking forward to getting one in Badger.
 
ChiliRojo,

Are you shooting Coyotes with yout 19 Calhoon? I am looking for someone to give me some info on the performance of the 19 Calhoon or 19 Badger on coyotes. I have been thinking about getting a 19 Badger but I can't find anyone who has specific coyote experience with one and I just don't want to "under gun" a coyote.

Truckeedan
 
There is no need to worry about loosing the availability of 19 cal bullets . Corbin makes a resizing die whereby you can make 19's out of 20 cals.......
 
I'm picking up a Badger the end of this week. I also ordered a Calhoon Hornet barrel from Match Grade Machine for my Encore.

Now if the Yotes co:eek:perate I'll be able to post some results. I know 19cal Jeff has some experience with 19's maybe he has shot a yote or two.

Bill
 
Last time 19Jeff and I had this discussion he was only shooting at Pauxitaunny Phil and his friends.

I've seen some photos on Calhoon's website of coyotes shot with the 19 Calhoon. The Badger shoots the same weight bullets and is a little quicker so it should work better in theory. Just haven't actually heard of anyone shooting coyotes with one on a regular basis. I'm sure there have been incidental kills but I would like to hear from someone who does it on a regular basis so I can make a judgement on its effectiveness on coyote size animals out to around 300 yards.

I know there are 19-223 shooters who have good results on coyotes. I'm thinking the Badger, which is right in between the Calhoon and the 19-223, should be a winner out to medium range.
 
I use the4 smaller of the three options Calhoon offers. I shoot the .19 Calhoon Hornet. Im simply amazed, ervery time I pess the trigger on a coyote. So little report/noise, virtually no perceptible recoil, 27 grain bullet going 3,600fps,and the coyote seems as though it was hit with my .17 Remington, something to see. One of my calling partners, just got the Badger, this winter I saw five or six coyotes hit with it,and man does it wack em, great little cartridge. The 19-223, just doesn't inspire me, I have a 17 rem,and I just don't think there would be that much difference?
 
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Thats why I sold my 204
After being not so impressed with its preformance I thought the 19-223 that I have will work just as good with less.
I have shot coyote with it and it does a good job.The velocity isn't what Calhoon claims at least not in my rifle but none the less it still preforms admirably.
 
Excellent choice. I think you're going to love the rifle and the cartridge. I have not shot any yotes with any of my .19's ( or anything else ). Just playing hell with the Penna. 'chuck population.
Take care,
Jeff
 
Thanks,
I really enjoy shoting it. Very little recoil, you can keep the scope on target even at 14 power. I had them place a leoupold Vx3. Nice sized scope for the small gun. It seems to shot well with Data 68 powder and I am going to keep working up in small steps. James at Calhoon recomends AA 2200 but it is hard to find. If I can get my hands on it I will buy enough not to run out. What powder are you all using? I load with a dillon 550 and the extruded powder gives me fits. I have been shooting 32 grain calhoons. They have just come out with 28 grains to replace the 27 grain bullets. I have some of the 28s and I need to work up some loads for them also. In talking to James they are working on coming out with some balistic tip bullets for the 19. They are running the test now I believe. After shooting several hundred rounds there was no loss in accuracy. In fact the friend I was shooting with lost his accuracy in his AR 15 due to copper fouling. He didn't want to stop to clean it so I said here use my badger. I had just wacked 8 in a row way out there and figured I had better stop while the streak was hot. He picked it up and picked up where I left off. His only coment was "that was just amazing" as he did the same. When I cleaned the gun that night there was very little copper fouling. I could barely see blue with sweets. Things I like about the gun are, it feels small in the hands. I like the short action of the CZ. Little noise and very little recoil. The barrel does not heat up. In fact the brass is barely warm to the touch when it is ejected. And best of all the accuracy is out standing. The two fliers on the above targets are me twitching. The trigger is very light and comes with a warning sticker right next to it. The bullets are not quite as explosive as a Vmax coming out of an AR at 3400fps. I did get some fliers and blowups but not like the Vmax but still very good performance. There was not doubt you hit and none of this crawling off stuff. I got the gun because I was burning up my bushmaster Varminter. I needed a second gun to rotate with. What would I like different? I would like a 19 badger or a 19-223 on an AR platform. The follow up is so much quicker and target aquistion is so much better with an AR. In fact that was my first call to Mike at Dtech to see if he could make me up a 19-223 as an AR. He recomended a Tac 20 and I may still go that route in the future. I went with the 19 because I wanted a small round with great accuracy and less problems of super hot rounds. I would do it again in a heart beat. Once again if any of you would share some load data on your 19s I would appreciate it.
 
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I have two 19 Calhoons, both shoot very well. This year I added a 19-223 to the line-up. If the weather will clear a little the plan is to get it out shooting PD's. I too, am working on the 5000 bullet theory.
 
FLP,
My most accurate loads for the Badger are as follows;
15.5 grains RL7, 32 grain bullet, CCI small rifle magnum primer 3525FPS

16 grains VIHT 130, 32 grain bullet, CCI small rifle magnum primer. 3580FPS

AA2200 is a surplus Soviet powder I believe. I have had no luck finding it. Wish I could. Jims "factory" loads are extremely accurate. The two I listed are pretty close to his loads.
Good luck, Enjoy the rifle,
Jeff
 
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I like the idea of other bullet options for .19Cal. I'd rather see a Berger Match or something less explosive like that. Nothing wrong with Calhoons DHP bullets. They are accurate, but just as explosive as plastic tips. They dont make Berger Match in .204 to even swage down, just the Match Varmint, witch is the old MEF.
 
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