DROP TESTED AT 50 MPH
OCT 01 2023
TAGS
DRIVING 50 MPH
IN UGANDA, EAST AFRICA
WHEN A GUST OF WIND KNOCKS YOUR RIFLE OFF THE TRUCK
NOT THE BEST START TO A DREAM HUNT
Tim Herald’s dream hunt had started off perfectly. He’d just taken a Uganda kob by the Nile River with his Trijicon Tenmile® 4.5-30x56 long-range riflescope and was riding back to camp in the back of the safari truck. Then they turned a corner.
“As we're driving down the road, we came over a hill, and a weird wind gust hit us from the front,” Tim explains.
“It lifted our rifle cushion up in the air…caught it sort of like a sail. And our rifle slips flew right over our heads, like in slow motion. We watched them slam against the blacktop about 50 yards behind us.”
SCRAPES, GOUGES & CHUNKS
When they turned the truck around and walked back to the rifles, they found the stock of Tim’s buddy’s rifle broken in two inside its case. Tim’s rifle had been in a soft case that wasn’t completely zipped, so the rifle had slipped out, damaging both the stock and the Tenmile on impact. “There were scratches on the stock and the muzzle brake, and the bolt handle was bent, but the rifle wasn’t that bad. But the Tenmile was all beat up. There were huge chunks and gouges out of the turret and adjusters. You could tell it took the brunt of the hit.”
A ZERO AND A PRAYER
After the shock wore off, Tim was able to cycle his rifle and do a thorough safety check. The barrel was good and the components operated sufficiently (other than a replaced bolt handle), so Tim headed straight to the next camp’s shooting range to see if his dream hunt could continue.
“My first shot was four inches low, but dead on left and right. I couldn’t believe it. So I just clicked up and, within three more shots, I had the Tenmile back on bullseye. Talk about amazing.”
THE DREAM HUNT CONTINUES
The very next day, Tim continued his hunt and spotted a large waterbuck bull. He did a short stalk, got to within 150 yards and took the shot. Tim hit him well, and took a second shot just for insurance and he dropped him immediately.
Tim says, “To me, this hunt showed the toughness of that Trijicon product and the military-grade technology. I feel like you could run over that Tenmile riflescope with a tank and it'd be okay. When it fell off the truck, I thought that it would be in a million pieces, but I zeroed it back in in only four shots.”
TIM’S LONG-RANGE SETUP
Tim’s long-range rifle setup includes a Fierce Firearms 300PRC topped with a Trijicon Tenmile 4.5-30x56 long-range riflescope. While the Tenmile HX is a common choice for hunting, due to its hunting-specific reticles, Tim prefers the first focal plane MOA precision tree reticle.
“I ordered the rifle custom, just the way I wanted it built with the Tenmile. I even sent the setup back to the gun company and had them verify it out to 1,200 yards. It’s probably overkill for normal safari use but it’s so accurate. All you have to do is dial in with the Tenmile and pick your shot. It just makes so much sense when precision means everything.”
ADVICE FOR FUTURE HUNTS
Tim is a believer and he wants to share his story.
“To me, it just proves the durability of Trijicon products. I know Trijicon drop tests all their scopes but it's not a gimmick. I feel like if you were hiking somewhere and your gun fell or came off your shoulder and bounced down the hill 30 yards, I wouldn't even think twice about it now.
“My rifle literally landing on my Tenmile at 50 miles-per-hour. The crosshairs weren't coming loose or anything. It worked perfectly. I can't imagine an optic that could be any tougher than that.”
SEE FOR YOURSELF WHAT MAKES TRIJICON SCOPES SO TOUGH AND ACCURATE.