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Hunting Accuracy: How Much Do You Need?
By Jon R. Sundra
Ever been at a shooting range prior to the season opener and overhear someone say, as they’re looking at a retrieved target, “That’s good enough for hunting” or “More than minute of deer”? Those and similar comments suggesting pinpoint accuracy isn’t really needed for hunting are voiced at shooting ranges a... READ MORE
The .30-06 Cartridge Family
By Ron Spomer
Offspring of the .30-06 are popular and effective, just like their Ma. Most hunters know that the .30-06 Springfield, now 105 years old, has proven to be one of the most versatile hunting cartridges in the world. It’s been used to take everything from elfin squirrels to enormous elephants. Many hunters might not know that the .30-06 has also ... READ MORE
The .308 Family
By Ron Spomer
Offspring of the .308 are accurate, compact and easy to shoot. Rifle cartridges may be inanimate, but they do have families. One of the more prolific is the .308 Winchester family, a well-rounded line of nicely balanced cartridges that are fast, powerful, easy to shoot and justifiably popular. The clan currently consists of the .243 Winchester, .26... READ MORE
This Thing Called Eye Relief
By Ralph M. Lermayer
Perhaps no part of a riflescope’s specifications is less understood than eye relief. Many hunters don’t have a clue what their pet scope’s eye relief is, nor do they care. As long as they can bring Ol’ Betsy to the shoulder and instantly find hair in the scope, it’s perfect.
Eye relief is the distance from the rear le... READ MORE
The .30-06 Just Plain Works
By John Barsness
Many of us know intellectually that the .30-06 is a good all-around big game cartridge, but explanations are not experience.
The .30-06 was the most common chambering for big game rifles when I started hunting in Montana in the mid-1960s, though some hunters thought it was unnecessarily powerful. My father did, which is the reason I took my first ... READ MORE
The Overlooked .22 WMR
By J. Wayne Fears
Often misunderstood, the .22 Mag is a serious stopper of small game up to 20 pounds. I never told my hunting companions the caliber of the Henry lever-action rifle I was carrying. They just assumed it was a .22 Long Rifle. We were on a mission for a church wild game supper. Thanks to its many members who were hunters, the church had a wide variety ... READ MORE
The Amazing .375 H&H Family
By Ron Spomer
Dozens of rounds have been carved from H&H’s magnum opus. Photo: The .375 H&H and its .300 H&H offspring (far left) were too long to function well in standard-length action. Brass was shortened to make the .264 Win Mag, 7mm Rem Mag, .300 Win Mag, .350 Norma Mag and .458 Win Mag. No centerfire rifle cartridge has spawned a la... READ MORE
Sure Cures for Wrong-Eye Dominance
By Ralph M. Lermayer
There is a surprisingly large number of people with eye complications, the kind of problems that make the act of shooting a rifle awkward or near impossible. The most commonly affected shooters are those who are right-handed but left-eye dominant. Although these shooters instinctively mount a rifle or shotgun to the right shoulder, their left eye i... READ MORE
Troubles with Choke Tubes
By John Barsness
All sorts of things prevent shotgun chokes from doing what we expect of them.
Two pheasant hunters stood together, looking down at a creek bottom. A stiff November wind bent the willows and cattails along the creek, places where roosters might hide. The taller hunter turned to his companion and said, “I’m changing to full choke. That w... READ MORE
The Slug Gun King
By Ralph M. Lermayer
Ithaca’s Deerslayer is back, and this one in 20 gauge shoots as well as the original.
One would think that when a large percentage of the hunting public wanted a product, all of the manufacturers would trip over themselves to provide it, especially in today’s competitive firearms market. Well, factor this: Thirty-five percent of the hu... READ MORE
Barrel Fluting: What Does It Do?
By Jon R. Sundra
Fluting makes a barrel distinctive, but there are other benefits, too. Photo: Fluting usually does not extend the entire length of the barrel. One of the most distinctive options available to anyone contemplating the purchase of a rifle is a fluted barrel. It can be a sporter-weight hunting rifle or a varminter. It doesn’t matter. Fluting set... READ MORE
The Unappreciated .260 Remington
By Jon R. Sundra
Although 6.5s have been dominating long-range shooting, hunters still think of the .260 Rem as a kid’s cartridge. I’ve read a number of articles in which the author, believing a particular rifle or cartridge deserves to be more popular than it is, uses Rodney Dangerfield’s line about getting no respect. It’s far from origina... READ MORE
The Forgotten .264 Win Mag
By Richard Mann
This 50-year-old round has .270 Win power and even better long-range performance. For the most part, the .264 Winchester Magnum has gone the way of the pet rock, but as a young hunter growing up in West Virginia, I always wanted a rifle in this caliber. Visions of traveling to Montana to hunt mule deer in the wide open spaces made the .264 seem lik... READ MORE
Shotgun Choke Designations
By John Haviland
Other factors besides choke constriction influence pattern size, and only through testing can you learn how a load performs in your gun. Just because your shotgun choke is labeled modified doesn’t mean it will shoot a modified pattern. Modern barrels contain longer forcing cones and chokes that treat shot tenderly to keep it flying straight. ... READ MORE
Smith & Wesson’s 686 Revolver
By John Haviland
This brother of the Model 19 is great for hunting and plinking. Last summer, I bought a Smith & Wesson Model 686 .357 Magnum revolver, and ever since, I’ve been happily shooting it at the range and in the field. The gun shoots tight groups from the bench and balances well in the hands for accurate offhand fire. It digests a variety of loa... READ MORE