My first shotgun was a Remington Model 870 pump-action with a black synthetic stock and forearm. I used and abused that pump action shotgun for 15 years. It was dropped in lakes, tossed (unloaded) in the back of trucks, dropped, and rarely cleaned. ...
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Precision Rifle Series Shooting: 6 Keys for Beginner Success
Watching a skilled precision shooter get down to business is a real treat. Repeatedly hitting 10-inch targets from 400 yards in standing and kneeling positions doesn’t seem like it should be possible, but it’s actually a common tiebreaker at ...
The Basics of Stockpiling Food for Survival
It’s late Saturday night and your belly is grumbling, demanding something good to eat. So you take a stroll to the local burger joint. “What am I going to order?” you think to yourself. “Fries? A burger? How about both?” Just as you arrive, bam! You ...
Biden Admin Kills Funding for School Archery, Hunter Ed Programs
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) was passed by Congress and signed by President Joseph Biden in 2022 in response to several high-profile shootings. But now, it’s become apparent that language in the bill could kill practically all public ...
Bowhunting for Beginners: Fred Eichler’s Gear Breakdown
So you want to try bowhunting but have no idea where to start? Being interested means you’re already on the right track — keep in mind, I may be a bit biased since I think archery is the best sport on earth. Whether you’re a bowhunter putting food on ...
Being There For My Wife’s First Pronghorn: Priceless
“One hundred sixty yards. Hold right on the center of the vitals,” I say as Abbie sets up in her shooting position. The tripod, in conjunction with my backpack tucked under her arm, makes for a rock-steady rest. Just like we practiced the week before ...
Western Mule Deer In Deep Trouble: State-by-State Breakdown
The mule deer is one of the West’s signature big game animals. The big-eared cervids are found only on one side of the Mississippi River, but they’re particularly iconic in the Rocky Mountain region. Muleys draw hunters from across the country — and, ...
FNX 45 Tactical: A Gift From the Joint Combat Pistol Competition
In considering the FNX 45 pistol made by the storied Belgian firearms company FN Herstal, I discovered two remarkable things — more good pistols came out of the U.S. Army’s Joint Combat Pistol Program than I thought, and combat-oriented .45 ACP ...
BTS of Viral Brown Bear vs. Moose Video — Plus Photos!
Some pretty wild things happen in Alaska on the daily, but it’s rare that a truly jaw-dropping, circle-of-life moment makes it to social media. Yet sometimes, everything lines up just right, and we are totally here for it. Last week, Alaskan ...
Mad Pig Customs: Dragging Lever Guns Into the Modern Age
If you’ve been hiding under a rock somewhere, you might think Mad Pig Customs is just a small Connecticut-based gunsmithing and Cerakote shop. But these guys crank out some super-cool, cowboy-tactical lever action rifles with a dystopian vibe you ...
The Top 10 Survival Skills You Should Know (If You Want To Live)
Say you’re taking an adventurous hike off the beaten path. Your trail map isn’t making a lot of sense. The sun is starting to dip below the mountaintops and there’s a chill in the air. You brought enough supplies for a day hike, and that’s it. What ...
Penn Fishing Reels: 90 Years of Tackle For Anglers of All Stripes
I first used a Penn reel while fishing for flounder with my dad and our friends in Big Assawoman Bay. As a 10-year-old, I had no idea where the reel was made or what its history was. I just knew it worked smoothly and enabled me to catch a bunch of ...
Will the 20 Gauge Shotgun Ever Replace the 12 Gauge?
You hear it all the time these days from waterfowlers and turkey hunters: “I don’t need a 12-gauge anymore.” “I’ve switched to a 20. It’s all anyone needs,” they’ll tell you. They are almost right. With the introduction of TSS turkey loads, improved ...
Exclusive BTS Look: Super-Rare Buffalo Bill Cody Bullard Rifle
To say that guns once owned by the legendary Buffalo Bill Cody are hot commodities is an understatement. We live in a culture still captivated by the wild freedom of the once-untamed American West, and firearms from that period fetch top dollar from ...
The 12 Gauge Shotgun: Do You Really Need Anything Else?
There isn't much one can be sure of in this world, but you can be certain that, at close range, there is no better gun than a 12 gauge shotgun for wolverines (see below). Also, for wombats, wigeons, wapiti, wobble trap, or woodcock — and that goes ...
28 Gauge: Why a Few Still Believe in Its ‘Magic’
Within the limitations of its light payload, the 28 gauge shotshell drops small game birds and crushes clay targets with authority and a soft kick. You can shoot the 28 gauge out of lightweight, scaled-down guns that are easy to carry anywhere. ...
Long Range Shooting Gear: Quality Kit for Beginners
When the first shot was fired from a bamboo tube in China sometime in the 10th century, it’s safe to assume that someone watching thought, “Look at that boot. I can shoot farther than him.” And thus, long-range shooting was born. That’s how I imagine ...
Chisel Machining Red-Dot Ready Remington 870 Stock: First Look
I’ve been dreaming of topping a shotgun with a low red dot for a few turkey seasons now, but I couldn’t justify getting another shotgun or getting the necessary work done to one of the turkey guns in my arsenal. Also, while companies like Mossberg ...
Luke McFadden: A Young Crabber on the Cutthroat Chesapeake
It’s 5 a.m. when Luke McFadden pulls into the gravel parking lot of the Locust Point Marina. He grabs a small cooler of water from the bed of his white pickup and walks the few steps to the stern of F.V. Southern Girl — his 34-foot fiberglass ...
Canadian Hunter Loses Job for Saving Baby Moose
Long road trips just hit different when you’ve got someone riding shotgun. But one Canadian oil worker caught major flak from his employer after picking up an unusual hitchhiker — a baby moose. On June 6, Mark Skage of British Columbia was ...
The Bolt Action Shotgun: An American Classic That’s Almost Dead
Double-barrel. Pump. Autoloader. Reading those words likely conjures specific images in your mind, all shotguns. Maybe you see the Remington 870 your dad bought you for your 12th birthday. Or your grandpa’s A5 leaning in a mudroom corner after a cold ...
Springfield Model 2020 Redline Comes With Free Tax Stamp
Jeff Cooper’s exact conception of the scout rifle may be a bit outdated in many people’s minds, but some attributes are more than relevant for modern hunters. Springfield Armory has attempted to update the scout rifle concept with its new Model 2020 ...
Fishing Panama, Part 4: Epic Tuna Dive
The sun makes its ascent on the group’s final day in Panama. With clear skies and great weather, they decide to make the most of it. The day starts with fresh-caught early-morning tuna cut into strips and draped over an open campfire to ...
Bobcat Kitten Vibes in Arizona Attic, Mom Hangs Out in Shower
Animal freeloaders aren’t uncommon. Suburban homeowners regularly discover squirrels, bats, and even the occasional opossum enjoying a freeloader's life between the boxes of Christmas ornaments and outgrown baby clothes in the attic or crawl ...
The Black Powder Rifle: The Story of the First Precision Firearms
The genesis of the modern rifle lies with the humble and practically ancient black powder rifle. In the 21st century, we take for granted the basic design and function of rifles and the cartridges they fire. While advances in materials and ...
Saddle Hunting and Hunting Saddles: A No BS Beginner’s Guide
Public land whitetail hunting is nothing new. However, in recent years, it has exploded in popularity. But why? There are a few major reasons, but there's one big solution that is allowing hunters to be more nimble and get to where they need to be to ...
S&W Releases M&P22 Magnum in .22 WMR With a 30-Round Mag
Smith & Wesson is becoming a gun company of surprises and odd left turns. When you expect a new wheelgun line, the company drops a bullpup high-capacity pump shotgun. S&W adds to the M&P line, which is expected, but the additions have ...
The 350 Legend: The Best Straight-Wall Hunter Ever?
I'm the kind of hunter who gets jacked when a new Wildcat cartridge is released, and with the 350 Legend, it was the name that got me. I hear "legend" and think of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Mike Tyson, and so on, and I was in from the ...
Glock 26: Pocket-Sized Perfection for Three Decades
Ever since Glock kicked in the door to the U.S. pistol market, recommending pistols has been simple in the minds of a lot of shooters. Want a pistol? Get a Glock 17. Don’t want to carry a full-size pistol? Get a do-it-all Glock 19. But sometimes a ...
2 Seniors in New England Defend Dogs from Black Bear Attacks
New Englanders love their dogs and aren’t afraid to duke it out John Wick–style with deadly predators to protect their pets. Although black bear attacks on humans are relatively rare, they do happen, and when humans step between a bear and their ...
