Back in the early 1960s, rural rifle talk among loggers, ranchers, farmers and truck drivers usually included the .270 Winchester, .30-06, .308 Winchester, .300 H&H, .30-30 (.30 WCF), 8mm-06 and the relatively new .243 Winchester. Some folks openly wondered if there was a need for a 7mm magnum given the lackluster performance the .280 Remington/7mm Express (1957) set against standards like the .270 and .30-06, or if you prefer the .308, with 130- and 150-grain bullets, respectively. ...Read More >

For some strange and unknown reason, the term “aiming solutions” has apparently replaced the traditional “riflescope” and “reticle.” The word “crosshairs” has all but been forgotten in modern marking-speak. Language has changed, for better or worse, but “sighting solutions” continue to evolve. ...Read More >

In early 2019 Winchester Ammunition announced a new cartridge, the .350 Legend, which is advertised as the “World’s Fastest Straight-Walled Hunting Cartridge.” It is designed primarily for deer hunting at moderate distances and is suitable for AR-15 rifles. However, it is also being offered in several bolt-action rifles from Mossberg, Ruger, Winchester, Savage and others, with a Mossberg Patriot used here. ...Read More >

Conundrums (puzzles) are interesting to me, especially in regard to cartridge development. Comparing three military cartridges developed within a few years of each other makes for a conundrum. One was considered a “weak sister,” but two were thought most effective in combat by the respective armies that used them. I’m speaking of America’s .30 Carbine in the first instance and then both Germany’s 7.92x33mm Kurz (short) and the Soviet Union’s 7.62x39mm. Germany’s round is famous as the first so-called assault rifle cartridge and the Soviet’s was made infamous by its effectiveness in SKS and AK 47 rifles during the Vietnam War. ...Read More >