Rifle March-April 2020

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 >

A couple of issues back, in Rifle No. 307 (November 2019), the alteration of those huge cheekpieces so common to semi-finished replacement stocks intended for sporterizing military bolt guns in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s was discussed. It was lowered and thinned as much as the cast-off would allow. A much more comfortable shooting rifle resulted. A shadowline was also added, which greatly improved the old rifle’s appearance. That same stock also exhibited some of the other odd features often added to stocks of the time. Fortunately, the fellow who finished it only did light sanding before applying the finish, thus leaving enough wood to allow altering these to something a bit more in line with today’s tastes. ...Read More >

Bushnell has included a host of features in its three new Forge scopes and offers several reticles to fit every shooting need. Forge scopes include a 3-18x 50mm, 4.5-27x 50mm and 2.5-15x 50mm. ...Read More >

This month’s submission to “Custom Corner” is an outstanding example of the gunmakers art. Offered as a personalized rifle by Doug Turnbull, this levergun started out as a base Browning Model 71 on its way to being outfitted and subsequently chambered for the .475 Turnbull cartridge. With fine wood, engraving and checkering inspired by Winchester’s “F” pattern of the past, the list of additional options is extensive. ...Read More >

Every so often, a letter arrives with a bald, bold question: “Yeah, but what do you shoot?” This is usually related to hunting, but not always. The assumption seems to be that I can use virtually any rifle that catches my fancy – which is not quite true – so while I may sing the praises of this or that, what really counts is what I choose for my own use. ...Read More >

The Sabatti family traces the roots of its gunmaking business to Italy in the 1700s, when Ludovico Sabatti built flintlock pistols and barrels. Successive Sabatti generations kept the gun manufacturing craft active through the centuries, culminating in the present Sabatti company opening its doors in Italy in 1960 to manufacture hunting and competition guns that now include side-by-side double rifles, over/under shotguns and bolt-action rifles. ...Read More >

Weatherby has been busy in the past couple of years, which has resulted in a trim new Mark V Backcountry Ti rifle that weighs less than 5 pounds, and when combined with the company’s new 6.5-caliber cartridge it is a great combination for open country hunting. In addition to being a complete departure from previous Weatherby cartridge designs, the 6.5 Weatherby Rebated Precision Magnum (RPM) offers practical performance, respectable barrel life and the accuracy sought after by many hunters and shooters. With the company under the direction Adam Weatherby, grandson of Roy Weatherby, operations have been moved from Paso Robles, California, to Sheridan, Wyoming, a much friendlier environment for manufacturing firearms and ammunition. ...Read More >

One of the most persistent notions among rifle shooters is that centerfire barrels tend to “walk” as they heat up after multiple shots, resulting in scattered groups, especially lightweight barrels. A couple of years ago I discovered an older friend of mine, also named John, belonged to this group. ...Read More >

At the time of making Montana my home, I had never shot a deer. That doesn’t equate to never having hunted deer. I had hunted in my birth state but had never seen a live one except a single doe standing beside the highway. Therefore, after settling and qualifying for an in-state hunting license, bagging a buck was one of my great desires. With the help of a rancher friend and my Winchester Model 54 .257 Roberts, that was accomplished. A good load had been developed and the rifle was perfectly zeroed. My first shot hit the heart, precisely where aimed. ...Read More >

A half-dozen years ago, I drove down to Mississippi to take part in my first serious pursuit of feral hogs. In the past, I have hunted them, one at a time, here and there, using everything from a S&W .41 Magnum to a light-loaded .450 Ackley. Since then, hogs have become a pest of such monumental proportions that landowners are using everything from helicopters to machine guns to reduce the numbers. To put it mildly, the gloves are off. ...Read More >