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“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
We recommend a visit to David Codrea's War on Guns blog for a dose of reality about all matters pertaining to freedom and the Right To Keep and Bear Arms, and don't forget to visit Ammoland.com for more about the Second Amendment (and many other things firearm oriented).
Visit David here: http://waronguns.blogspot.com/
And you can find David along with other advocates here: www.ammoland.com
When you combine love of the outdoors, hunting and food with home ovens or food dehydrators (so reasonably priced today), you have a recipe for great tasting snacks (and fuel if you’re off on another trek to fill a tag). Stalking the Wild Jerky: More than 100 Easy-To-Follow Recipes by Eileen Clarke has 168 pages featuring sliced and ground recipes using antelope, deer, elk, bear, boar, moose, goose, duck and upland birds are clearly presented and simple to follow. The results are spectacular, as I can attest.
If you’re a novice hunter, buy this book now. If you’re an experienced cook and hunter, buy this book for the great recipes and new ways of preparation. The introductory chapters show why some techniques are better than others. The food safety sections blows some clean air into a subject mostly well overdone in other books and online tutorials, which often act as if all food is infested with wild rampaging bacteria and germs only safely handled in clean rooms with sterilized instruments and all participants dressed in full hazmat suits. Clarke covers field dressing, cooling, transportation and aging prior to preparation.
No Smoke, Just Fire
I’ve long used a home smoker to make jerky, but you don’t need one following the directions in Clarke’s book. The kitchen oven works just fine. My oven won’t go lower than 170° (and some not even that low), but she points out you just reduce the cooking time in modern ovens. The point is to get the internal temp of the meat high enough (160°-165°) to kill any bacteria lurking on the meat. She points out it is also best to do so before using a dehydrator if the unit doesn’t raise the temp that high. Dehydrators are good for other things, but you don’t need one to start making pretty tasty snacks if you’ve got meat in the freezer.
The book’s recipes feature marinades and dry rubs, how to choose between them, times needed and other pertinent facts clearly presented and easy to follow. There are no mysteries. The combination of spices is intriguing, and even after you’ve eaten this year’s venison, the spice combinations are good enough to help with store-bought food, too.
One thing I never would have thought about is adding French’s Crispy Fried Onion. After several decades of Thanksgiving dinner with them atop green onion and mushroom soup mix I never thought to have a kind word for them again. Clarke calls for them in a ground meat jerky recipe and they are redeemed in my eyes. Not only do they add a neat texture and taste, they go well with other types of jerky, like the Bologna Spiced one. Once you’ve tried a few recipes, you get whole new flavor combinations by mixing several prepared jerkies together. Doing so adds a whole new dimension to hunting/hiking/outdoor food!
Stalking the Wild Jerky: More than 100 Easy-To-Follow Recipes, ©2019 by Eileen Clarke, is spiral-pound so it can lay flat while your working and printed in the USA. Just in time for Christmas at $19.99 from Deep Creek Press, P.O. Box 579. Townsend, MT 59644, (406) 521-0273, https://www.riflesandrecipes.com. —Jeff John
Posted: 10/30/2019
Handloading tools have evolved tremendously since the advent of the metallic cartridge, and if you ever wondered how the buffalo hunters or how the famed target shooters of the era loaded their cartridges, these books are for you. Exquisitely photographed and with as much detail as possible (much of the technique is lost as tools evolved and companies folded) to illustrate the measures, tong tools, priming methods and things
you may never have thought about. Old technology is a fun study. Tom Rowe books are always entertaining, the books themselves are sturdy, well crafted and printed on high quality paper. They'll last a long time.
Christmas is coming and books always make great gifts. Tom Rowe books are always a perfect choice for the hard-to-buy-for gun crank!
Price: $79 each available from Rowe Publications, P.O. Box 207, Sugar Grove, VA 24375, (276) 783-8037, email: Rowebooks1@gmail.com.
SMITH & WESSON ENGRAVING by Michael J. Kennelly
Our friends at Mowbray publishing have released a book on a subject long overdue in Smith & Wesson Engraving by Michael J. Kennelly. An in-depth study of S&W engraving, engravers, styles and custom shop pistols from the company’s pre-Civil War beginnings to today with full color and excellent photography, knowledgeable text by Kennelly all of which are delivered with superb printing and binding. If you’re looking for a special gift for a gun lover in your life or need a present for yourself, Smith & Wesson Engraving will fill the long absent hole in anyone’s firearms library.
Check out Mowbray’s other offerings covering a wide variety of modern and historical firearms and edged weapons!
IN THE LAND OF THE BEAR by Denny Geurink
Attending the Safari Club International show here in Reno, I attended a press conference for the book In the Land of the Bear by Denny Geurink. In it, Denny recounts the adventure of pioneering the opening up of the former Soviet Union to hunting after the fall of the iron curtain. With all such activities proscribed for several generations, the brown bear population of Siberia was as wild, unafraid of man, and the top predators of the area. The animals were huge in size, dangerous—and plentiful.
Not only was the animal population wild and unpredictable, the country itself was emerging from the totalitarian thumb of communism, where not only firearms and hunting were reserved for only senior military and party officials, but tourism and simple things like small town restaurants were unknown, so the country was as wild and unpredictable as the wilderness. The mind-numbing red tape and danger of just bringing a firearm into a country unused to such freedoms, and formerly the definition of “police state” had perils, as many hunters learned to their chagrin and regret.
The book isn’t just about getting into Russia to hunt bears, though, as all of the game hadn’t been hunted for 80 some years and the populations of all were plentiful and wild from birds to moose. (I emphasize wild, because man didn’t go into these areas for anything including things we take for granted like camping as an outdoor adventure.)
The book is an easy read, personal and friendly, as you might imagine, since author Denny has been writing about the outdoors for nigh onto 40 years including a stint at Field & Stream.
Smith & Wesson Engraving, A Celebration of Artistry in Arms from the Company’s Founding until the Present Day, by Michael J. Kennelly, ©2018, Hardcover with dustjacket, Size: 9″ x 12″, 404 pages, 1,413 color photos, Price: $79.95 From: Mowbray Publishing, 54 East School Street, Woonsocket, RI 02895, (800) 999-4697, www.gunandswordcollector.com
In the Land of the Bear, ©2014 by Denny Geurink, paperback, 6x9 inches, 286 pages, $21.95, Target Communications Outdoor Books, (262) 402-7668, www.targetcommbooks.com and www.Amazon.com
Posted 11/20/2019 I visited the (almost) 50-year old Soviet-era Foxtrot-class submarine Scorpion berthed alongside the Queen Mary in Long Beach, Calif. back in the early 1990s. My overall impression cemented my loathing for Communism after seeing the way they treat the men tasked with defense of the Soviet Union. A country so carelessly thoughtless to even modest crew safety and comfort deserved to die. Comfort would make a Spartan revolt. The sub had exposed sharp projections almost everywhere that must have caused serious bruising in modest seas and severe ones or even broken bones in a heavy sea. It made the WWII-era USS Pampanito, docked at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, Calif. look positively luxurious. (I visited the USS Pampanito around the same time).
Sadly, the Soviet sub is succumbing to the elements and is closed. Rust is one thing, but how on earth did the indignity of a raccoon infestation add to its misery? It would be hard to believe any Soviet sailor getting misty-eyed over his time aboard her no matter how infused he is with vodka, but I’m sure no matter how loathsome service aboard her could be the indignity of decay coupled with the infestation of animals would raise ire.
There it sits like a beached whale, only lacking the stench of decay no doubt replaced by the stench of raccoon waste. What the little beggars are feeding on is beyond me, but they obviously have found a way in and out of the poor thing. It presently is closed to the public, thankfully, since it began listing to one side in 2015, not to mention covered in “rust, grime and peeling paint” in addition to the family of raccoons.
The owner says a buyer has been found, and declined to provide a name.
Courtesy Los Angeles Times: https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2019-11-19/soviet-submarine-docked-next-to-queen-mary-sold-to-anonymous-buyer
Posted 11/20/2019 Wild boars apparently rooted up and ate $22,000 worth of cocaine buried in a Tuscan forest. Police began an investigation after the murder of a 21-year old Albanian last year. The investigation included one Italian and three Albanians who were dealing about 4 1/2 pounds of cocaine a month from the valley of Valdichiana into bars and clubs in the cities of Arezzo and Siena of Central Italy. Police had wiretapped the men and heard them complaining about their stash (buried in jars in the forest) after the swine rooted it up and devoured it; scattering the rest. It is unknown what became of the boar (hard to believe it survived!), but two of the men went to prison and two others given house arrest. Thanks Daily Mail! Always a pleasure! https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?sel=site&searchPhrase=Pig+st-HIGH%21+Wild+boars+EAT+%C2%A317%2C000+stash+of+cocaine+left+in+a+Tuscan+forest+by+gangsters
THEY say it's an occlusion in the cement in the sidewalk. I say it's a giant Fossil Seahorse. Very rare!
Xi Jinping
Never trust a world leader whose name sounds like a ricochetting bullet.
SIG SAUER announces the new SIG SAUER Super Target .177 caliber, single-shot pneumatic air pistol along with a new line of pellets from SIG AIR. The new Super Target is a highly accurate, all-metal, entry-level 10-meter target pistol featuring a 7.5-inch rifled barrel for increased accuracy and a crisp, fully-adjustable trigger.
“We are excited to offer our first pneumatic air pistol and the Super Target truly lives up to its name. It is a super pistol for target shooting — accurate and precise, delivering match-grade performance,” said Matt Handy, Director, SIG AIR.
The Super Target is designed and optimized for ease of use with a muzzle velocity of up to 400 fps. To operate the Super Target, simply release the slide by pulling the hammer back, while simultaneously pulling the slide up and over until completely open. Insert the pellet, close it, and you are ready to fire. The Super Target is powered through a pneumatic operation system and requires no CO2 cartridge for use.
Super Target Air Pistol:
Total length: 10.25”
Barrel length: 7.5”
Weight: 2.5 lbs
Finish: All Metal/Wood Grips
Muzzle Velocity: up to 400 fps
Caliber: .177
Capacity: 1
Power Source: Single-stroke pneumatic
MSRP: $399.99
SIG SAUER is now offering the following new airgun pellets:
The Zero Pb hollowpoint lead pellet in .177 and .22 calibers with bullet weights of 8.18 grain and 16.66 grain respectively designed for pest control and hunting small game.
The Dagger Pb domed lead pellet in .177 (8.18 gr) and .22 (16.66 gr) optimal for pest control, training, target practice and plinking.
The Venom Pb round lead pellet available in .177 (7.87 gr) and .22 (14.50 gr) optimal for training and plinking.
The Match Pb flat lead pellet optimized for training and plinking in .177 cal (7.71 gr).
The SIG AIR Super Target and new line of pellets are now available. For more information on SIG SAUER airguns, visit www.sigsauer.com/airguns.
Posted 10/23/19
Fans of the short-action powerhouse 6.5 PRC have new options from Savage Arms. The high ballistic coefficient of the bullet combined with the power of the cartridge makes this an ideal pairing and these rifles deliver the 6.5 PRC’s magnum potential with Savage’s legendary accuracy.
The 6.5 Precision Rifle Cartridge (PRC) is essentially a supercharged 6.5 Creedmoor. The round has tremendous velocity, even at long ranges. While this increases accuracy at greater distances, the 6.5 PRC is much more than a target round. The increase in velocity converts to great force on impact. This combination of accuracy and power has made the 6.5 PRC a favorite of long-range hunters.
“Some hunters are hesitant about to pull the trigger on animals at longer ranges,” said Beth Shimanski, Director of Marketing at Savage Arms. “Some rounds simply lose their ability to transfer sufficient energy as they slow down. Not the 6.5 PRC. Savage’s new 6.5 PRC rifles are capable of match-grade accuracy and lethal terminal ballistic performance.”
Savage is pleased to offer multiple configurations in 6.5 PRC. The 110 Tactical rifles offer increased capacity from their box magazines. The 110 High Country features TrueTimber Strata camouflage, making it a favorite for hunters. The featherweight 110 Apex is easy to carry as it is to get on target.
Part No. / Description / MSRP
22312 / Model 10 GRS 6.5 PRC 24-inch barrel / $1,449
57419 / 110 High Country 6.5 PRC 24-inch barrel / $1,129
57490 / 110 Tactical 6.5 PRC 24-inch barrel / $799
57492 / 110 Tactical Desert 6.5 PRC 24-inch barrel / $799
57595 / 110 Apex Hunter 6.5 PRC 24-inch barrel / $699
57596 / 110 Apex Storm 6.5 PRC 24-inch barrel / $749
57597 / 110 Engage Hunter 6.5 PRC 24-inch barrel / $639
Learn more at www.savagearms.com.
Posted 10/22/2019
PRODUCT SAFETY WARNING AND RECALL NOTICE FOR IMR®4007SSC POWDER
IMR Legendary Powders is officially announcing a product safety warning and recall notice for IMR 4007SSC smokeless powder. All lots of powder are included in the recall. IMR has received reports that this particular powder, sold in 1 pound and 8 pound containers, could become unstable due to possible rapid deterioration. Use of this product may result in combustion, fire damage and/or possible serious injury.
What to do:
1. If you are in possession of IMR 4007SSC, STOP USING THE
PRODUCT IMMEDIATELY! Fill the powder container with water, which will render the product inert and safe for disposal.
2. Mail, email or fax a copy of the powder label with the lot number to the contact information below, and include your name, address, phone and email.
3. You may select a replacement IMR smokeless powder product of your choice, which will be shipped to you at no charge.
4. If you have loaded the powder subject to this recall into ammunition, we recommend that you pull the bullets, remove the powder and wet the powder with water for safe disposal.
IMR deeply regrets any inconvenience this may cause, but we believe in safety first.
Contact information: Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc., 6430 Vista Drive, Shawnee, KS 66218, email help@imrpowder.com, imprpowder.com, call 1-800-622-4366 or 913-362-9455 and fax 913-362-1307.
www.imrpowder.com
NEW POWDER FROM WINCHESTER!
October 22, 2019
Hodgdon® Announces Release of Winchester® StaBALLTM 6.5
Winchester Smokeless Propellants, a brand licensed by the Hodgdon Powder Company, is pleased to announce the release of Winchester StaBALL 6.5, the world’s first temperature-insensitive BALL® Powder, stable in extreme-hot or -cold conditions.
“Precision rifle shooters are a demanding lot,” says Ron Reiber, Hodgdon chief ballistician. “We identified a market need for a high-performing powder that metered precisely to be loaded on a progressive press, featured temperature insensitivity and a copper fouling elimination agent. Our testing revealed handloaders can load this powder much faster than traditional extruded powders on a single-stage press, which will result in less time loading and more time shooting. This powder is a game changer.”
Typical of a ball powder, precise metering contributes to improved velocity and pressure standard deviations, ingredients that are paramount to match grade accuracy. StaBALL 6.5 is ideally suited to 6 Creedmoor, 6GT, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7MM-08, 270 Winchester and many more – all loads which can now be found on the Hodgdon Reloading Center. As a ball powder, StaBALL 6.5 provides optimal loading density in cartridges appropriate for the burn speed.
This “environmentally green” propellant has copper fouling reducer additives, meaning longer durations of competition and field shooting without having to clean the bore. Velocity levels obtainable, depending on the cartridge, are 30-200 fps greater than other propellants in its class due to the density advantages of loading a ball powder.
This new Winchester powder is available to ship immediately and will be found at retailers selling reloading products. The powder is available in 1-pound and 8-pound canisters.
Learn more about the product on the Winchester website at www.wwpowder.comor search for Winchester StaBALL 6.5 load data on the Reloading Data Center at www.HodgdonReloading.com.
SIG SAUER introduces Elite Hunter Tipped ammunition – the newest line in the rapidly growing SIG SAUER ammunition offerings. Elite Hunter Tipped ammunition gives the serious sportsman unmatched long-range accuracy, combined with devastating on-target performance in the field.
Designed for massive expansion and deep penetration, Elite Hunter Tipped premium cartridges feature a yellow-tipped, lead-alloy bullet with an enhanced boattail design for superior flight characteristics over a wide range of velocities.
The exclusive design of the concentric, blackened jacket ensures reliable, controlled expansion of the bullet with maximum weight retention. The translucent yellow tip increases the ballistic coefficient while improving terminal performance and aiding in consistent, reliable chambering.
Elite Hunter Tipped ammunition is available in the following loads:
90 grain 243 Win
Muzzle Velocity = 3115 fps; Muzzle Energy = 1939 ft-lbs; G1 BC = 0.490
100 grain 6mm Creedmoor
Muzzle Velocity = 2970 fps; Muzzle Energy = 1958 ft-lbs; G1 BC = 0.515
130 grain 6.5 Creedmoor
Muzzle Velocity = 2850 fps; Muzzle Energy = 2344 ft-lbs; G1 BC = 0.510
130 grain 260 Rem
Muzzle Velocity = 2820 fps; Muzzle Energy = 2995 ft-lbs; G1 BC = 0.510
140 grain 270 Win
Muzzle Velocity = 2950 fps; Muzzle Energy = 2705 ft-lbs; G1 BC = 0.508
165 grain 308 Win
Muzzle Velocity = 2840 fps; Muzzle Energy = 2956 ft-lbs; G1 BC = 0.530
165 grain 30-06 Springfield
Muzzle Velocity = 2950 fps; Muzzle Energy = 3188 ft-lbs; G1 BC = 0.530
180 grain 300 Win Mag
Muzzle Velocity = 2960 fps; Muzzle Energy = 3502 ft-lbs; G1 BC = 0.515
All Elite Hunter Tipped ammunition features nickel-plated cases that aid in extraction while providing significant anti-corrosion qualities. The custom formulated and precision loaded powders deliver consistent velocities regardless of atmospheric conditions and industry-leading primers are matched to proprietary powder blends to ensure dependable ignition.
The SIG SAUER Elite Hunter Tipped ammunition is now available for purchase at the sigsauer.com/store and retailers everywhere.
SIG SAUER Ammunition is manufactured by SIG SAUER at its state-of-the-art ammunition manufacturing facility in Jacksonville, Arkansas, to the same exacting standards as the company’s premium pistols and rifles. For more information, visit sigsauer.com/ammunition.
Some of the firearm photos are © FMG Publications, since they were taken by me to illustrate stories I have written for GUNS Magazine. Everything else is © Jeff John. All rights reserved, whether my copyright or FMG's!
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