Field and Stream - Rifle Maintenance RSS

Petzal: Who Knows What Horrors Lurk?

Joe_Cermele — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:57:38 -0500

A Hawkeye borescope is a pair of steel 17-inch tubes (they give you two different views of what they see) containing gradient lenses and a light. When you poke it down your barrel you see what is actually there, as opposed to the bright, shiny surface you see when you squint down it with the naked eye. For about the price of a good scope sight, you can tell a bad barrel from a good barrel without firing a shot, see when you’re really done cleaning the bore as opposed to when you think you are, and detect what’s wrong with your rifle when the friggin’ thing won’t shoot.

Here are some of the neat things you can see:

A damaged land. I have no idea how this was done, but it has wrecked the barrel for good.That gouge is going to tear any bullet that passes over it.

Petzal Reviews the Second Edition of Terry Wieland's "Dangerous-Game Rifles"

Online Editors — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:39:08 -0500

There are only a few books on guns that are worth a damn, and to make matters worse they are rarely updated* and become less valuable over the years. Such is the case with Warren Page’s The Accurate Rifle (1973) or Jim Carmichel’s The Book of the Rifle (1985)--still eminently worth reading, but now quite dated.

How To Replace A Rifle Stock

Online Editors — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:22:56 -0500

In the current economic climate, it could be a while before that new rifle you've had your eyes on ever reaches your hands. But what if I told you that in one hour you could make your old rifle shed a pound or more and increase its accuracy for a fraction of the cost of a new gun? · All you need to do is glass-bed the barreled action into a synthetic replacement stock. Sounds like a job for a gunsmith?

Hunting, Fishing, and Camping Tips from the Readers of Field & Stream

colinkearns — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:47:49 -0400

Here they are: the 34 best Reader Tips from the past two years.

Petzal: Why I Hate Detachable Magazines

Joe_Cermele — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:37:18 -0400

In the course of this blog I’ve said many unkind things about detachable magazines and I meant every word I said. It has dismayed me to see detachable magazine on some very fine and high-priced rifles whose makers should know better, but it seems that the industry trend is toward them. So I was elated to see, on p. 251 of Craig Boddington’s brand new book Safari Rifles II, the following:

“Personally, I’ve never understood what place a detachable magazine has on a hunting rifle. They are one of my pet peeves, just something else to look after and possibly lose.”

How to Judge If Rifle Repairs Are Worth the Money

Online Editors — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:53:11 -0400

In my formative years, I regarded every gun as a work in progress. Only after my genius and a gunsmith’s skills were brought to bear on the “problem” would a rifle perform to its peak level. Now I’m a little more selective about what I do and, as a result, am able to buy food, gasoline, and other frivolities that I could not previously afford. Before you go charging off to the gunsmith, here are a few guidelines to consider as to which sort of modifications make sense and which don’t.

Think Small

Rifles of Interest: Remington Model 700 Custom Shop AWR II

Joe_Cermele — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:11:16 -0400

The Remington Custom Shop in Ilion, NY has, over the past 30 years or so, turned out pretty guns, very accurate target rifles, and tactical rifles, but serious, high-grade working rifles were not on the menu. This all changed a year ago when the company brought in a product development manager named Carlos M. Martinez, who is a rabid hunter. Quicker than you could say “major investment in new machinery for the shop in Ilion,” there sprang forth a line of very earnest high-grade working rifles.

What To Put in Your Rifle Repair Kit

Online Editors — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:09:39 -0400

A rifle repair kit can save your hunt.

Bourjaily: YouTube Advice

Online Editors — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:54:51 -0400

I am not mechanically inclined when it comes to cars, but both my brothers-in-law are. When I need vehicle advice, I call Chuck or Roger. Last week, the battery on my wife’s PT Cruiser died. I opened the hood only to discover that on some modern cars, the battery is tucked away where you can’t see it. I called Roger and asked him what to do.

“What year is your Cruiser?” he asked.

“2002.”

“The battery is up front, under the air intake,” he said after a brief pause.

Petzal: Some Peeves from a Gunsmith

Online Editors — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:49:39 -0400

If there is a more put-upon group of people than gunsmiths, I can't think who it might be. These gunsmith gripes are from John Blauvelt of Wallkill, NY. I would add one of my own to the list: People who chew a gunsmith's ear off about what they should buy, then go buy it at Wal-Mart to save $3.68.

Filthy guns. Just because you are having your gun repaired by the gunsmith does not mean that he is going to clean it for free.

Rifles of Interest: The Thompson/Center Venture

Joe_Cermele — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:00:30 -0400

A couple of years ago, Thompson/Center introduced its first bolt-action rifle, the Icon, a very handsome, very accurate arm that caused people to twitch because it was also pretty costly. But now we have the Venture, which at $499 is affordable to anyone not living in an oceangoing shipping container.

Petzal: How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Joe_Cermele — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:05:46 -0400

The photo you see here was taken in the deep and rolling hills of old Virginia, by Mr. Jerry Cox of Tazewell, VA, to whom I am indebted. The people standing behind me are also Virginians, except for the fellow on the left, whose name I did not get, but whom I know to be a pensioner from Tennessee. The rifle in the rest in front of me belongs to him. He insisted I use it, because my gun “…would be embarrassing to take to a dump and shoot rats.”

Petzal: All About Rifle Abuse*

Joe_Cermele — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:56:26 -0400

In my post on Cooper rifles, a number of you brought up the problem involved in taking an expensive rifle into the cold, hard world of hunting and getting the hell beaten out of it.

In the eyes of this grizzled, embittered old observer, there are two kinds of people who actually use fancy rifles. The first gives them all the consideration that you would a rake or a broom. It’s nothing more than a tool, they say, treat it as such. Don’t be a slave to the thing. The second kind, to which I belong, shows all rifles, and especially fancy ones, the same kind of obsessive care that former Senator John (“The Breck Girl”) Edwards shows his hair. Any rifle is going to show wear if you use it enough, but that’s not the same as beating on it.

Video Blog: Barrel Cooling Done Right

Joe_Cermele — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:38:43 -0400

Chad Love: Locked & Loaded in Parkland

Joe_Cermele — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:28:51 -0400

There's already been a boatload of bloviation expressed on the recent reversal of the ban on loaded firearms in our national parks, some of it sensible but most of it (predictably) bordering on hysterics.

This column from the Huffington Post is a perfect example:

"In fact, the new rule is likely to make national park visitors less safe around wildlife. Packing heat could give some people a false sense of security and make them more likely to approach bison, elk, moose, and grizzly bears, rather than keep a safe distance which is better for both people and animals."

But the most certain outcome of this congressional action is that it will promote poaching. The National Park Service warned in its fiscal 2006 budget submission each year for the past several years ... The data suggests that there is a significant domestic as well as international trade for illegally taken plant and animal parts." Poaching, the agency said, "is suspected to be a factor in the decline of at least 29 species of wildlife and could cause the extirpation of 19 species from the parks."

States Save Millions Swapping Fish And Ammo

Joe_Cermele — Wed, 27 May 2009 11:58:26 -0400

From The New York Times:

Chad Love: Six-Word Story Contest Winner

Joe_Cermele — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:21:50 -0400

When I first thought up the idea for the six-word story contest I expected the usual response my blogs generate: a dozen or so comments, the obligatory question about which picture at the top is me (yes, sir, I am indeed the "slack-jawed hillbilly" on the left...) and that one guy who always chides me about my alleged bashing of the Dubya/Darth Cheney administration (Do you maybe have me confused with Bill Maher?).

A Man's Grill

Joe_Cermele — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:00:00 -0400

Discussion Topic: Field & Stream Wins ASME’s Highest Honor

Joe_Cermele — Fri, 01 May 2009 10:32:04 -0400

F&S is the best magazine of its size on the planet. Okay, I’m a little biased on that point--but it’s not just me who thinks so. Last night, the country’s top magazine editors representing the country’s top magazines met at New York City’s Lincoln Center for the 44th Annual National Magazine Awards. Known as Ellies, these are basically the Oscars of the magazine industry, and “General Excellence” is “Best Picture.”

A Brief Guide to Feckless* Rifles

Online Editors — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:18:56 -0400

*Not a typo.

The previous post elicited so many interesting opinions that I was able to get a second post out of it. Herewith:

1. The message on the Badger muzzle brake and on the Claymore mine is “Front toward enemy,” not what I had. Once more my memory has done me dirt.

Tip of the Day: Bore-Sight Your Shotgun Scope Using Spent Shells

Online Editors — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:23:28 -0500

To bore-sight a scope-mounted 12-gauge shotgun barrel, remove the primers from a spent 12-gauge shell and a spent 20-gauge shell. Put the open 12-gauge shell in the chamber and insert the open 20-gauge shell in the muzzle. Secure the barrel in a vise or sandbags. Sighting through the barrel, line up the primer holes on your target. Now, simply adjust the scope to put the crosshairs on the same spot. – Thomas Stormanski, Chester, VA

The Tragic Tale of Berthold the Blaser

Online Editors — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:37:25 -0500

Berthold is the name of an R-84 model Blaser .30/06 who came to the United States in the early 1990s, and was bought in Las Vegas after a SHOT Show. His new owner gave Berthold a home because of the way the rifle could group—three shots touching with ammo it liked—and its light weight.

Berthold became a go-to rifle. He went to Anticosti Island, and northern Quebec, and Alaska, and even Africa, and killed everything at which he was pointed. But over the years, his accuracy deteriorated to the point where he was lucky to print a 2-inch group.

Muzzle Brake Pros and Cons

Online Editors — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:09:22 -0500

THERE MAY BE a muzzle brake in your future. They've been around since before World War II, but their use on sporting rifles has always been limited to custom guns, and then in scant numbers. But that is starting to change. • Custom gunmakers, who are the trendsetters in rifle building, are now installing brakes in serious numbers. I asked one of them, who shall remain anonymous, why the shift occurred. “Guys are afraid to shoot nowadays,” he said. “They're wimps.

Rifle Care for Better Deer Hunting

fieldandstream-editor — Thu, 31 May 2007 20:00:00 -0400

YOUR RIFLE wants to be your friend and will perform faithfully for you. All it needs to succeed at this is some careful but cheap attention, outlined in these 10 steps. And when I say cheap, I mean cheap. The total cost of all the products mentioned here is less than $60.

David E. Petzal's Tips For Testing Your Rifle

fieldandstream-editor — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:00:00 -0400

Congratulations on your new rifle, and I wish you much joy in your future relationship. I trust that you haven't bought anything that is shiny, or too heavy, or too light, or that kicks more than you can handle. If all that is so, your next step is to find out how well the thing actually shoots—or doesn't.

CHECKING FOR FUNCTION

First, you want to weigh the trigger with a spring gauge, or ask your gunsmith to do it. It should break at not less than 3 pounds and no more than 4. Some very good modern factory triggers require no work at all, but there are also a lot of dogs. If your barks, it's off to the gunsmith. There's no getting around this. A bad trigger on a rifle is like bad steering on a car.

At the range, load the magazine and see that the rifle feeds reliably. A surprising number don't, particularly those chambered for shortfat cartridges. If your gun is a bolt action, don't work the bolt timidly; slam it back and forth. That's the way they're designed to be used. It should go through chambering, firing, extracting, and ejecting without a hitch. If it doesn't, send it back to the factory or take it to a gunsmith. Or you can take it hunting and hope that it will work.

CHECKING FOR ACCURACY

Make sure the scope-base and bedding screws are tight. These are often installed by uncaring hourly-wage workers, and you can save yourself lots of grief with a few turns of a screwdriver.

Speaking of pain and woe, don't mount your scope unless you know how to do it correctly. This is so much of a problem that two gunmakers I know refuse to sell their rifles unless they perform this job. Have a gunsmith do it.

The more precisely you can aim, the more accurately you'll shoot. Generally, you want to have at least 8X available, but personally, I like 9X or 10X a lot better, and on varmint rifles I consider 20X the minimum. Make sure your scope works. More than once I've seen a gun apparently go haywire, and it was actually the scope that went weird. It's easy to spot one with loose adjustments or a busted reticle: The point of impact won't move up or down or right or left with any consistency, and the rifle it's mounted on won't group at all. Few guns, no matter how accuracy-impaired, won't give you some kind of a group if the scope is working.

Next, pick your ammo. Let's say your new rifle is a .270. Choose from among 130-, 140-, or 150-grain bullets. What matters most is the type: Do you want tough, premium slugs for tough animals or the squishy, standard variety for squishy animals? Once you decide, buy a box of each weight in the appropriate type and see which gives you the best groups.

You should do your shooting as early or as late in the day as possible. The more sun there is, the more mirage there is. Avoid wind. At 100 yards, anything short of a gale has little effect on big-game bullets, but strong air currents are fatal to rimfire accuracy and no help if you're trying for very small groups with a varmint rifle.

If you're shooting at a public range, pick a bench where you are not next to some dunce who thinks he is Rambo and is blasting away with a semiauto that spits empties at you. When this happens to me I pin a tag that says LEPROSY PATIENT on my shirt. This clears the area very quickly.

Don't let your barrel get so hot that you can't hold on to it. If an electrical outlet is handy, bring a fan along and stand the rifle in front of it for a few minutes. Or, find some shade and stand it butt down, barrel up. It'll cool faster.

Here are your goals:

• At least three (or if you're of a suspicious nature, go for five) consecutive three-shot groups of 1½ inches or less for a big-game rifle, and five-shot groups of ½ inch or less for a varmint gun or a .22. Shoot at 100 yards, except for rimfires, which should be shot at 25 yards. Really good big-game rifles should print under an inch and varminters close to ¼ inch.

• No flyers, which are errant shots not caused by shooter error.

• All the groups printing in the same place on the target.

That's it. If you want to sum up this whole column in a single sentence, "make sure the damn thing works" would do nicely. It's amazing how many people never take the trouble.