By David E. Petzal

“It’s better to go broke at the range than it is to make a fortune in the shop.”*--Christopher Self, Alabama machinist, designer and rifle nut.

Last week, I got a further lesson on the folly of attempting shots at long range without actually testing your equipment beforehand. Shooting at 300 yards, a 165-grain polymer-tipped bullet which had shot splendidly at 100 and 200 yards turned in a group with a vertical spread of 7 inches. There was no horizontal dispersion at all, but the slugs were all over the place up- and down-wise.

According to some balistically sophisticated friends of mine, there are three possible causes:

1. The polycarbonate tips melted off by the time they got to 300 yards and caused variations in the bullets’ flight.

2. The bullets were stabilized at 100 and 200 but by the time they reached 300 their loss of velocity destabilized them.

3. Satan.

I saw a similar occurrence with a .300 Weatherby Magnum which shot handloads using Norma MRP very accurately at long range. When the MRP ran out, I worked up a load with RelodeR 22 which gave about 50 fps less velocity and nearly identical accuracy. At 100 and 200, fine. At 300, all over the target.... [ Read Full Post ]

By Chad Love

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." 

[ Read Full Post ]

By David E. Petzal

*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.

2. In theory, you could take the .30/06 in question hunting and never miss a shot with it—provided you kept your shots to 200 yards or less. Beyond that, stray shots really start to wander. I myself would not hunt with such a rifle because I have other guns that don’t throw shots. Why ask for trouble? It will find you without any help.

3. A number of you suggested a ruptured scope, or parallax, or loose rings or bases. In my experience, if a scope is defective, or the bases or rings are loose, you won’t get any kind of groups at all, or you’ll get 4-inch groups. As for parallax, the scope was an American model Zeiss 4.5X-14X with dial-a-dog parallax on the turret, so that was not the problem.

4. It’s pretty hard to throw a shot from a bench rest if you’re set up correctly. The last... [ Read Full Post ]

By David E. Petzal

As a kid in the 1950s, I was taught that the Democratic Party was the repository of all human evil, and in the ensuing half-century I haven’t seen a lot to make me change that point of view. However, this past week, a pair of Democratic senators have done shooters a great service. To wit:

About two weeks ago, the Department of Defense decreed that surplus military ammo would no longer be sold to the public. Instead, said the DoD, it would be “mutilated,” presumably chopped up and sold for scrap. It’s difficult to see what purpose this would serve from the government’s point of view, but for shooters who handload military calibers and for people who re-manufacture ammo, it would be a catastrophe.

Then, on March 17, Senators Jon Tester and Max Baucus of Montana, Democrats both, sent a FAX to the DoD stating that this would not be such a good idea, and since Senator Baucus is Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, the DoD locked its heels together and listened. On the evening of the same day, Baucus and Tester received a reply that the decision had been reversed and mutilation was no longer an option.

So, swallowing my bile, I... [ Read Full Post ]

By David E. Petzal

Normally, this blog is dedicated to peaceful pursuits. However, SFC Frick speaks much wisdom. I am giving him a meritorious promotion to Command Sergeant Major (E-9).

(For more on this subject, visit our list of the five best gunfights of all time).

Drill Sergeant Joe B. Fricks Rules For A Gunfight

1. Forget about knives, bats and fists. Bring a gun. Preferably, bring at least two guns. Bring all of your friends who have guns. Bring four times the ammunition you think you could ever need.
 
2. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammunition is cheap - life is expensive. If you shoot inside, buckshot is your friend. A new wall is cheap - funerals are expensive
 
3. Only hits count. The only thing worse than a miss is a slow miss.

4. If your shooting stance is good, you're probably not moving fast enough or using cover correctly.
 
5. Move away from your attacker and go to cover. Distance is your friend. (Bulletproof cover and diagonal or lateral movement are preferred.)
 
6. If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a semi or full-automatic long gun and... [ Read Full Post ]

By Philip Bourjaily

This video proves that if you practice a whole lot and focus on target, you can break clays with anything, even a fishing rod and a weight. It’s pretty amazing.

The clip also brings up a number of questions, like the best sinker size for skeet, and what pound test you need for 27 yard handicap, not to mention rod length, rod fit and fiber-optic tips.

As long as the Master Casters stick to clay birds, this is the coolest thing ever. As soon as some idiot starts snagging birds on the wing, reeling them in, kissing them on the beak and letting them go, I am going to have a serious problem. [ Read Full Post ]