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24 MARCH 2018 VOLUME 59, ISSUE 2
32 38
A Happy Medium
50
Built to Hunt
57 Ruger’s American Rifle Ranch Model bolt action is now chambered in the iconic 7.62x39mm Russian. Layne Simpson
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SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
For a balance of manageable recoil and real muscle in a comfortableto-carry revolver, nothing matches the .44 Remington Magnum. Joseph von Benedikt
Brush-Country Buster
56
East Meets West
The Best All-Around Magnum Handgun Cartridge
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Thompson/Center’s Encore Katahdin Pro Hunter carbine in .45-70 is a potent, portable tool made for hunting dangerous game. Steve Gash
These three .416 dangerous-game cartridges offer best-in-class performance. Joseph von Benedikt
Appropriately named, Kimber’s special 10mm Super Jägare Model 1911 is set up specifically for hunting big game. Joel J. Hutchcroft
Quick Shot Bushnell AR/6.5 Creedmoor 4.5-18X 40mm Featuring a specialized reticle, this new compact scope is designed for the long-range capabilities of the popular 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge. Steve Gash
Quick Shot NovX 9mm +P Ammunition This unique ammo is the lightest, strongest, and fastest ammunition you can safely fire in your favorite 9mm pistol. Lane Pearce
Quick Shot Savage MSR-10 Long Range 6.5 Creedmoor With its 22-inch fluted barrel, nonreciprocating charging handle, target trigger, and adjustable buttstock, Savage’s MSR-10 is right for long range. Jake Edmondson
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CONTENTS
MARCH 2018 VOLUME 59, ISSUE 2
SHOOTER’S UPDATE
An Outdoor Sportsman Group® Publication
PUBLISHER
6 Readers Speak Out
Mike Schoby
Allan Jones gets it right, musings on modern muzzleloaders, better first handguns, and more
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Patrick Hogan
EDITORIAL
EDITOR IN CHIEF Joel J. Hutchcroft
8 New Guns & Gear Mossberg 20-gauge 590 Shockwave, Aguila .300 AAC Blackout ammo, Nosler 6.5 Creedmoor hunting ammo, and more
12 Ask the Experts Everything you wanted to know about the difference between Boxer and Berdan primers
COPY EDITOR Michael Brecklin CONTRIBUTORS Jake Edmondson Steve Gash Allan Jones Lane Pearce Layne Simpson Bart Skelton Joseph von Benedikt Terry Wieland
ART
SHOOTER’S GALLERY
ART DIRECTOR Luke M. Bouris GROUP ART DIRECTOR David A. Kleckner
14 The Shootist Scottish 6.5x53R Daniel Fraser Rifle, Part I Joseph von Benedikt
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Michael Anschuetz
PRODUCTION
18 The Ballistician The Thumping .35 Whelen Allan Jones
22 The Reloader
PRODUCTION MANAGER Terry Boyer PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jenny Kaeb
ENDEMIC AD SALES
The Tale of Two .30-Caliber Remington Cartridges Lane Pearce
SHOOTER’S SHOWCASE 60 Gunsmoke
NATIONAL ENDEMIC SALES Jim McConville (440) 791-7017 WESTERN REGION Hutch Looney — hutch@hlooney.com MIDWEST REGION Rob Walker (309) 679-5069 EAST REGION Pat Bentzel (717) 695-8095
NATIONAL AD SALES
Proximity Is Everything Terry Wieland
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR—DETROIT OFFICE Kevin Donley (248) 798-4458 NATIONAL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE—CHICAGO OFFICE Carl Benson (312) 955-0496
64 Hipshots J.W. Anthony—Bear Hunter Joel J. Hutchcroft
DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING/NON-ENDEMIC Anthony Smyth (914) 693-8700 Shooting Times (ISSN 0038-8084) is published monthly with a bimonthly issue in Dec/Jan by Outdoor Sportsman Group®, 1040 6th Ave., 12th Floor, New York, NY 10018-3703. Periodicals Postage Paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Shooting Times, P.O. Box 37539, Boone, IA 50037-0539. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to 500 Rt 46 East, Clifton, NJ 07011. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product/Sales Agreement No. 41405030.
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SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
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Readers Speak Out Illustration: ©mstanley13 - fotolia.com New Guns & Gear Illustration: ©Oleksandr Moroz - fotolia.com Ask the Experts Illustration: ©rukanoga - fotolia.com
®
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SHOOTER’S UPDATE READERS SPEAK OUT
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Colt’s Model 1889/92 Military series revolvers include the 1892/94, 1896, 1901, 1903, and 1905 versions. The Model 1903 shown is chambered for .38 Long Colt and has smooth walnut grips and a lanyard ring.
Extremely Accurate E.R. Shaw Barrels
I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND ALLAN JONES ON HIS GREAT COLUMN IN THE
November 2017 issue! He hit everything perfectly with the column and the changes made over a few years. I just happen to own five Colt Model 1892s. I have them from 1892, 1894, 1896, 1901, and 1903. You can see the progression in the years on them tightening up the barrels. I can take a .358 round and it will just drop through the 1892 and 1894, and it can be pushed through the 1896. The .358 will not drop through the 1901 or the 1903. Just showing the difference in years, my 1901 and 1903 have the step-down cylinder where the 1892, 1894, and 1896 are straight through. A very light load of 2.5 grains of Titegroup powder with my .358 lead SWC in the .38 Long Colt round is a great joy to shoot with little recoil. Even though the bullet “rattles” down the barrel of the 1892 and 1894 and will keyhole most of the time, it shoots “Minute of Man” at 10 yards. Keep up the great work! Tom Clair Adair, OK
An Outrage! The “Stretching the Limits” article by Joseph von Benedikt in the October 2017 issue is an outrage and a disgrace! No responsible, ethical hunter would ever even consider such a thing. First, the chances of a miss or bad hit are very high. Second, what would be the velocity and stopping power at 400 yards of a ballistically inefficient 350-grain projectile leaving the muzzle at only 2,000 fps? The answer is in the four shots it took to bring down the bull elk. The responsible, disciplined hunter always strives for the clean, one-shot stop and will not take the shot if conditions are unfavorable. To paraphrase Jeff Cooper: “Be ashamed of the long shot and proud of the close one.” Robert Keiser South Miami, FL 6
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
Great article on E.R. Shaw in the October 2017 issue. A few years ago, I sent them a Czech Mauser action that was sporterized, and they put a 24-inch, .338-06 barrel on it for me. The .338 caliber is somewhat forgotten, but it is very effective at long range. It retains 2,000 ft-lbs of energy at 300 yards with a 215-grain bullet. I have taken nearly all of the African plains game and American elk with it, most at over 200 yards and most one-shot kills. E.R. Shaw barrels are extremely accurate, and I have another rifle, equally accurate, made by the company. Jim Pileggi Galena, MD
There Are Better First Handguns I read Joel Hutchcroft’s articles each month and enjoy them. However, in the October 2017 issue a man asked for an opinion on what handgun would be best to start teaching his daughter and wife how to shoot. Joel suggested a Ruger Bearcat. I do not wish to disagree with the opinion of an expert, but to me there are two vital qualities needed in a beginning handgun in addition to the “feel.” You want to instill a lifetime of confidence and the habit of the proper trigger pull. The first requires a gun that shoots dead-on point of aim, and that almost always requires adjustable sights. The second requires a decent trigger. There are several lower-priced semiautomatic pistols on the market, including Ruger, S&W, Browning, and others. Find one that feels best to them and buy several magazines. I own an original Bearcat, and my kids shot double-action S&W Model 17s and a Model 48 before they got so pricey. Marvin Reavis Round Rock, TX
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SHOOTER’S UPDATE READERS SPEAK OUT
NEW GUNS & GEAR
ASK THE EXPERTS
MOSSBERG’S 14-INCH-BARRELED, PUMP-ACTION 590 SHOCKWAVE IS NOW
offered in 20 gauge. The compact shotgun features a Raptor bird’s head pistol grip made by Shockwave Technologies, a scaled-down lightweight aluminum receiver, a cob-style tactical forearm, a top-mounted safety, a bead sight, and sling-swivel studs. Overall length is 26.4 inches, and weight is 4.95 pounds. Magazine capacity is six rounds. According to Mossberg, the 590 Shockwave does not fall under the purview of the National Firearms Act (NFA) and does not require additional paperwork or the payment of a tax stamp for transfers. Federal Law does require the purchaser of this firearm to be 21 years of age. However, even though it is legal federally, the 590 Shockwave may be considered a “shortbarreled” shotgun or “assault weapon” by certain state and local laws and therefore illegal to possess. Check with your local authorities concerning the legality of possessing a firearm of this configuration. MSRP: $455 mossberg.com
Smith & Wesson M&P Shield M2.0
Nosler 6.5 Creedmoor Hunting Ammunition Nosler now has four 6.5 Creedmoor loadings specifically designed for hunting big game. The Trophy Grade LR 129-grain AccuBond Long Range ammo has a muzzle velocity of 2,850 fps. The 120-grain Ballistic Tip ammo is rated at 2,900 fps. The 140-grain Ballistic Tip ammo has a velocity of 2,650 fps. And the 120-grain E-Tip ammo has a velocity of 2,850 fps. MSRP: $36.95 to $64.80 nosler.com 8
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
Smith & Wesson has revised the slim and lightweight M&P Shield pistol, and it’s now called the M&P Shield M2.0. The new model is offered in 9mm and .40 S&W with a barrel length of 3.1 inches. Enhanced features of the new model include the M&P M2.0 trigger mechanism with lighter, crisper trigger pull, a tactile and audible trigger reset, and aggressive grip texturing for improved control. The pistol retains the comfortable, natural-point 18-degree grip angle. Models are offered with white-dot or tritium-dot sights, with or without a manual thumb safety, and with or without an integrated Crimson Trace laser. They come with one standard magazine and one extended magazine. MSRP: $479 to $579 depending on the configuration smith-wesson.com
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Readers Speak Out
Aguila .300 AAC Blackout Inland M30-P Pistol Inland’s new M30-P pistol is a highly modified version of the full-size .30-caliber M1 carbine. The M30-P pistol features a Gear Head Mod II Tail Hook arm brace, a Sage Enhanced Battle Rifle tactical carbine stock, an Ergo Sure Grip pistol grip, and a 12-inch barrel. The barrel is threaded 1/2x28 tpi. The pistol comes with one 10-round magazine and also accepts highercapacity civilian and military magazines. Overall length is 29.38 inches long with the arm brace, and weight is 5.5 pounds. MSRP: $1,699 mksupply.com
Aguila Ammunition has just added the .300 AAC Blackout to its lineup of centerfire ammunition. The new loading features a SAAMI-certified 150-grain FMJ bullet and has a factory-rated muzzle velocity of 1,900 fps. Muzzle energy is rated at 1,203 ft-lbs. Intended for tactical applications, selfdefense pistols, and bolt-action hunting rifles, the new .300 AAC Blackout ammunition is offered in 50-round boxes. MSRP: $12.75 aguilaammo.com
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SHOOTER’S UPDATE READERS SPEAK OUT
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The rather complex Berdan priming system (left) used a simple cup containing an explosive mix that was seated in a cartridge case having a complementing pocket configuration. The bottom of the pocket was formed with a round teat in the center and two small flash holes. The Boxer primer (right) contains the explosive mix and an integral metal anvil, and the case’s primer pocket is a much simpler cylindrical cavity with a single, larger-diameter flash hole in the center.
Q:
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOXER AND BERDAN PRIMERS?
When were they developed? Mort Hutchings Via e-mail
A:
During the Industrial Revolution, in the last half of the 19th century, the munitions industry transitioned from using blackpowder to early smokeless propellants with substantially greater energy. Concurrently, loose components and paper cartridges with separate priming gave way to cartridges having a metal case that contained both primer and propellant with the bullet fixed in place. Initially, these improved rounds were inside primed; however, case designs evolved until the more powerful centerfire cartridges used a primer seated into an external pocket formed in the case head. Eventually, two priming systems dominated. U.S. inventor Hiram Berdan developed a simple cup containing an explosive mix that was seated in a cartridge case having a complementing pocket configuration. The bottom of the pocket was formed with a round teat, or anvil, in the center and two small flash holes on either side. When the firing pin struck the primer cup, the explosive was crushed between the cup and anvil, and it ignited. The resulting flame passed through the two orifices and ignited the powder charge. On the other side of the pond, Edward Boxer, in His Majesty’s service, developed a similar device except his primer contained the explosive mix and an integral metal anvil. The cartridge primer pocket was a much simpler cylindrical cavity with only a single, larger-diameter flash hole in the center of the pocket. I don’t know why or exactly when, but interestingly, the Boxer design was adopted by the U.S. military and domestic manufacturers, and the Berdan scheme became prevalent in Europe and much of the rest of the world. Obviously, the Berdan case head design is more complex. Forming the teat to an exact shape and size is critical so that the explosive pellet is positioned properly between the cup and anvil, which is required for the Berdan 12
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
primer to ignite reliably. Punching or drilling a hole in the center of the Boxer-design case head after forming the simple cylindrical pocket is much easier to accomplish. Granted, the Boxer primer itself is more complex than the Berdan design. Punching out the little two- or three-petal sheet metal anvils is not so bad, but precisely assembling them into similarly small, explosive-charged primer cups without mishap was probably a tough manufacturing hurdle in the beginning. Once a safe and reliable automated assembly method was developed, the overall Boxer primer scheme is clearly the more attractive method. And that’s doubly true for handloaders. Compared to a Boxer-primed cartridge, reloading a Berdan-primed case is a PITA situation. Instead of punching out the expended primer with a decapping rod that passes through the center flash hole while concurrently resizing the case body and neck, you have to externally pry out the Berdan primer using a special tool. You also have to avoid damaging the anvil any more than it may have already been when the firing pin crushed the primer cup onto it. I’ve never decapped or loaded a Berdan cartridge, but I imagine verifying the condition of the anvil and that the two little flash holes are not clogged with residue so that you’re certain your handload will actually fire when you squeeze the trigger would be a difficult task. On the other hand, if a new Boxer primer is seated with just a little amount of resistance, I’m confident the round will reliably and safely fire. That said, I can’t envision any circumstance where the Berdan priming system would be preferable to the Boxer scheme. Lane Pearce
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SHOOTER’S GALLERY THE SHOOTIST
THE BALLISTICIAN
THE 122-YEAR-OLD RIFLE SHOWN HERE IS, WITHChambered for the 6.5x53R Mannlicher cartridge, this 122-year-old, finely crafted hunting rifle has many excellent features, including the standing-leaf rear sight with three folding leafs marked to 400 yards and a spirit level beautifully mounted into the sight island.
14
out doubt, the single most interesting rifle I’ve had the pleasure of writing about. In fact, it’s so special that we’re running this report in two parts. I’ll note a bit of its history and describe its mechanicals this month. Next month I’ll detail its provenance and show you what it’s capable of doing at the shooting range. It was built by legendary Scottish gunsmith Daniel Fraser. According to an article written by Douglas Tate in the 1995 issue of The Scottish Sporting Gazette, Fraser had been apprenticed to and worked for Alexander Henry (arguably Scotland’s finest gunmaker) for some 20 years.
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
THE RELOADER
During that time, Fraser earned fame in rifleshooting competitions, at one time besting John Farquharson (designer of one the most famous single-shot actions) in a rapid-fire match and two years later winning the Duke of Cambridge’s prize and one offered by the Secretary of State for War. Eventually, he opened his own gunmaking business in 1878 and offered fine rook, rabbit, and roe-deer rifles as well as express double rifles for large game. Although possibly intended as a roe-deer rifle, the turnbolt featured here enjoyed a spectacular 10-year run in Africa. Fraser chose to build this rifle on a little-known action frequently dubbed the Dutch Mannlicher.
Also known as the Mannlicher M1893, it differs significantly from the far more common straight-pull Mannlicher M1895. It is chambered for the 6.5x53R Mannlicher cartridge, also commonly called the .256 Mannlicher. The round fired a 6.5mm 159-grain projectile at a bit more than 2,300 fps. Famous hunter W.D.M. “Karamojo” Bell favored the cartridge for elephant until ammunition supplies dried up. Bell grew up in Scotland not far from Fraser’s birthplace, and the two became good friends. According to an article by Jack Lott in the December 1980 issue of American Hunter, Fraser taught Bell the finer points of marksmanship, which goes a long way toward explaining the precision killing ability on elephant for which Bell later became renowned. Fraser also taught Bell basic gunsmithing skills that would have served him well during his years collecting ivory in the African bush. And lore has it that Fraser built the .256 Mannlicher rifle that Bell used on some of his early safaris.
which precludes easy optic mounting, it offers some features seemingly more advanced than the Mauser 98. It is fed by a five-round, single-stack en bloc clip that inserts from the top. A strong spring-activated lifter feeds the cartridge column up as the bolt strips cartridges from the top of the clip. When empty, the clip drops out of the bottom of the action, making room for a fresh, loaded clip. Want to unload? No problem. Pressing the serrated button at the inside front of the trigger guard launches the clip and any remaining cartridges in it up and out the top of the open action.
Mechanicals Some experts say the Dutch Mannlicher M1893 is second only to the Mauser M1898 in design superiority. Aside from the split-top rear receiver bridge, MARCH 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES
15
Scottish 6.5x53R Daniel Fraser Rifle, Part I
DANIEL FRASER RIFLE MANUFACTURER
The bolt features a flat face and dual, opposing locking lugs. A refined bolt catch at the left rear of the action is pressed to draw the bolt rearward out of the receiver. A 0.29-inch-wide extractor is fitted in front of the right-side lug and tugs the rimmed 6.5mm cartridge cases from the chamber with ease. A unique combination boltstop/ejector bridges the left-side locking lug and rides in the same raceway. It is dovetailed into the boltface and held rearward by the cartridge head. When the rear of the boltstop encounters the bolt catch, it heaves the empty cartridge case briskly out the ejection port. A wing-type safety perches atop the rear of the heavy firing pin shroud. It takes horsepower to move it, but when activated it disengages the sear and fully blocks the firing pin. The exposed rear of the firing pin is radiused with a generous groove, enabling a strong-fingered shooter to recock the piece for a second try at a stubborn primer. The single-stage trigger offers a clean, crisp pull of 3 pounds, 6 ounces with less than an ounce of variation over a series of measurements. Engraved into the flat side of the bottom metal is “Fitted With Fraser’s Patent Trigger Action.” It is still spectacular almost 125 years and a world of hunting after it was installed. From front to rear the rifle exhibits superb workmanship and tasteful but not lavish decoration. A very fine front bead with a flip-up ivory twilight bead complements the most interesting rear barrel sight I’ve seen: a standing leaf regulated for 100 yards coupled with three folding leafs delicately engraved in 100-yard increments. Just aft of the standing leaf, beautifully fitted into the islandtype base, is a spirit level. Clearly, the buyer was a discerning man who wished to milk all available long-range potential out of the fine 6.5x53R. Further reinforcing that impression is the presence of an outstanding tang-mounted aperture sight. Actually, it’s inletted into the wrist of the walnut stock and folds rearward into a carefully cut mortise in the nose of the comb. Turning the knurled body of the sight runs the
» » » »
Daniel Fraser
TYPE
Bolt-action repeater
CALIBER
6.5x53R Mannlicher
MAGAZINE CAPACITY BARREL OVERALL LENGTH WEIGHT, EMPTY STOCK LENGTH OF PULL
5 rounds 26 in. 46.3 in. 7.63 lbs. European walnut 14.25 in.
FINISH
Polished blue barrel and action
SIGHTS
Standing leaf and four folding leafs in island-type base with spirit level rear; fine bead with flip-up twilight ivory bead front; wrist-mounted folding peep
TRIGGER
3.38-lb. pull (as tested)
SAFETY
Two-position wing-type
aperture up and down, and yardage marks to 500 yards are engraved in tiny numbers on the square steel post below the aperture. Keep in mind, there weren’t any ballistic calculators to spew forth drop charts in 1895; each of those marks was put in place as a result of careful testing at the range. Everywhere I look, the rifle says refinement and the appreciation for precision accuracy that only a nationally accomplished competitive rifleman would have—and would take the time to incorporate into his product. Next month I’ll detail the rifle’s provenance and report my shooting results.
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SHOOTER’S GALLERY THE SHOOTIST
THE BALLISTICIAN
THE M1903 SPRINGFIELD AND THE .30-06 CARTRIDGE
When the .35 Whelen was designed in 1922, the 1903 Springfield was king. There was little support for the round from major ammomakers, so it was a handloading proposition. Today, the cartridge has wider appeal. Hunters have found that it really shines with 200-grain and heavier bullets.
18
kick-started the ascendency of strong, bolt-action rifles chambered for powerful sporting cartridges in North America near the beginning of the 20th century. Missing were equally powerful medium-caliber cartridges—those firing bullets between about .33 and .40 caliber—that worked through a standard-length bolt action. American medium-caliber offerings evolved from blackpowder versions or, like the smokeless-powder .35 Remington, were designed for rifles of only modest action strength: lever actions, slide actions, and semiautos. Either way, pressures were held down and bullets were too often roundnose or flatnose designs for short ranges. There were a few proprietary cartridges requiring special cases and rifle actions and a handful of English
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
THE RELOADER
and European cartridges, but most were virtually unknown in the United States, and ammo was for all practical purposes unobtainable. The best-case scenario was a powerful mediumcaliber cartridge with greater than short-range capability using a strong and affordable U.S. bolt action and based on an existing standard-length U.S. cartridge case. Two icons of the pre-World War II American shooting scene made it happen.
Whelen and Howe Col. Townsend Whelen was for a time the superintendent of the U.S. Frankfort Arsenal, and the Arsenal’s shop foreman was James V. Howe. Whelen was a keen big-game hunter, and Howe would ultimately become one-half of the world-renown firm
The Thumping .35 Whelen
of Griffin & Howe. About 1922 they necked up the .30-06 case to accept .35-caliber (0.358 inch) bullets. Although Whelen’s own writings are inconsistent on who thought up what, suffice it to say that this talented duo developed the .35-06 and gave it a pretty interesting name: .35 Whelen. It took 66 years for the .35 Whelen to achieve “standard cartridge” status in the U.S. It was, however, a successful proprietary cartridge, especially popular in Griffin & Howe’s fine custom rifles. The effective lack
of “big-factory” ammo support meant the .35 Whelen was a handloader’s cartridge, but making cases from .30-06 was not an onerous chore. When you neck up an existing case with no other changes, the new cartridge can exceed the performance of its parent with bullets of equivalent weight. In Speer data, the highest velocity of a .30-06 180grain bullet from a 24-inch pressure barrel was 2,762 fps. Under the same conditions, the Whelen pushed the same weight bullet to over 2,800 fps with the high being 2,923 fps. Speer doesn’t make a 220-grain .30-caliber bullet, so I had no Speer .30-06 data, but Hodgdon shows its fastest 220-grain ’06 loads at 2,476 fps; our 220-grain .35 Whelen loads did 2,633 fps, again from 24-inch pressure barrels.
Bullet Weight and Construction
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The handloader needs to consider bullet construction when selecting .35 Whelen hunting projectiles. The older and much slower .35 Remington owned the medium-caliber market for a long time. The majority of .35-caliber bullets sold before the Whelen was standardized in 1988 were thinjacketed for low-velocity expansion designed for safety in tubular magazines. The Whelen can safely push a 200-grain bullet 750 fps faster than the .35 Rem., and at those speeds a thinjacketed bullet will open very quickly and needed penetration will suffer. If you are not sure if a component bullet is suitable for use in the .35 Whelen, contact the bulletmaker. Bullets of light construction are not totally out of place in the Whelen. Loaded 100 to 200 fps under maximum safe loads, they work quite well on the smaller deer species and with modest recoil. Long before the .358 Winchester and .350 Remington Magnum were developed, component bullet companies were making proper .35 Whelen bullets for handloaders. The classic load is a 250-grain Spitzer at about 2,400 fps. Through SAAMI, Remington standardized the .35 Whelen in 1988. The
maximum average pressure is set at 62,000 psi, the same as the .375 H&H and 2,000 psi more than the .30-06. The new hunting bullets we’ve seen over the past three decades have been kind to the Whelen. Conventional softpoints have been joined by newer designs that allow lighter bullets at higher velocity to penetrate as deeply as the traditional 250-grain softpoints that defined Whelen performance. To me, the .35 Whelen has no bad habits, and the handloader will find it easy to work with. However, it does not use the same array of propellants we use for fullpower .30-06 loads with bullets weighing 165 grains and heavier. The Whelen case shares some case profile attributes with the .375 Holland & Holland Magnum, most notably the narrow shoulder, and it will be happy with propellants that satisfy the H&H. The medium-rate rifle propellants like IMR 3031, IMR 4064, Hodgdon H4895, Hodgdon Varget, Alliant Reloder 15, and similar powders will deliver fine performance. Shot-to-shot variations in pressure and velocity start to creep up with 180-grain bullets, and they become more pronounced as bullet weight decreases. Yes, you can use 0.357-inch revolver bullets for practice and plinking, but you need to hold velocities down. You also need to carefully test such loads with a chronograph, watching for consistent velocities in your rifle. The .35 Whelen shines with 200-grain and heavier bullets. Hornady’s 200-grain Superformance factory ammo is ideal for thin-skinned game, and Nosler’s ammo loaded with the 225-grain Partition and Federal’s Vital-Shok 225-grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw SP ammo are my choices for heavier game. Today, every major U.S. ammomaker except one offers .35 Whelen ammunition. Based on the number and variety of factory loadings offered today and the fine selection of component bullets and propellants for handloading, I think the .35 Whelen will keep the medium-caliber niche well served for a long time.
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PERFORMANCE TUNED.
SHOOTER’S GALLERY THE SHOOTIST
THE BALLISTICIAN
THE RELOADER
The .300 RUM and the .30 Rem. AR were both developed as hunting cartridges. The bigger .300 RUM is a long-range number intended for hunting elk and big bears, while the .30 Rem. AR is limited to whitetails and similar-size prey. Handloading both cartridges is straightforward and produces good results.
The second was a Remington AR-type rifle chambered in the short-lived .30 Remington AR cartridge. Officially, it’s called the R-15, but my gun is actually marked R-30. Features include Realtree camo finish, a 22-inch fluted barrel, a Picatinny rail, and a fourround magazine. The deal also included 10 boxes of Remington 150-grain Core-Lokt ammunition and a set of RCBS reloading dies. Of course, I didn’t need either rifle, but both were so attractively priced and…well, you know how it is. Coincidentally, the .300 RUM and the .30 Rem. AR cartridges were designed as hunting rounds and essentially represent the broad range of .30-caliber cartridge performance.
The .300 RUM
I RECENTLY STUMBLED ONTO A COUPLE OF GREAT USED-GUN DEALS.
The first was a complete long-range hunting rig comprising a Savage Model 116 bolt action with a custom 26-inch barrel chambered for the .300 Remington Ultra Mag (RUM) and fitted with a custom McMillan composite stock. A Bushnell Elite 4200 4-16X 56mm scope mounted in high Talley rings completed the package. 22
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
I jumped on the .300 RUM deal because I needed the scope for another project. Within a few weeks, however, I’d replaced the 4200 with a Bushnell Elite 6500 3-15X 44mm scope. My gunsmith, John Gallagher, has built more than 60 custom .300 RUMs on Remington Model 700 actions and reloaded ammo for several of them. His favorite recipe is 95 grains of Alliant Reloder 25 behind a Berger 165-grain VLD Hunting or Nosler AccuBond sparked by a Federal 215 Magnum primer. I had neither bullet, so he suggested substituting Nosler’s 168-grain Combined Technology Ballistic Silvertip (CTBS). As the accompanying chart shows, I added a few others, including Federal’s recently released 165grain Trophy Bonded Tip (TBT) component bullets. Compared to the popular .30-06 and .300 Win. Mag., the .300 RUM provides substantially greater downrange ballistic performance. It also generates significantly more recoil. My rifle/scope combo weighs about 9.75 pounds, so firing 30 or so rounds during each range session was my limit. I fired three-round groups because the barrel heated up quickly. .30 Remington AR • Remington R-30 • 100 yds. • 1.46 in.
.300 RUM & .30 REM. AR ACCURACY & VELOCITY
BULLET
Federal 165-gr. TBT Nosler 168-gr. CTBS Nosler 180-gr. E-Tip Swift 180-gr. Scirocco II
(TYPE)
(GRS.)
CASE
PRIMER
COL (IN.)
.300 RUM Savage Model 116, 26-in. Barrel Reloder 25 94.5 Federal Fed. 215 3.565
Remington 150-gr. Core-Lokt PSP Hornady 160-gr. FTX Remington Premier 125-gr. AccuTip Remington 150-grain Core-Lokt
E.S. (FPS)
S.D. (FPS)
M.E. (FT-LBS)
100-YD. ACC. (IN.)
3350
27
10
4111
0.78
3.570 3.570
3331 3278
25 25
8 9
4138 4294
1.03 1.02
Hornady Fed. 215 3.575 89.0 Federal Fed. 215 3.580 93.0 Federal CCI 250 3.580 Factory Load 3.550 Factory Load 3.600 .30 Rem. AR Remington R-30, 22-in. Barrel TAC 37.0 Rem. CCI 450 2.230
3234 3060 3123 3463 3000
38 35 33 45 51
14 12 12 13 27
4179 4158 4331 4393 4196
1.05 0.96 0.94 1.12 0.49
Reloder 25 Reloder 25 Reloder 25
94.5 91.5 92.0
Federal Federal
36.0 37.0
Rem. Rem.
Fed. 215 Fed. 215
Hornady 200-gr. ELD-X Reloder 25 Hornady 200-gr. ELD-X Retumbo Barnes VOR-TX 165-gr. TTSX HSM Trophy Gold 210-gr. Hunting VLD HPBT Hornady 150-gr. SST Nosler 150-gr. AccuBond
VEL. (FPS)
Accurate 2230 IMR 8208XBR
LEVERevolution
38.0 Rem. Factory Load Factory Load
2536
39
11
2142
1.76
CCI 450 WSR
2.245 2.255
2569 2542
29 29
7 9
2198 2152
1.96 2.03
WSR
2.215 2.245 2.250
2408 2745 2442
49 40 51
13 17 22
2060 2091 1986
1.50 1.70 2.25
NOTES: Accuracy is the average of three, three-shot groups (.300 RUM) or three, five-shot groups (.30 Rem. AR) fired from a sandbag benchrest. Velocity is the average of nine rounds measured six feet from the guns’ muzzles. All load data should be used with caution. Always start with reduced loads first and make sure they are safe in each of your guns before proceeding to the high test loads listed. Since Shooting Times has no control over your choice of components, guns, or actual loadings, neither Shooting Times nor the various firearms and components manufacturers assume any responsibility for the use of this data.
The .30 Rem. AR The R-30 AR rifle was originally touted as an option for hunting whitetails and similar prey at ranges up to 200 yards. It has a 22-inch barrel to ensure delivery of most of the energy generated by the .30 Rem. AR’s .30-30-size case. The .30 Rem. AR, by the way, operates at a much higher pressure than the .30-30. The R-30 has a typical AR-15 lower assembly but with a wider upper to accommodate the larger-diameter bolt/carrier assembly. Remington shortened the AR-10 carrier and opened up the bolt head because the .30 Rem. AR’s rim diameter is 0.019 inch larger than the .308 Winchester’s (0.492 inch for the .30 Rem. AR compared to 0.473 inch for the .308 Win.).
After mounting a SIG Whiskey3 3-9X 40mm scope in a Nikon P223 mount, the rig weighed less than 8.5 pounds. Initial .30 Rem. AR factory ammo options included 123-grain FMJs and 125-grain AccuTips. The few folks who noticed weren’t impressed, so a 150-grain Core-Lokt factory load was added later. The .300 RUM and .30 Rem. AR are typical rimless, bottleneck rifle cartridges. Neither round is improved or has a belted case or a sort of short or long neck or any other unique feature. The only difference is case capacity. The .300 RUM holds 2.5 times as much propellant as the .30 Rem. AR. As the chart shows, the .300 RUM’s supersized powder charges and heavier bullets yield significantly increased muzzle velocity and energy. Reloading either round is accomplished with the usual, step-by-step routine: clean/inspect, size/degrease, trim/deburr, prime/charge, and seat bullet. Full-length resizing of the .30 Rem. AR is a must for reliable functioning and is strongly recommended for the .300 RUM. Experiencing a chambering or extraction mishap while hunting trophy animals or dangerous game could be disappointing or tragic. Performance-wise, the two .30-caliber rifles and cartridges couldn’t be more different, but they both fully deliver what their designs were intended to do. However, the .300 RUM is well established while the .30 Rem. AR languishes. I’ve learned to appreciate them both.
MARCH 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES
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PAGE
24 SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
MODEL 69 COMBAT MAGNUM MANUFACTURER TYPE CALIBER CYLINDER CAPACITY BARREL OVERALL LENGTH
Smith & Wesson smith-wesson.com Double-action/single-action revolver .44 Magnum 5 rounds 2.75 in. 7.8 in.
WIDTH
1.56 in.
HEIGHT
5.78 in.
WEIGHT, EMPTY
34.4 oz.
GRIPS
Synthetic
FINISH
Satin stainless
SIGHTS
Adjustable rear, red insert ramp-type front post
TRIGGER SAFETY MSRP
5-lb. single-action pull (as tested) Key-activated internal locking system $849
Because it was engineered to provide big-game-thumping terminal performance, the .44 Remington Magnum provides bona fide authority at a level of recoil most serious handgunners can master and does so in revolvers that are manageable to carry. This optimal blend of versatility and muscle may be attributed in large part to Elmer Keith, who is credited with inspiring the .44 Mag. Keith—legendary for his skill with hunting handguns—laid the groundwork for the .44 Mag. through years of handloading the .44 Special to high pressures for increased performance. In today’s world ruled by litigation, gun and ammo companies would look on such efforts with fright, but in the 1950s the magnum craze was beginning to unfold and folks were more open-minded. Magazine editors allowed Keith to write about handloading the .44 Special to unprecedented pressures, and engineers listened to his suggestions with a keen and interested ear. Judging the field ripe for the introduction of a factory cartridge loaded to Keith-like performance, Smith & Wesson and Remington collaborated to design and produce the .44 Mag. The cartridge was formally announced in December 1955. The rest, as they say, is history. Although enabled by modern propellants capable of driving projectiles faster than ever and improved steel capable of withstanding high pressures, the .44 Mag. is steeped in traditional nomenclature and influenced by several earlier cartridge design factors. Instead of being named for the actual diameter of its 0.429inch bore, it’s dubbed with the diameter of the cartridge case itself—a holdover practice dating back to the mid-1800s. Why .44 (or .43) caliber rather than the historically popular .45 bore diameter (which is one of the few accurate designations)? Keith chose the .44 Special for his groundbreaking experimentation for several reasons. Cases manufactured for the .44 Special tended to have thicker walls and bases and were stronger than those for the .45 Colt. Additionally, because of the slightly smaller diameter of the .44 Special case, the chamber walls of a given size revolver cylinder are thicker and stronger than when bored for the .45 Colt. Leaning on modern steel and new propellants that developed high velocities at reasonable pressures, engineers set the pressure ceiling of the .44 Mag. at 36,000 psi—way over double the accepted 15,500 psi pressure limit of the .44 Special. Disparity above the .45 Colt’s 14,000 psi limit was even greater. 26
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
To prevent shooters from accidentally chambering one of the new high-pressure cartridges in an old, weaker revolver, engineers spec’d the new magnum version 0.125 inch longer than its .44 Special parent. A nice side benefit was a bit more internal capacity, which allowed more propellant at less pressure. As a co-designer of the Remington-labeled .44 Remington Magnum, Smith & Wesson was first on the scene with appropriately chambered double-action Model 29 revolvers. Ruger wasn’t far behind with its single-action Blackhawk, one of its employees having found, according to legend, one of the yet-to-be-introduced cartridges headstamped .44 Remington Magnum. It was an instant success with power-thirsty handgunners. So much so that for a time Smith & Wesson simply couldn’t keep up with demand.
Designers chose the .44 Special (left) as the foundation case for the .44 Mag. (center) because its walls and base are thicker than the .45 Colt (right), and the smaller chambers leave more wall strength in a revolver’s cylinder.
Practical Application Where the .44 Mag. really shines is in the hands of outdoorsmen. Hunters get outstanding results on big game up to and including elk and even moose so long as the right sort of projectile is chosen (more on that in a bit). It’s an outstanding choice for fishermen and other nonhunting outdoorsmen, too. While recoil with heavy charges of propellant under heavy, deep-penetrating bear-stopping bullets raises eyebrows, it’s not nearly the level of abuse encountered when firing one of today’s super-stompers, such as the .460 and .500 S&W Magnums. Adding versatility, several different .44 Mag. carbines are available in single-shot, lever-action, semiautomatic, and bolt-action designs. As America’s frontiersmen and cowboys discovered a century and a half ago, the practicality of pairing a handgun and a long gun in one capable caliber is tremendous.
Getting Top Performance To get top performance from the .44 Mag., you need to use the right bullet for the particular application. Traditionally, a 240-grain jacketed softpoint or hard-cast semiwadcutter projectile fired at somewhere between 1,150 fps and 1,400 fps is the go-to bullet for the .44 Mag. Both perform well on deersize game, but for use on bigger game, the .44 Mag. becomes one of the rare instances in which a proper cast bullet is often preferred to a jacketed version. Bullets lighter than 240 grains are better for personal-defense purposes, particularly very light jacketed hollowpoint designs, such as the 180-grainers, pushed fast, which expand dramatically to provide profound on-impact energy transfer and minimize— to an extent—the overpenetration issue associated with using
Many propellants work well with the .44 Magnum. Among the best are H110, Alliant 2400, and Winchester 296 (not shown). For light-recoil practice loads, use Trail Boss.
Hornady 225-Gr. FTX
the cartridge for self-defense. Plus, lighter bullets mean lighter recoil, which means faster follow-up shots. Heavier .44 projectiles, up to 300 grains or a bit more, provide outstanding performance on the heavier-bodied big-game species such as elk, moose, and bear. Again, properly designed hard-cast bullets are often preferable because most jacketed bullets have soft lead cores, and while they do expand and wreak havoc on impact, penetration is severely curtailed. The bigger frontal area creates much greater resistance, and as a result bullets don’t travel nearly as deep. A very hard-cast bullet doesn’t deform appreciably and peneAmerican Eagle 240-Gr. JHP trates admirably.
Barnes 225-Gr. VOR-TX
Handloaded 260-Gr. Keith-Type SWC
Winchester 225-Gr. RazorBack XT
Federal 280-Gr. A-Frame
Winchester 240-Gr. JSP
Buffalo Bore 305-Gr. LFN
A wide variety of different factory loads are available for the .44 Mag. and contribute to its versatility. Plus, the cartridge is easy to handload.
MARCH 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES
27
One of Joseph’s favorite .44 Mag. revolvers is the S&W Performance Center Model 629 Magnum Hunter. It’s very accurate, capable of making consistent hits on targets out to 100 yards or farther.
In hunting projectiles designed for the typical big-game cartridge, expansion is necessary to cause a quick, humane kill because such bullets start out quite small in diameter and are commonly pointed. Without expanding, they zip through like a knitting needle—and big game is under-impressed by knitting needle holes. On the other hand, .44-caliber projectiles are of adequate diameter to kill cleanly, assuming a broad, flat meplat (nose) and crisp edges that neatly sever arteries and cut full-diameter holes like a paper punch. On that note, Keith famously designed what is arguably still the most versatile all-around .44-caliber bullet available. Nominally 240 grains but commonly adapted to heavier versions, the Keith-type cast bullet features a monstrously broad flatnose— very sharp edged—and the crisp, full-diameter shoulder of a semiwadcutter. Between the two, no artery, vital organ, or bone contacted remains undamaged. It’s also known for penetrating straight and true rather than deflecting off heavy bone—an issue that plagues roundnose designs. Lastly, courtesy of the long, full-diameter shank, crisp front shoulder, and flat base, it’s a particularly accurate bullet, which further enhances its suitability for hunting. Keith’s semiwadcutter does have one failing: It doesn’t play nice with many repeating rifle designs. That sharp, full-diameter shoulder hangs up as the rifle attempts to feed it into the chamber. It’s not unique to this specific bullet; all semiwadcutter designs suffer from problematic feeding in such firearms. As a result, if you commonly share ammunition between a 28
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
PERFORMANCE CENTER MODEL 629 MAGNUM HUNTER MANUFACTURER TYPE CALIBER CYLINDER CAPACITY BARREL
Smith & Wesson smith-wesson.com Double-action/single-action revolver .44 Magnum 6 rounds 7.5 in.
OVERALL LENGTH
14.0 in.
WIDTH
1.71 in.
HEIGHT
6.2 in.
WEIGHT, EMPTY
62 oz.
GRIPS
Synthetic
FINISH
Two-tone
SIGHTS
Adjustable rear, red insert dovetail front post
TRIGGER
3.75-lb. single-action pull (as tested)
SAFETY
Key-activated internal locking system
MSRP
$1,369
revolver and a repeating rifle chambered in .44 Mag., you’ll want to bypass Keith-type bullets in favor of roundnose flatpoint designs. However, unlike the RNFP bullets commonly available for cowboy action shooting, which tend to be light and have a small flat on the tip of the aggressively radiused roundnose, choose a heavy-for-caliber version with the broadest meplat you can find.
Smith & Wesson’s new Model 629 Deluxe .44 Mag. revolver is an outstanding all-around gun. It features a full-lug 6.5-inch barrel.
Handloading Tips Although a hard-charger in performance, the .44 Mag. is delightfully simple to handload. Start by purchasing carbide dies, which require no sizing lube so you don’t have to wipe clean each individual case after loading. They’ll set you back some $20 to $40 more than simple steel dies, but I think they’re worth every penny of that. I tumble my empties before sizing because I don’t like running gritty cases into my dies. And then I run a primer pocket brush into each to remove carbon crud before repriming. Check cases for length and trim them if necessary because .44 Mag. cartridges need a good crimp to prevent bullets from creeping during recoil, and a good consistent crimp demands consistent-length cases. Next, expand the case mouths, taking care to adequately flare the mouths so they’ll comfortably accept cast bullets without shaving fragments of lead as they seat, but do not flare them so aggressively that the crimp you’ll soon apply can’t swedge them down to appropriate, easy-chambering sleekness. With cases primed and flared, you’re ready to charge them with propellant. You can load down the .44 Mag. to .44 Speciallike levels (great for building proficiency without enduring the recoil) or stoke it with heavy charges of slow-burning powder to drive massive big-game bullets. I do both and everything in between. Careful study of a reloading manual will reveal several suitable powders for whatever bullet type and weight you intend to load. That said, there are a few that are legendary performers, and it behooves you to have a pound each of Hodgdon H110, Alliant 2400, and Winchester 296 on your shelf. If you intend to make mild low-recoil practice loads, add a pound of IMR Trail Boss.
MODEL 629 DELUXE MANUFACTURER TYPE CALIBER CYLINDER CAPACITY BARREL
Smith & Wesson smith-wesson.com Double-action/single-action revolver .44 Magnum 6 rounds 6.5 in.
OVERALL LENGTH
11.6 in.
WIDTH
1.71 in.
HEIGHT
6.2 in.
WEIGHT, EMPTY GRIPS
51.2 oz. Textured red wood laminate
FINISH
Satin stainless
SIGHTS
Adjustable rear, red insert ramp-type front post
TRIGGER SAFETY MSRP
5.5-lb. single-action pull (as tested) Key-activated internal locking system $1,029
Because I’m a little OCD, I use an RCBS Chargemaster Lite to weigh and charge .44 Mag. cartridges I intend to hunt with. However, throwing charges with a quality mechanical measure is much faster and entirely adequate. If your chosen projectile has a generous crimp groove, you can seat and crimp cartridges in one operation. However, if the groove is short or shallow, you’ll find better results by seating fully in one step without crimping, then backing off your seating stem and dialing down your die to apply the crimp in a second step. It’s slower, but you’ll achieve better bullet concentricity and cleaner, smoother crimps with fewer cases lost to distortion. MARCH 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES
29
Field Performance
“Of the handguns I’ve tested, the most capable for extended ranges is S&W’s Performance Center Model 629 Magnum Hunter.”
While obsessive handgun hunters make clean kills beyond 100 yards with the .44 Mag. and silhouette competition shooters consistently take down banks of 50-pound 200-yard steel rams, the cartridge is at its best inside 100 yards. To that distance it offers adequate energy to kill cleanly and velocity enough to provide a relatively flat trajectory. Unless you are possessed of young, acute vision, you’ll need a scope on your gun to shoot that far ethically anyway. Those who prefer to stick with iron sights are best to keep shots on game inside 50 yards or so. Let’s look at trajectory and energy numbers calculated using a classic 240-grain Keith-type semiwadcutter pushed at 1,350 fps, which generates almost 1,000 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle. Sighted dead-on at 75 yards, point of impact is right at 1 inch high at 50 yards and not quite 3 inches low at 100 yards, where it is down to 1,100 fps and 650 ft-lbs. It’s a very usable trajectory that enables a hunter to hold center of vitals out to 100 yards. Lighter or heavier .44 projectiles and faster or slower velocities change the trajectory, but most can be zeroed at 75 yards and will be quite effective to 100 yards. Past that, you’d best be a student of ballistics to make clean kills. I’ve used barrel lengths from 8 inches down to 2.75 inches, all with success. The longer barrels usually provide more velocity, but each gun is individual. Often tightly tuned precision revolvers from the S&W Performance Center or from Freedom Arms provide better-than-average velocity courtesy of tight cylinder gaps. Of the handguns I’ve tested, the most capable for extended ranges is S&W’s Performance Center Model 629 Magnum Hunter. Mounted with a Burris 2-7X 32mm handgun scope,
mine averages sub-inch 25-yard groups with Hornady’s 225grain Flex Tip ammo, which is an outstanding choice for extended-range deer hunting courtesy of the pointed tip that gives top-of-class aerodynamics. The two .44 Mag. revolvers I’ve found myself using the most lately have very different barrel lengths. Both are Smith & Wesson double actions: one a stainless N-Frame Model 629 Deluxe with a 6.5-inch full-lug barrel, the other a five-shot stainless L-Frame Model 69 Combat Magnum with a 2.75inch barrel. The first is outstanding for general hunting and recreational shooting, the second exceptional as an easy-carrying trail gun or backup guide gun. Interestingly, their accuracy is comparable. The much shorter sight radius of the 2.75-inch Combat Magnum makes it considerably more difficult to shoot precisely, but as long as I can convince my middle-aged eyes to resolve the iron sights clearly, it shoots tidy little groups. My two favorite field loads are the 305-grain hard-cast Buffalo Bore factory ammo and a handload made with a 260-grain hard-cast semiwadcutter over 22 grains of H110. The Buffalo Bore ammo is loaded to top velocity and produces immaculate accuracy and reliability out of all .44 Mag. firearms I’ve fired it in. Plus, it boasts a level of velocity and terminal performance unmatched by almost any other factory .44 Mag. ammunition. When a jacketed bullet is called for, my go-to loads are Federal’s 280-grain Swift A-Frame and Hornady’s 225-grain FTX. Surprisingly, as you can see in the shooting results chart, there’s only about 140 fps dif.44 MAGNUM ACCURACY & VELOCITY ference between the Buffalo Bore load in the two different barrel lengths. 25-YD. VEL. E.S. S.D. ACC. In the 2.75-inch-barreled Model 69, that AMMUNITION (FPS) (FPS) (FPS) (IN.) Buffalo Bore load kicks like the devil’s own S&W Performance Center Model 629 Magnum Hunter, 7.5-in. Barrel mule, but it makes a fantastic backup gun in Hornady 225-gr. FTX 1452 27 11 0.98 bear country. I practice with light .44 Special Winchester 240-gr. JSP 1308 14 6 1.04 loads, which aren’t particularly accurate in the Federal 280-gr. Swift A-Frame 1112 46 19 1.65 Model 69 but make fine-tuning my shot exeS&W Model 629 Deluxe, 6.5-in. Barrel cution much easier. Barnes VOR-TX 225-gr. XPB 1210 86 33 2.59 Smaller magnums may be easier to shoot American Eagle 240-gr. JHP 1350 31 12 2.39 and bigger magnums may provide more kinetic Federal 280-gr. Swift A-Frame 1112 46 19 1.65 energy, but for a balance of manageable recoil Buffalo Bore 305-gr. Cast FN 1337 24 10 1.62 and legitimate authority in a comfortable-toS&W Model 69 Combat Magnum, 2.75-in. Barrel carry revolver, nothing matches the .44 Mag. Winchester 225-gr. RazorBack XT 1105 72 38 1.88 Whether defending the castle, hunting elk in American Eagle 240-gr. JHP 1185 21 10 3.30 the Rockies, or packing a wheelgun in protecBuffalo Bore 305-gr. cast FN 1200 29 13 1.77 tion of wild-country law and order, the .44 NOTES: Accuracy is the average of three, five-shot groups fired from a sandbag benchrest. Mag. is still the most versatile magnum carVelocity is the average of five rounds measured 10 feet from the guns’ muzzles. tridge ever created.
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SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
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Appropriately named for the highest mountain in Maine, the 20-inch-barreled Encore Pro Hunter Katahdin is built for big, dangerous-game hunting in brush country.
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T
HOMPSON/CENTER’S BREAK-ACTION SINGLE-SHOT
Encore rifle (introduced in 1993) has the strength to chamber a multitude of powerful, centerfire cartridges, including the .45-70. And the ability to add interchangeable barrels allows the rifle to be transformed into a muzzleloader, a shotgun, or other centerfire cartridge configurations. The Encore series called the Pro Hunter consists of several iterations of various calibers and barrel lengths. One new version is called the Pro Hunter Katahdin. The Katahdin name is appropriate because it comes from the highest mountain in the state of Maine: a granite mountain that is 5,267 feet high at the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Called simply “Katahdin” by the locals, the name means the “Great Mountain” in the language of the Penobscot. The mountain is home to a wealth of big game, including black bears, whitetails, and moose. T/C says that the Katahdin rifle is designed for “hunting moose in the thick cedar swamps of northern Maine.” It is an appropriate pairing. The Pro Hunter Katahdin is offered in three real thumper cartridges: .460 S&W Magnum, .500 S&W Magnum, and .45-70. This gun is not for sissies. I received a new Pro Hunter Katahdin in .45-70 for this report. The .45-70 Government cartridge has been with us since 1873, and while dozens of faster, larger, and smaller cartridges have been developed since, the .45-70 still occupies a prominent place in the cartridge picket fence. Big-game hunters and target shooters of all stripes appreciate its fat, slow, heavy bullets that consistently bag game, knock over silhouettes, and punch holes in distant paper.
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Features The frame is the same for all Encores, so any accessory Encore barrel will fit this frame. The Pro Hunter Katahdin is strikingly handsome. The stainless-steel frame and barrel have a lustrous matte finish, and the barrel is fluted. The barrel has a nice red fiber-optic front sight, and an excellent, fully adjustable rear peep sight is mounted close to the breech end. The barrel is drilled and tapped for scope mounts, but that requires removing the rear sight. With a scope mounted, the hammerspur is pretty hard to access due to the scope’s eyepiece, and T/C solves this minor problem by making the hammerspur adjustable. It can be moved to the right or to the left for better access and locked in position with a setscrew. The Pro Hunter Katahdin comes with T/C’s FlexTech stock that features soft, molded-in gripping surfaces on the forearm,
ENCORE PRO HUNTER KATAHDIN MANUFACTURER TYPE CALIBER CARTRIDGE CAPACITY BARREL
Break-open single shot .45-70 1 round 20 in.
OVERALL LENGTH
34.5 in.
WEIGHT, EMPTY
6.0 lbs.
STOCK LENGTH OF PULL
Black Flex-Tech forearm and buttstock with Simms recoil pad 14 in.
FINISH
Matte stainless
SIGHTS
Fully adjustable peep rear, red fiberoptic front
TRIGGER MSRP
34
Thompson/Center Arms tcarms.com
6.16-lb. pull (as tested) $852
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
pistol grip, and cheekpiece. They flex upon firing a round and soften the recoil. The color is what I’d call a dark gray or maybe “off black.” In any event, it’s attractive and comfortable to hold. In addition, the stock ends with a 1-inch-thick Simms recoil pad that also softens the blow of the powerful loads for which the Katahdin is chambered. The Encore Pro Hunter Katahdin with open sights weighs 6.0 pounds. For testing, I mounted a Leupold VX-1 3-9X 40mm scope with Duplex reticle, and it brought the rig’s weight up to 7.0 pounds. I must relate a minor problem encountered when mounting the scope. With the scope bore-sighted, the point of impact was about 3 feet below point of aim at 100 yards, much more than the range of adjustment of the scope. This could have been easily remedied by shimming the scope base, but because I was not taking it hunting, I just placed another target below my “aiming” target and tested loads with no problem. But it’s something to keep in mind if you’re installing a scope on your Encore.
Function I fired several .45-70 factory loads for accuracy and velocity in the Pro Hunter Katahdin, and most were pretty mild, no doubt due to the fact they have to be safe in weaker vintage rifles originally chambered for the round, including Trapdoor Springfields. Thus, pressures are held to about 28,000 psi. Nevertheless, these loads aren’t wimps and delivered 1,650 to 2,000 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle. Accuracy with almost all loads was excellent, ranging from 1.3 to 1.7 inches at 100 yards. The average group size of all factory loads was 1.68 inches. That’s more than adequate for about any game hunted with a rifle chambered in .45-70. The smallest group with factory fodder was also the most powerful: the Hornady LEVERevolution 325-grain FTX. Groups averaged 0.84 inch. Velocity was 1,923 fps, and muzzle energy was 2,669 ft-lbs.
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The Fort Scott Munitions 300-grain Solid Copper Spun bullet also produced good accuracy; it averaged 1.02 inches. Federal’s 300-grain JHP averaged 1.36 inches, which also is not too shabby. The only laggard in the accuracy department was the Winchester 300-grain JHP, which strung shots in vertical lines and averaged 3.44 inches, top to bottom. It also produced an extremely high velocity extreme spread of 156 fps, which resulted in a standard deviation of 64 fps. In addition to the factory ammo, I developed several handloads, all of which produced a significant increase in horsepower. I used proven load data that had been pressure tested and kept pressure to about 38,000 psi. The muzzle energies of these handloads were as high as 3,200 ft-lbs.
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SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
The stainless-steel Pro Hunter Katahdin has a high-visibility red fiberoptic front sight. The rear sight is a fully adjustable peep type. It must be removed in order to install scope mounts. To make cocking the singleshot Pro Hunter more convenient if a scope is mounted, the hammerspur can be swung to the right or the left and secured in place.
Top performer was the Nosler 300-grain Ballistic Tip Hunting bullet. (Warning: This sharp-pointed bullet is not suitable for lever guns with tubular magazines.) Atop 55.5 grains of H4198 powder, velocity was 2,196 fps, and at 3,213 ft-lbs, muzzle energy was the highest of any handload tested. With a charge of 60.0 grains of IMR 8208XBR, accuracy averaged 0.83 inch, which was the best of the bunch. Another winner was the Kodiak 350grain Bonded Bullet over 56.0 grains of Benchmark. Velocity averaged 1,888 fps, and accuracy averaged 0.94 inch. The Hornady 350-grain Flat Point shot into 0.91 inch with a velocity of 1,834 fps. The powder charge was 47.5 grains of H4198. The Speer 400-grain Flat Point also favored Benchmark, and 55.0 grains produced 1,852 fps, a group average of 2.22 inches, and an average muzzle energy of 3,047 ft-lbs, the second highest of any load I fired. The grand old .45-70 traditionally has been loaded with cast lead bullets, and 500-grain bullets traveling at about 1,200 fps have slain countless thousands of American bison. I used the excellent cast bullets from The Oregon Trail Bullet Co., but similar bullets are available from many other sources. I chose Oregon Trail’s 350grain gascheck and 405- and 500-grain plainbase bullets for my handloads. All performed really well and would make perfectly fine hunting loads for almost any big game. Accuracy averaged from 1.00 to 1.20 inches, with excellent ballistic uniformity. The Encore Pro Hunter Katahdin is a great rifle, and the .45-70 is a great cartridge. However, there can be too much of
T/C ENCORE PRO HUNTER KATAHDIN ACCURACY & VELOCITY
BULLET
Nosler 300-gr. Ballistic Tip Nosler 300-gr. Ballistic Tip Hornady 350-gr. FP Hornady 350-gr. FP Kodiak 350-gr. Bonded Kodiak 350-gr. Bonded Oregon Trail 350-gr. Cast GC Speer 400-gr. FP Oregon Trail 405-gr. Cast FP Oregon Trail 500-gr. Cast RN Hornady LEVERevolution 250-gr. MonoFlex CorBon DPX 300-gr. HP Federal 300-gr. Fusion Federal Power-Shok 300-gr. JHP Fort Scott 300-gr. SCS Winchester Super-X 300-gr. JHP Hornady LEVERevolution 325-gr. FTX
(TYPE)
(GRS.)
CASE
.45-70, 20-in. Barrel H4198 55.0 Horn. IMR 8208XBR H4198 IMR 8208XBR Benchmark H4198 5744 Benchmark 5744 Varget
60.0 Horn. 47.5 Horn. 55.0 Horn. 56.0 Horn. 46.0 Horn. 26.0 Win. 55.0 Horn. 28.0 Win. 37.0 Win. Factory Load Factory Load Factory Load Factory Load Factory Load Factory Load Factory Load
PRIMER
VEL. (FPS)
S.D. (FPS)
M.E. (FT-LBS)
RECOIL (FT-LBS)
100-YD. ACC. (IN.)
CCI 200
2196
5
3213
35.3
1.20
CCI 200 CCI 200 CCI 200 CCI 200 CCI 200 Fed. 215 CCI 200 Fed. 215 Fed. 215
1996 1834 1808 1888 1788 1172 1852 1310 1223 1940 1946 1749 1707 1622 1573 1923
32 6 5 22 17 9 22 12 14 19 16 7 14 19 64 8
2655 2615 2541 2771 2485 1068 3047 1544 1661 2090 2523 2038 1942 1753 1649 2669
30.4 29.4 30.3 33.3 27.6 10 39.3 16.5 22.2 19.7 25.5 20.7 19.7 17.2 15.9 29.0
0.83 0.91 1.30 0.94 2.32 1.00 2.22 1.20 1.19 1.85 1.14 2.12 1.36 1.02 3.44 0.84
NOTES: Accuracy is the average of three, five-shot groups fired from a Caldwell Lead Sled. Velocity is the average of 10 rounds measured 10 feet from the gun’s muzzle. All load data should be used with caution. Always start with reduced loads first and make sure they are safe in each of your guns before proceeding to the high test loads listed. Since Shooting Times has no control over your choice of components, guns, or actual loadings, neither Shooting Times nor the various firearms and components manufacturers assume any responsibility for the use of this data.
The .45-70 Pro Hunter Katahdin’s best 100-yard, five-shot groups measured less than an inch. Its overall average accuracy for seven factory loads and 10 handloads was 1.46 inches.
a good thing, and here we must take the bitter with the rotten. With the heavier jacketed bullet handloads, not only is the power level up, but so is the recoil—substantially. Recoil is both subjective and objective. How shooters perceive recoil varies with their individual makeup and experience level. The objective component can be quantified. In addition to the recoil energy (in ft-lbs), the recoil velocity of the gun (in fps) is extremely important in how recoil “feels.” Maj. Sir Gerald Burrard, in his scholarly work The Modern Shotgun (1961), detailed many aspects of a gun’s recoil. He spent much time observing British soldiers shooting .303 service rifles and concluded that the threshold velocity of the recoiling gun that induced flinching in riflemen was about 16 fps. For most factory loads fired in the scope-sighted Pro Hunter Katahdin (weighing 7 pounds), the recoil energy was about 16 to 20 ft-lbs, and the recoil velocity was 13.5 fps; both values are in the “tolerable” range. The heavier handloads had more recoil (around 32 ft-lbs) and higher recoil velocity (up to 17 fps). Note that if the gun is fired with open sights (weighing just 6 pounds), the recoil of such loads jumps to 44 ft-lbs, and the recoil velocity goes up to 20 fps.
Shooters can conveniently partition their ammo into two power levels: mild factory loads or equivalent homebrewed ammo and more potent handloads tailored to match whatever the need. In the field, the big-game hunter or backwoods wanderer can take comfort in the fact that such loads would cleanly take just about any game for which the .45-70 is suitable, within its range limit. My gun’s mainspring was very strong and made the hammer difficult for me to cock. I generally used both hands to cock it when firing from the benchrest. Also, my gun’s trigger pull was pretty heavy, averaging 6 pounds, 2.5 ounces. And right out of the box, the action was stiff and rather hard to open. By the end of my shooting session, the action was much easier to open and close, but the hammer still required strong effort to cock it. I don’t see any of this as major detractions because the Pro Hunter Katahdin is such a well-made, good-shooting carbine, but these are things I think readers should know. The Pro Hunter Katahdin version of the T/C Encore represents a modern, straightforward approach to the vexing problem of power, portability, economy, and versatility. It’s a fast-handling, compact carbine that’s ideal for hunting big, dangerous game in brush country, and it makes a fine companion for fishermen in bear country as it can deliver a bone-crushing blow to a recalcitrant bruin or any other critter with fang or claw bent on harm. MARCH 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES
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.416 Rigby
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SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
.416 Remington Magnum
.416 Ruger
N THE WORLD OF CARTRIDGES THAT CAN STOP
anything, the .416 Rigby, .416 Remington Magnum, and .416 Ruger occupy a middle ground. They possess neither the shocking quantities of elephant-stomping energy nor the clavicle-shattering recoil of cartridges such as the .505 Gibbs, .470 Nitro Express, and .458 Lott. Nor do they offer extreme versatility like the somewhat-flatshooting .375s. They do offer one undeniably appealing virtue: legitimate hunt-anything authority at a level of recoil that most hunters can master. Weatherby enthusiasts will rightly point out that the .416 Weatherby Magnum is the velocity king of the lot, and they might argue that it should be included in this discussion. I’m leaving it out because it’s properly in a different performance category. Pushing 400-grain bullets at 2,700 fps, it generates energy levels in excess of 6,600 ft-lbs. That’s way more than the other .416s and even more than .458 Lott and nips at the heels of the .505 Gibbs. Enthusiasts pay for that performance level in the form of sharp and vicious recoil.
The .416’s Forte
The various .416bore cartridges offer an ideal balance of performance on dangerous game.
Performance on buffalos, elephants, hippos, and the really big northern bears often comes down to penetration. Shot angles on dangerous game—particularly during adrenaline-pumping encounters while attempting to finish off a job poorly started— are often less than ideal, and unless the bullet has what it takes to penetrate many feet after shattering massive bones and encountering shockingly dense, thick muscle, it may not reach vitals. Assuming equal penetration, the larger the projectile’s frontal area, the more authoritatively it imparts shock. However, because increased diameter results in exponentially increased surface area, the larger the frontal area, the more resistance the bullet encounters and the less likely it is to penetrate adequately.
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Sectional density is an outdated measure of a bullet’s penetrating ability derived from diameter and weight, but it is applicable to typical roundnose, flatbase dangerous-game bullets, such as the .416 Solid (left), but not so the modern VLD (right).
These 400-grain .416 bullets were recovered from Cape buffalo and demonstrate ideal performance. Shown above are the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw (left) and the Woodleigh Solid (right).
To overcome the greater resistance encoun.416 Rigby tered by larger frontal area, the bullet must be If you ask dyed-in-the-wool dangerousdriven faster. Terminal performance benefits, game hunters which .416 cartridge they prefer, but recoil spikes. A balance must be struck. the answer will almost certainly be the .416 Oddly enough, the old sectional density Rigby. Introduced in 1911, this classic carNot only does the venerable number that is virtually useless when compartridge is legendary in terms of performance, .416 Rigby possess legending most modern bullets is actually applicable possesses unmatchable panache virtue of its ary panache, having been made famous by Harry Selby and helpful when comparing dangerous-game history with and connection to a storied and others, but also it is bullets. Aerodynamics play little part in the British firearms house of almost mythical prowidely available in various design of such projectiles. Most are roundnose portions, and is available in factory-loaded high-performance loads from high-quality ammomakers. and flatnose designs, and the weight/diameter form across most of Africa. Most pair an expanding-bullet ratio that sectional density is based on offers A much-loved characteristic of the rather load with a like-weight solid. sound information. Sectional density numcavernous cartridge case is that it operates at bers of capable dangerous-game bullets start fairly low pressures, so fired cases eject easily around .300 and range up to .340 or so. even in steamy tropical temperatures. Plus, even though it burns In terms of speed, a muzzle velocity of 2,300 fps has long considerably more gunpowder to achieve the same velocity as been considered a threshold. Assuming a typical dangerousits more modern siblings—and theoretically generates more game bullet’s sectional density of .300 to .340, any bullet exiting foot-pounds of recoil on paper—low pressures make for a long, the muzzle at 2,300 fps or more typically provides outstandrolling recoil impulse that is almost comfortable. ing penetration. Traditional 400-grain .416 projectiles have a relatively high sectional density of .330, and the three cartridges spotlighted here all drive those bullets comfortably at 2,300 to 2,450 fps. Frontal area is admirable but not excessive, recoil is acceptable if not comfortable, and penetration is absolutely outstanding. So which of the three is best? Let’s take a closer look. Big-bore cartridges are easy to handload. Since they often encounter rough handling in the field and because actions are often run fast and hard in the heat of the moment, it’s best to prime with hard-cup primers like those by Winchester and CCI.
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SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
The cartridge was originally designed for polymer-tipped expanding bullet or a flatnose use with bulky strands of Cordite propellant, solid and can be pushed to well over 2,700 and today’s handloaders can take advantage of fps. Assuming your rifle shoots it well—and that massive capacity. Most .416 Rigby rifles you’re rifleman enough to place your shots (currently available from CZ-USA, Dakota precisely—I wouldn’t hesitate to use it out Arms, Montana Rifle Co., Ruger, and Sako) to 400 yards or so on moose and the biggest are built on robust, strong actions, and carantelope species. tridge cases are stout. Cautious handloading All things considered, the .416 Rigby has can significantly increase the .416 Rigby’s only one real drawback. The cartridge’s case muzzle velocity. is so beefy, it’s difficult to shoehorn into stanA disclaimer is called for here. Reloading dard-size magnum-length rifle actions. In manuals do not provide high-pressure data most cases, oversize bolt actions are employed for the .416, and handloaders should proceed when building rifles chambered in .416 Rigby. with extreme caution! Candidly, if you feel the While superbly built rifles by Rigby and simneed to shoot 400-grain 0.416-inch projectiles ilar premium companies still manage to be faster than 2,450 fps, you are better off with sleek, well balanced, and of not-burdensome the .416 Weatherby. weight, most affordable .416 Rigby rifles have Governed by Europe’s CIP (Permanent a slightly fencepost-like feel when compared International Commission for the Proof of to .416 rifles using sleeker cases and built on Small Arms) and not SAAMI, the .416 Rigby standard-size actions. is spec’d with a maximum allowable chamber The .416 Rigby is a very forgiving cartridge pressure of 47,100 psi. In contrast, the .416 to handload. Use hard-cupped primers, such The .416 Rem. Mag. has many Rem. Mag.’s maximum is 62,000 psi. as those by Winchester and CCI, paired virtues, ranging from compatibility with standard-size Traditional pressures offer all the perforwith medium-slow burn rate powders, such magnum actions to plentiful mance necessary for even the biggest bull as H4831, Reloder 22, and IMR 7828. ammo availability. elephant or hippo. Modern .416 Rigby factory ammo by Barnes, Federal, Hornady, HSM, .416 Remington Magnum Norma, Nosler, Swift, and Winchester all push a 400-grain While veteran dangerous-game guides may personally opt bullet at or slightly in excess of 2,400 fps. Muzzle energy is for the nostalgia of the Rigby cartridge, when asked to recomalmost 5,200 ft-lbs, and even roundnose solids or softpoints mend a .416, most guides will suggest the Rem. Mag. version. carry almost 4,000 ft-lbs at 100 yards. It was introduced in 1989 and is currently available from Different bullet weights offer versatility. Woodleigh’s 450Barnes, Federal, Hornady, HSM, Nosler, Remington, Swift, grain solids and softnose bullets can’t be pushed quite as and Winchester. fast—2,300 fps is about the limit—but they have a high secIt’s sleeker and fits in standard magnum actions, such as the tional density of .371. Penetration is very good. On the other Remington 700, Winchester Model 70, and Kimber 8400. end of the stick, Barnes’s 350-grain TSX, Swift’s 350-grain A huge variety of suitable projectiles adds versatility to all .416 cartridges. A-Frame, and Cutting Edge’s 350-grain MTH can be driven From left: Cutting Edge 400-grain Safari Solid, Barnes 400-grain Banded to 2,600 fps or a bit more and offer legitimate 250-yard useSolid, Barnes 400-grain TSX, Hornady 400-grain DGS, Hornady 400-grain DGX, Swift 400-grain A-Frame, Swift 350-grain A-Frame, Cutting Edge fulness on hooved game and the biggest bears. 350-grain MTH, Barnes 350-grain TTSX, Barnes 350-grain TSX, Cutting Want even more speed? Try Cutting Edge’s 300-grain Safari Edge 300-grain ESP Raptor, and Barnes 300-grain TSX. ESP Raptor, a unique reversible bullet that serves as either a
MARCH 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES
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Ammunition, reloading components, rifles, Drawbacks? The .416 Rem. Mag. really and rifle parts are all readily available. Even doesn’t have any. Rifles for it are available from though the Rem. Mag.’s case has less capacity Winchester, Kimber, Remington, Montana than its much older sibling, it operates at sigRifle Co., Sako, and Blaser. Compared to the nificantly higher chamber pressure. As a result, classic .416 Rigby, it’s still a young cartridge, both factory ammunition and judicious handbut it has already displaced the .458 Win. Mag. loads produce more velocity with similar bullet as the readily available go-to favorite across weights. In fact, when staying inside approved much of Africa. Compare the ballistics to see pressure limits, the .416 Rem. Mag. is the fastwhy: The .416 Rem. Mag. packs more muzzle est of the three .416s, comfortably pushing a energy (roughly 5,200 ft-lbs versus approximately 5,100 ft-lbs), retains as much energy 400-grain bullet in excess of 2,450 fps. To achieve the .416 Rem. Mag.’s unpreceat 100 yards (about 4,000 ft-lbs) as the .458 dented performance, Remington engineers Win. Mag. does at 75 yards, recoils signifistarted with 8mm Rem. Mag. cases. Nominally cantly less, penetrates more, and fits into the same size rifle action. In short, it’s a superior based on the .375 H&H, the cases feature an dangerous-game cartridge. “improved” shape with blown-out walls and a steeper shoulder. More importantly, 8mm Rem. Mag. cases feature robust construction .416 Ruger to withstand significantly higher pressures. This newcomer (it was introduced in 2008) On the subject of higher pressures, one faces serious challenges; however, it is probably Compact and efficient, the .416 largely unfounded criticism of the .416 Rem. the most efficient of the three. And in some Ruger fits into standard .30-06size actions and provides factory Mag. is the potential for pressure spikes and minds, it is the most practical. load performance on par with sticky extraction when used in very hot tropProponents point out factory ammo the other two .416s. ical climes. Today’s gunpowders are for the achieves performance on the same level as the most part very temperature insensitive, and two older cartridges but in a smaller packalthough spec’d with a fairly high pressure limit, most factory age. The .416 Ruger achieves this by running at high chamber ammunition is loaded well short of high pressures. As a result, pressures—like the .416 Rem. Mag.—and burning a blended, the .416 Rem. Mag. is the soul of reliability. proprietary propellant. Knowing the intended purpose and destination of their careThe .416 Ruger uses the non-belted, sharp-shouldered, parfully constructed ammo, performance-seeking handloaders can allel-sided .375 Ruger cartridge case as its parent and fits into opt to push the limit. For big northern bears, a Barnes 350standard, .30-06-length bolt actions. Internal case capacity is grain bullet can be driven at 2,700 fps and a Cutting Edge about five percent less than that of the .416 Rem. Mag. 300-grain Safari ESP Raptor at 2,800 fps. Hardcore perforRifle actions appropriate for this relatively compact .416 are mance indeed! When loading for the torrid temperatures of shorter than those for the Rigby and Rem. Mag. Plus, because Central Africa, handloaders can take it back several notches the cartridge is shorter, more functional bore exists in a short and push 400-grain solids or softnose bullets between 2,400 20- or 22-inch barrel than when reamed with a longer chamand 2,500 fps. And if you want truly serious penetration, you ber. In other words, the .416 Ruger shines in a compact rifle. can drive a Woodleigh 450-grain bullet at 2,300 fps. Detractors correctly counter that the .416 Ruger barely Or because it works, handloaders can opt—as I often do—to achieves on-par performance with special gunpowders availbuild lower-velocity .416 Rem. Mag. ammo of modest pressure, able only to ammo manufacturers, and that handloaders struggle pushing a 400-grain bullet at around 2,250 fps. Recoil softens to match factory ballistics with even rigorously charged homeand lengthens, becoming a mellow push rather than a sharp brewed ammo. slam. Best of all, performance doesn’t suffer. With its admiraIt’s a valid point, but in reality, it’s moot. A 400-grain bullet— ble sectional density of .330, a 400-grain bullet driven at 2,200 whether a Barnes Banded Solid for use on pachyderms or a fps is still big medicine capable of cleanly and efficiently dropNosler Partition for stopping big coastal brown bears—loaded ping any buffalo or elephant that roams the veldt. to 2,250 fps is completely capable of the task. The cartridge Handloading it is straightforward, and like all dangerousalso is relatively versatile with lighter bullets. Little handload game rounds, prime with a hard CCI or Winchester primer; data for those bullets exists, but a Swift 350-grain A-Frame or charge it with a medium burn rate propellant, such as Varget, Barnes 350-grain TSX can be pushed to 2,600 fps, producing IMR 4895, or Reloder 15; and top with the projectile of your trajectories much like heavy-bullet .30-06 ammo but with a choice. Bullets in hard-kicking cartridges are typically crimped ton more—literally—impact energy. to prevent movement during recoil; for best accuracy, trim case Handloading the .416 Ruger is easy—as long as you don’t mouths perfectly square using a premium trimmer. demand velocities out of its comfort zone. Top velocities can 42
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
Because factory ammunition is stoked with proprietary, blended propellants unavailable to individuals, handloaders will struggle to match factory velocities with the .416 Ruger. However, it’s plenty fast enough with powders such as Reloder 15.
be achieved with Alliant 2000-MR powder. However, Hornady recommends Reloder 15, which is extremely consistent and accurate in the .416 Ruger and provides near-top velocities. Naysayers point out the dearth of available rifles and— worse—factory-loaded ammunition. Aside from custom gunsmiths, only Ruger builds rifles, and only Hornady manufactures ammunition.
That ammo is loaded with a choice of two 400-grain bullets: the DGS (copper-clad, steel-jacketed solid) and the DGX (copper-clad, steel-jacketed bonded softpoint). At its essence, the .416 Ruger—although possibly the best engineered of all the .416s here—simply doesn’t measure up to the .416 Rem. Mag. Sure, it’s a tad shorter, but its performance is a tad short, too.
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44 SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
Since its introduction in the Russian SKS in 1943, the 7.62x39mm (a.k.a. .30 Russian) cartridge has been used mostly in semiautomatic rifles, most notably the AK-47. A few bolt actions have been chambered for it through the years, and the latest is the Ranch variation of the American Rifle from Ruger. Ruger’s Ranch Rifle The American Rifle from Ruger features a lightweight synthetic stock with the patent-pending Power Bedding integral bedding block system; Ruger’s Marksman Adjustable trigger; a one-piece, three-lug bolt with 70-degree throw; and a tang safety. The Ranch Model has a 16.12-inch, hammer-forged barrel with a threaded muzzle (5/8-24 pitch), and it is offered in 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington, .300 Blackout, .450 Bushmaster, and 7.62x39mm chamberings. My 7.62x39mm rifle’s barrel has a rifling twist rate of 1:10. It measures 1.150 inches in diameter at the chamber and tapers to 0.730 inch about an inch behind the muzzle and then increases to 0.755 inch to accommodate the threaded section. The muzzle is nicely crowned. The short-barreled carbine does not have any sights. I am a bit surprised at that, but the receiver is drilled and tapped for an aluminum scope-mounting rail, which is included. It makes mounting a scope very simple.
Ruger promotional materials describe the Ranch Model as minute-of-angle accurate, and while the photos here show it mounted with a Nikon 1-4X 24mm Black Force1000 scope in Nightforce rings, for testing the carbine’s accuracy potential I figured a crystal-clear Nikon 4-16X Monarch scope would sort out Ruger’s claim. I used Warne scope rings to mount that scope. The rifle alone weighed exactly 6 pounds on my digital postal scale, and the high-magnification scope and mount added another 23 ounces. Interestingly, the 7.62x39mm Ranch Model utilizes the detachable steel magazine of the semiautomatic Ruger Mini Thirty, and it holds five cartridges in staggered positions. (Magazines holding 10 and 20 rounds are available from Ruger.) The magazine follower is shaped to hold the bolt of the Mini Thirty open after the last round is fired, so it prevents the bolt of the Ranch Model from closing on an empty magazine. Skinny fingers may be able to reach through the narrow ejection port of MARCH 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES
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The bolt-action Ranch Model uses Ruger’s semiautomatic Mini Thirty detachable magazine. The carbine comes with a five-rounder, but 10- and 20-round magazines are available from Ruger.
up for Shooting Times back in 1994 measured a nominal 0.308 inch, but a forcing cone-shaped throat allowed the use of bullets as large as 0.311 inch. Ruger eventually changed groove diameter to a nominal 0.311 inch, and so it remains to this day. Military surplus and commercially loaded ammunition are loaded with 0.310/0.311-inch bullets, and several component expanding bullets of that diameter in the required weight range are available, including the Hornady 123-grain SST, the Sierra 125grain Pro-Hunter, and the Speer 123-grain Hot-Cor.
Looking for Accuracy the receiver to depress the follower for bolt closure, but mine could not squeeze in comfortably. I found it necessary to drop the magazine in order to close the bolt. The magazine is removed by pushing forward on a latch located just forward of the trigger guard, and each shooter will decide how best to operate it. I settled on pushing the lever forward with the front of my trigger finger. Inserting the magazine into the rifle was easiest when I held the lever fully forward. Cartridges loaded with various styles of bullets fed flawlessly, and that included the Sierra 125-grain Pro-Hunter with its flatnose profile. Fired cases extracted smoothly from a dirty chamber, but the plunger-style ejector was a bit lazy about sending them flying out through the port.
Familiar Features Everything else about the little carbine is like any other Ruger American Rifle. Both ends of the receiver rest in Ruger’s excellent Power Bedding steel blocks, and the barrel is free-floated in the stock. The owner’s manual does not address the amount of torque that should be applied to the two hex-head action bolts, but removing them on the test rifle required plenty of muscle behind a T-handle driver. I can recall when the forearms of injection-molded stocks were too flexible, but molded-in girder reinforcing at the barrel channel of all American Rifle stocks makes them quite rigid. In addition to posts for detachable sling swivels, the stock has a cushiony recoil pad that does a great job of soaking up rearward push. The safety slide on the upper tang operates smoothly and has positive stop indents at each end of its travel, and when engaged, it does not prevent the bolt from rotating. The Marksman Adjustable trigger has a pull weight adjustment range of 3 to 5 pounds. It’s as good as triggers get on mass-produced rifles and better than some, and on my sample it broke crisply at 4 pounds, 3 ounces with no trace of creep or overtravel. The barrels of Ruger rifles in 7.62x39mm have had two different groove diameters. The Mini Thirty autoloader I wrote 46
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
Every rifle in 7.62x39mm I have shot in the past was a semiautomatic, some military surplus, others commercial. Average 100-yard accuracy was around 4 inches for five shots with an occasional 3.0-inch group being cause for celebration. But I had long suspected the little cartridge was capable of much better accuracy. It is, after all, the granddaddy of the 6mm PPC. To deliver acceptable accuracy, bullet diameter should closely match barrel groove diameter, yet in the past, I had found 0.308inch bullets loaded in the 7.62x39mm and pushed through 0.311-inch barrels to be as accurate as bullets measuring 0.310 inch and 0.311 inch. But that was from semiautomatic rifles capable of missing a small watermelon at 100 paces regardless of the bullets being shot. I figured the old rule about matching bullet diameter and barrel groove diameter would become important when the little cartridge is fired in an accurate rifle, and I am still convinced it holds true for a benchrest rifle that must consistently shoot five bullets inside the 0.250 inch at 100 yards necessary to win matches. RUGER AMERICAN RIFLE RANCH MODEL MANUFACTURER TYPE CALIBER
Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. ruger.com Bolt-action repeater 7.62x39mm
MAGAZINE CAPACITY
5 rounds
BARREL
16.12 in.
OVERALL LENGTH WEIGHT, EMPTY STOCK LENGTH OF PULL
36 in. 6.0 lbs. Injection-molded polymer 13.75 in.
FINISH
Matte black metal, Flat Dark Earth stock
SIGHTS
None
TRIGGER SAFETY MSRP
4.19-lb. pull (as tested) Two position $599
Ruger’s excellent Power Bedding steel pillar and molded-in girder reinforcing at the barrel channel of all American Rifle synthetic stocks make them quite rigid.
The Ruger American Ranch has proven to me that entirely acceptable “practical” accuracy is possible even when bullet diameter does not closely match barrel groove diameter. The 7.62x39mm operates at the same industry maximum average chamber pressure as the .30-06 Springfield, and I’m thinking the 50,000 CUP kick in the rump causes slightly undersized lead-core bullets to obturate enough to fill the grooves of the rifling. Handloading the 7.62x39mm is a breeze. Accurate 1680 powder was developed specifically for it and is one of the more popular propellants among those who handload. Much of the published data is for semiautomatic rifles. For example, data in the Hornady manual was developed in an SKS carbine with 23.9 grains listed as maximum for 123and 130-grain bullets. Maximum velocity for both is 2,400 fps. Data in the Speer manual was developed in a Ruger Model 77 Mark II bolt action. Start and maximum charges of 1680 for a 123-grain, 0.310-inch bullet are 26.0 grains and 28.0 grains respectively. Maximum velocity is 2,544 fps. The Western Powders website has a maximum of 27.7 grains for a 125-grain bullet at 2,475 fps. In addition to having an extremely sturdy turnbolt action, the chamber throat of the Ruger American Ranch is fairly long. My caliper says 0.280 inch from the mouth of a chambered
case to the point on the lands first contacted by a speeding bullet. When the base of a bullet is seated to the shoulder neck juncture of a case, it has to leap through a great deal of space prior to engaging the rifling. I kept that in mind while loading 123- and 125-grain bullets. Starting at 26.0 grains of Accurate 1680, I stopped at 28.0 grains with no sign of excessive pressure. Switching to 135-grain bullets, I considered 25.5 grains a good stopping point.
Range Results Muzzle flash from the 16.12-inch barrel was noticeable but not severe, and velocity spread varied considerably. The spread among five shots would be quite acceptable and then it might suddenly exceed 100 fps when firing the next five-shot group. Whereas the cases of Hornady ammunition are pocketed for MARCH 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES
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RUGER AMERICAN RIFLE RANCH MODEL ACCURACY & VELOCITY
BULLET
Sierra 110-gr. Varminter HP Hornady 123-gr. SST
DIAMETER (IN.)
(TYPE)
(GRS.)
7.62x39mm, 16.12-in. Barrel 0.308 CFE BLK 31.0
VEL. (FPS)
E.S. (FPS)
100-YD. ACC. (IN.)
CCI 400
2.095
2569
46
2.08
29.5 29.5 29.5 29.5 29.5 29.5 29.5
CCI 400 CCI 400 CCI 400 CCI 200 CCI 400 CCI 400 CCI 400
2.225 2.265 2.276 2.275 2.275 2.285 2.025
2435 2451 2405 2414 2411 2408 2319
44 31 34 32 68 57 45
1.12 0.91 1.24 0.88 0.74 0.72 0.66
28.0 28.0 28.0 28.0 28.0
CCI 450 CCI 450 CCI 400 CCI 450 CCI 200
2.280 2.215 2.215 2.215 2.215
2406 2326 2312 2324 2331
42 34 139 33 16
1.88 1.15 1.24 0.97 1.15
25.5
CCI 450
2.240
2275
16
1.25
25.5 25.5 25.5
CCI 400 CCI 450 CCI 200
2.290 2.290 2.290
2302 2319 2342
108 34 21
1.47 0.71 0.82
25.5 CCI 450 0.310 Factory Load 0.310 Factory Load *Pulled from Hornady factory ammo
2.275 2.220 2.180
2231 2314 2324
41 21 30
1.56 0.92 1.50
Hornady 125-gr. HP Hornady 125-gr. SST Hornady 125-gr. SST Nosler 125-gr. AccuBond Nosler 125-gr. Ballistic Tip Sierra 125-gr. Pro-Hunter FNHP Sierra 125-gr. MatchKing HP
0.310 0.308 0.308 0.308 0.308 0.308 0.308 0.308
CFE BLK CFE BLK CFE BLK CFE BLK CFE BLK CFE BLK CFE BLK Accurate 1680
Sierra 125-gr. Pro-Hunter Spitzer Sierra 125-gr. Pro-Hunter Spitzer Sierra 125-gr. Pro-Hunter Spitzer Sierra 125-gr. Pro-Hunter Spitzer Hornady 135-gr. FTX
0.308 0.311 0.311 0.311 0.308
Accurate 1680 Accurate 1680 Accurate 1680 Accurate 1680 Accurate 1680
Sierra 135-gr. Tipped MatchKing
0.308
Accurate 1680
Sierra 135-gr. Tipped MatchKing Sierra 135-gr. Tipped MatchKing Sierra 135-gr. MatchKing HP
0.308 0.308 0.308
Accurate 1680 Accurate 1680 Accurate 1680
Hornady Black 123-gr. SST Hornady Steel 123-gr. SST
PRIMER
COL (IN.)
NOTES: Accuracy is the average of three, five-shot groups fired from a sandbag benchrest. Velocity is the average of five rounds measured 12 feet from the gun’s muzzle. Hornady cases were used for all handloads. All load data should be used with caution. Always start with reduced loads first and make sure they are safe in each of your guns before proceeding to the high test loads listed. Since Shooting Times has no control over your choice of components, guns, or actual loadings, neither Shooting Times nor the various firearms and components manufacturers assume any responsibility for the use of this data.
Large Rifle primers, virgin brass from that company uses Small Rifle primers. Thinking the CCI 400 primer might be a bit timid about uniformly igniting Accurate 1680, I tried the CCI 450 Magnum, and velocity spread returned to normal. Muzzle
flash was also reduced. I had already fired 40 rounds of Hornady ammo, so I resized those cases and seated CCI 200 Large Rifle primers, and velocity spread was about the same as with the CCI 450 primers. You can see the difference primer type makes by perusing my test results with the 0.311-inch Sierra 125-grain Pro Hunter Spitzer and the 0.310-inch Sierra 135-grain Tipped MatchKing. What they say about Accurate 1680 being an excellent choice for use in the 7.62x39mm is true so long as the right primer/ case combination is used. In contrast to my experience with Accurate 1680, velocity spread when igniting CFE BLK with the CCI 400 primer was quite acceptable, and there was no detectable muzzle flash. It has become my favorite powder for the 7.62x39mm, and if anything, it serves a better role there than in the .300 Whisper/ Blackout for which it was developed. Accurate 1680 powder was developed specifically for the 7.62x39mm cartridge and is popular with handloaders. CFE BLK powder is one of Layne’s favorites for the Russian round.
48
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
Sierra 110-Gr. Varminter HP Hornady 125-Gr. SST (0.308 in.) Hornady 125-Gr. SST (0.310 in.) Nosler 125-Gr. AccuBond Nosler 125-Gr. Ballistic Tip Sierra 125-Gr. Pro-Hunter FNHP Sierra 125-Gr. Pro-Hunter Spitzer (0.308 in.) Sierra 125-Gr. Pro-Hunter Spitzer (0.311 in.) Sierra 125-Gr. MatchKing HP Hornady 135-Gr. FTX Sierra 135-Gr. Tipped MatchKing Sierra 135-Gr. MatchKing HP
Best accuracy was chalked up by the homely, little 0.308-inch Sierra 125-grain Pro-Hunter flatnose hollowpoint. It was designed for the .30-30 Winchester, and through the decades, an old friend of mine has used it in a Winchester 94 to take more whitetail deer than he will admit to (there is no limit on bucks in his county). That bullet should be an equally good choice for woods stalking with a rifle in 7.62x39mm. I have not taken a deer with the 7.62x39mm, but I have taken several with the Nosler 125-grain Ballistic Tip and Hornady 125-grain SST loaded to 2,500 fps for my Winchester Model 54 in .30-30. If I were to hunt deer with a rifle in 7.62x39mm, it would be loaded with either the Nosler Ballistic Tip, the Sierra Pro-Hunter hollowpoint, or the Hornady 125-grain SST. Considering the price and accuracy of the Ranch Model of the Ruger American in 7.62x39mm, it has to be considered one of the best things to happen to this popular little cartridge.
380 Auto 9mm 40S&W 45 Auto 10mm Com g 2018
49 PISTOL CALIBER CARBINES FROM $315 TO $475 - 100% American Made - Lifetime Warranty WWW.HI-POINTFIREARMS.COM MKS Supply LLC - 877.425.4867 MARCH 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES
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50 SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
M
AYBE IT’S BECAUSE I SERVE DOUBLE-
duty as the editor of both Shooting Times and my company’s special publication called the Complete Book of the Model 1911, but I’ve come to appreciate that there is almost no shooting task a Model 1911 can’t handle. Case in point: The 10mm Super Jägare from Kimber is built for hunting. Jägare is Swedish for hunter, huntsman, lover of the chase. I don’t usually go for gimmicks and cute names for guns, but in this case, I sort of like that Kimber decided to name its new hunting pistol Super Jägare. To me, it indicates the designers spent a considerable amount of time and effort creating this special-purpose 1911.
The pistol has a steel frame with charcoal gray KimPro finish, and the front of the grip frame has Kimber’s Super Carry checkering treatment. Actually, it’s not checkering; it’s a scale-like texturing that Kimber first used several years ago on its Raptor pistols. The mainspring housing has the same scale-like texturing, and it’s bobbed at the bottom, giving the grip a round butt. There is no mag well, per se, but the inside of the bottom of the grip frame is beveled to assist with the insertion of a magazine. The upper end of the grip frame has a high cut under the trigger guard to help provide a high-hand hold. The grips are green-and-black G10—Kimber calls them Micarta—and they are partially checkered and attached to the frame with black hex-head screws.
The Pistol The Super Jägare pistol comes from the Kimber Custom Shop, so it has all the bells and whistles. Nice features include a throated and fully supported match-grade 6.0-inch barrel and slide and a match-grade barrel bushing. They are made of stainless steel. Interestingly, the barrel has six ports that match up with six ports in the slide. The ports are designed to help control the recoil of the high-performance 10mm Auto ammunition. The pistol’s slide is given a matte black DLC finish. DLC stands for Diamond-Like Carbon. The Super Jägare comes with a Leupold DeltaPoint Pro red-dot sight installed. Interestingly, there is no front sight.
MARCH 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES
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The frontstrap is textured with a scale-like pattern that Kimber calls Super Carry. The back of the mainspring housing and the top of the slide also have the same scale-like texturing, and the entire pistol has been given Kimber’s carry melt treatment, meaning all edges are rounded and smoothed.
The pistol also has a checkered slide stop, an extended ambidextrous thumb safety, a skeletonized and blackened aluminum trigger, a skeletonized Commander-style hammer, and a beavertail grip safety. The tuned trigger pull measured 5 pounds, 8 ounces according to several measurements with my RCBS trigger pull scale. Amazingly, there was just 2 ounces of variation over 10 measurements. That’s extremely consistent. The Super Jägare uses a standard recoil spring guide rod, and the recoil spring is rated at 18.5 pounds. The magazine holds eight rounds of ammo and has a flat follower.
SUPER JÄGARE MANUFACTURER TYPE CALIBER MAGAZINE CAPACITY
Recoil-operated autoloader 10mm Auto 8 rounds
BARREL
6.0 in.
OVERALL LENGTH
9.7 in.
WIDTH
1.40 in.
HEIGHT
6.13 in. (base of magazine to top of red-dot sight)
WEIGHT, EMPTY GRIPS
42 oz. Micarta textured G10
FINISH
Matte black DLC slide, charcoal gray KimPro frame, black-and-green grips
SIGHTS
Leupold DeltaPoint Pro rear
The Cartridge
5.5-lb. pull (as tested)
The 10mm Auto is one of those rounds that has a cult following, although it has experienced a recent flurry of popularity with a bunch of new pistols from several different manufacturers and recent ammunition offerings from some of the biggest
TRIGGER SAFETY MSRP
52
Kimber kimberamerica.com
On top, the slide has scale-like texturing running almost the full length. It stops about 0.75 inch from the muzzle end, even with the last barrel/slide port. The ejection port has been lowered and flared. And instead of typical cocking grooves, scale-like grasping areas are located on both sides near the rear sight. Speaking of the rear sight, the pistol comes with a Leupold DeltaPoint Pro red-dot sight installed at the factory, and the slide has been milled to accept the Leupold sight. The pistol has no front sight. The DeltaPoint Pro features a 2.5-MOA electronic red dot and DiamondCoat lens coating and blackened lens edges for optimal clarity. It uses Leupold’s patented Motion Sensor Technology, which detects motion, activates illumination, and adjusts the brightness to the environment. It also has a manual adjustment for personalized settings. There are eight brightness levels, and one CR2032 battery provides the power. A master on/off switch allows the unit to be powered down to prevent battery drain. The sight is shockproof and waterproof, and it weighs 1.9 ounces. The Super Jägare’s fit, finish, and hand-craftsmanship are excellent. The entire pistol has been given Kimber’s carry melt treatment, so all edges and corners of the gun are smooth. As it came from its polymer case, the Super Jägare was extremely tight, but the tight fit didn’t hinder functioning. The pistol cycled perfectly throughout my test session with all 10 of the factory loads I fired through it.
Extended ambidextrous manual thumb safety, beavertail grip safety $2,688
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
The pistol’s magazine holds eight rounds of hard-hitting 10mm Auto ammo, and it has a flat follower and side witness holes. Its base is drilled and tapped for installing a bumper pad.
Range Results
The mainspring housing is bobbed at the bottom, giving the Super Jägare a round butt, and the grip panels are checkered green-and-black G10 that Kimber refers to as Micarta.
ammomakers. It was originally created with law enforcement use in mind, but today it is the darling of handgun hunters. Bullet diameter is 0.400 inch, which is 0.010 inch less than the classic .41 Remington Magnum revolver round, but ballistically, the 10mm Auto is very close to the .41 Mag., making it a great choice for hogs, deer, black bears, mountain lions, and other predators. Typical bullet weights in factory-loaded 10mm Auto ammunition are 175, 180, and 200 grains. And typical factory-rated muzzle velocities range from 1,030 fps to 1,290 fps in 5.0-inch barrels depending on bullet weight. Some ammomakers also offer 155-grain loads, and they typically produce a muzzle velocity in the neighborhood of 1,350 fps. Corresponding muzzle energies range from 424 ft-lbs to 650 ft-lbs depending on the specific bullet weight.
As I mentioned, I fired 10 different 10mm Auto factory loads in the new Super Jägare with bullet weights ranging from 155 grains through 175 and 180 grains to 200 grains and styles ranging from hollowpoints through jacketed softpoints to roundnose flatpoints. All types fed, fired, extracted, and ejected perfectly. Velocity ranged from 1,111 to 1,286 fps, measured 12 feet from the muzzle. I fired the rounds for velocity over a sandbag rest, and recoil was not sharp whatsoever. Undoubtedly, the pistol’s 2.63-pound weight (42 ounces) helped tame the recoil. Recoil values, as calculated with an online source, ranged from 4.7 ft-lbs to 9.0 ft-lbs. Comparing those figures to popular .45 ACP loads fired in a typical 5.0-inch-barreled 1911 (weighing 39 ounces) that normally generate recoil values ranging from 4.5 to 7.2 ft-lbs reveals that the 10mm’s recoil in the 6.0-inch-barreled Super Jägare is not much more. I’ve fired a fair amount of 10mm Auto in many 1911s, some with 5.0-inch barrels and some with non-ported 6.0-inch barrels, so comparing the velocities I obtained through the ported Super Jägare revealed some interesting results. The same loads produced velocities in the ported Super Jägare that were on average 30 fps less than in a pistol with a non-ported 6.0-inch barrel. Compared to velocities in a non-ported 5.0-inch barrel, the ported Super Jägare’s velocities were on average 10 fps less. The velocities in a non-ported 6.0-inch barrel were typically 20 fps higher than those generated in a non-ported 5.0-inch barrel. Based on the velocities registered in the ported 6.0-inch barrel of the Super Jägare, the ammunition fired had muzzle energies ranging from 425 ft-lbs to 661 ft-lbs. Those figures are definitely enough to cleanly take deer, black bears, mountain lions, and other similar-size game. MARCH 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES
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The chamber of the 10mm Super Jägare’s 6.0-inch match-grade barrel is throated and fully supported. The pistol uses a standard recoil spring guide rod assembly with an 18.5-pound spring.
As for accuracy, I fired the pistol on paper targets at 25 yards, mounted in my Ransom Rest, and averaged the results of five, five-shot groups with each load. Then I calculated an overall average accuracy for all loads. The overall average accuracy was 1.84 inches. The best load averaged an incredible 0.87 inch, and the “worst” load averaged 2.71 inches. I don’t have to tell you 2.71 inches at 25 yards is quite good, and 0.87 inch is extremely good. The complete results are listed in the accompanying chart. Then I fired a single five-shot group with the most accurate 25-yard load (the Barnes VOR-TX 155-grain XPB) at 50 yards. The string at that range was a very impressive 2.75 inches, with three of the shots inside 0.75 inch. My favorite 10mm factory load has always been Winchester’s 175-grain Silvertip loading because it is close in ballistics to my favorite .41 Magnum revolver round, which also happens to be loaded with a Winchester 175-grain Silvertip bullet, but I think the Federal Trophy Bonded JSP load would be my pick for all-around hunting even though it was in the middle of the pack in terms of accuracy because it produced the highest muzzle energy (661 ft-lbs) of the 10 loads I fired. I also found HSM’s 200-grain RNFP Bear Load to be interesting. It produced an average velocity of 1,203 fps with a muzzle energy of 643 ft-lbs. It’s specifically designed for hunting and features a lead roundnose flatpoint bullet. Since this pistol
is designed for hunting, and since the Bear Load was nicely accurate, I would like very much to try it on whitetails and black bears. I will report that it pushed a lot of smoke out of the barrel’s ports. For plain old plinking, the Barnes VOR-TX 155-grain XPB was the softest shooting load I tried, and as stated earlier, its accuracy was stellar. For home-defense, I’d most likely go with the Hornady Critical Duty 175-grain FlexLock loading because it was very good in the accuracy department and the bullet style has proven to be effective for defensive applications. When Kimber first announced the Super Jägare, Joseph von Benedikt, Shooting Times’s hunting specialist, called it “the most exciting pistol announced KIMBER SUPER JÄGARE ACCURACY & VELOCITY this year.” It is no doubt distinctive. And it has a lot of very nice and practical features. 25-YD. The ported barrel and slide provide excellent VEL. E.S. S.D. ACC. AMMUNITION (FPS) (FPS) (FPS) (IN.) recoil control. The green-and-black G10 grips 10mm, 6.0-in. Barrel are extremely durable and look great. The Barnes VOR-TX 155-gr. XPB 1111 6 2 0.87 rounded grip frame reduces recoil bite and Hornady 155-gr. JHP-XTP 1232 29 11 1.55 won’t fray the lining of your hunting coat. Hornady 175-gr. FlexLock 1175 9 4 1.73 The DLC-coated stainless-steel slide and the Winchester 175-gr. Silvertip 1276 41 16 1.99 KimPro-finished frame hold up to the rigors Armscor USA 180-gr. FMJ 1131 14 6 2.71 of hunting in brush country. The Leupold Federal 180-gr. Trophy Bonded JSP 1286 25 12 2.00 DeltaPoint Pro red-dot sight is perfect for HPR 180-gr. JHP 1195 37 17 2.25 use on big game, as is the powerful and accuSIG SAUER 180-gr. FMJ 1236 41 17 1.11 rate 10mm Auto cartridge. SIG SAUER 180-gr. JHP 1245 10 6 2.12 I’ve done a fair amount of hunting , HSM Bear Load 200-gr. RNFP 1203 16 6 2.03 although I would never call myself a “super NOTES: Accuracy is the average of five, five-shot groups with the pistol mounted in a Ransom hunter.” But armed with Kimber’s new Super Rest. Velocity is the average of five rounds measured 12 feet from the gun’s muzzle. Jägare pistol, I sure do feel like one.
54
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
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SHOOT
HUNT
DEFEND
TRAIN
QUICKSHOT
Bushnell AR/6.5 Creedmoor 4.5-18X 40mm BY STEVE GASH BUSHNELL IS ADDING NEW SPECIALIZED PRODUCTS TO ITS OPTICS LINE
all the time, and one of the most useful recent introductions taps into the immense popularity of the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge. Bushnell’s new scope is called the AR/6.5 Creedmoor, and it’s designed for the long-range capabilities of this excellent round. The power range is an impressive 4.5 to 18, and the scope has a reticle specifically developed for the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge. Here’s how it works. Along the vertical crosshair are four dots below the intersection; these plus the thick part of the crosshair below the dots give five calibrated aiming points. Sighted-in at 100 yards, the dots, going down from the intersection, are aiming points for 200, 300, 400, and 500 yards respectively. The top of the thick part of the stadia is for 600 yards. These points are designed to correspond pretty closely to the trajectory of fullpower 6.5 Creedmoor ammo. On the range, as best as I could measure, the distance between the dots at 100 yards is 1.5, 3.7, 6.4, 9.4, and 12.7 inches for the 200- to 600-yard aiming points. These values should be confirmed with the shooter’s loads and rifle, of course. This is a clean reticle, without a lot of distracting hash marks. AR/6.5 CREEDMOOR 4.5-18X 40MM The matte black scope is 12.4 inches long, weighs 21.5 Bushnell ounces, and has crisp 0.25-MOA click adjustments. There MANUFACTURER bushnell.com are 50 MOA of adjustment for windage and elevation, MAGNIFICATION 4.5X to 18X which ought to be plenty for long-range shooting. It has OBJECTIVE LENS 40mm a side parallax adjustment from 25 yards to infinity. The DIAMETER lenses are fully multicoated, and the field of view is 22 TUBE DIAMETER 1 in. feet at 100 yards at 4.5X and 7.3 feet at 18X. The eye EYE RELIEF 3.7 in. relief is a comfortable 3.7 inches and is relatively con22 to 7.3 ft. @ FIELD OF VIEW stant throughout the power range, although it shrinks 100 yds. a little at the highest powers. ADJUSTMENT CLICKS 0.25 MOA The reticle is in the second focal plane, which means ELEVATION 50 MOA ADJUSTMENT RANGE the distances between the dots are only correct at the WINDAGE highest power. However, the clever rifleman can “tweak” 50 MOA ADJUSTMENT RANGE this to his own needs by adjusting the power, noting the LENGTH 12.4 in. distances subtended at various ranges, and then making WEIGHT 21.5 oz. a cheat sheet compatible with the values for his load. FINISH Matte black MSRP: $323.45 MSRP $323.45 bushnell.com 56
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
SHOOT
HUNT
DEFEND
TRAIN
QUICKSHOT
TIMBERGHOST TACTICAL LLC RECENTLY INTRODUCED NOVX 9MM LUGER
ammunition. Incorporating both a composite cartridge case and a composite bullet, NovX is very different from run-of-the-mill 9mm pistol ammunition. It’s simply the lightest, strongest, and fastest ammunition you can safely fire in your favorite 9mm pistol. The two-piece NAS3 case from Shell Shock Technologies combines a nickel-plated, hardened aluminum case head joined with a nickel-alloy stainless-steel case body. Pressure-tested up to 65,000 psi, it’s much stronger than conventional cartridge brass but also approximately 50 percent lighter. That makes it the perfect choice for 9mm +P pistol loads. According to NovX President Scott Shultz, Quantum Ammunition (formerly PolyCase) developed a 65-grain ARX self-defense bullet specifically for this new product. Made by injection-molding a copper/polymer composite material, it’s a dramatic change from traditional jacketed/lead-core pistol bullets. The ARX bullet foregoes the typical expanding hollowpoint design by incorporating three “power vane” nose flutes to effect similar impact cavities but with the benefit of greater penetration. Timberghost Tactical purchases these two unique components and assembles SAAMI “standard” and “+P” pressure-rated 9mm Luger ammunition. I was able to obtain samples of the +P ammo. The NovX ARX +P Engagement: Extreme self-defense ammunition has an advertised muzzle velocity of 1,710 fps and a muzzle energy of 422 ft-lbs. The RNP Cross Trainer +P load features a roundnose copper/polymer bullet with only a slightly reduced (1,690 fps) ballistic performance. Both NovX 9mm +P self-defense loads rival typical .45 ACP 230-grain FMJ muzzle energy. I fired the new ammunition in a NOVX 9MM ACCURACY & VELOCITY short-barreled Ruger LC9s and a fullsize CZ-USA CZ75. The shiny, slick 25-YD. stainless/nickeled rounds chamVEL. E.S. S.D. M.E. ACC. (FT-LBS) (IN.) AMMUNITION (FPS) (FPS) (FPS) bered and ejected flawlessly. As Ruger LC9s, 3.12-in. Barrel the chart shows, velocity results NovX Cross Trainer 65-gr. RNP +P 1557 53 15 350 4.13 support the manufacturer’s perforNovX Engagement: Extreme 65-gr. ARX +P 1609 39 11 374 3.60 mance specs. CZ-USA CZ75, 4.6-in. Barrel The new NovX 9mm ammunition NovX Cross Trainer 65-gr. RNP +P 1690 48 11 413 2.65 is packaged 26 rounds to the box. NovX Engagement: Extreme 65-gr. ARX +P 1730 47 14 432 2.07 That’s not a typo! NOTES: Accuracy is the average of two, five-shot groups fired from a sandbag benchrest. Velocity is the MSRP: $28.99 average of 10 rounds measured six feet from the guns’ muzzles. novxammo.com MARCH 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES
57
SHOOT
HUNT
DEFEND
TRAIN
QUICKSHOT
LAST YEAR SAVAGE CAME OUT WITH TWO
Savage’s MSR-10 Long Range has a 22-inch fluted barrel with 1:8 twist, a non-reciprocating charging handle on the left side, a two-stage Blackhawk target trigger, a 10-round Magpul magazine, and a Magpul PRS Gen 3 buttstock.
58
SHOOTING TIME
platforms of AR-type rifles: the standard .223/5.56mm-size MSR-15 and the bigger MSR-10. This report focuses on the MSR10. The MSR-10 is offered chambered for .308 Winchester and the popular 6.5 Creedmoor. My rifle is the latter. The MSR-10 in 6.5 Creedmoor is available in Hunter and Long Range versions. The one reported on here is the Long Range version, and it features a 22-inch fluted barrel with 5R rifling in a twist rate of 1:8. It comes complete with a four-port muzzle brake. The barrel has a Melonite QPQ finish, inside and out. The rifle uses a direct impingement gas system with an adjustable gas block. There is a non-reciprocating charging handle on the left side of the receiver and the usual charging handle at the rear of the action. The upper receiver has a free-float M-LOK handguard and a full-length Picatinny top rail. The lower receiver features a Blackhawk two-stage target trigger, a Blackhawk Knoxx pistol grip, and a fixed Magpul PRS Gen 3 buttstock. The buttstock is fully adjustable for length of pull (from 14.5 to 15.75 inches) and cheekpiece height via aluminum detent knobs, and it has M-LOK slots on the bottom for rear monopod mounting. The receiver is hard-coat anodized in matte black, and the rifle comes with a polymer 10-round Magpul magazine. For convenience, I used a Magpul 20-round magazine during my shooting session. The MSR-10 Long Range 6.5 Creedmoor rifle weighs 10 pounds and is 43.63 inches
MSR-10 LONG RANGE MANUFACTURER TYPE CALIBER MAGAZINE CAPACITY BARREL OVERALL LENGTH WEIGHT, EMPTY STOCK LENGTH OF PULL GRIP
Savage savagearms.com Gas-operated autoloader 6.5 Creedmoor 10 rounds 22 in. 43.63 in. 10 lbs. Magpul PRS Gen3 14.5 to 15.75 in. Blackhawk
FINISH
Matte black hard-coat anodized receiver; Melonite QPQ barrel
SIGHTS
None
TRIGGER SAFETY MSRP
3.5-lb. pull (as tested) Two position $2,284
benchrest at a distance of 100 yards. As you can see in the accompanying chart, the rifle’s best average accuracy came with the SIG SAUER 140-grain OTM load. That load averaged 0.88 inch at 100 yards. All the other factory loads I fired in the MSR-10 averaged between 1.01 and 2.99 inches, and overall average accuracy for all loads was 1.46 inches. Obviously, this rifle prefers 140-grain bullets. With an average velocity of 2,871 fps, the Browning 129grain BXR load had the highest velocity. The HSM 140-grain Berger VLD Hunting ammo had the lowest velocity extreme spread and standard deviation. Throughout my shooting, the rifle digested all ammo without a hiccup. The trigger pull was consistent, measuring 3 pounds, 8 ounces on my RCBS trigger pull scale. The 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition doesn’t produce a lot of recoil (the loads generated anywhere from 9.5 to 13.4 ft-lbs), and in the relatively heavy MSR-10 Long Range rifle it was hardly noticeable. Combine that with the gun’s good accuracy with its preferred loads and you have an AR rifle that’s really fun to shoot. I think it’s perfectly suited to casual competition shooting and hunting deer from a stand. MSRP: $2,284 savagearms.com
long. With scope, scope mount, and a fully loaded magazine, the rifle weighs just under 12 pounds according to my digital scale. For my shooting session, I installed a Bushnell AR/6.5 Creedmoor 4.5-18X 40mm. SAVAGE MSR-10 LONG RANGE ACCURACY & VELOCITY You can read more about the scope in Steve Gash’s “Quick Shot” on page 56. Also for 100-YD. my shooting session, I chose a selection VEL. E.S. S.D. ACC. AMMUNITION (FPS) (FPS) (FPS) (IN.) of hunting and match ammunition rang6.5 Creedmoor, 22-in. Barrel ing from Browning’s 129-grain BXR load Browning 129-gr. BXR 2871 37 16 1.32 and Federal’s 130-grain Berger OTM load Federal Gold Medal 130-gr. Berger OTM 2862 37 16 1.47 through Hornady’s A-Max, HSM’s Berger Hornady 140-gr. A-Max 2701 30 10 1.01 VLD Hunting, and SIG SAUER’s OTM loads, HSM Trophy Gold 140-gr. Berger VLD Hunting 2758 12 6 1.06 each with 140-grain bullets, to Winchester’s SIG SAUER 140-gr. OTM 2483 36 14 0.88 Expedition Big Game Long Range 142-grain Winchester Expedition BG LR 142-gr. ABLR 2670 26 10 2.99 AccuBond LR loading. NOTES: Accuracy is the average of three, five-shot groups fired from a sandbag benchrest. I fired three, five-shot groups with each Velocity is the average of five rounds measured 12 feet from the gun’s muzzle. of the six factory loads from a sandbag MARCH 2018 • SHOOTING TIMES
59
SHOOTER’S SHOWCASE GUNSMOKE
HIPSHOTS
IN 1988 I CAME HOME FROM ALASKA AFTER A
Terry’s choice for a dangerousgame backup gun is his .44 Magnum S&W Mountain Gun. Tucked in a behind-thehip holster, it is always on his belt, always available, yet out of the way. Carrying it has become as natural as wearing boots.
60
close encounter with a brown bear on Montague Island. It ended badly for the bear, but it could well have ended badly for me. A month later, in an almost identical situation, a big bear killed a hunter on Baranof Island, and I decided a suitable sidearm might be appropriate for future wanderings in coastal Alaska. I was discussing this with the proprietor of my favorite gunshop, who was a pal of mine, when another customer chimed in from down the counter. “What you need,” he loudly opined, “is a Desert Eagle! Get a couple of spare mags and a chest holster. Handle anything that walks.”
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
He turned back to perusing the shop’s stock of ammunition while his girlfriend (there’s always a girlfriend) gazed in admiration. Pat and I returned to discussing my problem, which our uninvited interlocutor had somehow not solved for us. The Desert Eagle is a massive semiautomatic pistol that’s been chambered for the .44 Magnum, the .41 Magnum, the .357 Magnum, and the .50 AE. It is the size of a small carbine and weighs 4.5 pounds. As for carrying one in a chest holster, the very suggestion showed that this guy had probably never been outside the city limits, much less carried a gun in the bush on a day-to-day basis.
The world is full of well-meaning advice, but a lot of it is grounded in what somebody dreamt up in theory or saw on the Internet. Meaning it is worse than worthless—and may even be dangerous. Here’s the problem as I saw it. In Alaska, I would always be carrying a rifle if I was in bear country, but there are occasions when a rifle is not in your hands. Even when it is, it is not always the best tool in a really close, unexpected encounter. For one thing, it takes two hands to operate and you may not have both hands free. What’s needed is a handgun that will be on your belt every waking moment, no matter what you’re doing. Walking down to the creek for a bucket of water, going off behind a bush for some philosophical reflection— whatever you do, it will be within reach. Deer hunting one time, I leaned my rifle against a tree and stepped a few yards away for a quiet moment, when out burst a deer running at full speed. Where was my rifle? Ten feet away. I can still hear those drumming hooves. In the end, for Alaska, I bought a Smith & Wesson Model 29 Mountain Gun (the original) in brushed stainless with a 4.0-inch barrel, got a Bianchi hip
.223 Rem.
.450 Bushmaster
The S&W Mountain Gun
Beginning in the 1980s, Smith & Wesson produced a series of Mountain Guns, and most were based on the classic N-Frame double-action revolver. Some were stainless steel; some were blued steel. Calibers offered included .44 Magnum, .44 Special, and .45 Colt. There was also an L-Frame Model 686 Mountain Gun chambered for .357 Magnum. The distinguishing feature of these revolvers was the tapered 4.0-inch barrel.
holster, shot two seasons of IPSC with it to get used to drawing and firing quickly at close range, and even took to wearing it around my office while I worked, just to accustom myself to the weight. A few years after that, I spent some months in South Africa, where I wore a handgun on my belt from dawn to dusk. That was a different type of dangerous game, but the principles were the same. The problem with the Desert Eagle in a chest holster is that it is obtrusive, awkward, gets in the way, and, worst of all, might not be in place when you need it. All that harness, all those straps, combined with the clothes you need in Alaska, with jackets and rain gear and what not, putting it on, taking it off. To say nothing of a backpack. Give me a nice six-shot .44 revolver, riding quietly on my hip.
For complete details, see: WWW.WINDHAMWEAPONRY.COM or your local FFL Dealer.
Made In
The U.S.A.
J.W. Anthony—Bear Hunter // Continued From Page 64
In Memory of Old Mose
In 2007, after several years of fundraising by the Adams State College Alumni Association and ASC Grizzly Club, the Grizzly Courtyard project was completed in Alamosa, Colorado. The crowning glory of the project is a 12-foot bronze statue of Old Mose, the most dreaded grizzly bear in the entire United States.
1895 lever action, he had to have one. He bought serial number 775, and it was chambered in .30-40 Krag. In 1900 he moved to Boise, Idaho, and started a pack of bear dogs. They were successful, so successful that in 1903 he killed 16 black bears. In late 1903 he decided it was time to move again and planned to head toward southern New Mexico. However, before making that journey, he learned of the good climate and abundant hunting near Canon City, Colorado, and traveled there to check it out. While there, he met with a rancher, one Wharton Pigg, who had been hunting Old Mose for years. They struck up a friendship, and Pigg invited Anthony to hunt Old Mose with him as soon as the beast awoke from his winter hibernation. Shortly thereafter, Anthony returned to Boise, packed up his things—including a brand-new Winchester 1895 carbine in .30-40 with a Lyman peep sight (serial number 38776)— and headed to Colorado. He arrived there in March 1904. Anthony and Pigg rode daily for almost a month and never saw a bear track. It was too early. Then on April 27, 1904, Pigg picked up Old Mose’s tracks. Pigg had hunted Old Mose for years and came to recognize his tracks because the big grizzly had lost two toes in one of Pigg’s bear traps. Three days later, after tracking Old Mose for at least eight miles over dry grass, having lost the tracks and found them again several times, and after a brief snow storm that covered the tracks entirely, they lucked out, and the dogs caught Old Mose’s scent. Pigg and Anthony split up. Anthony soon found the dogs had Old Mose bayed in a thick stand of spruce and aspen. When he arrived at the site, Old Mose was standing broadside about 65 feet away. Anthony fired a shot, which struck Old Mose in the throat. It was not a fatal shot, and Old Mose turned and started walking away, dogs dancing around him. As he moved up a hill toward Anthony, the Winchester Model 1895 barked again. Unfortunately, Anthony missed. Moving in closer, Anthony put a bullet through Old Mose’s shoulder which came out his breast. Then, as Anthony wrote, “He faced me at 11 steps distance and came in with head low.” Anthony fired and struck the spinal cord where it joined the neck, and Old Mose sank down to the ground slowly. The legendary grizzly was finished. After dressing, Old Mose weighed about 900 pounds, but this was just after his spring emergence. Had he made it through the summer, he might have weighed as much as 1,500 pounds or more. His hide measured 10 feet, 4 inches long from nose to tail, and it was 9 feet, 6 inches wide. The killing of Old Mose was the topic of several newspaper and magazine articles. With each telling, his legend got more sensational. Anthony remained in Canon City for three more years, hunting mountain lions and black bears, but finally moved back to Indiana. He got rid of his dog pack and hung up his guns. 62
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
SHOOTER’S SHOWCASE GUNSMOKE
On April 30, 1904, professional hunter James W. Anthony shot the “King of the Grizzlies,” a.k.a. “Old Mose,” near Canon City, Colorado. Referred to as a demon killergrizzly, the bear was said to have killed more than 800 domesticated animals and as many as five men.
64
HIPSHOTS
AS JAMES E. PERKINS DESCRIBED IT, A MASSIVE
The Man Who Shot Old Mose Down
demon killer-grizzly bear roamed south-central Colorado in the closing days of the 19th century. He had a peculiar gait, sort of a moseying stride that gave him his nickname: “Old Mose.” He was a bear that elicited fear and dread from every person in the area. According to legend, Old Mose had mystical powers. He was smarter than a fox. He could tell if a man was armed with a rifle. He treated fence posts like toothpicks and walked right through them. He could pull down a running horse with a swipe of his paw, then kill it with one bite to the neck. He fed on livestock, and stockmen feared him. Local accounts reported that two or three men had gone to the hills to look for him, but they never returned and their bodies were never recovered. Others said he killed four or five men. Some said he lived to be between 40 and 60 years old and that he killed some 800 domesticated animals, costing ranchers tens of thousands of dollars.
Old Mose was killed on April 30, 1904. The man who shot him down was a savvy professional hunter by the name of James W. Anthony. It took a month of tracking and searching and getting lucky. J.W. Anthony was born near Evansville, Indiana, in 1861. His mother died within days of giving birth to him, and his father died during the Civil War when James was not yet three years old. He was raised by two uncles. Eventually, he was sent to college, where he studied law. He had inherited considerable land holdings from his father, but the lure of hunting called to him. Rather than pursue a career as a farmer, he traveled west and became a professional hunter. He hunted deer, elk, antelope, and bear. In fact, hunting bears with a dog pack became his passion. He developed an affinity for Winchester rifles and tried many calibers, including .45-70, .45-75, .45-90, .40-65, and .40-82. The .45-75 was his favorite. Eventually, Anthony settled in Wyoming, and when Winchester brought out the high-power Model
SHOOTING TIMES • MARCH 2018
Continued on Page 62
DESIGNED WITH THE TOUGHEST STANDARDS IN MIND BUILT TO PERFORM IN THE HARSHEST CONDITIONS
Short Takeup Trigger with Positive Reset
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Genuine Novak ® LoMount Carry Three-Dot Sights
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Complete Your Ruger American Pistol® with the Officially Licensed Blade-Tech® Total Eclipse Holster at Your Local Retailer or Online at ShopRuger.com RUGER.COM/AMERICANPISTOL
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Signature features Featuring white 3-dot sights, a matte black frame and a slide finished in Desert Tan KimPro® II for increased resistance to the elements.
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