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American Shooting Journal // February 2021
A MERIC A N
SHOOTING JOURNAL
Volume 10 // Issue 5 // February 2021
PUBLISHER James R. Baker
WEBMASTER / INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines
GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak
INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Andy Walgamott
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@americanshootingjournal.com
OFFICE MANAGER / COPY EDITOR Katie Aumann LEAD CONTRIBUTOR Frank Jardim
ON THE COVER
CONTRIBUTORS Jim Dickson, Scott Haugen, Phil Massaro, Mike Nesbitt, Nick Perna
Ed Miller of Springfield, Oregon, poses with a cougar he killed in the foothills of the Cascade Range. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mamie Griffin, Jim Klark, Mike Smith DESIGNER Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker
Website: AmericanShootingJournal.com Facebook: Facebook.com/AmericanShootingJournal Twitter: @AmShootingJourn
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American Shooting Journal // February 2021
CONTENTS
VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 5
MORE FEATURES
ROAD HUNTER: COLD CALLING COUGARS
There are relatively easier ways to fill a mountain lion tag, but bringing one in with a call is quite an achievement. Scott Haugen shares success – and almost-got-’im – stories from Western hunters.
27
37
SQUIRREL HUNTING: AN AMERICAN TRADITION Pursued since early settler days, bushytails continue to provide good gunning and meals for the table. Jim Dickson takes a stroll down memory lane, as well as through the squirrel woods, with an eye towards securing supper.
45
BLACK POWDER: ADVENTURES WITH RAMRODS A ramrod might not be the first thing you’d think would fail with your flintlock, but it happens. Mike Nesbitt found that out the hard way while reloading his .54-caliber rifle during a match and knocking his front sight out of alignment. He shares the experience.
51
BULLET BULLETIN: MODERN MUZZLELOADER BULLETS Today’s projectiles would raise “Davy Crockett’s eyebrow” – but they also “deliver the goods.” So argues Phil Massaro, who takes a look at what’s on offer from various companies for hunters and other shooters looking to get the most out of their muzzleloaders.
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AN EAGLEEYED LOOK AT THE STRIKE EAGLE Our resident SWAT officer and former US Army paratrooper Nick Perna knows a thing or two about the evolution of low variable power optics, and he recently put Vortex’s Strike Eagle 1x8 through its paces at a two-day carbine class. What’s the verdict?
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SELFDEFENSE GUNS FOR THE FIRSTTIME GUN OWNER Yes, the options are almost limitless and hardcore gun enthusiasts will have their own takes, but what are some of the simplest, most foolproof weapons for newbies looking to protect themselves and/or their family? Jim Dickson shares his thoughts.
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PANDEMIC D.I.Y.: BUILD A BETTER COVID19 MASK Frank Jardim is a clever guy who has detailed rebarreling a rifle and making a tomahawk in these pages. With coronavirus, he put his ingenuity toward improvising a mask from his painting respirator, high-quality HVAC filter material and his kids’ bed sheets and empty Jell-O containers.
SCOTT HAUGEN
AMERICAN SHOOTING JOURNAL is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2021 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A.
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American Shooting Journal // February 2021
CONTENTS
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American Shooting Journal // February 2021
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FEATURED COMPANY SPOTLIGHT: HAVE WE GOT A HOT STOCK TIP FOR YOU There are stock tips – want a bunch of GameStop shares? – and then there are tips about Stocky’s gunstocks, which “deliver what they are intended to – ergonomics and accuracy.” Don Bitz shares the story of his company, one worth investing in its products.
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MILITARY SPOTLIGHT: NEW NAVY SHIP TO BE NAMED FOR MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT Sgt. Maj. John L. Canley (retired) is an American hero who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for leadership and rescue roles he took on during the Vietnam War, and now “the future crew of USS John L. Canley ... will carry on his legacy, character and professionalism.” Meet this inspiring man and learn about the ship that bears his name.
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Competition Calendar Gun Show Calendar
YOUR MUST-STOP BEFORE HUNTING & FISHING ON PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND, ALASKA KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF WILL LET YOU KNOW WHERE, WHEN AND HOW!
PRIMER
COMPETITION C A L E N D A R
February 13
Sandy Ford Olympic Pistol Streator, Ill.
February 20 usashooting.org
February 20-21
Team Shooting Stars Feb 2020 PTO Carrollton, Texas
March 12-14
HCSSC Spring Skeet PTO Kerrville, Texas
South Florida Junior Olympic Rifle Qualifiers Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
March 5-7
February 18-21
March 25-28
March 26-28
February 6-7
February 20-21
March 12-14
February 13-14
February 27-28
March 13-14
February 13-14
March 6-7
February 12-14
February 19-20
March 19-21
February 17-20
March 5-7
March 28
February 5-6
February 19-20
March 5-6
February 27
March 26-27
2021 Florida Open Frostproof, Fla.
HCSSC Spring Trap PTO Kerrville, Texas
2021 Roadrunner Shootout Clovis, Calif.
Ozarks Classic 2021 Billings, Mo.
uspsa.org
gssfonline.com
Volusia County GSSF Match IV New Smyrna Beach, Fla. Charleston Glock Challenge XI Charleston, S.C.
Glock’s On The Brazos College Station, Texas
Southwest Regional Championship Queen Creek, Ariz. cmsaevents.com
CMSA Bishop’s Trailer Sales Winter US Championship Queen Creek, Ariz.
idpa.com
2021 Chesapeake Cup Lexington Park, Md.
February 12-21
Castle Pistol Club 2021 Indoor Winter Classic New Castle, Pa.
Northern Florida Regional Classic VIII Tallahassee, Fla. Benton Gun Club GSSF Challenge VI Bauxite, Ark.
River Bend Ballistic Challenge IX Dawsonville (Canton), Ga. Delaware State GSSF Challenge VI Bridgeville, Del.
Ouachita Regional Challenge XI Monroe, La.
Saddle Life Florida State Championship Green Cove Springs, Fla. Nevada State Championship Las Vegas, Nev.
2021 South Florida Defensive Challenge Homestead, Fla. Missouri State Indoor Carry Championship Ballwin, Mo.
Western South Central Regional Shoot Abilene, Texas The Ultimate Gunfight Doswell, Va.
Gulf Coast Regional Championship Eagle Lake, Texas Coastal Carolina Challenge Bolivia, N.C.
Note: Due to the coronavirus outbreak, social distancing requirements that states have prescribed, and rapidly changing developments at press time, it is highly advisable to check ahead on the status of individual events via the links in the above organizers’ websites. americanshootingjournal.com 21
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Crown Expo Center
February 6-7
Sharonville, Ohio
Sharonville Convention Center
February 20-21
Columbus, Ohio
Ohio Expo Center
February 27-28
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Cabarrus Arena & Events Center
February 27-28
Springfield, Ohio
Clark County Fairgrounds
February 26-27
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Cache County Fairgrounds
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February 27-28
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National Orange Show Events Center
Florida Gun Shows
February 6-7
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Lee Civic Center
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Miami-Dade Fairgrounds
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Florida State Fairgrounds
February 6-7
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Appalachian Fairgrounds
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The Center For Rural Development
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Kansas City, Mo.
KCI Expo Center
February 13-14
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Ironworks Convention Center
February 20-21
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Benson Convention Center
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Atlanta Expo Center
February 27-28
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Colorado Springs Event Center
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Knoxville Expo Center
February 6-7
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Harker Heights Event Center
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Brenham, Texas
Brenham Fire Dept. Training Center
C&E Gun Shows
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Crossroads Of The West Gun Shows
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RK Shows rkshows.com
Real Texas Gun Shows therealtexasgunshow.com
Tanner Gun Shows
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Wes Knodel Gun Shows
February 20-21
Redmond, Ore.
Deschutes County Fairgrounds
wesknodelgunshows.com Note: Due to the coronavirus outbreak, social distancing requirements that states have prescribed, and rapidly changing developments at press time, it is highly advisable to check ahead on the status of individual gun shows via the links in the above organizers’ websites. To have your event highlighted here, send an email to kaumann@media-inc.com.
americanshootingjournal.com 23
ROAD HUNTER
One of many cougar calling setups that author Scott Haugen tried in Utah with no success. When it comes to calling in a cougar, dedicating time is key.
COLD CALLING
There are easier ways to fill a cougar tag, but bringing one in with a call is quite an achievement. STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HAUGEN
L
ess than 30 minutes into a calling session, a heavy fog drifted swiftly into a deep draw amid the Cascade Range. My instincts told me to quit calling. I didn’t, but when the fog lifted 20 minutes later, I wished I would have. Prior to the fog settling into the big ravine in which I had set up, the situation was perfect. An hour prior I’d cut three fresh cougar tracks in the snow, all within a half-mile of one another. Two sets appeared to be a female and a tom. The third track was a giant tom – one of the biggest lion tracks I’d ever seen.
All three tracks moved up the mountain, so I drove a logging road that led me to the top, hopefully ahead of where the cats were going. A short hike down a logging road put me overlooking a fresh cut unit. Below the unit was a 20-year-old timber patch that stretched for over a mile; the same timber each cat had entered from below. No tracks crossed the snow-covered road I walked. Sure all three cats were within earshot of my electronic call, I felt confident of getting a shot should one step out. I set up for a shot at the side of a big Douglas fir root wad that had been
overturned by loggers, placing the FoxPro 50 yards in front of me. From there, the whole valley would resonate the sounds. I felt confident, but once the fog descended into the valley, that feeling waned. I had two choices: Keep calling in hopes of retaining the tom’s attention should it have heard the initial sounds, or stop calling, hoping the cat had not yet heard a thing. I decided to keep calling, as I felt certain I was within 500 yards of the tom, which meant he would have heard the sounds. I chose wrong. When the fog lifted, a set of fresh cat tracks – tracks that weren’t there americanshootingjournal.com 27
ROAD HUNTER
Cougars are fine-tuned predators, claiming an astounding number of big game animals every year.
when I had begun calling – had emerged from the thick timber, continued up the logging road within 50 yards of my call, then returned along the same path, back into the timber. I began the calling sequence with adult deer-in-distress sounds, then switched to bird distress sounds. That’s when the fog came in, along with the cat. I called for another 45 minutes, but the cat never returned. I tracked the cat for over a half-mile, hoping to either find it or reach a place where I could call again, but the brush was so thick, the jig was up. ULTIMATE PREDATORS Cougars are considered by many serious hunters to be the toughest of all predators to call in. Consider their solitary lifestyle, their expansive range and the dense habitats in which they live, and it’s no wonder cougars are the pinnacle of the predator world. Cougars become sexually mature at 28
American Shooting Journal // February 2021
about two years of age, but they seldom breed until they are older and have established a home range. Toms live up to 12 years; females longer. Mating can occur any time of year, but most breeding appears to take place between October and May, with January and February being prime calling months. With a gestation period of just over 90 days, females give birth to two to three kittens, sometimes more. Young cats stay with the female up to two years, as she teaches them how to hunt and survive. They then leave, typically establishing their own territories near that of the female’s. Male cougars can range 100 miles or more, so they move farther than females when establishing territories. Males will travel and mate with multiple females, and toms play no role in rearing the young. Studies carried out in the Cascade Mountains by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife revealed that a cougar will kill one deer or elk
every nine to 12 days. They eat about 20 pounds at the time of the kill, caching the remainder for later. In Oregon, recent population studies put cougar counts at 6,400-plus. Figuring a cat eats a deer or elk at a rate of about one a week, or 50 a year, that’s roughly 320,000 deer and elk being killed each year by mountain lions in the state of Oregon alone. Since the banning of hound hunting, proper management of these predators has declined in Oregon. Cougars can be quite vocal during breeding time, with females making eerie wailing sounds resembling the bloodcurdling screams heard in horror movies. Cougars also hiss, growl, cry and chirp, something hunters will want to know. ON THE HUNT Eighteen years ago, I interviewed a man who called in seven cougars in six weeks. He and his hunting buddies killed every one of them, filling their tags. His approach was simple. He’d pull his truck
ROAD HUNTER to an elevated landing at the end of a logging road, set two giant speakers that he’d brought from his house on the hood of the rig, and play cougar mating sounds as loud as he could. He considered the peak of the breeding season to be January and February in the western slopes of Oregon’s Cascades, and obviously knew what he was doing. He experienced success year after year. Throughout much of the West, public land hunting access in prime cougar country is limitless. The season is open year-round in some states, or until quotas are reached. In my research, I found that over 80 percent of cougars are taken by hunters targeting other animals, mainly coyotes and elk. The number of hunter/cougar encounters is rising throughout the West, along with cat numbers in every state. With so many cougars, and so much public land to explore, you’d think more
hunters would find success calling them. Many hunters I spoke with had called in cougars but didn’t know it until they left the call site. Upon leaving the area, they found where cats had moved in behind them, often laying down in the snow, trying to identify the prey or patiently waiting to move closer before charging in for the kill. Many elk hunters are calling in cougars with their cow and calf sounds intended to bring in bull elk in September and October. This makes sense since it’s a peak time for cougars to kill elk calves. Late summer and early fall is when many kittens are mature enough to learn how to take down big game, meaning females are actively on the hunt. Hunters willing to pursue cats in the hot months of July and August might want to focus on using elk calf and deer fawn distress calls, and even a decoy. One man I spoke with, Josh Knoebel, successfully and intentionally called in
The author called in a big tom mountain lion to this setup, but heavy fog prevented him from getting a shot.
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American Shooting Journal // February 2021
two cougars in recent years. He killed them both, and earned each one. “The first cats I started picking up on trail camera in August, at about 1,000 feet elevation in the western foothills of the Cascades,” Knoebel begins. He continued getting pictures of the cats, a female and two young, through October, and that’s when Knoebel made his move, once the pelts were prime. “I figured if I sat and called every day over the next few weeks, I’d have a solid chance of getting a cat,” Knoebel continues. “I was prepared to call at least two hours each time.” And that’s what he did the first two days. On day three, Knoebel didn’t call the full two hours; he didn’t have to. “I let the fawn distress calls run for an hour on my Johnny Stewart call. Then I switched to fighting mountain lion sounds. Fifteen minutes into that sound, I notice a brown spot I’d not seen before. It just appeared right in front of me; no movement, no
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ROAD HUNTER sound, nothing. I stared at the spot, trying to figure out what it was, and that’s when I saw a tail twitch.” Knoebel’s heart raced, but he kept his composure, taking steady aim at the cat that stared him in the face 50 yards away. He dropped the female lion with one well-placed shot. The second cougar he called in was also in November, this one at 4,500 feet in the Cascade Mountains. “I got time off work, as we had a fresh snow,” Knoebel recalls. “In one area I cut three fresh cat tracks, and I followed them over 1½ miles. I found where they bedded and urinated, then entered a clearing in the timber. That’s when I set up my FoxPro and started calling.” Knoebel used a lost deer fawn sound, and 19 minutes into the sequence, a bright orange cat came charging out of the timber. “Once she reached the opening and figured out where the sound was coming from, she went into stealth mode and started slowly stalking the call; that was an incredible thing to watch,” Knoebel shares. Before the cougar reached Knoebel’s call, he filled his tag.
Following fresh tracks, then calling, is a good plan when it comes to attempting to call in a cougar.
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American Shooting Journal // February 2021
PERSISTENCE IS KEY Of all the cat hunters I talked with, they all agreed that dedicating each calling setup to a minimum of two hours is a must. They also agreed that the louder the calls, the better, and that consistent calling with no breaks is important. Deer fawn and adult deer distress sounds, followed by calf and cow elk sounds, were the most productive for hunters targeting cougars, with bird distress and various mountain lion sounds also accounting for bringing in cats. Many hunters advocated setting up on a fresh kill and calling as soon as possible. One hunter set a coyote decoy on a fresh deer kill and used coyote sounds to bring in a cat, which demolished the decoy so quickly he didn’t know what was happening. When the lion paused, the hunter filled his tag. Of the hunters who shared their stories with me, it took an average of nearly 1½ hours for a cougar to come into a call. A high percentage of cats
ROAD HUNTER Josh Knoebel with one of two cougars he’s called in in recent years, both from Oregon’s Cascade Range.
reportedly came in slow and timid, appearing in ghost-like fashion. For this reason, hunters advocate tediously studying your call area for a few minutes prior to making any sounds, so you can recognize when something
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American Shooting Journal // February 2021
in the habitat looks different. Finally, most hunters agree with Knoebel when he concludes, “I honestly don’t think what sound you use matters much. It’s more about volume and consistency, and being
where a cat can hear you.” As with many hunters, I’ve put in my time calling cats, but not as much as I should. Recently I hunted two states for cougar, calling from dozens of sets, and only brought in one cat that I know of, which gave me the slip as evidenced by tracks in the snow behind my set. When calling cougars, many factors have to come together for success to happen. One veteran predator caller of 63 years who I chatted with summed it up best. “I’ve called in just about every predator in North America, including wolves and bears, and have only called in two cougars in my lifetime.” If you want to call in a cougar, spend serious time in the woods and don’t give up. Editor’s note: Scott Haugen is a full-time author and wildlife photographer. Follow him on Instagram and Facebook, and visit scotthaugen.com, where you can order signed books.
americanshootingjournal.com 35
Small but mighty popular! Squirrels are the third most pursued game animal in the United States, with 1.5 million hunters targeting them, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2016 national survey, the most recent data available. Only deer (8.1 million) and wild turkey (2.0 million) have more devotees. (SHUTTERSTOCK)
SQUIRREL HUNTING: AN AMERICAN TRADITION
Pursued since early settler days, bushytails continue to provide good gunning and meals for the table. STORY BY JIM DICKSON
T
he vast chestnut and oak forests that greeted the first Europeans to America were home to countless squirrels that lived and multiplied in the dark depths of the primordial forest. The biggest nut producer was the American chestnut. At any time of the year, you could plunge your hands into the leaves littering the forest floor and come up with a handful of chestnuts. So big
they were called “the redwoods of the east,” they were mixed with oak trees that had much lower limbs for the squirrels to climb among as they varied their diet with the acorns the oaks bountifully produced. This squirrel paradise offered a constant food source to the new European arrivals. It was so easy to feed your family with squirrels that a specialized rifle was bought by
the settlers in a day that permitted no luxuries for most pioneers. The motto in the mountains was “Make do or do without,” which meant if you couldn’t make it, you couldn’t have it. Squirrel hunting sustained many families and made possible the more rapid settlement of the frontier. The squirrel rifle was a small-bore Kentucky rifle, typically in .32 to .36 caliber, intended to save the expensive americanshootingjournal.com 37
The classic squirrel hunting guns are the 12-gauge shotgun and .22-caliber rifle. Of the two, author Jim Dickson prefers the shotgun, as it is the gun most certain of getting the squirrel under all conditions. “I am not about to take any unnecessary chances with losing my dinner,” he says. (JIM DICKSON)
powder and shot by utilizing just enough to efficiently kill a squirrel. As the soft iron barrels wore or corroded, they were “freshened out” by cutting the rifling deeper, so the bore size tended to increase with age. This was done on handmade rifling machines on the frontier. I have known two gunsmiths who made their own and proceeded to make muzzleloading
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American Shooting Journal // February 2021
barrels in the 20th century. As the forest bison were exterminated and the deer and bear grew more scarce, the average pioneer family relied more and more on the ever-present squirrel. It is impossible for people today to conceive of the vastness of the squirrel population that the chestnut and oak forests once harbored. Today, with the chestnut
blight all but wiping out the chestnuts and the oak trees logged out as fast as they mature in most places, there simply isn’t enough food to support a population like that. Still, the squirrel is a survivor and where there is sufficient food and trees, he will be found there to some degree. These days, the 12-gauge shotgun with No. 6 shot and the .22 rifle are
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the typical squirrel hunting guns. The correct target for the rifle is the head and this requires a master marksman for many of the shots. Hitting a running squirrel that has flushed as you move through the woods is a difficult challenge for most shooters, so a shotgun is a far better choice in that scenario. There is far less chance of a wounded squirrel escaping to die a lingering death with a shotgun and you have a far better chance of returning home with your dinner. I always use a 12-gauge shotgun with No. 6 shot over 3 drams of powder, as it is a more humane and sure squirrel-killer. Also I am not about to take any unnecessary chances with losing my dinner. THERE ARE TWO methods of hunting squirrels. You can move stealthily through the woods watching and listening, or you can remain still in an area that you know has squirrels and wait for them to show themselves. Squirrel sign is readily apparent in the fragments of the acorns and other nuts they are feeding on. They will
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American Shooting Journal // February 2021
Burnham Brothers makes two types of calls that produce squirrel cussin’ sounds. One has a squeeze bulb and one is wrapped against your gun stock. BURNHAM BROTHERS
skin a pine cone of its bristles to get at the pine mast and this leaves an awful lot of pine cone debris behind them on the ground. Squirrels are masters at keeping on the opposite side of the tree from any perceived threat. Alarm calls are barked by squirrels safely out of distance to alert those close to the threat. They will all hide at a gunshot but soon return to their feeding. Sighting a hunter will keep them hidden longer than hearing a gunshot, though, so keep your presence hidden as much as possible. Any stand of nut-bearing trees should harbor squirrels in abundance. The best chance of success is at the
break of day when the squirrels start their day by heading to the local watering hole for a drink. When the heat of the day arrives, they tend to take a nap in their nests, coming out again in the cool of the evening. They den in tree cavities or build nests with side entrances. Like people, they prefer to stay in their nice dry homes instead of going out in rain or storms. Squirrels make a lot of racket feeding and scurrying about, but it is better to stay still and let them come into your firing line, as they are quick to notice movement. After all, they are small prey animals that every predator in the woods feeds on, so they have to be wary to just get through each day. Some people hunt squirrels with dogs. A dog either will or will not work out at this, regardless of breed. If the dog will bark, chase a squirrel up a tree or point at a tree with a squirrel in it, the squirrel will not usually hide from the dog. In fact, they will often start cussing the dog out in squirrel talk, and that’s when you can slip up and shoot him. This is an acquired
skill that the dog basically has to learn on its own. Just encourage its natural actions as they play out. That’s about all you can do. You can often make some of the squirrels show themselves by imitating the noise of a squirrel cussin’ out an intruder. They all want to get a look at that belligerent new squirrel in the neighborhood. If you are not able to imitate that noise by yourself, Burnham Brothers makes two types of calls that make this sound. One has a squeeze bulb and one is wrapped against your gun stock. SQUIRRELS BREED EARLY in the spring and after 44 days, two to four young are born. The father takes no part in raising them. There is usually a second litter midsummer. The young are raised in the nest, which is properly called a dray. Those that survive to adulthood typically live from a couple to half a dozen years. Scurrying up branches, leaping from limb to limb and running about dead limbs, one would expect a high
injury or mortality rate from falls, but this is not the case. A squirrel’s bushy tail acts not only as a parachute slowing its descent, but also serves as a rudder to steer on the way down and pick a landing spot. This coupled with light weight results in a squirrel that will fall from the top of a tall tree, instantly jump up and scurry back up the tree, apparently none the worse for the experience. It is a matter of physics that light animals like mice and squirrels do not experience the same damaging impact that larger animals do. The old saying “The bigger they are, the harder they fall” is especially true when it comes to damaging impacts, and the reverse is also true. The smaller they are, the softer they land. Squirrels were once popular pets in America, but that fad is pretty much long dead. When a squirrel bites you, it won’t take a finger off like a big macaw will, but it will bite all the way through your finger with those beaverlike front incisors that it normally uses to open walnuts and such. That’s no fun. They also climb on everything
Eastern gray squirrels, native to the eastern half of the U.S. and introduced in parts of the West, have predominantly gray fur and a large bushy tail, which can have a brownish color. Their underside is white compared to the brownish orange underside of the fox squirrel. (SHUTTERSTOCK)
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in a house with varying results, depending on what they are climbing on at the moment. SQUIRRELS AND SQUIRREL hunting are an integral part of American history. The Eastern U.S. would not have been settled so fast without them as a ready food source and a lot of families would have gone hungry in hard times. Many would not have survived. Squirrels also provide the first introduction to hunting for many. A classic example was a young mountain boy named Harold Houck. Mature for his years, this plucky 7-yearold would take the family 12-gauge shotgun out after squirrels around his house. He would not let any of his siblings accompany him on these forays. Too small to hold the shotgun up unaided, he would rest it on a tree limb to shoot. He would not return until he had three squirrels for a meal of squirrel and dumplings. Squirrels and squirrel hunting are truly an important part of our heritage.
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BLACK POWDER
ADVENTURES WITH RAMRODS As author Mike Nesbitt reloaded “Tacky Too,” a rifle built from a Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading Leman kit, he experienced an equipment failure that also knocked his front sight out of alignment.
A 'funny feeling' loading his .54-caliber flintlock during a match led to a near-disaster for shooter. STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE NESBITT
T
his unexpected adventure took place in a shooting match held by the Paul Bunyan Plainsmen, near Puyallup, Washington, but I have forgotten just how long ago. “Tacky Too,” the .54-caliber flintlock Leman-style rifle that was built from a Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading kit over 10 years ago, was the gun I used most of the time back then. It was loading fine, having already fired several shots. Then I noticed a sort of funny feeling while ramming the ball down to the powder and I wondered if the bore was simply getting too dirty. But that load shot just fine, giving me a good hit, so I figured to just try it again for another shot. For that next shot, shooting with 60 grains of GOEX 2Fg powder under a patched .526-inch round ball, I made sure my patch was well soaked with saliva, just in case the bore was getting fouled and dirty. That didn’t help and the funny feeling was repeated while seating the ball. This funny feeling was encountered again when the ball
was almost all the way down, within a couple of inches above the powder. So, to be sure the ball was well seated – I mean all the way down – I put both hands on the exposed part of the ramrod and slowly pushed on it while I held the rifle between my knees. That was when the wooden ramrod broke with a loud snap! There I was with both hands holding no more than 4 inches of my rifle’s broken ramrod and basically nothing still holding the rifle. My knees couldn’t do the job I had given them and the rifle went crashing to the ground, smacking part of a shooting bench on the way down. All of this happened so quickly that I was simply amazed, still holding the short bit of broken ramrod with both hands. The funny feeling I noticed while seating the ball was apparently the splitting and flexing of the ramrod just before it broke completely. To say the least, I was highly surprised. THE GOOD SIDE of this short story is that I wasn’t hurt and neither was my rifle, except for a loosened sight from hitting the shooting bench while falling. The sight was easy to fix; I just tapped it back to the middle of the barrel. But the
reason I could have gotten hurt was because wooden ramrods don’t usually break clean in two. They break lengthwise, often leaving a long sharp splinter section at the top of the split. That long sharp section of broken ramrod has a reputation for cutting and possibly penetrating the shooter’s hand. For me, no first aid was necessary and the top of the split part of the broken ramrod was down inside the rifle’s barrel. With the broken ramrod removed from the barrel, I borrowed a good ramrod to finish seating the ball in this new load all the way down. And the ball seated easily, all of the “funny feeling” now gone. Then, with the front sight centered again, I was able to take that shot and it was my last shot in the match. My shot was a clean miss, but I had several things to blame for that, the untested location of the front sight being one of them. A lesson learned from this experience is that anytime I feel something different through the ramrod while seating a ball, I’ll probably take a good look at the ramrod right away. Any ramrod that gets so weak that it gives a funny feeling while you’re loading the gun americanshootingjournal.com 45
BLACK POWDER
A shot fired on a trail walk in Montana.
must be on its last legs, so to speak. There’s no point in using it until it breaks because doing so does carry the risk of injury to your hand, if not both hands. The direct aftermath of that situation included doing some repair to the front sight, in addition to tightening the dovetail. The tightening of the dovetail was easily and quickly done just as soon as I got back home, where I could use a hatchet as a hammer. Then a pair of pliers was used to straighten the bent sight blade, another quick fix. Luckily, no other scratches or marks were found on the rifle and the front sight was the only thing that was hit when the rifle 46
American Shooting Journal // February 2021
fell. Of course, getting a new ramrod was the next thing on the list. A NEW WOODEN ramrod had to be made and that took a little more time, even though doing so was a high priority. A new piece of 3/8-inch ramrod stock was fitted with the brass end piece from October Country and then the rod was shortened to proper length for the rifle’s 34-inch barrel. Scraping and sanding the rod down to fit the rifle’s ramrod pipes was a short job and then the bright, white new piece of wood was stained and oiled to give it a little bit of seasoned color. Some shooters will add stains to their ramrods to give the new pieces an older
look. I like to age my guns’ ramrods too, but the way I do it is to simply use it. That way any aged look is certainly genuine. A new ramrod will need more than one “application” by my method, most certainly, and that is the slow way of getting good signs of age on a wooden ramrod. Again, in my opinion, that’s the best and most authentic way of making a gun look used. Back to my new ramrod. It begged to be used and I needed to check Tacky Too’s sight alignment too. With pouch and horn, I took the rifle to a good shootin’ spot. As luck would have it, somewhat surprisingly, I had guessed just about right when I tapped the sight back into place on the front
BLACK POWDER
This is the target that Nesbitt shot to check sight alignment after the ramrod replacement.
of Tacky Too’s barrel after tightening the dovetail. Five shots at 50 yards shot offhand gave me a score of 48XX on the single bull’s-eye buffalo target. (I wish I could do that now, like in a match!) In addition to that, the new ramrod worked just fine and such shooting couldn’t have been done at all without it. And that ramrod was even startin’ to show a little sign of age, just after using it and being caressed by my dirty fingers. After that bit of shooting, Tacky Too was cleaned and the new ramrod was used for that job too. The gun’s barrel came clean pretty quickly and then was rubbed down with some of Bridgers Best Power Lube. The patch that the lube was applied with was then rubbed on the new ramrod, just to add some more grease to the outside to season the wood a bit against absorbing moisture. It got rubbed plenty more as time went on; that rifle was a good partner.
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American Shooting Journal // February 2021
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
BULLET BULLETIN
Though the principal is the same, modern muzzleloaders and their projectiles bear little resemblance to the arms of our forefathers.
MODERN MUZZLELOADER BULLETS
Today’s projectiles would raise ‘Davy Crockett’s eyebrow’ – not to mention also ‘deliver the goods.’ STORY BY PHIL MASSARO • PHOTOS BY MASSARO MEDIA GROUP
was sitting on an old oak stump, just far enough below the ridgeline so as not to be skylined but so I could still see the flat behind me. There was no snow, but the damp weather with temperatures in the mid-20s made the woods rather crunchy. About a half-
I
hour after legal shooting light, my ears picked up the unmistakable sound of a deer walking through frozen leaves. It was a doe, all by herself, obviously mature, and a perfect choice for my muzzleloading tag. Cocking the hammer, I swiveled to my right when her head went behind
a group of trees, aligned the front blade sight into the buckhorn rear, placed it just behind her shoulder and broke the trigger. The resulting snap was both startling and disappointing; the doe immediately vacated the premises, and I knew I’d fallen victim to moisture in the nipple of my rifle. americanshootingjournal.com 51
Bullet BULLETIN The collaboration between Traditions and Federal resulted in the NitroFire rifle and FireStick charging system; hunters have never seen such a weatherimpervious system, says author Phil Massaro. (FEDERAL PREMIUM)
The quintessential round ball of yore pales in comparison to the modern muzzleloader bullets.
In fact, it took three more caps for the rifle to fire, sending the cast .54-caliber bullet downrange. MUZZLELOADING RIFLE TECHNOLOGY has changed radically in my lifetime. As a youth, a Hawken-style rifle delivering a patched lead ball was the common choice; in fact, the 19th century designs were about all that was available. Those firearms often
With the powder charge contained in a polymer canister, the Federal FireStick system allows the user to reliably remove the charge from the rifle and reinsert it when ready to shoot. (FEDERAL PREMIUM)
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used a lead ball patched with greased cotton fabric to seal the gases and were equipped with only iron sights. Sometimes a grooved bullet could be employed (though some special seasons required a round ball), which would improve the accuracy, but the traditional percussion cap lock still was subject to the whims of the weather, and the flintlocks were even more finicky.
It came with a certain nostalgia and an inexorable connection to the past, but I found it extremely frustrating when a buck would simply walk away because the rifle failed to fire. The first inline muzzleloaders – with their ignition coming from a No. 209 shotshell primer – alleviated many of the failure-to-fire issues. A .45-caliber pistol bullet was used, housed in a plastic sabot, and gave the
americanshootingjournal.com 53
Bullet BULLETIN benefits of a jacketed bullet, though the wide meplat and relatively light weight of those bullets limited the effectiveness. But these rifles could be scoped, and the accuracy certainly improved. However, some states do not allow the use of saboted bullets in particular seasons, so the swaged conical bullets quite often got the nod. The inline muzzleloader was directly responsible for an exploding muzzleloading bullet market, and the technology continues to develop to this day. It seems the improvements in rifle technology has pushed the development of the bullet and it has recently peaked in what I consider to be the pinnacle of modern muzzleloading technology: the Traditions NitroFire, fueled by the Federal FireStick ignition system. USING A POLYMER capsule filled with a prescribed amount of Hodgdon Triple Eight powder and sparked by a Federal No. 209 muzzleloading
Massaro’s NitroFire rifle showed a preference for the 270-grain Federal B.O.R. Lock Trophy Copper bullet over the 100-grain FireStick load, sparked by a Federal No. 209 muzzleloading primer.
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The Federal B.O.R. Lock bullet is in the Trophy Copper line, and the polymer tip maintains a good ballistic coefficient and initiates expansion. At right is the Trophy Copper B.O.R. Lock in cutaway; note the hollow cavity and polymer cup. (FEDERAL PREMIUM)
primer, the FireStick system is virtually impervious to the elements and has been wonderfully consistent. The NitroFire rifle certainly helps, as it provides a small shelf in the barrel at
the end of that area occupied by the propellant capsule, so that the bullet’s seating depth is consistent for every loading of the rifle. And because the powder is contained in a capsule – into
Bullet BULLETIN
The 350-grain B.O.R. Lock Load bullet and the 120-grain FireStick made another great combination.
which the 209 primer is inserted – the entire unit can be removed from the rifle without the need to fire the gun. The bullet can stay in the barrel and when you want to shoot the rifle, you simply reinsert the propellant capsule, reprime, and you’re good to go. This rifle is engineered to perform like no other muzzleloader I’ve handled, but the rifle is only a part of the accuracy equation; without a decent bullet, all the engineering in the world won’t show its benefits. The break-action NitroFire showed to be a wonderfully accurate design with several bullets; it was a real eyeopener to see sub-MOA groups at 100 yards from a muzzleloading rifle. The first bullet I tried in the NitroFire turned out to be the best of the lot in Hornady’s SST muzzleloading bullet, much like their SST centerfire rifle bullet, transfers energy quickly and makes a great choice for deer and similar-sized game.
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The Smackdown Carnivore is a great polymer-tip bullet, working very well with the Ridgeback sabot.
the accuracy department: the Federal B.O.R. Lock MZ system. This is quite a far cry from the hand-cast balls and bullets, as this is a derivation of the Federal Trophy Copper bullet, replete with polymer tip and hollowpoint cavity. This is a lead-free monometal projectile, but instead of being a subcaliber bullet with a sabot, the B.O.R. Lock is a .50-caliber projectile – they actually measure 0.498 inch in diameter, but more about that in a second – which drops down to a shank measuring 0.433 inch in diameter. The base of the bullet is set into a polymer cup, which is crimped into a groove in the shank, and that cup serves a dual purpose. Firstly, it scours fouling from the bore as the bullet is loaded, and that equates to more shots between
cleaning. Secondly, upon firing, the cup gets pushed into the rifling, forming a strong gas seal to maximize velocity. At 270 grains – in spite of the rather unique conformation – this monometal has enough structural integrity to reach the vitals on just about any big game animal in the Lower 48. And, when loaded in the Traditions NitroFire rifle over the 100-grain FireStick charge, it printed three-shot groups averaging just over ¾ inch at 100 yards. Yes, I topped the rifle with a Leupold VX3i 3.5-10x40 scope, but the accuracy is a testament to the combination of the new Traditions rifle, the FireStick charging system and the B.O.R. Lock MZ bullet. I also noticed that this design took significantly less effort to load than did most of the saboted
Mike Buser’s Thompson/Center Hunter rifle gives great accuracy with the 250-grain Hornady SST bullet over 150 grains of Hodgdon Triple Se7en in pellet form. (MIKE BUSER)
Bullet BULLETIN bullets. For those who want a bit more bullet weight in the same conformation, Federal also produces the B.O.R. Lock in a lead variant, at 350 grains, replete with polymer tip and the same cup as the copper version. The Thompson/Center Shockwave bullet worked very well in several different inline muzzleloaders; among the saboted bullets, it has given excellent accuracy.
THE OTHER BULLET that worked really well in the NitroFire rifle was the Smackdown Carnivore, a flat-base polymer-tip bullet engineered to work with their Ridgeback sabot. With a ballistic coefficient of 0.262, the Carnivore preferred the 120-grain FireStick load, leaving the muzzle of the Traditions NitroFire at a velocity of 2,085 feet per second, and when zeroed at 100 yards, hit 4 inches low at 150 and 9 inches low at 200 yards. This bullet printed three shots into a 1½inch group at 100 yards, making it a solid 200-yard rifle, as at that distance it still delivers over 1,200 foot-pounds of energy. Looking at the terminal ballistics, the Smackdown Carnivore is a copper-plated lead bullet, which means it will perform best on deer and similar-sized game animals. In a similar vein, the Hornady SST muzzleloader bullet can be a wonderfully accurate choice. My pal Mike Buser used these in his Thompson/Center muzzleloader to
The last sighting of a Shockwave bullet before it disappears down the bore.
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Bullet BULLETIN take a freezer-worthy seven-pointer during the New York late muzzleloader season; one well-placed shot sealed the deal. Like their centerfire counterparts, the Hornady SST is designed to open quickly, transmitting energy and giving good expansion. They, like the Smackdown Carnivore, are saboted bullets, and are plenty accurate in Mike’s rifle. Barnes offers their lead-free SpitFire TMZ, Thompson/Center has their Shockwave, and PowerBelt makes their AeroLite bullets; all are designed with a polymer tip for maintaining a high ballistic coefficient, as well as to initiate expansion upon contact with a game animal. They may require a specialized tip on your ramrod to properly align the bullet when being sent down the bore. And if you really want to get serious about long-range modern muzzleloading, take a peek at Pittman Bullets (pittmanbullets.com). Their
Pittman Bullets makes some serious muzzleloader projectiles; these things are breaking records left and right. (CHRIS SELLS/HEYM USA)
AeroMax and AccuMax bullets have set all kinds of accuracy records, and have excellent terminal characteristics as well. These bullets act more like the high-BC centerfire bullet, and shooters are using Blackhorn 209 and – where applicable – smokeless powder to print groups that are certainly not normally associated with a muzzleloading rifle. I’m talking about groups below 0.3 inch at 400 yards, and while that’s an extreme example, guys are routinely showing ½-MOA accuracy out to 500 yards. I’M SURE THESE modern muzzleloader projectiles would have raised Davy Crockett’s eyebrow immediately; they are such a radical change from the pure-lead patched ball that 18th century riflemen might not recognize them. But, for those who want to get the most from a front-loader, these bullets will certainly deliver the goods.
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American Shooting Journal // February 2021
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The Strike Eagle low variable power optic, or LVPO, from Vortex is mounted on author Nick Perna’s patrol rifle.
AN EAGLE-EYED LOOK AT THE STRIKE EAGLE A SWAT officer puts Vortex’s 1x8 low variable power optic through its paces at two-day carbine class. STORY AND PHOTOS BY NICK PERNA
H
olographic optics have come a long way in a very short time. They went mainstream in the late 1990s, and by the early 2000s were extremely popular with the military, law enforcement and civilian shooters. In the beginning there were a few major brands: Aimpoint, EO Tech, Trijicon. But the Global War on Terrorism turned holographic optics from “nice to have” into “must have,” as American troops were routinely outshooting their opponents armed primarily with iron sight weapons.
In the field of magnified holographic optics, options were even slimmer. Trijicon became the go-to manufacturer for these with fixed 4-power optics. These optics were adopted in large numbers by the Marine Corps, which realized a need for engaging threats at longer distances. Many attacks on coalition troops were far ambushes, meaning engagements from a distance. Being able to identify and deal with threats at longer ranges was a huge asset. The downside, though, to these
optics was that they were not great for close-range applications. The extra magnification becomes a hindrance close up, slowing the shooter’s ability to quickly put the dot (or, in Trijicon’s case, the triangle) on a threat. A stop-gap solution still in use today, albeit in limited numbers, was to add a magnifier to a 1-power optic. Most of these are the flip-up variety that mount on the top rail behind the optic. They are generally 3-power. A good idea, but with only 3-power, it’s a little anemic. americanshootingjournal.com 63
Caps on the elevation and windage dials help prevent accidental alterations, “which is important for me since I’m putting it in and taking it out of a patrol car every day,” writes the author.
The Strike Eagle features the AR-BDC3 reticle with rangefinder on top. (VORTEX)
ENTER THE LOW variable power optic, or LVPO. These are red dot sights that have variable magnification power. Made popular by competitors like 3-gun shooters and vetted in combat overseas, LVPOs have proven highly successful. At its lowest setting, it’s a red dot for CQB, or close-quarters battle, application, and can be used as DM, or designated marksman, or even a sniper role, depending on how high you can crank the power up. LVPOs have also gone through their own evolution. The original models were: • Low power (most only went up to 4-power); • Expensive (often thousands of dollars); • Not true 1-power at the lowest setting. Most of the first generation LVPOs could only go down to 1.25- or 1.5-power (as opposed to true 1-power). This may not sound like a big deal, but on the two-way range, the extra millisecond it takes the shooter to acquire the threat caused by the slight magnification could mean the difference between life and death. 64
American Shooting Journal // February 2021
My first LVPO was a Leupold 1.25x4power I got over a dozen years ago. It was issued to me and all of the other SWAT team snipers to use on our M4s. Our primary sniping weapon was a Remington 700, but we pulled “double duty” as entry team members as well as snipers, so an LVPO on an AR gave us the capability to fulfill both roles. Like all Leupold products, it was excellent. It served me well for a lot of years, but its downsides were the aforementioned – low power at the top setting, expensive (I wasn’t paying for it, so that didn’t bother me) and a low setting of 1.25. Above average for its time, but a little lacking by today’s standards. VORTEX IS THE new kid on the block. They have found a niche in the optics market by offering quality glass at reasonable prices. They don’t cut any corners when they build their products. Like the other manufacturers, they offer different grades of their optics, with the higher-end ones having the premier glass, coatings and so on. That being said, the affordable grade is
decidedly more affordable than other manufacturers’ “economy” models, while still maintaining quality. I recently purchased a Strike Eagle in the 1x8 variety. Including the mount, it cost less than $500. The 1x6 model can be had for about 100 bucks less. At 1-power, it works like any other non-magnified red dot optic with a centered halo. On this setting it is a “point and shoot” holographic optic, perfect for CQB. The tube size is 30mm, a standard measurement for most medium-sized scopes. This means you can use any mount that will fit a 30mm scope. At just over 10 inches in length, it’s obviously longer than a non-magnified holographic optic. That being said, for a scope it would still be considered pretty compact. The Fast Focus eyepiece is “set it and forget it.” You dial it in until your view is clear and focused. No need to set it again after that, unless another shooter uses it. The illuminated reticle has 11 power settings, powered by a single CR 2032 battery (there is room for a spare battery in the illuminated reticle cover). It is part
s s g r.
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of the AR-BDC3 reticle system. This is a bullet drop compensator designed for distances from 20 to 600 yards, as well as holdovers. It’s designed for 5.56mm rounds between 55 and 77 grains, which covers most popular tactical, hunting and training round weights. The BDC3 also works with .308 rounds between 168 and 175 grains, pretty standard grain weights for that round. This would make it ideal for a designated marksman rifle. Since the reticle is etched into the glass, it still works when the batteries are off. The reticle won’t be illuminated so it will appear black instead of bright red, but it will still work. It also has a rangefinder that uses a standard human torso as a point of reference for measurement (the device seen at the top of the reticle image). This is a recent addition to the Strike Eagle series. Earlier models with the BDC2 reticle didn’t have the rangefinding option. In addition to being used for holdovers for engaging targets at
Perna tested out the Strike Eagle at a recent carbine class and found the optic to be a solid performer. (KEVIN MAH/POINT AND SHOOT MEDIA WORKS)
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distance, the BDC3 reticle also has marks on it to account for winds. The manual explains which marks to use for winds up to 10mph. The elevation and windage dials are capped to prevent accidental changes, which is important for me since I’m putting it in and taking it out of a patrol car every day. Adjustments are set at ½ minute of angle. Reindexing the turrets to “zero” is very simple and can be accomplished with a small screwdriver or even your fingernail. Power changes from 1 to 8 (and everything in between) are quick and easy. There is a throw lever attached to the adjuster. I RAN THE Strike Eagle through its paces recently at a two-day carbine class. I found the optic on its 1-power setting worked great for quick shots at close-up distances. I found I was able to acquire and accurately engage threats just as quickly as other students in the class who were running non-magnified optics. I used the higher settings when
shooting it at 200 yards and found it worked excellent. I wasn’t able to test the holdovers since we didn’t shoot past that range. I found that, at long distance, the optic seemed to work best with the illuminated reticle at either its lowest setting or completely off. That way, the illumination didn’t drown out or obscure the target at that distance. In low-light conditions, I would illuminate the reticle. So if you’re in the market for a solid-performing LVPO at a good price, check out the Strike Eagle from Vortex Optics (vortexoptics.com). Editor’s note: Author Nick Perna is a sergeant with the Redwood City Police Department in northern California. He previously served as a paratrooper in the US Army and is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also has a master’s degree from the University of San Francisco. He is a frequent contributor to multiple print and online forums on topics related to law enforcement, firearms, tactics and veterans issues.
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A
n avid big game hunter and competitive shooter, Don Bitz knows what he wants in a rifle. So in 2007, when he couldn’t find the right aftermarket stock for an upcoming hunt – and the suppliers he contacted quoted months for production – he took matters into his own hands. Bitz launched a retail website, Stockysstocks.com, so that he and likeminded shooters would never run into this problem again. “I realized folks would appreciate the knowledge I had accumulated during a lifetime of DIY bedding, restocking, rebarreling and generally making rifles shoot to their potential,”
Custom Remington 700 in Stocky’s EuroMatch Laminated Accublock.
explains Bitz. “So I picked my favorite manufacturers and started Stocky’s!” The company quickly gained popularity, selling stocks in a variety of materials and styles for hunting, tactical and competitive purposes. But
Bitz didn’t stop there. “When the bottlenecks hit the gun industry in 2008, we started to design and manufacture our own products,” he explains. Their first product on the market americanshootingjournal.com 69
FEATURED COMPANY SPOTLIGHT Long Range Composite Accublock Thumbhole stock.
Stocky’s offers a wide range of rifle stocks for hunters, target shooters, competitive shooters and more.
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was the Long Range Composite (LRC) Accublock stock. The LRC is constructed from the stiffest, most durable 40-percent fiberglass filled composite available and features the aluminum Accublock bedding block molded right into the stock. It is guaranteed to be durable, comfortable to shoot, easy to control and flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of barrels. “Our focus is on offering the best, most accurate stocks in any given category,” says Bitz. “For example, in laminated wood it is the Accublock stocks. Same with injection-molded composite stocks. You’d be hardpressed to find a more accurate stock
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FEATURED COMPANY SPOTLIGHT at any price, yet the prices start at under $200.” The latest addition to the Stocky’s lineup is their carbon fiber stocks. Truly the next generation of carbon fiber Eliminator Ruger Rimfire stock in Yellow Hornet Laminate.
layup, they are stronger, lighter and more precisely machined than ever before. “In my opinion, these are literally the finest stocks you can buy anywhere,” says Bitz. “In addition to
the ever-popular vertical-grip VG2 and the M50, we are now introducing a new Sporter model weighing just over a pound!” At Stocky’s, you’ll find unique products that suit your needs perfectly, with unbeatable customer service from experienced shooters. “Our stocks fit properly and deliver what they are intended to deliver – ergonomics and accuracy. They are designed for the task intended because we are dedicated users of this stuff, not simply purveyors,” adds Bitz. “It sometimes shocks people that our salespeople are literally the most knowledgeable rifle-women on the planet when it comes to getting you the right stock the first time. When customers chat, email or phone, they are certain to get the right information before and after the sale.” Editor’s note: For more information, visit stockysstocks.com.
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Introducing the Dragoon QD 350 Titanium Rifle Suppressor from TiON Inc. TiON Inc is proud to introduce the revolutionary Dragoon QD 350 suppressor utilizing Total Breakdown Technology (TBT) and our Gas Indexing Technology (GIT) [U.S. Patent 9,410,761]. GIT allows the rotational orientation of baffles in a given stack providing optimum sound reduction capabilities for the 9mm pistol caliber shot from a rifle. Top rated sound reduction is achieved in the primary .350 Legend and 9mm calibers and very good performance in .300 Blackout. As a bonus the suppressor will achieve good hearing safe performance on .223/5.56mm and .308 Winchester bolt action rifles. In a market where heavy, welded, non-serviceable designs are the norm; the Dragoon distinguishes itself with an all Titanium takedown design. The TiON design with TBT allows the user to remove, clean and service ALL Components. The Dragoon QD 350 suppressor is machined from solid Titanium Bar Stock eliminating any weld failure points creating an extremely durable and light weight suppressor that can be serviced down to the piece parts. Our Quick Disconnect design allows for one handed 2 second mounting/removal and achieves total repeatability of shot group. This QD design and smallest suppressor diameter in the industry facilitates sliding under many metal firearm forends with short barrels for fast attachment without the need to have a removable forend section. Seven QD mounts and flash hider/mounts are available in 13.5X1LHM, 1/2X28, 5/8X24 and 9/16X24 threads. All our mounts are Titanium adding to the unsurpassed light weight of the suppressor.
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SELF-DEFENSE GUNS FOR THE FIRST-TIME GUN OWNER Yes, options are almost limitless and hardcore gun enthusiasts will have their own takes, but what are some of the simplest, most foolproof weapons for newbies looking to protect themselves and/or their family? STORY BY JIM DICKSON
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n these troubled times, many people are buying guns for the first time in their life, but the needs of the casual gun owner are different from the experienced shooter. They need the simplest and most foolproof weapon, not the most advanced expert’s weapon. Most first-time gun buyers are probably doing so to defend themselves and their family, and if they end up using it, they will be under extreme stress with all the attendant opportunities for the inexperienced to screw up. Of course, the answer to this is training and practice. After all, there are only three ways to learn to shoot. Shooting, shooting and more shooting. Unfortunately, there is an ammo shortage at this time and most of these first-time buyers are not inclined to spend a lot of money on
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practice ammo anyway. That’s just the reality of the situation and what we have to deal with. Still, becoming familiar with the new gun is crucial and keeping that as easy as possible is more important for the casual shooter than the dedicated shooter. Hence, we will look at the best possible choices in this light. The guns should be simple to use and easy to hit with, and should also have the least recoil possible so the new shooter does not get a flinch. THE CLASSIC HOMEOWNER defense firearm is the handgun, and rightly so. For gunfighting inside a home or building, the pistol is king. It is fast
Good self-defense weapon options range from revolvers to semiauto handguns, shotguns to carbines, but author Jim Dickson believes the Ruger Redhawk in .45 Auto to be “the best choice for a family defense weapon.” (STURM RUGER INC.)
and can be held near the side of the body when going through doorways or past furniture, where an assailant might spring out and grab the barrel of a shotgun or rifle and wrestle it out of your hands. Just don’t hold it so close to your body that the gas escaping from the barrel/cylinder gap on a revolver burns you when you fire. People who advise a pump shotgun for this duty are showing their lack of personal experience in this sort of fighting. A pump shotgun does not have room for the buckshot to spread
enough to matter indoors, so you are looking at a manually operated five- or eight-shot repeater that can malfunction if the pump action is not cycled properly under stress. I have seen a perfectly good shotgun fail to fire under these conditions enough times in the hands of poorly trained shooters to wonder why no other gun writers address this problem. Training and sufficient practice at cycling the action and dry firing will overcome this, but it is still an outdoor weapon best used at the 25to 50-yard range. The simplest type of pistol is the double-action revolver. Just point it and pull the trigger. There is nothing else you have to remember to do under stress. It doesn’t get any simpler than that. There is nothing to forget, like taking off the safety on an automatic pistol or cocking a single-
action revolver. But not every doubleaction revolver will do. While a lightweight steel-frame .38 may feel good at the gun store, it may also have a rather sharp kick that will discourage practice and may cause the shooter to flinch. Aluminum-frame .38s are bad and some of the space-age alloy revolvers are so light that a policeman at a shooting school suffered a broken bone in his hand with one of these during his first shot. Now that’s serious recoil! The universal opinion of those experienced with these abominations is that if you use one, you will only get one shot off in a gunfight because that shot is going to damage your hand. The worst part is that the .38 is not and never can be a reliable manstopper, and if you have a big drug-crazed intruder in your bedroom at 3 a.m., you definitely want the best manstopper. That means a .45-caliber gun. americanshootingjournal.com 75
The Stevens 311A is an economical American-made 12-gauge double that is common on the used gun market. It makes a nearly foolproof defensive longarm. There is nothing to do but push the safety off and pull the trigger. (JIM DICKSON)
BEFORE THE M1911 pistol was adopted by the U.S. Army, the Thompson LaGuardia Commission did the finest report on handgun stopping power ever done before or since. They found that nothing less than a .45-caliber 230-grain bullet at 800 to 900 feet per second can be depended upon to stop a man with one hit to the vitals. This resulted in the .45 ACP round, which the Army stated has more stopping power than the .30-06 in a World War II manual. While the M1911 pistol is the greatest gunfighting pistol ever made, it is also rather difficult for beginners to master, requiring a lot of firing practice. Plus it requires disassembly and reassembly for cleaning. Its cartridge is the automatic pistol version of the earlier .45 Colt revolver round first adopted by the Army in 1873. Neither round needs expanding bullets to stop the biggest man or beast in North America. That’s important because expanding bullets do not always expand and they lack
penetration on cover your enemy may try to hide behind. The .45 Colt round in the Ruger Redhawk 4-inch-barrel doubleaction revolver is the best choice for a family defense weapon. Its size and weight may put people off at first, but that and its rubber grips soak up almost all of the recoil, making this an extremely pleasant gun to shoot. If some members of the family find it too heavy, simply employ a two-hand hold. It points well and has one of the finest double-action trigger pulls ever put on a production revolver. I counsel the user not to cock the first shot and then go to double-action. This is very disruptive to accuracy on the second and third shots, plus a cocked revolver is more likely to be accidentally fired under stress. This is a gun that can be fired just as accurately double-action as it can single-action with practice. It is extremely easy to master and most anyone can quickly learn to be effective with it at inside-the-house
ranges. It has the added advantage of stainless steel construction, which may be important as the casual owner may neglect proper maintenance. FOR A SHOTGUN, the side-by-side double 12-gauge is best. Load it with a pair of shotshells featuring nine 00 buckshot pellets in front of 3 drams of powder. This is the load favored by many police departments for its lower recoil. You don’t need magnum loads for this. There is little to go wrong with a double. It points well and all you have to do is take the safety off and pull the trigger. It does have a kick, and this can be reduced by adding a sorbothane recoil pad, such as the one made by Kick-Eez. For indoor use, a gunsmith can cut the barrels back to 20 inches. As previously stated, though, a shotgun is best used at longer ranges where its pattern can spread enough to be useful, and for this you do not need short barrels. The new shooter is to be cautioned
The World War II Army surplus M1 carbine is one of the easiest modern battle rifles to master and hit with. (JIM DICKSON)
WORLD WAR II ARMY-ISSUE M1 CARBINES The following contractors made M1 carbines for the U.S. military. The author advises sticking to these guns. 1. Winchester 2. Inland Division of General Motors
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3. Underwood 4. Rock-Ola (Note that there is a commercial M1 carbine company that has bought that name and is using it.) 5. Quality Hardware and Machine 6. National Postal Meter
7. Irwin-Pederson Arms 8. Standard Products 9. Saginaw Steering Gear Division of General Motors 10. IBM
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The semiauto M1927-A1 Thompson is the other easy-to-master-and-hit-with modern fighting rifle. It is shown here with the famous Thompson 50-round drum magazine. (AUTO-ORDNANCE)
to lean into the gun and not lean back to center the gun’s weight over their center of gravity. Any push back from recoil at all and you will then topple over. You’ll want to say the gun’s kick knocked you down, but it was you being off balance that set you up for the fall. FOR RIFLES, THERE is no substitute for the semiauto with a high-capacity magazine, and that means you will need to practice and also learn how to take it apart and put it back together again for cleaning. Rifles with any real recoil may present a problem with the shooter developing a flinch, so they are to be avoided by the casual
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user. The gun must be steady and easy to hit with. Not many guns are and they depend on the shooter’s skill for their effectiveness. There are two exceptions, though. The G.I. Issue M1 carbine and the Auto-Ordnance M1927-A1 semiauto Thompson. These are two of the steadiest, bestpointing and easiest-to-hit-with rifles ever made. They have very little recoil and are fun to shoot. The WWII Army-issue M1 carbine is only 5½ pounds and 3 feet long. It’s like shooting a big .22 and any member of the family old enough to shoot should be able to handle it easily. Its ammunition is
compact and light as well, and the Army provided both 15- and 30shot magazines with it. Plenty of firepower. The military-issue gun’s reliability exceeds that of the M1 Garand and far exceeds that of the current M16 and M4. This applies only to the Army-issue guns. Many of the commercial copies that claim to meet the Mil-Specs do not, resulting in guns that are unreliable and cannot be fixed. Some, like a recent example I had, are unsafe to fire. Therefore, I can only recommend the war surplus guns (see sidebar). At the time of this writing, Royal Tiger Imports (royaltigerimports.
com) has imported a quantity of original WWII M1 carbines in good to excellent condition (see American Shooting Journal, October 2020). You can get magazines and all the accessories for the M1 carbine from Numrich Gun Parts Corp (gunpartscorp.com). The best manual available is The M1 Carbine Owner’s Guide by Larry Ruth. The book features assembly, disassembly, operating and maintenance information, and more. Get it from your local bookseller, or directly from the author by writing to: Larry L. Ruth, 2316 Smith Hill Road, Walworth, NY 14568. Cost is $27
including shipping. THE OTHER RIFLE that offers all the ease of hitting possible is the semiauto version of the famed Thompson submachinegun, the M1927-A1 Thompson from AutoOrdnance (auto-ordnance.com). Legally a semiauto rifle and not a submachinegun, it has a 16.5-inch barrel instead of the 10-inch barrel of the fully automatic versions. Otherwise, all the intimidating appearance of the famed Thompson submachinegun is still there. The twin pistol grips, inclined at the same angle as the legendary Luger
pistol, offer fast precise pointing, while its 12.5-pound weight gives it the steadiness that only a heavy rifle can have. There is also an aluminum receiver version at 9.5 pounds, but it is not quite so steady for offhand shooting and that is the way you end up firing in most any emergency situation. It is extremely accurate and fires the manstopping .45 ACP cartridge. Thirty-round box magazines, as well as 50- and 100-round drum magazines, are available. I would stick to the 50-round drums, as the 100-round drums effectively double the weight of the weapon and are quite a bit bulkier.
The M1927-A1 with the cheaper stick magazine. (AUTO-ORDNANCE)
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At 39 inches overall, it is still a very compact gun. WHICHEVER GUN YOU choose, get plenty of spare magazines with their pouches, as well as plenty of ammo. In combat you want all your ammo in loaded magazines, as anyone who has ever tried to reload magazines while someone was shooting at him will tell you. A complete cleaning kit is also necessary with any gun. Firearms must be cleaned after every use and semiautomatics must be field-stripped to do this. Don’t just do this once. Practice it until it becomes second nature. After handling, all guns must be wiped down with an oily rag, as fingerprints cause rust. Guns that have to be cleaned from the muzzle, like both of the rifles in this article, need a cleaning rod guide lest the cleaning rod damage the rifling at the muzzle and impair the accuracy of the gun. These can be had from J. Dewey Mfg. Co. Inc. (deweyrods.com), among others. Another note for first-time gun owners is to always use hearing protection when practicing. This can be the cheap foam ear plugs or regular shooter’s earmuffs. Both work fine and will prevent hearing loss. The most important rule of gun safety is to always have the muzzle pointed where it can’t hurt anyone if it fires. Do not put all your faith in mechanical safeties, as anything manmade can fail. Check every gun to see if it is loaded when you first pick it up by looking into the chamber and being sure there are no cartridges in the magazine that is in the gun. Treat guns with respect, but don’t be afraid of them. Remember that there are only three ways to learn to shoot. Say them again with me: Shooting, shooting and more shooting. It is practice more than natural talent that separates the exhibition shooter from the rank and file. Shell out the money for the ammo and practice like your life depends on it, for one day your life and the lives of your loved ones may depend on your skill at arms. It has been that way since the world began.
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PANDEMIC D.I.Y.: BUILD A BETTER COVID-19 MASK Step 1
With masks initially hard to come by, American Shooting Journal 's resident tinkerer decided to improvise. STORY BY FRANK JARDIM PHOTOS BY F.J.G. JARDIM
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Frank Jardim is a clever guy who has detailed rebarreling a rifle and making a tomahawk in these pages. With coronavirus, he put his ingenuity toward fashioning a better mask. “Even with three layers of fabric, I had no difficulty breathing,” he says of his completed creation that combines a painting respirator, empty Jell-O cups, high-quality HVAC filter material and his kids’ bed sheets.
s we all know by now, a respirator or mask is most useful for protection when you must be in close quarters with one or more people. That’s why they are a must for healthcare workers and it looks like we’ll be seeing more mask mandates for the general population. If you have to wear a mask in public, my feeling is it might as well be a good one. At the start of the Covid-19 epidemic, demand for masks worldwide outstripped production capacity and prices jumped to outrageous levels, prompting many of the handier types, like myself, to some do-it-yourself improvisation. Some DIY was better than others, but any mask was better than no mask at all, even if it was just an old T-shirt tied over your mouth and nose. Unfortunately, most DIY and commercially produced masks, even many N95-rated types, had what appeared to me to be a serious flaw in their fitting that made them seem little better than an old shirt tied across the mouth and nose! Anybody who has ever worn a facemask over their mouth and nose to do dusty work, like cleaning a chimney or spraying paint, should recall the dirt that collects on your skin on each side of your nose where the facemask doesn’t fit tightly against the skin. When you americanshootingjournal.com 85
draw a breath, the incoming air moves more easily through these gaps than through the filter material, and it leaves the evidence on your face in the form of ash, paint – or perhaps Covid. Even with their flawed fit, these masks will do some good, but not as much as one that is well sealed and draws all the incoming air through a filter. Painting respirators seal against the face much better around the nose and ears than surgical masks and offer more protection. I got the idea to adapt one of my old silicon rubber painting facemask respirators to the job of Covid protection. In fact, this mask would have worked fine for this purpose with its original filters, but those are expensive and I need them for painting because the paint solvents and other chemicals will do me immediate harm if I breathe them in. TO IMPROVE THE protection of any DIY mask, a doctor friend
advised me to repurpose the fabric filter material in a quality household MERV-13 (or higher) HVAC filter. Take apart the filter and remove the fabric from the wire support. Cut out two or three pieces of the appropriate size for your application. Since the common MERV-13 filter is only designed to capture 50 percent of the smallest particles, use two or three layers in your mask to increase the percentage of particle capture. The material itself is good for months of use, but can become contaminated with the virus. Allowing the virus 12 hours of alone time to die is best for decontamination. Washing will damage the filter fabric. If you have two masks, you can alternate between them. For a typical “doctor-style” surgical mask, attach the HVAC filter layer to the inside by applying common white craft glue to the edges. For commercial-style, soft silicon rubber
half-face respirators like mine, you can use the exhausted filter canisters if you can still draw a breath comfortably through them. Upgrade them by attaching the HVAC filter fabric over the top of the canister. A rubber band will do the job. Add an outer dust cover of conventional fabric to keep the HVAC filter material underneath clean. I’d thrown out the old filter canisters for my respirator (who would have thought I’d need them?), so I improvised new ones from the plastic cups of single-serving Jell-O my wife puts in our children’s lunches. Of course, I ate the Jell-O first. If your old respirator filters are hard to breathe through, cut them open and remove the exhausted filter materials. Most of that stuff inside is charcoal, which we don’t need since our concern is just the tiny droplets of moisture that the virus rides on during expiration, rather than brain damage from paint thinner. HERE’S A STEP-BY-STEP guide to how I adapted my old respirator for economical pandemic protection.
Step 2
Step 1 Gather materials. A household 24-inch by 12-inch by 1-inch MERV-13-rated filter costs about $9 and when disassembled provides high-quality filter material for 12 surgical-style masks. If someone in your home suffers from allergies, you may be using this type of filter right now. For the most protection, start with a mask that seals airtight to your face so you breathe through the filter, rather than around it. Step 2 I wish I hadn’t thrown out those exhausted filter canisters for my painting respirator! I improvised new ones from Jell-O cups. It turned out a penny was the perfect size template for the mounting hole. Cutting and notching was done with an X-acto.
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Step 3 The plastic of this singleserving Jell-O cup was surprisingly
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heavy and sealed up well against the respirator’s gasket. In the four months that I wore this mask for three hours a day, five days a week, the Jell-O cup canisters never broke off. Step 4 No need to gut an exhausted filter canister if you can still breathe through it. Cut two or three layers of new HVAC filter material to cover it. Using can lid templates, I cut two layers of filter for my improvised canisters and larger dust covers from old flannel sheeting.
Step 4
Step 5 Make sure the new filter material is attached so the air passes through it, and not around it. I made a ring of hot glue halfway down the inside of the Jell-O cup for my first layer. Step 6 You need to get the filter in place fast before the glue cools. Don’t burn yourself. Step 7 I also applied hot glue to the edge of the Jell-O cup and glued on
Step 5
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Step 7
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Step 8 my second layer of filter material. Step 8 To keep the HVAC filter material clean, I covered it with a piece of cotton flannel and secured it with a rubber band. Step 9 The dust covers were made from old sheets my kids loved, the intent being to make the respirator less scary to them. Even with three layers of fabric, I had no difficulty breathing.
Step 9
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American Shooting Journal // February 2021
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MILITARY SPOTLIGHT
NEW NAVY SHIP TO BE NAMED FOR MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT
‘The future crew of USS John L. Canley ... will carry on his legacy, character and professionalism.’ PHOTO COURTESY CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR SOCIETY
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or only the fourth time in history, an Expeditionary Sea Base-6 (ESB-6) class ship will be named in honor of a legendary U.S. Marine Corps veteran. The announcement in late 2020 that a ship would bear the name of retired Sgt. Maj. John L. Canley comes just two years after Canley was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroics during the Vietnam War. In 1968, Canley was a gunnery sergeant with Company A, First Battalion, First Marines. As his company was moving into Hue City to relieve friendly forces that were surrounded by enemy forces, they were repeatedly attacked and the troop’s commanding officer was wounded. Canley took command, leading a several-day attack against multiple enemy-fortified positions while braving enemy fire to carry wounded Marines to safety. More than 50 years after this display of heroism, an ESB ship will carry Canley’s name as it carries Marines into battle. “ESB vessels will deploy Marines of the future carrying the name of Marines of the past,” said Secretary of the Navy Kenneth J. Braithwaite in his announcement. “They are leaders who truly embody our core values of honor, courage and commitment, and the
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. John L. Canley (retired) was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroic actions during the Vietnam War.
future crew of USS John L. Canley, both sailors and Marines, will carry on his legacy, character and professionalism throughout the lifespan of this vessel.” “Sgt. Maj. Canley represents a generation of Marines who have sacrificed and fought for our way of life,” Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David H. Berger said in a press release. “His actions in Vietnam forever changed the lives of so many Marines around him. His legacy will continue to
live on.” The Navy has only ever named three other ESBs for Marine Corps veterans. These include the USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB-3), named for the late Lt. Gen. Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller; the USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB-4), named for retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Hershel W. “Woody” Williams; and the USNS Miguel Keith (ESB-5), named for the late Lance Cpl. Miguel Keith. americanshootingjournal.com 93