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A M ERIC AN
SHOOTING JOURNAL Volume 13 // Issue 5 // February 2024
PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Andy Walgamott OFFICE MANAGER / COPY EDITOR Katie Aumann LEAD CONTRIBUTOR Frank Jardim CONTRIBUTORS Brittany Boddington, Larry Case, Scott Haugen, Phil Massaro, Mike Nesbitt, Paul Pawela, Nick Perna SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Lucas Hoene, Tom St. Clair DESIGNERS Gabrielle Pangilinan, Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker WEBMASTER / INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@americanshootingjournal.com
ON THE COVER Sam Andrews’s custom leather holsters not only hold up to the test of time, but are works of art that have Hollywood calling. (LINDA PAWELA)
Website: AmericanShootingJournal.com Facebook: Facebook.com/AmericanShootingJournal Twitter: @AmShootingJourn
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14 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
VOLUME 13 • ISSUE 5
CONTENTS
FEATURES
COVER STORY
42
SHE HUNTS: YOUNG HUNT SKILLS CAMPERS GRADUATE TO BIGGER QUESTS Brittany Boddington’s hunting skills workshop isn’t just for women looking to learn how to put meat on the table – girls are welcome too! Brittany shares how two daughters who attended camp are blossoming into big game huntresses.
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ROAD HUNTER: BUSTING BRUSH-COUNTRY COUGARS Hunting cougars in the thick forests of the Pacific Northwest is an entirely different prospect than pursuing them in wide-open habitats to the east. Scott Haugen details how to get into range when hound hunting is out of the question and there’s no snow on the ground to walk the big cats down.
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SCATTERGUN ALLEY: FAMED SHOTGUN MAKER’S MAGAZINE FULL WHEN IT COMES TO 2024 OFFERINGS Between optic-ready spring gobbler guns, handsome over-and-unders and home-defense options, there’s a lot of new scatterguns from Mossberg this year, and Larry Case highlights a few of the models that just might turn your head.
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BULLET BULLETIN: WHAT’S NEW AT REMINGTON? Despite mergers, splits, new ownership and now a cross-country move to Arkansas, the bullet whizzes at Big Green are still busy. Phil Massaro takes a look inside this American institution to see what’s new these days.
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BLACK POWDER: BREAKING IN A CUSTOM .44-77 MOLD What happens when you combine a Brooks Tru-Bore Bullet Mould projectile with a Walters vegetable fiber wad and 72 grains of powder? Stand by for another exciting episode of Mike Nesbitt’s bullet lab chronicles!
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LAW ENFORCEMENT SPOTLIGHT: POPULAR COP KILLED AT BREAK-IN Oakland, California, Officer Tuan Le was combating the property crime scourge when he was gunned down by burglary suspects running out of a local marijuana business, and fellow Bay Area cop Nick Perna has had enough of the lawless behavior created by unwise politicians.
Andrews Custom Leather holsters not only hold up to the test of time, but are works of art that have Hollywood calling. Paul Pawela takes us inside Sam Andrews’s Florida shop and shares how his holsters have held up in scary real-world situations and shown up on the big screen.
BEAUTIFUL CONCEALMENT
AMERICAN SHOOTING JOURNAL is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 941 Powell Ave SW, Suite 120, Renton, WA 98057. 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 © 2024 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.
americanshootingjournal.com 17
CONTENTS
39
Company SpotlightS 39
WARLANDER ENTERPRISES: CUSTOM KNIVES AND SHEATHS What began as a leatherworking hobby for Amy Valerious has grown into a custom knife-and-sheath-making business. Check out some of the gorgeous work coming out of her one-woman operation.
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DEFENDER AMMUNITION COMPANY: VALUES, PATRIOTISM, QUALITY AMMO From the heart of the US Military world, Defender Ammunition Company makes rounds that stand out. Co-owner Krissy Jones details the company’s history, specialties, support for vets and strong customer service ethic.
DEPARTMENTS 25 27
(WARLANDER ENTERPRISES)
20 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
Gun Show Calendar Competition Calendar
24 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
PRIMER
GUNSHOW C A L E N D A R
Arizona Gun Shows
February 17-18 March 2-3
Globe, Ariz. San Tan Valley, Ariz.
Gila County Fairgrounds Big Tin Cotton Gin Event Center
C&E Gun Shows
February 10-11 February 10-11 February 17-18 February 24-25 February 24-25 March 2-3
Hamilton, Ohio Hickory, N.C. Columbus, Ohio Concord, N.C. Dayton, Ohio Columbus, Ohio
Butler County Fairgrounds Hickory Metro Convention Center Ohio Expo Center Cabarrus Arena & Event Center Montgomery County Event Center Ohio Expo Center
Crossroads Of The West Gun Shows
February 10-11 February 17-18 February 17-18 February 17-18 February 24-25 March 2-3
Sandy, Utah Reno, Nev. Bakersfield, Calif. St. George, Utah Phoenix, Ariz. Ogden, Utah
Mountain America Expo Reno Convention Center Kern County Fairgrounds Dixie Center Arizona State Fairgrounds Weber County Fairgrounds
Florida Gun Shows
February 10-11 February 24-25 March 9-10 March 16-17
Miami, Fla. Tampa, Fla. Palmetto, Fla. Orlando, Fla.
Miami-Dade Fairgrounds Florida State Fairgrounds Bradenton Convention Center Central Florida Fair Grounds
G&S Promotions
February 10-11 February 16-18 February 24-25 March 8-10
Henderson, Texas Nacogdoches, Texas Hot Springs, Ark. Canton, Texas
Rusk County Expo Center Nacogdoches County Exposition Center Garland County Fairgrounds Canton Civic Center
GunTVShows.com
February 17-18 March 23-24
Tucson, Ariz. Glendale, Ariz.
Tucson Expo Center Martin Events Center
hernandosportsmansclub.com
April 6-7
Brooksville, Fla.
Hernando Sportsman’s Club Range
RK Shows
February 10-11 February 10-11 February 17-18 February 17-18 February 24-25 February 24-25
Gray, Tenn. Sedalia, Mo. Atlanta, Ga. Paducah, Ky. Knoxville, Tenn. Clarksville, Ga.
Appalachian Fairgrounds Missouri State Fairgrounds Atlanta Expo Center Trader’s Mall Knoxville Expo Center Habersham County Fairgrounds
Real Texas Gun Shows
March 9-10 March 23-24
Taylor, Texas Gonzales, Texas
Williamson County Expo Center J.B. Wells Arena
Tanner Gun Shows
February 16-18 March 8-10 March 29-31
Castle Rock, Colo. Denver, Colo. Colorado Springs, Colo.
Douglas County Fairgrounds Crowne Plaza Norris Penrose Event Center
Wes Knodel Gun Shows
February 10-11 February 24-25 March 16-17
Centralia, Wash. Redmond, Ore. Centralia, Wash.
Southwest Washington Fairgrounds Deschutes County Expo Center Southwest Washington Fairgrounds
arizonagunshows.com
cegunshows.com
crossroadsgunshows.com
floridagunshows.com
gunshowtrader.com
guntvshows.com
Hernando Sportsman’s Club
rkshows.com
therealtexasgunshow.com
tannergunshow.com
wesknodelgunshows.com
To have your event highlighted here, send an email to kaumann@media-inc.com. americanshootingjournal.com 25
PRIMER
COMPETITION C A L E N D A R
February 17
March 11-17
March 17-19
February 21-25
March 21-24
February 10-11
February 24-25
March 8-10
February 17-18
March 2-3
Colorado State JO/Rocky Mountain Regional PTO Colorado Springs, Colo. usashooting.org
VRPC Spring Open Air Rifle Match Plus Finals Vancouver, Wash. February 15-18
February 16-17
Northern Florida Regional Classic Midway, Fla.
Volusia County GSSF Match New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
River Bend Ballistic Challenge Dawsonville, Ga. March 9-10
February 9-11
February 16-17
March 8-9
February 14-17
March 1-3
CMSA US Winter Championship Queen Creek, Ariz.
February 10 idpa.com
South Carolina Section Championship Belton, S.C.
The Ouachita Regional Challenge West Monroe, La.
SW Regional Championship Queen Creek, Ariz.
cmsaevents.com
Western States Single Stack Championship Mesa, Ariz.
Shooting International Open USPSA Level II Westville, Fla.
Charleston Glock Challenge Ridgeville, S.C. gssfonline.com
Smallbore Rifle/Pistol Olympic Selection Part 3 Fort Moore, Ga.
February 24
Gulf Coast Championship Eagle Lake, Texas
uspsa.org
Shotgun Olympic Selection Part 2 Tucson, Ariz.
CCSC Monthly IDPA Match Edgemoor, S.C.
Florida State Championship Green Cove Springs, Fla.
Glock, Stock and Barrel Challenge Newhall, Calif.
Southeast Regional Championship Perry, Ga.
Nevada State Championship Las Vegas, Nev.
March 8-10
February 16-25
March 7-9
Winter Classic New Castle, Pa.
Lazy E Classic Guthrie, Okla.
South Florida Defensive Challenge Homestead, Fla.
To have your event highlighted here, send an email to kaumann@media-inc.com. americanshootingjournal.com 27
Beautiful Concealment Andrews Custom Leather holsters not only hold up to the test of time, but are works of art that have Hollywood calling. STORY BY PAUL PAWELA • PHOTOS BY PAUL AND LINDA PAWELA
R
arely do I write articles on products. This is for various reasons, but the biggest is that when I test something, my testing requirements are far more stringent than merely using the product. I have found that the products I test must survive both a gravity test and an environmental test. I will explain both tests since the subject of this article is holsters and the material they are made of, which is leather. Over the years, I have been very amused at the money people will spend – from $500 to more than $1,000 – on a handgun, only to put said gun in a very cheap holster. Here are some real-life examples of what I am talking about. Years ago, I attended Clint Smith’s Thunder Ranch in Texas, and a classmate showed off his beautiful 1911 .45 custom-built Thunder Ranch model made by Bill Wilson and with a serial number of 2 (Clint Smith had serial number 1). I asked the gentleman why he used the gun in the course, and he replied that it was his defensive shooting gun. My reply was, “Well, you might as well take that gun and
throw it on the concrete deck to get the gun its first ding.” The man thought I’d lost my mind. “Why would I do that?” he asked. “Because it will happen with your poorly constructed nylon holster, and that gun will surely fall out Sam Andrews (far right) has been making custom leather holsters for decades, and while they’re primarily meant to securely and discreetly carry and conceal firearms, he’s also been tapped by Hollywood to create fancy ones for movies, including this one (right) for 2016’s remake of The Magnificent Seven.
28 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
americanshootingjournal.com 29
of it,” I said. “Hey pal, I did not come here to hear your gibberish,” was his retort. The training task was to climb five floors up outside the building. We were to climb the ladder to the top, then go down and start clearing the inside of the building. As you might imagine, on the fourth floor, Mr. Custom Thunder Ranch’s nearly $2,000 gun went into a free fall onto the deck. Hard lesson learned! Years before that, a young police officer in Virginia had just received a brand-new S&W 5906 and decided to carry that gun in a cool-guy nylon holster. After taking his two children to Toys R Us and buying them toys, the kids demanded a foot race to the car. After the officer ensured the coast was clear of traffic, the foot race was on. In midstride, the officer heard a
clang on the street. As you’ve probably already guessed, the officer’s brandnew 5906 had hit the deck. Much to his humiliation, walking in the officer’s direction was a man who opened his coat to show he had a concealed weapon in a holster. He laughed at the officer and said, “I hate when that happens.” The officer retrieved his gun and children, and later burned that holster. That officer was me, and that story was the subject of my very first article, “More Hard Lessons Learned.”
ON TO THE subject of this article: Andrews Custom Leather. The origin of this story is almost four decades old. I first met Sam Andrews at a gun show in Florida while I was on leave from the military. A refined, elegantspeaking gentleman with a voice that
could have made for a career in radio, Andrews was displaying his holsters at the show. I was competing in the International Practical Shooting Confederation with 1911 Colts at the time, and I bought my first leather holsters from him that day. Today, Kydex is all the rage, and yes, at times I also use different types of Kydex holsters, depending on the circumstances. However, I am deathly loyal to my Andrews leather holsters for various reasons. Every Andrews holster has been custom molded for my specific firearm. The difference between Andrews leather holsters and Kydex is that Sam leaves no sharp edges anywhere on his holsters. Andrews holsters also hug closer to your body, making it much harder for prying eyes to see if you’re carrying
Author Paul Pawela has known of Andrews and his work for nearly 40 years, and on his last visit to Andrews’s shop, the leather artisan was making a personal custom rig for Sylvester Stallone for the action star’s 2023 movie Expend4bles.
30 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
A peek inside Andrews Custom Leather, located in St. Augustine, Florida, shows many tools of the leatherworking trade.
americanshootingjournal.com 31
concealed. As you can see in some of the accompanying photos, I am wearing three Andrews holsters, and you cannot see any printing. Leather is also very natural and can be finished in different ways to soften the overall texture, enabling your gun to stay hidden under clothing. With almost 40 years of using different Andrews holsters, I can attest that Sam’s are highly durable and will not break. He doesn’t just make gun holsters either, but also other leather accessories such as mag holders, belts and slings. He has a wide variety of exotic skins to choose from as well. Andrews leather goods are wearable art!
True, Kydex is hugely popular today for making holsters, but Pawela says the difference between those made out of that manmade material and what comes out of Andrews’s leather shop is that no sharp edges are left anywhere on the latter models.
32 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
WHEN IT COMES to the aforementioned gravity test, years ago I was a parachute and equipment tester for the Army. I tested Andrews holsters – the MacDaniel II models – by jumping out of airplanes with them. I made about 15 static-line jumps and 20 highaltitude parachute jumps (from 1,200 feet to 12,500 feet) with Glock pistols in them with no problems whatsoever. As for the environmental test, my Andrews holsters have survived in cold and hot weather, as well as water crossings in lakes, streams and oceans. Salt is usually the death of anything, and in the saltwater, the screws and grommets on the Andrews holster did rust, but it was nothing to take oil and a brush to make them like new. My primary and favorite holster is my custom Andrews Carjacker Crossdraw Holster, especially during long-distance vehicle travel. I have a few to choose from: one for a Model 442 revolver; one for a compact, slim-line Glock 43; and several for my Glock 17, 19 and 26. And again, on long road trips, I wear an Andrews double holster shoulder rig with spare magazines attached to each harness holster, which allows easy access for myself and my wife. The double holster shoulder rig is beautifully crafted and one of the most comfortable rigs I have ever worn. Sam Andrews’s leather work has been requested by Hollywood many times. He created all the holsters for the remake of MGM’s The Magnificent Seven in 2016. In the movie, the
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town’s leather shop is named after Andrews. He also did the leather work for the TV series 1883, the prequel to the Yellowstone series, and was a consultant for the Civil War scene. On my last visit, he was making a personal custom rig for Sylvester Stallone for his latest movie, Expend4bles.
The Latin words “Pulcherem occultationem” – beautiful concealment – adorn Andrews Custom Leather’s logo, and that is certainly the case with these holsters worn and appreciated by the cast of The Magnificent Seven, including Chris Pratt (top right). “Andrews leather goods are wearable art!” proclaims Pawela.
34 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
HOW GOOD IS Sam Andrews? He is probably ranked in the top 10 in the country for custom leatherwork. He makes all kinds of exotic holsters out of different animals; he once made a holster out of alligator hide for my wife, and it was gorgeous. More importantly, I owe my life and those of my family to Andrews. He has made holsters that served me well on more than one occasion. The first time, I was in West Palm Beach with my wife, when a man tried to cut me off in traffic; he slammed on the brakes in front of my car and quickly got out with a crowbar. I believe he intended to rob us. I was wearing an Andrews Carjacker holster, so I rapidly deployed my firearm, at the sight of which the man with the crowbar did an about-face, got back in his car and sped away. The second time, I was in a desperate situation: The government
carrying my Glock 26, and drew that weapon quickly. A local off-duty police officer witnessed the altercation and told the motorcyclist to leave, which he did immediately.
Holsters are custom molded to fit particular firearms. Leather options range from traditional to exotic, and Andrews also makes mag holders, belts and slings.
had seen fit to send me to communist and until-recently-communist countries on a diplomatic mission without any weapons. I discussed my dilemma with Andrews, and he fixed my problem with extreme urgency. He made a custom notebook with all the items one would think would be in a notebook, with a slot for paper and pens, dividers, business cards, and a spare “hidden” compartment for a double-stack Para-Ordnance .45 1911 complete with a spare magazine compartment. Andrews added a rather personal touch to the outside leatherwork by engraving my initials on the book and adding a cross and Psalm 23. Since I traveled using military aircraft, I never had to worry about going in or out of the country or through customs. When walking about in different countries, people saw me carrying my notebook and thought it was a bible and I was a priest. I was often addressed as “Father,” to which I would respond, “Bless you, my child,” all the while thinking, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, my double-stack Para is with me.” Thank you, Sam Andrews. I wish I still had that notebook, it was such a work of art, but sadly it was lost in one of my many moves. In the latest incident, just a month ago, my wife and business partner and I had gone to a movie and were returning home when I had a road rage incident with a man on a crotchrocket motorcycle. After almost 36 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
hitting my vehicle, he had words for me, as if I’d done something wrong. It was dark and the man, dressed in all-black leather with a dark helmet shield, pulled up next to where the passenger, my wife, was sitting. He reached into his coat pocket like he was going for a weapon. I was wearing my Andrews Carjacker holster,
Pawela demonstrates how several holsters he’s wearing don’t “print” through his T-shirt.
AM I BIASED towards Sam Andrews and his holsters? Guilty as charged. I have known him for going on 40 years, using his products in every conceivable manner and betting my life and that of my family on them several times. Not only do I love and endorse his products with all my heart, but I also love the man and his family! For more, visit andrewsleather.com and tell him Paul sent you. ★ Author’s note: This article is dedicated to 24-year-old Ashlea Albertson, a professional midget car racer recently killed in a road rage incident. Editor’s note: Author Paul Pawela is a nationally recognized firearms and self-defense expert. For his realistic self-defense training, see assaultcountertactics.com.
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38 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
AN EYE FOR ENTERPRISE What began as a leatherworking hobby for Amy Valerious has grown into a custom knife-and-sheath-making business. PHOTOS BY WARLANDER ENTERPRISES
A
my Valerious started working with leather as a hobby and creative outlet when she was a teenager. As her interest in the medium grew, she formed a company in 2014 as a side hustle to “help my hobby pay for itself.”
“I lived in western Montana at the time and after connecting with Zombie Tools and Behring Made Knives (both based in Missoula, Montana), my side hustle quickly became a fulltime occupation making leather knife sheaths,” says Valerious. “In June 2015, I
Warlander Enterprises offers a number of knife styles, and blades are often complemented with custom leather sheaths. This Sable model features a 3-inch blade and burl/copper core resin handle for an overall length of 7.625 inches, and it is paired with the company’s gold highlight dragon-scale sheath.
This Grizzly knife’s ironwood handle goes with its antiqued beaver tail overlay sheath with fade dye.
quit my day job and have been working in the business full time ever since.” In 2018, Valerious relocated to northern Georgia, where she expanded her business scope. “After seeing and handling thousands of knives over a five-year period making custom sheaths, I decided to get into making the knives as well as the leather,” she explains. “So in 2019, I tweaked the name from Warlander Leather to Warlander Enterprises so I could start incorporating other products in addition to leather.” For about a year, from late 2019 through 2020, Valerious worked parttime as an apprentice at Fiddleback Forge. There, she learned a number of tips while utilizing the knifemaking equipment at the Fiddleback shop and also getting her own shop set up with the right equipment. She calls this apprenticeship a “huge step forward” in her knifemaking ability. NOWADAYS, VALERIOUS CREATES and sells a variety of knives and leather goods to her growing customer base. “Warlander Enterprises is presently a one-woman operation, so every piece is handmade by me personally,” she says. Some of her most sought-after products currently on offer are the knife/leather sheath combos. “Starting from the leather side and making so many custom sheaths first gives me a unique angle when it comes to creating a matching knife/sheath americanshootingjournal.com 39
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT Electrochemical etching is used to burn logos onto knife spines.
Amy Valerious, Warlander Enterprises’ one-woman show, sands a sheath edge for a smooth final finish.
With its 6.25-inch blade, this Mako features a resin ivory/ironwood handle and it is paired with a handsome hand-tooled natural/chocolate dyed oak leaf sheath.
40 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
combo,” she says. “There is something special about a knife that has a sheath created specifically to match with complementing colors and/or textures.” “There are great knifemakers and great leatherworkers, but not many people do both,” explains Valerious. “I am very meticulous through the entire process, starting with the quality of the raw materials and all the details involved in every step of the process. I feel that really shows through in the finished product. All the knives come with a leather sheath that is made in-house; some are plain utilitarianstyle, while others are hand-tooled with unique finishes designed to complement the knife it’s paired with.” This year, Valerious is planning on expanding the styles of knives she makes. So far, she has been exclusively offering full-tang knives, but she plans to focus on “learning new skills so I can start adding in hidden-tang Scagelstyle knives, as well as a couple of culinary knife options to my portfolio.” Meanwhile, she advises customers to sign up for the newsletter on her website to find out when new items will be listed. “If you are looking for a knife and what is available on my website isn’t your flavor, I do work with several dealers that have ready-to-ship knives in stock,” Valerious adds. Just search “Warlander” on fiddlebackoutpost .com, riversedgecutlery.com and DLTtrading.com. Editor’s note: For more info and to sign up for the newsletter, visit warlanderenterprises.com.
americanshootingjournal.com 41
Ava Jannenga (right) and Jordan Davis celebrate a successful hunt at author Brittany Boddington’s She Hunts Skills Camp.
42 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
she HUNTs
Ava with her first mouflon ram, accompanied by camp friends Alice (left) and Jordan and taken at the RecordBuck Ranch in Texas.
YOUNG SHE HUNTS CAMPERS GRADUATE TO BIGGER QUESTS Moms see daughters thrive at hunting skills workshop – and beyond! STORY AND PHOTOS BY BRITTANY BODDINGTON
he She Hunts Skills Camp predominantly caters to adults, but when we get enough mother/daughter pairs interested, we try and group them in a camp together. One of these camps came together with six moms and their girls; the six daughters
T
were all under 16 years old. We allow moms to bring daughters from age 10 and up, so my very own bonus daughter Ava was in attendance at this camp just after her 10th birthday. She had been excited to participate for years and this group was a perfect opportunity. One of our campers, Jordan Davis, was 12 years old when she attended the She Hunts 2021 camp with her
stepmom Natalie Davis. Neither Natalie nor Jordan had harvested an animal prior to camp, but were both eager to learn how to hunt. Jordan’s dad Allen is a big hunter and had signed them up at a Safari Club International convention. All communication prior to them arriving in camp had been with Allen, so I was curious to see if the ladies were going to be willing participants or if they had americanshootingjournal.com 43
SHE HUNTS
Brad Jannenga with daughter Ava just after her first hunt, supported by good friend Jordan.
Jordan gets painted in honor of her first hunt.
44 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
been signed up against their will. To my relief, they were very excited to be there, although Allen may have been more excited to send them. He had big hopes Natalie and Jordan would become future hunting partners. Man, did he succeed! Ava and Jordan became instant friends in camp and have maintained their friendship to this day. Jordan was a bit hesitant on the shooting range with the bigger calibers, but with the encouragement of the other girls her age, she found her stride with the rifles and the shotguns. Ava had also been a bit hesitant with shotguns. We had started her off shooting a .223 and she had gotten comfortable with that, but the bang and recoil of the 20-gauge shotgun rattled her a bit. Jordan felt the same and they bonded in supporting each other to try again. They were shooting clay targets with a Kreighoffsponsored shooter as their coach, and each of them broke clays.
SHE HUNTS Having conquered her fears, Jordan decided to try to take her first animal in camp with stepmom Natalie by her side. After hard consideration, they decided the first animal Jordan would pursue would be an axis doe. Jordan made a perfect stalk behind her guide and took one well-placed shot off of shooting sticks. The doe ran about 20 yards and Jordan was the first to spot it down in the brush. She was so excited and relieved to have harvested her first animal so efficiently. Natalie was up next and hunted a scimitarhorned oryx with a broken horn. Safe to say, Allen got his wish and both ladies left camp with a new passion for hunting! After witnessing Jordan’s success, Ava decided to try for a mouflon sheep for her first animal. She had expressed concern about how she would feel taking her first animal and how she would feel after the shot. My husband Brad took her out with a guide from RecordBuck Ranch, along with Jordan for moral support, and they made a perfect stalk to get her in a comfortable shooting position off of shooting sticks. Ava dropped the mouflon in its tracks. She felt a wave of excitement and a profound appreciation for the animal; to our relief, there were only tears of joy. IN THE THREE years since that camp, Jordan has hunted blacktail deer and a number of wild pigs in California with her dad. She has also participated in the National High School Rodeo Association’s Light Rifle 50-yard 3-position competition. Every year since Jordan turned 12, Allen has been putting her in the California draw for the Tule Elk Apprentice Hunt in hopes to someday get the chance to share this unique hunt with his daughter. There are no points awarded in California for youth hunters; it’s a lottery and only one tag is given per year. There were 11,014 applicants for tule elk and in 2023, Jordan won the lottery. Allen chose to hire experienced California guide Sam McGuire of McGuire Ballistics to help Jordan on 46 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
Jordan with her first animal ever, an axis doe!
this once-in-a-lifetime hunt. The season opened December 19 and ran through the end of the year. It rained for the first five days of the hunt and on the seventh day (the day after Christmas), the animals started to move. It was a cold and overcast day and they saw 51 different bulls moving about. According to California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists, the herd has over 500 animals, including about 150 bulls. Jordan had her mind set on
a typical-frame elk and didn’t want anything nontypical or with broken antlers from the rut. With time running out on the eighth day of the hunt, they spotted a typical bull at 7 a.m., one that looked like a six-by-six from about 1,500 yards away. Jordan took one look and approved of the shape of the elk. So Jordan, Sam and Allen dropped down a mountain to sneak in from above to get as close as possible. They were about to cut
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SHE HUNTS the distance by about 800 yards, but about three-quarters of the way down, the guide realized the elk had spotted them. He quickly had Jordan get in a prone position and he ranged the elk at 425 yards. Sam blew a cow elk call to get the elk to turn broadside, and Jordan was able to place a single shot. Her bull went about 50 yards and fell over. Jordan was shooting all-copper bullets (per California regulations) made by McGuire Ballistics in .28 Nosler caliber. When they got up to the elk, they found out it was a sevenby-seven with one broken point. The bull had a very typical frame that was exactly what Jordan had hoped for. GOING FROM NEVER shooting anything prior to attending She Hunts Skills Camp to being the one youth lottery winner for a tule elk and successfully taking a 425-yard shot is one heck of a success story. We can’t wait to see what Jordan accomplishes next! As for Ava, she went on to shoot quite a few plains game animals on a safari in Namibia and both ladies share their love of hunting by sending each other photos after every success. The bonds made in She Hunts camp are truly one of a kind.
Jordan with her beautiful California tule elk.
48 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
Editor’s note: Brittany Boddington is a former outdoor television host and journalist with 15 years’ experience hosting shows about various hunting adventures around the globe. She has hunted on six continents and collected just under 100 species. With her father Craig’s help, Brittany discovered a love for the great outdoors and has become a passionate hunter and conservationist. She has learned through experience that the best way to preserve our hunting heritage is to teach the next generation of hunters about our way of life, which is why she developed the She Hunts Skills Camp. Brittany and her husband Brad Jannenga live in Phoenix, Arizona, where they raise beef cattle with their family. Follow Brittany’s adventures on Facebook, Instagram and X.
ROAD HUNTER
Hunting cougars in the thick forests of the Pacific Northwest is an entirely different prospect than pursuing them in wide-open habitats to the east.
BUSTING BRUSH-COUNTRY COUGARS
Sans snow to walk the big cats down or hounds to chase them, here's how to get in range for a shot. STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HAUGEN
ne evening last winter, I got a notification on my cell phone from one of the trail cameras I had set. I hoped it was a cougar. Instead, it was four Columbia blacktail deer. Six minutes later, it went off again. This
o
time more than a dozen deer crowded the frame and they were clearly nervous. Soon, the deer sprinted into the brush. A few minutes behind them, another video clip popped up. It was the big tom I’d been chasing for days. Thirty-four minutes after that, the cougar emerged and it was dragging a deer. At daylight the next morning, I was where the cougar had dragged the
deer out of the woods. It headed for an old logging road that could only be navigated on foot because it was so overgrown with brush. Struggling to locate any sign, I backtracked and found where the cat killed the deer. Continuing up an old skid road, I finally found one spot where the cat’s right foot had slipped on moist, green moss. Two hours later I found a similar americanshootingjournal.com 51
ROAD HUNTER freshly cached deer carcass. The brush was so dense I couldn’t see the deer until I was 5 feet from it. I uncovered the remains and found where the cat ripped into the body cavity, drank the blood, and devoured the lungs, liver, heart and the cartilaginous tips of a few ribs. None of the prime meat was touched. The cougar would be back.
Finding a fresh cougar kill, like this deer, greatly increases the odds of punching a mountain lion tag.
mark, over half a mile from the first. The conditions were ideal for tracking and I was struck by the lack of sign. I figured I’d find an easy-to-follow drag trail along with cat prints and hair in the moist dirt, leading to the buried kill. It took nearly three hours of backtracking, checking side trails the cat may have taken and searching for any sign before I located one more clue. I’ve tracked a lot of animals around the globe – predators and big game – and this was one of the toughest. Half a mile or so from where the kill happened, the silver underside of a blackberry leaf caught my eye. It was 10 52 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
yards off the old road. Looking closely I could see the vine had been pulled tight. When deer and elk hang up on such vines with their legs, they’ll drag them a foot or so, then shed them. This one had been dragged over 5 feet, indicating something had hung up on it. Slowly, I continued through the briars. Brush was dense on both sides, offering only a few feet of visibility. Following more overturned leaves and strungout berry vines, there was no trail, just knee-deep blackberries. Looking ahead I noticed the blackberry vines and leaves had not been disturbed. Two more steps and there it was, a
I WAS FIVE minutes from my home in the western foothills of Oregon’s Cascade Range. In Oregon, cougars are classified as a big game animal. If a cougar kill is found, you can uncover it to identify and assess it but the carcass cannot be moved. It can’t be chained to a tree or tampered with. Cougars can’t be hunted at night in Oregon and, of course, hounds were prohibited by a voter initiative in the 1990s. The odds are ridiculously stacked in favor of the cat. Given the increasing number of pets being taken off back porches, livestock being killed and human encounters in Oregon, you’d think the rules would change. An estimated 7,000 cougars now roam Oregon, twice the number of cougars that inhabited the area 40 years ago. But who really knows how accurate that number is. It took over four hours of chopping with a machete, but I finally had a shooting lane cleared and blind built. The blind was across a little swale and all I could see through the tunnel I’d created was the deer carcass. It was perfect, or so I thought. I left for a couple hours to let things settle down. At 3 p.m. I tiptoed into the blind knowing that the later it got, the greater the chance of the cat showing up. Securing the rifle in a vise-grip tripod, I put the reticle on the deer carcass and waited. Incessantly, I stared through the scope so that when the cat showed up all I’d have to do was pull the trigger. An hour into it, I lifted my head slightly to give my neck much needed relief. That’s when the cat appeared. Its blocky head materialized from nowhere. There were no warnings. It was just there, staring right at me. How it picked me out at 60 yards through
americanshootingjournal.com 53
ROAD HUNTER
Trail cameras have taught author Scott Haugen a lot about cougar numbers and their movements in the thick habitat where he hunts them. Here, he positions a Moultrie Mobile trail camera on a game trail.
tight brush, I’ll never know. Slowly I lowered my head, confident the hunt would soon end. But when I looked through the scope, the cat was gone. I didn’t move for another 20 minutes, until darkness closed in. I’d just blown the best opportunity I’d had at this cat. ONCE HOME, I called Tyler Tiller, who lives near me. He’s killed a number of mountain lions in our brushy area. “You’ll have one, maybe two more cracks at getting that cat over the kill,” Tiller began. “When it comes to brush-country cougars, there are no rules. You may need to go in with a shotgun tomorrow morning because the cat might drag the carcass into thick cover.” 54 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
“Until 10 years ago, I think I passed by a lot of cougars when hunting them,” continued Tiller. “That’s when we had snow and for the first time my eyes were opened to how many cougars are really in the area. I’d been hunting them, but just because you’re hunting cougars doesn’t mean you’re going to kill one. I had a lot to learn about these secretive cats.” Tiller made clear that there are no shortcuts when it comes to killing a cougar in our area. “We’re overrun with cougars, yet most people go their whole life and never see one. Put out trail cameras and you’ll see what I mean. And when we get a fresh snow, that’s when you’ll really be surprised at the number of lions.”
“With cougars, it’s all about location,” continued Tiller. “I know of people in eastern and southwestern Oregon who routinely call in cougars in open habitat. But hunting them in the thick brush and timber where we live is a totally different situation; I think it’s the toughest big game challenge there is, and it takes years to learn how and where to kill them.” Tiller has taken some cougars by sitting over fresh kills, usually domestic goats. “Farmers call when a cat kills one of their goats or cows, and the sooner I can get on them, the better. More than once I’ve hunted over kills early in the morning and as soon as I left, the cat returned to eat in broad daylight.
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ROAD HUNTER I know those cats were sitting there watching me the whole time but I couldn’t see them in the dense cover. They’re smart, very smart.” When calling cougars in tight Pacific Northwest forests, Tiller starts with subtle rodent or distressed kitten sounds. “I approach an area very quietly, call for five minutes, then sit silently for two minutes,” he says. “Then I call a bit louder for five more minutes and am quiet for two minutes. On my final sequence I blast the electronic call for five minutes. I might sit for two minutes or wait 30 minutes; it just depends on the conditions, how things feel, and if I have more ground to cover on foot. I’ll move to just beyond where I think my sounds reached and repeat the sequence. Calling here isn’t about getting sounds to carry long distances across canyons; it’s about getting them to penetrate the thick cover you’re hunting in, where you believe the cat to be.” THERE’S NO OPEN terrain where I hunt cougars, only a few narrow shooting lanes along abandoned logging roads, and deer and elk trails surrounded with brush. A long shot is 30 yards. At daylight the next morning, I snuck back into the blind. Looking through the scope, I saw the deer carcass was gone. Following the trail through briars, the cat had taken the deer to the edge of a tiny grassy meadow. Getting on my hands and knees, I found a tunnel the cat had crawled through. Deer hair clung to thorns and fresh drops of blood pooled on green leaves. Fifteen yards on the other side of the tunnel was more grass and in it I saw a patch of white fur. I crawled through the hole and found the two hindquarters still intact, laying on top of the grass. I cleared another shooting lane. This one was tight and I would not be able to set up far from the carcass due to dense brush. Four hours later I returned with a shotgun and 00 buckshot. The cat 56 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
Few big game hunts are as thrilling as calling a predator into shotgun range.
ROAD HUNTER hadn’t come back. I sat until dark, then hung a trail camera before I left. The cat returned less than three hours after I’d gone and ate all that was left of the deer. Shooting that cat over the carcass wasn’t going to happen. I had had my chance and blew it. THAT BIG TOM is still out there. In fact, 11 months after this hunt, it just showed up on one of my trail cams, right where I hunted it last winter. It’s easy to recognize. I have a score to settle with this cat. Each time I’m out there, I learn something about the elusive cougars and how they thrive in this dense habitat. I’ve got a lot to learn, obviously, but the challenge of trying to outwit these predators is where the joy lies.
The setup where Haugen had his best crack at a big tom last winter, but moved at the wrong time and blew it.
58 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
Editor’s note: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s bestselling books, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott’s adventures on Instagram and Facebook.
FAMED SHOTGUN MAKER’S MAGAZINE FULL OF 2024 OFFERINGS Between optic-ready gobbler guns, handsome over-and-unders and home-defense weapons, there’s a lot of new scatterguns from Mossberg this year, and these models just might turn your head. STORY AND PHOTOS BY LARRY CASE
M
ossberg ain’t foolin’ around. There are many new shotguns and other firearms on the horizon for 2024, but I doubt if any company will bring out as many new features on shotguns as the North Haven, Connecticutbased manufacturer. The Mossberg story began in 1919 with a simple dream to manufacture durable and reliable firearms that the working class could afford. As simple as that dream was, it was fairly ambitious. After all, Oscar Frederick Mossberg, a Swedish immigrant, was 53 years old, but he was talented and determined. So, armed with experience, innovative designs and keen knowledge of the industry, he and his two sons, Harold and Iver, began O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc.
The Mossberg legend really began in a rented loft on State Street in New Haven, where Mossberg and his sons began producing the fourshot .22-caliber Brownie pistol. It would be the first in a long line of innovative, reliable firearms bearing the Mossberg name. Mossberg produced some other pistols and a few rifles, including the Model 42MB, a .22 training rifle created for British troops under the Lend-Lease Act. Over 45,000 were produced. The Model 183D bolt-action shotgun was introduced in 1947. It was the first Mossberg repeating shotgun and the first with an adjustable choke, features that would be found on many future Mossberg shotguns. In August 1962, the first Model 500 pump shotgun was produced. This pump-action shotgun would become famous for its reliability and durability, and would lay the
Model 500 Turkey Optic-Ready.
60 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
SCATTERGUN ALLEY
Mossberg’s new slate of shotguns will find uses everywhere from waterfowl and turkey blinds to competitive shooting meets and as home-defense weapons. americanshootingjournal.com 61
SCATTERGUN ALLEY
940 Pro Turkey Holosun Micro Dot Combo.
foundation for multiple variants to come. To me, with the advent of the Model 500, Mossberg really came out of the dark and stepped into the limelight for the American shooter. It is hard to comprehend just how much this shotgun affected the domestic shooting public, becoming a favorite of hunters and then going on to become standard-issue in the military and law enforcement worlds. “Dependable” and “reliable” pretty well sum up how many hunters and shooters see the Model 500. The number of models of Mossberg shotguns (and rifles and pistols) and all of their many variants is vast, and the company is continually adding to the list. In no particular order, here are some – but not all – of the new offerings from the Mossberg shotgun people for 2024. 940 PRO TURKEY HOLOSUN MICRO DOT COMBO Further expanding its family of 940 Pro 12-gauge autoloading shotguns,
Mossberg is offering the convenience of a combo, their 18.5-inch 940 Pro Turkey Optic-Ready platform with a factory-mounted Holosun HS407K micro dot sight. This full-featured, dedicated turkey shotgun is designed for the hardcore hunter and is ready to take afield with its premium features, finishes and full-camo coverage. At the core of the 940 Pro is a gas system that may run up to 1,500 rounds before cleaning and will cycle factory-manufactured 2.75- or 3-inch ammunition, 1 1/8 ounces or greater. Internal parts (gas piston, magazine tube, hammer and sear) feature nickel-boron coating and extra finishing for corrosion resistance and reliable performance. Some features on this shotgun include an oversized beveled loading port with redesigned elevator and shell catch to allow for efficient and pinch-free loading into the magazine tube; barrel-making process to maintain point-of-aim and impact; slim-profile forend and self-draining stock that is
user-configurable for length-of-pull (13 to 14.25 inches), drop and cast; and oversized charging handle and paddle-style bolt release for ease of operation. That adjustable LOP on a turkey shotgun is important. The 940 Pro Turkey combo features a Holosun HS407K micro dot sight that is mounted directly into the patentpending optic cut on the receiver. This open reflex sight has a 6 MOA dot reticle, 12 brightness levels, unlimited eye relief, convenient battery tray, Shake Awake feature, and up to 50,000 hours of battery life. To enhance concealment, the sight features an olive drab green finish. MSRP: $1,406. SILVER RESERVE EVENTIDE TURKEY O/U SHOTGUNS Mossberg International is importing three Silver Reserve Eventide Turkey over-and-under shotguns in 12 gauge (3.5-inch chamber), 20 gauge and 28 gauge (both with 3-inch chambers). All feature compact 20-inch barrels and
Gold Reserve Sporting O/U.
Silver Reserve Eventide O/U.
62 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
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SCATTERGUN ALLEY
Silver Reserve Eventide Turkey O/U.
full-camo coverage with Mossy Oak Greenleaf camo. The Silver Reserve Turkey O/U shotguns have durable camo synthetic stocks and forend, 14-inch length-of-pull, complementing camo metal finish, 20-inch vent rib barrel topped with a front fiber optic sight, and dual-locking lugs. Other standard features include shell extractors, two extended choke tubes, Mossberg logo engraved on the receiver, and tang-mounted safety and barrel selector. Bores and chambers are chrome-lined for corrosion resistance. MSRP: $900-plus. SILVER RESERVE EVENTIDE WATERFOWL O/U SHOTGUN Mossberg International is also importing a Silver Reserve Eventide Waterfowl 12-gauge, 3.5-inch overand-under. Reliable, durable and versatile, this shotgun features shell extractors, chrome-lined barrel and bore, and dual-locking lugs, housed in a weather-resistant synthetic stock and forend. This traditional breakaction shotgun features a Cerakotefinished receiver and barrels in Patriot Brown paired with the camouflagecovered synthetic stock and forend in Mossy Oak Vintage Shadow Grass. The stock features a 14-inch length-ofpull. The 28-inch vent rib barrels are topped with a front fiber optic sight and come with a Field Set of chokes (cylinder, improved cylinder, modified, improved modified and full chokes included). Completing this field-ready O/U is the Mossberg logo laserengraved on the receiver and tang64 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
mounted safety and barrel selector. MSRP: $956. SILVER RESERVE EVENTIDE HS12 Joining the extensive family of Mossberg International over-andunder shotguns is the new Silver Reserve Eventide HS12 (Home Security 12 Gauge). Again, the Silver Reserve Eventide line features synthetic stocks and forend, shell extractors, chrome-lined barrels and bores, and dual-locking lugs for durability and a multitude of applications. This 3-inch, 12-gauge shotgun (also available in 20 gauge) features a black synthetic stock with cut-checkering on the grip and forend, 14-inch length-of-pull, complementing matte blue metal finish, and 18.5-inch cylinder bore barrel topped with an elevated front fiber optic sight. Completing this security offering are Picatinny-style rails on the receiver and under-barrel for ease of adding accessories; Mossberg logo laserengraved on the receiver; and tangmounted safety and barrel selector. MSRP: $770. GOLD RESERVE SPORTING O/U Adding to Mossberg International’s line of Gold Reserve Sporting overand-under shotguns, this competitionready break-action is loaded with features and finishes often found in more high-end double guns. Joining the 12-gauge and .410-bore offerings, this 20-gauge Gold Reserve O/U shotgun is designed to impress and perform in the field. Gold Reserve O/U shotguns have hand-selected,
grade-A black walnut stocks with satin finish, cut-checkering on the grip and forend, dual-locking lugs, scrollengraved polished silver receiver with gold inlays, and polished-blue barrel finish. Standard features include vent rib barrels (10mm wide), shell ejectors, front bead sight, and extended and checkered Sport Set of five choke tubes (skeet, improved cylinder, modified, improved modified and full). The bore and chamber are chrome-lined for corrosion resistance. MSRP: $1,135. OPTIC-READY 500 AND 835 TURKEY SHOTGUNS WITH HOLOSUN SIGHT As we have said here before, Mossberg’s design of the cut on top of the receiver of the 940 Pro Turkey to mount a red dot sight (the Holosun HS407K micro dot) was genius. The red dot reflex sight has taken the gun world by storm the past few years for pistols, rifles and shotguns, and there is no going back. The red dot gives the shooter instant target acquisition, making it so much faster and easier to teach new shooters that, well, it is not even funny. For turkey hunters it can be a godsend, as it offers quick and easy sighting on a gobbler’s head and will deliver you from looking over the front bead without your cheek being welded to the stock. In short, if the dot is on your target, that is where the pattern will go. Now Mossberg is offering both optic-ready and preinstalled options for their time-tested 500 and 835 Turkey shotguns. Mossberg’s opticready 500 and 835 Ulti-Mag Turkey pump-action shotguns come in
SCATTERGUN ALLEY
Silver Reserve Waterfowl O/U.
convenient combo packages, topped with an olive green Holosun HS407K micro dot sight. Three small-bore versions of the 500 Turkey are available, including a Super Bantam with adjustable length-of-pull, along with a hard-hitting, 12-gauge 835 UltiMag version with 3.5-inch chamber. All four models feature Mossy Oak Greenleaf full-camo coverage and compact 20-inch barrels. The hunt-ready combos feature a Holosun HS407K micro dot sight that is mounted directly into the patentpending optic cut on the 500 and 835
66 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
receivers. Again, this open reflex sight has a 6 MOA dot reticle, 12 brightness levels, unlimited eye relief, convenient battery tray, the Shake Awake feature, and up to 50,000 hours of battery life. To enhance concealment, the sight features an olive finish that blends with the gun’s Greenleaf camo coverage (putting the olive green finish on the sight is very sexy). The 500 models are available in 12, 20, and .410. MSRP: $849 for the 500; $895 for the 835. THESE SHOTGUNS ARE but a sample of what Mossberg has new for this year.
I have lots more to tell you about their offerings for 2024. See you then! Editor’s note: Larry Case has been a devoted outdoorsman since he was a child. He will admit to an addiction to turkey hunting (spring and fall), but refuses any treatment. He enjoys the company of gobblers and cur dogs that are loud and people who speak the truth softly. Case served 36 years as a game warden in West Virginia and retired with the rank of district captain. You can check out his podcast and other stories at gunsandcornbred.com.
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68 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
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WHAT’S NEW AT REMINGTON?
Despite mergers, splits and new ownership, the bullet whizzes are still busy at this American institution. STORY BY PHIL MASSARO • PHOTOS BY MASSARO MEDIA GROUP
I
live in the Empire State, a state not only renowned for its history of outdoor adventure – Governor Theodore Roosevelt established the Adirondack State Park, the first deer seasons, and would go on to shape the fortunes of the world – but also a home of the shooting industry. In addition to the once famous gun companies of Ithaca, as well as Syracuse’s Lefever, more common names like Kimber and
Savage once thrived in the state of New York. But none have been more deeply rooted than Remington, dubbed “America’s oldest gunmaker.” Founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington II in Ilion, New York, the company that would become affectionately known as “Big Green” would spend over two centuries – in one iteration or another – in the state as a dominant player in the American hunting and shooting market. But, as the saying goes, the only thing that stays the same is change, and things have changed for sure. The darling
of the 20th century – Remington introduced the hunting community to the Model 8, the Models 721 and 722, and in 1962, the Model 700 – has been divided in two due to financial mergers and splits. But all is not lost, and there is a silver lining to every cloud. Without dragging the reader through the corporate hoopla, Remington became part of the Freedom Group – which also included Marlin Firearms and Barnes Bullets – and when that conglomerate went belly-up, Remington was split into two factions: the firearms side and the americanshootingjournal.com 69
BULLET BULLETIN
The good old Remington Core-Lokt cup-andcore bullet still is a sound projectile.
A classic Core-Lokt in the .35 Remington case has made deer and black bear hunters happy for generations.
70 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
ammunition side. The firearms side went to RemArms, which until very recently was still situated in Ilion, near Syracuse, but is now moving to Georgia, while the ammunition side was picked up by Vista Outdoor. Vista is the parent company of Federal Premium, CCI, Speer and Remington ammunition, among others; rather than condemning another corporate umbrella, I feel Vista is a good fit for Remington ammo. Long since having moved to Arkansas, the ammunition side of Remington (remington.com) has brought us a wide array of cartridges and projectiles, and has also embraced some of the more boutique component projectiles in their ammo. For the reloader, the Remington line of centerfire primers and those highly popular “R-P” cases have resulted in a good many hunting adventures and range trips. The folks who gave us the .222 Remington, .300 Remington Ultra Magnum, .35 Remington,
BULLET BULLETIN A moderate velocity case, like the .35 Whelen, is well served by the classic Remington Core-Lokt.
The .360 Buckhammer betters the velocity of the older .35 Remington, in a rimmed, straight-walled case. The Core-Lokt, in component form, made an affordable and effective choice for feeding Massaro’s .308 Winchester.
Remington’s new .360 Buckhammer meets the criteria for several Midwestern states and areas, making a great choice for the lever-gun crowd.
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Author Phil Massaro used Remington’s .360 Buckhammer in a Rossi lever-action to take this Texas Dall sheep at Ted Nugent’s Sunrize Acres in Jackson, Michigan. One shot did the trick.
.280 Remington and .350 Remington Magnum – as well as legitimized the .257 Roberts, .35 Whelen and .25-06 – have not been idle in the transition from Freedom Group to Vista Outdoor. In fact, the company has made some wonderful progress, in both partnering with its new sibling companies and honoring its past for the dedicated followers. THIS IS THE Bullet Bulletin, and here we concentrate on projectiles primarily, though cartridges are our business as well. Remington hasn’t been slacking in either department. Yes, the excellent Core-Lokt bullet is still here – that cupand-core projectile with the deep cannelure that first came onto the scene in 1939 – but has received a facelift of late. I killed my first deer with a Core-Lokt (a 170-grain in .30-30, delivered from my Winchester Model 94), and it remains a good design for deer, black bear and similar-sized game at moderate ranges. Remington has, however, seen the wisdom in bringing the design into the 21st century, with the Core-Lokt Tipped. Putting a sharp polymer tip on the “Deadliest Mushroom in the Woods,” Remington has drastically improved the ballistic coefficient of the design, flattening out trajectories and increasing retained energy. The Core-Lokt Tipped expands reliably, prints tight groups and has shown to be a wonderfully consistent design. My old Ruger 77 MKII in .308 Winchester loves the 165-grain variety, putting three of the tipped slugs into ¾-MOA groups. Load the old roundnose Core-Lokt in the new .360
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BULLET BULLETIN
Remington’s Core-Lokt Tipped gives more than acceptable accuracy in .308 Winchester; the author is not sure the whitetails will be very happy about that.
Buckhammer – a straight-walled, rimmed cartridge developed by Big Green last year to meet the variety of specifications set forth by a handful of Midwestern states – and you’ve got an interesting new lever-gun cartridge, perfect for deer and black bear at relatively close distances. I used the .360 Buckhammer to take an old Texas Dall ram at Ted Nugent’s Sunrize Safaris;
And also new for 2024, Remington extended .360 Buckhammer ammunition to include the Core-Lokt Tipped for a better ballistic coefficient and improved downrange performance. (REMINGTON)
The Core-Lokt Copper is a lead-free hollowpoint load, designed for reliable expansion and good penetration at common hunting ranges. (REMINGTON)
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BULLET BULLETIN it worked wonderfully, putting the animal down with a single 200-grain Core-Lokt. For 2024, Remington is offering the .360 with a 180-grain CoreLokt Tipped and 160-grain Core-Lokt Copper. The Remington Premier Long Range line was the first to marry one of the projectiles from its sister companies – the Speer Impact – to a
line of Remington ammunition. The Impact has many desirable features, such as a copper jacket chemically bonded to its lead core, a boattail and the Slipstream polymer tip common to a number of Federal Premium’s projectiles. It will handle high-impact velocities from magnum cartridges, resist wind deflection, retain much of its original weight and yet expand
The Premier Long Range line features the Speer Impact bullet, a bondedcore design that will hold together at a variety of impact velocities. (REMINGTON)
reliably to destroy vital tissue. While previously only available in component form for handloaders, Remington’s Premier Long Range line now offers that bonded-core Speer projectile in factory-loaded ammunition. Using projectiles on the heavy side of the spectrum for each of the cartridges that are featured in this ammunition line, Remington gives the shooter a good choice for hunting at longer ranges, as the Speer Impact has a good ballistic coefficient for flatter trajectory and less wind deflection, and the heavier bullet weight will aid in retaining energy. The Premier Long Range line is available in 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum, 7 PRC, .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .300 Winchester Magnum, .300 Remington Ultra Magnum and .300 PRC. Remington’s Core-Lokt Copper is a hollowpoint, lead-free variant of the classic bullet, perfect for hunting at common ranges. If you hunt where lead is banned, or simply prefer the performance of a copper projectile, give the Core-Lokt Copper a try. While I haven’t used it on game, it has proven to be very accurate in my .308 Winchester. It is available in .243 Winchester at 85 grains, .270 Winchester at 130 grains, .300 Blackout 76 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
BULLET BULLETIN
Remington’s new Premier CuT (Copper Tipped) is a lead-free bullet designed for solid longrange hunting performance. Note the elongated polymer tip and hollow cavity below it.
at 120 grains, .308 Winchester and .3006 Springfield at 150 grains, and .300 Winchester Magnum at 180 grains. All are loaded with the Remington leadfree primers. NEW FOR 2024, Remington has extended its ammo line to include the latest development in its projectile line: the Premier CuT Copper Tipped. This leadfree projectile – Cu is the symbol for copper – features a boattail and a green polymer tip, coupled with specialized groove geometry along the shank to both reduce fouling and keep pressures down. Those grooves also help to maintain a high ballistic coefficient, so the CuT line will best maintain its velocity, retain its energy and resist the effects of wind deflection. The Copper Tipped is Remington’s first proprietary lead-free projectile designed to give the downrange performance long-range hunters desire. My 78 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
Winchester Model 70, chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, loved the Premier CuT ammo; it printed threeshot groups averaging ¾-MOA at 100 yards with the new 180-grain CuT load at an advertised velocity of 2,960 feet per second. I got an extreme velocity spread of 35 fps across the test, with my chronograph indicating an average muzzle velocity of 2,982 fps from the 26-inch barrel. I reached out to Joel Hodgdon – Remington’s PR man – for his assessment of the CuT ammo, and he had this to say: “As a tipped, modern projectile, CuT’s higher ballistic coefficient makes it a better option for longer range hunts/shots compared to our Core-Lokt Copper. CuT also uses different groove geometry and a boattail to help its aerodynamic efficiency. While we don’t disclose our secret sauce, CuT’s alloy is also different than Core-Lokt Copper.”
Hodgdon’s accuracy observations were on par with my own, and he reported that a mule deer was none too pleased with the terminal phase of the Premier Copper Tipped. It’s available in 6.5 Creedmoor at 120 grains, 6.5 PRC at 130 grains, .270 Winchester at 140 grains, 7mm-08 Remington at 140 grains, 7mm Remington Magnum at 150 grains, 7mm PRC at 160 grains, .308 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield at 150 grains, and .300 Winchester Magnum at 180 grains. So it is rather plain to see that Remington has been very busy on the ammunition side since the division, and the company shows no signs of slowing down. With its lineup of proprietary projectiles, along with partnerships with its new sister companies, Big Green is not only staying relevant in the hunting/shooting world, but it is on the cutting edge of technology.
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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
Defender Ammunition Company manufactures rounds in dozens of popular handgun and rifle calibers, as well as markets those of other companies and sells reloading components and more.
VALUES, PATRIOTISM, QUALITY AMMO From the heart of the US Military world, Defender Ammunition Company makes rounds that stand out. PHOTOS BY DEFENDER AMMUNITION COMPANY
W
ith an operations facility near the Army base formerly known as Fort Bragg in North Carolina and a staff full of veterans, Defender Ammunition Company is a proud supporter of the US military. In fact, you’ll see the company’s slogan, “Named for and operated by defenders of the USA,” on each ammo box they sell. “We are probably the most patriotic bunch of people around,” says Krissy Jones, who owns the business with her husband, Haywood. “We have a strict set of values that we adhere to because
we feel it’s important. When purchasing components for our products, we support US companies despite imported stuff being substantially cheaper. We think the quality is better when it’s made here at home and we value the relationships that we build with other like-minded people.” THE JONESES RECENTLY celebrated 10 years in business, but it all began back in 2013, when the couple was living in Missoula, Montana. Krissy was working as a substance abuse and mental health counselor on the local
college campus and Haywood was in the specialty lumber business. Ready for a change, Haywood went back to school to get an accounting degree while still working full time. “Around nearing the completion of his schooling, he was on the phone regularly with his brother in North Carolina trying to decide whether launching a new business of any kind would be a good idea,” explains Krissy. “His brother would regularly nudge Haywood to give the East Coast a try. He had been stationed at Fort Bragg for years and had grown fond of North americanshootingjournal.com 81
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT With facilities located right outside Fort Liberty, known until October 2022 as Fort Bragg, the North Carolina-based company is all about consistency and customer service. “The quality control that each item gets is borderline overkill, but we think it matters,” states co-owner Krissy Jones.
Carolina’s proximity to both the beach and the ‘mountains.’ His brother had also spent a fair amount of time ‘behind the fence,’ as they say, working as a special forces operator for too long, in his opinion. He knew whatever they decided to do would give him more time at home with his family and less time dispatching bad guys overseas. So, we took a leap of faith and uprooted our life in Mayberry to give Defender Ammunition Company a shot, right next to the center of the military universe, Fort Bragg.” After some initial hiccups – the land they bought in an industrial area turned out to be zoned for residential property only – Defender Ammunition Company found a new location and was up and running. The company soon grew to 22 employees, all former military or military-adjacent. Because Haywood and his brother Huxley had both served in the military, they recognized that people retiring from the Army “aren’t necessarily looking to move to seek other opportunities,” says Krissy. “They have a community here next to Fort Bragg and many want to stay, if given the opportunity,” she explains. “Defender’s proximity to Fort Bragg made it so easy for soldiers to transition to a very similar culture with like-minded 82 American Shooting Journal // February 2024
people and of course making America’s ammunition with a company that had been ‘named for and operated by defenders of the USA.’” The history of that company slogan is even an interesting one. When they first opened their doors, the packaging read, “Named for and operated by former defenders of the USA.” In 2015, the company hired a salty retired jumpmaster as a handgun ammunition loader. “He was happily loading 9mm one day and glanced up at a Defender Ammunition Company poster on the wall with our slogan,” recalls Krissy. “He pulled it off the wall and brought it into the front office and said, ‘I didn’t spend my entire life in the 82nd to be called a former defender. I love this country and you’d better believe I’ll defend her ’til the day I die.’ Good point. Us too. So we removed the ‘former.’” DEFENDER SPECIALIZES IN American-made rifle, pistol, rimfire and shotgun ammo, as well as reloading components. They truly have something for everyone. “Our precision rifle rounds are incredibly popular,” says Krissy. “Anything loaded with an opentipped match projectile is very highperforming at longer range. We have a very technical pressure calibration
system that tests every load we make for the chamber pressure, which allows us to load more ‘off label’ than many other manufacturers that are just following a recipe.” She adds, “Overall, our ammunition stands out because of the quality efforts we put in. The quality control that each item gets is borderline overkill, but we think it matters. The consistency between rounds on any product we offer is a consequence of that relentless commitment to quality.” In addition to quality products, Defender makes customer service a top priority – “there is nothing worse than doing business with someone who overpromises and underdelivers,” explains Krissy. And of course, their support of veterans is second to none. “When we provide employment to a former service member or spouse, they become family,” she says. “We try to do right by them and provide a welcoming and supportive work environment for them. It’s really an amazing and cohesive bunch and I don’t think we’d have a crew like this anywhere else. We truly wouldn’t have it any other way.” ★ Editor’s note: For more information, visit defenderammunition.com.
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BLACK POWDER
BREAKING IN A CUSTOM .44-77 MOLD
A Brooks' Tru-Bore Bullet Mould projectile paired with a Walters vegetable fiber wad and 72 grains of powder produces a general shooting bullet that just might go hunting too – just don't call it 'new.'
Author Mike Nesbitt contacted Brooks’ Tru-Bore Bullet Moulds about a custom bullet mold for this .44-77 rifle.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE NESBITT
S
teve Brooks is a rather well-known mold-maker among black powder cartridge shooters. I had heard many good things about him and his company, Brooks’ Tru-Bore Bullet Moulds, before the urge to get one of his molds really hit me. But when it did hit, it hit me very hard. I simply had to have one particular bullet mold as fast as I could get it. What I wanted, or what led me to his website, was a 400-plus-grain base-pour version of the old Ideal No. 446187 for my .44-77. That, at least, was the basis for the design. While looking at his website and comparing bullet shapes, I saw that the nose of the bullet I ordered follows the original Postell shape. Behind that are three lube grooves, which carry a good amount of lubricant. No crimp groove or heel for a gas check. This is simply a very good black powder rifle bullet. I’m tempted to call this a new bullet for the .44-77 because Brooks made this mold custom. At the same time, I’m just
guessing others have ordered molds for bullets very similar to this one, so the “new” won’t be emphasized. The order was placed and payment made, and after just a couple of weeks of waiting, the new mold arrived. Communication with Brooks and his wife Gayle was excellent. They kept in touch, letting me know when the mold was being made and when it was shipped. Such good communication is certainly appreciated. And when the mold arrived, it came with a bullet still in the cavity and another bullet for proof of good casting. That “proof” bullet is the one shown in the close-up photo on the next page. Brooks also sent along some good recommendations for casting with the new mold. HONESTLY, I'VE NEVER had so much trouble casting with a new bullet mold before; I simply could not get a good bullet to drop from this mold. That is, until I followed Brooks’ simple and basic recommendations. After I did things the way he suggested, using 30-1 alloy (from John Walters) and “cooking” it at about 775 degrees, the mold was preheated and all of the bullets dropped from the
mold in great shape. This mold makes good bullets with virtually no rejects. I sized the bullets in a Lyman .446inch bullet sizing die, but very little, if any, sizing was actually done. These bullets are basically the right size as cast and my running them through the sizing die was more for adding the lubrication than for sizing. And Brooks also supplied a “top punch” for the luber/sizer that fits the nose of this bullet. A lubricated bullet cast from 30-1 alloy and lubed with BPC was weighed at 415.5 grains. That pleases me, although I will probably experiment with 20-1 alloy and see if that weight drops just a bit. I intend to use this bullet for general shooting, perhaps hunting, and not specifically for long range. I already have a 465-grain bullet from one of the old Lyman/Ideal No. 446187 molds, should it be needed. So far, the load I’ve used in the .44-77 with this bullet uses 72 grains of Olde Eynsford 2F powder under a .060-inch veggie wad from Walters Wads, with the bullet seated by fingertips, then taper crimped just enough to hold the bullet in place. Shooting this load is very comfortable; at this time, I’ve americanshootingjournal.com 85
BLACK POWDER
The new Brooks mold, with a freshly cast bullet.
used it only at 50 and 100 yards but the performance is very pleasing. I’m simply encouraged to use it more – a lot more. Don’t be surprised if you find additional comments about shooting with bullets from this mold as time goes on. The Walters wads I use in the .44-77 are also .446-inch diameter. Some wads measuring .454 inch were tried but those did not work as well. Actually, those wads are made for .45-caliber revolvers, or even cap-and-ball six-guns, and why they wouldn’t work well in the .44-caliber Sharps rifles, I can’t specifically answer except to say that they seem to create some sort of inconsistency as the bullets leave the cases. WALTERS WADS ARE most often used in my .50-caliber Sharps rifles too. Some good old .50-70 cartridges were being reloaded at my bench when I reached for the envelope of Walters .060-inch vegetable fiber wads and it was empty. That really didn’t surprise me and
preparations for this very event had been made, as I already had more wads on hand. Even so, this situation did cause me to think a bit because I had just shot through my very first envelope or pouch of those fine wads, 1,000 total. The actual number of Walters wads that I’ve used is really far greater than 1,000 because I use them in several calibers. It was, however, the .50-caliber wads that needed resupplying first because I had been shooting a lot of .50s, both .50-70s and .50-90s. When reloading a black powder rifle cartridge – and we’ll stay with the .50-70s for this example – the empty case is prepared for loading, reprimed and then charged with powder. Typically, the powder charge must be compressed before the bullet is seated in the case. That is where the Walters wads come into use for me. A wad is put over the powder and then a die is used to force that wad down in the case to the depth needed.
Usually the bullet I’m using in the .50-70 is a 450-grain with grease grooves, basically a copy of the old military bullet, cast from a mold by Accurate Molds, No. 52-450L2. That bullet gets loaded over 65 grains of Olde Eynsford 2F powder. For most of my shooting I like to seat the bullets deeply enough into the cartridge case so all of the grease in those lubricating grooves is covered. By having the grease covered or completely inside the case, it doesn’t have the chance to attract dust or dirt and can be carried simply in coat pockets if, for instance, they are being toted around on a hunt. The old military-style bullets are very good and for our old government cartridges, the .50-70 and the .45-70, they still perform with excellence. With the powder charges compressed under the wads, the sized and lubricated bullets are usually just seated with fingertips, as I’ve already mentioned, into unsized cases, which are then taper crimped enough to hold the bullets in place. Loading those cast bullets into unsized cases seems to give me a bit better performance than using sized cases. That better performance begins with group size on paper, but it also includes the cleanliness of the fired brass because less gas is able to leak back around the sides of the case. That, of course, is not the only way to do it, but this method does work for me. The real purpose of the wad in a black powder cartridge load is to protect the base of the bullet. Without that wad, the bullet’s base can get tiny “dents” from the powder being forced into the rather soft lead, which might deform the bullet’s base enough to give
The author’s “Hefty Hannah,” a 15-pound rifle in .44-77, also “eats” the Brooks bullets.
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BLACK POWDER
While testing new brass, Nesbitt fired this 10-shot group with the Brooks-mold bullet.
John Walters makes these vegetable fiber wads in almost all calibers, from .25 caliber to 10 gauge, and in several thicknesses, including .010, .015, .030 and .060 inch.
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it inconsistency in flight. That’s why I almost always use wads of .060-inch thickness, to give the bullets as much protection as possible. John Walters makes these vegetable fiber wads in almost all calibers, from .25 caliber to 10 gauge, and in several thicknesses, including .010, .015, .030 and .060 inch. They are recommended for black powder cartridge rifles, cowboy action shooting, muzzleloading, and for Schuetzen competition. Walters wads are priced at $20 per 1,000, plus shipping and handling. Contact him at thetinwadman@cox.net or 405-799-0376. The very best way to learn more about Brooks molds is to talk with Steve or Gayle Brooks about the molds they turn out. Their site (brooksmoulds .com) is very good, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. For instance, it doesn’t mention .44-caliber bullets. Contact them at 406-782-5114.
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L.E. SPOTLIGHT
POPULAR COP KILLED AT BREAK-IN Oakland officer was combating property crime scourge. STORY BY NICK PERNA PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT
hroughout America, many states are experiencing an unprecedented amount of retail theft and burglaries. It’s the net result of votehungry politicians basically legalizing property crimes or, at a minimum, decriminalizing them to the point where it has become a low-risk, high-reward endeavor for criminals. Legislators, seeking votes, were the ones who facilitated this. An inevitable backlash is now occurring where folks are fed up with the seemingly lawless society their politicians made for them. Major retail chains are shuttering their doors in many cities due to the fact that they can’t financially absorb the losses that thieves, undeterred by any meaningful laws, are causing. Politicians, realizing they are losing political support, are now trying to take a tougher stance on property crimes. As with most problems, the political solution is to throw money at it. The coffers have opened up and departments are receiving additional funds to combat this plague. Never mind the fact that the laws have stayed
T
Officer Tuan Le.
the same, the ones that give criminals carte blanche to steal everything that isn’t nailed down. Cops are now being tasked with going to war with the sticky-fingered criminals, making lots of arrests where, in most cases, the suspect is back on the streets before the police report is written. As with any war, there are casualties. One of the first casualties was Officer Tuan Le of the Oakland Police Department. Oakland, California, is one of those cities where crime is rampant. Cops, hamstrung by the aforementioned lack of laws, are the ones taking the fight against all types of criminals. Their city politicians – the same ones who had, within the past few years, called for defunding the police – now want them
to solve the property crime problem. EARLY ON DECEMBER 29, 2023, Officer Le was operating an unmarked police vehicle. He was on a special detail, looking for property criminals, and had responded to a marijuana growing facility (a legal one, common in California), which had been broken into multiple times that morning. While still in his vehicle, Officer Le was struck by a round fired by a suspect. The round hit him in the head and he succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. An intense investigation was launched and suspects were soon identified, located and arrested. There were five in total, all career criminals. The suspect who allegedly shot Officer Le, 27-year-old Mark Sanders, americanshootingjournal.com 91
had previously been convicted of manslaughter. In what is becoming an all-too-common occurrence, another criminal who should have been in prison was out on the street, free to kill again. The district attorney prosecuting the case, a “criminal justice reform” advocate currently facing a recall vote for being soft on crime, has stated she is going to charge Sanders and the other suspects to the max. Another politician, fearing she will lose her job, trying to keep up appearances. Officer Le was 36 years old. He is survived by his wife. Born in Vietnam, Le and his mother moved to America when he was 7 years old. A four-year veteran of the Oakland PD, he was assigned as a community resource officer and was very popular with the Asian community. Officer Le was laid to rest on January 10. As you read this, cops in Oakland and elsewhere are working the streets, fighting crime. They do it for the community they serve, and for each other. 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.
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