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ican r e t m o i r t A Pa

ANDY ROSS Hunter, Musician, TV Show Host & 2A Defender

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Martha Tansy Alaska’s Al k ’ R Reall D Deall

GUN REVIEWS

New Shotguns From Dickinson & Mossberg

Brittany Boddington Bagging A Kyrgyzstan Ibex

ALSO INSIDE

Best Offensive Handguns

Riﬂescope Mounting

Norma’s EcoStrike Bullets

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American Shooting Journal // July 2018

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American Shooting Journal // July 2018

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American Shooting Journal // July 2018

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American Shooting Journal // July 2018

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ON THE COVER Country singer, bowhunter, Second Amendment defender: Andy Ross is a true American Rebel. (JOE HARDWICK )

Website: AmericanShootingJournal.com Facebook: Facebook.com/AmericanShootingJournal Twitter: @AmShootingJourn

MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP WASHINGTON OFFICE P.O. Box 24365 • Seattle, WA 98124-0365 14240 Interurban Ave. S. Ste. 190 • Tukwila, WA 98168 OREGON OFFICE 8116 SW Durham Rd • Tigard, OR 97224 (206) 382-9220 • (800) 332-1736 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

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CONTENTS

VOLUME 7 • ISSUE 10

109 YES, THIS CHICK IS FOR REAL

Martha Tansy’s world stretches from the Last Frontier to The Lost Frontier of seven continents. Tom Claycomb profiles this remarkable hunter, mechanic, racer and mother.

(MARTHA TANSY)

FEATURES 29

HANDGUNS: NOT JUST FOR SELF-DEFENSE

SWAT officer Nick Perna gives his take on the best offensive handguns, what makes them good and their differences from defensive ones.

COVER STORY: REBEL LIFESTYLE

ROADHUNTER: PRESEASON TRAINING FOR YOUR GUN DOG Now’s the time to get your four-footed hunting partner in shape and mentally ready for fall seasons. Scott Haugen shares the best training tips for upland and waterfowl dogs.

Hunter, musician, TV show host, concealed carry merchant – Andy Ross is many things as he defends the Second Amendment. Frank Jardim interviews this Kansas boy turned multidimensional man of substance.

OPTICS GUIDE, PART II: MOUNTING GLASS

TACTICAL LESSONS FROM ‘TANTO’ AND ‘BOON’

121 SHE HUNTS: FROZEN AND FRAZZLED, PART II OF II

It’s harder to get more American than the Fourth of July, and for our nation’s birth, Paul Pawela checked in with a pair of heroes from the 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. embassy in Libya, Kris “Tanto” Paronto and Dave “Boon” Benton, at their new Florida training company, Battleline Tactical.

139 BULLET BULLETIN: NORMA’S NEW ECOSTRIKE

Now that you’ve bought a new scope, it’s time to affix it to your riﬂe, a daunting but not impossible task for a marksman. Sharpshooter Caylen Wojcik takes you through the steps.

Bagging another ibex in the frigid mountains of Kyrgyzstan would be a challenge for Brittany Boddington and her boyfriend Brad Jannenga.

Phil Massaro loads up with Swedish bulletmaker Norma’s new EcoStrike, a lead-free projectile that hunters of midsized game may want to use too after reading his ﬁeld testing notes. 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 © 2018 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.

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

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CONTENTS

GUN REVIEW: DICKINSON’S IMPALA PLUS WOOD YLW

Steve Comus takes the measure of this new take on the venerable 12-gauge semiauto, a shotgun he reports is “a sporter/hunter crossover with class,” and also details new shotguns from Mossberg for youth and smaller-framed shooters.

More Features 133

BLACK POWDER, BOOK REVIEW: The 9th edition of Black Powder Cartridge Reloading Primer hits the mark, says reviewer Mike Nesbitt, who likes that the authors have added information on “fussy” cartridges and reloading for matches.

Company Profiles 41 91

Laser Ammo: Dry-fire training goes high tech CYA Concealment: Ballistic backpacks offer peace of mind 95 American Precision Arms: Shooters will hit their mark with company’s rifles, parts 147 G2 Research: Maker of innovative projectile designs 150 Defiance Machine: Custom actions that defy ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach

DEPARTMENTS (STEVE COMUS)

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Competition Calendar Gun Show Calendar

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American Shooting Journal // July 2018

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July 13-14

July 21

Rose City IDPA Championship 2018 Tyler, Texas

2018 Iowa State IDPA Championship Elkhart, Iowa

NC Mountaineer Classic State Match 2018 Boone, N.C.

July 6-8

July 13-15

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2018 Ryan Rocks! Charity Blast Brighton, Mich.

2018 Western PA Section Championship Clairton, Pa.

Idaho Sectional Championship Match Emmett, Idaho

July 13-15 2018 US IPSC Nationals Frostproof, Fla.

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Empire State Regional Classic XXI Fulton, N.Y.

Sunﬂower State Classic VI Wellington, Kan.

Great Lakes Regional Classic XIV Brighton, Mich.

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July 21-22

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Ouachita Regional Challenge VIII Monroe, La.

Buckeye State Ballistic Challenge XVII Marietta, Ohio

Paciﬁc Coast Challenge XII Albany, Ore.

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Weyburn Shoot Weyburn, Saskatchewan

South Dakota State Championship Spearﬁsh, S.D.

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2018 Wisconsin Section Championship Muskego, Wis.

Scarborough Fish & Game Annual GSSF Match I Scarborough, Maine

July 6-8 Idaho State Championship Shoot Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Jul7 7-8 Mid-West Regional Championship Edinburgh, Ind.

Alabama State Championship Shoot Rainsville, Ala.

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July 20-22 Celebration of the Cowboy Glen Rose, Texas

July 21 PARG Cup Match #4 Redwood City, Calif.

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We are thankful today, and every day, for liberty and freedom.

“I believe our ﬂag is more than just cloth and ink. It is a universally recognized symbol that stands for liberty, and freedom. It is the history of our nation, and it’s marked by the blood of those who died defending it.” - Sen. John Thune

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SWAT ofﬁcer gives his take on best offensive weapons, what makes them good, differences with defensive handguns. STORY AND PHOTOS BY NICK PERNA

Form follows function. Items are designed for a specific purpose. Take the handgun. It was designed to be a defensive weapon. Take its use in the military, for example. During the Civil War and later, it was the hallmark of officers, a weapon used by those who generally didn’t carry a rifle. In later conflicts such as World War II, Korea and Vietnam, handguns were traditionally carried by support personnel or as a backup weapon for soldiers carrying heavy weapon systems such as machine guns and grenade launchers. Over time the handgun has been adapted to fit various missions. This was due in large part to improvements in weapons systems. The M1911A1 carried by U.S. troops from World

War I up until the mid-1980s had some severe limitations. With a sevenround magazine and fixed sights, the weapon lacked firepower and modularity. Compare this to a modern handgun with a 15-round magazine, red dot optic, and rails for lights and lasers. You’ve come a long way, baby… The modern handgun opens up a whole new world of options in terms of what kinds of missions it can be used for. No longer limited to being a last-ditch weapon useful only at very close ranges, the modern handgun can take the fight to the enemy. In certain situations, its compactness makes it superior to a long gun. Now, the mission and the user’s necessities define what role a handgun will play. In modern times, how a handgun is carried, what type of handgun is carried, and its usage spells out what kind of handgun it is. Handguns that are carried by

military operators, SWAT cops and other tactical types will fall into two categories: defensive handguns and oﬀensive handguns. DEFENSIVE HANDGUNS ARE generally used for just that, self-defense. As previously mentioned, in the military they are carried by support troops who operate in less-hostile environments, as well as operators of crew-served weapons. They are there for when a primary weapon goes down and the handgun is the only option left. Defensive handguns can also be backup guns. On the street, as a cop, I carry two handguns. I carry my primary (oﬀensive) weapon and a backup (defensive) one. My department-issue gun is a Glock 22 .40 caliber. I opted for a small-frame Glock 27 as my backup when I carried the Glock 22. They are the same caliber and a Glock 27 will take Glock 22 magazines. A few years back I switched to a The small-framed Springfield XD is a good defensive handgun. (SPRINGFIELD ARMORY) americanshootingjournal.com 29

These tactical officers are using offensive handguns (Glock 22s) during a buildingclearing exercise.

Glock 21 .45 as my primary handgun. Despite its reputation for kicking like a mule, I find that .45s have more controllable recoil than .40s, allowing for quicker follow-up shots and more accurate shooting overall. When I made the switch, I opted to carry a .45-caliber Glock 30 compact as my backup. Like the Glock 22/27 combo, the smaller gun (Glock 30) can use the larger gun’s magazines. As an aside, this isn’t a commercial for Glock, it’s just what I’ve carried at work for the past 18 years. You can get similar interoperability from S&W M&P and Springfield XD series. OFFENSIVE HANDGUNS ARE used for actual tactical operations, such as building-clearing and close-quarters battle (CQB) scenarios. They are used in conjunction with heavier weapons such as assault rifles. Operators will use handguns when clearing tight spaces such as ships or aircraft where their small size is optimal when compared to long guns. As a SWAT operator, I would often switch between my handgun and long gun during an operation. For example, I prefer a handgun for clearing stairs. It’s the better weapon system when moving up or down a stairwell, especially in a multilevel building with multiple stairwells. 30

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

These types of stairwells often contain tight 180-degree turns where two stairwells meet or overhangs that require an operator to point his weapon almost directly above his head to keep a gun on a potential threat. Try doing that with a riﬂe. Handguns also provide for one-handed operation when needed. This is important when you have to open doors or cabinets. On the other hand, when clearing a long hallway or large room, a long gun The .45-caliber Glock 21 is a good example of an offensive handgun and is author and officer Nick Perna’s primary weapon.

is obviously preferred. There’s no denying that most riﬂe rounds are more lethal than handgun rounds. Also, riﬂe magazines have a larger capacity (30 rounds or more, compared to 15). And, shouldermounted weapons are inherently more accurate and are more capable of reaching targets at distance. That’s why you transition to them when appropriate. But in a tight space, the handgun is king.

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SO WHAT’S THE physical difference between defensive and offensive handguns? Ideally, an offensive handgun is going to be a large-frame gun like a M1911A1 (a modern one with adjustable sights and rails; not your grandpa’s war hammer), a fullsize Glock or Sig Sauer 320. It will be equipped, at a minimum, with a railmounted light system for night time clearing or working in dark areas. It may have a laser system as well that is compatible with NVGs (night vision goggles). A threaded barrel is a good option for mounting a suppressor, a useful tool to have when shooting in confined spaces. Additionally, a red dot sight can be mounted for quicker target acquisition. Extended magazines are a good idea, as long as they don’t interfere with other gear. It’s a weapon designed to take the fight to the enemy, often acting in the primary role in certain situations. A defensive handgun could be a large-frame but, preferably, a mid- or small-frame gun would be better. I say this because a smaller-frame gun weighs less and takes up less room on a belt or tactical vest. This reduction in weight means more gear can be carried. Belt and tac vest space can be at a premium and fills up quickly with ammo, medical gear, and other essential stuff. Guns like the Glock 26 9mm and the Springfield XD compact are good examples of small-frame defensive handguns. Add-ons like lights and holographic sights aren’t necessary. A small-frame gun can be secreted behind a rifle magazine pouch on a tac vest or in a vestmounted holster. Conversely, an offensive handgun is generally going to be carried in a drop-leg rig or a belt-mounted tactical holster. Some operators prefer vestmounted holsters. When carrying an offensive handgun, you are generally going to want to carry more ammunition for it. Since it will be used in engaging bad guys (also known as gun fighting), it needs a lot of ammo. An operator needs to make accommodations for this, ensuring that he has the space on his belt and vest for it. This may potentially

mean that some long gun ammo may have to be left at home to make room for handgun mags. The mission dictates what the proper rifle-to-handgun ammo ratio will be. Simply put, more enclosed space-clearing equals the need for more handgun ammo. Generally, with a defensive handgun you are going to carry just enough ammo to protect yourself, especially if your long gun goes down. How much ammo depends on the situation but, bear in mind, everywhere you carry handgun ammo could potentially be a place where rifle ammo or other essential gear can be carried. It doesn’t weigh a lot but it takes up space. In an environment where pistol applications are limited, such as the open deserts of Afghanistan away from built-up areas, is it worth carrying two handgun magazines in the same amount of space where a rifle magazine could be carried? Would you sacrifice carrying a strobe light or extra radio batteries, two items that can definitely be lifesavers? Conversely, the SWAT officer working in a major city would have to carry a different ammunition load out, possibly a 50/50 mix of rifle and handgun ammunition. AS WITH ANYTHING related to carrying firearms, it’s important to train with what you plan to deploy with. I mentioned that in SWAT I like to transition from handgun to rifle quite often. This needs to be practiced. Many issues come into play when you go from rifle to handgun and back. Do you have a good sling that will work well during the transition? Is your sling going to get caught on gear on your vest such as ammo pouches? Is your handgun easily accessible? In the Army they utilize the “Crawl, walk, run” method of teaching a new skill. In firearms training a similar approach should be followed. Multiple iterations of dry practice with unloaded weapons. This must be done until muscle memory is developed. If at all possible, it’s good to practice the same skills with an airsoft weapon. This will allow for not just transitioning and deploying weapons systems, but engaging threats as well. There’s a lot

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The Sig Sauer P320 is among the new generation of offensive handguns and is the U.S. Army’s newest offensive weapon.

of biomechanics involved in bringing one lethal weapon system down and then rapidly bringing another one up. Accuracy can be affected too when conducting quick follow-up shots with the handgun once it has been brought to bear. It’s important to train through these issues. Finally, once the manipulation skills have been mastered, it’s time to go to the range and do it live. Practice transitioning from all different positions: standing, kneeling, prone and so on. A chest-mounted holster works great when standing but can be next to impossible to use when laying on your stomach. It doesn’t matter if the handgun is used for offensive or defensive operations, it’s important to practice transition drills. If your rifle ceases to function (no more ammo, malfunction), you need to be able to transition to your defensive handgun. So, whatever you do or wherever you go, make sure you have the right handgun for the mission. Editor’s note: Author Nick Perna is a sergeant with the Redwood City Police Department in northern California. He has spent much of his career as a gang and narcotics investigator. He is a member of a multijurisdictional SWAT Team since 2001 and is currently a team leader. He previously served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army and is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has a master’s degree from the University of San Francisco.

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

LASER-FOCUSED Consider laser technology for your next dry-ﬁre training session. PHOTOS BY LASER AMMO

f you are not able to make it to the range as often as you would like, you can still practice the fundamentals of shooting by dry-firing in the convenience of your home or office. Dry-firing is the single most efficient and safest way to increase your skills, regardless of your experience level. It allows you to increase proficiency with your draw, speed up your sight acquisition, gain better trigger control, increase speed and accuracy of your reloads, smooth and speed up your transitions, assist in breath control and heart rate, and allows you to incorporate basic movements. Starting out slow ensures that your fundamentals are flawless through repetition, before increasing speed or distance to your targets. By continuously repeating these drills without errors, you will build “muscle memory” and will allow the techniques to ingrain into your subconscious. This will allow for your actions to be duplicated automatically when you return to the range or if you are ever thrust into a shooting incident. Using laser technology is the best, easiest and most cost-effective way to get the most out of your dry-fire training season. Laser Ammo USA, Inc. is an Israeli-U.S. company that develops and sells high-end but costeffective firearms training products for civilian, law enforcement and military markets. The company’s team includes former Israeli and U.S. military combat veterans, History Channel top shots, USCCA/NRA trainers and retired law enforcement who are dedicated to providing serious training for shooters of every level, with products like the SureStrike dry-fire training system, the LaserPET and IMTTS reactive targets, the Smokeless Range marksmanship and judgmental Simulator, and much more. Those products are being used by military, law enforcement agencies, NRA and USCCA instructors, and responsible firearm owners worldwide. Laser Ammo benefits from the input of numerous professionals in engineering and weapons training for civilian, military and law enforcement markets, which has led to the creation of products that are ideally suited for each sector. The Laser Ammo family of products allows

Among Laser Ammo’s products, the revolutionary Smokeless Range Simulator oﬀers shooters an aﬀordable simulator that can be used anywhere. americanshootingjournal.com 41

individuals to utilize their specific firearms platforms, including recoil-enabled firearms, for dry-fire training. From basic reactive target systems through high-end simulators, to fully customizable solutions for Force on Force (MILES) training, Laser Ammo is simply serious training for everyone from first-time shooters to serious professionals. The SureStrike laser cartridge is a high-end laser training system for pistols, rifles and airsoft that assists all levels of shooters in building and maintaining the correct firearms skills, by emitting a laser pulse simulating a bullet’s impact point. The SureStrike turns any firearm, in most popular calibers, into a powerful and rewarding learning/training experience where the shooter can easily recognize and correct any errors ingrained in muscle memory. The LaserPET (Personal Electronic Target) is a standalone advanced laser training reactive target that allows shooters to improve their reaction time, shot time and accuracy, and will continue to enhance shooting skills with four operational modes and five target cards. The LaserPET keeps track of hits, acts as a shot timer and assists shooters to speed up their follow-up shots and reload times. The LaserPET gives the shooter instant audio and visual feedback when a hit occurs on the easy-to-read screen that displays hits and reaction times. An additional reactive system is the Interactive Multi Target Training System (I-MTTS). This is a completely mobile, wireless, interactive targeting system that allows the shooter to simulate IPSC, USPSA, IDPA, NRA Action, reactive steel plates, home defense and tactical shooting training drills using numerous targets that communicate with one another. The most revolutionary product that Laser Ammo is currently offering is its Smokeless Range Simulator that makes it possible for anyone to enjoy an affordable marksmanship, judgmental and recreational simulator for practicing in the convenience of your own home, office or department. With skill improvement drills, customizable shooting ranges, IPSC ranges, entertainment ranges and Law Enforcement grade use of force simulator, the Smokeless Range has something for everyone. Customized with your own videos, targets and sounds, this incredible system can be used anywhere, anytime. Designed by the officers and operators that recognized a need for affordability, portability and quality, this is the accumulation of their hard work and sacrifices. Editor’s notes: For more information, check out laserammo.com. Laser Ammo is also offering an exclusive 5 percent discount to American Shooting Journal readers; use code ASJ5%OFF. 42

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

americanshootingjournal.com 43

TARGETS

REBEL

Andy Ross came from a small town in eastern Kansas, but has exploded across multiple venues, including TV, music and now concealed carry merchandise.

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

LIFESTYLE

Bowhunter, musician, TV show host, concealed carry merchant – Andy Ross is many things as he defends the Second Amendment. STORY BY FRANK JARDIM

Andy Ross has done a lot of things, some crazy, some brilliant and some crazy brilliant. When his high school rock star aspirations failed to transform him into the next Bon Jovi, he moved on, tried and failed and tried again until he succeeded. He turned his creativity into Ross Archery to make excellent hunting bows of his own design. When he couldn’t ﬁnd any celebrity hunters to promote them on the TV hunting shows, he went to the Outdoor Channel and convinced them to give him a bowhunting show of his own. For the next 10 years he hosted Maximum Archery followed by Maximum Archery On Tour (a show about a bowhunting show). He traveled the world, hunting beasts great and small, including the big ﬁve in americanshootingjournal.com 47

While high school aspirations of becoming the next Bon Jovi didn’t pan out for Ross, writing a theme song for his bowhunting show Maximum Archery has led to four CDs and cross-country tours. (ANDY ROSS)

Ross sports three patriotic tattoos, including this one based on the iconic POF Minuteman. (ANDY ROSS)

Africa. It was a wild ride and it made him famous among bowhunters. Three years into the show he decided it needed music so he wrote and recorded a theme song himself. By the time the show ended, he was a fulltime country rock performer. Today he has four CDs and a continuously growing fan base large enough to keep him performing on stage nearly every weekend to audiences in the thousands. The three songs that best show who he is are: “I Am My Father’s Son,” “American Rebel,” and “Cold Dead Hand.” By singing about the things important to him, he created his own brand and got recognized as an outspoken patriot, celebrator of the American spirit of individualism, and a defender of the Second Amendment. His third television show, American Rebel, was oriented toward shooting sports and the themes of his music. That led directly to his most recent entrepreneurial venture and creative outlet. He transformed American Rebel the show into American Rebel (OTC: AREB) the brand and incorporated it to make concealed carry coats and backpacks he would want to use. Independence Day is about as Andy Ross as a holiday can be, so I got him to visit with me for an 48

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

interview for our July issue.

American Shooting Journal How does a TV bowhunter become the spokesman for defending the Second Amendment? Andy Ross The short version is that my song “Cold Dead Hand” started it all in 2013. It’s more nuanced than just a defense of our constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Politically I am right of center. Like a lot of hard-working Americans, I don’t appreciate politicians giving me a line of bull and telling me what to think. I always felt we have the right to carry concealed weapons for protection and a concealed carry law was just starting to get traction in Kansas at the time. I’m a musician and a fan of the Second Amendment, so I wrote a song about it. It caught on among the shooting sports community and all of a sudden people were calling me to ask me about the subject and conservative media outlets wanted me to do their shows as a talking head. The PR ﬁrm that booked me gave me ﬁles of material on the subject for in-depth study: history, court rulings, case law, crime statistics, etc. I thought I was going to have to debate the anti-gun talking heads. It turned out I never had a hard question. I never even got put in front of an audience that I didn’t see as pro-

gun. I’ll never be a legal scholar on the subject but the more I talk to people who know a lot more than me, the more rubs off on me. ASJ Most artists wouldn’t touch a political hot potato like gun control in their work but you not only did that, but went all in for the cause too. Were you ever worried “Cold Dead Hand” could hurt your career? AR I was not. If I was one of the big stars that get aired again and again all day long on the corporate-owned Clear Channel top 40 radio stations, I might have. Because I’m not, I can do what I want. I don’t need a filter. The big artists are performing for broader audiences and stand to lose much more than I do. They may have a lot of liberal middle-aged soccer moms listening to them on their minivan radio and don’t want to do a song that’s going to piss those ladies off. I know who my fan base is and they like me because I write the songs I do. I’m not the greatest singer and I’m not the best songwriter. What I am is the greatest singer of the best Andy Ross songs. That’s what my audience wants. ASJ How do you reach them if you aren’t on the radio? AR Top 40 Clear Channel won’t play

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Ross poses with his “red, white and beauty,” a 1970 Corvette customized by fellow gun fan Danny “The Count” Koker of History Channel’s Counting Cars. (ANDY ROSS)

my music. Country is too mainstream. They won’t get political. I didn’t expect to be a successful musician when I wrote those songs. They were for my Outdoor Channel show. My music is played on the small market stations in small towns across the country. They’re small-time, medium-sized stations with a demographic too small for the big corporations to buy up. The thing is, there are a lot of them. I’m getting a thousand or so spins a week and I do three interviews a week too. I’ve been on with David Webb, Rita Cosby and The Patriot SiriusXM Radio. This world is a lot bigger than most people realize it is. I get to my audience through radio airplay and our online presence, and make a living by selling my songs to fans through iTunes on the Internet. The record companies don’t want to sign a recording deal with a 51-year-old. For me to have a successful boutique niche career in music at my age is incredible. ASJ What’s the story behind the star-spangled American Rebel 2nd 50

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

Amendment Muscle Car? AR Ah, you saw that red, white and beauty? ASJ It’s hard to miss a custom 1970 Corvette. AR Danny “The Count” Koker from the Counting Cars show on the History Channel is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and heard my song “Cold Dead Hand” and wanted to do a show with me. That show is the History Channel’s second biggest and has millions of viewers. It gets 100 times the audience that my Maximum Archery show ever got. What you may not know is that when The Count does a car for you, you have to pay for it out of your own pocket and there’s no guarantee that the History Channel programming executives will want to make a show about it. I took the chance and put $100,000 into the car and, of course, The Count did an incredible job and we both were sure it would get selected for the show. We didn’t ﬁgure on the History Channel people being anti-gun. They weren’t interested in

any gun-related content and it would have been a bust if The Count hadn’t stepped up and pressed them hard for it. He made it happen. He knew the message was important and he really plugged me as a performer too. When our “Rocked & Loaded” episode aired, I got so many iTunes downloads that the Corvette was paid in full in three days. That episode really legitimized me as a musician too. Danny and I became good friends. I ended up getting my second patriotic tattoo at the parlor he owns in Vegas. It’s called Count’s Tattoo Company. ASJ How many of those do you have? AR Three patriotic ones. My ﬁrst one said “Rocking the 1st Amendment” with a microphone. That was my creative expression of that fundamental right. I can write a song about anything I want thanks to the First Amendment. “Defending the 2nd Amendment” with the POF Minuteman armed with an AR-15 instead of a musket was the second one, and the last was “Don’t Tread On Me,” an American slogan

americanshootingjournal.com 51

Ross reports recently taking a sharpshooting course. “I don’t ever expect to be a sniper or use a rifle in that manner, but I was curious about the challenges. I love to learn.” (ANDY ROSS)

from the Revolutionary War. ASJ You do a lot of concerts for the military and you are especially supportive of veterans’ charities. Have you ever served? AR I have great respect for the military but I have not served. The closest I came to that was when I was 12. I got in trouble more than the average kid and my mom ﬁnally sent me to the Wentworth Military Academy to straighten me out. I grew up in a small town, Chanute, Kansas, only 8,000 in the 1970s, and I didn’t have much exposure to veterans or the military. I didn’t have any relatives to tell me war stories either and my interests were extremely focused, ﬁrst in music during high school, and then in archery and hunting. I was always patriotic, but I didn’t fully appreciate the role of the military until I became friends with Ted Nugent. I was 39 by then, and completely immersed in Maximum Archery. Ted understood that American freedom is paid for by our military. He introduced me to the active duty and veterans he met doing his own patriotic things and it opened my eyes. I was doing my own successful TV show and I thought to myself, “How am I able to do this? Who made this 52

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

country possible where I can pursue my dreams and succeed?” This country is set up for us to take advantage of the American dream. Most countries are set up for you to fail. When an American competes against a nonAmerican, it’s like we are driving a Ferrari and the other guys are on a bicycle. You should thank God every day that you wake up in the U.S. Who made America diﬀerent? Many people did their part and keep on doing it and I’m thankful for all of their contributions. The military is at the top of the list because they are the ones ready to sacriﬁce their lives to protect these freedoms we enjoy, the freedoms that allowed me to achieve my dreams. When I started writing music again, I came in contact with lots of vets who loved the patriotic songs. Bikers actually loved them too. They’re also usually very patriotic. Many are veterans themselves. When I’m touring, 8o percent of my concerts are for veterans and bikers. For example, I do Memorial Day and Armed Forces Day shows and the NASCAR America’s Race (NRA Night Race) at Bristol Motor Speedway and the Iron Horse Social Club in Savanna, Illinois. Some concerts are free, some are discounted, some are for pay. Fortunately, I have a company that allows me to do some

free and discount concerts. American Rebel, the company, was inspired by the music and the music is what gets me in contact with our great veterans. ASJ How did you ﬁrst get involved in shooting? AR Hunting and self-defense. I’m known as a bowhunter, but when I was young I was all about hunting upland birds, ducks and turkeys. That type of hunting is big in Kansas and it’s all shotgun. For example, I remember times during duck season when my classmates and I would gear up and hunt before we went to school. We’d rush back to school so we wouldn’t be late but sometimes we were. Being late 15 minutes would get you at most a mild scolding from the principal. He’d tell you, “I hope you boys got some this morning, but you need to quit the blind a little earlier so you can get to class on time.” We actually left our shotguns right in racks in the back windows of our pick-ups when we parked at the school. That was a normal, completely legal thing to see in the early 1980s. Personal protection was a big part of it for me too. I’d always been a believer in the natural right of self-defense and kept a pistol close at hand to protect myself when I was away from home.

americanshootingjournal.com 53

Have bow, will travel. Ross has gone across the world to hunt animals, including Africa’s Big Five, for his show Maximum Archery, now online where it reaches a vastly larger audience, he says. (ANDY ROSS)

I did that before the laws across the country finally shifted and concealed carry became common. I knew how to shoot handguns and rifles but I didn’t shoot them as a hobby like I do now. It was actually the dangerous game hunting I did on Maximum Archery that made me get serious about developing my pistol skills. I’d always kept a pistol in my pack when hunting. Even the best hunters don’t always get a clean kill. A wounded lion, unlike a wounded deer, can still kill you, so I realized I needed to get proficient with a handgun. ASJ Do you have a favorite gun? AR Guns are like guitars to me. They have different qualities and you use the one that’s best for the music you want to make. I love my over-and-under shotguns for bird hunting because they’re so graceful and balanced, but I learned lately that I really get a blast out of shooting tactical shotguns at zombie targets at your ZSU matches. ASJ Thanks for the plug. AR No problem. I enjoy all my firearms. I shoot my Glocks the most. The great folks over at AR500 targets came out to my farm and set up a range with their reactive steel targets and making that steel ring with my Glocks is a lot of fun, but I’m also honing my defensive shooting skills since that’s my concealed carry gun. I can shoot my Glock today and tomorrow pull out an old .22 54

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

revolver and plink at tin cans in the grass. The .22 ammo is so cheap too. ASJ What kinds of shooting activities are you involved in these days? AR Everything I can. I always want to learn new things. I spent 20 years making a living with bows and just didn’t have the time to explore the shooting sports. When music changed my path and led me to join the firearms community, I couldn’t have felt more welcome. Now everyone wants to shoot with me. I have so many offers to participate in classes, visit ranges and shooting clubs and try out the different sports that I couldn’t do it all. I bring a video crew with me when I go so we can record content for our American Rebel episodes and share the experience with our fans through the Internet. There’s a work element to all of this but it’s a lot of fun too. If shooting ranges are your idea of amusement parks, then I’m the lucky guy who won the free season pass. Lately I’ve been taking tactical shooting and self-defense courses. There’s a lot more to defending yourself than just knowing how to shoot. It’s how to carry your pistol, your draw stroke, how to get safely around cornerskan, how to clear a house of the bad guys, knowing what to check and what to bypass, how to use cover ... My girl Dede and I just took a course

on defending yourself in a car-jacking and in an ambush. Rob Ryan, operator of Storm Mountain Training Center, hosted us. I took the sniper course too. I don’t ever expect to be a sniper or use a rifle in that manner, but I was curious about the challenges. I love to learn. ASJ Is the American Rebel show coming back to television? AR The show aired on Pursuit Channel four years. But we took it off the television to move it to Internet. It gets 30 to 50 times greater exposure on social media than it got on TV. The format changed from an hour show to short, 15-second to five-minute clips. Those are easier, faster and less expensive to make. They have a less polished, more organic look now but are still just as much fun. When you see me shooting up explosive charges downrange with a .50-caliber machine gun at Knob Creek Gun Range in Kentucky, there’s no mistaking how much fun we’re having. ASJ What can we expect from Andy Ross, American Rebel Inc. CEO and concealed carry clothing designer? AR I’m continuing to create new products. Public response to my products has been great. MidwayUSA, the country’s largest online gun accessories dealer, is carrying them, and are looking at a licensing deal with the NRA too. I’ve taken the company

americanshootingjournal.com 55

Time with fellow rocker-bowhunter Ted Nugent helped open Ross’s already-patriotic eyes to the important role the U.S. military and its vets play in preserving our freedoms. Some of his songs touch on those themes. (ANDY ROSS)

public so I can capitalize an expanded product line. American Rebel coats and backpacks are known for their practical functionality and their secure, quick access, hidden pockets for your pistol and magazines. I patented those pocket designs and built them into high quality coats and bags. The whole point is for the user to have ready access to their gun when they need it but not look like they have a gun. That means the products have to look like normal, everyday stuﬀ, and not like they’re for a SWAT team or shooting range. The way I designed the coat pockets you don’t have to worry about the gun or magazine dropping out, or printing through the fabric, or someone seeing them if your coat should ride up or fall open in the front. The Freedom backpacks have a side-accessing padded zipper pocket that holds your gun in position ready to draw and completely isolated from everything else in the backpack. With practice you can get it oﬀ your shoulder and draw with surprising speed. When Rob Ryan tested it, he did it in 2.7 seconds. The new Constitution Line will be a more stylish and fashionable supplement to our present line. For example, if you wear a suit and tie to work, our Freedom backpack might look out of place. I designed some sharp-looking leather Tumi-style bags that have the same functionality. Same thing with the coats. A guy doing a 56

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

white collar office job probably isn’t wearing a flannel-lined canvas coat to and from work. He’s going to wear a coat as much for style as warmth. Another product I’m excited about is our new Defense Shield Children’s Protection Pack. We have a ballistic shield accessory for the Freedom packs and sales jumped with the recent horrible school attacks. Then we found out from our customers that some school districts wouldn’t allow the kids to use them because they were considered gun accessories. I’m not going to see common-sense child safety compromised to bureaucratic stupidity, so I redesigned the packs and the shield so they would be allowed. There’s no pistol compartment in the pack and the shield itself can actually unfold and be worn as a ballistic vest. ASJ Now that you’ve realized that youthful dream of being a successful musician, what’s next? AR I don’t want to come off sounding self-important, but I want to make American Rebel a lifestyle brand. I don’t see myself as any more important than the next guy. It’s what the brand American Rebel represents that’s really important. It’s the most important thing, as a matter of fact. I see it as the essence of the American character, the very thing that made us the most creative, adventurous and productive country in the world. America is the

place where we have the freedom to think and speak as we please and with honest hard work and the nerve to take risks, our people achieve great things. In most of the world outside America, people don’t have the freedom or the opportunity to pursue their dreams. In America, there’s still very little holding you back. In order to stay great, we can’t ever let that go. American Rebel celebrates that spirit. If it weren’t for those bold rebels in 1776 who stood up to the British, there wouldn’t be an America. The legacy I want to leave is a patriotic lifestyle brand that celebrates who we are and the great things we achieve. Today American Rebel is associated with quality concealed carry clothing and bags. There’s no reason it shouldn’t be on quality sail boats, wheelbarrows and kids clothes too. Once I do that, I think it would be fun to retire, write a memoir about it – The Making of an American Rebel, maybe – and tell my story of entrepreneurship, and chasing and achieving my own particular American dream. The fun part would be going around the country for two years with a pen and an acoustic guitar and visiting every bookstore, civic center, rotary club, sporting goods store or school that will have me to sign books, give a little 15-minute talk, and play four or ﬁve songs. All the proﬁts from the book would go to a children’s charity. That’s my endgame.

americanshootingjournal.com 57

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American Shooting Journal // July 2018

TACTICAL LESSONS FROM ‘TANTO’ AND ‘BOON’ Heroes of 2012 attack on U.S. embassy in Libya open Florida training company and we got an invite! STORY AND PHOTOS BY PAUL PAWELA

In July, Americans celebrate the birth of our great nation, the greatest nation in the world. We as Americans are both privileged and blessed to live here. Our national anthem proudly depicts the fight men and women have endured, as well as the sacrifices made with a nation in the making. “The StarSpangled Banner” by Francis Scott Key has powerful verses of what he was witnessing as the British attacked Fort McHenry so many years ago.

Kris “Tanto” Paronto, a hero of the 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. Embassy in Libya and cofounder of Battleline Tactical, gives his famous “shaka” sign during tactical training with author Paul Pawela.

“O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hailed as the twilight’s last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight O’er the rampart we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?” Sadly, many Americans do not know there are many more verses to “The Star-Spangled Banner.” I wish to share the last stanza with you, americanshootingjournal.com 61

Dave “Boon” Benton, another Benghazi veteran, shoots a carbine during the multiday, multidiscipline training session.

my fellow Americans: “O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand Between their loved home and the war’s desolation! Blest with victory and peace may the heaven rescued land Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: In God is our trust, And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave, O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” Americans have had a long history of standing their ground in the firm belief in righteous causes for the love of God, country, family, and for the freedoms of their fellow man. So strong in all of the above attributes, noble Americans pushed to violence become the fiercest warriors on God’s planet in internecine conflicts. ONE SUCH STORY of magnificent 62

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

Boon watches another shooter’s shots on target.

bravery and absolute heroism was conducted on the night of September 11, 2012. On this day, a group of terrorists attacked the U.S. State Department Special Mission compound and a nearby CIA station called the Annex in Benghazi, Libya. Unless one has lived in a cave for the past couple of years, the majority of Americans are fully aware of this story, as depicted in the best-selling book and popular movie by the same name, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. From the book: “Against overwhelming odds, Mark ‘Oz’ Geist, Kris ‘Tanto’ Paronto, John ‘Tig’ Tiegen, Jack Silva, Dave ‘Boon’ Benton, and Tyrone ‘Rone’ Wood went beyond the call of duty, performing extraordinary acts of courage and heroism, to avert tragedy on a much larger scale.” I have personally had the honor of meeting with Oz, Tig, Tanto and Boon at several different functions. And when I was given the personal opportunity to train with both Tanto and Boon through their newly formed training company, Battleline Tactical, well, that was a

no-brainer. Some may ask, other than the fame and notoriety of the Benghazi heroes, what reason would the average American citizen pay hard-earned money to learn from these experienced gun fighters? My answer to that is plenty! These men were and still are highly trained personal protection specialists, aka bodyguards, who protect highvalued government diplomats. Bodyguarding means protecting. Protecting means defending. Defending means it could lead to fighting. Fighting is a prime requisite for toughness. Fighting is a sanguinary affair of the highest order; naturally this proclivity

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Boon gives tips to a female participant. Battleline Tactical class members pose for a photo.

Tanto demonstrates shooting from a kneeling position.

Tanto gets ready on the line.

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

will be associated with a lifelong understudy of the most advanced weaponry on the market, and in the business of self-preservation, adds to aid in the longevity of protection and survival. So, my question to the average American citizen is, do you not have the same duties and responsibilities protecting your own loved ones? Of course, the answer is a resounding yes. So wouldn’t any training session from some of the best and most elite bodyguards in the world and the lessons they learned in their hardfought exploits be of value to your family? Can you even put a price tag on such good training? And aren’t you and your family worth every penny? Of course, the answer is damn right! WITH AN INVITATION from Bill Orndorf, Bruce Corey and Israel Matos of Defense Marketing Instructors, LLC (more on them later, as these men deserve their own article), I along with around 23 other seasoned responsible gun owners received some very intense handgun and rifle training from Battleline Tactical at the Nail Ranch in Palm Bay, Florida. As one would assume of any professional trainer, Battleline Tactical’s dynamic duo of Paronto and Benton emphasized safety. Topics of the pistol course for day one included diﬀerent carry positions in holsters and advantages of each, drawing the weapon from said holster positions from concealment,

repeating the fundamentals of pistol marksmanship, target acquisition, how to engage threats from 3 to 25 meters (once again from concealment), close-range shooting from concealment, shooting from simple cover, strong side and support side shooting on the move, multiple target acquisition, low-light shooting, as well as a discussion on pistol ballistics. Day two focused on the rifle with pretty much the same kind of topics covered with more detail in loading and unloading the rifle under stress, sight alignment, sight picture, discussion of various optics, breath and trigger control stance, grip and points of contact, and follow-through. What impressed me was Benton’s classroom and range presentations. He demonstrated great patience with all of the students, as there was a range of skill levels. Benton worked assiduously to the late hours of the closing day, ensuring everyone met the qualifications to the instructor’s standards. If Benton is the yin of the Battleline Tactical training group, then Paronto is the yang. After I had trained with these men for two solid days, many associates asked me to describe Paronto. I had remembered reading a book on Wild Bill Hickok by Richard O’Connor and his description of the shootist was thusly: “Wild Bill was one of the best revolver shots ever produced in the west. He certainly was the best shot in the ﬁght. It is one thing to shoot accurately at a target and another thing to be able to shoot accurately at a man who is shooting at you … He was devoid of nerves; his mind was clear, his hand steady and his marksmanship certain in the most desperate situation. He never became excited. A cool man is often a phlegmatic man, but Wild Bill was the reverse. He was not only perfectly cool, but he was always alert and nimble of wit, and in action as quick as lightning.” One could easily substitute the name Kris Paronto for Wild Bill, and substitute semiautomatic pistols

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Tanto shooting with his non-dominant hand.

Boon fires around a barrier.

Boon observes as a female shooter take aim.

for revolvers, and that would be an accurate description. WHILE ALL THE shooting was intense, the drills set by the hardened Battleline instructors all came from ﬁrsthand personal accounts of real-world experience and not on theory or conjuncture. Benton and Paronto’s military backgrounds are thoroughly discussed in the New York Times bestselling book 13 Hours, and if the reader thinks this is a shameless plug to buy said book, that would be correct. Having been in this business for over 35 years myself, I was driven to get into the heads of these two modern Spartans and to understand what motivates them. After rereading the book, the reasons why made perfect sense. In the class, one drill was a stress-induced one, which required us participants to run a pretty good distance and then find our personal gun that we had previously placed on a table. Only that was wrong, because of course the instructors mixed everyone’s guns up. So, you’re scrambling under time to get your gun, sprint back to the range, and before you could shoot targets you had to put a tourniquet on yourself with one hand as if you were

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wounded, and get back in the fight. Tyrone Woods was the Senior GRS Leader for Benton and Paronto’s Protection team in Benghazi. Not only was Woods a Navy SEAL, but he was both a paramedic and nurse. He drilled this into his team’s heads and it paid off in huge dividends when fellow GRS teammate Mark

three different types of rifles that I have had my sights set on for some time now: Knight’s Armament, Daniel Defense and Bravo Rifles. I did marvel at Paronto’s Maxim Defense AR-Pistol Platform and Benton’s personal AR-Pistol platform from Veritas Tactical. An entire book could be written about how great the training was from Benton and Paronto. All I can say is that in all my years in PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON the ﬁeld, it was one of Geist was badly injured by a mortar the best training experiences I have round, and that is exactly what he ever had and would fully recommend had to do for himself! Battleline Training to everyone. If you’re around guns, it makes Moreover I am proud of these ﬁne sense to have as much medical men; they are true American heroes. training as you can get, which led These gentlemen stand for everything to another discussion of carrying America represents, honoring God, personal medical kits, with clotting honoring their country, honoring agents, sterile Kerlix dressing and their family and honoring their Battle tourniquets. Of course, for the same Buddies with their mantra: “No one logical reason. gets left behind, even if it costs them While shooting platforms at the their lives.” Ladies and gentlemen, range are different from real-life this is what type of men Francis Scott situations, it was drilled into the Key was talking about in his national class that one can never practice anthem, and these men are why our too much in a variety of positions, country truly is the land of the free as the flow of the engagement will and the home of the brave. dictate how and what shooting Editor’s note: For more information position is used. Students showed on Battleline Tactical, go to up with a wide variety of rifles, and kristantoparonto.com. I was happy to get a chance to shoot

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“THE MAN WHO IS IN THE MELEE KNOWS WHAT BLOWS ARE BEING STRUCK AND WHAT BLOOD IS BEING DRAWN.”

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

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American Shooting Journal // July 2018

gun review

THE IMPALA PLUS UPDATED

The gold-colored receiver on the Dickinson Impala Plus Wood YLW gives it a touch of class. Here, the author takes the 12-gauge semiauto through its paces on a clay target range.

Dickinson’s new Wood YLW model ‘a sporter/hunter crossover with class’; Mossberg out with shotguns for youth, smallerframed shooters. STORY AND PHOTOS BY STEVE COMUS

henever I talk to the folks at Dickinson Arms, they have come up with exciting new shotgun models, and there is never any warning about whether it will be a pump, semiauto, over/under or sideby-side. Some time ago, I took a look at Dickinson’s Impala Plus semiauto 12-gauge sporter with red and black synthetic stock and a number of other

niceties. That was a great gun, but slightly different from the one being reviewed here. Technically, the box says this one is an Impala Plus Wood YLW. It has a walnut stock, so that’s the wood part of the equation. I assume the YLW stands for yellow. If a shotgun can be handsome, this is one handsome devil. As much as the previous Impala Plus was a high-volume, serious sporter, this is a sporter/hunter crossover with class – like the user can score style points,

regardless of the actual target score. Dickinson has come a long way from offering great values on good guns to outstanding values on great guns. That’s great news because the market has never had such a wide variety of solid, functional guns at such relatively low prices. Magnum bang for the buck, so to speak. This is an inertia-operated semiauto, which means it uses the forces of recoil to cycle the action. It is quick, slick and can shoot oodles of ammo without gumming up. That’s nice. The walnut stock is something to discuss. Measurements are typical for a 12-gauge semiauto. But the checkering design is both intriguing and comforting. The borderless, americanshootingjournal.com 71

gun review This Impala literally glows. Note the checkering with the curved accent line.

ﬁne checkering is done without an outside line – touch of class. Even more interesting is the melding of both straight lines and curves in the outer edges of both the buttstock and the forend. Add to that a long “V” line with sunken dots every half an inch on the forend and a similar curved line inside the checkering on the pistol grip, and we’re talking an artistic statement. This is the kind of treatment encountered almost exclusively on the highest-grade guns extant. The buttstock features a rather classic straight sporter comb. When it is used in conjunction with the barrel’s ventilated rib, nice things happen. The rib is ever so slightly higher than a typical sporter rib, which means the shooter is not tempted to raise the head when shooting, which means more targets hit. I’m not talking about some high rib, as is often seen on serious trap guns. This rib is only a fraction of an inch higher than the

A ported barrel comes standard on the Dickinson sporter.

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gun review

The Bantam Synthetic 28-gauge shotgun from Mossberg is great for upland hunts as well as clays. (MOSSBERG)

Mossberg’s Walnut Bantam shotgun not only handles well, it looks good while doing it. (MOSSBERG)

typical sporter rib, and that fraction of an inch matters in the shooting of it. With such a comb/rib combination, it is easy to find the target, get the gun on the target, stay with and/or go through the target and bust it. For me, the rig shot ever so slightly high (probably 60/40), which really works for me in a sporting gun because I don’t like to have to cover targets to hit them; I always like to see them through the entire process to and including the break. For dropping targets, 60/40 is fine. All one has to do is enhance the downward lead ever so slightly and the target breaks. Other shooters may find that it shoots flatter for them, but not as flat as some sporters. Two rows of ports on each side of the barrel near the muzzle means there is less muzzle lift, which enhances the ability to engage a following second target successfully. Again, this is critical in a serious sporter. I tried this new Impala Plus variant on a sporting clays course where it made me look like I knew what I was doing. Hitting targets from all angles and disparate distances actually was easy. Felt good. Then I tried some skeet. Ink balls on stations 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8. Crunched 74

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

clays on stations 3, 4 and 5. Delicious. Earlier I mentioned the term “crossover.” That seems to be a term used when talking about autos, etc., and it also applies in Gundom. This specific model has the makings for a serious hunting shotgun. It comes with a magazine plug for times when magazine capacity is an issue. Also, it comes with five interchangeable screw-in choke tubes that range all the way from wide open to tighter than a bull’s bottom at fly time (skeet, improved cylinder, modified, improved modified, and full). A choke tube key wrench comes with the gun, as do spacers that allow changing the drop and offset. At just shy of 8 pounds empty, it is a bit heavy for quail hunting, but right in there for doves or ducks (it has a 3-inch chamber that handles 2¾and 3-inch shells). Dickinson has been doing one thing that I really, really like and hope they keep on doing. They offer their shotguns with sling swivel studs. These simple little eyelets front and rear are unobtrusive when not needed, but so incredibly handy when called for. This is especially true for both waterfowling and wild turkey hunting. And yes, this specific shotgun could make a great waterfowling or turkey hunting shotgun, even with its stylish

golden-burnt-yellow receiver. I have used slings on shotguns on dove hunts when going to or from the truck to a spot where the birds are passing over, and even on upland hunts when there is a long walk back to the truck after limiting out on pheasants. I still marvel at the beautiful way the inside of the action on this model is ﬁnished off, as well as the outside. That is a touch of class not seen in all semiautos these days. If fun with a gun is the name of the game, check out the Dickinson Impala Plus. For more information, see dickinsonarms.com. ELSEWHERE ON THE SHOTGUN FRONT, Mossberg has introduced models designed for young and physically small shooters. This is important, because the future of the shooting sports in large measure depends on recruitment of following generations. Mossberg has expanded its line of Mossberg International SA-28 and SA-20 Bantam (Youth) semiauto shotguns. The shorter length of pull (12.5 inches), balance and easyhandling characteristics of these soft-shooting autoloaders make them perfectly suited for smaller-statured individuals, young and old alike. With optional walnut and synthetic

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gun review versions and 24-inch barrels, the SA-28 and SA-20 Bantam are ideal for wingshooting, competitive and recreational shooting. Complementing the wood finish is a polished blue finish on exposed metalwork, while the synthetic versions have matte blue metal finishes. The vent-rib barrels have a front bead sight and feature an interchangeable choke tube system. Each version of the SA-28 and SA-20 Bantam comes equipped with a Sport

ITEM 75794 75769 75793 75770

SHELL GAUGE/ CHAMBER CAPACITY

TYPE SA-28 Bantam Autoloader SA-28 Bantam Autoloader SA-20 Bantam Autoloader SA-20 Bantam Autoloader

28 gauge/ 2¾ inch

20 gauge/ 3 inch

Set of choke tubes (full, improved modified, modified, improved cylinder and cylinder). Other standard features include a handy cross-bolt safety and easy-load elevator. Enhancing the high-gloss-finished walnut of the Bantam Walnut 20and 28-gauge versions is laser-cut checkering on the pistol grip and forend and a complementing highpolish blue finish on the exposed metalwork. The lighter model features a 2.75-inch chamber and the 20-gauge BARREL/ FINISH 24 inch/Vent Rib High Polish Blue 24 inch/ Vent Rib Matte Blue 24 inch/Vent Rib High Polish Blue 24 inch/ Vent Rib Matte Blue

SIGHTS

CHOKES

OVERALL LENGTH

has a 3-inch chamber. For a lighter weight (.75 pound less than the walnut version), consider Mossberg’s black synthetic versions, the SA-28 and SA-20 Bantam Synthetic models, with matte blue metal ﬁnishes. Like the walnut versions, the 28-gauge features a 2.75inch chamber and the 20-gauge has a 3-inch chamber. Editor’s note: For more information, see mossberg.com. STOCK/ FINISH

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American Shooting Journal // July 2018

ROAD HUNTER

PRESEASON TRAINING FOR YOUR GUN DOG

Conditioning your hunting dog is an important part of preseason training, and running them will also get their feet in shape. Biking is a good way for hunters to get in shape, too.

Now’s the time to get your four-footed hunting partner in shape and mentally ready for fall seasons. STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HAUGEN

ummer is upon us, and now is the time to start getting in shape for fall hunting season. If you’re an upland bird hunter, being able to cover ground is key to success. But you’re not the only one who should be regularly conditioning in preparation for the hunt. Your dog should also be in training. Knowing where to start in the training process is important. Whether you have a pup or a veteran dog you’ll be hunting with, getting them out on regular training sessions, and conditioning them, is important.

WHERE TO START Howard Meyer is a well-known breeder and has been training dogs for over 40 years (chippewa-gsp.com). As a retired university professor who taught about animal breeding and genetics, and as the current president of a local chapter of the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association, he’s a wealth of info. “There’s an old saying,” Meyer shares when asked how he starts offseason dog training. “If you don’t know where you want to go, any road will get you there. This holds true when preparing a dog for upcoming hunting seasons; you need to start with a plan.”

“I consider hunting with dogs as a two-part process; before the shot and after the shot. Before the shot, the dog has to locate birds and hold them until you get there. After the shot, the dog has to find the birds, then retrieve them.” Howard breaks down a dog’s responsibilities into these four steps, and trains them in a way so as to achieve confident success. “Most of the dog’s physical work goes into the initial step of locating the bird, and to do this, the dog must be physically fit,” he emphasizes. “The best exercises to get a dog in shape are running and swimming. When running your dog, take into account americanshootingjournal.com 81

ROAD HUNTER the temperature, as you don’t want to overheat the dog, especially during these hot summer days.” Running a dog beside a bike is a good idea and also helps get its feet in shape, a must for most Western bird hunting situations. Just bike early or late in the day, when temps are cooler. “If getting your dog in shape by swimming, you alleviate the worries of overheating, but it doesn’t do anything to toughen the feet,” Howard points out. “Swim the dog beside a canoe or rowboat, so both of you get a workout. The best strategy is to always keep your dog, and you, in good shape with a regular workout routine and good diet.” PRE-SHOT TRAINING Howard points out that in addition to fitness training, there are other important steps to take in order to properly prepare your dog for hunting season.

Whether communicating with your dog by way of sound, hand signals or both, this is something that should routinely be practiced this time of year.

“The important thing is to have your dog under control, where it listens and isn’t running ahead of you, ﬂushing birds out of range,” he says. “During exercise sessions beside the bike, run the dog at heel, then, when releasing it, call it back to the desired range, usually no more than 30 yards. Do not let a dog run wild

when training, as it will do the same when hunting.” With your dog responding to voice commands and staying within the desired range, it’s time to work on pointing, Howard elaborates. “Ideally it’s the dog’s self-control that results in extended pointing, and not prematurely jumping birds. This is where the all-important ‘whoa’ command comes in. If you can ‘whoa’ the dog on command, you’re 90 percent of the way to producing a dog that’s steady on point, assuming you’re giving the command just before the dog is about to break or creep.” No birds are needed to teach whoa; it just comes down to repetition and applying the order in tempting situations. I’ve personally had very good success using bird wings to teach a dog to locate, then hold. Bumpers are also good training tools for teaching a dog how to locate and hold on a target. If your dog struggles to ﬁnd a bare bumper, zip-tie a bird wing to it for added scent. POST-SHOT TRAINING Once a bird is down, a dog’s job is to locate it and retrieve it. This sounds simple, but sometimes a dog isn’t in position to see a bird hit the ground, or brush blocks the dog’s view. Sometimes a hit bird sails a long way before falling, making it impossible for a dog to see if it is standing in tall cover. “This is a situation where a dog

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

ROAD HUNTER must be taught how to search on command, and I go about it step-bystep,” offers Howard. “First, I use ‘ﬁnd it,’ which is the ﬁrst command in a progression of steps that begins the retrieval process. Toss a bumper – use white, as dogs can’t distinguish orange – while restraining the dog. Let the bumper come to rest, then send the dog after it with the ‘fetch’ command, or On hot days take your training session to the water. It’s great conditioning for the dogs and will keep them cool, as noted trainer Howard Meyer demonstrates here.

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

whatever command you want to use.” Once the dog masters that retrieve, Howard moves on to steps two and three. “Cover the dog’s eyes, then toss the bumper to an area where it’s clearly visible, where you’ve been tossing it for fetch, then send the dog to make the retrieve with the command ﬁnd it. Third, cover the dog’s eyes and toss

the bumper into nearby cover so it can’t be seen, then send the dog to ﬁnd it.” When training my young pudelpointer to ﬁnd it by tossing a bumper into cover, I was amazed at how quickly she picked up on listening for the bumper to hit the ground. To remedy that, I tossed the bumper and immediately covered her ears. I then guided her to the bumper with hand signals. I also

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ROAD HUNTER

Attaching a wing – or in this case a whole pheasant skin – to a bumper is a good way to add scent so the dog can locate the bumper. It also encourages dogs to gain a ﬁrm grip on the bumper and accustoms them to smells they’ll be encountering on the hunt.

American Shooting Journal // July 2018

whistle-trained her, with one sharp blow getting her attention so I could deliver a hand signal. This worked well in helping her find and retrieve doves, pigeons and quail in the brush during her first hunting season, when she was seven months old. The fourth step Howard suggests is planting several bumpers in the area where you taught find it. “Park the dog out of sight, then plant bumpers in the retrieving area. Lead the dog back to the retrieving area and send the dog to search. This is where having a bird wing tied to the bumper can help in adding scent. You want every search to end in success.” “Once the dog finds one hidden bumper, send it to find another,” offers Howard. “If the dog is confused, walk it closer to the retrieving area and search again. Be sure to start in open areas, where the dog can easily find the bumpers, as this will build

their conﬁdence and teach them familiar smells you want them to know for hunting season.” The final step in the hunting process is getting the dog to retrieve to hand. If your dog drops the bumper early, Howard encourages use of the whoa command. “If the dog stops and drops the bird 20 feet away, whoa it at 25 feet away, then call it to come, then whoa it again at 10 feet. Praise the dog when it arrives with the bumper (or bird). If the whoa command is firmly in place, most retrieving problems can be quickly overcome.” E-COLLARS If you’re new to dog training, you may have questions about electric collars. Steve Waller, owner of Tall Timber Pudelpointers (talltimberpudelpointers.com), has trained many breeds over the past 45 years, and has this to share

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ROAD HUNTER about e-collars: “Anybody who buys a pup needs an e-collar, not for shocking, but for using the beeper as a training device. Get the pup used to wearing it, without turning it on, then when training starts, begin with the beeps. Having the control right at your ﬁngertips greatly increases training efficiency.” Waller only uses the electric pulse if the dog gets offtrack on a deer, bear, rattlesnake or porcupine, or heads to a well-traveled road. “Dogs are very precious, so invest in the best e-collar you can afford,” emphasizes Waller. There are some great e-collars out there, so research what best fits your hunting needs. Another benefit is they can help you track your dog. E-collars that emit a sound so you can hear when your dog is on point in thick cover are also a great bonus. E-collars also allow trained dogs to hunt without you having to constantly

Working on water retrieves is a great way to simultaneously get your dog in shape and keep them from overheating this time of year.

shout, something that can taint the experience when fellow hunters are along. When training this summer, don’t confuse your dog by trying to teach it too many things at once. Teach it one thing at a time, give praise to the dog and make it fun for them. When a

dog’s having fun, it’s amazing how much they can achieve. Editor’s note: Scott Haugen hosts The Hunt on Netﬂix. To watch puppy training video tips he’s created, visit scotthaugen .com. Follow him on social media.

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

LEADING THE PACK

CYA Concealment’s ballistic backpacks offer peace of mind.

PHOTOS BY CYA CONCEALMENT

a requirement from the start.” CYA packs have been shot multiple times with various calibers of pistols and rifles at close range (7 yards and closer) to test out their durability. “We wanted to make sure the vest and pack would hold together under the impacts and keep the armor in place,” says Renteria. “We’re happy to report that it does so amazingly well.” There are a lot of concealment and protection packs on the market today, so we asked Renteria what first-time buyers should look for in a pack. “Make sure that you buy from a reputable seller and make sure you know the difference in the armor you are buying,” he advises. “All of the packs rely on ballistic protection to save lives, so make sure that you look at more than ads and YouTube videos. Is the armor NIJ (National Institute of Justice) tested, comparable or certified? What calibers does it protect against? How does the armor sit in the vest and what does it cover on the body? Are the plates or ballistic material multihit rated? How heavy is it? Can it be fitted to various size people? And is it simple enough to deploy under stress?” Do your research before buying a ballistic pack, as it could quite literally be the difference between life and death. “Our packs are overbuilt to provide professional-grade protection with complete concealment,” says Renteria. “We want people to have the options they want and the protection they need. But we don’t want peace of mind to come at the cost of daily life. That is why we have various size packs and armor options, so you can enjoy being you and defend you and the ones you love.”

fter coming home from overseas and undergoing a series of debilitating surgeries, James Renteria was looking for a simple, comfortable way to carry concealed. “I knew that for me at the time, being able to run and move was out of the question,” he says. “I also wanted some sort of protective gear. I simply thought

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about the most common item I could carry in the open, or that I was already using. Thus, the idea of making the kit look like a backpack came to be.” The ballistic backpacks from CYA Concealment, a subsidiary of Mobile Marksmen LLC, were “designed for this market with room to grow,” explains Renteria. The designs are constantly being tweaked and refined to suit the needs of its target customer base, which includes law enforcement officers, first responders and government agencies. “The Protector Pack and Shield Pack are our biggest sellers,” says Renteria. “The packs are designed to be a protective vest concealed as a backpack and not a backpack that you can put armor in. This allows us to offer the first truly modular concealed tactical plate carrier on the market. You can also use the bag as a weapons carrier. The larger packs offer room for armor and gear with the addition of a rapid deploy system and weapons deployment up to a 22inch AR pistol.” Of course, one of the biggest advantages of a CYA pack is the armor within. “We started off with a good plate carrier and turned it into a concealment system,” he explains. “We added the benefit of being able to choose between one piece of armor and using it as a shield or adding in two pieces of armor and wearing it like a vest. We also wanted people to be able to dump ‘dead weight’ quickly. So, we designed the pack to get rid of the contents of the bag (books, junk, etc.) that did not add to survivability or freedom of movement. We also, from the ground up, made the system compatible with rifle armor up to 12-by-14 (inches), depending on armor thickness. It was not an afterthought, but

Editor’s note: For more information, visit cyaconcealment.com. americanshootingjournal.com 91

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

QUALITY COMES FIRST

Shooters will hit their mark with precision riﬂes and parts from American Precision Arms.

PHOTOS BY AMERICAN PRECISION ARMS

A N

merican Precision Arms is not your average machine or gun shop. What started out as a one-man operation founded by Jered Joplin has grown to a family of dedicated people with one true goal: to bring the best products to its customers as possible. “We are fundamentally passionate about quality and that is at the center of our culture here,” explains the Georgia-based company’s Daniel Miller. “Our in-house mantra is ‘Quality comes first.’ First before speed, profit, growth, aesthetics, or anything else. Not that we deliberately neglect these things, but quality must be first in our decision-making and the steps we take. There are always compromises with passions; we would rather be the people who explained the price of quality than apologize for something less. There are so many great products on the market today and so few opportunities to stand apart.

The path that we feel led and honored to pursue is that of making exquisite, high-quality rifles and rifle parts.” American Precision Arms specializes in complete hunting, match and tactical rifles, but also supplies parts and accessories for shooters to customize their own precision rifle. In-house gunsmiths, including Joplin and Miller, are on hand to make the gun of your dreams. Competitive shooters in particular have sought out the company’s rifles and rifle parts, such as their innovative and popular Gen 2 Little Bastard and Fat Bastard muzzle brake. “This is the most popular muzzle brake used in long range competition for several reasons,” explains Miller. “Originally the need for a muzzle brake was to simply take the sting out of the recoil, but as the shooting sports grew, the need grew beyond settling the gun down. The competition shooter needs to spot impacts and stay on target. That is a taller order than what was previously passing as a muzzle brake.”

The popular Gen 2 Bastard series of brakes. The Model 86 tactical rifle.

The Warden model hunting rifle.

He continues, “So, Jered, being one of the top shooters in the country, gathered his engineers and took pieces of things he had seen and went to the drawing boards. What came out of it was a new style of gas port that rendered the riﬂe extremely tame, even with magnum cartridges. But that wasn’t enough. The other hiccup in common muzzle brake design was the difficulty of installation. You either needed a gunsmith, crush washers or a spacer system to time the brake correctly. This led to a lot of user frustration. We developed a two-piece system that expedited installation and timing to a 20-second ordeal with no need for a gunsmith. And voilà, the Gen 2 Bastard series was born.” In addition to its extensive, revolutionary product line, Miller credits American Precision Arms’ “commitment to consistency, reliability and an old world dedication to quality” for the company’s success. “It is such a lost concept today,” he says. “Even great companies like Apple generate products that will inevitably commit suicide in six months to a year. I think folks are longing for longevity in their purchases.” Always eager to innovate, American Precision Arms is currently developing a new brake tailored to the 3-gun/ gas gun market. While it’s too early to give speciﬁcs, Miller hints, “I can say this: We are accustomed to solving big recoil problems. This is a little recoil problem and when this thing hits, it’s going to be a no recoil problem.” Editor’s note: For more information, visit americanprecisionarms.com. americanshootingjournal.com 95

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American Shooting Journal // July 2018

Mounting your riflescope isn’t an overly complex task, and with the right tools and some very basic knowledge, it can be done properly. Here a scope is placed onto mounting rings for initial fitment before checking eye relief.

OPTICS GUIDE, PART TWO: MOUNTING GLASS Now that you’ve bought a new scope, it’s time to afﬁx it to your riﬂe, a daunting but not impossible task for marksmen. STORY AND PHOTOS BY CAYLEN WOJCIK

f there’s any one trend I see a lot of as a professional precision riﬂe instructor, it’s improperly mounted riﬂescopes. If we look at what a riflescope is from a fundamental standpoint, it’s a mechanical aiming device that gives us the ability to bring a distant target up close and personal, which in turn allows the

shooter to pick a relatively precise aiming point that the shooter hopes to put a bullet into if everything else goes well. It’s a complicated process that requires a custom fit, and it’s not always something you should leave up to the guy behind the counter at your local sporting goods store. As a matter of fact, if you’re leaving a rifle to have the scope mounted for you, you’re getting off on the wrong foot about as soon as you walk away from the

counter. Mounting your riflescope isn’t an overly complex task, and with the right tools and some very basic knowledge, it can be done properly, with little to no stress. Before we do anything with the riflescope, we need to adjust the rifle’s length of pull (if it’s adjustable) to your body type and structure. I do this without a scope on the rifle simply because if there’s a scope on the rifle, nearly every inexperienced shooter out there will sacrifice a comfortable shooting position to look through the optic. Not a good starting point because we’re all different sizes americanshootingjournal.com 97

and shapes. Precision rifles aren’t a one-size-fits-all affair. Make sure your cheek is centered on the rifle’s cheek piece, and your shooting hand can comfortably reach the grip without a severe bend in the wrist, which can inhibit proper trigger manipulation. Make adjustments as necessary, and check this fit in a couple positions outside the prone or the bench to make sure that as your position changes the rifle fit works for them all, with only minor tweaking of your head position on the cheekpiece. Now, we’ve established a baseline by properly adjusting the rifle to fit our body, not the other way around. If your stock isn’t adjustable, that’s OK, we’ll get to how to set eye relief for comfort in a bit. MOUNTING A RIFLESCOPE STARTS with having some simple tools at your disposal. A set of Allen and Torx head drivers, a torque wrench, some blue Loctite, and a simple scope leveling kit is really all you need, aside from your regular shooting gear. Your scope mounting base, or the piece that attaches to the action, should come with the required fasteners, as should your rings. Don’t ditch the instructions either; you’ll need those to get the proper

Shown here is an action bar, which is an alternative to using a Wheeler barrel level. Be aware, though, as not all actions will accept an action bar to use for leveling.

torque specs for your selected parts. The mounting of the base to the action is really the weakest point in the system if you don’t have an integral rail like you’d find on an AR, or most custom bolt-actions. It’s a good idea to test fit your scope base screws to see if they’re the correct length for your base and action. Most of the time this isn’t an issue, but in the event that it is, you’re The FAT Wrench is a musthave tool for not only the bench but for the range bag as well in the event any adjustments need to be made. Here, in a manufacturing facility, each wrench is outfitted with the standard bits used for mounting scopes to increase productivity.

looking to make sure your bolt closes without contacting any of the front action screws, and that the rear screws don’t protrude below the surface of the inner dimension of the action. Once that’s all good, degrease the mount and the top of the action with some solvent, and dab a little bit of the blue Loctite on the screws. Start with the inner screws on the action, the ones just in front of and behind the action’s ejection port, and work your way outwards. Get each fastener just hand tight, working from inside to out. Once that’s done, apply the proper torque value as per the manufacturer’s instructions. You’re done. Blue Loctite on your base mounting screws is the cheapest insurance you’ll ever buy for your scope mounting system. NEXT, WE’RE GOING TO LEVEL up the rifle using the bare base, and a scope leveling kit from Weaver. This kit is simple and cheap, and if you’re going to be mounting riflescopes, or swapping scopes a lot, it’s a kit you should always have in your range bag. Bag up the rear of the rifle, and apply some tension to your bipod’s cant adjustment so it doesn’t flop around.

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Place the barrel level clamp on the barrel and get the level close. Next, put the action level on the base, and move the rifle so the level is true. Then adjust the fine-tune feature on the barrel level to true level. Now we have a reference level to go off of when we take the action level off the base and set it aside for later. The next step is to take a look at where we need to put the rings on the bases to make room for a couple things. We want to make sure that the scope’s objective bell housing isn’t going to contact the front of the mounting base, and we want to make sure that we can slide the scope fore and aft in the rings about a quarter of an inch to adjust for optimal eye relief. Pull the top caps off the rings and set them aside, careful to keep the front top cap with the bottom of the front ring, and the same for the rear rings. It’s not necessary, but I’m kinda OCD about this. Install the rings to the bases in the correct slots that we’ve established

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from the previous step. I like to keep the fasteners on the opposite side of the bolt for bolt-action rifles so I don’t tear up my knuckles when I manipulate the bolt. Using one hand, slide the rings forward in the mounts to keep that forward mounting surface on the ring engaged with the mount, and then apply the proper torque value as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Repeat for the rear ring. If you’re using an unmount system, just make sure the entire mount is slid forward in the mounts. Under the forces of recoil, that mount wants to go forward while the rifle moves rearward. Any small space in there for the rings to get a running start at the base, it’ll eventually work itself loose. Now, most will say that it’s time to lap the rings, and I’m here to tell you, you’re wasting your time. You might actually be doing damage to those expensive rings you just bought by lapping them and not having the experience and

know-how under your belt to know when enough is enough. Modern machining technology is advanced enough that your rings are cut and bored from one piece of material. Mounting bases, although there is a slight possibility that they could be warped, are consistent enough now that I don’t give it a second thought. FROM HERE, YOU’LL PLACE THE scope in the rings, and put the top caps on. Insert the fasteners and tighten until there’s just enough friction on the scope body that the scope doesn’t roll or flop to the side. Making sure that the scope is on the maximum magnification setting, get behind your rifle and with your cheek in the position it was when you set the rifle’s length of pull, move the scope fore and aft in the rings until you have a full field of view without any shadows. Check this outside of the prone or the bench position in the standing and kneeling positions to make sure you don’t have any surprises in the field when you try to

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Tighten the ring top cap fasteners while keeping a close eye on the scope level to ensure the tightening process doesn’t pull the scope out of level.

obtain a sight picture. Now we have the eye relief set for that magnification, which will be the shortest possible eye relief for that optic. (Eye relief changes with magnification – more on that in another installment.) From here, we need to tighten the ring top caps to hold the riflescope in place

The Wheeler Engineering Scope Leveling Kit’s barrel level is necessary for those who don’t have an action leveling bar.

permanently. Get the rifle back on the bench and bag up the rear end. Now we’ve got to level the rifle using our baseline established with the barrel level. Once that’s done, we need to now level the riflescope to the rest of the world. This can be done in two ways, and it depends on how you’re going

to be using your scope. If you’re dialing your turrets, it’s best to level the scope from the turrets. If you’re using a reticle for holdovers, it’s best to use a plumb-bob, or some other vertically plumb surface, at about 50 yards from the objective lens to level the reticle. Either way, we’re leveling our aiming system to track true with

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the vertical plane of the rest of the world. Plumb-bob leveling is a bit trickier, but you’ll get the drift of that after we talk about turret leveling. Place your level on top of the elevation turret, and rotate the scope so that the top of the turret is level with the barrel level. Now comes the tricky part, which is applying tension to the ring top caps without pulling the scope out of level. Some rings are better at this than others. American Rifle Co.’s clamshell-style rings with a single fastener can be tightened without pulling the scope out of level. Traditional four-screw top caps require some more finesse. Start by making sure that there’s an equal space between the top caps and the bottom of the ring. We don’t need feeler gauges here, folks, just an approximate. Start by tightening each screw in an X pattern, and only apply a little tension at a time, keeping your eye on the turret and barrel levels. Once you’ve gotten the screws tight enough that the final torque application isn’t going to move the scope, using that same X pattern, apply the proper torque setting as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Repeat this for the rear ring. GUESS WHAT? YOUR SCOPE IS now mounted, with a custom fit to your body, your eye, and your comfort. I can’t stress enough about how important this process is. If I had a dollar for every riflescope that was improperly set up on a student’s rifle, my son would have a pretty healthy college fund set up by now, and he’s seven. As shooters, one size doesn’t fit all, even though most people think that’s the way it is. Setting yourself up for success with a rifle starts at ground zero by making sure your components are properly set up, not only mechanically, but for your body and eyes. Precision shooting requires a very systematic approach to everything we do with that rifle. Consistency equals accuracy, and in order for shooters to be consistent, they need to be set up for success and step off on the right foot.

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YES, THIS CHICK IS FOR REAL

Martha Tansy’s world stretches from the Last Frontier to The Lost Frontier of seven continents.

STORY BY TOM CLAYCOMB III

Southcentral Alaska-based outdoorswoman Martha Tansy and her daughter Elli pose with a caribou they killed. Author Tom Claycomb, an outdoorsman in his own right, testifies that Martha is the real deal. (MARTHA TANSY)

“Is This Chick for Real?” was the title of a recent article about a buddy of mine named Martha Tansy. The answer: Yes, she actually is for real. I was conducting seminars at the Safari Club International Convention in Las Vegas years ago when I ﬁrst met Martha. Normally I have a helper to hand out brochures, etc., but that particular year all my help had bailed on me. If I remember correctly, I was setting up for a knife sharpening/ choosing the proper knife seminar when a young lady and her cute little daughter came in and sat down. I’d just finished a glassing for big game seminar and was scrambling to get set up. They were a good 30 americanshootingjournal.com 109

minutes early, so in a panic I asked Martha if I could use her and her daughter Elli to be my assistants. She said, “Sure!” They both jumped to my rescue, joyfully going above and beyond with whatever I needed. Even though Martha and Elli were just happy to help, I sent them home with a ThermaCELL Mosquito unit and some boning knives out of my extreme gratitude. Martha and I have been friends ever since. Over the years I’ve hired literally tens of thousands of employees, with half of the crew being women. So it goes without saying, I’ve had some super-good women work for me. But Martha and 9-year-old Elli fit into an elite group of tough, tenacious women who stand head and shoulders above the others. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, Ron Spomer and I were up in Alaska on a 17day brown bear, moose and duck hunt and fishing trip. The camp was shutting down when we left, so our guide Austin Wiersma was on the plane out of the backcountry with us as we flew into Anchorage,

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Martha’s at home in the wild, whether bringing in the bacon – moose, in this case – or chilling (bottom) in the backcountry. (MARTHA TANSY)

where we had a 12-hour layover. I told them, “I have a good buddy right outside of Anchorage. Want me to call her and see if she’ll pick us up and take us to dinner?” They both said, “Yeah, better than setting in an empty airport for 12 hours.” So I gave Martha a ring. She said, “Sure, I’d be glad to come see y’all

and catch up. But I’ve got to check on a few things. My daughter Elli and I have been in the backcountry caribou and moose hunting for 14 days. My truck broke and I have to run to the junk yard and get a part. If I can get a ride back in, fix it and process a few moose and half a dozen caribou by the day you fly in,

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I’ll pick you up.” Me: “Oh yeah, sure, nothing weird about that!” Heck, 99 percent of my guy buddies couldn’t do that, and besides that, half of them wouldn’t be in the backcountry for 14 days by themselves to start with. I found out later at dinner that Martha and Elli were actually out for 28 days but had to run back to town in the middle of the hunt to restock on supplies, fuel and parts. At some point another person did drop in for awhile. Well, D-day hit and Martha picked us up. I introduced everyone and then we hit a local steakhouse. I’d told Ron and Austin that they’d probably never met a woman like Martha, and that she was great. We went to dinner and I hardly got to talk to her. Ron sat by her with his eyes wide open like he was in the presence of Santa Claus, ﬁring question after question at her. The talk went about like this: Ron: “So you were in the backcountry for 14 days by yourself?” A bio for her new show, The Lost Frontier, notes that Martha has “traveled the world wheeling, racing, hunting, wrenching and welding (top, middle, bottom) for the better part of her adult life. Although Martha’s mechanical and improvisational skills are unmatched, her infectiously positive attitude could be her greatest asset.” (MARTHA TANSY)

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Martha: “No, my daughter was with me.” Ron: “But she’s only eight years old. What’d she do?” Martha, looking quizzically at him and then speaking matterof-factly: “Shooting and cutting up caribou and moose, of course. You’d be surprised at how well of a shot she is and even more surprised at how well she handles an unbelievably sharp Outdoor Edge Razor-Blaze knife.” Ron, still in awe but trying to play it cool and not make a scene: “Oh, yeah, of course.” A few hours later she had to leave and Ron still had more unanswered questions than when he had first met her. We had a great night. A YEAR OR two later we were talking and Martha said, “Hey, I’m headed down to race the Baja and the Ultra4 Championship.” Turns out she was going to be flying into Boise, so she met up with us and

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Daughter Elli dives into skinning a moose. “You’d be surprised at how well of a shot she is and even more surprised at how well she handles an unbelievably sharp Outdoor Edge RazorBlaze knife,” says her proud mother. (MARTHA TANSY)

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stayed for a night or two with Ron and his wife Betsy. Ron was excited to get more of his questions answered and they were both thrilled to get a peek into the life of a true and genuine outdoorswoman. So, with the above said, it came as no surprise when Martha called me the other day and nonchalantly said, “Hey, guess what, I’m going to be on a show called The Lost Frontier.” “What’s that about?” I asked. “It’s going to be a fun, unique expedition,” she replied. “During season 1, we’ll be riding Yamaha side-by-sides offroad from Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, down through the Lower 48 and on into Mexico. We’ll camp along the way and explore all the cool country we’re passing through, especially old and abandoned town sites. As expected, our gear and equipment will be put to the test on our 6,000-plus mile journey.” I wish she was coming through Idaho but it sounds like they’ll drop down into Montana, Wyoming, Utah and then Arizona to make their

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“Wow, I get to meet some unique and awesome people being an outdoor writer,” notes Claycomb about the Tansys, here with another bull caribou. (MARTHA TANSY)

entrance into Mexico. Their mission? They’ll be the ﬁrst team to drive side-by-sides across every continent exploring the lost frontier.

Wow, I get to meet some unique and awesome people being an outdoor writer. To be kept up to date on the details of the show and on all of

Martha’s amazing adventures, check out her page Martha Tansy Oﬀroad, Racing & Hunting and The Lost Frontier on Facebook and Instagram.

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Dragoon .450B The Dragoon .450B is a Direct Attach (DA) model that utilizes both Total Breakdown Technology (TBT) and Gas Indexing Technology (GIT) baffle design. GIT allows rotational orientation of baff les to provide optimum sound reduction capabilities for the .45 ACP, .40SW and 9mm pistol calibers shot from a rifle. The .450B comes standard with a 11/16 x 24 mount. Four optional mounts are available including 5/8 x 32, 1/2 x 28, 1/2 x 36 and 5/8 x 24. Top-rated sound reduction is achieved in the primary .450B and .458 SOCOM calibers and secondary calibers of 9mm and .300 Blk. .308 is hearing safe at the ear. • Patented GIT baffles are configurable by operator. (For pistol calibers only) • Rated for a long list of Bolt Action calibers .22LR thru .450B caliber. • Breakthrough dB Reduction in .450B, .458 SOCOM and 9mm Luger. • Interchangeable direct thread barrel mounts can be tightened/removed with standard sockets.

Length 10.375 inches • Diameter 1.375 inches • Weight 11.8 to 12 oz.

Dragoon .338 The .338 QD is configured as a Quick Detach (QD) model and also features (TBT) technology. Extremely durable and light weight, this suppressor can be serviced down to the piece parts. Top-rated sound reduction is achieved across the entire caliber range creating a truly universal suppressor for your many caliber needs. • Rated from .22LR thru .338 caliber. • Proprietary flash hide/QD mounts creates rock solid, fast and light weight (Titanium) lock-up. • Robust mounting system allows one handed installation or removed in 2 seconds. • QD Mounts and Muzzle Break Mounts available in 1/2x28, 5/8x24 & 3/4x24 threads.

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SUPPRESSOR GALLERY GEMTECH M Model: Aurora II Le Length: 3.4 inches Caliber: 9mm/.380 ACP Cal Mount: Thread mount (½x28 and 13.5x1mm LH)

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she hunts

FROZEN AND FRAZZLED Bagging another ibex in the frigid mountains of Kyrgyzstan would be a challenge â&#x20AC;&#x201C; part II of II.

Bundled up and traversing steep terrain on stressed-out horses? Welcome to ibex hunting in Kyrgyzstan, where Brad Jannenga (above) tried to match author and girlfriend Brittany Boddingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earlier harvest, detailed last issue.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BRITTANY BODDINGTON

yrgyzstan is an incredible hunting destination for its famous Marco Polo sheep as well as the mid-Asian ibex. The latter animal was what we were after on our trip to this isolated country in the Tian Shan Mountains not far from the western border of China. I got lucky on my ibex and managed to harvest a nice big male in the beginning of the trip (American americanshootingjournal.com 121

she hunts Shooting Journal, June 2018), but now it was my boyfriend Brad Jannengaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s turn. As it turned out, his ibex was not quite so simple to harvest.

Boddington was mostly an observer during this stretch of the hunt in this mountainous central Asian nation. Staying warm was a priority as the thermometer plummeted and snow fell.

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THE WEATHER BEGAN CHANGING rapidly. We were moving our tent camp every day and packing up every morning at 4 a.m. to ride in the dark for hours on end in subfreezing conditions. Everyone started to get sick and the guides were running out of food. We started sharing our food and fire with them when their supplies ran low. The plan also became a moving target; no matter what we decided to do that morning, it would change three times by noon. The difficult conditions made things challenging but the scenery made up for it. The landscape was breathtaking and there was nothing for as far as the eye could see in every direction. The horses were tired and cold. They got little break from their sweaty saddles and started to get more stubborn as the days wore on. There were ibex everywhere, but as we rode through the valleys and spotted them they also spotted us from the very tops of rocky cliffs that reared 1,000 yards straight above us. We decided to divide and conquer so Brad would have a better chance of harvesting an ibex. When we would get to a good lookout spot, I would stay behind with the extra packhorses and Brad would go to the top with Bill the camera guy, and our translator and the guide. It cut the group from six horses to four, which made it easier to make a stalk. On one particular stalk we got to the base of a nice peak that was a good lookout point. I stayed behind in the valley with the extra packhorse, my horse and all of our luggage. Brad set out toward the top. They caught a glimpse of ibex at the top of the mountain as they went around a ridge, so they decided to follow them on foot for around a half-mile, glassing as they went.

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she hunts Just as they have for the Kyrgyz people who have lived here for uncounted centuries, horses provided the best transport around these high valleys and mountains for the hunters.

But they could only close the gap to around 700 yards due to the shape of the mountain ridge. Brad is pretty comfortable with his gun, but a 700-yard shot is pushing it, and then it started to snow. Between the snow and the wind he felt that shooting from 700 yards was not a good idea. The guide was pretty annoyed; he wanted Brad to try it and kept telling him to shoot, but the shot didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel ethical. Even if he had hit it, the recovery and follow-up would be next to impossible. Brad decided to pass on the sleeping frontal shot on the ibex from 700 yards. The guide never really forgave him. I WAS IN THE bottom of the valley waiting for about an hour before the weather got really ugly. I had all my layers on but could feel myself start to freeze, so I dug out some of Bradâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extra layers and started putting

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she hunts them on until I began to look like a sumo wrestler. The snow started falling fast. It began with a few specks and then went to near whiteout conditions in minutes. I grabbed the important bags and hunkered down behind a giant boulder so I was out of most of the wind, although it caught and swirled in my hiding spot to create a fine layer of snow on everything, including my eyelashes. It would be a while before Brad got another opportunity. We went days and nights in the cold – never really warming up – and our poor cameraman was getting very sick, with flu-like symptoms. After we woke up one morning listening to everyone cough, Brad and I looked at each other and decided that if he didn’t get something today, we would pull the plug for the greater good and finish the hunt from base camp, if possible.

Horse and hunter take a break during the physically and mentally draining adventure.

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she hunts That day we climbed up a frozen valley in some of the most slippery and terrifying ice I have ever seen, let alone ridden a horse in. There were frozen waterfalls from a once cascading mountain stream that we crossed on horses, which slipped and tripped and had me holding my breath most of the way up. The whole time I kept thinking how awful it would be to go back down. Above the valley I got to play the waiting game again as the guys took off toward the top of the mountain in hopes of catching sight of an ibex. After going through a few saddles they finally located two males feeding and one sleeping on the top of a ridgeline that was below the ridge the guys were on. Everyone had to rock climb around the face of the mountain to get a better view and make sure that the males were mature. Then

Jannengaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s patience to pass up a long shot in the snow finally paid off, leaving him with a lasting memory from this unknown but magical destination.

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they found the best spot they could, though it was still pretty precarious. Brad got set up with one bipod leg fully extended and one as short as possible and perched himself on a rock in the most uncomfortable shooting position imaginable. Fortunately, the ibex had no idea they were there, so he could take his time to got as steady a rest as possible. The shot went off and all three ibex took off, but the animals assumed it had come from below, so they ran uphill toward the hunters. The ibex went out of sight and then came back into view while coming straight at Brad, who had lost sight of his ibex. “Which one?” he called out to the guide, but the language barrier prevented an answer. Thankfully, Bill was rolling on the camera and called back, “The middle one,” so Brad took a second shot at the ibex in a frontal position and anchored it in place. From below I heard a shot go off and breathed a sigh of relief. But with the second, I heard a distinct hit, a sound I knew meant that we could go home soon. It also meant we had a long ride back to base camp, but at that point I would have ridden all night if it meant that I could get warm. BRAD AND I HAD an incredible adventure and most our stories now start with “that one time in Kyrgyzstan.” I am thrilled that we both got our animals, but even if we had come up empty-handed, the experience would still have been something truly remarkable. I’m definitely not done hunting in Asia, but perhaps next time I’ll pack a bit more food and warm clothes. Editor’s note: For more on hunter, journalist and adventurer Brittany Boddington, check out brittanyboddington.com and facebook. com/brittanyboddington.

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BLACK POWDER

NEW BLACK POWDER RELOADING BOOK HITS THE MARK Ninth edition of beginner’s guide adds info on ‘fussy’ cartridges, reloading for matches. STORY AND PHOTO BY MIKE NESBITT

lack Powder Cartridge Reloading Primer, 9th Edition, by Steven P. Garbe and Mike Venturino is not a reloading manual, although it does contain some loads primarily as samples or examples for the rifle cartridges mentioned within. Instead of being just a manual, it is a “primer,” a book for shooters who want to learn how to reload black powder rifle cartridges. We might consider the difference in this way: a loading manual tells you what loads to use; this primer will tell you how to reload so you’ll get a good, successful performance. Shooters who are beginning to get into black powder cartridge shooting, particularly for the black powder long-range matches and the silhouette shoots, will find this book very valuable. Even shooters who are very experienced handloaders will realize several differences when loading cartridges with black powder because it is simply

a different ball game. In the first chapter, Venturino remembers his own initiation into black powder cartridge shooting and some of the troubles he had. The success of this primer can be related to its number of editions; what I’m reviewing now

is the 9th edition, and it keeps getting better all of the time. In this newest edition, some very specific information is shared about reloading the .32-40 and .38-55 with black powder simply because those are considered to be “fussy” cartridges. More new information americanshootingjournal.com 133

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is given about reloading for cartridges to be used in shooting matches. That is supported by guidelines on how to “sort out” a new rifle by checking out the rate of twist in the barrel as well as getting some exacting chamber and throat dimensions, which will give insight to which bullets and bullet size to select. There is even some good information given to match strategy, with hints for shooters who want to make a good showing on the firing line. Let me give a more technical review by explaining that this primer has four main chapters and each chapter is broken down for specific subjects. In Chapter 1, reloading is talked about by covering everything from bullets, bullet lubes and bullet molds to primers and powder measures. Chapter 2 is a fairly short chapter that discusses black powder calibers, but it’s also handy for shooters who have not yet decided which caliber to get. Chapter 3 covers data on individual cartridges and for the first time the old .25-20 single-shot cartridge is included. Then Chapter 4 contains ballistic charts for certain bullets used in black powder cartridges beginning with a .32-40 bullet and going up to the .50-caliber bullet, mainly for the .50-70. Following Chapter 4 there are some listings on where to find certain things, from new rifles to ammunition and reloading equipment. The most important thing I can tell you about this book is where to get one. Black Powder Cartridge Reloading Primer, 9th Edition, is available from the publisher, Wolfe Publishing Company, 2180 Gulfstream, Suite A, Prescott, Arizona 86301. They can be reached online at wolfeoutdoorsports.com or by calling (800) 899-7810. The primer is priced at $24.99 plus postage.

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BULLET BULLETIN With its nickel plating and signature green polymer tip, the Norma EcoStrike is a lead-free boattail bullet that is available in several big game calibers.

NORMA ADDS ECOSTRIKE TO LINEUP Swedish bulletmaker’s new projectile is lead-free, and works well on midsized game, author reports. STORY AND PHOTOS BY PHIL MASSARO

he sounds of the dogs and beaters were getting closer when I heard the first unmistakable pig grunt. I was standing on the edge of a winter wheat field in Trzciel, Poland, with the beaters and dogs working a thick patch of rocky woods not suited for tilling. My hunting partners were stationed about 100 yards to my left and right, so we could cover any escape routes the game might take. The brush in front of me began to move, apparently on its own, then the first of the wild boars broke cover and sprinted across the open field. My buddy Jason Doyle had swung his rifle, led the pig properly and rolled it, nose

first, in the dirt. The first in front of me was a piglet, which I dispatched neatly, but it was just seconds later when he appeared. He was a beast of a pig, clearly larger than any of the others in the bunch, what the Europeans call a keiler. I was shooting a Heym SR21 rifle in 9.3x62mm, with an AimPoint red dot on top. The boar was about 100 yards away by the time I had a clear shot; I swung the dot from behind him, past his nose for the proper lead and tickled the trigger. He bucked hard at the shot, but continued for another 100 yards or so. Upon recovery, the 230-grain Norma EcoStrike had certainly done a fine job, giving excellent penetration. Norma’s EcoStrike is part of their Strike series of ammunition, which

includes the TipStrike ammunition, Norma’s cup-and-core, ﬂat-based, polymer-tipped bullet. EcoStrike is different in that it is a lead-free bullet, with its exterior plated in nickel. The green polymer tip sits on top of a hollow cavity, and both work in concert to maximize expansion, as well as to keep the ballistic coefficient of the bullet as high as possible. It is a boattail design, with a “waist” built into the shank. According to Norma’s engineers, this both maximizes velocities and reduces the bearing surface a bit. Being leadfree, the EcoStrike bullets will tend to be a bit longer than their lead-core counterparts, and Norma loads them on the lighter side for each chosen caliber. Lighter bullets can be loaded to higher velocities, and that is an important americanshootingjournal.com 139

bullet bulletin

The classic 9.3x62mm, with 230-grain Norma EcoStrike bullets.

part of good expansion; as there is no jacket or core with these bullets, there is nothing to separate, and both the retained weight and expansion are good. My wife spends our big game season with her Savage Lady Hunter in hand, chambered for the .308 Winchester cartridge. I was so impressed with the precision and terminal performance of the EcoStrike in Poland that I wanted her to try some of the EcoStrike ammunition in her riďŹ&#x201A;e for our deer/bear season.

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A large wild boar taken by author Phil Massaro in Poland with a Norma EcoStrike bullet fired out of a Heym SR21. .

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bullet bulletin

The author’s wife Suzie Massaro printed this three-shot group (above) of EcoStrike bullets out of her Savage Lady Hunter in .308 Winchester, giving her confidence to bag her first buck, an eight-point Catskill Mountain whitetail (right). Norma EcoStrike bullets being tested in the Norma factory in Sweden. Note the boattail, and “waist” in the bullet shank.

The results from her rifle at the bench were outstanding, with the shortbarreled rifle printing three-shot groups measuring between ¼ inch and ½ inch, repeatedly. I grabbed my old warhorse – a Ruger Model 77 MKII in .308 – and while it didn’t quite print as well as Suzie’s rifle, it gave one-minute-ofangle results, which is about the best that particular rifle has ever given.

The EcoStrike ammunition in .300 Winchester Magnum fared equally well, with my favorite Model 70 printing sub-MOA groups. Come the opening day of our New York deer/bear season, I sat patiently, seeing nothing but does, but the sound of my wife’s rifle brought me immediately out of my daydream. Giving things a few minutes, I made my way to her stand, and saw that beaming smile before I saw anything else. She had taken a mature Catskill Mountains eight-point buck, with the EcoStrike doing its job perfectly. As this was Suzie’s first deer, it made a heck of an impression, and I doubt she’ll shoot anything else out of that rifle. Norma offers the EcoStrike ammunition in 7x64mm, 7x65R, 7mm Remington Magnum (all with 140-grain bullets), .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .300 Winchester Short Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum (all with 150-grain bullets), 8x57 JS and JRS (with 160-grain bullets), and 9.3x62mm and 9.3x74R (with 230-grain bullets). All are loaded in the excellent Norma brass cases – which I consider to be the finest available – to the tight tolerances that Norma is famous for. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting the Norma factory in Amotfors, Sweden, and it is one of the finest facilities I’ve seen. It certainly shows in their products. Editor's note: For more information, see norma-usa.com.

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

LET IT RIP!

A look at the innovative projectile designs from G2 Research.

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2 Research was started in the summer of 2013 by a group of friends with the idea of making a lead-free projectile for self-defense to remedy the many issues they saw with existing defense rounds. Their initial offering, the G2 Research RIP, was designed to dump as much energy into the target as possible without overpenetration. The RIP, or Radically Invasive Projectile, is dubbed “the last round you will ever need.” And, as the name suggests, it truly is a radical round that utilizes a gamechanging technique. “To ensure that the round would penetrate deep enough to take down an aggressor, the trocar tips were designed to break into six to nine fragments, depending on the caliber,” explains Chris Nix, G2’s vice president of sales and marketing. “This maximizes the concussive impact and increases knockdown power.” After the success of the RIP, G2’s next endeavor was the solid-copper Civic Duty round. “The Civic Duty projectile is designed much like the RIP, with the trocar tips staying attached to the base of the projectile to result in extreme expansion of three times the initial projectile diameter,” says Nix. “With such large, quick expansion, the projectile dumps all of its energy into the target, where many other self-defense rounds overpenetrate and lose much of the energy transfer to the target.” G2’s third release is the solidcopper fracturing Telos projectile. “The Telos performs much like

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the RIP ammo, but looks more like a standard hollow point. With the Telos design, all of the engineering is inside of the hollow point,” says Nix. “This design allowed us to offer an exceptional self-defense line to gun owners who carry revolvers at a very competitive price.” The response to these projectiles has been tremendous, with shooters enamored with the explosive fragmentation, among other key factors. “Shooters have told us they love the light recoil of all of our rounds,” says Nix. “The use of copper for the

projectile makes a lighter grain weight projectile that results in lighter recoil due to the projectile not requiring as much force to perform correctly. This allows the shooter to get back on target very quickly and reduces fatigue. “Other shooters concerned about innocent people’s well-being love the fact that our rounds are designed to not overpenetrate. Some love the fact that it is a non-toxic projectile; 100-percent lead-free.” Editor’s note: For more information, visit g2rammo.com. americanshootingjournal.com 147

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www.zerustproducts.com customerservice@zerustproducts.com • 330-405-1965 9345 Ravenna Rd. Unit E • Twinsburg, OH 44087-2465 148

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

THESE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUD Deﬁance Machine’s custom actions defy the ‘one-size-ﬁts-all’ approach. ach. PHOTOS BY DEFIANCE MACHINE

or almost a decade, Defiance Machine has been supplying custom, one-of-a-kind actions to rifle builders from its shop in Columbia Falls, Montana. But for founder Glen Harrison, the story starts much earlier. “Glen Harrison founded Defiance in 2009, but he started making benchrest rifle actions over 25 years ago,” says Mike Lee, Defiance’s manager. “He was a benchrest competitor and was using 3-D computer-aided drafting for designing homes. He decided to use that technology to design and manufacture a better rifle action than was available, and Nesika Bay Precision was born. That company was eventually sold, but Glen was continually asked by prominent rifle builders to get back into action manufacturing, and when he did, the world was introduced to Defiance.” Taking into account the innumerable and varied needs and applications that come with custom rifles, Harrison shunned the idea of a “one-size-fitsall” approach and came up with a production process that would allow Defiance to better serve each customer. “We supply custom rifle builders with countless options,” explains Lee. “To make this doable in a production facility, Glen uses parametric programming. Custom action sales orders are translated into a variable file that drives macro programs in the CNC machines. Put another way, the sales department drives the machining process using proprietary software. Our unique approach allows us to make an action we’ve never made before without having to write a new CNC program; just pick the options on the sales order.” 150

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Continues Lee, “Our approach is what sets us apart. From buying the best CNC machines regardless of cost, to our unique programming and fixturing, our relentless pursuit of perfection, the way we treat our customers, vendors, employees and competitors; we do things different than most. It would be much easier to make only a few different actions. It would be easier to harden the steel after machining. It would be easier to loosen our tolerances, but that’s not how we approach things.” It’s an approach that lends itself to constant innovation, and Defiance recently released some exciting new products that reflect this, including the Deviant Elite action. “It’s like our tactical workhorse, the Deviant Tactical, but with some unique new features,” says Lee. “We extended the scope rail and barrel threads by .850 inch forward of the recoil lug. This gives additional scopemounting options, more barrel support, and bedding surface in front of the recoil lug, while maintaining a basic Remington 700 footprint. The firing pin in the Elite is also different, with a shorter pin that stops closer to the bolt face, more mass, and a lighter spring; vibration is reduced and accuracy is improved. Lastly, we designed the Elite with a coned bolt nose, a sliding plate extractor and controlled round feed, ensuring smooth and reliable cycling.” Also new on the market is the Tenacity action, a product that Lee says surprised some of its customers. “It was a bit shocking for our customers to see a rifle action bearing the Defiance name and built here in Montana, with a 20-minute-of-angle scope rail and pinned recoil lug with an $885 retail price tag,” he explains. “Well,

The new Deviant Elite action from Defiance Machine.

The Tenacity action isn’t customizable, but it features the same quality that customers have come to expect from Defiance.

I can assure you, the Tenacity is built from the same certified prehardened steels and to the same tolerances as our Deviants and Rebels. You won’t give up any quality with the Tenacity, just the ability of customization. Now, we’ll eventually offer short action, long action, standard and magnums, and all in right and left hand. We purchased a machine that uses new technology to keep the number of operations to a minimum, tweaked the design, and limited the number of options to keep the price in reach of any shooter looking for a custom rifle action.” Defiance Machine does not compromise when it comes to creating the perfect action to suit each customer’s needs. “We focus on our customers,” says Lee, “whether they are purchasing an action for their new sheep hunting rifle and the hunt of a lifetime, or they are ordering hundreds of actions a year to keep their business well stocked with the products they need to succeed.” Editor’s note: For more information, visit defiancemachine.com.

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