American Shooting Journal - August 2022 by Media Index Publishing Group

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A M ERIC A N

SHOOTING JOURNAL

Volume 11 // Issue 11 // August 2022

PUBLISHER James R. Baker

INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER Lois Sanborn

GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ads@americanshootingjournal.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Andy Walgamott

ON THE COVER

OFFICE MANAGER / COPY EDITOR Katie Aumann LEAD CONTRIBUTOR Frank Jardim CONTRIBUTORS Jason Brooks, Larry Case, Cassidy Caron, Scott Haugen, Phil Massaro, Mike Nesbitt, Paul Pawela, Nick Perna, Don West

Kris “Tanto” Paronto, a former Army Ranger who was a private CIA security contractor during the 2012 attack on the US diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, demonstrates a training move during a joint Battleline Tactical-Fort Scott Munitions course on home defense and closequarter battle drills. (PAUL PAWELA)

SALES MANAGER Paul Yarnold ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Hanna Gagley, Mamie Griffin, Riland Risden, Mike Smith

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

DESIGNER Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper

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

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Kelly Baker

MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP 941 Powell Ave SW, Suite 120, Renton, WA 98057

WEBMASTER / INBOUND MARKETING Jon Hines, Jon Ekse

(206) 382-9220 • (800) 332-1736 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com

CONTENTS

VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 11

FEATURES

LAW ENFORCEMENT SPOTLIGHT: BRINGING DOWN A WHOLE OTHER ‘LEVEL OF EVIL’ Not all law enforcement heroes wear cop uniforms. Nick Perna details California Inspector Ty Zemlok’s years-long investigation that brought down a family who forced immigrants to work long hours under threat of deportation.

ROADHUNTER: HIDE AND SEEK ELK Wapiti aren’t easy to find, but elk hunter Scott Haugen has developed an all-around game plan for closing the gap on North America’s best-tasting big game animal. With season dead ahead, Scott shares how to be a more successful elk hunter.

THE TACTICAL HUNTER Long-range shooting is all the rage among some hunters these days, but it will never replace good old-fashioned fieldcraft for stalking big game. Count rifleman Jason Brooks among the practitioners of this ancient art that will put more meat in the freezer.

OUTFITTERS’ OFF-SEASON ADVENTURES Even in the dead of winter, “the mountains are calling” for off-duty hunting guide Cass Caron. She shares another amazing tale from her Canadian hunting territory, this one about a long, death-defying snowmobile ride she and two fellow outfitters took to resupply their remote camps in the Rockies.

SCATTERGUN ALLEY: YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET THE GATE – THE SIDE GATE, THAT IS Henry’s new Side Gate Lever-Action .410 is “no novelty,” says our sage of scatterguns, Larry Case. Find out why he calls this love grandchild of Winchester repeaters, John Moses Browning and shotguns “a very serviceable gun for hunting, self-defense, and dealing with home and garden pests.”

BULLET BULLETIN: THE CASE FOR SUPER-SHORT SHOTSHELLS Measuring a mere 1¾ inches, the new “stubbies” from Aguila and Federal offer a unique experience in comparison to their longer, more well-known counterparts and may be perfect for training, home defense – even some hunts. Phil Massaro has the details on these short shotshells.

(PAUL PAWELA)

COVER STORY

TRAINING WITH KRIS PARONTO

You’ll recognize the name Kris “Tanto” Paronto as the CIA private security contractor who survived the attack on US offices in Benghazi, Libya, so when his Battleline Tactical recently teamed up with ammo manufacturer Fort Scott Munitions of Kansas for some serious home defense and close-quarter battle training, our self-defense columnist Paul Pawela was all over it!

107 BLACK POWDER: LOADING FOR THE .45-90 SHARPS Black powder cartridge shooter Mike Nesbitt always has some project up his sleeve, and this issue he brews up hunting and target bullets for his Old West-style rifle.

AMERICAN SHOOTING JOURNAL is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 941 Powell Ave SW, Suite 120, Renton, WA 98057. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2022 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 // August 2022

CONTENTS ALSO INSIDE 27

PRS PROFILE: SOLO (TEAM) PLAYER Long-range shooting results are all about the individual, but for Precision Rifle Series competitor Bowdrie Price it’s a group game – and in more ways than one.

LEGAL SPOTLIGHT: BALANCING RED FLAG LAWS As Extreme Risk Protection Orders, better known as “Red Flag” laws, draw increasing bipartisan support, Don West of CCW Safe details one legal scholar’s recent testimony in front of Congress “to reduce abuse and provide due process for the subject of the proceeding.”

DEPARTMENTS 21 23 25

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

(BOWDRIE PRICE)

Gun Show Calendar Competition Calendar Precision Rifle Series Calendar, Recent Match Results Concealed Carry Gallery

americanshootingjournal.com 19

PRIMER

GUNSHOW C A L E N D A R

C&E Gun Shows cegunshows.com

Crossroads Of The West Gun Shows crossroadsgunshows.com

Florida Gun Shows floridagunshows.com

RK Shows rkshows.com

Real Texas Gun Shows therealtexasgunshow.com

Tanner Gun Shows tannergunshow.com

Wes Knodel Gun Shows wesknodelgunshows.com

August 13-14 August 13-14 August 20-21 August 20-21 August 27-28 September 3-4 September 10-11

Sharonville, Ohio Winston-Salem, N.C. Dayton, Ohio Harrisburg, Pa. Springfield, Ohio Raleigh, N.C. Hickory, N.C.

Sharonville Convention Center Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Montgomery County Event Center PA Farm Show Complex Clark County Fairgrounds NC State Fairgrounds Hickory Metro Convention Center

August 13-14 August 20-21 August 20-21 August 27-28 September 10-11

Bakersfield, Calif. Layton, Utah Prescott, Ariz. Ventura, Calif. Phoenix, Ariz.

Kern County Fairgrounds Davis Conference Center Findlay Toyota Center Ventura County Fairgrounds Arizona State Fairgrounds

August 6-7 August 20-21 August 27-28 September 3-4 September 10-11

Fort Myers, Fla. Orlando, Fla. Tampa, Fla. Miami, Fla. Palmetto, Fla.

Lee Civic Center Central Florida Fair Grounds Florida State Fairgrounds Miami-Dade Fairgrounds Bradenton Convention Center

August 6-7 August 6-7 August 13-14 August 13-14 August 20-21 August 27-28 September 3-4 September 10-11

Bristol, Tenn. Cartersville, Ga. Knoxville, Tenn. Springfield, Mo. Kansas City, Mo. Lawrenceville, Ga. East Ridge, Tenn. Independence, Mo.

Bristol Motor Speedway Clarence Brown Conference Center Knoxville Expo Center Ozark Empire Fairgrounds KCI Expo Center Gwinnett County Fairgrounds Camp Jordan Arena Cable Dahmer Arena

August 6-7 August 13-14 August 20-21 August 27-28 September 3-4

Harker Heights, Texas Taylor, Texas Gonzales, Texas Brenham, Texas Harker Heights, Texas

Harker Heights Event Center Williamson County Expo Center J.B. Wells Expo Center Brenham Fire Dept. Training Center Harker Heights Event Center

September 2-4 September 16-18

Aurora, Colo. Colorado Springs, Colo.

Arapahoe County Fairgrounds Colorado Springs Event Center

August 27-28 September 10-11

Centralia, Wash. Centralia, Wash.

Southwest Washington Fairgrounds Southwest Washington Fairgrounds

Note: Covid-19 restrictions have largely been eased across the country, but always confirm events before attending. To have your event highlighted here, send an email to kaumann@media-inc.com.

americanshootingjournal.com 21

PRIMER

COMPETITION C A L E N D A R

August 5-7 Smallbore Pistol Ranking Match Colorado Springs, Colo.

August 8-11 Smallbore Rifle Ranking Match Colorado Springs, Colo.

August 16-20 300M National Match and World Championship Selection Foley, Minn.

August 11-14 Hornady Area 3 Championship Alda, Neb.

August 19-21 Battle for the North Coast Hartsgrove, Ohio

August 26-28 Illinois Sectional Havana, Ill.

August 19-20 Music City Cup/Tennessee State Match Mount Pleasant, Tenn.

August 25-28 Area 8 Championship New Tripoli, Pa.

August 27-28 Minnesota Section Championship Match Forest Lake, Minn.

August 13-14 Ontario Region Glock Challenge I Ontario, N.Y.

August 27-28 Glock at Lima Sabres For All I Lima, Ohio

August 27-28 Northern California Regional Classic XXIX Richmond, Calif.

usashooting.org

uspsa.org

gssfonline.com

August 19-21 Keystone State Ballistic Challenge Mertztown, Pa.

August 6-7 Kiko State Shoot Wooster, Ohio August 7 Kansas State Championships Dodge City, Kan. cmsaevents.com

August 11-12 Missouri State Fair Classic Sedalia, Mo.

August 5-6 New Mexico IDPA State Championship Farmington, N.M. idpa.com

August 12-13 Potomac Grail Thurmont, Md.

August 27-28 Midwest Regional Classic XXXI Hallsville, Mo.

August 13-14 South Pacific Regional Championships Acton, Calif. August 13-14 NH State Championship Gilford, N.H. August 19-21 Mid Atlantic Regional Championship Lumberton, N.C. August 12-14 Michigan State Match Dorr, Mich. August 19-21 New England Regional IDPA Championship Harvard, Mass.

August 20-21 Mid Central Regional McAlester, Okla. August 27-28 New York State Championship Pittsfield, Pa. August 27-28 Springfield Fall Classic Springfield, Ill.

August 19-21 Pennsylvania State IDPA Championship Bedford, Pa.

Note: Covid-19 restrictions have largely been eased across the country, but always confirm events before attending. americanshootingjournal.com 23

SCHEDULE Pro Bolt Gun Series August 6

RCBS Rumble

Pleasant Hill, Missouri

August 13

Okie Summer Showdown

Ninnekah, Oklahoma

August 13

Peterson Cartridge Challenge

Kennerdell, Pennsylvania

August 20

Magnolia Meltdown

Carthage, Mississippi

August 27

Impact Foundation PRC

Wetumka, Oklahoma

September 3

Alpha Munitions PRS Pro Series

Price, Utah

September 3

VPRC Rifleman’s Revival

Rocky Mount, Virginia

September 10

Federal Gold Medal Match AG Cup/Pro Series Qualifier

Carbon Hill, Alabama

September 24

Road To Redemption

Warrenton, North Carolina

October 1

Bushnell Tactical Gap Grind Pro Am

Finger, Tennessee

October 8

CA Sharpshooter Showdown

Hollister, California

October 15

MPA Fall Shootout

Swainsboro, Georgia

For more information visit www.precisionrifleseries.com

RECENT RESULTS (continued)

ALDERBROOK BRAWL PRO SERIES 2DAY

WISCONSIN BARREL MAKER CLASSIC

THE LEAD FARM BARREL BURNER

1st Place KEN SANOSKI Open Div. 135.000/100.000 2nd Place MORGUN KING Open Div. 132.000/97.778 3rd Place MATT STINER Open Div. 126.000/100.000

1st Place NICK GADARZI Open Div. 169.000/100.000 2nd Place JEFFREY GUERRY Open Div. 168.000/99.408 3rd Place JOSH EGYED Open Div. 165.000/97.633

1st Place (tie) JAKE VIBBERT Open Div. CLAY BLACKKETTER Open Div. 178.000/100.000 3rd Place (tie) CORSON PIPER Open Div. NICHOLAS HARPER Open Div. 170.000/95.506

Littleton, New Hampshire July 16, 2022

Cascade, Wisconsin July 30, 2022

Prosser, Washington July 30, 2022

(PRECISION RIFLE SERIES)

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

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American Shooting Journal // August 2022

“Everyone has the same goal to just keep getting better, and they want the same for those around,” says Bowdrie Price about competing in the Precision Rifle Series’ Rocky Mountain Region. “It’s not officially a team sport, but it sure feels like it.”

SOLO (TEAM) PLAYER Long-range shooting results are all about the individual, but for one PRS competitor it’s a group game. PHOTOS BY BOWDRIE PRICE

here Bowdrie Price grew up – a small town in southern Idaho – firearms are just a part of life. Most folks know their way around a gun from an early age, whether it’s from childhood hunting trips or summers spent plinking. In Price’s case, by the time his teenage years rolled around, “everyone had a rifle in the gun rack in their truck parked in the high school parking lot,” he recalls. With a lifelong interest in firearms, it’s no surprise that Price would gravitate toward competitive shooting, and the Precision Rifle Series in particular. “I have a cousin that was a Marine sniper who was very involved in the early years of PRS,” explains Price. “He

got me started and I’ve been hooked ever since. He’s a police officer and the first thing he told me was that ‘a drug addiction would be cheaper and less addictive than this, FYI.’ He was right.” Price competed in his first match three years ago. He started off slowly, shooting in four to five regional matches a year, but has really ramped up his participation since. “In April 2020 I decided to fully commit,” he says. “Since then, I shoot about one to two matches a month in the Rocky Mountain Region area, as I live here in Utah where a lot of very good shooters love to make me look much worse than I really am! Or so I claim.” Price truly has fallen in love with

PRS, and it’s not only the competition that has him hooked, but his fellow competitors too. “Memorable moments are a dime a dozen in this sport,” he says. “It’s why I keep coming back. It’s not just the experience, as I still challenge myself each and every day and I have a long way to go to get better. But it’s really the people I’m around. Everyone has the same goal to just keep getting better, and they want the same for those around. It’s not officially a team sport, but it sure feels like it.” Price encourages anyone interested in joining “the team” to come give it a shot. “Don’t worry about having the right gear, or the perfect setup,” he enthuses. americanshootingjournal.com 29

There’s no better time than right now to take up the sport of precision rifle shooting. “I would still be sitting on the sidelines if I waited for the ‘perfect’ time to come shoot,” says Price. The lime-green chassis of Price’s rifle, nicknamed the “Blasting Booger,” almost blends into the sagebrush, but the sharpshooter is beginning to distinguish himself via steadily improving competition results, including a ninth-place May finish.

“I promise that if you need something at a match, or need to borrow gear, people love to share gear. Bring your rifle, know your dope, and get the ammo and show up. I’m far from the best shooter. I’m a very average shooter at the moment, and I’m working to change that. But I would still be sitting on the sidelines if I waited for the ‘perfect’ time to come shoot.”  Editor’s note: For more information on the Precision Rifle Series, visit precisionrifleseries.com.

BOWDRIE PRICE’S RIFLE & GEAR • Lone Peak action chambered in 6 Dasher in a Proof Research barrel • XLR Envy Pro JV Competition Kit chassis that is lime green and nicknamed the “Blasting Booger” • Leupold Mark 5 with a CCH reticle • MDT Ckye-pod bipod 30

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

americanshootingjournal.com 31

Self-Defense TRAINING

Kris “Tanto” Paronto, a former Army Ranger who was a private CIA security contractor during the 2012 attack on the US diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, teaches pistol craft during a joint Battleline Tactical-Fort Scott Munitions course on home defense and close-quarter battle drills.

TRAINING WITH KRIS PARONTO

When ‘Tanto’s’ Battleline Tactical recently teamed up with ammo manufacturer Fort Scott Munitions, some serious home defense and close-quarter battle training ensued.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY PAUL PAWELA

hy would any civilian pay their hard-earned money to go to a close-quarter battle class designed for the home? A class where you are simulating a family hostage rescue – who needs that? And what civilian really

needs to be taught by a well-known former Army Ranger/CIA contractor? I can just hear the naysayers now. Since this awesome class that I am referring to was taught in Fort Scott, Kansas, home to Fort Scott Munitions, let’s start with a grim historical fact. In 1959, an infamous home invasion robbery-turned-murder took place in a farmhouse in Holcomb, Kansas.

Two ex-convicts on parole had heard through a fellow inmate that a farmer well-known in his community for being friendly and giving kept large amounts of cash lying around his house (the latter turned out not to be true). The ex-convicts entered the home of the farmer while he and his family were asleep, woke them up and then tied the family up while americanshootingjournal.com 33

SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING

Mike “Doc” Riche teaches tactical emergency care. His medical kit is made for Battleline.

they looked for the cash. Upon not finding any, in a fit of blind rage, the robbers killed the entire family. This despicable act would be the inspiration for the bestselling book and movie In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. Another example of human excrement from Kansas was Dennis Rader, aka BTK (bind, torture, kill), who tormented the Wichita and Park City, Kansas, communities from 1974 to 1991. He broke into homes and murdered a total of 10 people, including two children. It has been said that evil events are perpetrated by humans who have no soul; that when bullets fly, bombs explode and knives flash in these most horrific of acts, society struggles to come to grips with the incarnate evil that is amongst us. The mere definition of a home invasion is rather tough for the ordinary citizen to comprehend due to its ugliness against humanity. A home invasion is defined as a forced entry of a private home where the criminal element intends to commit a violent crime such as robbery, usually via assault. In order to force the homeowner into compliance and subjugation, the perpetrator will use extreme force and torture, which could 34

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

mean kidnapping, rape or even murder. IF THERE IS even a plan to have countermeasures in place for such a violent event, the family is relegated generally to two options. The first is to try to disengage and escape the scene, and the second is to deal with the evil element head-on. The only way to deal with these types of subhumans who dish out extreme violence is with greater violence against them. You must perform a hostage rescue on your own family because no one is coming to help you. You must do it yourself because the lives of your loved ones depend on it. Way too many gun owners are content with just getting their concealed carry permit and then putting their gun in a desk drawer with the notion that they will be able to use it when things go bump in the night. They could not be more wrong. Other gun owners will spend a lot of time on a square range working on marksmanship skills that may or may not help them in real-world situations. When it comes to defensive shooting, you should have skill with a gun, as well as a good foundation of tactics. Skill with a gun is defined as the learned ability to perform

the desired task with said gun with determined results, like drawing your weapon from the concealed position and hitting the target with precision (i.e., shooting the threat in the vital areas of the body). Tactics are preplanned or prepared procedures to deal with situations such as violent encounters. If you are going to carry a handgun for defensive purposes, you should be proficient with a handgun. These defensive skills should be applied toward force-on-force training using interactive role players in shoot/don’tshoot scenarios, especially if the bad guys have weapons that can shoot back. It is a known fact that through force-on-force training, you can condition yourself to a specific tactic based on the stimulus you receive, creating a conditioned response. AS HINTED AT the beginning of this article, we are talking about a class run by Battleline Tactical and their famed CEO/ lead instructor Kris “Tanto” Paronto. A man’s man, a man of God, a family man, a loyal brother in arms, a man of proven grit, a highly skilled and trained man – Paronto is all these things and more. He is also a man who served with distinction in one of the Army’s most elite combat

SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING units, the famed 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. He is a man who had many distinguished moments in battle, but one certainly cemented his name in history. Paronto’s and his teammates’ heroics have been forever immortalized in the bestselling book and epic movie 13 Hours, the true account of the 2012 terrorist attack on the US Special Mission in Benghazi, Libya. Paronto has been featured in the pages of American Shooting Journal before, but this Battleline class was different. Battleline teamed up with ammo manufacturer Fort Scott Munitions to hold a class at their manufacturing plant and their outstanding training facility. The two training powerhouses put together a near-perfect course on home defense and close-quarter battle drills. I was impressed that the first day of training started with a stop-the-bleed and medical class taught by Mike “Doc” Riche, a highly trained personal protection team leader with years of both stateside and overseas protection. His protecting detail has ranged from protecting a very wealthy family to members of our government. While Riche has served in every position

Ryan Kraft, owner of Fort Scott Munitions, hosted the training at two of his company’s CQB houses.

possible on a PPS detail, including team leader, he is highly regarded for the incredible skillset he has as a medic, putting on one of the best medical classes this author has ever seen. As the class went through the day doing intense scenarios, putting on seals and dressings to dress simulated

Paronto’s acts and philosophies are detailed in two popular books.

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

wounds and tourniquets to stop the bleeding, the training did not stop until the student had perfected all tasks that were required, under the watchful eye of Riche. What is important to note is that this type of training was most valuable to Paronto’s teammate Mark “Oz” Geist of 13 Hours, as he was seriously wounded by a mortar round that nearly blew off his arm. The quick medical attention he got, including a tourniquet, saved both his arm and his life. Bullets go both ways in a gunfight and anyone could get hit, including yourself, so self-aid is very important. But to this author, what drove home the importance of medical training was a story told by a seasoned SWATtrained officer. He was driving home from an event with his wife, going 50-plus mph in the dark. When he turned a corner, a stray cow was in the middle of the road. He hit the cow head-on. The damage to the officer’s vehicle was horrendous – and the injuries sustained by his wife are too graphic to print. At first glance, he thought his wife was dead. The officer was injured and in shock, but bravely fought through everything and started performing lifesaving first-aid

americanshootingjournal.com 37

SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING

Instructor Pablo Martinez demonstrates close-quarter battle and room clearing.

techniques. By the grace of God, she survived and is on her way to recovery. The point that really hit home was that the officer had performed medical first aid on many people, but never on his own family, let alone his wife. Think about that for a second: Are you trained to perform lifesaving skills on your family? If not, why not? At the end of the medical portion, the students were directed to Fort Scott’s two CQB houses. There, the students went through different rooms where they fought and engaged an intruder. First they would deal with the 38

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

threat and then perform medical first aid to the victim. Although the majority of the students were seasoned people in their fields, under the stress of the training, most put their first tourniquets on backwards, a situation Riche would correct on the spot and everyone got better throughout the day. THE NEXT DAY began with handgun training skills. The imparted wisdom came from none other than Paronto himself. Paronto is an expert in all small arms and, of course, has realworld experience. He talked about

many different positions to go in and out of rooms, which will vary, especially if you’re carrying out a wounded person or possibly a child. No one does room-clearing better than Rangers, and Paronto, being the consummate professional, clearly explained all skillsets in thorough detail. One thing he stated that was a tough pill to swallow, but a resounding truth nonetheless, was that sometimes the best cover you will have is right behind the very weapon system you are using! This was a very powerful statement about being both technically and tactically proficient with your personal defensive weapons system. Paronto turned over the roomclearing portion of the training to Pablo Martinez, who taught one of the best classes on the subject I have ever seen. Martinez’s background fools a lot of people. You would think he had a serious background in the special operations community due to his knowledge on the subject, but that came from years of training with some of the best in the country. If anyone tries to argue with his intellect, good luck, because his real job is a contract rocket engineer working for NASA. The firearms training was conducted with simulated firearms in Airsoft variants of the popular weapons carried today. Airsoft guns give the flexibility you can’t get with real ones, and that is to simulate gunfights. As I have previously stated, this is the best training you could possibly get. In closing, I would like to state that Battleline has a tremendous staff from all kinds of backgrounds and experiences who were not only knowledgeable but extremely patient to ensure everyone got the most out of the training. Kris Paronto is a class act all the way around, driven to total professionalism in all he does because every day he honors his fallen comrades, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. He has all the values that warriors need to have, which are loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service,

SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING

Alivia Rose Kraft, the only woman in the class attended by the author, clears bad guys out first before treating gunshot wounds.

Author Paul Pawela finds the training “invaluable to the average homeowner,” reminding them of the value of always being vigilant against threats and to prepare for them.

Battleline instructor Jeremy Mitchell encourages a student to get full arm extension while aiming his handgun.

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

integrity and personal courage. The Battleline training is invaluable to the average homeowner, reminding people to always stay safe, stay vigilant, and protect the most precious things near and dear to our hearts, our family. On that note, I would also like to say that the Kraft family, who owns Fort Scott Munitions, are salt-of-theearth people who went out of their way to accommodate me. Their ammo will be the subject of another article in full detail. Ryan and his wife Alivia Rose taught me valuable lessons in loyalty,

Custom Guns

When it comes to full custom guns, whether it be custom revolvers, custom 1911s, or full custom large caliber rifles, the place to look first is Gary Reeder Custom Guns. In business for almost 40 years building some of the finest full custom guns, built to your specs. Reeder Custom Guns is a fully licensed firearm manufacturer and can build that very special gun you have always wanted. To see almost 70 different series of full custom guns, see our web site, or if you have questions feel free to call. 10 to 12 month delivery in most cases. Gary Reeder Custom Guns • 2601 7th Ave. East • Flagstaff, Arizona 86004

SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING

Students and instructors pose in front of Fort Scott Munitions, located in southeast Kansas.

duty, respect, selfless service and integrity, and taught me more about personal courage than many people could ever imagine. They are warriors through and through and I wish to honor the Kraft family by dedicating this article to their daughter Lillian, a true warrior who had a love for life and family and fought a warrior’s fight to the very end. May we all have the warrior strength and love Lillian had! For more information on Battleline, visit kristantoparonto.com/battleline. For more on Fort Scott Munitions, go to fortscottmunitions.com.

Battleline instructors (from left to right) Martinez, Riche, Paronto and Mitchell.

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

Editor’s note: For realistic self-defense training, see assaultcountertactics.com. Author Paul Pawela is a nationally recognized firearms and self-defense expert based in Florida.

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

L.E. SPOTLIGHT

BRINGING DOWN A WHOLE OTHER ‘LEVEL OF EVIL’ Family that forced immigrants to work long hours under threat of deportation to be sentenced after longterm county, state investigation.

PHOTO BY TY ZEMLOK

uman trafficking is one of the most despicable crimes imaginable. Forcing victims into slavery against their will is horrible to think about. Most cases involve selling victims for crimes related to sex: forcing victims to sell their bodies, making children be in pornographic films, and so on. This is what most people think of when they think about human trafficking. But there is a lesser known aspect of human trafficking that is just as commonplace and, in many instances, is just as damaging. I’m talking about labor trafficking. For the unfamiliar, this is forcing people to do work against their will. It usually involves people who come to America seeking a better life. Many come here on work visas with the promise of a career and a path to citizenship. But what often happens is they end up in indentured servitude. Their passports are taken from them, denying them the ability to go home. Their cell phones are taken so they can’t call for help. They are forced to work long hours for little pay, and given substandard living conditions and food. Traffickers often target children and undocumented immigrants as well.

OPERATION RAINBOW BRIGHT, an investigation that began back in 2014, targeted labor traffickers in

Northern California. The subjects of the investigation were Joshua Gamos, Carlina Gamos and Noel Gamos. They operated child daycares and adult residential care facilities in San Mateo County, targeting Filipinos wanting to come to the United States for work. Once they were here, the suspects took passports from a few of the victims and threatened other out-ofstatus victims with deportation. The victims were forced to work excessive hours under poor conditions, and many were also responsible for tending to home care clients throughout the night. Nearly all victims lived on-site and slept on the floor. The victims were told that if they complained, they would be deported or arrested. The case was investigated by the California Department of Justice and the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office. The local lead investigator was Inspector Ty Zemlok. The investigation started in 2014, the suspects were arrested in 2018, and were later convicted in 2022. In one of the longest trials in the county’s history, the Gamos clan was found guilty of multiple counts of human trafficking and labor exploitation. The suspects stole $8.5 million from their victims over 10 years. The crew also failed to pay state income tax, workers’ compensation and insurance. The suspects were also charged with multiple counts of rape, but unfortunately the jury in this case couldn’t agree on this charge. The

Inspector Ty Zemlok with the San Mateo County, California, District Attorney’s Office was the lead investigator in Operation Rainbow Bright, helping to bring down a family of human traffickers.

defendants are looking at a maximum of 40 years in prison for their crimes. I interviewed Inspector Zemlok about this case. “The victims of the Gamos family were hardworking, honest and respectful people,” he said. “When they came to America from the Philippines, they expected the transition to be hard, but many took out large loans and left their families behind for the chance at a better life. The victims were promised citizenship, good pay and normal hours by the Gamoses, but instead they were forced into a horrendous situation.” Regarding the lasting impact on the victims, Zemlok said, “Their lives are forever affected by the monsters that are the Gamos family. My heart goes out to each and every one of them. I just hope the sentence Judge Elizabeth Lee imposes sends a message that this level of evil will not be tolerated in our society.” Human traffickers target the disadvantaged when they are at their weakest and most vulnerable. Cops and prosecutors go after these scum and bring them to justice.  Editor’s note: Author Nick Perna is a sergeant with the Redwood City Police Department in northern California. americanshootingjournal.com 45

LEGAL SPOTLIGHT

Extreme Risk Protection Orders, better known as “Red Flag” laws, are drawing increasing bipartisan support. One legal scholar recently offered Congress ideas “to reduce abuse and provide due process for the subject of the proceeding.”

BALANCING RED FLAG LAWS

Protecting due process, respecting 2A can keep public safe without trampling individual civil liberties. STORY BY DON WEST, CCW SAFE NATIONAL TRIAL COUNSEL

ollowing the recent mass shootings, there has been a renewed national interest in Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO) or what has become more familiarly known as “Red Flag” laws. Currently, 19 states and the District of Columbia have some type of Red Flag process in effect, with a lot more considering them. There is increasing bipartisan support for a national Red Flag law, including support by the president and

prominent Republican senators. What are Red Flag laws? In a nutshell, a Red Flag law is a state statute that establishes a court process where the court can enter a temporary order that requires immediate surrender or confiscation of otherwise legally owned and possessed firearms when there is a supportable claim that the person possessing the firearms is a significant danger to himself or others. Usually, the firearms are held for one to three weeks or until a followup hearing can be held for the judge to decide if the guns are to be retained for a significantly longer time – six months or even a year.

BECAUSE THESE LAWS are state laws rather than a standardized national law, they vary significantly from state to state. While some continue to make strong arguments that the Red Flag laws that result in the confiscation of legally owned guns violates the Second Amendment, most of the current discussion focuses on whether the laws are fair in their application and whether they actually work to accomplish their stated purpose. Whether they are fair focuses on how much due process is provided to the person subject to having his firearms confiscated. That also varies americanshootingjournal.com 47

LEGAL SPOTLIGHT greatly from state to state, and while some states offer considerable due process, including the requirement that the petitions be filed by law enforcement or prosecutors based on clear and convincing evidence, others are so one-sided with such low evidentiary thresholds that the law creates opportunities for mistakes and abuse. Then, of course, there’s the question of whether the laws work – is the process effective at identifying those extremely dangerous or suicidal individuals who reasonably should not be allowed access to firearms for the safety of themselves and others? The legal process for confiscation is similar to the petition for restraining order process in domestic violence situations. First, someone files a petition with the court claiming that the person poses a significant/extreme risk to himself or others based on certain specific information and that the person owns or possesses firearms,

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

and asks the court to order confiscation of the firearms. The court often issues a temporary order without input from the subject of the petition, requiring the person to surrender the firearms or authorizing law enforcement to confiscate them, sometimes incorporating a search warrant and without notice to the subject. Within the next one to three weeks, there will be a formal hearing where the court hears additional evidence, including from the subject of the petition, and decides whether to make the order more permanent, lasting several months or longer. Many of these orders can be renewed as well. Because each state enacts its own version of the Red Flag law, many vary significantly on the important aspects of how the petition is filed, the information required to be presented to the judge, whether counsel is provided to those unable to afford a lawyer, the standard of proof to be applied,

whether there is live evidence subject to cross-examination or merely written affidavits, how long the temporary order is in effect, and the process for challenging the order. It’s in these variances that there is so much risk for mistakes and abuse. Indeed, there has been such backlash that some sheriffs have stated that they will not enforce the confiscation orders because they believe them to be unconstitutional. IN MARCH 2019, legal scholar David Kopel testified before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee about Red Flag laws and how to establish guidelines for states planning to implement them. (It’s unlikely that there will be a national Red Flag law, but more likely that there will be federal funding provided to those states that implement Red Flag laws conforming to certain guidelines.) Professor Kopel has examined the Red Flag laws currently in effect and those proposed, notes their weaknesses and

LEGAL SPOTLIGHT strengths, and suggests the following be part of any Red Flag law that seeks to reduce abuse and provide due process for the subject of the proceeding. • Petitions should be initiated by law enforcement after an investigation (not subject to being initiated by spurned dating partners or relationships from long ago). • Ex parte (one-sided) hearings only when there is proof of necessity. • Standard of proof should be by clear and convincing evidence that has been corroborated. • Guarantees of all due process rights, including cross-examination and right to counsel. • Court-appointed counsel if the respondent so wishes. • A civil remedy for victims of false and malicious petitions to discourage false petitions and give the victim recourse against the accuser. • Safe and orderly procedures for relinquishment of firearms.

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

• Strict controls on no-knock raids. • Storage of relinquished firearms by responsible third parties. • Prompt restoration of concealed carry permits for the falsely accused. • Prompt return of firearms upon the termination of an order. • Renewal of orders based on presentation of clear and convincing proof. • Not allowing time-limited orders

to be bootstrapped into lifetime federal prohibition. Most of the Red Flag laws currently in effect are relatively new. Even with the Red Flag laws that have been around awhile, it’s not yet clear how effective they are at protecting society. Of course, we all want to be safe, but we want the laws designed to protect us to do so effectively and without trampling on our civil liberties. This is a delicate balance and not always easy to attain. Only with focused attention to vigilantly protecting due process and respecting our Second Amendment rights can we hope to accomplish both.  Editor’s note: Don West is a boardcertified criminal trial specialist with 35 years of experience as a criminal defense trial lawyer. He has extensive experience representing those who have had to defend themselves against unlawful and potentially lethal attacks.

americanshootingjournal.com 51

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ON YOUR 6 DESIGNS

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TAP RACK HOLSTERS

Tap Rack Holsters IWB offers function and form with safety and comfort as two principles in their line of handmade holsters. They mold to your specifications for a correct fit. No buckets here. Holsters feature adjustable retention, a 550 corded loop for securing to a belt or belt loop, semiclosed bottom that can be left open for threaded barrels on request, different body shield heights in low, medium and high upon request, and nonbinding smooth edges with no sharp points in their designs for comfort. Different colors and patterns available upon request.

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RITCHIE HOLSTERS

The most comfortable and secure ankle holster available. Black chrome leather with a 0.5-inch-thick fully adjustable felt pad, with 2-inch leather-reinforced Velcro band. The ankle scabbard is 8-ounce vegetable-tanned leather. All are wet-molded and hand-boned to the specific weapon.

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RED RIVER TACTICAL

The Type I Holster V3 is the newest addition to Red River Tactical’s line of holsters, with new features that make this holster remarkably comfortable and exceptionally concealable for outside-the-waistband carry. This holster is based off of their Type I Holster V2, with some design and construction changes. The V3 holster has a higher ride height than their Type I V2 Holster, a more aggressive forward cant of 25 degrees (plus or minus 2 degrees) and a cutaway on the leading edge of this holster for significant increase in comfort. It is also constructed with the thickest Kydex they use: 0.125-inch-thick Kydex. This thicker layer is applied to the backside layer of this holster, making it extremely durable and giving it an exceptional feel of retention, while 0.080-inch-thick Kydex is used on the frontside, allowing a wide selection of Kydex colors and patterns.

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RED HILL TACTICAL

This is Red Hill Tactical’s premium inside-the-waistband holster. The design stemmed from days of wearing the company’s standard IWB holster and thinking, “What would take this to the next level in comfort, concealability and use?” They feel that this design is their best IWB holster yet.

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TED BLOCKER HOLSTERS

This holster is Ted Blocker’s 911M, shown here in black. The finest leather has been used by an experienced leatherman to handcraft this concealment holster for the client’s particular gun. In business for over 50 years – they know how to do it right!

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American Shooting Journal // August 2022

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HIDE AND SEEK ELK

Wapiti aren’t easy to find, but here’s one hunter’s all-around game plan for closing the gap on North America’s best-tasting big game animal. STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HAUGEN

uring archery elk season a few years back, I arrowed a dandy bull on opening day after calling it in from a long way off. When I first saw the bull, I figured I didn’t have a prayer of it coming to me. I thought I’d have to stalk my way to it, hoping to get within bow range. But with the first loud cow calls I made, the bull lifted its head, bugled, and started trotting my way. The big six-point was over 800 yards away, feeding on the edge of a cow herd numbering more than 30 head. I kept calling and he kept coming, right into my lap.

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

At 40 yards, the shot was straight forward, on level ground, and I’d already ranged nearby bushes and trees just in case. But in the end I didn’t need them. The bull didn’t make it 75 yards before piling up after the arrow penetrated the bottom of both lungs and the top of the heart. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. It shouldn’t have. But it did, and I was elated. That night I made a post on social media, sharing my proud moment with fellow hunters. Many congratulated me, but one gentleman’s comment stood out. “That didn’t take long!” was all it said. It wasn’t derogatory, just to the point. It didn’t rub me the wrong way, but got me thinking about the time I had invested in the hunt. What went through my mind was

something like: “Well, if you consider that I ran multiple trail cameras in this area for over a year, hunted more than two months for sheds with my dogs where we covered miles each day, physically scouted for bachelor bulls as well as cows

ROAD HUNTER

The last thing you want to do on opening day of elk season is look for a place to hunt, and that’s where preseason scouting comes in. americanshootingjournal.com 59

ROAD HUNTER Scouting at night has played a big part in author Scott Haugen’s elk hunting success for many years. It’s something that’s not easy to do but can pay big dividends.

and calves all spring and summer long, scouted heavily for bulls in July and August, intensely monitored cow and calf herds and plotted their movements on maps in late summer, worked out year-round to keep my body in shape but really ramped things up from June through the start of hunting season, scouted at night on several occasions, and nearly tripled my trail camera usage in August, the ‘season’ seemed anything but short to me.” While the hunt took minutes, the preparation for that hunt took hundreds of hours. My point is, by the time opening day of elk season arrives – whether you’re hunting with a bow or rifle – you want to know where bulls are, what their movements are like, and the dynamics of cow herds. You want multiple places to hunt should you encounter fellow hunters, be forced out of an area by wildfires, or botch an opportunity at a bull. Of all the time you spend preparing 60

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for elk season, August is the most crucial month of all. PRESEASON EFFORTS Whether you hold one elk tag in your home state or hunt multiple states throughout the West, you’ll have 10 to 11 months of no hunting season. These months are important times to learn about elk. Start by researching places to hunt, followed by studying satellite images online of areas you might hunt. Google Earth is a go-to resource for many hunters. Explore habitat, lay of the land, drainages and wildfire trends. Talk with regional biologists about elk numbers as well as predator and wildfire impacts in areas you’re looking to hunt. A lot of “scouting” can be done at home, saving valued time and legwork. Next, determine if you’ll be hunting migratory elk or homebodies. If hunting elk that don’t travel out of an

area – like Roosevelts or low-elevation Rocky Mountain elk – you can scout for them year-round. If hunting in the early archery season, scout elk on their summer range, where you’ll be hunting them. If hunting migratory elk in later rifle seasons, remember that they can move many miles. It might be worth scouting summer range to get an idea of elk numbers, but it’s more important to spend time learning the lay of the land you’ll be hunting come season, even though elk likely won’t be there in the summer. ’ROUND THE CLOCK SCOUTING Nothing has helped me fill more elk tags over the years than physically scouting, and I go about it in four ways. First, I spend many hours in the field all year long. Where I hunt Roosevelt elk, I’m scouting every month. Where I hunt Rocky Mountain elk in other states, I’ll combine spring

americanshootingjournal.com 61

ROAD HUNTER

Velvet-covered elk antler is one of the fastest-growing tissues in the world. For this reason, summer scouting is important because bulls are in the open and can be seen.

Want to fill that prized bull elk tag? Then start scouting now.

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

scouting missions with a bear or turkey hunt and I’ll also scout areas in August if bowhunting. Second, I closely monitor when calves are born. Elk have a gestation period of approximately 250 days, so this determines when the breeding occurs. Pre-rut, rut and post-rut hunting are prime times for bowhunters, and understanding the progression of each rut phase is important. Third, I’ll start scouting for bulls in May, but get serious in July and August. Velvet-covered elk antler is one of the fastest-growing tissues on the planet, capable of growing up to 2 inches a day. Bulls protect their headgear, as it’s their status symbol, what they use to fight with, and what they rely on to ward off predators. Bulls don’t like going in thick brush when antlers are growing because it can damage them, and this means they can be visible all day long in the summer. Scout early and late in the morning when movement is high, but also scout shaded slopes during the heat of the day, as elk will get up to

ROAD HUNTER rebed as the moving sun hits them. Fourth, if you’re seeing a lot of sign in draws and lower elevations but finding no elk, track them to higher-elevation bedding areas. Elk will cover a great deal of ground at night to find good food, then retreat to higher elevations to sleep for the day. Trail cameras are an excellent tool for capturing this movement, but so is scouting at night. In August, as calves start exploring their world and moving away from cows in the herd, both become very vocal. The communication is most intense right after dark when they start separating, and prior to daylight when they reassemble to move toward bedding areas. Night scouting entails listening, so avoid the urge to get close to elk and do not let elk wind you. Navigate with a dim light and make sure you’re capable of moving in the dark by relying on a map or GPS. WILDFIRE AWARENESS Wildfires throughout the West have been horrific in recent years, with the past two Augusts and Septembers being among the worst on record. While season closures are frustrating at the time, last summer’s burns are where you might want to begin this summer’s scouting efforts. Due to lack of logging on public land over the decades, fires now create some of the best habitat for elk. When large-scale logging took place on public land, elk habitat and elk hunting were phenomenal in many regions. Logging opens land that allows food to flourish, and with the lack of logging, fires have filled in as the best creators of prime habitat. One thing I’ve noticed is that elk will start feeding in burns once grass begins sprouting, often with the first rains of fall. This can happen as soon as a month or two after fires hit. Animals will also roll and bed in the ash of new burns to delouse themselves. A year or two after a fire has swept through elk habitat is not too early 64

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

to focus hunting efforts. Spend time scouting the edges of burns on southfacing slopes, especially in areas where runoff is high. Both spring and fall rain runoff means more water, which, when combined with sunlight, equates to expedited growth of grass, forbs and woody-tissued plants. Runoff is greatest in steep, rocky terrain. TIP-TOP SHAPE Of all the elk camps I’ve been in over the years, nothing prevents the notching of a tag like failing to be in shape. Elk country is big, and physically and mentally demanding. If you can’t get to where the elk are, you won’t kill one, period. Being in shape for elk season is as important as scouting, and if you’re not in shape, a good diet should be the primary starting point. You don’t have to run marathons or bench press 400 pounds to kill elk. Cutting excess weight through a dedicated cardio workout is valuable, followed by building strength through lifting light weights in high repetition. Remember, you can’t exercise away a bad diet, so start there. Consult a doctor prior to undertaking a strenuous workout routine. I have back issues and can’t run much, so I depend on an Airdyne resistance stationary bike to build cardio. Combine that with light weightlifting, yoga, stretching and a healthy diet, and you’re on the way to becoming an elk hunter. By the time elk season arrives you should be in shape and have multiple places to hunt. Regularly filling elk tags requires work and dedication, and if you’re not ready now, it’s time to start. Once the season begins, it could be too late.  Editor’s note: Want to learn multiple ways to field dress and skin an elk? Order Scott Haugen’s bestselling instructional DVD, Field Dressing, Skinning & Caping Big Game, at scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.

Haugen called in this six-point bull from over 800 yards away on opening day. Though he didn’t see this bull when scouting, he did learn the lay of the land, which was instrumental in helping fill the tag. americanshootingjournal.com 65

THE TACTICAL HUNTER Long-range shooting is all the rage, but it will never replace old-fashioned fieldcraft for stalking big game. Here are one rifle hunter's tricks. STORY AND PHOTOS BY JASON BROOKS

When glassing for big game, break up your outline to blend into the landscape and stay hidden from the animals you seek.

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

limbing up out of the steep drainage overlooking Idaho’s Salmon River, I took a quick glance to the far hillside and confirmed the elk were still there. Earlier that morning we had planned to check a spot that is known to hold elk when they get pressured from other hunters. Sure enough, the bench and open slope above were being used as a safe haven by a herd with a few bulls in it. It was time to make a plan and close the distance. I had killed a bull on this very same hillside three years earlier and have been hunting this mountain for nearly 30 years, so when my hunting partner Russ McClellan asked me for my thoughts on how we were going to get within shooting range, my answer was simple: “We need to be tactical about it, as they can see us coming from below, the wide-open slope means we can’t stalk directly to them, and it’s too far of a shot from here.”

Idaho’s Salmon River cuts deep into the Rocky Mountains and is where author Jason Brooks chases elk. americanshootingjournal.com 67

Use natural cover like this pile of branches underneath a ponderosa pine to conceal yourself while waiting for game.

In open country try to use dips and folds in the terrain to conceal yourself while glassing and sneaking up on game.

Hunters often forget how to overcome obstacles to close the distance to game. With all the modern advances in long-range shooting, it seems the average hunter is starting to lose the ability to stalk game. Why would a hunter need to expend their energy – or risk busting a herd of elk, causing them to flee to the next mountain range – if they can just shoot from the perch they are on? Well, it is part of hunting and though it takes a serious set of skills to make long-distance 68

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

shots, it is also rewarding to get as close as possible to the animal. It is why bowhunting is still extremely popular, as it adds to the hunt. But with younger generations of hunters learning to shoot far distances, they are foregoing one of the most basic concepts of hunting game and that is to actually “hunt” the animal. Closing the distance between hunter and prey is but one of the reasons why many of us take the field. It is a challenge and is very satisfying to sneak in on an animal and make

an ethical shot. Not only does it add to the hunt, but it also makes you a better hunter. Finding game and then stalking it is rewarding in itself, even if you do not end up filling the tag, and it is becoming a lost art of sorts. LEGENDARY BOWHUNTER AND bow manufacturer Fred Bear is known for several words of wisdom, including, “The best camouflage pattern is called, ‘Sit down and be quiet!’ Your grandpa hunted deer in a red plaid coat.” This is true, but do not overlook camo as

When possible, put up a simple ground blind to stay hidden, and always use good camo.

part of your tactical gear. When it comes to “tactics,” there are two terms often used interchangeably: cover and concealment. For those in the military and law enforcement worlds, cover and concealment work together but mean different things. Cover is used to protect the person from the threat while also concealing their location. Concealment is being hidden but with no protection. For the hunter, they can be used interchangeably for the most part. Using cover can be as simple as

sitting in a ground blind over a water hole or tucking in behind a large tree. You can’t see through the tree and must peek out a window of the blind; in essence, you are “covered up” until you expose yourself to take a peek. Concealing yourself is more than just using a sagebrush bush to break up your outline, but this is the basic idea. Try to keep something between you and the animal you are stalking. One way to do this is to cover ground slowly from “point to point,” meaning going from one object to another. For

example, using a tree for cover until you get to the next tree, then finding another object to keep between you and the prey. One way to stalk an animal using cover and concealment is to use the terrain itself. Last spring we found a flock of turkeys in a farmer’s field that we had permission to hunt. Noticing a small depression in the field, we crawled over to it and realized it was about an 8-foot drop from the top to the bottom. This allowed us to walk along until we were even with the birds americanshootingjournal.com 69

and then crawl up and place a hen decoy, as if it had just walked up out of the same depression, while we lay in wait for the tom to come strutting over. Another time we sat inside of a pine tree. This meant sitting at the base of the tree and using the branches to conceal our outline. One of the branches also made for a good shotgun rest. This tactic can be used for whitetail and the Columbian blacktail where I live in western Washington state, as they tend to use the trails throughout the day. For the mule deer hunter, this might mean sitting in a hidden spot, such as behind a boulder or up against a sagebrush bush, and watching a well-used saddle between north- and south-facing slopes. I always find it odd to look around with binoculars and see hunters sitting out on an open slope or on a ridgeline. They stick out like a sore thumb and are easy to spot, not just by me but by any animal that calls that place home. When on a ridge, it is best to hike a few feet below the ridgeline. If you want to look over the other side, then crouch down and use a tree or some other object to conceal yourself, approach it, and then peek over. DISTANCE IS OFTEN overlooked as a concealment method. Thinking back to that herd of elk we found above the river drainage, when I was asked how we would stalk that group of elk, I knew that the only cover we had was distance. Heading back down and hiking to the next ridge that came down from the peak above, we made our way up a small drainage on the backside. Once we got to the top, we cut across the face nearly a mile away from the elk. We could look down on them and see they were still there, in their safety zone on that bench. The elk were wary of predators that would come up from below, and though we were well within sight of the sentry cow, the herd never once looked up, probably because the slope was wide open and the morning thermals were still blowing down. We were so far above them that our scent never made it down to them and they could not see us. 70

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

Russ McClellan looks down on a herd of elk while using distance as a way to keep from being seen during the stalk.

americanshootingjournal.com 71

Even the sun can be used to your advantage when sneaking up on big game. By keeping it at your back in the morning and evening, animals may not detect your approach.

The weather is another tactic that hunters overlook. If barometric pressure is changing, this means breezy conditions. If a storm is approaching from the west, you should hunt from the east, into the wind. With today’s modern technology and so many weather apps on cell phones, there really is no excuse for not knowing the forecast. My favorite app is called Windy (windy.com), which provides precise wind direction and speed and the map is incredibly detailed. You can see what the wind is doing on the next ridge, basin or mountain over, so if you need to plan a stalk, you know which direction to approach from. Knowing the wind direction is a serious game-changer and is one that is often overlooked by hunters. When 72

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you can predict weather down to the hour, this can be a big advantage when thinking tactically. If a system is about to move in, then position yourself so that when it does hit you are already in a vantage point to intercept animals. Years ago, the very first buck I ever killed was during a major windstorm. It had snowed all night and now the clouds were being pushed out of the area with a pressure change. I sat in a saddle; one side was windward and powdered snow was flying, but the other side was leeward and calm. As I sat in the saddle, I knew that no deer was going to leave the warm and calm basin to my left, so I faced to the right and waited. An hour later, a small buck seeking refuge on the other side of the saddle walked right to me.

SUNLIGHT IS NOT often thought of as something that a hunter can utilize, but it should be considered. I prefer to hunt from east to west in the morning and then west to east in the afternoon. This basically always keeps the sun to my back, allowing me to see much better, plus it can blind my quarry. A few years ago I was hiking along an open alpine meadow when I jumped a cow elk. It was an “any elk” unit and I was not about to turn down the opportunity at a cow. She stood there trying to figure out what I was, as she was staring directly back into the sun. I could see her easily and had plenty of time to take the shot. You should think about things like the sun’s position in the sky, wind direction and even time of day when stalking an animal. If it is midday and

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McClellan and the Idaho bull he took with the author while they used terrain, distance and patience to stalk an elk herd.

the animal is content, then it is likely to still be there when you get there. But if it is late in the day, the prey might get up to feed. Early morning is very unpredictable when it comes to animal behavior. They might feed longer if the night was cold or wet, they might lay down, or they might adjust their bed several times before settling down for the day. Patience is the hardest tactic to learn, but sometimes just watching an animal for a few hours will give you enough intel to help you choose the right tactics to close the distance. BACK TO THAT elk hunt in Idaho. After we climbed to the top of the mountain, it was time to make the final approach. We had used distance as cover and had worked the thermals, knowing that when we first spotted the elk our scent was being carried downhill. Now it was midafternoon and as we approached from above, the thermals carried our scent up and away from the elk. 74

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A sharp knife-edge ridge led down to the elk, and it had several rock outcroppings on it. Keeping the rocks between the elk and ourselves, we kept our outlines concealed. Finally making our way to just above the elk, we spotted a fivepoint bull lying next to some small pine trees, surrounded by a group of cows. A bugle let off to our right and I found another five-point raking some trees in a small depression in the shade of the saddle below. A lone sagebrush bush between me and that bull meant I could sneak down to get a clear shot. My hunting partner Russ stayed put and said he would take the first five-point we’d spotted after I took the first shot, since my bull was standing. It all worked out. Six hours after we first spotted the elk, I shot and killed a nice Idaho bull. The second bull and the cows had no idea what happened; as they stood looking around, Russ took his shot. We doubled up on two five-point bulls because we were tactical hunters. 

Brooks and the elk he took at the same time as his hunting partner. They used stalking tactics that most other hunters don’t think about in this day and age of long-range shooting.

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O ff-Se a s o n A d v entur es

Hunting guides with Compass Mountain Outfitters check on a snow-laden cabin during a 50-mile circuit to resupply several camps along the Canadian company’s ”guideline” in northern British Columbia.

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on es

Even in the dead of winter, 'the mountains are calling' for three off-duty backcountry hunting guides – though it's not all fun and games. STORY AND PHOTOS BY CASSIDY CARON

s another busy hunting season winds down, the last clients leave and camps are winterized, inevitably, burnout strikes. Even the toughest and most committed guides find themselves succumbing to the creature comforts of civilization. The aftermath of months of living off-grid involves shameless weeks of binging on fast food and swallowing copious amounts of beer. It’s living in pajamas and spending a shocking number of hours streaming all the shows missed. Even so, the draw of the wilderness is a steady hum in the background. The ability to make a living guide-outfitting is not so much a career choice as a lifestyle one. After swearing that you are due a solid rest – one that borders on hibernation – a week into that rest, the stirring is back. It is as if your soul contains something metallic and the mountains themselves are magnetic. They are drawing you back to them, to the place where you belong. americanshootingjournal.com 77

Winter in the northern Rocky Mountains is peaceful and beautiful, yet can also be unbelievably deadly for the unprepared or unlucky.

With good conditions for riding their snowmachines, the guides can access camps in the farthest reaches of their territory, places that otherwise would take days upon days to reach by horse during warmer, drier times of year.

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WINTER IN CANADA'S Northern Rockies is aggressive and unrelenting. Much of the region averages 6 to 10 feet of snow. Temperatures can range from 0 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Winds roar through peaks nonstop and blizzards roll in fast. They can dump 3 feet of snow overnight. There is a grave awareness of being on your own, of walking the knifeedge of fate. If you get yourself into trouble, help is a long way off and will only reach you if the weather permits. Mistakes or mechanical failures can turn deadly in the amount of time it takes to draw a single breath. And yet, despite that – or maybe even enhanced because of it – there is an exhilaration in the magic and beauty of the mountains in winter. There are layers of silence and solitude. The virgin snow can be so deep that it smooths out complicated terrain and makes it appear featureless. The unmarred white is so perfect and glittery it almost seems edible, like endless mounds of sugar-

dusted whipped cream. There is much to learn from spending time in the wilderness in the heart of winter. You are forced to pay close attention to weather and snow conditions. You are navigating without technology, and that makes you better able to see the stories the snow is telling about animal habits and patterns. If the snow conditions are cooperative, it creates perfect opportunities to access remote camps in the farthest reaches of the guide territory. At all other times of the year, it would involve multiple days of horseback riding to get to them. Still, it is no easy task breaking a mountain trail through deep, deep powder with a snowmachine. Most of the time, you have no idea what lies beneath. Getting stuck is inevitable – and a complete nightmare. It can take hours to dig out of it. At all times, you carry an awareness that you are completely at the mercy of mechanical parts working flawlessly.

After 10 hours of snowmobiling to their first cabin, the crew needed to shovel several feet of snow off the roof lest the structure collapse due to the weight.

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

IN THE WINTER of 2022, my partners and I did a 50-mile circuit to check on and resupply several camps throughout the guideline. Our route took us through complete wilderness. To reach the first camp, we battled for 10 hours, driving sleds through headhigh snow. We dug stuck machines out of snow coffins. Wet and cold, we endlessly repacked loaded skimmers, and tinkered with mechanical glitches. Thankfully, the cabin was exactly how we had left it, with no sleeping grizzlies needing to be evicted. Not so thankfully, there was so much snow on the roof that it was compressing the small structure to the point that we could barely open the door. After the arduous day, we had to shovel massive amounts of snow off the roof. Despite the inconvenience, we knew it was a stroke of luck that we had arrived when we did. If it had warmed up before we arrived, it would have increased the weight of the snow on the roof. We might have had a pile of matchsticks instead of a cabin! The following day we made our way to the next camp. None of us had ever sledded there before and it

YOUR MUST-STOP BEFORE HUNTING & FISHING ON PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND, ALASKA KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF WILL LET YOU KNOW WHERE, WHEN AND HOW!

Nearly to their second camp after hours of hard sledding, the guides decided to hit the “easy” button and ride a frozen river the rest of the way. That didn’t work out so well for Tom Sallows, whose snowmobile broke through the ice and had to be rescued.

was even harder than the trip on the previous day. The terrain was guarded by impassable canyons and steep gullies. We had to traverse ridges that the wind had swept clean of snow. There were places on the rivers with dangerous open water despite months of freezing temperatures. With exhaustion setting in, and only a few miles shy of the camp, we made a decision to take the “easy” way, and ride the river rather than 82

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fight our way through more forest. Tom Sallows, co-owner of Compass Mountain, and a very experienced trapper and sledder, led the way. AS TOM CARVED a path along the icy surface of the river, the cloud of powder being thrown high by the wide track of his heavy Skandic abruptly halted. The ice had given way and the sled slammed into a black hole of open water. Tom was thrown

clear. He was unhurt, but the massive 650-pound snowmobile bobbed ominously in the churning river. We were able to wrestle the machine to the edge of the broken ice, aware that if anyone slipped into the hole they would likely get dragged under, never to be seen again. The ever-present danger of living in the mountains trains you to make fast yet calculated decisions to get yourself out of a bind rather than panic.

With an assist from branches jammed underneath it and the pulling power of a second snowmobile, the stuck Ski-Doo was extricated from the frigid river, though the crew’s problems with the vehicles were far from over.

We cut branches, jamming them in the hole to prop the snowmobile out of the water, and rigged a strap through the front skis. Then we were able to pull it with a second Ski-Doo, hoping against hope that the second one didn’t go through the ice as well. With all hands on deck, we balanced precariously on the cracking edge of the hole and, through desperate pushing and pulling, persuaded the machine back onto the solid surface.

Though everyone was soaked, our clothing quickly becoming stiff as it froze, by the time we arrived at the camp after dark, spirits were high. A catastrophe averted will do that! A roaring fire in the old wood stove quickly ate away the stale chill inside the cabin. A few good nips of whiskey warmed our insides as we thawed out and enjoyed the camaraderie of reliving the exciting events of another challenging day.

It wasn’t, however, the end of Tom’s troubles. The next morning, only a few miles past the hole that almost claimed his sled, his tie rod went. With one ski flopping uselessly in all directions, his big sled was impossible to steer. With the ingenuity of people who have learned to rely on themselves in the most challenging of circumstances, Tom came up with a classic bush fix. He cut a sapling and jammed it through both skis to keep them straight. This americanshootingjournal.com 83

gave him a small degree of control. It made for slow, painful going on an already difficult trail, but he was able to limp the sled out of the bush. Tom is an avid trapper and spends much of the winter on his line alone, establishing trails through chestdeep snow in pursuit of lynx, martin, wolverine, squirrels, ermine and wolves. He once had a 330 Conibear trap slam shut on his hand while he was miles away from his cabin. Feeling the cold steel of a device designed to instantly dispatch wolves and wolverines squeezing the circulation out of his wrist, Tom staggered back to his snowmobile. He was able to miraculously get the trap open with a rope and his other hand. Disaster narrowly avoided, it was back to trapping business as usual. Thirty miles from the truck, a classic bush fix was required to deal with a broken tie rod – a sapling jammed through both skis. It made for slow going but ultimately a safe return from the backcountry.

Compass Mountain Outfitter owners Cass Caron, Sallows and Brett Waller pose during their winter mission checking on the company’s hunting cabins in northern BC.

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WHETHER IT IS trapping, predator hunting or stocking hunting camps, the winter never turns out to be “down time” for those of us in the outfitting world of northern Canada. By the time the snow softens and the air warms, that all-too-familiar exhaustion is back. It’s time for another bout of binging, beer, pajamas and live-streaming. And then strength returns, and my spirit rises to a new hunting season and all the new adventures it will hold. This is my lifestyle choice: wilderness, adventures, dangers, selfreliance, ingenuity, survival. I have the great privilege of experiencing the rarest of things. If I time-traveled back 100 years, I would find very few differences between my experience and the experience of those who have been called before me. This way of experiencing life feels as if it is shrinking, disappearing year by year, bit by bit, regulation by regulation. Being the one in these modern times to bear the torch, to keep alive and honor the old ways, is something beyond special. The mountains are calling.  Editor’s note: Cassidy Caron is the owner of Compass Mountain Outfitters. For more information, visit compassmountainoutfitters.com.

A cozy, glowing cabin makes for a welcome shelter after a long day of breaking trail with snowmobiles in the Canadian wilderness. americanshootingjournal.com 85

SCATTERGUN ALLEY

The new Henry Side Gate Lever-Action .410 can trace its history back to the 1880s and the famed repeater from Winchester, which asked gunmaker John Moses Browning to engineer a lever-action shotgun version.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET THE GATE Henry’s new Side Gate Lever-Action .410 is ‘no novelty,’ says our shotgun expert. Rather, a ‘very serviceable gun for hunting, self-defense, and dealing with home and garden pests.’ STORY AND PHOTOS BY LARRY CASE

’m not sure any firearm is more fun to shoot than a lever-action. Describing why they are is hard, but it’s still true. If you grew up watching any westerns (The Rifleman), you can’t help yourself: When you start pulling the trigger and working the lever, you are transported to a box canyon mixing it up with the bad guys.

Henry Repeating Arms has been making lever-action rifles since 1860, when their founder Benjamin Henry started the dynasty. These days, Henry (henryusa.com) makes a wide array of lever-action rifles, but they haven’t exactly been known for lever-action shotguns – until now. LEVER GUN HISTORY The whole lever-action shotgun thing started back in 1885. The story goes that Winchester encouraged the

esteemed gun inventor John Moses Browning to come up with a repeater shotgun with a lever action. Shotgun history lore tells us that Browning didn’t want to go the lever-action route, but instead wanted to design a pump gun. Winchester, we are told, held fast to the lever-action design, as that was what they were famous for in their classic lever rifles. Browning obeyed and the Winchester 1887 lever-action shotgun was born. Prior to the Winchester 1887, americanshootingjournal.com 87

SCATTERGUN ALLEY

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double-barreled shotguns were the only choice, so Browning’s brainchild was the cat’s meow for a time. This new lever-action had 5+1 loading capability but was not the easiest to load. Having no side gate, the shooter had to open the rolling block action and load through the receiver. The shotgun had a curiously small hammer, which was sometimes hard to grasp and cock the gun. The 1887, followed by the 1901 model, held on for a few years, but was replaced when Browning got his way and Winchester introduced the model 1897 pump gun. The lever-action shotgun wasn’t heard from for a while. Winchester fiddled with a lever .410 in the early 1990s, Marlin offered one 19 years later, and Henry, the iconic lever-action rifle company, came along about 10 years after that with their own version of the lever-action shotgun. The .410 bore (it is actually a caliber, not a gauge), somewhat like the leveraction shotgun, was a sleeper for many years but has come back into the limelight recently. Not only a popular choice for young shooters, subgauges like the .410 have gained popularity with adult shooters who may just be tired of getting hammered by magnum 12-gauge loads.

The Side Gate is deeply blued, with a dark straightgrained walnut stock and forearm, fore and aft checkering, thick rubber recoil pad and six-shell capacity.

NOT JUST A KID’S GUN The Henry Side Gate Lever-Action .410 is a substantial piece of machinery. This is not a toy or what some people might think of as just a “kid’s gun.” While the lever-action shotgun may be thought of as something of a novelty, this shotgun falls into the category of a very serviceable gun for hunting, selfdefense, and dealing with home and garden pests. It is definitely in the realm of a “truck gun.” More on this later. Based on Henry’s blued steelframed .45-70 lever action, these smoothbores are chambered for 2.5inch shells only to enable rapid cycling with short-throw levers. This shotgun is deeply blued, with dark straightgrained American walnut furniture, pistol grip wrists, checkering fore and americanshootingjournal.com 89

SCATTERGUN ALLEY

“A couple of trips to the squirrel woods produced good results,” reports author Larry Case, “with the Henry and the 2½-inch loads knocking squirrels out of some tall oak trees.” Other critters he’d use the shotgun on include turkeys and smaller varmints.

aft, sling swivel studs, and a thick nonslip ventilated black rubber recoil pad. Two versions are offered, the fulllength and the compact. The longer H018G-410 comes with a blued 24-inch round barrel that’s factory-threaded for Invector-style chokes. A full choke tube is supplied, and additional options are available from the Henry store, including a Turkey TSS choke. The high-visibility front brass bead will serve for wing-shooting clays and birds alike. The long barrel makes for a slightly milder report and stretches the effectiveness of .410 shotshells to the max. Henry .410 lever-action shotguns now feature side loading gates for topping off the magazine while in action. The six-shot tube magazines can also be loaded through the front of the tube and unloaded rapidly without having to cycle shotshells through the 90

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action. If hunting would be the primary job for this shotgun, I would buy this model with the longer barrel and the screw-in chokes. The H018G-410R model is a more compact configuration with a 20-inch round cylinder bore barrel, good for brush hunting with birdshot, defense with buckshot, or deer hunting with slugs. The semi-buckhorn rear sight, adjustable for windage and elevation, combined with brass bead front post sights, make for very accurate shooting. A little lighter than its 24inch counterpart, this shotgun is easier to carry in the field or handle in tight quarters. The adjustable sights enable altering the patterns of any shot load and points of impact of any slugs. This firearm lets you handle small game like rabbits or birds for the pot, and varmints like fox, coyotes and pest

rodents at moderate ranges. If I knew I was going to shoot a lot of slugs, I would be choosing this, the shorter-barreled model with the adjustable sights. BURNING POWDER WITH THE HENRY The Henry Lever-Action shotgun was fired extensively on the range and in the field. The first thing I needed to establish for my own peace of mind was that the firearm would go bang every time I pulled the trigger (Case’s Firearm Theorem No. 2) and would function the rounds effectively, as in ejecting spent hulls and loading the next shell. Shotgun shells tend to load, feed and otherwise function in a firearm’s action differently than rifle cartridges. Rifle rounds are all metallic, usually more pointed than blunt, and are smoother than shotshells, so they

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SCATTERGUN ALLEY The Side Gate comes in compact (19.75inch barrel) and full-length (24-inch barrel) models that weigh 7.33 and 7.54 pounds, respectively. (HENRY)

tend to ride through a gun’s action smoothly. Shotgun shells are often thicker (even .410), are blunt on the end, and though we don’t deal in paper shells now, today’s plastic shotshells will drag in a gun’s action more so than a smooth metallic cartridge. For all of these reasons I was curious as to how the Henry LeverAction would function and I was not disappointed. Several rounds of fully loading (5+1) and firing the gun had no glitches; the little .410 fed and ate the Remington and Winchester loads with no problems. I was also pleasantly surprised on the patterning board. Even though 2½-inch .410 loads only hold about 112 No. 6 shot pellets, on turkey patterning targets at 30 yards, the Henry delivered what I thought were respectable patterns. I would have no problem drawing down on a big gobbler at that range. A couple of trips to the squirrel woods produced good results as well, with the Henry and the 2½-inch loads knocking squirrels out of some tall oak trees. A GREAT LITTLE TRUCK GUN There has been much talk in recent years of what exactly makes a “truck gun.” In my not so humble opinion, a truck gun is one you would carry in the truck most of the time and one that can be applied to many different jobs. In some locales it may be getting less popular to talk about shooting snakes, but that would be one job for the truck gun, with garden pests like crows, woodchucks, rats and maybe starlings as well. The Henry Lever-Action also serves as a home-defense weapon and can be loaded with a variety of ammo such as birdshot, .410 slugs, or designated home-defense loads like the Winchester PDX1 .410 Defender load. This shell fires four plated defense discs and 16 plated BB-sized pellets, devastating to any intruder at close home-defense ranges. The Henry Lever-Action also comes drilled and tapped to accept a Weaver 63B-style scope base. The Henry Side Gate Lever-Action .410 shotgun is a handsome, well-put-

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together firearm that operated with no problems on the range or in the field. I like the rugged construction, and the fit and finish of the wood to metal is excellent. The Henry functioned very well with various brands of ammo; it loaded, fired and ejected with no problems. I can’t finish up without telling you this: The Henry Side Gate Lever-Action .410 shotgun is just plain ol’ fun to shoot. Shooting and hunting are supposed to be fun, remember?  Editor’s note: Larry Case has been a devoted outdoorsman since he was a child. He will admit to an addiction to turkey hunting (spring and fall), but refuses any treatment. He enjoys the company of gobblers and cur dogs that are loud and people who speak the truth softly. Case served 36 years as a game warden in West Virginia and retired with the rank of district captain. You can check out his podcast and other stories at gunsandcornbred.com.

SPECIFICATIONS (FULL-LENGTH)

Action type: Lever-action shotgun Caliber: .410 bore Chamber size: 2½ inches Capacity: 6 rounds MSRP: $1,012 Barrel length: 24 inches Barrel type: Round blued steel Overall length: 42.75 inches Weight: 7.54 pounds Receiver finish: Blued steel Rear sight: None Front sight: Brass bead Scope capabilities: Drilled and tapped Scope mount type: Weaver 63B Stock material: American walnut Butt plate/pad: Black ventilated rubber recoil pad Length of pull: 14 inches Safety: Transfer bar Best uses: Target, hunting, bird shot Embellishments/extras: Internally threaded for Invector-style chokes (full included). Swivel studs, side gate, 2½-inch shells only.

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BULLET BULLETIN

These 1¾-inch shotshells offer a unique experience in comparison to their longer, more well-known counterparts.

THE CASE FOR SUPER-SHORT SHOTSHELLS

Measuring a mere 1.75 inches, ‘stubbies’ may be perfect for training, home defense – even some hunts. STORY BY PHIL MASSARO • PHOTOS BY MASSARO MEDIA GROUP

uy a shotgun! Buy a shotgun!” Such was the advice of our sitting president when it comes to the defense of the home. While Mr. Biden and I don’t agree on many points – I could probably count those points on one hand with fingers leftover – he might not be entirely wrong with that

“

statement, though I don’t see folks giving up their AR-15s anytime soon. Biden’s point was that the shotgun is easier to aim than a rifle and is a more effective weapon for self-defense. Having used both firearms for decades, I don’t entirely agree with him here, but as stated, he’s not entirely wrong. A shotgun can be a very effective tool, providing the wielder can use it properly and that he or she understands the facts and performance of the chosen gauge and load.

In film, Hollywood has shown us that the simple act of racking a pump shotgun will force potential enemies to their knees in surrender. That might not be the case any more than aiming a shotgun in the general direction of a target will guarantee a lethal hit. And training someone to handle a firearm in a defensive situation – where the shooter is stressed and motor skills are diminished – with a hard-kicking 12-gauge loaded with magnum shells can sometimes be counterproductive. americanshootingjournal.com 95

BULLET BULLETIN American shotshell lengths (from left to right): 3½ inches, 3 inches, 2¾ inches and the shorties at 1¾ inches.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” so goes the old adage. And I can tell you that curing a flinch is no easy task, even for the veteran shooter. In addition, looking at the penetrative qualities of a good number of handgun and rifle projectiles inside the residence, the risk of overpenetration is a legitimate concern. Where am I going with all of this? I’m talking about the new “short” shotshell and its applications in the target, hunting and defensive circles. MOST OF OUR American 12-gauge shotshells come in 2¾-, 3- and 3½-inch lengths, with even the shortest of the lot being offered in a magnum variant. Some of the European 12-gauge guns have been chambered for 2-, 2¼- and 2½-inch lengths, but those are a rarity here in the States. This new crop of shotshells measures a mere 1¾ inches, offers a very light recoil and report, and is perfect for training, home defense and a number of other applications. With options for birdshot, buckshot and slugs, these diminutive shells are much more potent than they

Federal’s Shorty shotshells come in (from left to right) No. 8 birdshot, 00 buck and No. 4 buck, and slug.

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BULLET BULLETIN

Federal’s Shorty shells with 15/16 ounce of No. 8 shot can be a good choice for hunting rabbits, squirrels and upland birds.

The Federal Shorty shells, also known as “hater tots.”

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appear and might actually be a nearperfect choice for the home. There are two sources for these shells right now and they are both available in 12-gauge only. Aguila loads their Minishells and Federal has introduced their Shorty shotshell line; both are 1¾ inches with brass heads and both offer similar shot/slug choices. Aguila has offered their Minishell loaded with 7½ shot, with a 5/8-ounce load at 1,200 feet per second, as well as with a hybrid load of buckshot, which mixes seven pellets of No. 4 buck with four pellets of No. 1 buck, with the whole party also leaving the muzzle at 1,200 fps. Their slug load uses a 7/8-ounce lead slug at 1,300 fps. All three loads come in 20-count boxes. Federal has released their Shorty shotshells in two different product lines. Their standard “blue box” ammo line has 15/16 ounce of No. 8 shot at 1,145 fps, the buckshot load features a buffered load of 15 pellets of No. 4 buck, and the 1-ounce rifled lead slug has a muzzle velocity of 1,200 fps. This trio gives a performance very close to their longer counterparts.

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BULLET BULLETIN

Federal’s Personal Defense Force X2 Shorty shells have a halfdozen 00 buck pellets, which split in two upon impact. This target was printed at 10 paces, a long shot inside the home.

In their Personal Defense line, new for 2022, Federal now offers a Force X2 Shorty shotshell, packed with six pellets of 00 buck at a velocity of 1,245 fps. This wicked little package features a half-dozen of the FX2 copper-plated buckshot pellets, which are designed to split into two equal pieces upon impact, effectively turning six into 12, all the while greatly reducing the chances of overpenetration. I’m a big fan of the Force X2 stuff, and the fact that it’s loaded in the Shorty configuration just adds to the versatility of the product line. If a half-dozen fragmenting 00 buck pellets doesn’t sort the problem, you might need backup. These shotshells will certainly function in the single- and doublebarreled guns, as well as in certain pump shotguns. I’ve found them easy to feed and load in the Remington 870 – both the Express and Wingmaster variants – but the Mossberg 500 and its offspring require an adapter to get the Shortys and Minishells to feed properly from the tube magazines. I used the OPSol Mini-Clip 2.0 with the Mossberg shotguns; simply compress the adapter and slide it rearward toward the base of the receiver and those little shells will feed without issue, though you’ll have to remove the adapter should you want to use the longer, more popular shotshells. My Stevens Model 320 – an affordable little pump gun that is light as a feather The Aguila Minishells have a lighter payload and lighter recoil compared to the Federal offerings.

Aguila’s buckshot Minishell mixes No. 4 and No. 1 buck.

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BULLET BULLETIN The Federal Shorty line doesn’t give up a whole lot in comparison to standard 2¾-inch shells, especially considering the size and number you can fit in the magazine.

and perfect for turkeys – will feed the short shells … sometimes. If the gun is held upright in the shooting position and the slide is worked smoothly, I have a good chance, though I can’t count on it. And, sadly, all of the autoloaders I’ve tried have failed miserably with the short shells, though they can be single-fed for training purposes. I FEEL THAT the short shells are one of the best training tools for teaching a new shooter the fundamentals without punishing them with excessive recoil and report. Nothing breeds confidence like a good-looking target, and after a few sessions with the short shells, you can easily move up to more traditional

While author Phil Massaro’s Remington 870 Express fed the little shells just fine, the Mossbergs will require an adapter like the OPSol to properly feed the stubbies.

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BULLET BULLETIN shells in the same shotgun without changing any of the aspects of the firearm. The safety will be in the same place, the trigger feel doesn’t change, and the gun fit is exact. Were I to use these shells for training, I’d begin with the Aguila line, bump up to the Federal Shorty line, and then to the full-house stuff. For those who are truly recoil-sensitive, the Aguila

slugs could be used for deer hunting at close ranges, and that 1-ounce slug in the Federal load will certainly handle both deer and bear at sensible ranges. For garden pests, for plinking, and even for squirrels and rabbits, the birdshot loads will work just fine. Perhaps instead of buying a kid a youth .410-bore or 20-gauge for his or her first shotgun, a more viable option might be a The Aguila Minishell slugs are very easy on the shoulder, yet should have the power to take deer and similar-sized game at close ranges.

12-gauge that they can use for their entire life, but fed with these short shotshells. The recoil – or lack thereof – is certainly one of the most advantageous aspects of the hunting shells. Lastly, the defensive potential of these shells cannot be overlooked. In a Mossberg 590 with a long tube, I got 13 shells in the magazine. I’ll say it again – in reference to the president’s home-defense mentality – firepower does not make up for marksmanship, but having that many opportunities without reloading has an allure. A handgun bullet will definitely out-penetrate buckshot, but that isn’t always a good thing, especially inside your home where a loved one may be in the next room. At 10 paces, with an improved cylinder choke, I got 10- to 12-inch patterns with the Aguila buckshot loads, a bit smaller with the Federal blue box buckshot, and those Force X2 buckshot loads printed a 4-inch group (yes, Mr. Biden, you’ve got to aim it properly). Whether you choose Aguila’s blend of No. 4 and No. 1 buck, or one of the Federal loads (I really like the idea and performance of the Force X2 pellets), grab some of these shells and put them on paper or blow up some water jugs. I’m willing to bet that you won’t be disappointed. I’ve heard these short shotshells referred to by many different names, from stubbies to shorties to minis to shorts, but I must admit the best I’ve heard yet came from the OPSol website, where they refer to them as “hater tots.” You can even buy a T-shirt with the definition printed on the chest.  104

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

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BLACK POWDER

LOADING FOR THE .45-90 SHARPS

A black powder cartridge shooter brews up hunting, target bullets for his Old West-style rifle. STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE NESBITT

ast summer, while on my way to the big Quigley shoot, I paused at C. Sharps Arms in Big Timber, Montana, just long enough to pick up two of their new 1874 rifles. These included a Hartford Model in .50-70, which I used in the Quigley match just a few days later, and a Bridgeport Model in .45-90, which is only recently getting the attention that it really deserves and is certainly worth talking about. Before going any further, let me explain how the .45-90 Sharps is a completely different loading than the .45-90 Winchester even though they both use the same cartridge case. The more proper name for the Sharps version is the .45-2.4-inch Sharps, because it uses a casing that is 2.4 inches in length. This was introduced by Sharps in 1877 as a target or longrange competition cartridge and it was never loaded with less than 100 grains of powder. On top of that amount of powder was a 550-grain paper-patched bullet that was seated just slightly into the mouth of the case, making for a rather long cartridge. The .45-90 Winchester uses the same case, basically, but with a light 300-grain bullet over 90 grains of powder for a black powder express cartridge perfect for a fine deer and elk rifle. Today we most often use the term “.45-90 Sharps” for the 2.4-inch case because there is also a .45-2.6inch Sharps, which we call the .45-100. It should be obvious that the .45-90

Sharps is far too long to be worked through the action of the .45-90 Winchester in their old lever-action Model of 1886. Several of today’s black powder cartridge shooters favor the .45-90 Sharps because it has more powder capacity than the .45-70 and that makes it easier to load with the powder charges desired for long-range shooting. Perhaps I should have gotten a .45-90 earlier, but for most of my

long-range work I’ve been satisfied with the bottlenecked .44-90 Sharps, which is an entirely different cartridge. The .45-90 Sharps is a straight case, like the .45-70, but it is 3/10 of an inch longer than the .45-70. That added length makes a big difference.

FOR MY .45-90 Sharps, two loads quickly became my favorites, so I will tell you about both of them. My focus for the moment will be on loading the

The .45-90 Sharps was originally a “Creedmoor” target cartridge. americanshootingjournal.com 107

BLACK POWDER

Author Mike Nesbitt’s new .45-90 rifle is topped with an MVA Series 7000 scope.

ammunition more so than shooting. We’ll fire some shots in this story, but not too many. The first load I’ll describe is the load I would use if I took my heavy .4590 rifle on a hunt. It uses a 500-grain paper-patched bullet, cast from a Ballard mold that I’ve had since the mid-1980s. This bullet is smoothsided, of course, and it is tapered with a shallow cup at the base. That cup makes a little difference, which I will explain as we get this load assembled. First of all, let’s start with some Starline cases, nicely cleaned if not new, and to make sure we’ve covered all the bases, let’s resize the brass. I resize the brass even on new cases just to be sure nothing shows up as wrong after

the ammo is loaded. After sizing the cases, run them through the expander to “bell” the mouth of the cases slightly. Following that, it’s time to prime the cases; for this cartridge and load I used standard large rifle primers by Winchester. At this point, we’ve done everything as standard. My next step might be a little nonstandard, but it is typical when loading heavy charges with black powder. Select your powder – for these cartridges I used Olde Eynsford 1½F – and set your measure for the amount you want. For the paper-patched loads, I used an even 90 grains. Ninety grains of powder fills the case very full but you can get that much into the case without using a drop tube. There are advantages to using a

Loads with paper-patched bullets are historically the most correct.

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American Shooting Journal // August 2022

drop tube, in addition to being a little more convenient. With the 90 grains of powder in the case, put a fiber wad over the powder and use a compression die (I simply use the expander die for this step) to compress the wad down on the powder to a depth necessary where the case can also accept the lube and the base of the bullet. For my loads, I like to have at least half an inch above the wad for the lube and bullet. Compressing that much is not hard at all, but use the press to ensure consistency. Next, I add the lube. I have lube in a pan that is about 3/16 inch thick. Just push the case down on the lube and “cut” a lube wad out of the pan. Because the bullets have cup bases, I won’t use another wad over the lube because the lube will become a liquid under pressure when the cartridge is fired and it will add hydraulic pressure in the bullets’ cups, expanding the bullets inside the bore. If I were using flat-base bullets, an overlube wad would be recommended. With the lube in place, start a bullet into the mouth of the case with your fingers and simply push it down completely by pressing against the side of the bench or something as sturdy. Using the seating die is not required and actually not as good because the seating die can mark or even deform the bullets. Then, to remove the slight “bell” at the mouth of the case, I like to run them through a taper crimp die. And doing that completes the load. THE OTHER LOAD I like uses 550-grain grease-groove bullets cast from a Hoch mold. These can either be sized,

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BLACK POWDER

Five shots with Hoch bullets scored a 49 at 100 yards for the author.

and I like .459-inch, or loaded as cast after pan-lubing. Like with the paperpatched bullets, let’s start by sizing the new Starline cases, then expanding them and priming them as well. Next, things begin to change slightly, and for this load I favor using 75 grains of Swiss 1½Fg powder. (After the closure of the GOEX plant was announced, I naturally began using more Swiss powder.) Again, add powder to the primed cases and compress the powder under a fiber wad, although this time the powder must be compressed more, or a little deeper. Several target shooters seat their grease-groove bullets with the top groove exposed. That gives the bullet a better start into the rifling and it also means the powder doesn’t need as much compression. But having an exposed grease-groove with lube in it 110

American Shooting Journal // August 2022

means you must be very careful to keep the ammo clean. Seating the bullets with all grease-grooves inside the case makes for better all-around ammo. To find out how deeply the fiber wad must be pushed into the case, compressing the powder is done by using something as small as a feeler gauge. I most often use a small Allen wrench. Just insert the feeler into the case so it rests against the wad, then “save” that distance with your thumbnail. Compare the saved distance to the side of the bullet and you’ll see if you are deep enough. Once that distance is set, load all your cases with powder and compress them with the wad. When using new or sized brass, the bullets must be seated with the seating die. Usually, it is not best to compress

the powder by seating the bullet down on it because that will often deform the soft bullets. That’s why I recommend compressing the powder first. Another recommendation is to not crimp the load with the seating die. I find it much better to crimp the loads in a separate step, getting things more uniform with a taper crimp die. One thing I really appreciate about these two loads for the .45-90 Sharps is that, in my new rifle, they seem to print at about the same place at 100 yards. Both loads perform accurately and that, of course, is very pleasing. The .45-90 Sharps was developed for long-range shooting and so far my longest target has been just 100 yards. Stretching the range out will be my next step and when I do that, you’ll probably be hearing about it. 

American Shooting Journal - August 2022

Articles inside

ROADHUNTER: HIDE AND SEEK ELK

OUTFITTERS’ OFF-SEASON ADVENTURES

THE TACTICAL HUNTER

SCATTERGUN ALLEY: YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET THE GATE – THE SIDE GATE, THAT IS

BULLET BULLETIN: THE CASE FOR SUPER-SHORT SHOTSHELLS