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WESTERN
SHOOTING JOURNAL
Volume 3 // ISSUE 4 // December 2014 PUBLISHER
James R. Baker ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Dick Openshaw EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Andy Walgamott EDITOR
Rachel Alexander LEAD CONTRIBUTOR
Frank Jardim CONTRIBUTORS
Mike Burchett, Larry Case, Tom Claycomb III, Andre’ Dall’au, Tim Hovey, Scott Haugen, Mike Nesbitt, Jerry Newton, Bob Shell, Keith Sipmann, Larysa Switlyk, Robin Taylor SALES MANAGER
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Heidi Witt ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
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December 2014 - January 2015
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ON THE COVER Hamilton, MT Ravalli County Fairgrounds, 100 Old Corvallis Road Coeur D’ Alene, ID Kootenai County Fairgrounds, 4056 North Goverment Way Butte, MT Butte Civic Center, 1340 Harrison Avenue Kalispell, MT Flathead County Fairgrounds, 265 North Meridian Road Walla Walla, WA Walla Walla County Fairgrounds, 363 Orchard Street Pasco, WA TRAC Center, 6600 Burden Boulevard
Dec. 5-7 Dec. 13-14 Jan. 2-4 Jan. 9-11 Jan. 10-11
Missy Robertson, married to Jase Robertson, shares how the Duck Dynasty clan celebrates Christmas. (A&E) Also, Thureon Defense’s interchangeable cartridge (THUREON DEFENSE) and Jessica Hovey with her first coyote. (TIMHOVEY) Contact the editor at ralexander@ media-inc.com. CORRECTIONS
In the last issue, a cutline snafu on p. 83 of our story mistakenly identified the man in the photo as Patrick Kelley. We regret the error. Get daily updates at westernshootingjournal.com. Like us on Facebook; follow us on Twitter and Pinterest.
Jan. 31-Feb. 1 MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP WASHINGTON OFFICE P.O. Box 24365 • Seattle, WA 98124-0365 14240 Interurban Ave. S. Ste. 190 • Tukwila, WA 98168 OREGON OFFICE 8116 SW Durham Rd • Tigard, OR 97224 (206) 382-9220 • (800) 332-1736 • Fax (206) 382-9437 media@media-inc.com • www.media-inc.com
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Western Shooting Journal // December 2014
CONTENTS
VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 4 • december 2014
79
THE TROOPS ON CHRISTMASES PAST A look lo ook k back bac ack k att how how w the men the brave th brav br av ve me en an and and women U.S. wome wome wo men n of o tthe he U .S. .S military have mili mili mi l ta tary ry h avee sp av sspent pen entt the holidays the winter th w nt wi nter er h olid ol iid day ayss during biggest duri du ring ng g tthe hee b ig gge gest st wars wars wa r aass we well aass att well peace. peac pe acee. e.
Santa greets soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan on Christmas Day 2013. The troops, members of the 4th Battalion, were stationed at Forward Operating Base Clark, in the eastern portion of the country. (CPL. AMBER STEPHENS/US ARMY)
FEATURES 45
Pistol-caliber Carbine Showdown
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We take a hard look at Thureon Defense’s and Just Right Carbines’ new handgun-cartridge-chewing carbines.
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A Match For Your Motorcycle?!? How thoughtful – Kahr Arms’ .45 comes in the same color scheme as your Harley! Er, or at least it may be the most reliable and durable orange-and-black gun on the market today.
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BLACK POWDER: The Liver Eatin’ Johnson Rifle No, you wouldn’t have wanted to mess around with mountain man John Johnson – he ate the livers of the tribal warriors responsible for killing his Native American wife – but the heavy-barreled big bore from October Country named after him is worthy of “taking up the river,” says our reviewer Mike Nesbitt.
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Holy Cow, Guys, Country Star Michael Harter Is One Of Us!
thinking about buying a shotgun for their budding shooter, but there’s more to picking the right one – our expert weighs in on the considerations to make before wrapping up that big gift.
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SCATTERGUNNER: Get That Kid A Shotgun For Christmas Now is the time of year parents start
ROADHUNTER: 5 Top Predator Hunting Destinations Some folks stuff stockings this month, but our traveling hunter Scott Haugen stalks stuff across the West, and he says these five locales are tops for wolves, coyotes, foxes, hogs and bobcats.
107 COMPETITIONS: From Wax Bullets And Single-Actions To Fast-Draw Submachine Gun Feats California master gunfighter and Impossible Shots vet Cisko Guerra is a modern-day Zorro. Long since having mastered the art of fast draw, these days he’s pulling GSG 522-Ps – two of ’em.
BEHIND THE BADGE: The Christmas Day Miracle How an off-duty LAPD officer selflessly saved a man’s life last Christmas Day.
A talented singer who’s gone solo from his siblings’ The Harters band, Michael Harter dishes about growing up hunting, his dream safari, the guns he carries, releasing his first solo extended-play album, and more.
Meet Missy Robertson Of Duck Dynasty Missy Robertson is becoming one of the better known stars of Duck Dynasty. In this exclusive, wide-ranging interview, she talks about husband Jase’s deer hunting skills, the men folks’ Christmas Day hunting tradition, her beautiful voice featured on the family’s holiday album, and more!
The Making Of Guntucky How do two city-slickin’ TV producers create a popular family show about guns in rural Kentucky?! WSJ lead writer Frank Jardim interviews Guntucky’s co-creators on where they came up with the concept, what “unscripted” means, dealing with the success of the show and its colorful characters, and more.
Cold Calling Coyotes With pelts at their prime and bellies starting to get hungry, December marks the best time of year to call in coyotes and bobcats – but there’s “a lot more to it than just sitting down and blowing on a plastic whistle,” says our expert.
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Amazon-style Marketplace Emerging For Firearms With Amazon and Google making it difficult to sell firearms online, Mikhail Orlov, CEO of an online and bricks-andmortar shooting-sports retail store in Texas, saw a business opportunity.
WESTERN SHOOTING JOURNAL is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2014 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A.
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Western Shooting Journal // December 2014
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CONTENTS ALSO INSIDE 46 57 59 99 145 151 157 163
So Long, Q-Tips – New Products Make Cleaning Your Gun Easier ‘Gun Valley’ Moves South Concealed Carry Holsters With Eye Appeal PHOTOS: Rallying Against Washington State Gun Control Vote ARCHERY: Last-chance Tactics For Western Big Game Holiday Gift Guide A Knife For Tex Creek Hunters Safely Storing Gun Powder
DEPARTMENTS 17 19 23 27 31 33 37 39
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Editor’s Note Correspondence News: Lead Bullets Coming Under Increasing Criticism Gun Show Calendar Competition Calendar Reader Snapshots Guns Of Our Fathers: The Coffee Pot And The .22 Range Spotlight: Outdoor Town Has Great New Indoor Range
Western Shooting Journal // December 2014
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SHOOTING WITH LARYSA: KEEPING A POSITIVE OUTLOOK
When success doesn’t come soon on a h hunt, don’t get upset, be patient. That’s the mantra of successful sportswoman Larysa Switlyk, and it looks like it works!
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Western Shooting Journal // December 2014
EDITOR’S NOTE t was a disappointing election season at the headquarters of Western Shooting Journal in Washington state. Gun control measure I-594 passed, bankrolled by five billionaires and their spouses, who contributed half of the $10 million spent to support it. Outspent almost 10 to one, the opposition, which had proposed competing gun rights measure I-591, had no chance of defeating 594 or getting their alternative initiative passed. One competitive shooter told me privately that she intends to move out of the state at this point. The 18½-page law is so complex and confusingly written that it will prove difficult to comply with. It is so draconian that almost no one will be able to buy a gun
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without registering it – putting their name in a state database. Expect to see firearm manufacturers and dealers leave the state, as people refuse to put their name in a registration database. This is just the beginning. Gun control advocates say they intend to take the initiative to Arizona, Oregon, Nevada and Maine next, and get it passed into law by 2016. As long as they have billionaires – the one percent – backing them, they may very likely be successful. There may be a way out of this draconian law. Alan Gottlieb, chair of the Yes on 591 campaign and founder of the Second Amendment Foundation in Bellevue, Wash., said he is considering legal action against 594. He intends to lobby the state legislature to either repeal the
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The editor with a protester at the rally against I-594 in Seattle before it passed.
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CORRESPONDENCE
W
e received several responses to our interview with The Virginian’s James Drury, which appeared in our September 2014 issue and was posted on our website shortly afterward.
Harley Davis October 15, 2014 at 1:58 pm You obtained a very real and personal interview, which brought me much closer to this great hero. Jean Labbe October 15, 2014 at 8:19 pm I really enjoyed reading your interview with James Drury. It made me realize how much he put into his character of The Virginian. It’s nice to know that he really enjoyed the lifestyle of the Western experience and how dear this show was to him personally. I know I loved watching the series on TV back when it was on during 1962 through 1971. And it’s great that it’s back on TV and available for home viewing. I have the full series. Paula Fowler October 20, 2014 at 10:28 am What a great interview. Seems the man and the character are the same. Thanks for sharing, Paula Chuck October 25, 2014 at 11:57 pm James Drury: what a true American hero, vastly underrated. The man made a movie with Elvis, was in a sci-fi film considered by many to be the forerunner to Star Trek (Forbidden Planet), and (!) was the title character in the third longest-running TV Western series. On top of all that, James Drury is a gentleman. If you ever have a chance to attend a festival where he is a celebrity guest, go and meet him. It will be well worth your time. Good for you, James Drury – not taking your boots off for anyone! westernshootingjournal.com 19
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Western Shooting Journal // December 2014
PRIMER NEWS // CALENDARS // READER PHOTOS
NEWS
LEAD BULLETS COMING UNDER INCREASING CRITICISM Gun Control Tactic Or Real Threat? here has been more and more attention drawn lately to the use of lead bullets for hunting and at gun ranges. Since lead is a toxic substance if ingested in large amounts, there is a fear that it will harm humans and wildlife. If pregnant women are exposed to high levels of lead, it can result in miscarriage or birth defects. However, society has used lead in everything from cooking pans to plumbing for centuries, and it has never posed a serious problem. Why the scare now? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention performed a study analyzing whether there was a link between lead levels and wild game consumption. The more fragmentation of a bullet inside the game animal, the more the lead spreads. The study found that certain types of bullets fragmented more than others, and recommended trimming back bulletdamaged meat, but nothing was ever found indicating people had become sick or died from eating it. The Seattle Times conducted an investigation of lead poisoning at shooting ranges in 2010. They released the results in a three-part series timed to come out right as voters in Washington state were getting their ballots to vote on gun control initiative
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Gun ranges are concerned that banning lead bullets will close them down. (CANSTOCKPHOTO)
I-594 this fall, which ended up passing. The newspaper also ran an editorial calling for a complete ban on lead ammunition. The editorial cited the death of 5-year-old Serenity Romo from lead poisoning as a reason why lead bullets should be banned. Her father worked at a gun range where he was exposed to lead poisoning, which he apparently passed along to her. However, it is unfair to ban lead bullets at all gun ranges based on a couple of ranges – out of 10,000 ranges all over the country – that did not
follow proper procedures. The couple of ranges that were irresponsible were indoor ranges with poor ventilation and poor hygiene practices. California will ban lead in hunting ammunition by 2019, ostensibly due to concern over the California condor ingesting lead while scavenging on carcasses. There has been no evidence yet that lead bullets endanger the condor. Gun owners fear that the alarm over lead bullets is being artificially driven by gun-control advocates using scare tactics and junk science to push through their agenda of eliminating westernshootingjournal.com 23
PRIMER
NEWS
Lead hunting bullets will be completely banned in California by 2019, ostensibly to protect the California condor, but there has never been any evidence yet that the endangered bird is suffering from lead poisoning. (CANSTOCKPHOTO)
guns. One of the articles by The Seattle Times was titled, “Loaded With Lead: Young Shooters at Risk.” However, there has never been a single verified case of a child who obtained lead poisoning from shooting at a range, only speculation. The couple of incidents at ranges where proper procedures were not followed involved
full-time employees who worked there, not children casually shooting. The lead scare is already being used to shut down gun ranges. The Kitsap Rifle & Revolver Club of Bremerton, Wash., is the only range in the state with an environmental lab and a (retired) environmental engineer running its environmental stewardship
program. The range exceeds the EPA BMP Guidelines. Yet the city is trying to shut it down, citing lead. The state Department of Ecology told KRRC there is no safe level, all the lead must be removed. This zero-tolerance standard will effectively shut down every range in the state. There are primarily three alternatives to lead bullets, also known as “green bullets:” bronze and brass solids, copper or gilding metal hollowpoints, and sintered metal bullets with a jacket. However, they are more expensive, and will drive up the price of copper. Copper bullets are already about twice the cost of standard lead bullets. Law enforcement and military ranges also contain residue from lead bullets, but other than gradually switching to green bullets, virtually nothing is being done to clean them up – evidence the alarm may be more about gun control than a real problem. WSJ
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Western Shooting Journal // December 2014
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
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PRIMER
GUNSHOW C A L E N D A R
Phoenix Gun Show, Phoenix, Ariz. Waverly Gun Show, Waverly, Iowa Hamilton Gun Show, Hamilton, Mont. Kalispell Up In Arms Gun Show, Kalispell, Mont.
6–7 Wasilla Gun Show, Wasilla, Alaska Bullhead City Gun, Knife & Outdoors Show, Bullhead City, Ariz. Fresno Gun Show, Fresno, Calif. Vallejo Gun Show, Vallejo, Calif. Denver Gun Show, Denver, Colo. Missouri Valley Gun Show, Missouri Valley, Iowa Overland Park Gun Show, Overland Park, Kan. Springfield Gun Show, Springfield, Mo. Alamogordo Gun Show, Alamogordo, N.M. Grand National Gun Show, Tulsa, Okla. Canby Gun and Knife Show, Canby, Ore. Klamath Falls Gun Show, Klamath Falls, Ore. Abilene Gun & Blade Show, Abilene, Texas Glen Rose Gun, Militaria & Survival Show, Glen Rose, Texas Houston GRB Gun & Knife Show, Houston, Texas Irving Gun & Knife Show, Irving, Texas Big Town Premier Gun Show, Mesquite, Texas Orange County Gun Show, Orange, Texas Saxet San Antonio Gun Show, San Antonio, Texas Tyler Lone Star Gun Show, Tyler, Texas Wichita Falls Gun & Knife Show, Wichita Falls, Texas WAC Monroe Gun Show, Monroe, Wash. Lewis Clark Trader Gun Show, Spokane, Wash.
12 – 14 Cape Girardeau Gun Show, Cape Girardeau, Mo. Bozeman Gun Show, Bozeman, Mont. Sparks Gun Show, Sparks, Nev.
13 Casa Grande One Day Gun Show, Casa Grande, Ariz. ACSWW Gun Show, Vancouver, Wash.
13 – 14 Kingman Gun, Knife, Coin & Collectibles Show & Sale, Kingman, Ariz. McMann’s Roadrunner Tucson Expo Gun Show, Tucson, Ariz. Del Mar Gun Show, Del Mar, Calif.
A hog hunting booth at the Washington Sportsmen’s Show in Puyallup, Wash.
Paso Robles Gun Show, Paso Robles, Calif. Woodland Gun Show, Woodland, Calif. Colorado Springs Gun Show, Colorado Springs, Colo. Hunting & Sportsmen’s Gun Show, Loveland, Colo. Topeka Gun Show, Topeka, Kan. Monett Gun Show, Monett, Mo. Midwest Arms & Armor Society Gun Show, Pacific, Mo. Las Vegas Gun Show, Las Vegas, Nev. Reno Gun Show, Reno, Nev. Albuquerque Gun & Blade Show, Albuquerque, N.M. Dewey Gun Show, Dewey, Okla. Durant Sportsman’s Gun Show, Durant, Okla. Oklahoma TNT Gun & Knife Show, Oklahoma City, Okla. Grants Pass Gun and Knife Show, Grants Pass, Ore. Rickreall Gun Show, Rickreall, Ore. Saxet Dripping Springs Gun Show, Dripping Springs, Texas Texas Motor Speedway Gun Show, Ft. Worth, Texas Lewisville Gun Show, Lewisville, Texas Mesquite Gun Show, Mesquite, Texas Liberty New Braunfels Gun Show, New Braunfels, Texas Houston Pasadena Gun Show, Pasadena, Texas Centralia Gun Show, Centralia, Wash. WAC Puyallup Gun Show, Puyallup, Wash.
19 – 21
Des Moines Gun Show, Altoona, Iowa Portland Gun & Knife Show, Portland, Ore. Casper Arms Show, Casper, Wyo.
20 – 21 Phoenix Gun Show, Phoenix, Ariz. Yuma Territorial Christmas Gun Show, Yuma, Ariz. Roseville Gun Show, Roseville, Calif. Crossroads Ventura Cali Gun Show, Ventura, Calif. Castle Rock Hunting and Sportsmen’s Gun Show, Castle Rock, Colo. Kansas City Gun Show, Kansas City, Mo. Las Vegas Gun Show, Las Vegas, Nev. Las Vegas South Point Casino Gun Show, Las Vegas, Nev. Shawnee Gun Show, Shawnee, Okla. Belton Gun Show, Belton, Texas Burleson Gun Show, Burleson, Texas Castroville Gun & Outdoor Show, Castroville, Texas Fredericksburg Gun and Blade Show, Fredericksburg, Texas Ft. Worth Lone Star Gun Show, Ft. Worth, Texas Pasadena Gun & Knife Show, Pasadena, Texas Liberty San Antonio Gun Show, San Antonio, Texas
21 Oregon Arms Gun Shows, Portland, Ore.
Loveland Readiness Expo, Loveland, Colo.
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Western Shooting Journal // December 2014
PRIMER
COMPETITION C A L E N D A R
A competitor at the Oregon State Black Powder Championship in John Day, Ore.
5–7
12
Rio Rancho, N.M.
2014 USAS Winter Airgun, Colorado Springs, Colo.
AK Junior Olympic Rifle Championships, Fairbanks, Alaska
21
6
12 -14
WA Junior Olympic Air Rifle Championships, Olympia/Spokane, Wash. Toys for Tots 900 (archery), Van Nuys, Calif.
Holiday Shoot, Winter Series (cowboy mounted shooting), Albany, Ore.
6–7
NM Junior Olympic Championships (air gun), Albuquerque/Los Alamos, N.M.
Caldwell Collision (cowboy mounted shooting), Caldwell, Texas JOAD Rotational (archery), Colorado Springs, Colo. 2014 Iron Archer, Phoenix, Ariz.
6 – 13 WA Junior Olympic Smallbore Championships, Seattle/Spokane/ Vancouver, Wash.
6 – 20 HI Junior Olympic Rifle/Air Pistol Championships, Honololu, Hawaii Shoot for the Cure (sporting clays), San Antonio, Texas
12 – 20
Colorado Springs JOAD Tournament (archery), Colorado Springs, Colo.
26 – 27 Dixie Desperados Holiday Shoot (singleaction shooting), Hurricane, Utah
27 – 28 Great Spagetti Western Annual (singleaction shooting), Leonard, Texas
13 Sportsman’s Challenge (long-range rifle), Sprague, Wash. OR Junior Olympic Smallbore Championships, Salem, Ore.
13 – 14 TX Junior Olympic Pistol Championships, Dallas, Texas WSAA FITA (archery), Mountlake Terrace, Wash.
14 Bring on the Trip-Fund Shoot (archery),
Black powder is all about concentration.
westernshootingjournal.com 31
PRIMER
TOP SHOTS
With help from his pa, WSJ lead writer Frank Jardim, Franklin Jardim lines up the sights of the Pedersoli Kentucky riďŹ&#x201A;e that the duo built as a kit from Dixie Gun Works (DixieGun. com), takes the shot on the rabbit target, and scores a perfect neck shot! And with that coon skin hat, Franklin, not yet 7, is on his way to becoming a real Daniel Boone!
Taylor Kovacich, age 14, and Gus the dog enjoyed a successful pheasant hunt at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. westernshootingjournal.com 33
PRIMER
READER TOP SHOTS
Jame Wolgamot, age 15, from Jackson County, Ore., shows off a nice blacktail.
Odessa Jardim with an original M1928 Thompson submachine gun.
Alexandria Kincaid is a firearms attorney practicing law in Idaho and Oregon (alexkincaidlaw.com). Here she is with Gemtech firearms and Gemtech silencers. (OLEG VOLK)
PHOTO CONTEST WINNER!
Congratulations to Matthew Cyr for winning the Readers’ Top Shots contest for September! Each month, the reader who submits the best photo will receive an AmmOMug of their choice from ammomug.com. Submit your best reader photos to us at ralexander@media-inc.com. You can also submit videos for our website.
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Western Shooting Journal // December 2014
guns of our fathers
THE COFFEE POT AND THE .22
The Long Tom shotgun was a brand sold by Sears Roebuck, manufactured by Crescent Firearms before 1930 and by Stevens/Savage after that.
remember years ago in the Idaho Press-Tribune seeing the coolest outdoor picture I’ve ever seen. It was a picture of a 12-year-old kid holding an old Winchester .30-30, squatting beside his first deer. What made it even cooler was that his dad and granddad were in the picture, and they too had shot their first deer with that same rifle. Is that not cool? Do you think that you could ever tell that kid that his old Winchester .30-30 is not the best deer rifle in the world? My stainless Remington 700 .338 Win Mag topped off with a VX-III 4.5x14 Leupold scope? Ha, not even close. There is something special about
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having certain items passed down to you by someone you love. I’ve always heard that the best gift is one that someone uses frequently. That way, every time they use it they will think of you. I think this applies to outdoor items even more so. When I was in the second grade, we got our first land. It had a little fourroom house on it. No bathroom, water or electricity, but we put a potbellied stove in it. In the winter, we’d sleep there next to it Friday night, and then build fencing all day Saturday. I had it made as a kid. The ranch foreman for the Kimball Ranch let me have the run of their ranch, which butted up against us. It ran for miles
BETWEEN OUR GUNS AND COFFEE POTS, THERE ARE PLENTY OF FOND MEMORIES THAT ARE BEING PASSED DOWN IN OUR FAMILY.
BY TOM CLAYCOMB III
and he let me hunt, fish and trap to my heart’s desire. Dad would let me take off and go exploring, using his old Long Tom which was a 12-gauge, 36-inch single shot, and his old .22 he used as a kid to shoot rabbits and sell for 25 cents so he could buy more bullets. It’s a wonder I didn’t get lost and never found again. I was probably only seven or eight years old. Years later, long after Dad had died and the house was falling down, my two daughters and I would look through the old house and I’d tell them stories of how we camped there as kids. Once we found two old coffee pots that we’d used, I guess nearly 50 years ago. I use the smaller one now when my outdoorsy daughter and I go backpacking, and the bigger one for elk hunting. Could I buy nicer pots? Sure, I could. In fact, I have eight camping coffee pots, but which one do you think that I always take? You got it. Do you think that isn’t special to me everytime we dip water
This Winchester Model 1873 is what the author’s .22 probably looked like.
out of a backcountry stream and heat up a pot of coffee when backpacking? It reminds me of camping with Dad and my brother. My daughter and I get to bond together drinking coffee out of the same pot. How cool is that? Between our guns and coffee pots, there are plenty of fond memories that are being passed down in our family. WSJ
westernshootingjournal.com 37
RANGE SPOTLIGHT
OUTDOOR TOWN HAS GREAT NEW INDOOR RANGE ARTICLE BY FRANK JARDIM • PHOTOS BY THE RANGE
There is a VIP shooting suite.
The class 3 licensed facility offers suppressors, short-barreled and fully automatic firearms.
f you live in an urban area, your world as a shooter will usually revolve around some indoor range. Some city dwellers have never fired a round in the open air, but don’t feel too sorry for them if they live in the area of Yakima, Wash. The Range, LLC just opened there on 1701 Garretson Lane (off Highway 12 on the edge of town) in September. The 34,000-square-foot operation is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and has 12 open lanes for shooters as well as three private shooting lanes attached to a VIP suite, which looks more like an elegant hotel with leather chairs and wool carpets than a shooting range. The whole place is equipped with an OSHA- and NIOSH-certified air filtration system for your health and safety, and is climate controlled year round for comfort. Each lane has automated target carriers, and the individual range booths are lined with
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AR500 hardened steel plate, making them essentially bulletproof. There’s more to The Range than just the shooting stalls. They also have a professionally staffed full retail store, a wide variety of classes for those desiring instruction, a conference room for rent, firearms rentals ($12 for handguns, $15 for rifles, and $15 for suppressors), and a gun-cleaning room (especially useful for those who married without first determining if their mate loved the smell of Hoppes No. 9).
This new venture was born through the cooperation of Tactical Supply, LLC and The Range, LLC which are now co-located in the same facility. Tactical Supply is a Federal Firearms Licensed manufacturer and a manufacturer of Class II NFA weapons, which allows them to work with machine guns, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, and suppressors. They say if it can be legally owned, they can get it or build it for you. Their custom shop provides a wide range of gunsmithing services including threading barrels for suppressors or mounting muzzle brakes, slotting pistol slides to reduce weight, stippling polymer pistol-grip frames, Cerakote finishing and hydroprinting. They specialize in the sales and service of tactical and personal defense weapons, gear, and accessories from custom AR
15 lane action target shooting stalls.
westernshootingjournal.com 39
RANGE SPOTLIGHT
There is a large selection of personal defense, competition, and precision firearms and accessories.
platforms to NFA items. The cost for a single lane rental is $20 an hour and a friend can share the same lane with you for another $12. If you are the type who shoots more than once a month, The Range offers basic, unlimited and corporate membership plans. All members have the privileges of locker rental, lane reservation, VIP suite and conference room rental, and preferential access to shooting lanes over non-members. There is a full range of rental weapons, including full
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Western Shooting Journal // December 2014
autos, SBR’s and suppressors. A basic individual membership costs $250 annually. The basic family membership includes your household for $450 annually. Basic members pay $12 for lane rental and can share it with a guest for another $7. By far the best deal for the frequent shooter is the unlimited membership which costs $475 for an individual, and $900 for a family. Unlimited members don’t pay anything more for lane rental, and their guests can share
their lane for an additional $7 each or rent additional lanes for $12 each. Do the math and you’ll see that if you go to shoot alone three or more times a month, you are on the winning end of this deal! In addition, retired military and retired law enforcement get 5 percent off all charges on items at range check in, and active duty military and law enforcement get 10 percent off. The discount can’t be used for the corporate memberships, though, since those members already receive a 10 percent discount on all merchandise. If you’re in the Yakima area and looking for a first-class indoor range experience, want to book their conference room or VIP shooting suite for a special event, or need some top-notch work done on your tactical firearms, give The Range a call at (509) 571-1449. Check them out at TheRangeLLC.com and Facebook. com/TheRangeLLC. WSJ
gun reviews
PISTOL-CALIBER CARBINE SHOWDOWN Thureon Defense vs. Just Right Carbines Interchangeable Cartridges ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY MIKE BURCHETT hat is the perfect companion to your handgun? A light, laser or knife? Well, I may have something new for you to examine. Imagine being able to have one cartridge for both your rifle and handgun. Two manufacturers have come up with a way to do just that. Thureon Defense and Just Right Carbines have built a platform to simplify both your range trip and ammo storage. The two companies offer their carbines in 9mm, .40 Smith and Wesson and .45 ACP. I wanted to see if there was really a place for this platform, so I did what any guy would do. I contacted both companies and requested a sample. My requests were met with nothing less than hospitality. Before I knew it, my friends at my FFL were calling me to come by and pick up my carbines. Both carbines function similarly and are patterned after the AR-15 as well as being customizable with the same furniture. Maybe you’re a MagPul fan and want MOE stocks and grips? No problem. My Thureon Defense carbine came with both. A2 stock and grip? You got it. This is the base configuration with the JR Carbine. Slide fire, you say? You got it. Both carbines use an AR-style buffer tube and will accept the stock. Thureon Defense offers this configuration from the factory if desired.
W
NOW DOWN TO BUSINESS Beginning with the Thureon Defense carbine, I began my range time looking at controls and familiarizing myself with the weapon. Using a stock with MBUS (MagPul Back Up Sights)
The Just Right Carbine .45 ACP using a Glock magazine.
The Thureon Defense Carbine .45 ACP using a 1911 magazine.
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gun reviews DUMP THOSE Q-TIPS FOR CLEANING YOUR GUN ARTICLE BY MIKE BURCHETT • PHOTO BY RAMRODZ
I recently received an innovative and thoughtful little product. How many times have you put off cleaning your handgun after a trip to the range simply because you didn’t want to break out your cleaning rod, patches, solvent, oil and other various items like cotton swabs and picks? Ever notice how your run-of-the mill cotton swabs are so small they have no effect on anything other than the frame or breech of the weapon? Ever notice how every time you try to really scrub off some grime with the cotton swab flexes, they eventually fall apart? These are the little things we all dread when we go home, unless you are one of the few who enjoy cleaning as much as you do firing. What if there was a product out there to eliminate some of your frustration? Is there one product to eliminate the hassle of using a rod and patches plus replace the ever-flexing cotton swab? Enter RamRodz Gun Swabs. These caliber-specific swabs will make your life just a little bit easier. The cotton is spun on the bamboo stick until it is the precise diameter to effectively clean the bore of your gun without fear of scarring your barrel because of a metal rod. Ranging in size from .22 to .38/9mm and
I was easily able to instantly get shots on target. With the full-length rail on top of the upper receiver, I could easily have mounted either a small magnification scope or reflex sight and been off to the races. The upper receiver was attached by way of two pins located front and rear on the lower receiver. Sound familiar? Simply push the pins and the upper lifts from the lower, just like my AR-15. The upper is machined well and the bolt is more than ample to take years of abuse and many rounds of practice. The one thing I would have preferred was to have the charging handle on the right side of the carbine as my bolt rifle does. Ejection was from the right side, as would be expected. The trigger was pleasant and crisp as you would want from a CQB-style weapon. One thing I should mention before I move on to the next specimen, Thureon Defense has just launched a new line of rifles accepting a different
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Western Shooting Journal // December 2014
gun reviews up to .50, you have a single disposable tool to finish your cleaning. Simply dip your RamRodz into the solvent and scrub the bore of the barrel, forcing cone and cylinder if you have a revolver and frame rails. Once you have scrubbed, toss it and grab a new one to mop up the solvent and absorb excess fluids from cleaning. No threading a patch through the eye of a needle and no metal clanking on the muzzle or breech of your gun. Add a little oil when done and you are ready for the next trip in no time. Check out ramrodz.com and grab a bag for less than $10 to see what you think. I did and I won’t be using a patch and rod for my handguns ever again.
type of magazine to offer another group of marksmen an added tool in their tool box. This carbine accepts the ever-popular 1911 magazine. I easily switched from my SIG 1911 to my Thureon Defense carbine with ease. One ammo can and interchangeable magazines made my range session easy as could be.
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THE JUST RIGHT CARBINE The Just Right Carbine is similar in many ways to the Thureon Defense Carbine. It too is chambered in .45 ACP, but uses Glock magazines. Thirteen rounds of .45 ACP in a handy light carbine could be used in many arenas. The JR Carbine was substantially lighter and offered only
two advantages I could note: 1) The upper receiver was adaptable for both left- and right-handed marksmen. By simply moving the plate from one side to the other, ejection was transferred, allowing south paws relief from flying brass as they shoot. I mention this because my daughter is left-handed, and it is quite difficult to find a rifle to suit her shooting style. And 2) The carbine offered a locking bolt. You are able to lock the bolt back for loading/ unloading by rotating the charging handle, also movable from one side of the receiver to the other, down into a groove machined into the receiver. Equipped with a red dot scope, I was able to score hits on target and experience this carbine to the fullest. The trigger was, as expected, crisp with no take-up, and the feeling of an AR-15 “ping” on each shot was experienced. Would I recommend one over the other? No, not really. With both available in the Glock configuration
gun reviews PROLIX PRODUCTS PROLIXLUBRICANT.COM In 1995, PrOlix/ ProChemCo, LLC, launched a new biotech product line to clean, preserve and lubricate, the pioneer of a successful “all in one” gun care product, now deemed “biotechnology.” Their recyclable (strain and reuse) products are made of 89 percent or greater renewable resources, a true “commitment to sustainable practices and caring for the environment.” The USDA listed PrOlix as the first bio-preferred product in 2012. PrOlix removes carbon, copper, lead, shotgun plastic residues, and black powder. PrOlix will not damage wood, freeze, or flash off – it has so many practical uses, you must try it yourself. To complement the PrOlix cleaner/lubricant (dry tech) line, use the equally superior “grease replacer” PrOlix Xtra-T lube for a total cure for equipment malfunctions. PrOlix Lubricants is located in West Jordan, Utah.
and in the same calibers really leaves me in a bind as I try to call one a champion over the other. Both carbines functioned flawlessly, provided the person shooting held the rifle tightly to their shoulder. My daughter thought since there wouldn’t be much recoil, she didn’t need to hold tight. Being recoil operated, the slack didn’t allow the bolt to come completely back ejecting the round. Once this problem was solved, smooth sailing was had by all. If you are looking to simplify your ammo locker and want a handy carbine to share magazines, don’t hesitate to handle either of these specimens. WSJ Editor’s note: Mike Burchett was born in Washington and was raised in the shooting/outdoor sports. His favorite activities involve anything his family enjoys. From hiking and camping to surfing and shooting, nothing is too big to try.
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gun reviews
A MATCH FOR YOUR MOTORCYCLE Though Basic, Kahr Arms’ Colorful .45 Performs Well ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY BOB SHELL
This Kahr Arms pistol looks like it was made to be paired with a Harley Davidson.
uto Ordnance, a part of Kahr Arms, has come out with some novel 9mm and .45 autos with unique coloring. The coloring includes some pink, purple and blue guns. I can see where certain buyers might be attracted to them, and if that is what it takes to get someone to buy a gun, so be it. However, they should get proper training like everyone else before using one. I received one that is orange and black, the Harley Davidson colors, though there is no mention of the motorcycle logo on the gun. That is a shame, as that would jazz it up a bit. The gun is a plain military model with basic sights and finish. The trigger isn’t a target type, but if the gun properly functions, that is the important issue. The sights appear to be military issue, so they would not be a good choice for target work, but a dab of white would make them more visible. If you like a basic .45 at a reasonable price, this might be the one for you. It comes with a decent hard
A
plastic case and one magazine, but they are plentiful and inexpensive and I would advise purchasing a couple more, especially if it is going to be a defensive gun. The gun appears to be military stock that was refinished to the special colors. The gun came with one magazine, though two are advertised, so I contacted the company to get a second one. They sent a second one quickly, an indication of good customer service. The everpresent lock and owner’s manual also come with the gun. It has a limited one-year warranty, and like most, advised against using handloads. If a semiauto fails, it usually is the magazine, provided the gun is a quality
item. That is why you should have at least three to four spares with any serious self-defense gun. Shooting the gun is mostly a positive experience. The magazine spring is pretty strong, so to load it may take some effort, though use might alleviate that. We shot some factory Winchester ball which functioned as expected – no miss feeds or jams. We mixed up some handloads and they all fed, except one that stovepiped. It was a very mild load, so I wouldn’t get too
It was easy to get a fairly close grouping with this .45.
Sheila, a friend of the author, shooting the Kahr Arms .45. in Arizona.
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gun reviews upset as the gun is somewhat stiff, and once it is broken in, it will probably digest light loads OK. While not of target quality, the trigger is adequate though on the heavy side, and keep in mind it is a basic .45 with no special work done on it. It would be a good gun for keeping in a vehicle or bad weather work, as a few scratches wouldn’t hurt it. The important thing, is it reliable and durable? Several hundred rounds later
shows that it is reliable. At 7 yards, it keeps all of its shots in the X ring of a B-27 target, showing good accuracy potential. We shot some groups at 15 yards using the new Liberty ammo. That ammo shows a lot of potential in both accuracy and velocity. It does feel funny shooting a .45 with so little recoil. For a self-defense load, I would highly recommend trying out this ammo. I have used it in the 9mm Luger and it lived up to its billing. For info you can
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go to store.libertyammo.com. WSJ Editor’s note: Auto Ordnance is part of Kahr Arms and markets various .45’s and other handguns such as .380’s, 9mm’s, and .40 calibers. For more info, visit auto-ordnance.com. This orange and black gun is sold through Cabela’s exclusively, so it is a limited edition.
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GUN VALLEY MOVES SOUTH America’s Firearms Manufacturers Flee Gun Control InThe Northeast
An 1827 painting by William Giles Munson of the Eli Whitney Gun Factory in Connecticut. (WIKIPEDIA)
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he cradle of American manufacturing and in particular, our firearms manufacturing base, has been Connecticut’s New Haven Valley, affectionately known in the industry as “Gun Valley” or “The Arsenal of America.” Its origins came about after General George Washington created the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts and Harper’s Ferry Armory in West Virginia. Eli Whitney set up a gunmanufacturing factory in the late 18th century there – even before he made his revolutionary cotton gin. Fast forward to present day, and the
Dyers Bank in Dyersburg, Tenn., home of the new Gun Valley.
once manufacturing-friendly political landscape that gave birth to the American ingenuity and work ethic that build the famous gun factories of Remington, Colt, Mossberg, and more has vastly shifted. Today, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York are some of the most gun-ownerunfriendly political states in America. Their business climates are not much better, with high union wages and lots of mandated entitlements. The modern American gun manufacturer cannot afford the political gun control repercussions combined with the
economic opportunism of high taxes and union wages and still field a product that average Americans can afford to own. And so they are voting with their feet. Tennessee will play host to more than its fair share of this exodus. The state has a long, proud tradition of gun ownership that extends to the present, and is developing a tradition of providing incentives and a skilled workforce – necessary to attract its share of the firearms business. Today, homegrown gun makers like Tennessee Arms Company, LLC, (tnarmsco.com) exemplify the American spirit of work ethic and ingenuity that build the original Gun Valley. With more and more gun makers moving south, as well as those that are already there, we expect to see a resurgence of American gun making in the future. Stay tuned for more on the new and expanding Gun Valley, as Western Shooting Journal covers the events leading up to this year’s NRA show in Memphis. WSJ
Tennessee Arms is known for its polymer receivers.
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Y X SE CONCEALED HOLSTERS The Sportbelt comes made for men or women.
ATTRACT LAW ENFORCEMENT
Comfortable, Fitted Holsters Not Just For Women
H
ow does a nationally known sewing expert, author and costume designer become a successful holster-manufacturing entrepreneur? It happens when you find something you love to do but can’t find the equipment you’d love to do it with. Darlene Cahill, the founder and owner of Can Can Concealment, LLC, got frustrated looking for a holster after completing a four-day home defense course in the Nevada desert. “I wanted something that was not just utilitarian, but comfortable and pretty,” says Cahill. “Women are tired of hard plastic, all-black, ‘tacticool’ concealed-carry gear that’s not just cumbersome, but downright
ARTICLE BY JERRY NEWTON • PHOTOS BY CAN CAN CONCEALMENT, LLC
painful to wear. Most holsters are uncomfortable, unfriendly to a woman’s curves, give me bruises and are just plain ugly! I’ve found many of the holsters that are ‘made for women’ are simply men’s holsters prettied-up in pink Kydex.” Darlene relied on over four decades of textile-savvy experience to finally settle on “compression holstering” that would offer women a secure carry option with the unforeseen added benefits of being very stealthy and form-flattering as well. “My husband calls it ‘lingerie for a ninja.’” What’s really taken Cahill by surprise is the demand from law enforcement for the Can Can product.
“When a California district attorney, under threat from drug gangs, ordered our holster, we asked how she’d heard of us. I couldn’t believe it when she
The Big SheBang is a hip-hugger style holster designed for full-service pistols.
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said her bodyguard/trainer told her to get ours!” Since then, Can Can has been tasked by two police departments
to outfit their undercover female officers in specialized holstering that also includes options for handcuffs. Several individual law enforcement
agents who enjoy discretionary choice of equipment have purchased their holsters for covert assignments, and orders from officers for off-duty carry
TOP FOUR HOLSTERS FROM CAN CAN CONCEALMENT The Classic HipHugger features three rows of lingerie-quality hook and eye closure for the perfect “no-snag” fit, military-grade elastic that conforms to a woman’s body, magnetic weapon retention for extra security, hypoallergenic non-slip tactigrip that keeps the holster in place and patent-pending reholstering tabs. The Big Shebang “is a hip-hugger style holster designed for full-size service pistols. When women told us they needed something for larger guns, we listened,” company officials say. “It’s been one of our most popular sellers to date.” The Can Can Corset “is super comfortable and is a very alluring version of the military’s Load Bearing Vest. When I holstered my full-size 1911 in it, I thought I’d dropped my weapon. The weight is distributed evenly over the torso so it felt like I was carrying nothing at all, and the snug fit gave me a surprising sense of security.” The Can Can Garter “offers the women who prefer dresses and skirts the choice of left or right, inner or outer thigh carry and the optional garter belt with garter straps turns it into the sexiest drop-leg holster I’ve ever seen. Darlene told me she’s sold several to guys who wear kilts!” The SportBelt “came about because of numerous requests from women runners who loved the HipHugger but wanted something more convenient for their workout. Darlene designed a more androgynous look with a Velcro-style fastener. The response was very exciting, not only did women love it but now men are asking us for the SportBelt too.” JN
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The Can-Can Garter
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to help women protect themselves and the ones they love by providing a secure, comfortable, stylish holstering system that they’ll want to wear every day. Cahill emphasizes, “We believe what’s most important in our holster … is the woman who’s wearing it.” All Can Can holsters are equipped with multiple pockets to give the user maximum holstering options, and all their designs accommodate from two to four firearms, with additional pockets for spare mags, knives, pepper spray, cell phone or a lipstick. WSJ
The Can-Can Corset is super comfortable, a version of the military’s Load Bearing Vest.
are in the hundreds. It’s not bad street cred for a small company that’s a little more than a year old. Sexy and self defense don’t seem like they should go together, but if you knew Cahill, you’d understand why it’s a perfect match. She’s been sewing professionally since the age of 13, is an award-winning costume designer, an
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author, sewing educator and appears regularly on national television. Trained in European tailoring and couture, Cahill’s combined her love of shooting and sewing to produce a remarkably comfortable, stylish and secure line of holsters for women everywhere. According to her, Can Can’s mission statement is simple –
Editor’s note: Started in 2013, Can Can Concealment, LLC, offers a safe and sexy line of lingerie-inspired concealedcarry gear, designed and manufactured for women, by women. Understanding that personal protection is serious business, Can Can has developed a safe, sophisticated self-defense system that fits women, their weapons and their wardrobes, like a glove. For more information about Can Can, visit cancanconcealment.com.
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BLACK POWDER
THE LIVER EATIN’JOHNSON RIFLE
October Country Muzzleloader Comes In .50 to .58 Calibers ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY MIKE NESBITT his muzzle-loading rifle is from October Country out in Idaho, and they call it their Liver Eatin’ Johnson rifle, named after the legendary frontiersman John Johnson, who was portrayed in the movie Jeremiah Johnson and ate the aforementioned organs of Crow warriors in revenge for killing his Flathead tribe wife. This gun is a heavy-barreled big bore, and it’s a rifle really worthy of “taking up the river.” It has some features that the old Hawken rifles made famous. This new rifle is currently the only limited production (some call that semicustom) halfstock rifle being offered that I know about. The rifle is being built for today’s hunters as a powerful, traditionally styled muzzleloader. They’re made upon order, and are available with certain special or custom “ingredients” to suit the buyer’s tastes. The standard barrel length is 32 inches. Barrels are from Green Mountain, 1-inch wide, and available in .50, .54, or .58 calibers, all with a rate of twist at one turn in 70 inches. It features the Hawken percussion lock from the R. E. Davis Company, and barrels are fitted with a hooked-patent breech. The barrel, lock, and triggers are browned and the forearm of the stock is “capped” with a poured pewter nose cap. One point about these rifles: they are made for round-ball shooters. The Green Mountain barrels have a rate of twist made for round-ball shooting, and the groove depth is about .011 inch, fine for those thicker patches. In the .54-caliber rifles,
T
Mike grins while holding both the rifle and the target.
The Liver Eatin’ Johnson Rifle is a fine muzzleloading hunting rifle.
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BLACK POWDER October Country recommends using a .530-inch round ball wrapped in a .015-inch patch, lubed with their own Bumblin’ Bear Grease. The breech of this rifle deserves good comments. It uses a hooked breech by the R. E. Davis Company. Davis locks, triggers and other muzzleloading parts are well known, along with having excellent reputations. The Davis breech plug is a Hawken style in design, with a long tang. This rifle uses that long tang with two screws that go down and thread into the Hawken-style trigger plate. That construction allows the trigger plate and the tang of the breech to strengthen the wrist of the stock, a feature that was highly appreciated in the days of the Plains rifle. We can appreciate that strength today; the Liver Eatin’ Johnson Rifle is built to last. ANOTHER DAVIS PART IS THE HAWKEN-STYLE set triggers used on this gun. Those triggers are positive acting and easily adjustable, so you can have a set trigger pull just the way you want it. I like my set triggers with a very light pull, just ounces, while others prefer them a bit stiffer. And those triggers can be fired without having the trigger set, so they are double-acting. When I talked to John Maciosek at October Country about the location of the rear sight on the rifle, he had the following to say: “The sight thing is something that we talk to customers about. We have them shoulder a gun, then run their thumb down the barrel. When it becomes clear, we have them mark and measure it. That’s where we’ll put the rear sight. With this method, when we build a custom gun for someone, we build the gun to specifically fit them. We give the same attention to the rifle’s length of pull, sights, upgrades in wood, barrel length, choice of calibers, left-handed rifles, and the choice of flintlock ignition.” Overall, the gun I got to shoot and admire was quite nicely made. The inletting is very good with an excellent 66
Western Shooting Journal // December 2014
LYMAN’S BLACK POWDER GOLD BULLET LUBE ARTICLE BY MIKE NESBITT New bullet lubricants for black powder shooting always interest me, and this one is especially interesting because, as I understand things, it was specially developed or formulated by Paul Matthews, the well-known author of books such as Forty Years With The .45/70 and The Paper Jacket. (In The Paper Jacket he even mentions me!) This lubricant is said to be proven at the Black Powder Silhouette Championship matches in Raton, N.M. It has a relatively high melting temperature, which makes it good for longrange black powder shooting, and it keeps fouling soft for firing several shots. While it is designed for black powder cartridge shooting, and it is supplied in 1½-ounce sticks to be used in sizers/lubricators, it can be applied by hand to elongated muzzleloading bullets. This lube is slightly off-white in color, which suggests that it is mostly a combination of lard and beeswax, but please accept that as simply my guess. In order to give this lube a real fair test, I tried to let my handloads put their “best foot forward.” To begin with, all loads were assembled using Jamison brass for both the .44/77 and the .44/90. The bullets were freshly cast using 20-to-1 alloyed lead from John Walters in Oklahoma. Accurate Molds’ #44-400B for the .44/77 and Lyman’s old 465-grain #446187 (no longer made) was used for the .44/90. Cases were primed with CCI standard Large Rifle primers. GOEX Olde Eynsford powder was used and more details of that will be mentioned when I describe the loads and the shooting for both cartridges. Over the powder went a .060-inch vegetable-fiber wad, also from John Walters. The bullets were sized after being lubed by hand and then seated in unsized cases after the powder charge was compressed under the fiber wads. Finally, the loaded rounds were resized slightly, just enough that the bullets were held by the neck of the cases so they would not fall out. The powder charge used in the .44/77 loads was 70 grains (by volume) of Olde Eynsford 2F. That load requires just a little compression to make room for the bullet, and the powder is compressed in the case by “seating” the vegetable-fiber wad while using the expander die, backed off just a bit to give the wad the proper depth. For this test, only 14 rounds were loaded for the .44/77. In the .44/90, the 90 grains of Olde Eynsford 1 1/2F (also by volume) powder needs more compression, and that was done in the same manner as previously mentioned. The Lyman #446187 bullets need to be seated almost to the bottom of the neck on the .44/90 cases. Only five shots were prepared for the .44/90. With targets posted at just 50 yards, shooting began with the .44/90. Those five shots printed in a good group, with three shots touching and making one big
BLACK POWDER
Bumblin’ Bear Grease is October Country’s natural lube.
fit, and the lines of the rifle are very pleasing. This rifle has a length of pull of 13 5/8ths inches, and that fits me very well. The deluxe wood on this rifle was very attractive, and the oil finish of the stock allows that fancy stock wood to “brag” in rather quiet tones. My overall appraisal of this rifle is that it is simply very good. After looking this rifle over and
hole. That group was more than satisfactory and it left me wishing I had loaded more .44/90s with this new lube. There was no wiping of the bore between shots, and only a blow tube was used to keep fouling soft ahead of the chamber. Yes, I’ll have more chances and maybe some follow-up notes can be made. The performance of the .44/77 was more interesting to me, and 10 rounds were fired, making two five-shot groups. Again, only a blow tube was used between shots. Those groups were good, but the group that impresses me the most, the one selected for a picture, was the three-shot group fired with the ammo I had left. What makes this group of three shots the most impressive to me is that it was fired with shot numbers 11, 12, and 13 from my .44/77, using full loads with no cleaning or wiping the bore. The new Lyman lube kept the fouling both low and soft so that accuracy is maintained. To my way of thinking, this kind of performance is more than enough to recommend Lyman’s Black Powder Gold as a top lube for hunting while using black-powder loads. Lyman’s Black Powder Gold Lube sticks are priced at $5.25 each on the Lyman web site. Let me conclude by saying, Paul Matthews, you did good! Editor’s note: Lyman can be contacted directly at lymanproducts.com. Or write to them at Lyman Products Corporation, 475 Smith Street, Middletown, CT 06457. John Walters can be reached at (405) 799-0376.
giving it the “fine-tooth comb” inspection, it was time to take the new gun to the range. John at October
Country made sure the correct ammo to use was available to me by sending along a bag of cast .530-inch round ball
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and a bag of .015-inch Ox-Yoke patches plus some Bumblin’ Bear Grease. Bumblin’ Bear Grease is October Country’s exclusive muzzleloading lube, an all-natural patch lube designed especially for the rigors of cold weather hunting. The blend of real bear grease and beeswax, plus other natural ingredients, makes this an ideal lube for traditional shooters and re-enactors too. It is available in 4-ounce “tubs” for $14.70. Along with all that shootin’ plunder, John sent info about the loads he used plus comments on their performance. He told me, “I fired three groups of three shots each at different targets, and had all holes touching. Those groups were fired from a benchrest at 50 yards using 80 and 90 grains of FFg. When I went up to 110 grains of powder, the group moved a little to the right. If you need any more info, give me a call.” THAT WAS PLENTY OF GOOD INFORMATION, so the rifle along with the balls and patches were gathered up and taken to the range. To say my shooting got started with a bang would be straining an old joke a little too much, but that’s just exactly how it went. I started shooting this rifle from the bench with a small target posted at just 25 yards. The powder charge I used was 60 grains of Jack’s Battle Powder, with ignition provided by standard #11 C.C.I. caps. My first shot printed at the top of the black, just a bit right of center. The second shot was an inch to the right of the first one. Then three more shots were fired, and they all printed in a line between the first two. That gave me five shots with all holes touching. Let me elaborate (or brag) on that group; those five shots tore a single jagged hole just barely 1½ inch across. When you subtract one ball diameter from that 1½ inch, the center-to-center group is just a little less than 1 inch. Let me quickly admit that I tried to do better. Other groups were fired, but none of my following groups were quite as good as this one. And I think a 70
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1-inch group even at the close distance of 25 yards, fired from the bench, is something to crow about. October Country’s price for these rifles is listed at $2,400, with furniture in iron, German silver, or brass. There are other options which can change that figure; for instance, an upgrade of the wood or special order sights. And again, a left-handed version is available. Other possible options have already been mentioned. WSJ Editor’s note: To find out more about the half-stock Liver Eatin’ Johnson Rifles, contact October Country at P.O. Box 969, Hayden, Idaho 83835-0969 or give them a call at (208) 762-4903. You can also find this product on their website at octobercountry.com. They’ll make it just about the way you want it. Mike Nesbitt continues to write articles about black-powder shooting, now for more than 40 years. For Mike, shooting begins with black powder.
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EET MISSY ROBERTSON M Dishes On How It All Began And Behind The Camera ARTICLE BY RACHEL ALEXANDER • PHOTOS BY A&E
The Robertson clan is composed of patriarch Phil Robertson and his wife Kay, front, son Jase and his wife Missy, back left, Phil’s quirky but lovable brother Si, back center, and son Willie, considered the impetus behind the business, with wife Korie, back right.
OF DUCK DYNASTY
I
got a chance this Christmas season to interview Missy Robertson of A&E’s Duck Dynasty, who is married to Jase Robertson, one of the four sons of family patriarch Phil Robertson. Like all the women of Duck Dynasty, she is down to earth, positive, fun, witty and passionate about her family and helping others. She’s done it all when it comes to hunting, shooting and being right there on camera with the guys. The men really do go hunting all the time, it’s not just an occasional hobby. It was revealing hearing what it’s actually like behind the scenes – it’s not as easy as it appears to those of us watching, even though the reality show is unscripted. But what we see now on TV is not how the family first got into it – the show has grown way beyond their first small venture into media. RACHEL ALEXANDER What is Christmas like for the Robertson family? MISSY ROBERTSON It’s a lot of fun. We usually spend Christmas Eve and morning with our separate families. My parents live in town, and same with all the Robertson wives. We get all together down at Phil and Kay’s between four and five p.m. for a big meal. Now, that’s the one day that Jase won’t hunt in the morning. He spends the time with us. Phil can’t stand it, but he joins him later in the afternoon for hunting. RA What has been you and your children’s experience with hunting? MR I’m not a hunter, but I have been hunting in the past. I went deer hunting once on Duck Dynasty. I don’t mind duck hunting. It’s a little different when you’re hunting with the Robertson’; it’s not just a casual past time like it is for other men, who just go hunting on their days off. Instead for many men, like ours, it’s their livelihood. It’s how the Duck Dynasty men make their living. When Jase goes hunting, he goes to work, there’s not a whole lot of recreational time. I don’t mind hunting once a year, but it’s a lot of pressure, especially when you add in all the cameras. Our kids hunt, fish and shoot. Reed just killed a deer, so we’ve been eating it and two that Jase killed for the past three weeks. Jase cutsa westernshootingjournal.com 73
Willie, Korie, Missy and Jase wait for deer.
deer up as soon as it’s killed, and keeps it in an ice chest in our garage, and we eat it every day until it’s gone. Now, the bigger the deer, the worse it tastes. Jase doesn’t care about showing off by killing a big deer with a huge rack. He goes for the small ones since he wants the best tasting. Deer tastes a lot like beef – you can substitute deer for beef. You can grind it and make spaghetti, deer burgers or steaks. There’s no fat and you can avoid the gamey taste. RA Anyone in your family like to fish? MR I encourage the guys to fish because I love to eat it. We grill it and make fish tacos. I’m usually the one who encourages Jase to go fishing! We love crappie, which we call white
perch; it’s a white, flaky fish that we blacken. It’s everybody’s top favorite. We do not eat seafood in a restaurant because we do it so well. Same with grilled and blackened shrimp. RA What made you decide to do the show? MR We had the opportunity to think it through in 2009 through 2011, when we had the first reality show on the Outdoors Channel. As a much lower-profile show, we were able to be ourselves. It got a lot of awards at the Outdoors Channel event every year in Las Vegas. That caught the attention of A&E. Even before that, we had the hunting DVD that the guys did. It was really baby steps to get to where we’re at now. Fortunately, all the women on the show get along fairly well.
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RA How are you able to survive the public and media scrutiny? I’m sure some can be negative and brutal. You have said things yourself in the past, like “God is not politically correct.” MR We’re pretty grounded in our faith – that’s the main reason. It doesn’t affect us the way people expect it to! We’re not trying to make sure everyone likes us and agrees with us. God has given this opportunity, and so we use the opportunity to shine the light on Him. We’re not perfect – we have a lot of flaws. We simply know there is a Savior and we appreciate Jesus and what he did for us. RA Duck Dynasty came out with a Christmas album last year, and I see you’re singing on three songs, including “I’ll Be Home For Christmas, Baby,” “It’s Cold Outside,” and “Why I Love Christmas.” I listened to those songs, and you have a really beautiful voice. Do you have much singing experience? MR My mom has a master’s degree in choral training, so she’s been my vocal coach my entire life. I’ve always sung. For about 23 years now, I’ve sung with the Praise Team every Sunday in church. After the first time on Duck Dynasty where I sang “Silent Night,” people asked on social media if I would make a Christmas album. Willie found out about it and wanted to do an entire family album, and
all five Robertson women to be able to share a tiny portion of our lives with the public. There’s actually more to share. I’m writing a book about Mia’s story that will be out in August or September of next year. We tried to hit the hot spots in the book. All five of us have very different background stories. Yeah, we get on each others’ nerves, but we don’t fight. You don’t have to air everything all the time; that’s where our Christian views come in. It does nothing but harm each other. You have to forgive if you expect to be forgiven. I don’t want to stand in front of Jesus on Judgment Day asking to be forgiven if I haven’t forgiven. Missy and Jase have never dated anyone else seriously but each other.
that’s how it all happened. RA You recently released a book with the other women of Duck Dynasty, The Women Of Duck Commander. What is that about? Also, I saw the five of you interviewed on Fox News and was impressed that you all get along so well! MR That was a great opportunity for
our own experiences, which includes being financially strapped back then. We want to help families make better and more informed decisions. We put out information on miamoo.org. And Mia wanted to make sure that kids didn’t have to be scared going into surgery. WSJ Editor’s note: For more information about the Robertsons at Christmas, visit commanderchristmas.com. The Women of Duck Commander book can be found at duckcommander.com.
RA You’ve become outspoken about raising awareness for kids born with cleft lip and palate, after discovering your daughter Mia was born with this. What should our readers know about this condition? MR Mia is one of the bravest kids we’ve ever known and she happens to be ours. We knew nothing when she was diagnosed about cleft lip. We now know so much because of
Missy and the women on the show put out a book earlier this year, The Women of Duck Commander.
Hunting on TV, with all the cameras, was a lot harder than it looked.
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The Troops on Christmases Past From Touching To Traumatic Holidays Overseas ARTICLE BY RACHEL ALEXANDER
While most of us celebrate Christmas each year in the warmth of our homes with family and friends, our military is not always so fortunate. During wartime and in peace, they may spend months or years overseas, with zero to little recognition of the holiday, and subject to dangerous conditions. This pictorial takes a look back at what some of our brave servicemen and women have been doing while serving overseas on Christmas.
Above: Loadmasters from the 36th Airlift Squadron out of Yokota Air Base in Japan prepare humanitarian supplies for delivery to the remote Micronesian Islands as part of December 2012’s Operation Christmas Drop. Occurring annually for over 60 years, it is the longest such ongoing mission in the world today, according to the Department of Defense. (TECH. SGT. SAMUEL MORSE/U.S. AIR FORCE)
Right: One hundred years ago this month, perhaps the most remarkable wartime Christmas celebration in history took place. Known as the Christmas Truce and recorded for posterity in a London News’ illustration, British and German soldiers emerged from their trenches and exchanged holiday greetings and presents instead of gunfire.
Left: Fresh out of high school in 1943, Orv Burns joined the U.S. Army and was assigned to a ship heading to Guadalcanal, an island in the Southwest Pacific. His replacement unit there was then sent to Bougainville, also known as the North Solomons, a part of Papua New Guinea. Orv was assigned to the gun crew of the 247th Field Artillery Battalion. There were still 5,000 Japanese soldiers on the island, so the fighting was hot and heavy. The motto became “shoot and dive for cover!” To celebrate Christmas Day 1943, the senior officers and non-coms served the soldiers dinner. They then watched the movie Holiday Inn outside their tents. Starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, and featuring the song “White Christmas,” it was later remade into the familiar White Christmas World War II film. By the time the movie was over, all the young recruits – most, like Orv, were just out of high school – were bawling and wishing they were home with their folks. Orv and his unit fought on beachheads on the Philippine island of Cebu, and he ended his military service as part of the occupation force in Honshu, Japan, as part of the “Wild Cat” Division. Previously, he had proudly been part of the “Americal” division, the only division with letters, not numbers, and known for their patch with the Southern Cross (representing a constellation visible in the Southern Hemisphere). After spending Christmas 1945 in Japan, Orv returned to the states early the next year and was discharged. Orv is pictured left next to a patchwork quilt his late wife Joyce made for him composed of of military emblems.
Above: Soldiers play soccer on Christmas Day during the Christmas Truce of World War I.
Right: As peaceful as many Christmases have been for our armed forces over history, one also provided cover for one of their most daring and famous attacks. Crossing the Delaware River during a bitter storm on Christmas Day 1776, the Continental Army surprised German mercenaries and British soldiers at Trenton, N.J., painted here by Hugh Charles McBarron, Jr. It was the first of several successful cross-river raids that bolstered our chances in the Revolution. (HUGH CHARLES MCBARRON, JR./U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE)
While Orv Burns served on one side of the world during the Second World War, his longtime friend George Strong saw action on the other, including the Battle of the Bulge. It began on December 16, 1944, and ended on January 25, 1945. As part of the 106th Infantry Division of the First Army, his unit of around 100 soldiers along with several other units were deployed with Allied forces in the Ardennes Mountains in Belgium. Nazi forces in German tanks surrounded the troops in the front of the deployment, known as the “bulge,” capturing them. They were sent first on a forced march and then by cattle cars to Dresden, Germany, where they were imprisoned in the basement of a slaughterhouse (made famous in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five). George spent Christmas there as a POW. Miraculously, most of them survived the bombing of Dresden by Allied forces, which began on Valentine’s Day with the Americans bombing by day and the British by night. George, weak and undernourished, was able to escape the “liberating” Russians and walked many miles alone westward to the American lines. When George and the other American prisoners were on the streets of Dresden working to clear bomb rubble, a civilian woman with a young child passed him, and, being careful to not let the German guards see her, placed a piece of bread with marmalade on the street for him to retrieve. George did this carefully, knowing that if they were caught, the woman and her child would be shot. He has never forgotten this human kindness.
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Left: Members of the 101st Airborne Division take photographs during the Bob Hope Christmas Show at Camp Eagle in Vietnam on December 23, 1970. (U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE/SP5 JOEL M. SHANUS, USA SP PHOTO DET, PAC)
Right: Christmas Day 1970 saw the “Santa Bird,” escorted by two Bushranger gunships, visit pilots stationed at a U.S. Army helicopter base at Dong Tam in the Mekong Delta. (NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT)
Above: American soldiers of the 3rd Battalion of U.S. 119th Infantry are taken prisoner by members of the SS Kampfgruppe Peiper in Stoumont, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge on December 19, 1944.
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Guntucky co-producer Adam Fox Forrest, right, talking to Peter Howell, director of photography.
THE MAKING OF THE CMT HIT SHOW
The author appeared on Guntucky once.
A
nyone with knowledge of the machine-gun hobby knows that the biannual shoots and gun shows at Knob Creek Gun Range in West Point, Ky., are events that can’t be missed. That’s what first attracted the attention of television producers Evan Stone and Adam Fox Forrest. They hatched the idea for Guntucky, the hit Country Music Television reality show, over five years ago after visiting Knob Creek Gun Range for a news story. They discovered something locals have known for years: It’s one of the best places to shoot in the state, a first-rate gun shop operated by the Sumner family, who are very decent people as well as
GUNTUCKY Family Show About Guns Proves Popular
ARTICLE BY FRANK JARDIM • PHOTOS BY GUNTUCKY/CMT
extraordinarily fun and interesting. The show focuses on the Knob Creek Range’s various business operations, which include the daily buying and selling of firearms, preparation of their internationally famous machine-gun shoot and military gun shows, and some seemingly outlandish special events custom tailored to their customers’ desires. Though many of these special events are contrived to entertain, I know that similar things have been done in the past. For example, Zombie Shooters United conducts their
unique hyper-realistic 3-gun matches there, and that’s about as extreme an experience as any shooter can safely have without getting return fire. Forrest, fielded a few questions for me on Guntucky and what he calls unscripted TV. FRANK JARDIM How did Guntucky get started? ADAM FOX FORREST A photographer friend of mine, Keith Sirchio, did a photo series on the Knob Creek Range machine-gun shootout in 2004 or 2005. I saw his series when I was in New York. Evan Stone and I were
“AT TIMES IT GETS A LITTLE WEIRD GETTING SO INVOLVED IN SOMEONE’S PERSONAL LIFE.” westernshootingjournal.com 87
Guntucky is packed with action.
independent producers developing TV shows at the time, and we got the idea for an unscripted TV program based on the Sumners and their family business. We contacted Knob Creek Range and were put in touch with Chad Sumner, son of the owner, Kenny Sumner. They were game. A few years later, we had a show. It was a long and complicated road from idea to airwaves. FJ What was the original title of the show? AFF Evan and I choose Full Metal Racket. CMT came up with Guntucky, which I like better. FJ Who comes up with the story lines for the episodes? AFF Evan and I had a hand in the
Steven Sumner, left, is the mohawked range supervisor at the Knob Creek Gun Range.
story lines. We teamed up with Left Field Pictures, and they provided us their A-team of producers as well. I’ll give you an example of how we get our story ideas. Prior to the start of the last season, I came to Kentucky before the crew to catch up with the Sumners for two weeks. I visited them at home and at the shop, and found out the rhythm of the range and how the family runs such a large operation. I followed Biff Sumner, the family patriarch, around and found out what his interests were. I discovered that he went to the flea market on Sundays, collects bed pans, etc. With the playing field down, stories were all around us. FJ Reality TV is something of a misnomer. I’ve heard you refer to this
type of programming as “unscripted” TV. Can you speak a bit regarding this format? AFF I describe the format as getting a camera on somebody who wouldn’t necessarily have one on them. Of course, they need to be involved in something interesting. I use the term “unscripted TV” because reality TV has a negative connotation, and, you’re right, it’s a misleading term. It’s entertainment, not a documentary. FJ Is unscripted TV the marketing of real personalities in contrived situations for entertainment purposes? AFF Yes, and marketing can be key as we’ve seen with Duck Dynasty. FJ What are the benefits of this format for the stars of the shows, the producers, and the audience? AFF Well, the stars can be millionaires if the show gets great ratings. The producers get jobs and credits on their resumes, and the audience gets entertainment. FJ How would you compare making
The cast and crew with a tank that appeared in an episode featuring live-fire reenactment of a World War II battle on the range.
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unscripted TV to normal scripted TV programs? AFF Unscripted TV is challenging in its own ways. I think it is much harder to shoot. This show, being a live firing show, was a beast to cover. There is also an excitement to unscripted work when something unexpectedly turns out great. You can get good performances out of people with no acting experience. They aren’t
Co-producer Evan Stone on the left with Peter Howell, director of photography.
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overthinking. They are just being themselves. When I watch Law and Order, it feels like they are actors playing detectives playing actors. FJ What is it like filming, editing, etc.? AFF Well, when a show has a several million dollar budget, it has a lot of people weighing in. Also, the network has final say because it’s their product. So as you can imagine, it can be challenging for creative types like Evan and I. CMT is out of Tennessee. It was comforting to me that it wasn’t a New York- or Los Angeles-based network, because we get a lot more creative freedom. FJ What do you and Evan Stone actually get paid to do on the show? I’ve seen it in production and it seems like you guys are everywhere doing everything all the time. What’s the job title for that? AFF Evan and I created the show so we both had a lot of roles. We are both executive producers, which is
basically overseeing everything. Evan is also the director of photography, which is why you saw him behind the camera so much. I edited and we both did directing when the Left Field staff director was unavailable. Left Field Pictures was the production company that we joined with, and they provided a great infrastructure of talented experienced crew. FJ What is it like working with the Sumner family? AFF It’s a crack-up. Steven, Kenny and Chad are funny as hell, and Biff and Nancy are really funny in their own way. At times it gets a little weird getting so involved in someone’s personal life. You really need their commitment for 13 weeks straight. Biff isn’t the type of guy that does anything he doesn’t want to. FJ What was it like for two big-city urban TV guys from L.A. and Detroit to make a gun-related show in rural Kentucky?
AFF Evan and I have been sticking cameras in people’s faces all over the world. Most everyone who is a collector likes to show and talk about their pieces. I do remember being on the firing line during the machine gun shootout before our first season aired, and there was a guy badmouthing our efforts. After the first season aired, we had a flood of support from collectors and enthusiasts of the show. Also, the staff at the range joined us on the show after the first season, and we got some great segments with that. FJ What makes a good show? AFF That’s the million-dollar question. FJ What do you think Guntucky’s appeal is? AFF It’s a family show with guns. It’s unique in that sense. The family members are all great characters and naturally funny. I like that part of the format was based off Left Field Pictures’ mega-hit show Pawn Stars. The buy and sell segments are great.
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Creek Range has everything you can think of. We paid a ton in ammo. Also, on our days off we shot Class III weapons like machine guns, etc., for show research. At home, I go plinking in the desert at my friend’s cabin in Joshua Tree, Calif.
The viewer can see and learn a lot about historic firearms. We blow up a lot of big sh*t too. Our explosives expert was a master of the craft. FJ How are the statistics for the show looking at the end of its second season? AFF Most shows we’ve worked on only get one season; getting a second season is a miracle. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for another pick up. FJ How much actual shooting experience do you have? AFF We’ve both shot everything we could get our hands on, and the Knob
FJ What are your personal gun politics? AFF Well, we both have firearms. I think Evan is a member of the NRA. I know he has the hat. Evan and I did a documentary with a U.S. Navy Seal correspondent, and it was well received by the gun community. It won some awards. FJ Who is the bigger outdoorsman, you or Evan? Does he even own a cowboy hat? AFF We are both outdoorsmen. He surfs and I like to hike and swim. I ride my motorcycle everywhere, and yes, I wear a cowboy hat, which isn’t that well received here in L.A., or in Kentucky. WSJ
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Talented Country Singer Hunts, Fishes And Camps ARTI AR T CL TI CLEE B BYY FRA RAN NK K JAAR RDI DIM • PH DIM HOT OTOS O BY CH OS C UC UCK K AR A LU UND N
f you don’t know his name yet, you know his song “Holy Cowgirl.” Country music singer and songwriter Michael Harter just released his first solo EP titled Ride On through LMV Nashville/ Arizona Records. Previously, he performed with his siblings in a country music trio known as the The Harters. Born and raised in Tempe, Ariz., he is as comfortable camping, hunting and fishing in the wild country as he is in the studio making great country music. I had a chance to visit with him for this story and find out a little about Michael Harter the sportsman.
I
FRANK JARDIM How did you get involved in the great American outdoor pursuits of camping, hunting and fishing? MICHAEL HARTER I got involved at a very young age. My Dad made sure of it – he was always taking us, my siblings and I, into the woods, deserts and lakes of Arizona where I grew up. I started camping and fishing by the time I could walk, and as soon as my hunter’s safety course was completed at the age of 9, I was hunting. FJ What game do you enjoy hunting? MH I think deer hunting has become my favorite, particularly since I moved to Tennessee. In Arizona, every deer hunt I went on involved lots of long days hiking and glassing mountainsides. I had never been in a tree stand until I moved here, and I love it! I think it’s the quietness of the woods and the solitude I enjoy so much. The tree stand is now a place
where I can gather my thoughts and watch wildlife. My favorite hunt is one I take every year just outside Paducah, Ky. My good friend Jimmy O’ Daniel, with O’ Daniel Outfitters, always knows what stand to put me in on his 1,000-plus-acre farm. I have been successful every trip. Not to toot my own horn, but I’m not a bad shot with my Weatherby 7mm Mag either!
FJ What are your must-have pieces of equipment when you go afield? MH My Wolverine Gore-Tex ScentLok boots are a must, as well as my Streamlight flashlight, and, believe it or not, my Energizer headlight. For deer, my Tinks No. 69 Doe Urine lure, my side arm Kimber .45 1911(also my concealed carry), and my best friend, a Weatherby 7mm Mag. Oh, and I have
to be head to toe in Realtree and/or Mossy Oak patterns. FJ Are you a trophy hunter or a meat hunter? MH Both, more for meat these days though. I have enough trophies hanging at my cabin in Arizona to freak most people out! Whitetail deer, mule deer, horned sheep, buffalo, elk and nilgai (the largest Asian antelope). I’m not opposed to adding to my trophy collection if the right animal presents itself. I guess my standards are set pretty high. It’s all about those venison burgers, baby! FJ They are delicious. What was your first hunting trip like? MH I think my first hunting trip was a dove hunt with my dad. I wasn’t old enough to carry a shotgun, so I packed my Daisy air rifle. Obviously, I couldn’t shoot dove from the air with it, but every now and then one would land and it was game on! FJ What was the most memorable hunting trip of your youth and your adulthood? MH Geez … that’s like asking me to pick my favorite song I’ve written. I love ’em all!
Some of Michael Harter’s favorite sidearms are a Kimber .45 1911 (also his concealed carry), and his best friend, a Weatherby 7mm Mag.
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FJ If you could travel anywhere and hunt any game on earth, what would your dream hunt be like? You seem like a guy who might hunt wild boar in Africa with only a chipped flint knife. Am I right? MH Ha ha ha! I have hunted wild boar, only no flint knife and it was from the front of an airboat on the King Ranch in Texas with my AR-15. I would absolutely love a hunt in Africa. I could add an exotic or two to my trophies. If nothing else, I’d just like to see it, from the safety of a very large vehicle with a very experienced guide, of course. FJ In that case I will make arrangements for you with my man in Nairobi and have a flint knife chipped to your specification. In the meantime, I hope you will please keep the great songs coming. WSJ
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RALLYING AGAINST I-594 WASHINGTON STATE GUN OWNERS PROTEST AT SEATTLE RALLY OVER GUN CONTROL LAW I-594 Last month, voters in Washington state, where Western Shooting Journal is located, voted on the two biggest gun initiatives in the country, I-594 (gun control) and I-591 (gun rights). Although I-594 passed and I-591 lost, around 300 gun rights advocates showed up at a protest in Seattle before the election, and WSJ was there to capture the event. It’s not over yet. A protest is scheduled this month at the state’s capitol, Olympia, and there will likely be lawsuits and legislative lobbying.
Attendees put on a good face at the election night party held at the headquarters of Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and the Second Amendment Foundation. On Alan’s left is Anette Wachter, the most well-known sharpshooter in Washington, who appeared in NRA TV ads against I-594. With them are gun bloggers Mike Gallion, Janelle Barnett and Barron Barnett.
Alice Gheorghiu from Everett with her M&P9.
Sandy Wagnon from a suburb of Seattle displayed a message for Obama.
Rodger Young from Seattle demonstrating that even Occupy is concerned about gun control and love to read Western Shooting Journal.
A family with homemade signs. westernshootingjournal.com 99
RALLYING AGAINST I-594 Cathy Lee Ryan showed her support for both I-591 and Western Shooting Journal.
Jason Colberg with a thought-provoking sign.
Patrick Mullen and Mike Carpenter of two suburbs show their interest in Western Shooting Journal.
Gun owners from Whatcom County in northern Washington drove almost three hours to attend the rally.
The entrance to Westlake Park, for once void of anti-war protesters.
The gun bloggers. From left to right: Mike Gallion, D.W. Drang, Barron Barnett and Janelle Barnett. Rick Halle, who organized the protest against I-594.
Members of the Puget Sound Conservative Underground met for coffee at the Fred Meyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Bellevue openly carrying prior to the anti-594 rally. From left to right: Republican congressional candidates Marty McClendon and Doug Basler, Jason Colberg, Western Shooting Journalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s editor, top steel shooter Mike Gallion, Mike Williams and Stephen Decatur.
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SHOOTING WITH LARYSA
KEEPING A POSITIVE OUTLOOK
Learning Patience On A North Dakota Mule Deer Hunt ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY LARYSA SWITLYK
It is quite difficult to harvest a mule deer in North Dakota, much less with a bow.
t is very important to keep a strong mental state of mind throughout your whole hunt. This is the number one thing that could ruin a great hunt, and trust me, it is easier said than done! I catch myself from time to time thinking negative thoughts when it has been two days and I haven’t even seen one deer. It can definitely put a damper on your hunt if you allow these negative thoughts to take over. Not all hunts will end up with a big trophy at
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the end or meat for your freezer. But it will be worth it when your hunt does come together, and it will be more rewarding knowing how much time and work you put into it. I filmed a spot-and-stalk hunt with my Limbsaver last year in North Dakota at Racks Outfitter. There is a low percentage of harvesting a mule deer with your bow while in the grasslands of the northern plains, but even less when you are trying to get it all filmed! With doubt already instilled in my mind after hearing the statistics, I tried
to ignore it. I knew it was going to be a challenge and that is why I accepted this hunt. Three days in, we spotted two mule deer bedded. My guide got me set up just as the mule deer were coming around the side of the hill. We crawled into position while they came within 40 yards of me. I pulled back to shoot, but unfortunately the mule deer ducked my string, and I ended up just barely shooting right over its back. My heart broke as I watched the two mule deer run off out of sight. I was westernshootingjournal.com 103
Even with plenty of patience, you may not harvest a mule deer.
so upset about missing that shot I put the total blame on myself. I had the perfect opportunity at a difficult hunt and I missed. I was so upset, I kept replaying the missed shot in my head, which instantly put me in a bad mood. I literally didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t talk to my guide or cameraman for over a day. I just couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t shake the negative thoughts out of my head, which was ruining the rest of my hunt and affecting the whole
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mood of the rest of my crew. I had to finally step back and realize I couldn’t take back my miss, but I need to chalk it up as a learning experience and focus on the rest of my hunt, because if I hunt hard enough, I might be able to get another chance! Four days later, that chance happened on the last evening of the last day of my hunt. I got close to an old 5-by-3 mule deer; everything just came together perfectly and we got it on film! I’m glad I talked myself out of my dim mood and focused on the hunt ahead. The positive attitude helped it become a success, and allowed me to enjoy the rest of my hunt. Take every mistake as a learning experience on every hunt – no matter how miserable you are, whether you are freezing and can’t feel your toes or you’re wet because it’s raining on you or you’re getting eaten alive by bugs, try to take a moment, put down the cell phone (hopefully you don’t have service) and appreciate the outdoors. Hunt hard, stay focused, and you will always have a great experience. WSJ Editor’s note: Larysa Switlyk is host of Larysa Unleashed on the Sportsman Channel and Destination America, and a CPA turned professional outdoorswoman sharing her passion with her main pursuit to influence and encourage other females and children to get involved in the outdoors.
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COMPETITIONS
FROM WAX BULLETS AND SINGLE ACTIONS TO FAST DRAW SUBMACHINE GUNS California’s Master Gunfighter Cisko Guerra ARTICLE BY ROBIN TAYLOR • PHOTOS BY CISKO GUERRA
il “Cisko” Guerra cuts an image from a previous century. Flowing dark hair, white shirt, black leather holsters – Antonio Banderas would be jealous. Guerra could stand in for Zorro; all he needs is the mask. In some ways, he’s a real-life Hollywood action hero. Just look at his skills: world-renowned in fast draw, top-100 Cowboy Action competitor, competitive fencer. He’s trained in Tae Kwon Do, Tai Chi, and Wing Chun. He’s fluent with Eastern and Western styles of sword fighting, and throws knives for fun. He’s earned the “Master Gunfighter” label. On Outdoor Channel’s Impossible Shots, Cisko has a reputation for ballistic magic. Among them is shooting the “fast five” – breaking five balloons with five shots in less than one second. The same praise fits other Impossible Shots stars, but Guerra’s skills reach beyond the prepared world of TV. “I don’t want to rest on old laurels,” Cisko told me. So says a man who can claim the title of “Fastest Gun Alive.” In October, he fired the fastest shot at the Cowboy Fast Draw Association World Championship, and went on to finish fifth in the CFDA “Magnificent Seven” shootoff. That shot clocked at .313 seconds from a visual start, drawn from a cowboy-legal rig, using a normal-looking single action, a Ruger Vaquero. A quick, smooth draw involves two elements: 1) reaction time, and 2) the draw itself. In practice, fast-draw enthusiasts enjoy taking shots “off the button” as a way to study how fast their draw technique is without the reaction time. An “off the button” shot involves holding a button down with your trigger finger. When you let go, the timer starts. During his early days on Impossible Shots, Cisko did a “button shot” under five 1/100ths of a second. That’s insanely fast – less than 1/20th of a second – so fast most people don’t believe it. “I made sure I did that one on TV,” says Cisko. “I had two timers running; one listening for the sound of the shot and the other recording the impact. The sound timer came in at .046, the impact timer at .061.” To give you a sense of scale, the M3 Submachine gun (the WWII “grease gun”) fires a shot every .133 seconds – that’s 2.5 times slower than Cisko’s “button shot.” Personally, I was a little dubious – and that’s why it’s all on film.
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Six shots, two targets, two guns, one second. Cisko Guerra has moved into “tactical” fast draw – with real bullets.
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COMPETITIONS shot on camera isn’t anywhere near as easy as it sounds. It often takes weeks of prep. Once they’re ready to go, the Impossible Shots crew rolls in. “I don’t like making mistakes,” says Cisko, “and the first time we did one, I wasn’t totally prepared.” The last time the film crew rolled in, Cisko did four complete “impossible shots” in one day.
Single actions are Cisko’s forte.
DREAM JOB Cisko’s combination of skills got him an early invitation to join the Impossible Shots team. Since then, “I’m having so much fun I can’t even tell you,” he reports, “but it is work.” The stars of the show on Impossible Shots will tell you preparing to do a
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A PEEK INTO FAST DRAW To better understand Cisko, WSJ asked me to look into the CFDA World Championship. Like watching cricket, until someone explains what you’re looking at, it’s confusing. Within fast draw there are two major associations with different rules, different ammo, and different gear. In World Fast Draw, shooters draw by “fanning,” “slap cocking,” or “twist fanning” – the fastest techniques known. Highly modified “raceguns” are almost required, since any form of fanning can break a single action in short order.
They start the draw with both hands “near” the gun, but not actually touching it. When you see Cisko flying through the “fast five” on Youtube, he’s got a “World Fast Draw” rig on. WFDA “open” guns are amazing. They sport “shaved” trigger guards, custom hammers bent up half an inch above the frame, reinforced actions mated to cylinders with exaggerated notches and short, light barrels. They cost more than $2,000 each! You’ll see various brands being used, but Cisko has used Rugers his entire life. In the 1980s, Cisko and Ernie Hill went head to head in this increasingly technical world, driving their times down from .4 seconds through the .3s, and into mid .2s! “Ernie Hill was one of the toughest competitors I’d ever met,” says Guerra. “There weren’t many guys that could run under .023, but he could.” Hill would eventually post the fastest shot on record – a .208 – and his reputation drove the
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COMPETITIONS holster company bearing his name. Cowboy Fast Draw is something new. It uses cowboy-like gear, similar to what you’d see at a cowboy-action event. The gun’s exterior cannot be modified (at all), and if you have a SASS-legal holster, you add a leather leg protector and go shoot. To draw, CFDA shooters start from “lawman
ready” — right hand on the gun. To discourage “fanning,” right-handers must keep their left hand to the left of their body at the start, which pretty much forces the adults to “thumb” (thumbcock) the gun as they draw. Kids under age 12 must use a twohanded technique – commonly “slapcocking” where the shooter cocks
CISKO’S SECOND LOVE: COWBOY ACTION SHOOTING Cisko had to drop out of the Cowboy Action world to focus on creative fast draw, but he fondly remembers his days competing against and hanging out with “China Camp” – a past SASS world champion. “We were doing some fun things there,” says Cisko. Cowboy Action has a need for speed that most (due to the nonprofessional nature of the sport) underestimate. The top guns run their single-action revolvers at breathtaking speeds, and nobody drives a pump shotgun like a seasoned cowboy. “Those 12 gauges slam-fire really nicely,” he laughs, “but it’s hard to be a slave to that master and any other master too.” The skills of SASS’ top-tier shooters take a back seat to no one. As Cisco told us, “If I won the lottery, I’d do that all the time.”
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the pistol with the left hand and fires it with the right. Of the two, CFDA is vastly more popular, and gaining ground nationally. The CFDA “thumbers” outnumber the WFDA “fanners” – and that’s why Cisko was here in October, shooting under his CFDA alias, “Master Gunfighter.” Shootoffs in both are often done head to head, with shooters advancing by wins and losses. If you draw too quickly and miss the target with your wax bullet, you lose. Fast-draw events often carry significant prizes. When Cisko won the Nevada State WFDA title in 1970, he won a solid silver belt buckle with an uncirculated $20 gold piece in the center and $150 cash (equivalent to $900 today). The buckle prices out around $3,000 – and Cisko has worn it for more than 40 years. LEGENDARY FAMILY The Guerras have a tremendous
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COMPETITIONS legacy in fast draw. They’ve won almost everything that can be won, led associations, appeared on TV, you name it. “I started in 1968 at 14,” says Guerra. “Our family got into it about then, and we bought a gun in 1969.” Cisko won his first match in 1970, shooting under the watchful eye of his father, Gil Guerra, Sr. His mother and sister soon got into the act, winning titles and making the Guerras into their own traveling road show of fastdraw excellence. Gil Guerra, Sr., would eventually lead the charge to marry the Mid-Western and the Western Fast Draw Associations. The result was the World Fast Draw Association, with Guerra, Sr. as president. NEW CHEESE After 40 years in fast draw, Cisko is looking beyond the six-gun and “starting to do things in the tactical world,” he says. That means real bullets.
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“Almost all the stuff I’m doing now is with live ammo,” he says, using SASS-legal loads from Ten-X. All competitive fast draw is done either with wax bullets or hand-made blanks, and competitors wear special guards and deflectors in case something goes bad. When he visits the West End Gun Club in Lytle Creek, Calif., to run live ammo, Cisko’s doing the equivalent of walking a tightrope without a net. (Don’t do this at home!) “Back in the day (fast-draw guys) used to be called blank poppers,” he explained. “People didn’t take us seriously. Everything I do now is steel and lead.” To prepare for each new challenge, he practices using wax bullets at home in the hills of Ontario, Calif. Cisko’s neighbors know who he is, so he can practice on his corner lot without being visited by the police. He even teaches fast-draw classes there above Rancho Cucamonga. “I’ve been doing it here for 20 years,” he says.
When it’s time to practice, he flips on the lights, straps on a gun, and walks outside. But what’s in the holster? Fast and … weird. Some of the things Cisko is working on lie way beyond the normal. “American Tactical sent me two GSG 522-Ps, and my dear friend Bob Mernickle made holsters for them, one on each side.” (A 522-P looks like an HK MP5K submachine gun, chambered for .22 long rifle.) “Wait,” I said in disbelief, “you’re doing fast draw with a 522-P?” “Yep,” he responded. “Two of ’em. I draw both guns at the same time, and triple-tap two steel plates at 7 yards in one second flat.” The guns themselves weigh 6.5 pounds each, and they’re not what anyone would call “well balanced” – they’re not meant to be “drawn” at all! “The 522-P has a long, curved magazine, so I have to lift the gun high enough to clear the magazine,”
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COMPETITIONS says Guerra. “I’ve got some little 10-rounders now, and with those I think I can really haul.” I come from the USPSA/IPSC world, where “fast” one-shot draws include anything under one second. Serious shooters struggle to go that fast. That’s one shot, on one target. Pros like Max Michel can get under one second easily, but triple-tapping two targets? With a pistol in each hand? That’s off the scale. WAIT, SAY THAT AGAIN? Cisko has amazingly “macho” hobbies. You’d expect him to make a living as a movie gun coach, a steel worker, or own a rifle range. “I’m a hairdresser,” says Guerra. “My kids laugh about it. They tell me, Dad, you’re this awesome dude with a gun, and you’re a hairdresser?” Guerra owns the salon where his wife works, and Guerra works at another. “It’s kind of an unusual thing, but
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522-Ps aren’t exactly “balanced” for fast draw – but Cisko’s drawing them anyway.
it works for us. I don’t have a boss, so I can set set my own schedule. If I need to be gone for a shoot, I just mark myself out.” Sure enough, I found online references from customers lauding Cisko’s skills as a stylist and “colorist.”
SEE FOR YOURSELF Guerra’s combining his experiences on Impossible Shots with his experiences as a competitive fast-draw artist. The result is a new DVD titled “Master Gunfighter II, The Need For Speed.” I caught up with Cisko the day after shooting a bunch of footage at a local Bass Pro Shops. He’s still editing, but the final four-part product will include: 1), a look at fast draw and how it works; 2), a look at some of the best Impossible Shots videos; 3), two or three new “shots;” and finally; 4), a tutorial on the thumbing method of fast draw. For the person interested in CFDA, it should be ideal. Through his video appearances, Cisko is bringing the skills (and the look) of a previous century into the new. Although Cisko’s version of Don Diego de la Vega involves cell phones, modern California, and a day job as a hairdresser, there’s a great lot of “Zorro” here if you take time to look. WSJ
scattergun trail
GET THAT KID A SHOTGUN FOR CHRISTMAS How To Buy A Child’s First Shotgun
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY LARRY CASE
The key is not getting a shotgun that is too large or heavy for the child. Chris Ellis instructs his son, Jack, on a Remington 20-gauge 11-87.
hope that you have not forgotten what it was like to be a 10-year-old kid on Christmas morning. Now add to that you are a kid in a hunting and shooting family. You have been wishing, hoping, and praying that you will see that new gun under the tree. Can you remember this? Think of Ralphie in A Christmas Story. A lot of our hunting traditions are going by the wayside; I hope that this one has not. I think it does a kid good to hope
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for the present he or she desires with all their little heart. Hopefully Mom and Dad are on the same wavelength, and agree that they are ready for this firearm, and so that long, slender package will be there on Christmas morn. This now leaves Dad and/or Mom to make the right choice and buy our little guy or girl the right shotgun. Get ready for a lecture. IF YOU GREW UP LIKE I DID, “back in the day,” most kids got whatever shotgun
that was handy shoved in their hands, and were basically told to shoot it and don’t complain. Often the young shooter was laughed at after some old blunderbuss knocked them for a loop after they pulled the trigger. Now let’s see, you give a kid a shotgun that doesn’t fit, it is too big and too heavy, the recoil of which could make a grown man cry. Do we see a problem here? Friends, bad shooting habits can follow us for a lifetime; sometimes it is not our fault. The kid who was forced to shoot Uncle Bill’s Model 97 will never forget that it kicked like the proverbial mule. He developed a flinch that day, which may very well follow him to the grave. I recently attended Remington’s new products seminar near Fayetteville, W.V. I felt privileged to be there, as the list of people attending consisted of most of the heavy hitters in the outdoor media and shooting industry world. But I will tell you this: on the shotgun range (where Remington was unveiling a brand-new shotgun for 2015), I saw people who I think of as better shotgun shooters than me reveal some bad flinches. You’ve seen it; while using a gun that you are unfamiliar with, you call “pull,” and the bird goes up but the safety is on. You yank the trigger; the barrel takes a big dip downward. Now where might that flinch have come from? I HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE about working with young people at various shooting functions: National Wild Turkey Federation Jakes Days, Youth Day at the Range and the like. Watch the kid who picks up an ill-fitting shotgun that is too big and heavy for him/her. Most westernshootingjournal.com 117
SCATTERGUN TRAIL will lean back and heave the gun to their shoulder, usually snagging the stock under their arm because it is too long for them. A gun that fits them allows the young shooter to stand straight and push the gun towards the target as they shoulder it, like we are supposed to do. Think about this: It is important to get a shotgun that fits your son or daughter now, not one that they “will grow into.” While you are waiting for them to grow into this gun, how many bad days in the field will they have and how many bad habits will they acquire because of a shotgun that is too big and heavy for them? I want you to consider the pump shotgun for a child’s first gun rather than the auto loader. Now, I do not think there is anything wrong with the auto loader, but pump guns are generally lighter than autos and are easy for small hands to operate. They are safer to operate when it comes to loading more than one shell, and they
are usually less expensive. So I am going to offer you a couple of choices that you can consider for the young shooter’s first shotgun. The first is Remington’s Model 870 Compact Jr. Most youth model shotguns feature a 13-inch length of pull. The 870 Compact Jr. has a 12-inch length of pull, to better fit the smaller shooter, and this feature is adjustable so it can be increased as the shooter grows. All this and the reliability of the Remington 870: can over 10 million, 870 owners be wrong?
Next is the Mossberg 500 Bantam All Purpose. This gun starts with a 13inch length of pull, however, the Super Bantam model gives you a 12- to 13-inch adjustable stock, and multiple barrel lengths are available. Other options include 12, 20 and .410 bore. I would go for the 20 gauge; don’t start them with a
.410. I realize that it may have been your first shotgun, as was mine.
Don’t forget lightly loaded shells for the starting shotgunner are just as important as a gun that fits properly. Let them practice and shoot on paper with target loads; if you are going to turkey hunt, save the heavy stuff for the woods. Remington offers their Managed Recoil STS Target Loads; shell out another dollar or two for a box of shells that the kid can enjoy shooting. Get that kid a shotgun for Christmas! Not just any shotgun, but one that fits them. Both of you will be glad you did. WSJ Editor’s note: The author is a lifelong shotgunner. When he misses, he usually admits it, and when he hits it, he tries not to brag.
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BEHIND THE BADGE
CHRISTMAS DAY MIRACLE A Police Officer’s Daring Rescue BY ANDRÉ M. DALL’AU
Los Angeles Police officer Don Thompson, right, almost lost his life saving a car crash victim on Christmas Day – and he wasn’t even on duty yet. Pictured here with Chief Charlie Beck. (LAPD)
hristmas means different things to different people. Most view the day as a deeply religious event to honor the birth of Jesus Christ. Others see it as simply a jubilant day to give and receive gifts, and spend time with family. However, there is a third group, composed of power plant workers, doctors, nurses and especially law enforcement professionals who probably would enjoy being in church or at home opening presents with their kids, but do not because Christmas for
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them is just another work day. While parents are woken up by kids jumping up and down on their bed, or dutifully assembling a complex toy with way too many small parts using instructions that missed a few words in its translation from Japanese, there are police officers, deputy sheriffs and agents all over the country answering calls, watching the roads and trying to ignore being away from their loved ones on Christmas Day. On December 25th, as we listen to Christmas carols and drink cocoa while ripping open
presents under a brightly lit Christmas tree, the ones who protect and serve have only the calls from their radios to listen to, coffee from convenience store cups to drink, with the only flashing lights being the ones on their roof as they speed through the empty streets to help yet another citizen. What do they do to live through that day? As I had to do when I was an operator at a nuclear power plant and celebrated more than a few holidays monitoring a commercial reactor, we chatted among ourselves, called home westernshootingjournal.com 121
BEHIND THE BADGE as we could and looked forward to our shift’s end so we could go home and enjoy a belated celebration. As I did, our law enforcement community does their best to make the day pass quickly and pray for a prompt relief! However, crime, bad guys and accidents do not observe holidays, nor do they mitigate their effects just because Christmas Day should be the single day where everyone enjoys peace on earth and goodwill towards men. BEING CHRISTMAS DOES NOT STOP our law enforcement officers from going out of their way nor hesitating to risk their lives to help others. Don Thompson, a Los Angeles Police Department bomb squad officer, was on his way to work when he saw a station wagon violently crash into the center divider of an elevated expressway as he was traveling the opposite direction. He immediately stopped and jumped over the guardrail, yanked open the door
of the demolished car to find a man in his mid-to-late 60s unconscious in the driver’s seat as a fire began to spread inside the passenger compartment. Using a pocket knife, the officer cut the seat belt and pulled the man from the car that was rapidly filling with blinding, choking smoke and searing heat. Two other citizens ran up to help Officer Thompson get the incapacitated driver away from the vehicle that soon was fully engulfed in flames. Thompson unfortunately sustained first- and second-degree burns, some abrasions to his hands and knees, and suffered from smoke inhalation while the driver was treated for nonlife threatening injuries after being transported to hospital. All present believed that the driver would have most certainly perished in the fastmoving fire had Thompson not acted immediately and as precisely as he did. Why? The rapidity of how fast a fire of this type intensifies, actually doubling
and redoubling its size in just seconds, made the actions that Thompson took not only selfless but could have easily resulted in both men being overcome and dying in that car. What was the final touch, the true holiday cheer, was that the accident and rescue happened on Christmas Day and all involved consider the event a true Christmas Day miracle. The actions that Officer Thompson took upheld the finest tradition of both law enforcement and Christmas to give the gift of life to a total stranger. Really, isn’t that the real celebration and the real meaning of Christmas? So this Christmas as we sit nestled with our loved ones in the warm embrace of our homes, take a minute to think of and thank those who protect and serve us and who have chosen to be away from their families so we as Americans can stay safe, and like at least one lucky American, live to see many more Christmases. WSJ
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ROAD HUNTER
A DIFFERENT HOLIDAY STALKING Tis The Season For Wolves, Coyotes, Foxes And More ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HAUGEN
No matter where your coyote hunting adventures lead, bringing a shotgun along is a good idea. Many seasoned coyote hunters advocate taking a rifle and shotgun into every setup.
The author and his son, Kazden Haugen (12) with a pair of west Texas hogs. Hog hunting is something the Haugens have enjoyed doing as a family from Florida to Texas to California.
hristmas and New Year’s mean time away from work. It’s vacation for many, a time when predator hunters are eager to head afield. The great thing about a predator hunting vacation is you can include the family – hunt in the morning and afternoon, and enjoy family fun midday and night. If the family hunts, spend a few days in a secluded little town, hunting
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together. Before or after the hunt, take a family vacation, hitting fun sites along the way or spending time in theme parks. If properly planned out, it can be a fun experience had by all. Some of our favorite family hunting adventures have centered around hogs in Florida, Texas and California. The most recent hunt found my younger son and I chasing hogs in west Texas. We had great hunting on private land by night, a blast visiting historic sites
and theme parks by day. This is also prime time for coyote and bobcat hunting throughout the West. Many serious predator hunters will hit multiple states this time of year, searching out the best spots. Phone calls to regional fish and wildlife authorities will help dial you in to the areas of highest coyote and bobcat population densities, saving valued time. Once hub cites are defined, you can westernshootingjournal.com 125
ROAD HUNTER it’s not that much further to Knott’s Berry Farm or Disneyland. With winter upon us, predator hunting options are many for the Western hunter who is willing to travel. Do the research, find places to hunt and take the family along on a hunting vacation they won’t soon forget. WSJ Winter in the West means prime predator hunting, and with so many animals, and so many places to go, there’s something that will fit the needs and interest of everyone.
plan not only your hunting adventure, but see if it’s feasible to bring the family along on a winter getaway. If looking to experience some of Idaho’s
backcountry wolf hunting, the family might enjoy staying in a nearby city while you hunt. If wanting to go after hog or gray fox in northern California,
Editor’s note: For signed copies of his popular big game hunting adventure book, Life In The Scope: The West, send $15 (free S&H), to Haugen Enterprises, P.O. Box 275, Walterville, OR 97489 or order online
WINTER’S PREDATOR PARADISES
1
GOLDFIELD, NEV., COYOTES
2
NORTHERN IDAHO WOLVES
While there are many great places to pursue coyotes throughout the West this time of year, the area around Goldfield, Nev., is considered among the best of the best. Lots of public land in all directions, and loads of coyotes, not to mention the prime location between Las Vegas and Carson City, make this the ultimate holiday vacation predator hunting getaway for many.
Wolf numbers continue growing in Idaho, and seasons are getting more liberal. Now, in most units where wolf densities are high, they can be hunted year-round on private land, and from August 30 to March 31 on most public grounds. A nonresident adult hunting license costs $154.75, and wolf tags only $11.59 each. Some of the best hunting lies in the Panhandle region, in units 1-9 (except 8). Calling can be productive over the next few months as the breeding season approaches. Base yourself out of McCall, Salmon City, Stanley or Challis, and you’re close to multiple established wolf packs. Be prepared, these can be demanding hunts.
3
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA GRAY FOX
The gray fox thrives in many places throughout the West, with some of the highest densities being found in northern California. The foxes in this area are also very receptive to calling. Many hunters routinely encounter double digit numbers in a night. There are a good number of gray foxes on public lands, in surprisingly timbered habitats. Gray fox season runs November 24 through the end of February statewide. Concentrate efforts between Redding and Arcata, toward Yreka, and you won’t be disappointed.
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4
EASTERN OREGON BOBCATS
5
WEST TEXAS HOGS
Some of the prettiest bobcat pelts I’ve seen have come from eastern Oregon, and cat numbers are high. From Baker City to Burns on down to There are many places throughout the West Fields, bobcat live in timber and where bobcats can be sage country, and there are loads of hunted. public land opportunities. There’s a five-cat limit in eastern Oregon, and a bobcat record card is required. The use of a moving bird decoy can help draw in finicky felines.
Hogs can be found just about anywhere in Texas, but within west Texas, look to Interstates 10 and 20 as the main corridor. From Midland south to Sonora, and west to where I-10 and I-20 meet, there are lots of hogs. True, it’s dominated by private lands, but gaining permission to hunt hogs is different than deer; landowners will listen. Concentrate on river bottoms and farmlands. Hogs can be hunted at night on private land, which can be very productive.
Wild hog hunting opportunities are many in both California and Texas. Hogs are fun for the whole family to hunt, making for the perfect hunting vacation.
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COLD-CALLING COYOTES PRIME TIME FOR HUNTING SONGDOGS AS WELL AS BOBCATS hen the days start getting shorter and the weather starts to cool, my attention shifts to predator hunting. I’ve been calling predators for over 15 years, and of all the different types of hunting I participate in, predator hunting challenges me the most. Winter is my favorite time to call predators. The longer nights and cooler temperatures means the animals are more active, needing to feed frequently to stay warm. Fall into winter is an excellent time to use all types of prey in distress sounds, either with a hand call or an electronic caller. I like the ease of using a hand call during the early season. It’s a great opportunity to try out new calls that I’ve collected during the off season. As with most types of hunting, the more opportunities you’re presented with, the better you’ll get. On an average two-day trip, I’ll make about 20 different stands. On good trips, I’ll get a handful of opportunities to
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take predators, but, more importantly, I’ll add more data to my extensive predator hunting data set. Animal behavior, frequent travel corridors, quality stands and sounds that produce responses are all factors I pay attention to and learn from. Just like with any game you chase, the more interactions you experience the better you’ll know your prey. REGULATIONS The California Department of Fish and Wildlife as well as many other states’ agencies designate predators into nongame mammals (coyote and bobcat) and furbearers (fox). Coyotes are generally open year-round with no limit. However, many predator hunters participate in a self-imposed season and stop pursuing coyotes from February to September, giving the adults a chance to raise their young unmolested. California has a bobcat season that runs from October 15 until
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY TIM E. HOVEY
the last day in February. The state also requires a hunter to purchase tags to pursue bobcat. Gray fox season opens up on November 24 and extends to the last day of February as well. Regulations specify that when in pursuit of gray fox, only hand calls can be used; electronic calls of any sort are prohibited. Specific species regulations and seasons vary by state and may change from year to year, so make sure you stay updated on the appropriate regulations if you decide to give predator hunting a try. JESSICA’S FIRST COYOTE Earlier this year, I took my youngest daughter, Jessica, out for her first real hunt. A few months before, she had passed her hunter’s safety course and wasted no time in asking me to take her hunting. We planned an overnight father/daughter trip in January. The plan was to drive out to the Bishop area northeast of Fresno, stay the
Alyssa Hovey sits in position for incoming predators during a winter hunt. Though coyote hunting is allowed year-round, many hunters stay away from February through the summer. But December is an ideal time to hunt. westernshootingjournal.com 131
The author with his daughter, Jessica, who took her first coyote on a hunt earlier this fall. After patiently calling in the coyote from the 600-yard mark, Jessica eventually hit it from about 90 yards out.
night and then hunt our way home. That next morning, I found a greatlooking spot to start off our day of calling. Two hills created a shallow canyon that emptied out to a flat area and stretched for over a mile. The
wind was perfect, and sitting half way up one of the hills would put the sun at our backs. We quietly hiked to the shady portion of the hill and readied ourselves. I set up Jessica with my
Ruger .204 and her shooting sticks. I was shooting my Remington .22-250 as backup. I looked over to Jessica, nodded and told her to stay alert. I started calling and we both began scanning the area carefully on the lookout for movement. After about two minutes, I spotted a fluffy white object bouncing in and out quickly at 600 yards. I slowly turned to Jessica and told her we had one coming in. I could see she was excited. I had her slowly move her set up a bit left to intercept the approaching coyote. The coyote was bounding in as fast as the animal could run. Jessica finally spotted it coming quickly at about 300 yards out. I knew for her to have a chance, this animal needed to slow way down. Around the 150-yard distance, I dropped the volume on the call. The coyote kept coming but slowed to a quick trot. At 120 yards, I muted the sound from the electronic caller. The instant silence only added to the tension. I quietly asked Jessica is she
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was on him. “Yes!” she answered. Now 90 yards out, I let out a bark and the coyote slammed on the brakes. He stopped and looked up at us on the hill and right into the sun. I was watching him through the scope of my rifle. Either way, via me or Jessica, this animal was done. “If you have the shot, take it,” I whispered. Jessica squeezed the trigger and hit
the coyote just left of center chest and he fell over dead at 90 yards. We tried to keep calling the stand, but she was too excited and we had photos to take and hide to take care of. Her first coyote ever was down. THE BASICS While I really enjoy the pursuit of predators, a large part of the reason
Hunters who stay completely still can sometimes be rewarded by bobcats that will sometimes close within a few feet of them. When targeting bobcat, the author chooses areas with a natural gap between where he sits and approaching animals.
I hunt them is the amount of time it allows me out in the field. I enjoy searching for new spots and scouting areas for animals in the offseason. I seek out the soft soil around water sources, often a great place to evaluate the type and size of animals in the area. I dissect possible stands and determine where I’ll sit and what time of day would be best to call the location to put the sun at my back. And when all that off-season work pays off, it is beyond exciting. When it comes time to hunt, there is a lot more to it than just sitting down and blowing on a plastic whistle. All wild predators have amazing senses and they rely heavily on sight, smell and hearing to survive. As a hunter, you have to fool these senses if you want to be successful. Coyotes and foxes play the wind and will circle downwind to make sure it’s safe to approach your calling area. If they get any whiff of a human, you probably won’t even see them as they leave. I make sure I know the
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wind direction and set up so that I can face downwind and see approaching predators before I start calling. Bobcats are less concerned with the wind and all about movement. Frequently, they will just appear during your calling sequence, using every single bit of cover to silently approach. When I target bobcat, I make sure that I pick an area that has a natural gap between where I’ll sit and approaching animals. Approaching bobcat love to come to the edge of an open area and just sit down and observe. If you’re still, they’ll get close. How close? I’ve had them walk within 3 feet of where I was sitting. Staying still and quiet are probably the two most important factors when predator hunting. And while wearing camouflage clothing is an advantage, it’s not mandatory. When staying hidden and motionless, frequently most predators will not be able to figure out what you are. I usually wear earth tone-colored pants and a camo shirt when calling.
When I locate a good calling spot, I’ll sit down and make sure that I can adjust to incoming predators without detection. I’ll move rocks or leaves away from my feet and make sure I can rotate to running animals silently before I start calling. Then there are the nerves. Unlike any other type of hunting, predator hunting is an activity where you are calling a predator towards you. If you’ve only ever briefly seen these animals running away from you when encountered, your first called predator, running quickly towards your position, will definitely rattle your nerves. For me, it’s exhilarating. Calming yourself when you spot an incoming predator is crucial to avoiding detection. I’ve seen experienced hunters get coyote fever when they see approaching animals, which usually results in a poor shot. MANAGING SPECIES I enjoy the diverse steps involved in predator hunting. There are many
aspects of this type of hunting that you need to pay attention to in order to be successful. The challenge of getting everything just right is one of the reasons I enjoy it so much. The anticipation of what may come in and the unpredictability of what may happen when they get there is what makes predator hunting so exciting. To me, it will never get old. Hunting is one of the largest tools in the resource management tool box. By using solid biological science, well-established seasons and limits, hunters assist in keeping game animal populations balanced. Hunting predators is no difference. Coyotes, foxes and bobcat hunt the same animals we hunt and they pursue their prey all year-round. Managing their numbers using hunting is as important as managing game species. The bottom line is, if you hunt small game, deer, upland game, wild pig or turkey, and you’ve had a successful season, you should probably thank a predator hunter. WSJ
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AMAZON-STYLE MARKETPLACE EMERGING FOR FIREARMS New Website To Fulfill Void Caused By Amazon/Google Ban ARTICLE BY FRANK JARDIM • PHOTOS BY 1800 GUNS AND AMMO
T
he upcoming website launch of 1800gunsandammo.com has the potential to completely change the nature of the firearms retail trade in the same way Amazon has changed the way consumer products are sold. You can already buy guns online from a wide number of sources within the guidelines of the law, but currently, most guns are sold locally in face-to-face transactions over the counter of a bricks-and-mortar gun shop or gun-show table. Part of the reason for this may be the love-atfirst-sight experience and impulse buying that only happens when you see and hold a new firearm yourself. We’ve all succumbed to this at one time or another, and some do with embarrassing frequency. Another factor that tends to hamper the online sale of firearms and firearmrelated products is that searching for them can be time consuming in the extreme. You almost need to know where to look for them. For me, a typical online search would have me trying to locate product reviews to determine the firearm that best suits my needs, finding retailers with that exact firearm in stock, figuring out their shipping policies and charges, and finally, formulating a price comparison so I can make my buying decision. This is an evening’s work. One of the reasons this process is so time consuming is because the major Internet search engines like Google and Bing purposely try to prevent you from finding guns and gun-related products. In case you weren’t aware, these popular search engines are so anti-gun they won’t even allow firearms retailers to market non-gun
Mikhail Orlov, the CEO and brainchild behind 1800gunsandammo.com.
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products and having real-time, ondemand access to another 300,000 items. This is an impressive start. The store’s present name is webyshops. com, and if that doesn’t exactly make the mind leap to deer hunting and target shooting, it is suggestive of Orlov’s extensive experience with information technology. The company was born from a love of the outdoors and technology, and built as an eCommerce site from the start, with its own web design studio and accounting/inventory software. The venture grew out of a bricks-and-mortar shootingsports retail store located in Arlington, Texas.
products through them! Amazon.com likewise refuses to carry firearms or related products. When the world’s biggest online retailer decided to exclude the products of an entire industry a few years ago, Mikhail Orlov, the CEO of an online and bricks-andmortar shooting-sports retail store in Arlington, Texas, saw an opportunity.
If Amazon would not sell his products, he would make an Amazonstyle marketplace for the shooting sports industry himself. He is uniquely qualified to do it. Mikhail and two of his friends founded their first online store in 2009, which is today among the top 500 fastest-growing companies in America, stocking 12,000 unique
’S R LELER M U MB THTU
OVER THE NEXT 12 TO 24 MONTHS, Orlov and co-founders, with the help of 20 employees, are transitioning webyshops.com into 1800gunsandammo.com as the new software is refined and hundreds of thousands of products are categorized to make them searchable online. Their goal is to aggregate all the inventory data from all firearms products distributors (Sports South, Big Rock Sports, Green Supply, Ellett Brothers,
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ONE OF THE REASONS THIS PROCESS IS SO TIME CONSUMING IS BECAUSE THE MAJOR INTERNET SEARCH ENGINES LIKE GOOGLE AND BING PURPOSELY TRY TO PREVENT YOU FROM FINDING GUNS AND GUN RELATED PRODUCTS. Gun Accessory Supply, Davidson’s, Zander’s, etc.) into a single, constantly updating, consolidated database that customers can easily search. Orlov says, “Retail business is about logistics. It’s fulfilling customer expectations in the fastest time possible.” I like the sound of this because I value my time. Other retailers – both bricks and mortar and online – may not like it so much. Like it or not, it is inevitable and the marketplace will adjust. One of the aspects of the website that intrigues me is that your searches will give you real-time inventory and pricing. Like the stock market, they could fluctuate from day to day. Beyond a mere selling portal, Orlov envisions the site as a source of authoritative and unbiased information to educate the consumer. That would be refreshing since most online stores, and stores in general, provide little or no information on the products they sell. The latter’s objective is to make the customer want what they sell, rather than sell the customer what he wants. In addition to hundreds of unique online articles, Orlov intends to have knowledgeable experts on staff to assist consumers by answering their product questions and providing them useful guidance in making their buying decisions. He says, “We believe 142
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that great content, such as how-to articles, detailed product reviews, comparisons, and opinions are just as important as great prices and customer service.â&#x20AC;? Be on the lookout for the new website to fully emerge within the next two years. Webyshops.com is already starting to convert to it. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop progress. WSJ
The new site is almost ready to launch.
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ARCHERY
LAST CHANCE FOR BIG GAME Late Archery Season A Tough But Rewarding Hunt ARTICLE BY TOM CLAYCOMB III
Late-season hunting means game huddled in herds. (DAVE BRONSON/OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE)
ome states have a lateseason archery hunt for various species of big game. A lot of these hunts may be depredation hunts, which are special controlled hunts used to relieve big game damage problems. If you’re not used to hunting out West, you may not be familiar with the fact that our big game moves up into the high country in the spring and doesn’t migrate down until winter snows force them down. Deer come sooner, but larger animals like elk usually won’t start migrating until the snow gets deep and they can no longer find any food.
S
A lot of the lower valleys are privately owned, so if there are too many elk or deer wintering on a particular field or where a rancher hays his cattle, it can cause problems. Due to this fact, you might be able to find a rancher or a farmer who is willing to let you hunt on his land. I’ve always had better luck getting on private land while bowhunting as compared to rifle hunting, so your odds are better for gaining access. While a lot of the lower land is privately owned, a lot of it is BLM land. Depending on populations, fish and game departments may desire to thin out
The author’s friend Robert Martin with a buck he shot on a late-season archery hunt in Idaho. (TOM CLAYCOMB)
the herd with a late season short-range weapon season, bow or blackpowder. So in some instances, archery hunting may provide for an extra late-season hunt for you. I’ve even lateseason archery hunted in Nebraska where literally 100 deer may winter around a ranch house in the Sandhills. westernshootingjournal.com 145
ARCHERY
Fish and game departments may schedule depredation hunts late in the season to thin out herds. (NICK MYATT/OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE)
In a nutshell, when the heavy snows hit, they cause migrations to lower areas where game can obtain food. This causes heavily congregated areas. For example, let’s assume you’re hunting a zone with 6,000 acres. When winter
hits, all the deer and elk may migrate down to pastures or lower areas of a few hundred acres, so you may see huge numbers of game in one day. How do you effectively hunt in this scenario? First off, it will be different
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than your normal hunts. For one, you can imagine how hard it is to sneak up on 100 elk in a wide-open pasture. On a normal hunt you may have three to six pairs of eyeballs looking at you. On these hunts you may have 100 pairs! That makes it
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ARCHERY a whole lot harder to sneak up on. That many in a herd are on edge anyway. LAST YEAR, DRIVING HOME after an elk hunt, I dropped out of the mountains and drove through a valley. I happened to look off to the right, and there was a nice herd of elk out in the middle of a wide-open pasture between two mountain ranges (clear other than a few willows on the small creek). All that I could do was to glass them. There was no way that I could sneak up on them. A lot of deer winter out on the lower ranges east of where I live in Idaho. Again, same thing. It is hard to sneak up on herds of 30 to 40 (or larger) herds of deer – there is just too much monitoring going on – much less to get close enough with a bow. So, the good news is you see huge numbers of game on late-season archery hunts. The bad news is they’ll be hard to sneak up on. So how do you
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get close enough to shoot one? There’s no magic answer, but here are a few tricks that might help. First off, you need to do a lot of glassing to locate game. Granted a lot of times due to big herds you’ll see them a mile away, but you’ll also find small herds if you glass. You’ll want a good set of binoculars and a spotting scope. If you don’t have high-quality glass, then your eyes will tire out, so invest in some good glass and you will not be sorry. I’ve had good luck with Leupold products. A few weeks ago we were doing a lot of glassing, and I was reminded that if you’re glassing for hours per day that it is nice to have a pad to sit on. We were up on top of a knoll and it was rocky. That didn’t take long to get old. When I lived in Colorado, I’d go archery hunting every morning for antelope. I learned that not every herd of antelope that I spotted was I able to sneak up on. But if there was a small
rise, draw or something that I could use to my advantage to sneak up on them, I could. If they were out in the middle of a wide-open pasture, I moved on and located another herd that I could more likely get the drop on. I was able to get close to a bunch pretty much every morning if I hustled hard. Next, use the sun to your advantage. I love hunting right at daylight with the sun right behind me. When you crest a hill they can’t make out what you are. That’s a golden time to hunt. Well, I feel like I’ve barely gotten started and I’m out of room. In closing, find herds that are in a position to allow for you to sneak up on them. You may have to locate a herd at dusk and then sneak up on them before daylight the next day. If you play your cards right, you may be able to get access to private land due to the fact that they are damaging a farmer’s fields or a rancher’s hay stacks. Happy hunting. WSJ
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owners Nick and Francine invite you to join them in this “true Montana experience.” The entire staff at Forrester’s is here to serve you at our full-service luxury lodge: fivestar cuisine at every meal from our internationally trained chef, the Orvis Pro Shop, a cozy lounge in front of the river-stone fireplace, and plenty of jokes up in the cigar loft. Forrester’s Bighorn River Resort has always been known for outstanding fishing and spectacular five-star cuisine, but we’re also the place for rest and rejuvenation. Our “Rejuvenate at Forrester’s Package” will recharge your mind and body with nurturing activities and healthy cuisine customized to individual needs. It’s a true Montana getaway, with additional activities including upland bird hunting in 100,000-plus acres of leased prime hunting ground, cast-andblast packages, star gazing under Montana’s Big Sky, tours of the famous Bighorn Canyon Lake, and backcountry fishing and hiking adventures starting at our base camp located at 9,500 feet in the Cloud Peak Wilderness. Forrester’s Bighorn River Resort is located in Fort Smith, Mont. Contact them at (800) 665-3799.
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GIFT GUIDE frame handguns from Sand Paper Pistol Grips allow for faster draw with positive retention. They provide unparalleled control, better accuracy, and faster follow-up shots, giving you more confidence with your handgun. Contact them at customer.service@ sand-paper-pistol-grips.com or (918) 812-1984.
EARTHEASY eartheasy.com The SunBell Solar Lamp and Phone Charger is the Swiss Army knife of
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solar lighting. Perfect for longer trips, the SunBell can function as a lamp, flashlight, neck light and mobilephone charger. The SunBell can be purchased on Amazon for $79.95.
LANSKY lansky.com Lansky Sharpeners, a world leader in innovative sharpening technology, continues to expand its line of easy-to-use sharpeners for the home, kitchen and shop with the development of the Master’s Edge Sharpener. The Master’s Edge, modeled after Lansky’s popular line of Gourmet Sharpeners, features a variety of aesthetic and technical
advancements. The new sharpener features three of the most common bevel angles found on factory-made knives today, 17, 20 and 25 degrees. With a stylish, custom design that looks great on any counter top, the Master’s Edge is as aesthetically pleasing as it is hard-working. Easy to use and store, the Master’s Edge is the perfect sharpening system for both experienced and novice knife sharpeners.
ICC AMMO iccammo.com ICC Ammo’s Duty and Defense line is the next evolution in hollowpoint ammunition. Their frangible technology allows tailoring of the
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GIFT GUIDE fracturing process to expend the maximum amount of energy into the target. In addition, this technology doesn’t limit bullet expansion upon impact to the original size of the projectile. As a result, they’re able to achieve bullet expansion exceeding 5-inch-wide spreads when captured in 10 percent ballistic gel. This ammunition has a non-lead projectile and a standard lead primer.
HIPERFIRE hiperfire.com Hiperfire’s fire control products were designed for everyone who appreciates the accuracy and speed potential of the AR-15/10 type platform. Since their introduction in the summer of 2013, 3-gunners
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especially have embraced the brand. Their appeal is broad, from LE/MIL operators to hunters. The pull weights on the Hipertouch model 24 triggers are adjustable from 21⁄2 to 4 pounds without compromising hammer fall strike energy. The triggers are very smooth, with virtual zero creep feel as the shooter moves up the product line. Get two or more triggers for less than $100 MSRP. They will be introduced for SHOT SHOW 2015 at booth #3016.
RAGGED MOUNTAIN ANTLER CHANDELIERS antlerchandlier.com Ragged Mountain Antler Chandelier’s studio and shop are located on a Montana mountainside. We love and appreciate the gift of seclusion, wildlife and the opportunity to reflect, live and work in such serene tranquility. As artists, it is a small shift to turn our admiration of natural beauty and
balance into a functional piece of artwork for your home. We can use your antlers or our own to individually handcraft a valued treasure. We are the only antler crafters who can combine the experience of both worlds of function and art to create abstract asymmetrical chandeliers. We do traditional styles also; see our website for more. Allow us to handcraft your love and appreciation of this wildness of nature into your own cherished heirloom. For more information, options or to gather ideas, visit the website or call (406) 961-2400. WSJ
ULTIMATE CARTRIDGE CHECK SYSTEM
www.uccsystem.com
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• American Made with overall length of 7 ¾” and 3” blade • Lightweight @ 3 oz. with paracord handle for emergency situations • Engraving options make great gifts
AMERICANA FISHERMAN The Ruana Americana Fisherman is a completely
American Made, high quality knife. Its versatile blade
shape and lightweight design make it an excellent choice for any outdoor adventure. Name and logo engraving
options create great gifts from individuals or businesses wanting to
say thanks to special
employees or customers.
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• Comes with a variety of carrying options • Dealer inquiries welcome for Americana Knives • Purchase supports Project Healing Waters
KNIVES
A KNIFE FOR TEX CREEK SPORTSMEN TOP Knives’ Southeast Idaho Model ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY KEITH SIPMANN
The Tex Creek blade was designed to be used in the Tex Creek area of southeast Idaho.
he Tex Creek blade, by TOPS Knives, is a tribute knife to the men and women who hunt and fish in the Tex Creek area of southeast Idaho. This wildlife management area, which includes two national forests, is home to an abundance of diverse wildlife and is accessible starting about 10 miles from the TOPS Knives facility in Idaho Falls. Open range, high rugged mountains, waterways and large forests provide hunters and fishermen a variety of diverse terrain to chase elk, bear, mountain lion, wolf, moose, pheasant, turkey, quail, rabbit, duck, goose and trout. Being that the Tex Creek area is so close to the TOPS Knives facility, this allows their
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designers and knifemakers the ability to field test in their product in their own backyard. As with all of the TOPS Knives blades I’ve seen, the overall quality of the blade is superb. The grip on the Tex Creek is a very nice black Micarta, with a contoured handle for better gripping. The darkened Micarta scales are screwed onto the handle, and a large cord holder is accentuated at the back of the handle. The designer, Leo Espinoza, designed and built the Tex Creek to have a positive grip that could be used for extended periods of time if needed. The 7.1-ounce Tex Creek comes with a “Black River Washed” clip-point style, full-tang, 3/16-inch thick 1095
“THIS IS A KNIFE THAT PERFORMS WITH EXCELLENCE IN THE FIELD AND LOOKS AND FEELS LIKE AN OLD TRUSTED FRIEND, ANYWHERE THAT YOU GO.” – TOPS KNIVES DESIGNER LEO ESPINOZA
Overall length: 9 inches Blade length: 4 3/16 inches Thickness: 3/16 inch Steel: 1095 high-carbon steel Handle: Black canvas micarta Blade finish: Black River wash Sheath: Leather Weight: 7.1 ounces Weight w/ sheath: 9.8 ounces Designed by: Leo Espinoza Made in: Idaho Falls, Idaho
high carbon steel (56-58 HRC) blade. The overall length of the knife is 9 inches, but the blade is about 4 inches long, which is just large enough to carry every day and not feel as though you have a huge blade on your side. The uncoated blade finish clearly shows the heat treatment line along the blade edge. The darkened-steel pattern is uniquely different on every blade, making each one a one-of-awesternshootingjournal.com 157
KNIVES The author's business partner, Creed McLaslin, a former Army Special Forces Green Beret, demonstrates proper tactical knife technique.
kind. This finish really provides a nice broken-in or rustic look to the blade, and gives it that unique and ready-touse look. The clip-point blade, in my
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opinion, was a good design choice as it gives the Tex Creek user a bit more control of the blade when using the knife. Clip points are great blade
styles for an “all-purpose” knife, which is exactly what I would call the Tex Creek, a well-rounded, quality-built, good-looking, all-purpose blade.
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KNIVES The leather sheath that comes with the Tex Creek knife is very comfortable to wear.
If you’re thinking of using the Tex Creek as a defensive blade, you may want to consider sharpening the back edge of the clip point to make a second edge. While this certainly isn’t needed, it could help improve the function of the tip even more. The knife does come with a traditional-looking leather sheath, which at first I was not very fond of. It’s made well, and of good quality – but I’m just not a fan of leather as I normally prefer Kydex. However, I have been carrying the Tex Creek now for several weeks in the leather sheath, and I must say that it is very comfortable to wear. There is no real retention, however – the ability through a hook or formation to keep the knife firmly in your hand – and for some that may be a concern. All in all, this is a truly great knife; one that literally could be used in almost any environment. Priced at $179 MSRP, it would make a great Christmas gift for any avid hunter and outdoors enthusiast without totally emptying your bank account too. WSJ Editor’s note: Keith Sipmann is a veteran of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, firearms enthusiast, gun rights activist, conservative political writer and owner of BCB (Boot Camp Bravo) Firearms and Self Defense Clinics. He is the COO of Full Spectrum Defense and publisher and chief editor of Ballistic Media Network.
VISIT US ONLINE WESTERNSHOOTINGJOURNAL.COM
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RODGERS FISHING LODGE Rodgers Fishing Lodge is British Columbia’s No. 1 destination for salmon, halibut and albacore tuna. The lodge is located on the northern end of the west coast of Vancouver Island, right on the fishing grounds, and many guests say that the fishing opportunities here are better than you will find in either Alaska or the Queen Charlotte Islands. Almost 100 percent of their guests in 2014 went home with their limits of salmon and halibut. Rodgers operates a fleet of 15 top-of-the-line 24- to 28-foot covered Pursuits and Grady Whites. Their guides are second to none, and because of the generous limits, Rodgers will guarantee that you will catch lots of fish. This will be the lodge’s 32nd year in the sportsfishing business, and their 2015 season opens May 15 and closes at the end of September. If you are interested in fishing for tuna, the season will run from August 23 to September 20. Along with a custom vacuum-packing service, Rodgers offers direct flights from Seattle to their lodge. Check out some of the reviews that they have had on TripAdvisor. And for more, go to their home page at rodgersfishinglodge.com, give them a call at (800) 429-5288, or send an email to rodgersfishinglodge@yahoo.com.
’sALPENVIEW
k Kodia
PYBUS POINT LODGE
WILDERNESS LODGE
Saltwater & Freshwater Fishing! AlpenView Wilderness Lodge offers guests outstanding fishing on Alaska’s beautiful Kodiak Island. Our program features the best of both freshwater and saltwater action. All five species of Pacific salmon as well as halibut, steelhead and several other species are targeted with conventional and fly-fishing tackle. We’ve been proudly guiding anglers since 1985.
alpenview.com • mail@alpenview.com
Pybus Point Lodge is Southeast Alaska’s premier wilderness and fishing experience. Located among the calm, protected waters of the famed Inside Passage, our remote, secluded location affords you a “front row” seat to all the best fresh- and saltwater fishing as well as marine and wildlife viewing that Alaska is famous for. Space is limited, but if you hurry, you can still join us for our 2015 season. Call us now at 1-800-94PYBUS (947-9287) for reservations.
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RE loading
SAFELY STORING GUN POWDER Five Must-Know Tips ARTICLE BY DANIEL SCOTT
Storing gun powder correctly is not as simple as you might think. (CANSTOCKPHOTO)
he debate never seems to end: how long can modern ammunition, or the components used to load it, be safely stored? It should go without saying that the metallic components of a modern centerfire cartridge, namely the bullet and the case, have an indefinite shelf life. Primers can be susceptible to moisture and oil, but are otherwise shelf stable. It is primarily the powder which can degrade on its own over time. How long powders remain stable depends primarily on when they were
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manufactured and the environment in which they are stored. Almost 100 years ago, chemist Theophile Jule Pelouze nitrated cotton to create gun cotton, the world’s first nitrocellulose. This breakthrough was short lived, however, as the initial refinements were quite unstable and prone to explode. The problem is that nitrocellulose tends to decompose on its own, producing various nitrogen oxide. These oxides go on to react further, creating heat and even more oxides. This creates a rapidly accelerating cycle until enough heat is generated from the
reactions to cause the entire mass to auto-ignite and explode. Modern smokeless powders are still based on Pelouze’s chemistry, but with the important addition of stabilizers and burn regulators. The burn regulators do exactly what their name implies, and give us powders that combust faster or slower, depending on their mixture as well as their size and texture. Stabilizers, on the other hand, work as sponges, absorbing the nitrogen oxides that are naturally given off by the nitrocellulose and preventing westernshootingjournal.com 163
RELOADING WHEN POWDERS ARE STORED IN BULK, THE HEAT IS NOT ABLE TO DISSIPATE AS WELL them from reacting further. Because of this, the most likely result of using powder that has been stored for a long time is that you get a slightly smaller “bang” as some of the nitrocellulose (or nitroglycerin in the case of doublebase powder) has decomposed. THERE IS ANOTHER CONCERN, HOWEVER; the rate of decomposition can actually increase when powder is stored in large lots, like an 8-pound keg. In the case of powder already loaded into a cartridge, the oxides have other things they can react with, like the brass case itself. In addition, the heat generated by the reactions can dissipate faster and with greater ease. When powders are stored in bulk, the heat is not able to dissipate as well, and this actually accelerates
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the reaction and subsequent decomposition. With enough heat and decomposition, auto-ignition, while unlikely, is still possible even in newly manufactured powders. High humidity can also degrade your powders. Anti-caking agents make up a small portion of modern smokeless powder and work to keep it from clumping together. With enough humidity or moisture, however, these measures will be insufficient. Powder that has clumped together will not burn as quickly, and again result in a smaller “bang” than what you expected. To reduce the rate of decomposition and increase the length of shelf life, ammunition and powders should be stored in a cool dry place. Your garage may seem convenient, but the heat and humidity that is generated there
can very rapidly turn a shelf-stable powder into, quite literally, a ticking time bomb. Always check the date of manufacture on your powder kegs and load the older batches first. Take the time to regularly inspect your stocks of smokeless powder, especially before loading. Any hint of orange or rust color in the powder, or an acidic smell, should indicate to you that the powder is no longer safe to use and should be safely disposed of. Alliant recommends that unsafe powder be disposed of by burning it out in the open, unconfined, in small shallow piles that are no more than 1 inch deep, and never more than 1 pound at a time. WSJ Editor’s note: Daniel Scott is an outdoor writer at AmongTheLeaves. com. Daniel makes his home in Fort Worth, Texas, with his wife, and two dogs who couldn’t retrieve a bird if their lives depended on it.
and Ammunition Pistol Bullets and
Zero Bullet Company, Inc.
ZERO
P.O. Box 1188 Cullman, AL 35056 Tel: 256-739-1606 Fax: 256-739-4683
Toll Free: 800-545-9376 www.zerobullets.com
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JACK OF PAWNS 1704 E. Marshall Ave, Longview, TX 903-758-0559 www.jackofpawnslongview.com