Champion Handle-Rod, by Thomas Christianson

From time to time, days of hunger come. Sometimes they come for an individual, sometimes for a family, and sometimes for pretty much everyone at once. Money is short, food is expensive, and it is difficult to keep properly fed. During hungry days, fishing may offer a welcome way to add valuable protein to the daily diet. Even during days of prosperity, many people find fishing to be a fun and relaxing pursuit. So in good days and in bad, whether providing protein or lowering your blood pressure, fishing may be good for your health. Some excellent items of fishing …


Fiskars Pro Folding Utility Knife, by Thomas Christianson

With a hefty, ergonomically-shaped, rubber-coated handle approximately 0.88 inches thick and a well-engineered, all-metal blade holder, the Fiskars Pro Folding Utility Knife provides a rugged tool for serious cutting. It is roughly 4.5 inches in length folded and 6.5 inches open. The supplied Carbon Max blade provides superior edge retention in comparison with standard utility knife blades. The chunky handle is comfortable to grip, but also takes up quite a bit of room when clipped into a pants pocket. With a manufacturer suggested retail price of $26.99 at www.fiskars.com at the time of this writing, and widely available elsewhere online …


Henry Pump Action Rifle in .22WMR, by Thomas Christianson

The Henry Pump Action Rifle in .22WMR reflects classic design elements from such iconic firearms as the Winchester Model 1890, the Winchester Model 62, and the Remington Model 12. With a 20.5 inch octagonal barrel, a 12 round tubular magazine, and a beautiful American Walnut stock, the Henry Pump Action Rifle provides better than average accuracy with a tight and smooth action and minimal felt recoil. It comes with iron sights and a grooved receiver for mounting optics. It weighs 6 pounds. With a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $654 at the time of this writing at www.henryusa.com , and widely …


Sentry Tuf-Cloth Cleaner/Dry Lubricant/Protectant, by Thomas Christianson

Sentry Tuf-Cloth provides a conveniently-packaged, non-toxic, lint-free cloth for cleaning, lubricating, and protecting cutlery, firearms, tools, and other metal objects. It is made in the USA, and is available in vapor barrier foil pouches or in plastic jars in either a standard version or in a marine version that is designed for more corrosive environments. The Tuf-Glide CDLP (clean, dry-lube, protectant) solutions that impregnate the cloth are also available without the cloth in pen applicators or in spray bottles of various sizes. At the time of this writing, the standard and marine Tuf-Cloths in the foil pouch were priced at …


NightBuddy 230° LED Headlamp, by Thomas Christianson

The NightBuddy 230° LED headlamp uses an LED lightbar that bends around the forehead at the front of the lamp. This provides an even flood of illumination that is excellent for working outdoors in the dark. It is reliable, lightweight, compact, rechargeable, water-resistant, and easy to use. Battery life is somewhat less than advertised. I must also admit to being somewhat disgruntled by the fact that it is made in China. I feel that NightBuddy Customer Support was not 100% forthright when I inquired about its place of manufacture. The NightBuddy cost $34.95 from www.nightbuddy.com at the time of this …


L.T. Wright Large Northern Hunter, by Thomas Christianson

Inspired by the traditional Canadian Belt Knife, the L.T. Wright Large Northern Hunter is a versatile, effective, well-balanced, and attractive example of the knife-maker’s art. It is well suited to either chopping carrots in the kitchen or skinning a deer in the field. As such, it will effectively serve both a man of the field like Esau while hunting or a homebody like Jacob while making pottage (Genesis 25:27). The sturdy 3.87-inch high-saber-grind blade is made of 1/8 inch thick AEB-L stainless steel and comes razor sharp. The nicely rounded Micarta handle fits the hand extremely well. With a price …


Ergodyne Skullerz 8945f(x) Bump Cap Insert, by Thomas Christianson

This past summer, I was limbing a felled tree. As I leaned forward to cut a low limb, I smacked my forehead against the stub of a higher limb that was hidden by the brim of my cap. I saw stars for a moment, and could feel blood seeping from my forehead. To add insult to injury, my wife, Kari, said, “That was stupid. You should have been wearing a hard hat.” Neither the bump on my head nor Kari’s comment scored very highly on my happy meter. The Bottom Line, Up Front The Ergodyne Skullerz 8945f(x) bump cap insert …


Taurus TX22 Model 241, by Thomas Christianson

It is said that time flies when you are having fun. In that sense, the Taurus TX22 is a time machine. I can pick it up at the range, and suddenly find myself transported two fun-filled hours into the future. One factor that makes the TX22 fun is its magazine size. Chambered in 22LR, the TX22 holds 16 rounds in its magazine. This sets it apart from most other 22LR handguns, which can only hold 10 rounds in their magazines. This makes a mag dump with a TX22 more fun than a mag dump with a typical handgun chambered in …


Yankee Thunder Purple Pigeon Hooks, by Thomas Christianson

“What are purple pigeon hooks? Are they used to hook purple pigeons? Where do purple pigeons live anyway? Why would someone want to hook them?” Actually, purple pigeon hooks are not hooks designed to catch purple pigeons. They are hooks used to attach clay pigeons to a horizontal support. The hooks are molded from a purple-colored polymer. Attaching clay pigeons to a support transforms them into excellent stationary reactive targets. I recently had the opportunity to test Yankee Thunder Purple Pigeon Hooks on the improvised range behind my pole barn. I was surprised by how much my accuracy began to …


Christensen Arms MHR in 6.5 Creedmoor, by Thomas Christianson

The most exciting features of the Christensen Arms MHR (Modern Hunting Rifle) in 6.5 Creedmoor stem from its carbon-fiber-wrapped, stainless-steel barrel. This technology offers the accuracy of a bull barrel without the additional weight. It reduces flex and harmonics, has zero thermal expansion, is corrosion resistant and climate adaptable, dissipates heat from the liner three times faster than a bull barrel, and extends barrel life by 25%. The modular and customizable stock, forearm, and grips are also made with carbon fiber via an environmentally friendly process that Christensen calls Flash Forged Technology (FFT). The result is a well-balanced rifle that …


Spüt Reactive Targets, by Thomas Christianson

Reactive targets can significantly enhance firearms training. They accomplish this by providing immediate feedback and by creating greater interest by making the training process more entertaining. Immediate feedback enhances firearms training by establishing a closer tie between the shooters’ actions and the results of their actions. For example, imagine that someone shoots three rounds at a paper target. He then examines the paper, and sees that two of the shots hit near the point of aim, while the third did not. It may be difficult for the shooter to determine which of his three shots was the one which did …


Leatherman Skeletool CX, by Thomas Christianson

With a 2.6-inch, plain-edge blade made of 154CM stainless steel, pliers, wire cutters, and a bit driver, the Leatherman Skeletool CX makes an outstanding tool for everyday carry (EDC). Priced at $89.95 at the time of this writing, it is well worth every penny. I highly recommend it. The Backstory I was sitting on my tackle box by a river, fishing with my grandchildren, “Cicero”, “Ernest”, and “Ginger”. We were casting a worm and bobber, and catching many small fingerlings, which we were releasing back into the river as fast as we could catch them. The grandchildren, aged 5, 3, …


Merrell Chameleon 7 Stretch Hiking Shoes, by Thomas Christianson

I generally love Merrell hiking shoes for everyday wear. They are usually comfortable, fairly durable, provide good support, and give good traction under most conditions. I recently tested a pair of Chameleon 7 Stretch Hiking shoes. They have a neoprene collar around the ankle and over the top of the arch that makes them extremely comfortable as walking shoes. Unfortunately, the neoprene collar of the Chameleon begins to feel uncomfortably tight if one wears the shoes for an extended period of time while sitting at a desk, driving a car or doing pretty much anything that is not walking. The …


Taurus TH9 Pistol, by Thomas Christianson

The Taurus TH9 is a full-sized, hammer-fired, SA/DA, semi-automatic, polymer-framed, 9mm handgun with a 17 round magazine capacity. It is reliable, accurate, and reasonably priced, with a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $389.99 Background I am a big fan of single action/double action handguns with decockers. I have been ever since my son first let me fire his Beretta 92FS. I like the extra measure of deliberation that the double action mode requires in a first shot, and the greater accuracy that the single action mode makes possible in followup shots. I really appreciated this feature in one of my all-time …


Zastava PAP M77PS .308, by Thomas Christianson

The Bottom Line, Up Front Capable of surprising accuracy when using the right ammo, the Zastava PAP M77PS in .308 Win offers an AK pattern rifle chambered in .308 Winchester. It is durable, reliable, and comes with a 20 round steel magazine. If you are looking for a semi-automatic rifle chambered in a full-powered rifle cartridge with a magazine capacity of more than 10 rounds, this rifle may be a good choice. The Back Story I must admit to a certain fondness for AK-pattern rifles. They have durability and reliability that appeals to me. It is true that in some …