Category: Review

Mossberg Maverick 88 Smooth Bore Slug Gun, by Thomas Christianson

I recently tested the Mossberg Marverick 88 Deer Pump in 12 gauge. It has a 24-inch smooth bore slug barrel with adjustable rifle sights, a three inch chamber, and six shot capacity with 2.75 inch shells. I found it to be a sturdy, reliable, and reasonably accurate option for hunting deer and other mid-to-large-sized game at slug ranges (50 yards or less). With a manufacturer-suggested retail price of only $245, it offers a highly versatile firearm at an extremely reasonable price. The Backstory A couple of decades ago, I was preparing for a hunt on my Uncle’s property, which bordered …


Pistol Magazine Loaders — A Must For Some Shooters, by Pat Cascio

Getting old is no fun! Back in the day, I was able to load any type of magazines, with thumb power only. Sadly, along with old age, comes certain disabilities. To wit: I have terrible osteoarthritis in various parts of my body – not the least is lower back pain, that at times is debilitating to say the least. Next are my hands, and especially my right hand and fingers – they are misshapen. My trigger finger is the worst. But thankfuily, I can still pull a trigger! Over the years, there have been efforts to produce manual magazine loaders, …


Valley Forge Damascus Steel Knife, by Pat Cascio

Today, I’m going to cover something a little bit different in the cutlery world. it is a nice fixed-blade fighting knife, made in Pakistan out of Damascus steel, and marketed by Valley Forge Cutlery. Damascus steel-bladed knives used to be all the rage and it was pretty much restricted to the custom knife-makers’ realm. First, a little bit of history is called for: Damascus steel-bladed knives go back to Damascus, Syria some centuries ago. The development of this steel began perhaps as early as 700 AD, but most point to closer to 900 AD. But “authoritative” sources vary widely. Most …


Rothco Genuine G.I. Jeep Cap, by Thomas Christianson

Early in 2022, I acquired a Rothco 100% Wool Jeep Cap. I have worn it while walking the dog, stoking the outside wood boiler, clearing snow, and caring for other outside tasks. I have found it to be both warm and comfortable. The cap keeps my head and ears protected from the cold, while the visor protects my glasses from precipitation. It is made in the U.S.A. It has become my default headgear for winter outdoor work. At the time of this writing, the cap was available from Rothco’s website for $11.99. The Backstory During warm weather, I typically wear …


Backwoods Home Magazine, by Thomas Christianson

A couple of years ago, I ran across an online ad for a magazine called Backwoods Home. The magazine looked interesting, so I added it to my Christmas and birthday wish lists for a couple of years. My family decided to buy me other gifts instead, so I decided to take the bull by the horns. I contacted the Editorial and Advertising Coordinator for Backwoods Home Magazine, and asked if they would be willing to provide me with some back issues for review. They were kind enough to provide me with all four quarterly issues from 2021 (January/February/March, April/May/June, July/August/September, …


Multi-Tools for Survival, by Pat Cascio

Three are a lot of different “survival” tools on the market, and over the years, I’ve covered a lot of them. I’ve certainly covered a lot of firearms as well as knives suitable for various survival purposes. I know that many of our readers would love to see even more firearms covered. Unfortunately, if I don’t have a firearm actually in my hands to test, I won’t write about it. (Unlike some gun writers who sometimes work from press releases.) Over the past 30+ years, I’ve tested quite a few multi-tools for articles, some very well-made and others that weren’t …


Rite in the Rain No. 954 Notebook, by Thomas Christianson

Throughout history, mankind has chosen to record information using a variety of media: clay tablets, pieces of bone, slabs of wood, palm leaves, stone, parchment, papyrus, paper, USB drives, and a host of other media. Some of my favorite media are Rite in the Rain notebooks. I recently tested the Rite in the Rain No. 954 notebook, and found it to be an excellent choice for everyday carry. It is durable, moisture resistant, and reasonably priced (available at the time of this writing directly from Rite In The Rain for $6.95 plus shipping). I highly recommend it. The Backstory For …


You’ll Need Air, by Pat Cascio

How many times have you found that a tire on your vehicle was flat or halfway flat, sitting in your driveway or garage? Yeah, me too – too many times over my lifetime. I hate to change a tire, especially on our SUV or pickup truck. On these rigs, the spare tire is stowed underneath the body, and a royal pain-in-the-rump to get out to put it on your vehicle. I have the tire store check the air pressure in my spare tires, every time I go in for a rotation If you neglect to have that done, then you’ll …


Fisher #SM4B Military Space Pen, by Thomas Christianson

The Fisher Space Pen is a writing tool that is well adapted to working under adverse conditions. It is designed to write in the cold, in the heat, over grease, in zero gravity, and even under water. This makes it an excellent choice for the outdoorsman, who may need to write under adverse field conditions. The model that I tested, the #SM4B Military Space Pen, is available for $22 from www.spacepen.com. PR4 black medium refills are available for $6.75 each. The Backstory When I was 16 years old, back in the 1970s, I went to Washington DC to visit my …


CRKT HZ6, by Pat Cascio

It’s always fun when I get to test a knife design by a real martial artist. Having spent 35 years in the martial arts myself, I’ve run across more than a few wannabe Black Belts who aren’t really a Black Belt at all. It’s easy enough to purchase a piece of paper that states you are an expert in some form of martial arts. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term “martial art” know that it means a person specializes in a “military art” of some sort. You can always find some martial arts school that teaches …


Zastava PAP M90 PS, by Thomas Christianson

For many years I have been partial to AKs chambered in 5.56×45. I like AK-pattern firearms because they tend to be durable and reliable. I like the 5.56×45 cartridge for its flat trajectory and for its wide availability in the United States. The major problem with finding AKs chambered in 5.56×45 is that not very many manufacturers make them. In fact, the Zastava PAP M90 PS may be the only AK chambered in 5.56×45 that is both currently in production (in this case in Serbia), and currently being marketed in the United States. With that in mind, I asked Zastava …


Rock River Arms All Terrain Hunter, by Thomas Christianson

The Rock River Arms All Terrain Hunter (ATH) is an AR-platform rifle optimized for hunting. It is attractively styled and beautifully machined. I found it to be accurate and reliable in my testing, and was especially impressed with the outstanding trigger. With a manufacturer suggested retail price of $1,425 it is an attractive choice as a mid-range AR-platform rifle. True Confessions I really like AK-platform rifles chambered in 5.56mm. I appreciate the rugged reliability of the AK platform matched with the flat trajectory of the 5.56 cartridge. So to some extent, this review is an AK guy’s reflections on an …


CRKT Attaboy, by Pat Cascio

I don’t usually start out an article by reporting on the designer of a knife. However, this time around, I will. This handy-dandy little folder, known as the “Attaboy” from Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT) was designed by Flavio Ikoma, who resides in Brazil. I previously reported on one of his other designs that really impressed me, and I heard back from Flavio about my article. Like many young children, we had dreams of what we were going to do or become when we grew up. I honestly don’t remember much of what I planned to do, other than …


Review: John Deere 110 Lawn and Garden Tractor, by Thomas Christianson

The gasoline-powered internal combustion engine is a wonderful invention. It takes the substantial amount of energy stored up in fossil fuels, and makes it conveniently available for the tasks of daily life. Gasoline engines have probably done more to ease the labors of rural living than any other single invention of the last 200 years. It is possible that I may live to see the day when gasoline-powered equipment is no longer in common use. If that day comes, it will almost certainly not be due to powerful elites looking out for the best interests of the common man. Instead, …


Springfield Armory XDm Elite & Black Hills 10mm HoneyBadger, by Pat Cascio

A little over three years back, I reviewed the then-new XDm in 10mm, and found it to be an excellent handgun. However, this review isn’t a rehash of that pistol. This review is an updated version of the XDm Elite, as well as the brand-new Black Hills Ammunition 10mm round that isn’t even yet on the market. My original 10mm handgun was a full-sized Colt Delta Elite, in stainless steel, and I liked it a lot. However, in short order, the gun shot loose. We had also just moved back to Oregon in 1988, and I was in a recent …