Category: Target Shooting & Marksmanship

The Springfield Armory M1A, by Pat Cascio

I was introduced to the M14 rifle in Basic Combat Training (BCT) in the summer of 1969, at Fort Ord, California and I fell in love with it. I was only 17 years old and weighed a whopping 135 pounds at the time. But when I graduated from Infantry School in December of 1969. I had beefed up to 165 pounds. I longed for my very own M14 – however it was not to be, you see the US military M14 was a select-fire rifle, capable of fully automatic fire. When I returned to my National Guard unit in Chicago, …


A Tale of Two Appleseeds – Part 2, by N.C.

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Understand that applications are on you Appleseed events are threading a needle. They need to say that they are not fomenting rebellion or any illegal use of force. They have to say this because they are pointing to our American heritage of marksmanship…without which our rebellion against the brits would have failed. You don’t need to be a lawyer to see the tension. The only way you can survive that tension is by erring on the side of liability protection. They are not teaching hunting. They are not teaching self defense. They …


A Tale of Two Appleseeds – Part 1, by N.C.

I recently went to two Project Appleseed shooting events. I went to one with friends one by myself. One was in the south in the summer the other in the north in the winter. There was a lot the same at these two events and a decent amount was different. There was a more negative experience for the first one and a more positive in the second, though neither was entirely positive or negative. How were these events different and why? Those are the questions I’m asking and answering here. I want to answer those questions both for the clinics …


G9 Defense Barrier Blind Hollow Point, by Thomas Christianson

Barrier blind ammo is designed to pass through common obstacles like car doors, windows, drywall, plywood, or heavy clothing without significant change to its terminal performance. I recently tested G9 Defense Barrier Blind Hollow Point ammunition in 6.5 Creedmoor. I must admit that I was only secondarily interested in its barrier blind qualities. My primary interest was in the fact that the ammo is machine-turned out of solid copper. According to G9, this gives it greater consistency in density over traditional jacketed bullets. The lower standard deviation of ballistic coefficient, in turn, provides higher accuracy at extended ranges. During my …


Midwest Industries AK Multi Tool, by Thomas Thomas Christianson

Built around a rugged windage and elevation adjustment tool for the front sight of AK-pattern firearms, the Midwest Industries AK Multi Tool is a great range-bag-companion for the AK owner. Constructed of heavy-duty, nickel-plated 4140 steel, the tool provides a gas tube wrench, handguard cap lever wrench, and multi-function knubs for muzzle brake detents or recoil button compression in addition to the windage and elevation adjustment tool. The tool comes with a clear set of directions for those who are new to adjusting the sights on an AK. It is made in the U.S.A., and cost $84.95 at midwestindustriesinc.com at …


Raising, Hunting, and Harvesting Animals – Part 6, by Lodge Pole

(Continued from Part 5. This concludes the article.) The .223 Remington I love the .223 Remington (.223 Rem). The rounds are relatively inexpensive and can be found anywhere. There is a plethora of bullet grain weights, designs and bullet tips. There is also an unlimited amount of firearm platforms to find that best fits you and your needs. I use a bolt action Ruger American Ranch rifle. Ruger makes an excellent, inexpensive and durable rifle chambered in 5.56 NATO. It has a detachable magazine and the comes in a 1:8 twist. My rifle has consistently and accurately shot a variety …


Raising, Hunting, and Harvesting Animals – Part 5, by Lodge Pole

(Continued from Part 4.) Practical Hunting Gear The basic gear I carry, regardless of season, is listed below. Clothing that fits and is proper for the environment you’re in. This includes a hat. Always have a change of socks. Firearm and spare ammunition. Every single rifle and shotgun I own has an elastic buttstock ammo carrier as well as a sling with ammunition loops sewn in. (Butler Creek makes a great sling with ammo loops.) I like these because accessing spare rounds is more convenient and it doesn’t require me to carry so much ammo in my pack. Knife. I …


Traditions Nitrobolt Rifle, by Thomas Christianson

This will sound self-contradictory, but it is not: the Traditions Firearms Nitrobolt Rifle is a bolt-action muzzle-loader. The primer and the powder charge cartridge are loaded through the breech via bolt action. The bullet is loaded through the muzzle with a ramrod. This hybrid action offers the powder-charge-consistency and weather-resistance of a breechloading rifle while being legal to use during muzzleloading season in 29 states at the time of this writing. The Nitrobolt uses Federal Premium FireStick polymer encapsulated powder charges. The FireStick charges use Hodgdon Triple Eight powder. Triple Eight burns more cleanly than black powder or other black …


Introduction to Suppressors, by Subsonic Scribe

Effective January 1, 2026, the ATF eliminated the $200 tax on firearm suppressors. This change will undoubtedly encourage many shooters to purchase or make a suppressor. In this article, I will share information for those new to suppressors to be able to make an informed decision as to whether to pursue getting one (or several). As a disclaimer, I have no financial involvement with any companies or products mentioned here. What are firearm suppressors? A firearm suppressor is a muzzle device mounted on a shotgun, rifle, or pistol to reduce the sound made when the gun is fired. They are …


TriStar KR22, by Thomas Christianson

The TriStar KR22 rifle has many excellent features. It is well-balanced and feeds smoothly. The synthetic stock is nicely weather resistant. It comes with two magazines. The comb can be adjusted for height, making it easy to get a good cheek weld while using optics. The receiver includes an integrated Picatinny rail. The stock comes with sling studs installed. The barrel is threaded to accept muzzle devices. The magazine-well accepts Ruger BX-series magazines. For me, the KR22 functioned most effectively with a red dot sight. To be useful for pest control, a rifle should be capable of consistently shooting two-inch …


Using GSSF Matches to Prep, by Iowa Dave

Author’s Note: I am not affiliated with Glock or the Glock Sport Shooting Foundation other than volunteering as a range officer at their matches and shooting their matches. JWR likes to say that owning a gun doesn’t make you a shooter any more than owning a surfboard makes you a surfer. You need to learn, train, and practice. Practical pistol disciplines such as International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) and International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) are outstanding ways to practice, but they can be intimidating to the novice. That’s where the Glock Sport Shooting Foundation, or GSSF fits in. Glock started …


Update: Budget Preparedness–Survival Isn’t About Stuff, It is About Skills

JWR’s Introductory Note: This is an update to an article that I wrote for SurvivalBlog back in June, 2008. It includes an adenda from my first wife Linda (“The Memsahib”), who passed away in 2009. It is part of a series of SurvivalBlog 20th Anniversary update re-posts, in recognition of the fact that the majority of readers did not join us until recent years. — I often stress that a key to survival is not what you have, but rather what you know. (See my Precepts of Rawlesian Survivalist Philosophy web page.) In part, I wrote: Skills Beat Gadgets and …


Practical Preparedness Suggestions – Part 2, by R.J.

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) 5. Self Defense This segment references reading, training and situational awareness that will be difficult for some people. Use what you can. Learn how to profile people and your surroundings. It happens in many forms, constantly. There are predators who don’t care about how nice you are. (Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”) They will take advantage of the graces and courtesies that we usually employ to soften or de-escalate a problem. Learn what and how those predators think. Trust me, you …


Mantis TitanX 702, by Thomas Christianson

The new Mantis TitanX provides a training pistol that is compatible with both motion-based and laser-based training systems. The MantisX motion-based training system is freely available for iPhone, Android and Kindle devices. It is a sophisticated app that provides an extensive collection of drills and courses. The TitanX pistol is also compatible with the Mantis Laser Academy Kit, which cost $159 at mantisx.com at the time of this writing. As a dry-fire training aid, the TitanX does not expend ammo, can be safely used at home, and provides immediate feedback. In this way, it improves marksmanship while saving both money …


Bullet Drop: It’s About Time, by Mr. Wobbet

This article gives another perspective on understanding ballistics charts. Introduction I am not much of a hunter. Over the past five years going up to my in-law’s place, I’ve taken about a dozen shots at the feral pigs that root up sections of their land. I have zero hits on running pigs. If you line up a handful of soda cans filled with water at 25 yards, I can go town on those. But with the pigs out at 200 yards, I am about useless, even when the neighbor has lent me his really nice hunting rifle. A few weeks …