Category: Target Shooting & Marksmanship

Ruger Single-Ten Stainless, by Thomas Christianson

The very first handgun that I ever fired was a Ruger Single-Six chambered in .22 Long Rifle (“.22LR”). I was then in junior high school. Our church had a group for boys my age. The men who led that group took us on an outing one time in a nearby state forest area. One of the men took along his Single-Six. When we came to a sandbank that could be used as a backstop, he placed a soda can on a stick stuck into the ground. Then he let us take turns shooting at the can. My major takeaway from …


Browning X-Bolt Speed in 6.5 Creedmoor, by Thomas Christianson

Back in February, I tested Browning’s X-Bolt Speed bolt-action rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. I found it to be light and well-balanced with outstanding fit and finish, moderate recoil, a great trigger, and excellent accuracy. The X-Bolt Speed is not the most inexpensive bolt action rifle on the market, with a manufacturer suggested retail price of $1,379.99 . Due to the high quality of its materials and workmanship, this price represents a good value for the money. Background As I have aged, I have become gradually more sensitive to recoil. This recoil aversion has motivated me to test some potential …


Burris Signature HD 2-10x40mm Rifle Scope, by Thomas Christianson

In January, I tested Burris’ Signature HD 2-10x40mm rifle scope. It offers a versatile optic with a decent sight picture in an attractive package. The Ballistic Plex E3 reticle that I tested provides hashmarks on the vertical crosshair calibrated to the ballistic performance of common hunting cartridges, and dots on the horizontal crosshair to compensate for crosswinds in 10 mph increments. Scopes in the Signature HD series are also available with Plex, Fine Plex, and 6.5 Creedmoor reticles. I had some initial problems in my testing due to an error on my part (I did not tighten the rings sufficiently), …


Ruger Precision Rimfire in .22 WMR, by Thomas Christianson

Last Spring, our church had a range day in conjunction with our Mission Conference. We knew our missionary speaker liked to hunt and shoot. We created an opportunity for people in our church family who also like to hunt and shoot to hang out with the missionary in an informal setting. There they could enjoy some shooting together prior to a short message from God’s word. My friend “Welly” brought his Ruger Precision Rimfire in .22 WMR to the range day. I was really impressed by some of his shooting. It seemed like Welly just could not miss. A few …


Remington Vantage Pellet Gun, by Thomas Christianson

I recently picked up a Remington Vantage pellet gun at a garage sale for $50. The most surprising thing about that purchase was that my wife, “Kari”, called the gun to my attention. Kari cannot be described in any way as a gun enthusiast. She tolerates guns as a necessary evil, but steadfastly refuses to touch one herself under any circumstances. So I was shocked when she not only drew the pellet gun to my attention, but also supported the purchase and even carried the gun to the car for me while I carried the much heavier box containing her …


Benelli Lupo BE.S.T. in .308, by Thomas Christianson

I don’t know what your experience of the post-2020 ammo shortage has been. In our area, it seemed to go through a number of stages. In the first stage, the most commonly used calibers like 9mm, 5.56X45mm, and .308 Winchester sold out first. Then the less commonly used calibers gradually sold out in the order of their popularity. Then the most commonly used calibers gradually became available again at greatly inflated prices. Then some of the less commonly used calibers gradually became available again at even more greatly inflated prices. Then, prices gradually began to come down on the more …


Fiocchi .38 S&W Ammunition, by Thomas Christianson

Recently, I have been working with a couple of old Smith and Wesson top-break revolvers. One is an exposed hammer Double Action Second Model from about 1882. The other is a Safety Hammerless Fifth Model from about 1940. Both are chambered in .38 S&W. The original .38 S&W cartridge was designed for black powder. When it was first loaded with smokeless powder, the loads were light, intended to be used in firearms designed for black powder pressures. Later on, from 1922 to 1963, the British armed forces adopted a version of the .38 S&W cartridge as their standard revolver cartridge. …


Henry Long Ranger in .308 Winchester, by Thomas Christianson

I grew up watching Westerns on television. When it came to a movie or a television series that involved cowboys, if they were armed (and they usually were), the handguns were six-shooters, and the rifles were lever action. I dreamed of someday riding off into the sunset with a revolver on my hip and a lever action rifle in my saddle boot. Many decades passed. I might not have been quite at the place where I would be riding off into the sunset, but I could see that place from where I was. And I still had never fired a …


Some Options for AR Pistols, by Legal Eagle

Several years ago, I ran across an article on the versatility of the .300 AAC Blackout round. One of my hobbies is hand loading ammunition. The adaptability of the cartridge was interesting. In the summer my wife and I live near Yellowstone on the Wyoming-Montana border. We often enjoy camping and fishing in the area I grew up in. We don’t have an RV, just a tent and cots. Nothing fancy just as my father and I camped in the sixties. Most of our favorite spots are remote and I had been looking for a firearm that was more than …


Air Rifles as Survival Tools, by S.C.

Quiet, hard-hitting, accurate, affordable, and reliable. A good quality air rifle in .177 or .22 caliber meets all these criteria. No, you don’t have to spend thousands. Just one hundred to three hundred FRNs will provide you and your family with a nice rifle and several thousand pellets. Springer and now gas ram rifles take care of problem pests around the garden and homestead, rabbits, gophers, ground squirrels, starlings, and crows are dealt with humanely and did I say quietly? My German-made Dianas, both a Model 34 Classic, and a Model 34 EMS, and both in .177 caliber are equipped …


AR-15 Setup and Maintenance – Part 3, by John Smith

(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.) Rifle lubrication / Maintenance Proper AR-15 lubrication is essential. Everyone usually has their favorite lube of choice. Personally, I started using Lucas Oil Extreme Gun Oil on the outside of the bolt and a homebrew mix of Mobil1 synthetic grease and Mobil1 synthetic oil for the inside of the bolt carrier group (BCG). I went with the Lucas Oil lubricant because they make high performance automotive oils and I trust that they put actual research and testing development into making a high-quality oil that won’t burn off easily from heat. Other small …


AR-15 Setup and Maintenance – Part 2, by John Smith

(Continued from Part 1.) Ammunition For Your Rifle Ammunition selection is an important topic to discuss. M193 55gr  5.56mm NATO ammunition was the early military-issue ammunition. Back then, M16 rifles had 20” barrels and the 55gr bullet did devastating damage yawing and tumbling after the initial impact. However, after the 20” barrel was retired for the 14.5-inch M4 barrel, the effectiveness of the 55gr M193 decreased. This was due to the decreased muzzle velocity from a much shorter barrel on the newer variants of the M16. I have no problem with using 55gr ammo. However, I would suggest using at …


AR-15 Setup and Maintenance – Part 1, by John Smith

The AR-15 family of guns has become “America’s Rifle” over the period of almost 60 years. Over time, the rifle has seen many changes and refinements. Now that there are so many choices, prospective buyers and users could use some determining what choices are best for them. This article has four sections covering: rifle configurations/parts selection, ammunition, rifle accessories, and rifle cleaning/maintenance. Hopefully, you will find some of the information below helpful. Rifle configurations and Parts selection The first thing to decide is whether you want to build or buy a rifle. If you are on a strict budget, definitely …


Building a Dedicated .22 Small Game Rifle – Part 2, by Steve A.

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) The stock: I chose a gray Magpul Hunter X-22 stock because it is a full-sized stock and I have used one before. I did not want a folding stock. The stock has an adjustable length of pull, a nice butt pad, and an optional higher cheek riser. The grip is somewhat vertical which works very well to position the trigger finger properly on the trigger, which helps practical accuracy. This stock is fairly sleek, with not much to snag on. The bottom of the fore-end is flat to better stabilize the rifle …


Building a Dedicated .22 Small Game Rifle – Part 1, by Steve A.

I have been looking for a dedicated .22 Long Rifle (LR) small game rifle built along the lines of a target rifle. If I ever have to feed myself using a .22 rifle I want one that is heavier than normal for stability, is significantly more accurate than most factory rifles, has good optics and a good trigger, is easier to clean and maintain, can be cleaned from the chamber end of the barrel, fits my adult size well, takes a detachable magazine, has a conventional stock, and will always work. It must have practical accuracy as well as mechanical …