Category: Weapons

Ruger American .243 Rifle and Vortex Scope, by Pat Cascio

I used to enjoy a day of fishing, even if I never got a nibble – it was still a great day. During big game season, I used to love humping up and down logging roads, or in some areas, driving logging roads, looking for big game, in particular black tail deer in Western Oregon. I’m no spring chicken any longer, and I hate to admit that. My days of going around on foot, looking for game are over. Same for driving the logging roads. My advanced age and osteoarthritis just don’t allow me to spend hours on end driving, …


Progressive Reloading for Beginners, by Anthony B.

There is nothing in this article about raising chickens, goats, or vegetables. I have done all the above, but there are experts with more knowledge to share. I do, however, have some knowledge to share on loading ammunition, and believe in the importance of having control over personal ammunition supplies given the current political and social situation. How many have tried to buy ammunition in the last year and a half, only to find the shelves bare? Reloading offers a solution to market shortages but requires specialized equipment and knowledge. New loaders typically turn to those with experience for information …


Gryphon Knives M-35 Combat/ Survival Bowie, by Pat Cascio

I love big, fixed blade knives – you can do more with them, than a smaller knife when out in the field camping, hunting or surviving. However, I don’t like a fixed blade knife that is too big, either – they are too heavy to carry and too heavy for a of chores as well. About 25 years ago, my lovely wife, bought me a Gryphon Knives M-35 fixed blade knife. It is one of the best of the best, Bowie knives I’ve had the pleasure of owning. Sure, there are other Bowies that are better – but not “that” …


Glock 48, by Pat Cascio

No doubt about it, I’m a huge fan of Glock handguns, all of them — even the larger Model 20 and Model 21. I still recall the first Glock I saw, it was a First Generation Glock 17. At that time, it was the only model in production. Today we’re looking at the fairly new Glock 48, and this is one of the slime-line 9mm pistols, that doesn’t take a double-stack magazine and holds just 10 rounds. I know, I know, I’ve read about an after-market magazine that will hold 15-rounds, without sticking out of the bottom of the grip. …


Smith and Wesson MP9 EZ, by The Novice

This is my review and range report on the Smith and Wesson Performance Center M&P9 Shield “EZ” variant. The Smith and Wesson Performance Center M&P9 Shield EZ is an easily-loaded and easily-racked 9mm handgun with the best overall handgun sights that I have ever used. I am not really a fan of the grip safety, and I wish that the sights were adjustable for elevation as well as windage. Other than that, I can’t think of any way to improve this fine design. The Backstory A friend of mine, “Running Man”, recently acquired his first handgun. It was entrusted to …


Ruger American Ranch Rifle in 7.62×39, by The Novice

I recently tested the Ruger American Ranch Rifle, chambered in 7.62×39. I found it to be suprisingly accurate while shooting inexpensive steel-cased ammo. The only major change I recommend for the design is to make it available with an AK-compatible magazine well. The Ammo Backstory In the early summer, I contacted Ruger to see if I could borrow one of their American Ranch Rifles chambered in 7.62×39 for testing and evaluation. I was interested in the rifle for several reasons. Firstly, the 7.62×39 cartridge produces less recoil than many other calibers suitable for taking deer-sized game. That would make it …


Springfield Armory XDm Compact Elite OSP 9mm, by Pat Cascio

I readily admit that I’m a huge fan of Springfield Armory firearms – all that they now produce. My very first Springfield pistol was a basic 1911 .45 ACP. When I first got it, the stupid thing wouldn’t even function with 230-gr FMJ ammo – very strange to say the least. I’m a trained 1911 armorer and I still enjoy working on 1911-series handguns. In no time at all, I had that early Springfield working well. I could have simply sent it back to the factory, but since I could work on these guns, I decided to fix the problem …


Smith & Wesson Shorty .40, by Pat Cascio

I used to be a huge fan of Smith & Wesson handguns. At one time, they were my preferred handgun for duty and concealed carry. However, after several bad experiences with their customer service/repair shop, I rarely look at S&W handguns these days. S&W used to have one of the best customer service departments bar none. So, these days, I don’t look at many of their handguns. I remember when S&W came out with their Model 469, 9mm handgun. It was a winner in my book. At the time, they were a compact pistol, that held a lot of ammo …


Heckler & Koch USP .45 ACP Compact, by Pat Cascio

Anyone who is the least bit familiar with the HK line of USP handguns, will surely know that these are large guns – even their “compact” models are large. Their USP line-up was designed to last a lifetime with very little chance of things breaking or going wrong. I had an early HK USP 9mm full-sized model, and to be sure, it is one big handgun – it was designed for duty use, by military and law enforcement. They are not especially suited for concealed carry – although I carried the full-sized USP 9mm concealed for quite some time – …


Kershaw Innuendo, by Pat Cascio

In my 29 years of testing and writing about knives (and firearms) I have always been on the lookout for the next “big” thing in these products. And, let’s be honest here. It is really hard to find something new and unique to write about, especially when it comes to cutlery. All knives have one major function, and that is to cut something – pure and simple. I used to design knives, and still do, to a certain extent – and it is difficult to find a new style or design to come up with. Once again, all cutlery has …


Desert Eagle .44 Magnum Pistol, by Pat Cascio

Much as I hate to admit, there was a time, a long, long time ago, when I lusted after every new type of firearm I saw in the gun magazines. And, truth be told, I did lay claim to a lot of those guns. As I grew older – and maybe a little wiser – I stopped this foolishness. I discovered that any number of firearms were pretty much the same – in many ways – as some of the guns I desired to own. I believe it was back around 1975, when I was reading an issue of Soldier …


Oviedo M1893 Mauser Short Rifle – Part 2, by The Novice

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) The First Range Session I went to the range behind my barn, placed the Caldwell Lead Sled 3 and the homemade lead sled on a table at the position from which I wanted to fire, and then placed the rifle on the Caldwell sled. I removed the bolt, and bore-sighted the rifle on the bottom center target. I then checked the aim point of the iron sights, and found them to be in the same general ballpark. Next, I pounded a t-post fence post in the ground at the back of the …


Flatten The Curve for Hunting Deer – Part 2, by Behind The Counter

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) The topics that I’ll deal with in Part 2 include: • The size, shape, location, and contents of a deer’s vital zone, • Legal, ethical, and practical considerations using your defense rifle for hunting, • Other caliber options available for your AR-15 platform including .300 Blackout, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, .224 Valkyrie, .22 Nosler, .350 Legend, and the new kid on the block 6mm ARC. Let’s begin by understanding where to aim. HOW BIG IS A DEER’S VITAL ZONE? Well, it depends. A deer’s vital zone area is easy to visualize. Draw …


Flatten The Curve for Hunting Deer – Part 1, by Behind The Counter

Do you remember how long it was supposed to take to “flatten the curve”? Weeks not years. In this article, it takes a second or less to flatten the curve. To flatten the curve for hunting deer, we will follow the science. No masks required. This is primarily the science of external ballistics with a nod to terminal ballistics. The curve is the trajectory or arcing line of flight that a bullet takes when it leaves the muzzle of a firearm on its way to a down-range target. Because the barrel is pointed slightly above the line of sight, the …


SIG-Sauer MPX Pistol, by Pat Cascio

This 9mm pistol, and it is a pistol, has been discontinued by SIG-Sauer for some reason…and they now have a shorter, smaller version called the Copperhead. I received an early version of the MPX for testing, and I’m just now getting around to finishing the article I started a few years back. Right now, there is a lot of confusion, caused by politics and the BATFE, over certain firearms. Until recently, the ATF has held that pistols, with an arm brace or wrist brace, is legal to own and use. But the BATFE, as always, just keeps changing the rules on …