American Shooting - Journal March.2021

1,500 lbs
12:1 Cow Mini Hoist
Like having
6 guys in
your pack.
Only quieter.
20 ounces
30 cubic in.
Ancient Technology Build it Right

Modern Materials Build it Once
Build it Here
www.PocketOx.com
More than a building...it’s a solution!
Manufactured in Sandy, Oregon
PRE-ENGINEERED
STEEL FRAME STRUCTURES
COST COMPETITIVE
MAINTENANCE FRIENDLY
503.668.7211 | Toll-free: 855.668.7211 | www.wsbnw.com

A MERIC A N
SHOOTING
JOURNAL Volume 10 // Issue 6 // March 2021
PUBLISHER WEBMASTER / INBOUND MARKETING

James R. Baker Jon Hines
GENERAL MANAGER INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER
John Rusnak Lois Sanborn
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ADVERTISING INQUIRIES
Andy Walgamott [email protected]
OFFICE MANAGER / COPY EDITOR
Katie Aumann ON THE COVER
LEAD CONTRIBUTOR
Scott Haugen called in this spring gobbler to
Frank Jardim
decoys two seasons ago while hunting in the
CONTRIBUTORS foothills of western Oregon’s Cascade Range
Jim Dickson, Scott Haugen, Phil Massaro, following more than a month of scouting the
Mike Nesbitt, Paul Pawela, Nick Perna tom. (SCOTT HAUGEN)
SALES MANAGER
Paul Yarnold
DG Gentry Custom, LLC

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Mamie Griffin, Jim Klark, Mike Smith Website: AmericanShootingJournal.com
DESIGNER Facebook: Facebook.com/AmericanShootingJournal
Twitter: @AmShootingJourn
Lesley-Anne Slisko-Cooper
MEDIA INDEX PUBLISHING GROUP
C U S TPRODUCTION
OBaker
Kelly M ASSISTANT
GUN MAKER WASHINGTON OFFICE
14240 Interurban Ave. S. Ste. 190 • Tukwila, WA 98168
(206) 382-9220 • (800) 332-1736 • Fax (206) 382-9437
[email protected] • www.media-inc.com
QUIET
MUZZLE BRAKES!
D Gentry
We offer 5/8x24 threads
G Custom,
LLC QUIET
MUZZLE
BRAKES
c u s t om We offer 5/8x24
and many other
g u n wo r k threads
Visit our online store:

GentryCustom.com
(406) 388-GUNS
Where 3-POSITION
SAFETIES
guns are Call us for For Mauser,
notCustom
a Gun Work! Remington & CZ
hobby,
BUT A Way
Of Life...
DEALER PROGRAM AVAILABLE
GENTRYCUSTOM.COM • (406) 388-GUNS
12 American Shooting Journal // March 2021
CONTENTS VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 6
BULLET
BULLETIN:
UNLEADED,
PLEASE …
With lead-free projectiles here to stay,
Phil Massaro spotlights eight great
all-copper bullet lines for hunting
everything from Mozambican reedbuck
to Texas whitetail to Cape buffalo.
57
MORE FEATURES
(PHIL MASSARO)
30 SUPPRESSORS: LESS ‘BANG’ FOR YOUR BUCK 73 ROADHUNTER: 10 TOP TIPS FOR TAGGING A TOM
With high interest in “cans” and plenty of manufacturers to OR TWO (OR THREE!)
choose from these days, Nick Perna takes a look at seven of Scott Haugen has been hunting turkeys throughout the
the best units on the market for AR-type rifles. West for over 30 years and with the spring season firing up
soon, he shares 10 of his top tips for bagging gobblers.
43 LAW ENFORCEMENT SPOTLIGHT:
OFFICER MIKHAIL VENIKOV 83 COYOTES: THE SMALLEST DANGEROUS GAME
After serving three tours as an Army Ranger, Police Officer “Hunting coyotes is much more than mere sport,” writes
Mikhail Venikov now focuses on keeping his California city Jim Dickson, who has suffered the depredations of the wild
safe and making the world a much better place for fellow dogs and worries about their impact on game – as well as
military veterans. Nick Perna has a profile. their increasingly nervy behavior around humans. He shares
tips and tactics for taking these tricksters.
49 SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING: MARKSMANSHIP VS.
POINT INDEX SHOOTING TRAINING METHODS 97 BLACK POWDER: A SPECIAL .50-70 MATCH
The debate may rage among gun aficionados on how to When Mike Nesbitt’s club held an informal match recently,
train beginners on the finer points of shooting a handgun, it highlighted a great way to get started in black powder
but in his new column Paul Pawela argues why the point cartridge rifle shooting and competitions. Join the Black
index method is the way to go. River Buffalo Runners on the firing line and around the prize
table as Mike recounts some mighty fine doin’s.
AMERICAN SHOOTING JOURNAL is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South, Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Display Advertising. Call
Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will
not be returned. Copyright © 2021 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A.

YOUR MUST-STOP BEFORE HUNTING & FISHING
ON PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND, ALASKA
KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF WILL LET YOU KNOW WHERE, WHEN AND HOW!
CONTENTS
39 39

FEATURED COMPANY SPOTLIGHT:
A TREAT FOR YOUR TRIGGER
FINGER AND MORE
Elftmann Tactical not only has drop-in
triggers for AR-15s and AR-10s, but
also select Remington and Savage
rifle lines, plus safeties and aluminum
stocks now.
Company SpotlightS
53 Underwood Ammunition:
Xtreme Series offers shooters of
all kinds bullets with big impact
93 Western Range Camps:
‘Fully customizable state-of-the-
art RVs and camps’ for the public,
drovers alike
105 Woodman’s Pal: Swiss
engineering, Pennsylvania
pride go into ‘all-in-one land
management tool’
DEPARTMENTS
23 Competition Calendar
27 Gun Show Calendar
(ELFTMANN TACTICAL)

westernshootingjournal.com 19
PRIMER
COMPETITION C A L E N D A R
March 5-7 March 12-14 April 17-18
HCSSC Spring Trap PTO HCSSC Spring Skeet PTO Team Shooting Stars April
Kerrville, Texas Kerrville, Texas 2021 PTO
Carrollton, Texas
March 11-13 April 10
2021 Central Florida Junior Sandy Ford Olympic Pistol
usashooting.org Olympic Rifle Qualifier Streator, Ill.
Bartow, Fla.
March 25-28 April 8-11 April 23-25

2021 Roadrunner Shootout 2021 USPSA Area 6 Sugar Cane Classic
Clovis, Calif. Championship Donaldsonville, La.
Salisbury, N.C.
March 26-28 April 30-May 2
Ozarks Classic 2021 April 9-11 2021 South Carolina Section
uspsa.org Billings, Mo. Dragons CupChampionships Championship
Odessa, Texas Belton, S.C.

Ouachita Regional Northern California Glock Glock West Coast
Challenge XI Challenge XIII Challenge VI
Monroe, La. Yolo, Calif. Azusa, Calif.

River Bend Ballistic Emerald Coast Glock Table Rock Challenge IX
Challenge IX Classic II Morganton, N.C.
gssfonline.com Dawsonville (Canton), Ga. Holt, Fla.
April 17-18
March 13-14 Gem State Classic VII
Delaware State GSSF Boise, Idaho
Challenge VI
Bridgeville, Del.
March 5-7 March 28 April 23-24

Nevada State Championship The Ultimate Gunfight Southeastern Regional
Las Vegas, Nev. Doswell, Va. Championship
Perry, Ga.
cmsaevents.com March 20 April 10-17
Western South Central National Championship
Regional Shoot Tunica, Miss.
Abilene, Texas
March 5-6 March 27 April 16-17

Gulf Coast Regional 2021 Texas Femme Fatale 2021 Arkansas IDPA
Championship IDPA Championship State Championship
Eagle Lake, Texas Whitewright, Texas Perryville, Ark.
idpa.com
March 26-27 April 9-11 April 30-May 1
Coastal Carolina Challenge 2021 VA Indoor Regional 2021 Maryland State Match
Bolivia, N.C. Chesapeake, Va. Lexington Park, Md.
Note: Due to the coronavirus outbreak, social distancing requirements that states have prescribed, and rapidly changing
developments at press time, it is highly advisable to check ahead on the status of individual events via the links in the above
organizers’ websites.
americanshootingjournal.com 23
MORE THE MAN, THAN THE GUN.
E
ver hear the saying, “You couldn’t hit 2 to 5 milliseconds – fast. Think that last from mechanical/chemical energy and
a bull in the butt with a bow-fiddle.” second in milliseconds to the coincidence mathematics refinements.
How fast can you swing a bow-fid- decision moment. Buzz to fire. You should Better “headspace and timing” show
dle? Are you chasing the bull? Or is the bull see the moment in your eye, and bang. exponential improvement in performances
chasing you? People forget time frames Safety – on until ready to fire – is with every gun; better equipment makes
with fast action in front of them, making procedural conditional logic; you won’t hit it easier. Choose the components that pro-
for shorter moments to hit the bull. the target if you don’t consistently repeat vide the best bang for you on the gun. First
I learned in the military that it’s the procedure. At Gettysburg, carbines are scopes, for eye sight-line (information
95 percent boredom, punctuated by were found with eight to 10 balls in the input device). Then triggers – for the hu-
moments of “stark terror.” It is the barrels unfired. man decision output device/timer.
transitions that are the hard part. Just When you pull the trigger, either The action in view is not linear in time;
like shooting a gun. Pistols are fastest, dry-fire or a live round of ammunition, watch for the changes of motions. “Wait
but rifles are more exacting in timing and what are you practicing? The gun’s for it.” Fire! On the “Y” of way – boom!
procedure of humans’ decisions. performance? Or your shooting skills and The round leaves the gun in 2 millisec-
Ballistics is physics. Half of your math proficiency? Your visual acuity and motion onds, 2,750 feet per second, 4 seconds
is time. Everybody forgets the last part, cues? Your muscle and nerve memory flight time to a mile. If you pick the wrong
and we’ve been lied to for 100 years how (nerve speed 112 meters/second)? coincidence decision moment to fire, the
to shoot guns. Dumbing it down, forget- Precision Rifle Series and National round occurs on the target not in time
ting science or just doing “what you feel” Rifle League add situational pressures as (typically late).
doesn’t work. well as stage time and round limits. Hunt-
Improving scales of resolutions of your ing dangerous game brings stress into
technical info and applied discipline is all your environment. Accidental or negligent
on you – the human. Clint Eastwood said, discharge is on the human. The gun can’t
“You have to know your limitations.” Your do anything without you – the human.
human tactile thresholds are 0.6-pound I think that extreme long range
pressure, 0.020 inch and 0.44-second shooting is the new frontier of resolution
reaction time. Typically, too slow and late. and accuracy. With ranges from 4,000
Think like faster camera shutter speed. to 6,000 yards for shouldered rifles in
The drag race “tree” lights are .4 or .5 current class of ammunition, accuracy 920-921-9641
second to green, and holeshot times are resolutions below .001 degree are capable huberconcepts.com

PRIMER
GUNSHOW C A L E N D A R
C&E March 6-7 Sharonville, Ohio Sharonville Convention Center
Gun Shows
cegunshows.com March 13-14 Hickory, N.C. Hickory Metro Convention Center
March 20-21 Columbus, Ohio Westland Mall
March 20-21 Raleigh, N.C. NC State Fairgrounds
March 27-28 Columbus, Ohio Ohio Expo Center
Crossroads Of The
West Gun Shows March 12-13 Farmington, Utah County Fairgrounds
crossroadsgunshows.com
March 13-14 Queen Creek, Ariz. Sports Complex
Florida
Gun Shows March 20-21 Orlando, Fla. Central Florida Fairgrounds
floridagunshows.com
March 27-28 Palmetto, Fla. Bradenton Convention Center
RK Shows March 5-6 Spirit Lake, Iowa Dickinson County Expo Center
rkshows.com
March 6-7 Wichita, Kan. Century II Expo Hall
March 6-7 Springfield, Mo. Ozark Empire Fairgrounds
March 13-14 Brandenburg, Ky. Meade County Farm Bureau Building
March 13-14 Murfreesboro, Tenn. Mid-TN Expo Center
March 20-21 Kingsport, Tenn. MeadowView Convention Center
March 20-21 Grovetown, Ga. Columbia County Exhibition Center
March 27-28 Kansas City, Mo. KCI Expo Center
Real Texas
Gun Shows March 6-7 Taylor, Texas Williamson County Expo Center
therealtexasgunshow.com
March 20-21 Gonzales, Texas J.B. Wells Expo Center
Tanner Gun Shows

tannergunshow.com All shows cancelled until further notice
Wes Knodel
Gun Shows No March shows
wesknodelgunshows.com
Note: Due to the coronavirus outbreak, social distancing requirements that states prescribed, and rapidly changing developments at press
time, it is highly advisable to check ahead on the status of individual gun shows via the links in the above organizers’ websites.
To have your event highlighted here, send an email to [email protected]. americanshootingjournal.com 27

RANGESTORE.NET
S
teel Target Paint is
a huge supporter
of Steel Challenge,
USPSA, IPSC, IDPA, Preci-
sion Rifle, 3-Gun, Rimfire
Challenge, and everywhere
that steel targets are being
used. It has been formulat-
ed specifically for painting
steel targets and is made
in the USA by shooters, for
shooters. Steel Target Paint
is superior in every way to
the “all-purpose” spray
paint found in hardware
stores, due to its high
resin content and high-flow
spray nozzle. “One Shot
Covers the Spot,” so one
16-ounce spray can goes a
long way! Sign up now for
our Auto Re-Order Program
to get 5 percent off plus
free ground shipping at
www.rangestore.net.

Surefire SOCOM556 Mini 2. (SHUTTERSTOCK)

SUPPRESSORS:
LESS ‘BANG'
FOR YOUR BUCK
With high interest in 'cans' and plenty of manufacturers to pick from
these days, here's a look at seven of the best units for AR-type rifles.
STORY BY NICK PERNA
S
uppressors, or “cans,” are running a suppressor on your long
becoming a common gun. In the tactical realm, they allow
accessory on the firearms operators to run their guns without
of professionals and sport hearing protection. This allows for ease
shooters. Once viewed as an of communication amongst operators.
assassin’s tool used by mobsters and Bear in mind that ear protection is
spies, they are now used routinely by still a good idea, especially with rifles
military, law enforcement and others. and when firing rounds traveling at
They are not “silencers,” as they used supersonic speeds.
to be referred to. They decrease the Suppressors allow for more accurate,
decibel level, but they cannot silence consistent shots through noise and,
a firearm. to a certain extent, recoil mitigation.
There are many advantages to Good suppressors don’t usually cause
a big difference in shot placement One other drawback of note for mitigate this and firearms can be
when compared to shooting the same non-military/non-law enforcement modified to handle these lighter loads.
firearm without a can. There are folks is what’s involved in purchasing
minimal differences in round velocity one. Some states don’t allow them, THE MARKET IS currently flooded
with a decrease of about 1 to 3 percent and in the ones that do, paperwork with suppressor manufacturers. For
in round speed. In general, they make needs to be filed with the Bureau consumers, this means there are a lot
guns more enjoyable to shoot. of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and of good cans to choose from. This also
Explosives to own one. Turnaround means there are suppressors available
THERE ARE A few disadvantages worth times for processing the paperwork in just about every price range.
mentioning. Some suppressors can is six to nine months and a $200 tax The weapons of choice for
cause more buildup of carbon and stamp has to be purchased. This was suppressors are AR-15s and their full-
other debris inside of a weapon, the price set by the government in auto cousin, the M4. There is a great
so more cleaning may be required. 1934 to try to make “silencers” out of selection of cans available for 5.56 AR,
There is also a safety concern anytime reach for most folks. Nowadays, it’s as well as those chambered in .308
you attach an item to the end of a still money no one wants to part with, and other calibers.
barrel. That being said, a good quality but it’s comparatively a lot less painful. Here is a look at some of the best
suppressor paired with a properly Despite all that, a suppressor can suppressors for AR-type rifles.
adapted bore – one with threads or reduce the decibel level of a firearm by
specially designed flash suppressor – 25 to 40 decibels, which is significant. SUREFIRE SOCOM556 MINI 2
generally mitigates those issues. For The noise level varies depending on Surefire is a mainstay in the
any number of reasons, steer clear the type of suppressor used, type of suppressor business. They supply
of homemade jobs. The potential for firearm and type of ammo, especially many of the cans used by the US
a catastrophic malfunction when a if subsonic rounds can be used. In military and law enforcement. As the
high-velocity round strikes an internal some instances, a subsonic round name implies, it’s in use by SOCOM,
part of a poorly made can is a distinct may not have enough energy to cycle the Special Operations Command.
possibility. Besides, it’s illegal. the action of a semiautomatic or fully The Mini is compact at 5 inches and
Suppressors get hot; really hot! The automatic weapon. Like suppressors, weighs under a pound. They can be
internet is full of videos of red-hot cans though, there have been great had for around $1,000, so it’s a little
burning brightly after sustained fire. advancements in the development and pricey but worth the money. It works
Care must be taken to avoid contacting production of subsonic with the Surefire SOCOM 3 flash
them after shooting. There are ammo to hider, which also allows other Surefire
suppressor sleeves available that are cans to be mounted to it and works
made out of burn-resistant materials well as a flash hider on its own.
that can help as well. I’ve used Surefire brand
suppressors extensively and have
found them to be excellent, durable
products.
SILENCERCO SPECWAR 556

The Specwar model features a fast-
attach mounting system, which
means it can be removed and
attached in seconds. They use a
proprietary manufacturing technique
referred to as True Bore that
ensures precise bore
alignment,
Surefire SOCOM556 Mini 2.
(SUREFIRE)
SilencerCo Specwar 556. (SILENCERCO)

Griffin Armament Paladin 5. (GRIFFIN ARMAMENT)
which means minimal point of impact ounces. It uses titanium

shift. In other words, the rounds will components to help
hit in pretty much the same place, keep the weight
regardless of whether the can is down. Size-wise
mounted or not. It brings the noise it is just over
level down to around 133 decibels. 6 inches,
You can pick one up for about $650. making
it pretty
O.S.S. SUPPRESSORS HELIX 5.56 IFM6 compact.
The IFM6 is a good suppressor that Sound levels
can be used with multiple weapons are around
when used with the STS muzzle brake. 131 decibels.
It is a threaded system with the can It includes a taper-
being threaded onto the muzzle brake. mount minimalist muzzle brake
This makes a good choice for the for mounting, armorer’s wrench,
owner who wants to run it on multiple tool kit and pouch for $850. This OSS Helix 5.56 IFM6. (OSS)
platforms. The company guarantees the is one of the lowest priced cans out
suppressor won’t come loose during there.
fire. It is 8 inches long, weighs in at 23 SIG SAUER SRD556
ounces and will bring the noise level DEAD AIR SANDMAN-S The SRD556 is different from
down to 132 decibels. Cost: $1,199. Enter the Sandman. The Sandman-S aforementioned models since it
is a fully-auto-rated can that weighs requires a threaded barrel to mount
GRIFFIN ARMAMENT PALADIN 5 17.7 ounces and is 6.8 inches in to. This results in a lower cost ($650)
The Paladin 5 is lightweight at 12.5 length. It’s built to take a beating since no specific muzzle brake has
and is considered to be one of the to be mounted. As an added bonus,
toughest cans out there. There are when permanently attached to an
no barrel length restrictions when AR barrel, it counts towards the legal
pairing it with a rifle. Cost: $850. definition of the overall length of the
barrel. Overall length is 6.4 inches
with a weight of 14.5 ounces.
SILENT LEGION MULTI-CALIBER

This suppressor can easily be
converted to work with 5.56/.223,
Dead Air Sandman-S.
.300 Blackout, .308, .300 Win Mag
(DEAD AIR SILENCERS) and 6.8 SPC. It MSRPs at $1,379,
but given that it will work with
multiple calibers, it is like getting
multiple cans for one price. That

Introducing the Dragoon QD 350
Titanium Rifle Suppressor from TiON Inc.
TiON Inc is proud to introduce the revolutionary Dragoon DRAGOON .350 QD TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
QD 350 suppressor utilizing Total Breakdown Technology
(TBT) and our Gas Indexing Technology (GIT) [U.S. Patent Caliber: Optimized for Rifles & Pistols with Braces chambered in 9mm
9,410,761]. GIT allows the rotational orientation of baffles and .350 Legend. Secondarily, it performs very well with
in a given stack providing optimum sound reduction .22LR, .300 Blackout.
capabilities for the 9mm pistol caliber shot from a rifle. Bonus, Hearing safe on bolt action 5.56mm & .308Win rifles.
Top rated sound reduction is achieved in the primary .350 Finish: Black, FDE Cerakote and Clear Cerakote Gunmetal Finish
Legend and 9mm calibers and very good performance Length: 8.0 inches
in .300 Blackout. As a bonus the suppressor will achieve
Diameter: 1.375 inches
good hearing safe performance on .223/5.56mm and .308
Winchester bolt action rifles. Weight: 12.2 oz.
In a market where heavy, welded, non-serviceable Sound Pressure Level (Mil-Std 1474D Test @ 1 meter)
designs are the norm; the Dragoon distinguishes itself 9mm 147gr Winchester Train & Defend 16” BBL 121dB
with an all Titanium takedown design. The TiON design .350 Legend 255gr Winchester Subsonic 16” BBL 133dB
with TBT allows the user to remove, clean and service ALL .300 Blackout 220gr Remington Subsonic 16” BBL 130dB
Components. Material: 6AL-4V Annealed Titanium
The Dragoon QD 350 suppressor is machined from solid QD Spring – Stainless
Titanium Bar Stock eliminating any weld failure points Compression Bushing - Brass
creating an extremely durable and light weight suppressor
that can be serviced down to the piece parts. MSRP: $1285.00
Our Quick Disconnect design allows for one handed 2 Additional Mounts MSRP: $125.00 to $160.00
second mounting/removal and achieves total repeatability
of shot group. This QD design and smallest suppressor di-
ameter in the industry facilitates sliding under many metal
firearm forends with short barrels for fast attachment www.tioninc.com
without the need to have a removable forend section.
Seven QD mounts and flash hider/mounts are available Call: (717) 227-9060
in 13.5X1LHM, 1/2X28, 5/8X24 and 9/16X24 threads. All
our mounts are Titanium adding to the unsurpassed light [email protected]
weight of the suppressor.
also includes two flash hider mounts
for 5.56 and .308. It is 7.5 inches
long and weighs 16 ounces.
THERE ARE MANY good

suppressor options out there
today and there has never been
a better time to buy one. As with
all things fun in the firearms world,
I recommend buying one sooner
rather than later. You never know what
is going to end up on the government’s
“naughty list.” 
Silent Legion
Multi-caliber.
Editor’s note: Author Nick Perna is a (SILENT LEGION SUPPRESSORS)
sergeant with the Redwood City Police
Department in northern California.
He previously served as a paratrooper
in the US Army and is a veteran of
Sig Sauer SRD556. (SIG SAUER)
Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also has
a master’s degree from the
University of San Francisco.
He is a frequent contributor
to multiple print and online
forums on topics related to
law enforcement, firearms,
tactics and veterans issues.

FEATURED COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
TREAT YOUR AR-15 drop-in trigger
TRIGGER is available for multiple

shooting applications,
including 3-gun and service.
FINGER
Elftmann Tactical not only has drop-in
triggers for AR-15s and AR-10s, but
also select Remington, Savage rifle
lines, plus safeties, aluminum stocks.
PHOTOS BY ELFTMANN TACTICAL
H
elmed by the duo of Art The AR-15 drop-in trigger is
Elftmann and Art Elftmann, available for multiple shooting
Sr., Arizona-based Elftmann applications, including 3-gun (built
Tactical’s high-performance for winning competitions) and service
drop-in triggers for the AR-15 and AR- (built for law enforcement and
10 have taken the industry by storm. military duty), but any AR enthusiast,
With a design unlike any other shooter or hunter will appreciate the
on the market, ELF triggers feature amazingly short takeup, glass-rod
aerospace-grade sealed bearings – crisp break and next to zero over-
making for an incredibly smooth and travel that the trigger offers. ELF 700 SE
fast trigger pull – and adjustability Elftmann Tactical has also precision rifle trigger.
without the need for special tools or introduced ELF Precision Rifle
removal of the trigger from the lower Triggers for the Remington
receiver. Other features include a drop 700 and Savage 110. With the
safety, full ¼-inch-width disconnector incredible feel and crisp break
and a modular design. that ELF triggers are known for, as
FEATURED COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
well as the proprietary aerospace-
grade sealed bearings, this is the
ELF Savage 110 SE
pinnacle of drop-in trigger precision rifle trigger.
systems for precision rifles.
In addition to their
lineup of drop-in triggers,
Elftmann Tactical has several
other innovative parts and
AR-15/AR-10
accessories on offer, including the AR- ambidextrous
15/AR-10 Ambidextrous Speed Safety. speed safety.
With no rotation necessary and no
shifting of the shooter’s hand needed,
the Ambidextrous Speed Safety is
the fastest safety selector to engage
and disengage on the market. Also
available from Elftmann Tactical is
the Ultralight Aluminum Stock, which
at 5.2 ounces is the lightest all-metal
adjustable stock produced today.
All Elftmann Tactical products
are manufactured in the US and are
backed with a lifetime guarantee. 
Editor’s note: For more information,

visit elftactical.com. ELF ultralight aluminum stock.

L.E. SPOTLIGHT
LAW ENFORCEMENT HERO:

MIKHAIL VENIKOV
After serving three tours as an
Army Ranger, police officer keeps
his California city safe, makes the
world a better place for vets.
STORY BY NICK PERNA
PHOTOS BY MIKHAIL VENIKOV
t first glance, Mikhail
A Venikov looks like he

could be an extra Cobra
Kai bad guy in a Karate
Kid movie. He does have an extensive
background in mixed martial arts
and is an MMA competitor, but that’s
where the similarities end. In reality,
Venikov is an exceptionally nice guy,
a police officer and a military veteran
who is a champion for the rights of his
fellow vets.
Venikov runs a non-profit charity,
Ranger Road, that assists veterans
during the difficult transition from
military to civilian life and beyond.
Venikov himself was an Army Ranger Officer Mikhail Venikov, a policeman in the San
with three combat tours under his Francisco Bay Area, interacts with happy youngsters.
belt. He also competed in and won
the 2006 Best Ranger Competition. or SWAT, Team and has worked as a train in MMA and boxing with Team
For those who are unfamiliar with it, detective in units dealing with gang Alpha Male, a professional fight camp
Best Ranger is a 72-hour “suck fest” members and drug dealers. in Sacramento.
designed to test the best Special Members can also get certified as
Operations folks in the US military AS THE FOUNDER of Ranger Road, open-water scuba divers, and can do
in highly demanding physical and Venikov assists transitioning veterans single or tandem skydiving jumps.
mental challenges. Few are chosen to by hosting events where they can get Ranger Road Skydiving program
compete, even less complete it, and together and do fun things. And by manager Alejandro Jauregui is a
only two Rangers, working on the fun things, I mean skydiving, scuba disabled veteran and former 82nd
same team, win it each year. diving, hunting, MMA and boxing, just Airborne paratrooper. Despite being
After completing his enlistment, to name a few. a double amputee, Jauregui is an
Venikov attended the Sacramento They have teamed with the avid skydiver, trains in MMA and
Sheriff’s Police Academy. He is Professional Fighter’s League to host competes in Spartan Race events.
currently a police officer with the city the Cage Side Warriors program, in Ranger Road also participates
of San Mateo, California. He is on which vets get to attend actual MMA in Spartan Races through their
their Special Weapons and Tactics, events. Ranger Road members get to Operation Gut Check, and through
L.E. SPOTLIGHT
Ranger Road Motors, vets get to
experience driving race cars.
Another program, Operation
Rustic Healing, allows members to
participate in outdoor activities like
hunting and fishing. Operation Rustic
Healing program manager Kyle Sayre
is another disabled veteran; he lost
one of his legs while serving in Iraq.
MANY OF THE members who benefit

from Ranger Road are veterans who
have experienced PTSD from trauma
endured in combat while defending
our country. Others, like Jauregui
and Sayre, have suffered physical
injuries while in the service. Still
more are dealing with trying to adjust
to civilian life after their time in the
service. Venikov (at left) after winning the 2006 Best Ranger Competition, which author Nick Perna
describes as a 72-hour “suck fest” that tests the country’s best Special Operations soldiers.
Less than 7 percent of Americans
have served their country in the population. Ranger Road capitalizes community safe as a California police
armed forces. Even fewer have on giving veterans the chance to officer and makes the world a better
experienced physical and mental participate in the same kind of place for those who have given all
trauma related to combat and other exciting events they may have been they have for their country, America’s
experiences. Ranger Road provides involved in during their time in the veterans.
veterans with a support system and service. For more information, go to
a chance to engage with other like- rangerroad.org. They are always
minded folks who represent such MIKHAIL VENIKOV SERVED his country in looking for volunteers and donations
a small minority of this country’s combat as an Army Ranger, keeps his are appreciated. 
Ranger Road members

get to train in MMA
After three combat tours, and boxing with
Venikov returned home and Team Alpha Male, a
attended the Sacramento professional fight camp
Sheriff’s Police Academy. in Sacramento.
Operation Rustic
Healing allows
members to
participate in
outdoor activities
like hunting and
Venikov and the Ranger Road crew doing scuba, skydiving and endurance marathons. fishing.

Custom Guns
“LONGSLIDE
HUNTER”
GARY REEDER CUSTOM GUNS is proud to announce the continuance of our very
popular LONGSLIDE HUNTER. This beauty is built on our own frame and slide from
the ground up. It is finished in a satin Black Chromex and is built the way you want it. It is
chambered in the caliber of your choosing, 10mm or 45 ACP plus you get to pick the serial
number. You can also have your name engraved on it at no extra charge. It has your choice
of burl walnut grips or any of the exotic woods. It has a full action job and is super slick and
accurate. The gun is full custom and built the way you like and guaranteed accurate. We
have been building full custom 1911s since 1987 and this is one of the nicest yet.
The LONGSLIDE HUNTER - $1995 • 10 to 12 month delivery in most cases.

Hand Built For Hardcore Use
(559) 478-5475 www.taprackholsters.com
Tap Rack Holsters is a leading provider of premium

American-made gun holsters and knife sheaths.
Our products are the result of 40 plus years of
combined experience in the military and law
enforcement field using American made materials.
Every Tap Rack holster and sheath is handcrafted
using extreme care, precision and built to last
because we’re dedicated to providing premium
quality products our customers can rely on.
a PREMIUM QUALITY
a FULLY FUNCTIONAL
a LIFETIME WARRANTY
a CUSTOM BUILDS
a BUILT FOR EXTREME USE
a MADE IN AMERICA
a BUILT WITH AMERICAN MATERIALS AND PARTS
a MADE BY AMERICANS AND VETERANS
Self-Defense TRAINING
MARKSMANSHIP VS. POINT INDEX

SHOOTING TRAINING METHODS
Which is best for the beginner?
STORY AND PHOTOS BY PAUL PAWELA
T
he debate rages among gun
aficionados on how to train
beginners on the fine points
of shooting a handgun.
Some trainers start out with the
fundamentals of marksmanship:
1) Steady hold;
2) Proper breathing;
3) Focus on the front sight;
4) Practice rear sight alignment; and
5) Gently squeeze (don’t jerk) the
trigger.
Others favor starting with the “point
index” shooting training method:
1) Crush grip on the gun;
2) Center line the body and index
the firearm straight to eye-level as
you’re pointing a finger looking over
the sights, not looking through them;
3) Shoulder and pelvis are slightly
bent in a good fighting stance with the
arms extended and locked out;
4) When shooting begins, never
regrip the gun or lower to see where
your hits are. Shoot three to four groups Author Paul Pawela teaches the one-handed point
at whatever distance (no longer than 30 index shooting method while guest instructing at
the Chinese Karate Federation’s annual event. A
feet) before verifying the target. SIRT Training Gun was used for instruction.
So, who is right?
Actually, they both are. But the shooting, while point index shooting shooting situation.
problem is that marksmanship emphasizes shooting for self-defense, One of my first shooting instructors/
advocates often fail to inform new which greatly differs from poking holes mentors was retired Command Sergeant
shooters that this methodology takes into targets. Major Eric Haney (he was an active-
thousands of repetitions to create the duty master sergeant when I trained
muscle memory to perfect (and with TARGET VS. TACTICAL SHOOTING with him and I was a sergeant). He was
today’s current ammo shortage, good Personally, I favor point index shooting one of the original members of Delta
luck with that). Point index shooting, if we’re talking handguns because it Force and the author of Inside Delta
on the other hand, takes three to five was designed for up-close self-defense Force, the book that inspired the popular
minutes to become proficient for situations. Time and again, we find television show The Unit.
personal defense purposes. what works well for target shooting To quote Haney from his book:
Marksmanship focuses on target bears little resemblance to a tactical “Pistols are a trade-off, trading range
SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING
Pawela, here posing as a bad guy with a knife, argues that

marksmanship training takes “a significant amount of practice to
fully master,” a big ask in a time of bullet shortages, while point index
shooting is all about just “getting multiple hits rapidly on target.”
and accuracy for portability and create confidence, which leads to hand during the course of a deadly
concealability. … Most shooting is practical experience. encounter. In fact, I am so confident of
based on methods used in target Historically, the fundamentals of this method that I often bet my students
shooting – staring at the front sight. marksmanship originated with rifle a steak dinner that I can have them
Close range gun fighting is a world shooting. The theory was that if armed shooting proficiently in five minutes or
away from target shooting.” with a rifle, one has distance, and if less; in the last 12 years, I have taught
Consider that in the majority of there is distance, there is time: time to over 6,000 people this method and have
citizen-involved self-defense shootings, focus on breathing, time to get proper not had to buy one dinner!
most conflicts occur within arm’s reach, front sight/rear sight alignment, time I care far less about grouping targets
with the longest distance being about 30 to slowly squeeze the trigger. These than I do about getting multiple hits
feet or the length of two cars (the car is are all the things one needs to do to rapidly on target because at the end of
the number one location for assaults on become a competitive shooter or a the day, we are concerned with stopping
citizens). However, many people waste distinguished marksman. the threat. That means to shoot as many
bullets and time trying to hone skills Unfortunately, this training is rounds as needed. When a person can
with handguns at absurd distances from commonplace for handguns as well, put their rounds inside the number 10
25 to 100 yards. Spend time training for and it takes a significant amount of target ring, that gives us confidence.
what is probable, not possible. practice to fully master. In the process, Marksmanship can come later.
Under stress in a fight or flight new shooters often develop “target A handgun is a self-preservation
situation, the body will instinctively fixation” and are frustrated by the tool used at close distances; gun-
crouch and subconsciously push away inability to constantly hit the bull’s-eye. fighting is a world away from target
from the danger by creating distance. shooting. If you’re a new shooter, why
If armed, you will automatically EASY-TO-MASTER METHOD not train for the worst-case scenario
crouch and extend your arms, placing The point index shooting method I first? That’s just my two cents. 
them at eye-level. prefer is the same, whether you are
So why not practice this method shooting two-handed or one-handed, Editor’s note: Paul Pawela is a
even before you begin the basic in the case of a person holding onto a nationally recognized firearms and
marksmanship techniques? It will loved one or dealing with an injured self-defense expert.

The Xtreme Defender *Falling within FBI guidelines
is based on the popu- This round offers: A permanent
lar Xtreme Penetrator Wound Cavity (PWC) that is 2
product line. The XD ammunition has an optimized nose times greater than any expanding
flute, total weight, and velocity to achieve a penetration bullet reduced recoil.
depth up to 18 inches* with a permanent wound cavity CNC machined from solid copper
(PWC) that is just simply enormous; no other expand- to overcome barriers to penetra-
ing hollowpoint comes close to achieving anywhere near tion Radial flutes that force the
this diameter and volume. Not only is the PWC over hydraulic energy inward to build
100% larger than any other expanding bullet, expansion pressure Minimal surface area to
is achieved despite being shot through barriers. The sol- increase the force at the point of
id copper body ensures that wallboard, sheet metal, and contact and sharp cutting edges
automotive glass will have no effect on the PWC. that defeat barriers.
5730 Bottom Rd. Sparta, Call us: (618) 965-2109

Illinois 62286 www.underwoodammo.com
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
PENETRATING THE MARKET

Underwood Ammunition’s Xtreme Series offers
shooters of all kinds bullets with big impact.
PHOTOS BY UNDERWOOD AMMUNITION
U
nderwood Ammunition is
a family-owned business
started by Kevin Underwood
in Charleston, West Virginia.
A lifelong shooting enthusiast,
Underwood began reloading in his spare
time. Quickly, a small reloading press
turned into an entire loading operation,
including presses and stations set up
for over 60 calibers and counting. With Underwood Ammunition’s bullet lines include the Xtreme
a rapidly growing business, Underwood Defender, Xtreme Hunter and Xtreme Penetrator.
Ammo relocated and built a brand-new
facility in Sparta, Illinois.
Now, the company offers a vast array
of handgun and rifle ammo for self-
defense, target shooting and hunting
purposes. But the most sought-after
products in their lineup are those in
the Xtreme Series – Xtreme Penetrator,
Xtreme Defender and Xtreme Hunter
– thanks to the incredible amount of
permanent wound cavity they achieve. hollowpoint comes close to achieving bone, and any other barrier will have
“Lehigh Defense’s design, combined anywhere near this diameter and minimal effect on the PWC.
with our trademark power and precision, volume. Not only is the PWC over 100 All of Underwood Ammunition’s
makes for some serious hunting and percent larger than any other expanding products are manufactured with
defensive ammunition,” explains Sande bullet, but expansion is achieved despite absolute care during the loading process
Wasson, the company’s office manager. being shot through barriers. The solid to ensure consistent quality. Each round
“The radial flutes of the Penetrator force copper body ensures that wallboard, is individually sight-inspected before
the hydraulic energy inward and then sheet metal and automotive glass will being packaged.
as the energy is restricted, it accelerates have no effect on the PWC. “At Underwood, we are proud to
outward creating high pressure spikes, The Xtreme Penetrator, meanwhile, be known for loading our products to
damaging surrounding tissue. Kind of has a penetration depth of over their full potential with a drive to make
similar to sticking your thumb over a 18 inches, making it a much more the best ammunition on the market,”
garden hose.” appropriate choice for woods use. says Wasson. “Underwood Ammo
The Xtreme Defender has an The Xtreme Hunter is a hybrid of is rooted in a love for everything
optimized nose flute, total weight, the Defender and Penetrator, utilizing shooting and that is carried into every
and velocity to achieve a penetration a Defender’s nose geometry to product we make.” 
depth up to 18 inches with a permanent provide excellent wounding and deep
wound cavity, or PWC, that is just penetration at the same time. The solid Editor’s note: For more information, visit
9 simply enormous; no other expanding copper body ensures that thick hide, underwoodammo.com.
YO U R T R AV E L T R AILER
GET P - U P T R A
TRAILER S, O R P O
TWO GREAT LOCATION
Our
20th
Year
12414 Meridian E
Puyallup, WA
253-435-7751
southhillr
NEW DESTINATION TRAILER

2021 FOREST RIVER SALEM
GRAND VILLA 42FLDL
WA’s
#1 RV
Dealer
AU L E R S, E X PA N DABLE
S, F IF T H W H E E L S, TOY H
ILER E F O R S P RING.
TRAILER S IN T IM
ATIONS TO SERVE YOU
le br ati ng O ur
Ce !
1st Ye ar in Yelm
1500 W Yelm Ave
Yelm, WA
360-960-8141
hillrv.com
NEW DESTINATION TRAILER

2021 FOREST RIVER SALEM
GRAND VILLA 42DL
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
BULLET BULLETIN
A lineup of varying brands of copper monometal projectiles, suitable for

use on game from coyotes and foxes all the way to buffalo and elephant.
UNLEADED, PLEASE …
With lead-free projectiles here to stay, these are eight great all-copper bullets for hunting, shooting.
STORY BY PHIL MASSARO • PHOTOS BY MASSARO MEDIA GROUP
I
might be dating myself, but I patched round ball, could be well fed I stated, lead can be toxic, and it was in
am old enough to remember with a bullet mold and a healthy supply the mid-1980s that lead shot was first
when unleaded gas was an of lead. Our earliest projectiles for banned for use on waterfowl.
option over regular (leaded) what we consider modern cartridges Leaded gas, lead paint; right on
gasoline. Lead often gets a bad rap, due were either pure lead or some sort down the line, lead gets more and more
to its toxicity to people when exposed of lead alloy, hardened a bit to resist removed from our everyday lives. But
to high levels. However, the malleability premature deformation. To this day, it wasn’t always a bad thing. Lead’s
of lead makes it an excellent choice the majority of our rifle and handgun beneficial use in handgun and rifle
for projectiles, especially during the projectiles are comprised of a lead core projectiles is undeniable, however it
centuries when firearms underwent surrounded by a jacket of copper, and does have certain limitations. It can be
radical developments. lead shot remains a popular choice for too malleable – as John Nosler found
The simple muzzleloader, firing a most anything other than waterfowl. As out in the 1940s when his bullets came
BULLET BULLETIN
The Barnes TTSX (with blue polymer tip)
and Barnes TSX are tough bullets, suitable
for nearly all hunting situations.
apart on the shoulder of a bull moose – come to fruition when he took the first condors and other scavengers being
and for decades, bullet manufacturers head of big game with his lead-free X poisoned by lead bullet fragments or
have been engineering different bullet. That Alaskan brown bear fell shot in gut piles. I’m not here to debate
designs to come up with the best to a 270-grain Barnes X from his .375 the validity of those studies or the
balance of expansion and penetration. H&H Magnum, and began a whole merits of the subsequent laws, but to
It was Randy Brooks, then-owner new facet of the ammunition industry. show the effects on the bullet industry,
of Barnes Bullets, who had the idea of Fast forward to 2013, and you’ll see and that is to say that the lead-free
removing the lead core altogether and California pass a bill prohibiting the projectiles are here to stay.
using just copper for his projectile to use of all lead ammunition for hunting And, while Barnes remains a leader
avoid jacket/core separation, all the on public and private land, supposedly in the copper bullet industry, they are
way back in 1979. By 1986 his idea had in an effort to remove the risk of not the only player in the game. In
fact, just about every major player in
the bullet manufacturing industry has
one sort of lead-free monometal bullet
or another. Let’s take a look at some
of the characteristics of the copper
bullets, what makes them tick, and I’ll
highlight a few of my favorite designs.
THE COPPER CONUNDRUM

Copper, by nature, is less dense than
lead, so when comparing a lead-core
bullet to a copper bullet – of the same
The Nosler Ballistic Tip, a typical cup-and-core The Barnes TSX copper alloy monometal bullet;
shape, weight and diameter – the copper
design that uses a copper jacket and lead core. note the lack of a lead core. bullet will always be longer. This does a

BULLET BULLETIN
Author Phil Massaro with a Texas whitetail

taken cleanly with Federal Trophy Copper R
90-grain .243 Winchester ammo.
couple of different things: It changes the can pose an issue, as it will eat up a with the standard 1-in-8-inch or 1-in-
center of gravity and it usually requires considerable amount of space. 9-inch twist rates, but not a 140-grain N
the bullet to take up more space within In the instance that a lead-core bullet copper bullet; the length is just too •
the case. In those cases where the is at or near the edge of stable flight, much to stabilize. This will pose an
•
volume is already a bit compromised many times a copper bullet of the same issue with the target crowd, who rely on
– like the .308 Winchester, 7mm- shape and weight will not be stable. that combination of bullet weight and
08 Remington and .350 Remington For example, the 6.5mms will assuredly conformation to retain every last bit of
Magnum – the heavier copper bullet stabilize a 140-grain cup-and-core bullet velocity for a flat trajectory.
For the hunting crowd, who
require the proper terminal
performance to ensure a quick,
humane kill, the copper bullets really
shine. Generally speaking, they are
very tough – sometimes too tough
– and will definitely reach the vital
organs. Copper is not only lighter
than lead, but is less malleable. Hence
the reason it has been so successful
as a jacket material: It is just soft
enough to be engraved by the rifling
The Woodleigh Hydrostatically in the steel barrel, yet is hard enough
Stabilized Solid is just about the not to “smear” down the barrel like
perfect medicine for dangerous game,
and works equally well on lighter game. soft lead will. W
REVOLUTIONARY NEW 2-PIECE NAS3 CASE TECHNOLOGY:
50% LIGHTER THAN BRASS
Nickel-Plated Aluminum Base High Tensile Nickel-Alloy Cylinder
• Less wear on ejector pin • 2 x pressure rating (over 70k PSI)
• Can be color coded • Higher tensile strength and elasticity
for ID/branding • Corrosion resistant
• Reloadable using S3 Reload dies
UNLOADED CASES AVAILABLE FROM SHELL

SHOCK TECHNOLOGIES. 9MM CASES
G SOON...
AVAILABLE NOW, OTHER CALIBERS IN
COMING SOON. SEE WEBSITE M
O
FOR MANUFACTURERS OF
C
LOADED AMMO
MM
5.56
WWW.SHELLSHOCKTECH.COM
BULLET BULLETIN
The secret to the best copper longer the case. Most copper bullets will feature multiple grooves cut in
hunting bullets is to get them to will feature either a hollowpoint or a the shank of the bullet to reduce the
expand properly and reliably. Brooks polymer tip inserted into a hollow cavity amount of bearing surface, in order to
went through several designs with to get the bullet to expand. There are a minimize the amount of copper fouling.
his hollowpoint Barnes X until he few exceptions to that rule, namely the The original Barnes X had no grooves
got what he was after; some of the Peregrine Bushmaster and PlainsMaster, and fouling was an issue. I spent a
earliest designs didn’t expand and the North Fork Cup Solid and the considerable amount of time using an
acted much like a solid, whistling Woodleigh Hydrostatically Stabilized ammonia-based bore cleaner and a nylon
through at caliber dimension. With Solid. brush, scrubbing copper fouling out of
the TSX, TTSX and LRX, that is no Additionally, most copper monometals the bore of my favorite rifles.
For the handloaders, you’ll often
find that the copper monometals will
perform best with powders on the
faster end of the spectrum; I suspect
the lesser amount of bearing surface
creates a more even pressure with the
faster powders. And, for reasons I cannot
explain, I’ve had great success with
copper bullets and ball powders.
FAVORITE DESIGNS
The following copper bullet designs are
some of my favorites.
The Barnes TSX, TTSX and LRX. The
Barnes bullets are among the best you
could ask for, and they’ve never let me
down in the field. I’ve either used them
personally or loaded them for friends
and clients in cartridges from .243
Winchester up to the .505 Gibbs. They
are accurate, hit hard and kill quickly.
For hunting at longer ranges, the TTSX
and LRX – with the polymer tip – offer a
bit flatter trajectory and will retain a bit
more energy. Retained weight is usually
in the 90-plus-percent range, if you
Hornady’s GMX,
shown here in
6mm, 80 grains.
Though a bit
lighter than normal
deer hunting
bullets, the stout
construction will
ensure the vitals
are reached.

X,
in
ns.
bit
al
ng
ut
ill
als
d.
BULLET BULLETIN
Massaro with a
Mozambican reedbuck recover a bullet at all, as pass-throughs are
ram taken with the very common.
Heym SR30 HPPR
(High Performance The Hornady GMX. Hornady’s GMX
Precision Rifle) in .300 (Gilding Metal eXpanding) features their
Winchester Magnum
and Barnes LRX bullets. signature red polymer tip and has been
a great bullet. I’ve loaded this in the .300
Savage for a California pig hunter, as well
as in the .30-338 wildcat and the 9.3x62
Mauser; all the hunters were more than
pleased.
The Federal Trophy Copper. Federal’s
monometal is a tough, accurate and
dependable bullet. I’ve used it in the .243
Winchester to put a big Texas whitetail
down in its tracks, quite literally, and
I’ve seen it bring a vintage .300 Holland
& Holland to life. This polymer-tipped
boattail is loaded in Federal’s Trophy
Copper line, in cartridges from .270
WSM, 7mm WSM and .300 WSM to the
6.5 Creedmoor, .30-06 Springfield and
.300 Winchester Magnum, to the .280
Ackley Improved.
The Woodleigh Hydrostatically
Stabilized Solid. Hailing from Australia,
Federal’s Trophy Copper load – shown here in the

excellent .300 Holland & Holland Magnum, 180
grains – is a formidable bullet that delivers both
great accuracy and terminal ballistics.
Handloading the .416 Ruger, using

400-grain Barnes TSX bullets; this
particular load printed three-shot
groups measuring .68 MOA.

BULLET BULLETIN
The author’s Heym Express by Martini
in .404 Jeffery shoots the 400-grain
Woodleigh Hydro into sub-MOA
groups, and is one of his favorite
bullets for dangerous game.
Cutting Edge
Bullets Raptor
hollowpoints,
loaded in the
classic .416 Rigby.
Just in case anyone thought the monometal The Cutting Edge Bullets Safari Raptor; these are
bullets in the big safari guns weren’t accurate, designed to have the ogive break into small blades
here is an example of what the .505 Gibbs can for trauma upon impact, while the base gives deep
do with the 525-grain Woodleigh Hydro Solids. penetration, staying at caliber dimension.
Woodleigh has long embraced classic elephant, it would be this design.

bullet designs, modeled after century- I took a huge Zimbabwean bull
old designs, for vintage rifles. On the elephant with a 400-grain Hydro from
opposite end of the spectrum, their my .404 Jeffery; the penetration and
Hydrostatically Stabilized Solid is trauma from two body shots was very
a radical design, using a small dish impressive.
at the nose of the bullet to create a The Cutting Edge Raptor. Here’s
cavitation bubble ahead of the bullet. another very unique design, with
This both destroys blood-rich tissue the ogive of the bullet designed to
in a 6- to 8-inch radius around the break into small blades to cause
bullet’s path, and clears a pathway massive trauma for the first 6 inches
for the bullet. That dish expands ever or so, while the base of the bullet
so slightly, and if I were forced to stays at caliber dimension for deep
choose just one bullet for all game penetration. They are accurate, and
animals, including hippo, buffalo and their terminal performance on thin-

21st Century
Shooter/Reloader
Precision Products Hybrid-X
Shooting Rest
Introducing the new Hybrid-X Shooting Rest
√ Hybrid between a joystick & a traditional “wheel” rest

√ Ease of Control √ Smooth operation
√ Easily self align the rifle and rear bag
Key Features
• Windage range is more than you would ever need
• Elevation is not lost from shot to shot even if the control stick is let go
• Total weight is 28 lbs
• Weight of the rifle is not a factor for the ease of controls because of the ball
screws/bearing blocks in the post
• Designed, machined and built in the USA
ENTER FBOOK10 AND

RECEIVE 10% OFF ORDER
260-273-9909
www.21stcenturyshooting.com
BULLET BULLETIN
Three
500-grain
Peregrine
BushMaster
bullets
recovered
from a pair of
Zimbabwean
Cape buffalo,
taken with the
South Africa’s Peregrine Bullets – shown here are the author’s Heym
flatnose BushMasters and the spitzer PlainsMasters – are 89B double in
a unique design that are fantastic in the hunting fields. .470 NE.
skinned game species is amazing. copper bullet with a hollow cavity and the copper walls of the bullet
The Peregrine BushMaster and that is capped with a bronze cap will blow outward upon impact,
PlainsMaster. Peregrine Bullets – or plunger (depending on model), giving excellent expansion, and
from the Republic of South Africa the bullet’s ogive is driven outward, the long copper base ensures deep
– makes a unique monometal bullet radially, from the axis of travel. penetration. I’ve killed four Cape
that relies on the compression of You see, the air in that cavity buffalo with this bullet, and it’s
air to guarantee expansion. Using a under cap isn’t easily compressed, become one of my favorites. 
This Cape buffalo bull was taken with the 500-grain

Peregrine BushMaster from a .470 NE Heym double rifle.

ROAD HUNTER
Author Scott Haugen has been hunting turkeys throughout the West for over 30 years
and credits much of his success to preseason scouting and preparation. He called this
lone tom into a pair of Dave Smith Decoys, his favorite faux gobblers to use.
10 TOP TIPS FOR TAGGING A TOM OR TWO

Expert shares three decades’ worth of turkey hunting wisdom for chasing gobblers in the West.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HAUGEN
preparation went into making my it’s attention to detail that makes the
F
ocused on a full-strut decoy
25 yards in front of my blind, hunts a success, a theme I’ve grown difference, and it all starts well before
the approaching tom had no accustomed to in my more than 30 the season commences. Here are 10
idea I was near. When his years of hunting these grand birds. tips I’ve relied on to help fill spring
bright red, white and blue head stood at Combined with a month of hunting turkey tags throughout the West, and
attention, he never knew what hit him. to fill three tags, my two months of they can help you, too.
It was my third and final Oregon preseason scouting is what ultimately
tom that spring, and while the mature paid off. 1. START SCOUTING
tom came in as I’d hoped, the hunt – While I learn something on each The time to scout for turkeys is now,
and the season – was far from simple. hunt, there are certain details I pay not a few days before the season. If
A lot of preseason scouting and attention to year after year. For me, cold conditions linger, birds may still
ROAD HUNTER
A lot happens to turkey flock dynamics during the course of a season, and the closer a hunter
can keep track of birds, the better the odds of filling a tag. It all starts with preseason scouting.
be in winter flocks, making it easier you can set out, the more you’ll can find the mercury hitting the
to locate and keep track of bachelor learn. Turkeys are very habitual, and 80-degree mark. Make sure you have
groups. Search for flocks of hens and situating cameras along trails, forest comfortable clothes and footwear to
young, together and bachelor flocks of edges and in fields will reveal exactly meet your needs and stand up to the
toms. Toms gather in age-class flocks how many birds are around and what West’s changing spring conditions.
in winter, separating as the turkey time of day they are moving. Be sure all of your turkey calls are
breeding season nears. Keep trail cameras active all season in good shape and any accessories are
If turkeys are scattered, locate as long, as birds will continue moving in ready to go. From first aid gear to knee
many different birds as you can, both and out of areas. Set the cameras to pads, fire starter to an extra facemask,
toms and hens. Hens will be gravitating video mode, and the information you’ll make certain you have all you’ll need
to breeding and nesting locales, while learn will help you in seasons to come. for your upcoming hunts.
toms will split up and follow hens, My trail camera of choice for the West’s
establishing strutting grounds. Mark range of conditions is Stealth Cam’s 4. THE TURKEY VEST
every bird you find on a map, as these DS4K, as the HD version captures Also, make sure your turkey vest fits
will be places you’ll want to return to in amazing detail and sound. The turkey snuggly. One of the biggest mistakes
coming weeks. sounds and behaviors captured on hunters make is buying a turkey
When scouting, in addition to this camera are the best I’ve seen, vest that’s too large, which results
live birds, look for sign such as loose and greatly help you learn what’s in tangles and hangups during the
turkey feathers, tracks and droppings. happening in the turkey woods. most inopportune times of the hunt.
Utilizing binoculars and a spotting Turkey vests have a lot of pockets and
scope will greatly increase the number 3. GEAR ORGANIZATION compartments, so make sure you know
of turkeys you find and is a great way to The more you hunt turkeys, the more what’s in each, and be confident that
observe their behavior from a distance gear you’ll acquire, and the more gear you can find key items in a pinch.
so as not to alert them. you have, the more important it is to Having a turkey vest with an
stay organized. Be sure clothes, boots attached seat pad is ideal. Out West
2. TRAIL CAMERAS and rain gear are all in operating order. you might set up in rocks, on roots of
One of the best scouting tools for Opening day of the season may find big trees or in wet grass, and having
locating and patterning turkeys is a you hunting in snow and subfreezing a cushion keeps you comfortable and
trail camera. The more trail cameras temperatures, while late-season hunts less likely to fidget when a bird is in

ROAD HUNTER
view. You might find yourself pinned and you’ll greatly increase the odds of of it like big game hunting, and you’re
down for hours by slow-to-approach success. You don’t have to be a master on the right track.
toms, and being comfortable can make caller to fool a turkey; you just need to
the difference when it comes to sitting know what sounds to make, when. 7. TURKEY DECOYS
still and filling a tag. With years of turkey hunting under
6. ASSUME SUCCESS your belt comes a collection of turkey
5. CALLS Turkey hunting can be physically and decoys. If you can get only one decoy, a
While it only takes a few basic sounds mentally taxing throughout the West. feeding hen or upright is tough to beat.
to bring a turkey within shooting range, Big country, scattered birds and rugged These hen decoys can attract toms all
the more realistic those sounds are, the terrain make turkey hunting in this season long. Just be sure to position
better your chances of attracting a wise part of the country challenging. Be in them where approaching toms can see
tom. The best way to achieve precise shape and your chances of success them from afar.
turkey sounds is through practice, and greatly rise. If wanting to invest in a second
making sure your calls are in good No matter how many hours a decoy, consider a strutting tom. While
shape is the place to start. day – or days a season – you hunt, this decoy can work wonders in the
Make certain no reeds in diaphragm always expect success. The moment latter half of the season, it can also pull
calls are split, and that there are no oils you let your guard down is when an in aggressive toms all season long. I’ve
or residue on the surface of friction calls opportunity could present itself, and had my best success with Dave Smith
that may inhibit their ability to produce you don’t want to miss it. The mental Decoys. These turkey decoys are not
quality sounds. Practice making game of turkey hunting out West cheap, but they’ll last for years and
authentic-sounding yelps and clucks should never be underestimated; think their lifelike postures and paint jobs
Glassing plays a big part of turkey hunting throughout the West,

both during the season and on preseason scouting missions.

The question is...
Do you want to hunt ducks
or be a duck hunter?
Natural Wonderduck
Water Motion Decoys
The paddle in the back give the illusion of decoy feet paddling!
Comes with rear
mounted motors that
run on two D-cell
batteries, for up to
25 hours or more.
Optional timer
available. Orange
weedless paddling
feet and foot attach-
ments, easy access
for battery holder,
waterproof switch and
floatation insert. (Not
to be used with wings)
To order or for more information –

wonderduck.com 1-800-876-1697
ROAD HUNTER
Ground blinds offer a big advantage to
turkey hunters. Make sure you know the
parameters of the blind and get comfortable
with it before the season starts. Haugen
relied on hen calls and a full-strut tom decoy
to pull this big tom from the timber.
have fooled more toms than any decoy dry leaves or snap a twig at the most and Browning’s TSS in size 7 and 9
I’ve used. inopportune time. Practice setting up, shot. I shoot a Weatherby SA-459 with
sitting in and shooting from your blind an extra-full choke, and it’s topped
8. GROUND BLINDS before you head afield, so there are no with Trijicon’s MRO. For me, every
Ground blinds are a wonderful tool surprises when it’s game time. load performed flawlessly in extensive
for the simple reason they offer a pattern tests, as well as on hunts.
360-degree field of view. If you’re a 9. TURKEY LOADS Patterning should be done well before
bowhunter, nothing will increase your Turkey shotgun loads are way ahead the season so you know exactly how
chances of getting a clean shot more of where they were a decade ago. loads perform.
than hunting from a popup ground Whatever brand gun and choke you
blind. If you’re a shotgun hunter, blinds use, make sure the loads you hunt with 10. FINAL PREP
allow you to move and work calls, achieve their designed pattern. The Before the hunt, try on all your gear,
stretch and stay comfortable for hours. only way to decipher this is through including the turkey vest. Make sure
Get a comfy, quiet stool and make patterning your gun and studying its boots fit with the socks you intend
sure the forest floor is cleared of point of impact. to wear, that base layers aren’t too
potentially noisy debris before starting Two seasons ago, I shot toms with confining, and that your turkey vest
a calling sequence. You don’t want to Federal’s 3rd Degree (a mix of size 5, is efficiently loaded and fits properly.
accidentally drag your boots across 6 and 7 shot), their TSS in size 7 shot, Be sure the vest isn’t too loose and

Custom Rifle Actions
www.defiancemachine.com
406-756-2727
TEACHING YOU THE SKILLS

TO SUCCESSFULLY HUNT
AND/OR SURVIVE IN THE WILD.
Hands-on and in the field courses for
men, women and children.
Become a better outdoors person.
Learn the essentials of: Modern Day Survival

• Navigation Skills • Scouting Classes
• Archery Hunting Skills and Techniques
• Big Game Strategies For All Weapons
• Shooting Techniques and Much More.
WILDERNESS SURVIVAL
School for Hunters and Guides
Contact us today:
Mike Jenkins – 360-560-7620
nwschoolforhunters.com
ROAD HUNTER
key pieces of gear can be accessed while
walking, standing or sitting.
If bowhunting, practice shooting with
all your gear on from various positions
inside a ground blind; if hunting with a
shotgun, shoulder your gun in multiple
positions and swing in both directions to
make sure there’s no binding or catching
on clothing. Consider using shooting
sticks with your shotgun, as this will
greatly decrease movement and increase
your ability for precise target acquisition.
The time to begin your spring turkey
season is now, by scouting and preparing
every piece of gear. Scout all season long,
for what you learn each time you’re out
there won’t just yield immediate rewards;
it will help increase your chances of
success for seasons to come. 
Editor’s note: Scott Haugen is author of

the popular book, Turkey Hunting The
West: Strategies For All Levels. Order
Once the season starts, hunters want to concentrate on filling your signed copy at scotthaugen.com.
tags, and that’s where preparation comes in. This hunter is in
perfect position, with a big tom focused on a hen decoy. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.

30
TOUGH • DURABLE • LIGHT

Easy • Easy Loader & Deuce accommodate • Deuce fits smaller pickups, SUVs
2 dogs up to 65 lbs each & UTVs
Loader, • EZ-XL accommodates 2 dogs over • EZ-XL is for larger breed dogs &
Deuce 65 lbs each full size vehicles
• Made from High Density • Vents, cold weather door covers,
& EZ-XL Polyethylene with UV protection insulated covers & custom
Models • Easy Loader fits most full size kennel pads available
pickups, SUVs & large UTVs
Introducing
the
EASY XL.
For large
breed dogs.
EASY-LOADER
Dog Kennels
Call 800-853-2655
ww
w. e
as yloaderkennel
s.co
m Check out our website for new accessories
Bartlesville, OK • 800-853-2655 www.easyloaderkennels.com
COYOTES:
THE SMALLEST
DANGEROUS GAME
A threat to game animals, livestock and pets alike, these predators
have spread across the continent, even into the suburbs and cities,
making hunting them ‘more than a mere sport.’
STORY BY JIM DICKSON
C
ontrary to what many think,
the coyote is actually a
type of wolf, and while the
smaller wild North American
canid may not send chills down
spines the way its bigger cousins
do, don’t try to tell that to the
families of 3-year-old Kelly
Keen of Glendale, California, or
19-year-old Taylor Mitchell of
Nova Scotia, Canada. Coyotes
killed Kelly and Taylor in 1981
and 2009. If that doesn’t qualify
coyotes as dangerous game,
I don’t know what will. Wise
parents no longer leave babies
and small children unattended
outdoors for even a moment
where coyotes are present. I
remain convinced that coyotes
are responsible for at least some
of the missing children in areas
where they abound.
Most people consider the
coyote primarily a threat to pets
and livestock. They have yanked
pets off leashes and come in
pet doors to kill pets inside the
home. As for livestock, farmers
have found them hanging onto
cattle trying to bring them down.
While that may be a bit unusual,
they are murder on smaller
“Hunting coyotes is much more than mere sport,”
livestock. I once had chickens and writes author Jim Dickson, who has suffered
ducks running loose on my farm their depredations on his farm and worries
about the predator’s impact on deer and game
enjoying the barnyard life. No bird populations, as well as increasingly nervy
more. The coyotes put a stop to behavior around humans. (TOM KOERNER/USFWS)
the classic barnyard scene of poultry, it is to them when you encounter a shoulder, he can hide behind any
goats, sheep, etc., grazing without shepherd dressed in white lying down bit of brush between you and him
worry. Now they have to be shut up with his flock at night so that he can with maddening efficiency, making
to keep them safe. Coyotes will even raise up and shoot the coyotes when seeing him before he sees you even
jump in a pig pen and be out again they come after his sheep. That’s harder. Again, this is a job for experts.
with a piglet in their mouth before certainly not my idea of the way to Remember that coyote tracks are
the fat old sow can get up to challenge spend my nights. Still, when the sheep more oval and compact than a
them. Watching your livestock going are your livelihood, you do what you domestic dog’s and the claw marks are
about their business is one of the have to do, even if that means lying less prominent than a dog’s.
classic joys of farm living, but coyotes down on the cold wet ground among Once you catch sight of them, you
have shut that down everywhere they the sheep instead of in a nice warm bed have to be sure it is a coyote and not
occur. with your wife. your neighbor’s dog. There are three
Coyotes can be successfully identifying features to look for. The
HUNTING COYOTES IS a difficult game, stalked, but this is hard because of the tail is bushy like a fox, unlike a dog’s.
as they are smart and learn fast. well-developed nose, ears and eyes of The nose is long, narrow and pointy
Farmers watching over their livestock these canines. You have to be working for sticking down holes to get at its
have a good chance to kill them if upwind and make any noises you prey. The ears are sharp and pointed
they stay out of sight. Nothing draws produce sound like indigenous game, and never droop over like some dogs’
a coyote in like poultry and other while making sure you see the coyotes do, but some other dogs have sharp
small farm animals. Don’t expect a before they see you. That’s a tall order pointy ears as well, so be careful.
farmer to turn his stock loose to act as but it can be done.
a lure for an outsider, though. That’s Tracking is a big part of stalking YOU PROBABLY WILL have little time
his livelihood and not to be risked for them and a 15- to 45-pound coyote to shoot before they see you, and since
someone else’s sport. Killing coyotes is isn’t disturbing the ground and the they are pack animals, a semiauto rifle
dead-serious business for the farmer. underbrush all that much in most is a necessity if you are going to get
You can see how serious a matter cases. At a height of just 2 feet at the more than one of them. The .30-caliber
A coyote prowls a Western landscape. The species has

expanded its range in all directions from the core of
the continent over the past 300 years, especially to the
eastern United States and Canada. (RYAN HAGERTY/USFWS)

[email protected] | www.Etsy.com/shop/AlfordDesignsLTD | www.PaulaAlford.com | 434-386-7854
Leather Conceal Carry Bags, Purses & Earrings
A great gift
for her!
Shop for a variety of
pieces online at our Etsy
shop or on our Website!
*
HANDCRAFTED
IN THE USA
Contact us directly for
wholesale pricing.
Free USPS first class WE CAN CUSTOMIZE BAGS AND ORDERS

shipping on orders WITH OR WITHOUT HOLSTERS
$35 or more anywhere
in the U.S. PO Box 3273, Lynchburg, VA 24503
Along with game animals, livestock and pets, coyotes
prey on rodents. Here one prepares to pounce for a
mouse under the snow. (LORI IVERSON/USFWS)
M1 carbine and the various 5.56 and The Louisiana red wolf is a cross that a leather crafting shop near me
7.62x39 assault rifles really come into between a timber wolf and a coyote. does regular business in them. When
their own here. You need to be able to There was a case of the red wolves a coyote presents a target opportunity,
shoot fast and accurately. The vital circle killing and eating an old woman and there is no time to go back to the
in the chest is only about 6 inches. the horse she was riding back in the house and get a rifle, so pistol-packers
One of the finest guns for this frontier days. account for a lot of coyotes.
quick offhand shooting is the Auto The coydog is a cross between a
Ordnance M1927A1 semiauto version coyote and a domestic dog. They can LIKE OTHER WOLVES, coyotes have a
of the Thompson submachinegun. Its be larger and more dangerous than large territory and make a big circle
.45 ACP cartridge bucks brush better the pure coyote and their numbers are covering it all. They can be here one
than the other calibers mentioned, increasing. Obviously, they can blur day and gone the next, often not
and it is one of the steadiest, best- the identification lines between coyote returning for several days. Just when
pointing and easiest-to-hit-with rifles and dog as they are a mix. The old all the animals think they are safe –
ever made. It is a splendid but often farmer’s rule of thumb is, “If it’s after wham! They’re back!
overlooked hunting rifle, and that’s a your farm animals, shoot it!” At all times there are three types of
shame. If you should run into a herd Farmers kill a lot of coyotes with coyotes on the landscape: territorial
of wild hogs at close range during your pistols that ride on their hips as they adults, this year’s pups, and adolescents
hunt, you will be very glad you chose are plowing and doing other work looking to establish their own territory.
this gun. Wild hogs don’t always run around the farm. When a coyote Coyotes breed around Valentine’s Day,
from you; sometimes they run at you. runs out, they do a fast draw and fire. February 14, and the pups are born
They also can get big. Really big. Never underestimate the ability of a 63 days later around Income Tax Day.
Wild dog packs are another thing good pistolero. Country folk like me This is the time when coyotes pose the
that you can encounter and these can can shoot every day if they like and most danger to pets and livestock, as
be very dangerous. Not all livestock practice makes perfect. These are they are hunting day and night trying
damage is done by coyotes. Georgia often fast shots and a lot of men carry to keep those pups fed.
had a serious problem with wild dogs single-actions in Hollywood-style Calling coyotes in with electronic
back in the 1960s and every time the quick-draw holsters to be ready for the calls is very successful and can be done
game wardens got together, they were coyote. I have also known men to use from one location while you cover
swapping stories about how they had these when hunting wild hogs with everything from a tree stand. When
shot a pack that was attacking them. dogs. They are sufficiently popular hunting on the ground, I use Burnham
Brothers coyote howls and rabbit calls to draw them in.
Camouflage is important, as is sitting as still as a turkey
hunter. Pick a spot along game trails and hunt especially
hard early in the morning and late in the evening.
Coyotes are omnivorous and will not turn their nose
up at carrion. If you have a cow that has died or even a gut
pile from butchering livestock or a deer, it will draw them
like flies. Get in a tree stand overlooking this bait and wait.
They will be there as sure as vultures. A tree stand is best
here because they can come from all directions and you
don’t want to be blocking the way by sitting on the ground.
Anytime you take a vehicle to a hunting area, make
sure you have a driver to drop you off and then keep
going. Once you park that vehicle, the coyotes will
take note and head for parts unknown. If you have
no driver, make sure you park at least a quarter mile
from where you intend to start hunting. And never
forget that these are canines, so you must hunt into the
wind. Once they get your scent, they are gone. They
also don’t like lights. Most of them have learned to
associate flashlights with hunters.
Coyotes are largely nocturnal, avoiding people in the
daytime yet even coming up on porches at night. The use
of night vision and thermal vision sights has been crucial
in impacting their numbers. Legal registered suppressors
are often important for hunting at night, as farmers have
to get up early and don’t like being woken up by gunshots
or anything else for that matter.
COYOTES REPRODUCE UNBELIEVABLY fast. You have

to kill 90 percent of the population to even make a
noticeable dent in the numbers of coyotes. They will then
spill into that area from the surrounding areas as fast as
water flowing into a swamped boat.
East of the Mississippi River, coyotes are an invasive
species and they have a dramatic effect on the local
wildlife population. They can catch most of the deer
fawns, as well as most of the young of the game birds and
other wildlife. Their presence is always marked with a
dramatic reduction in the game animals and birds in any
area they invade. The coyote is an incredibly destructive
invasive species and most definitely not a game animal
to be conserved or given a sporting chance. East of the
Mississippi, it is a newcomer thanks to the bridges over
the river and some fox hunting clubs that brought them
in to have something for their hounds to chase. Their
natural predators, the timber wolf and the mountain
lion, are virtually extinct here, so they just eat and make
more coyotes. Bringing back wolves would be a case of
the cure being worse than the disease, but bringing back
the lion would help. Having been around mountain lions
a lot many years ago, I am all for them.
Hunting coyotes is much more than just mere sport.
You are protecting your pets, your livestock, the game
animals you hunt and your children. That’s about as
important a bit of work as you can find. 

Cumberland’s
Northwest Trappers Supply, Inc.
Cumberland’s Northwest Trappers Supply is your one-stop trapping
supply headquarters, featuring one of the largest inventories in the
U.S. We are factory direct distributors on all brands of traps and
equipment which allows us to offer competitive prices. Give us a try.
Our fast, friendly service will keep you coming back.
Over 50 Years Of Service To The
Trap & Fur Industry
We are the new home of

Request A Catalog Or Place An Order “Trappers Hide Tanning
By Phone, Mail Or On Our Website Formula” in the
bright orange bottle.
If you get in the area, visit our store! Retail & dealer
inquiries are welcome.
P.O. Box 408, Owatonna, Minnesota 55060 • (507) 451-7607

[email protected] • www.nwtrappers.com
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
Among the high-quality range and sheep camps, sheep wagons, commissaries, teardrops, goose necks and toy
haulers that Western Range Camps makes is The Giant, the central Utah-based company’s largest customizable RV.
WHOLE NEW BREED OF RANGE ANIMAL

Western Range Camps has roots building sheepherder shelters, but these days offers
‘fully customizable state-of-the-art RVs and camps’ to the public and drovers alike.
PHOTOS BY WESTERN RANGE CAMPS
W
hat began as a sheep started Timberline Range Camps and thereafter, rebranding themselves as
company building shelters began building camps for the general Western Range Camps.
for their herders has public about that time.” “We have a couple of the original
evolved over the past two Anderson began working for workers still working here and still
decades into a full-service operation the company in 2010, and she and associate a lot with Mickel Brothers,”
offering fully customizable state-of-the- her husband purchased it shortly she says. “We still build many of the
art RVs and camps. Here is the story of
Western Range Camps.
In 2003, when Mickel Brothers
Sheep Company of Utah needed more
camps for their herders, they took it
upon themselves to build their own.
“They also thought about it and
realized how practical these camps
could be for the general public if they
added in a few of the RV amenities,”
explains Heidi Anderson of Western
Range Camps. “Sheep camps normally
were smaller and did not have The Toy Hauler/Cargo Trailer
features 16 feet of living space and
bathrooms or running water. Mickel room to fit a side-by-side ATV.
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
and as watertight as we can get it. With
the rounded roof to help repel rain and
snow, it is a camp that can go anywhere
and hold up very good over time.”
Western Range Camps continues
to evolve its product line, recently
introducing gooseneck camps and
toy haulers. “It’s the same durable
materials and construction as in
our camps, but with the flexibility of
carrying your toys inside. We have the
same flexibility for changing out the
floor plan, size and options. It just gives
our customers other options while
still having great construction and
insulation.”
Though they are a small company
of just six employees, the team at
Western Range Camps strives to give
their customers the personal attention
that you don’t usually get with
purchasing an RV.
“We listen to our customers and
try to build just what they want,”
A look inside Western Range Camps’ RV says Anderson. “We have developed
shows a comfy bed, dining table, bench,
sink, oven and more. friendships with our customers and
have some that call in monthly to check
camps used by sheep herders, but we down with our customers, either in in and let us know how they are doing.
have continued to advance the build person, over the phone or by email, Our customers are our friends and we
process, and design and construct and design the floor plan right with the try to do everything we can before and
camps that work great for the general customer. We build from the ground up after a sale to help them out.” 
public and hunters specifically.” and do almost the entire camp in-house.
Western Range Camps offers a We use the most quality and durable Editor’s note: For more information,
wide variety of camps and RVs for the material we have available and work visit wrcamps.com.
outdoor enthusiast, each with its own tirelessly to get the customer a camp
unique amenities. The Heritage, for that will last their lifetime and beyond.”
example, is great for families since No matter how you want to
it features pull-out trundle beds and customize your camp, or what add-ons
roomy accommodations. The Zion is you want to include, all Western Range
smaller and lighter for the sportsman Camps begin with a solid foundation
who wants to visit those hard-to-reach, to ensure you stay warm and dry while
out-of-the-way places. Anderson says braving the elements.
the Survivalist model is becoming their “Our walls are about 2 inches
most popular floor plan because it can thick and our floor is about 6 inches
sleep the most people. thick,” explains Anderson. “We build
But one of the most remarkable our frame with steel tubing and have
aspects of Western Range Camps is great ground clearance. We build the
their ability to customize their camps rest of the camp out of 1/2- and 3/4-inch
to suit the unique requirements of plywood that will hold up well as the
each customer. camp bounces around on those bumpy
“We can change out the size, width, mountain roads. We build the first layer
color scheme and floor plan to meet of our floor with sheet metal so rodents “We can change out the size, width, color scheme and
the customer’s individual needs,” says and water cannot get in, and the rest of floor plan to meet the customer’s individual needs,”
says the company’s Heidi Anderson. Here’s the kitchen
Anderson. “We have staff that will sit the camp is wrapped with aluminum of the Toy Hauler/Cargo Trailer.

Quality Handmade Holsters, Knife Sheaths, & Accessories
Crafted by: Ryan & Kay Grizzle 706-265-0118 • [email protected]
and
”
hen www.rgrizzleleather.com
BLACK POWDER
Shooting a black powder .50-70

match is just like the old times.
A SPECIAL .50-70 MATCH

Club's informal black powder cartridge matches a good way to get started in BPCR shooting, competition.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE NESBITT
I
t should be no secret that the are actually a bunch of us with these calibers do follow the .50-70 shooters to
.50-70 is one of my favorite feelings. So it should be no surprise the prize table.
black powder cartridges. that our club, the Black River Buffalo The idea grew and at our second
Reasons for this can certainly Runners (part of the Capitol City .50-70 match, we enjoyed having six
include its history, being our country’s Rifle & Pistol Club near Olympia, shooters trying for top score, and that
first centerfire Washington), annually holds a special was while using only four rifles. Top
military cartridge, .50-70 match. score was shot by Jerry Mayo, who
along with its fine This started just three years ago was shooting my .50-70 rolling block.
performance as well and for that debut, we had only three Second place was taken by “Doc” Ritter,
as the interesting shooters show up with .50-70-caliber who was shooting his dad’s rolling
variety of single-shot rifles. There were more shooters than block. I took third place and “Loco
rifles that were made for it. that, of course, because other black Jeff” Ritter took fourth, while using the
I’m not alone in having such powder cartridge rifles are also invited. rifles that had already placed first and
admiration for the old .50-70; there However, those shooters using other second. The two other shooters, Allen
Black POWDER
Author Mike Nesbitt’s “little” .50-70 by C.
Sharps Arms with a 26-inch barrel.
The .50-70 cartridge with grease groove bullet, like the old Army load.
Cunniff and Bob DeLisle, both used

their .50-70 Sharps rifles.
Like Brownie Nash of the Great
Basin Sharp Shooters says, “Never
lend your rifle to another shooter in
a match; the borrower will always
outshoot you.”

FOR OUR THIRD year, the .50-70 match cross-sticks. this match using paper-patched bullets.
ballooned up to 10 shooters, all using While the targets are simple, each This year my shooting was done with
their “Big .50s” in friendly competition. shooter has habits that can add variety grooved bullets, cast from Accurate
(Yes, a Big .50 should really be a .50-90, to the match. For instance, shooting Molds’ No. 52-450L2. That’s a 450-grain
but the .50-70s were also often referred black powder cartridges generally bullet very similar to Lyman’s No.
to as such by the buffalo hunters.) That requires some kind of fouling control. 515141, but with larger grease grooves
was an excellent lineup and the firing Several shooters wipe the bore between to hold more lubricant. For fuel in my
line was loaded with four rifles from C. shots and that is especially true for loads, 65 grains of Olde Eynsford 2F
Sharps Arms, three Remington rolling shooting paper-patched bullets with no powder goes under the bullets, and
blocks, two old Springfield trapdoors lube disc under the bullet. (That lube between the bullet and the powder
and one ’74 Shiloh Sharps. In addition keeps the fouling soft for the following there was a .030-inch fiber “veggie”
to that, we had one shooter, Wes Davis, shot.) Others, like me, use lubricated wad from John Walters, “the tin-wad
using his C. Sharps Arms ’74 rifle in grooved bullets and use a blow tube man.” I’ve found that to be a good all-
.45-70 caliber. Seeing our .50-70 match between shots to keep the fouling soft. around load for my .50-70s.
grow is rewarding and that all adds to Both ways work quite well. One more
the fun. point to make about our course of ALLEN CUNNIFF, MY Matthew Quigley
Our course of fire is rather simple, fire is that we have no time limit; our Buffalo Rifle Match shooting partner,
using just two targets. Both are bull’s- matches aren’t timed. used a 555-grain paper-patched bullet,
eyes, one at 100 yards and the other at The loads used can have a lot also from an Accurate mold, over
200 yards. Ten shots are fired at each of variety too, even though we are 69 grains of Swiss 2F powder in his
target, fired from the sitting position primarily talking about just one .50-70 with the 30-inch barrel. That’s
while resting the heavy rifles over cartridge, the .50-70. Last year I shot a good-performing load, for sure,
Jerry Mayo’s new .50-70, a custom

Remington rolling block.

Black POWDER
Here’s some of the gang: (standing) Curt

Lokovsek, “Loco” Jeff Ritter, Tom Witt, Jerry
Mayo, Wes Davis, Bob DeLisle and Phil Wiebe;
(kneeling) Mike Nesbitt and Allen Cunniff.
and Allen was our top shooter in this spotting scope between shots. I favor borrowed Loco Jeff’s heavy .50-70
match, shooting the high scores at shooting with a partner who spots for rolling block. Curt outshot Loco Jeff
both 100 and 200 yards. Phil Wiebe me while I shoot, then I spot for them by eight points and Jeff says that will
was shooting the same paper-patched while they shoot. This year I again never happen again.
bullets out of his new Shiloh Business teamed up with Jerry Mayo, and Tom Jerry was shooting his fine new
Rifle in .50-70, but Phil hasn’t “talked Witt joined us. .50-70 rolling block that was recently
to” that rifle enough yet to get better Tom and I shot while Jerry spotted rebuilt by C. Sharps Arms with a
scores; it’s too new. Bob DeLisle also both of our targets, then one of us custom barrel by Jim Carpenter. Jerry
used paper-patched bullets, cast from would spot for Jerry. needs to “talk to” his rifle a little more
an older Ballard mold. Bob’s sight Tom was shooting another of my too, but his shooting with that gun
settings were off for 200 yards and he .50-70 rifles (while his is being made). keeps getting better.
sent three bullets over the target, then He used my heavy Sharps with the See the sidebar for the full list of
clipped the edge of the paper with 32-inch barrel. That is actually my scores. At our matches all shooters
his fourth shot. After a proper sight most accurate .50-70 and I’m simply receive awards, usually shooting-
adjustment, Bob put five of his next six lucky that he didn’t outshoot me with related products provided by C. Sharps
shots into the 10-ring, getting 59-3X it again. (In a previous Old West Arms and several others, as well as the
with those well-aimed shots. Centerfires match, Tom did outshoot club. (I won some buffalo hotdogs!)
Several of our shooters do their own me by two points.) One other shooter The top shooters are simply called to
spotting, checking their hits with a used a borrowed rifle; Curt Lokovsek the prize table first, but there is always

• October Country bought Doc. James Davis’s Collection of black powder revolvers from
Claremore, Oklahoma. All revolvers are unfired and most come with original box.
Doctor James had an extensive collection of reproduction revolvers (Pietta, Uberti, A.
Sam Marco, Witloe etc.) Visit www.octobercountry.com to see this collection.
• Many of the revolvers come with accessory kits and display cases. A lot of the revolvers
have low serial numbers, consecutive matching serial numbers and some are one of a
kind rare collectibles.
• October Country is one of the leading manufacturers of muzzleloading suppliers in the
United States. We have a little something for everyone at discount prices.
We at October Country are thankful to our Loyal Customers for the last 42 years.
We are looking forward to continuing to provide our quality products to
our distributors and valued customers.
6275 N. GOVERNMENT WAY • DALTON GARDENS, ID 83815

208-762-4903 • [email protected] • www.octobercountry.com
Black POWDER
Nesbitt and DeLisle congratulate

each other on their first place tie
in the after-match.
.50-70 MATCH RESULTS plenty for everybody.

PLACE/NAME RIFLE/CARTRIDGE 100-YARD 200-YARD TOTAL To add a little more fun to this
1st Allen Cunniff 1874 C. Sharps .50-70 88 95-X 183-X match, we had a short after-match
2nd Mike Nesbitt 1874 C. Sharps .50-70 82-2X 86-X 168-3X using our lever-action “camp guns”
3rd Tom Witt 1874 C. Sharps .50-70 75 90 165 for 10 more shots. We shot five shots
4th Curt Lokovsek Remington Rolling Block .50-70 82-3X 77 159-3X each at a “bucket” at 50 yards, offhand,
5th “Loco” Jeff Ritter Remington Rolling Block .50-70 74 77 151 and another five shots at an octagon
6th Jerry Mayo Remington Rolling Block .50-70 69 73 142
gong placed at 100 yards, sitting. Seven
7th Bob DeLisle 1874 C. Sharps .50-70 79 59-3X 138-3X
shooters joined in this fun. Bob tied
8th Phil Wiebe 1874 Shiloh Sharps .50-70 50 77-X 127-X
9th Jeff “Doc” Ritter Springfield Trapdoor .50-70 37 68 105 with me for first place, so we split the
10th Tom Herman Springfield Trapdoor .50-70 36 36 72 pot rather than continuing to shoot
SPECIAL .45-70 CLASS until one of us missed. See sidebar for
1st Wes Davis 1874 C. Sharps .45-70 77 86 163 these scores too.
Shooting in an informal black
AFTER-MATCH RESULTS powder cartridge match like this is a
very good way to get started in BPCR
PLACE/NAME CARTRIDGE 50-YARD 100-YARD TOTAL
T-1st Mike Nesbitt .44-40 5 hits 5 hits 10 (black powder cartridge rifle) shooting.
T-1st Bob DeLisle .32-20 5 5 10 We’ve had a number of spectators
T-3rd Tom Witt .44-40 4 5 9 who just came to watch and are now
T-3rd Allen Cunniff .44-40 4 5 9 shooting with us. Maybe it’s the “boom”
5th Phil Wiebe .44-40 3 4 7 of the Big .50s that helps to bring them
6th Jerry Mayo .44-40 3 3 6 back again. 
7th Dan Johnson .44-40 1 3 4

GUN CARE
All In One Step
No product on the market
works like PrOlix and we’ve
guaranteed it for 34 Years!
DRY LUBRICANT
• Improves accuracy
• Prevents jamming
• Won’t flash off
• Will not freeze
• Non-hazardous
• Reduces fouling
• Won’t harm wood, primers, old guns,
or stain clothing!
• Bio preferred by USDA
• Non-petroleum
Goes on wet, cleans, bonds, turns DRY!
Our Dealers offer the

BEST and that’s PrOlix®
ProChemCo LLC
801-569-2763
800-248-LUBE (5823)
GUN-OIL / GREASE REPLACER www.prolixlubricant.com
American Derringer
The Tradition of the Past with the Quality of the Present
The Legendary M-1 .45 Colt/.410
We now make M-4 Alaskan LM4 Semmerling Lady Derringer

the M-1 in
.327 Federal!
The Best Little Shooting Iron To Ride Out Of Texas

CUSTOM We now make the
127 North Lacy Drive, Waco, TX 76705-4640 HANDMADE
MADE FIREARMS
Call: 254-799-9111 // Fax: 254-799-7935
.41 long colt
[email protected] // amderringer.com

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
With roots all the way back to 1941 and

a history that includes tours of duty in
several wars, the Woodman’s Pal today is
manufactured by Skyline Toolworks LLC.
SWISS ENGINEERING, PENNSYLVANIA

PRIDE GO INTO ‘VERSATILE TOOL’
Woodman’s Pal is an ‘all-in-one land management tool’ for anyone who needs to clear brush and more.
PHOTOS BY SKYLINE TOOLWORKS LLC
T
he Woodman’s Pal has a brush and blazing trails to trimming became standard-issue as a combat
long and storied history and pruning trees. With its lightweight, and survival tool for GIs in the Pacific
dating back to 1941, when balanced and compact design, the Theater. By the end of the Korean War,
Frederick Ehrsam, a Swiss Woodman’s Pal soon gained popularity over 250,000 units had been procured.
national who settled in Pennsylvania, with agriculture, horticulture and land During the Vietnam War and Desert
brought it to market. management professionals alike. Storm, the Woodman’s Pal was primarily
Ehrsam, an experienced engineer, Although the product was issued as a survival tool for pilots.
artist and woodsman, had recognized initially designed for civilian use, the The quality and effectiveness of
the need for an “all-in-one” land Woodman’s Pal also got the attention of the Woodman’s Pal spans decades
management tool – one that would the US military. It was procured for the and generations. Indeed, that is why
work on everything from clearing US Army Signal Corps and eventually Pennsylvania-based and family-run
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
Craftsmen start with .110-inch-thick
1074/1075 spring steel blades and
forge them in fire to 1,500 degrees.
The blades are then given a protective
powder coating and hand-sharpened
to perfection. Amish-handcrafted
wood handles and premium leather
sheaths complete the look of this
must-have tool.
“We guarantee you will be happy
with the Woodman’s Pal, from the
blade, handle and sheath to reprints of
manuals provided to GIs during World
War II and Lansky sharpening stone,”
says the website. “The box itself has
been upgraded to make a great gift and
The tool features a .110-inch-thick spring
unboxing experience for everyone.”
steel blade, Amish-handcrafted wood The Woodman’s Pal comes with a
handle and a premium leather sheath. lifetime warranty, so the versatile tool
will not only serve you well for many,
company Skyline Toolworks LLC – we’ve loved simply disappear,” their many years to come, but it will also
which also boasts products such as the website explains. “That is why we become a cherished family heirloom. 
immensely popular Clipdraw – bought have chosen to bring the Woodman’s
the trademark in 1995. Pal back to market and make some Editor’s note: For more information,
“We did not want to see a product improvements along the way.” visit woodmanspal.com.

American Shooting - Journal March.2021

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

American Shooting - Journal March.2021

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1,500 lbs

12:1 Cow Mini Hoist

Ancient Technology Build it Right

Manufactured in Sandy, Oregon

503.668.7211 | Toll-free: 855.668.7211 | www.wsbnw.com

PUBLISHER WEBMASTER / INBOUND MARKETING

DG Gentry Custom, LLC

Visit our online store:

14 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

18 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

March 25-28 April 8-11 April 23-25

March 6-7 March 20-21 April 10-11

March 12-14 March 20-21 April 10-11

March 5-7 March 28 April 23-24

March 5-6 March 27 April 16-17

24 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

Tanner Gun Shows

To have your event highlighted here, send an email to [email protected]. americanshootingjournal.com 27

28 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

30 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

SILENCERCO SPECWAR 556

SilencerCo Specwar 556. (SILENCERCO)

32 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

which means minimal point of impact ounces. It uses titanium

SILENT LEGION MULTI-CALIBER

34 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

THERE ARE MANY good

36 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

TREAT YOUR AR-15 drop-in trigger

TRIGGER is available for multiple

Editor’s note: For more information,

40 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

LAW ENFORCEMENT HERO:

t first glance, Mikhail

A Venikov looks like he

MANY OF THE members who benefit

Ranger Road members

44 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

The LONGSLIDE HUNTER - $1995 • 10 to 12 month delivery in most cases.

Tap Rack Holsters is a leading provider of premium

MARKSMANSHIP VS. POINT INDEX

Pawela, here posing as a bad guy with a knife, argues that

50 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

5730 Bottom Rd. Sparta, Call us: (618) 965-2109

PENETRATING THE MARKET

NEW DESTINATION TRAILER

NEW DESTINATION TRAILER

A lineup of varying brands of copper monometal projectiles, suitable for

THE COPPER CONUNDRUM

58 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

Author Phil Massaro with a Texas whitetail

UNLOADED CASES AVAILABLE FROM SHELL

62 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

Federal’s Trophy Copper load – shown here in the

Handloading the .416 Ruger, using

64 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

Woodleigh has long embraced classic elephant, it would be this design.

66 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

√ Hybrid between a joystick & a traditional “wheel” rest

ENTER FBOOK10 AND

This Cape buffalo bull was taken with the 500-grain

68 American Shooting Journal // March 2021

10 TOP TIPS FOR TAGGING A TOM OR TWO