Hunting season has started in many parts of the country. And today, Saturday, September 28, 2024, is National Hunting and Fishing Day. Every year, this event is held on the 4th Saturday of September. First recognized by President Nixon in 1972, this is now the 52nd year the event has been celebrated across the USA. To help mark this day, we are offering six informative videos for hunters. These cover planning your hunt, selecting good optics, and optimizing your rifle. There are also hunting stories from Africa and Norway.
How to Sight-In Your Hunting Rifle
This video and related article offer good basic advice for sighting-in a hunting rifle. There are a series of six points covered. Here’s Tip #1: “Find a safe place to shoot your rifle with a backstop. If possible, use a bench and a rock-solid shooting rest. Sighting-in is all about consistency, so the less human error you have, the better. For safety, be sure to also bring ear and eye protection.” READ FULL ARTICLE on NRAWomen.com.
Prepare For Your Hunt — Get Fit and Practice Positions
As part of the NRA’s Tips & Tactics video series, Kristy Titus explains how to prepare for a hunt. Titus, co-host of the Team Elk TV show has hunted around the globe. She grew up in the outdoors, running pack mules in Oregon with her father. In this video, Kristy discusses fitness training and demonstrates field positions that can be employed during a hunt.
Kristy explains: “Hunting can lead you into some steep, rough country. It’s really important that you train both your body and your mind to handle the elements and the rigors of hunting So, if you plan on going on a mountain hunt, get out and train your body. Train with your firearm. Get off the bench and have some fun with this. Do some positional shooting or, if you want to add a stress dynamic… have someone put you under a time parameter.”
Kudu Hunting in Africa
Pieter “Piet” Malan is a South African precision rifle shooter and hunter who has created an impressive YouTube Channel with over 300 videos. While Pieter’s Impact Shooting Channel focuses primarily on tactical PRS/NRL type disciplines, his channel also includes dozens of videos of interest to hunters. Here is Pieter’s excellent video about Kudu hunting — Kudu Hunting Paradise Part 2. After watching this, with the exotic game and stunning terrain, you’ll probably want to book an African Safari.
Deer Hunting in Norway’s Fjord Mountains
Here’s a video with some truly stunning scenery. Watching this video is like taking a virtual vacation to Norway, where you can explore the scenic mountains in the Fjord region. Forum member Kenneth Skorpen (aka “Sal”) has created a cool video of a deer-hunting trip he took in Norway. He didn’t bag a buck on this trip, but the walk in the Fjordland mountains took Kenneth through some spectacular scenery. (At the 11:25 time mark you’ll see an amazing sunset over the Fjord.)
Kenneth did encounter a doe that had fallen down the mountain, and apparently broken its neck (14:35 time mark). The terrain is very steep, and Kenneth observed that: “I feel fortunate to be able to do this, but I also feel very tired in my legs. Did you know that the hares around here have shorter left legs due to the steep hills?”
Load Development for .308 Win Hunting Rifle
In this video, F-Class ace Keith Glasscock shows load development with a .308 Winchester hunting rifle. Here Keith uses a large X-type sandbag for a front support. He is shooting a Remington 700 bolt-action rifle, with Barnes TSX solid copper bullets, PPU Brass, Federal 210m primers, and AR Comp powder. Keith said the Barnes bullets were excellent — he commented that these bullets were “match quality in terms of precision”. Keith achieved some very small three-shot groups with AR Comp and the TSX projectiles. Keith did note that point-of-impact shifted up significantly with increases in charge weight (see 6:20-7:10). With thinner-contour hunting barrels, this is not unexpected. But POI change should be observed carefully during load development, as you may need to adjust your zero after completing testing.
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Deer hunting photo courtesy NSSF.
Today, Saturday, September 24, 2022, is National Hunting and Fishing Day. Every year, this event is held the 4th Saturday of September. First recognized by President Nixon in 1972, this is now the 50th year the event has been celebrated across the USA. To help mark this day, we are offering six informative videos for hunters. These cover planning your hunt, selecting good optics, and optimizing your rifle. There are also hunting stories from Africa and Norway.
How to Sight-In Your Hunting Rifle
This video and related article offer good basic advice for sighting-in a hunting rifle. There are a series of six points covered. Here’s Tip #1: “Find a safe place to shoot your rifle with a backstop. If possible, use a bench and a rock-solid shooting rest. Sighting-in is all about consistency, so the less human error you have, the better. For safety, be sure to also bring ear and eye protection.” READ FULL ARTICLE on NRAWomen.com.
Comparison of Seven Popular Deer Hunting Scopes
This is summary review of seven (7) popular hunting scopes, as available in 2020 (there may be newer variants). This video consist mostly of manufacturer-created marketing content with a few minutes of independent reviews. Consider this video a place to start when shopping for a new hunting optic. You’ll want to check independent reviews when you select a particular model. The seven riflescopes featured in the video are: Athlon Optics Argos BTR, Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10x50mm, Leupold VX-R 4-12x40mm, NightForce SHV 5-20x56mm, Nikon Buckmasters II, Vortex Crossfire II, Vortex Viper HS SFP.
Prepare For Your Hunt — Get Fit and Practice Positions
As part of the NRA’s Tips & Tactics video series, Kristy Titus explains how to prepare for a hunt. Titus, co-host of the Team Elk TV show has hunted around the globe. She grew up in the outdoors, running pack mules in Oregon with her father. In this video, Kristy discusses fitness training and demonstrates field positions that can be employed during a hunt.
Kristy explains: “Hunting can lead you into some steep, rough country. It’s really important that you train both your body and your mind to handle the elements and the rigors of hunting So, if you plan on going on a mountain hunt, get out and train your body. Train with your firearm. Get off the bench and have some fun with this. Do some positional shooting or, if you want to add a stress dynamic… have someone put you under a time parameter.”
Kudu Hunting in Africa
Pieter “Piet” Malan is a South African precision rifle shooter and hunter who has created an impressive YouTube Channel with over 300 videos. While Pieter’s Impact Shooting Channel focuses primarily on tactical PRS/NRL type disciplines, his channel also includes dozens of videos of interest to hunters. Here is Pieter’s excellent video about Kudu hunting — Kudu Hunting Paradise Part 2. After watching this, with the exotic game and stunning terrain, you’ll probably want to book an African Safari.
Deer Hunting in Norway’s Fjord Mountains
Here’s a video with some truly stunning scenery. Watching this video is like taking a virtual vacation to Norway, where you can explore the scenic mountains in the Fjord region. Forum member Kenneth Skorpen (aka “Sal”) has created a cool video of a deer-hunting trip he took in Norway. He didn’t bag a buck on this trip, but the walk in the Fjordland mountains took Kenneth through some spectacular scenery. (At the 11:25 time mark you’ll see an amazing sunset over the Fjord.)
Kenneth did encounter a doe that had fallen down the mountain, and apparently broken its neck (14:35 time mark). The terrain is very steep, and Kenneth observed that: “I feel fortunate to be able to do this, but I also feel very tired in my legs. Did you know that the hares around here have shorter left legs due to the steep hills?”
Load Development for .308 Win Hunting Rifle
In this video, F-Class ace Keith Glasscock shows load development with a .308 Winchester hunting rifle. Here Keith uses a large X-type sandbag for a front support. He is shooting a Remington 700 bolt-action rifle, with Barnes TSX solid copper bullets, PPU Brass, Federal 210m primers, and AR Comp powder. Keith said the Barnes bullets were excellent — he commented that these bullets were “match quality in terms of precision”. Keith achieved some very small three-shot groups with AR Comp and the TSX projectiles. Keith did note that point-of-impact shifted up significantly with increases in charge weight (see 6:20-7:10). With thinner-contour hunting barrels, this is not unexpected. But POI change should be observed carefully during load development, as you may need to adjust your zero after completing testing.
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For today’s Saturday at the Movies feature, we spotlight seven product comparison videos from a variety of skilled sources. Gun buyers should check out the comparisons of Affordable Hunting Rifles, AR Platform Rifles, and .22 LR Handguns. Hunters will appreciate the detailed, comparison review of Hunting Scopes. We also feature informative comparison tests of Suppressors and Muzzle Brakes. And any handloader should check out Gavin Gear’s remarkable review of 14 different single-stage presses.
Hunting season is right around the corner. If you need a quality riflescope but have a limited budget, this video from the popular Backfire Channel can direct you to some of the best current hunting scope values. The reviewer looks at models starting at $200, examining the magnification levels, reticle types, and glass quality. He finds that it IS possible to get a very good scope at an affordable price. The video also explains First Focal Plane vs. Second Focal Plane considerations. NOTE: Backfire also recently released a video featuring scopes all under $500.00.
14 Single-Stage Reloading Presses Compared
Gavin Gear’s 14-Press comparison test for UltimateReloader.com is legendary. This detailed 41-minute video is the most comprehensive guide to single-stage reloading presses ever created. This remarkable 14-press review is the best place to start if you are in the market for a new press. Gavin notes the pros and cons of each press type, and explains which may be best suited for pistol loading vs. large rifle cartridges
Nine .30-Cal Muzzle Brakes Reviewed with Recoil Force Data
Here’s another great comparison test from Gavin Gear of UltimateReloader.com. Gavin measures the effectiveness of nine (9) different muzzle brakes. Using sophisticated electronic equipment, Gavin measures the recoil reduction of each brake. His equipment calculates the “peak force” as well as the recoil pulse (10:10 time-mark), with a chart of the total recoil impulse (10:40). Finally Gavin charts the total percentage reduction in recoil force (11:42). That last chart may be the best “quick reference” to decide which brake does the best job of reducing the load on your shoulder.
Affordable Hunting Rifles — Best Choices under $750.00
Here’s another good Backfire Channel video for hunters looking for a new rig. With hunting season starting soon, this video can save you time and help you get the most bang for your buck. The Backfire team review eight affordable under-$750 rifles: Bergara B-14, Howa 1500 Hogue, Kimber Hunter, Remington 700, Ruger American, Savage 110 Switchback, Tikka T3X Superlite, and Weatherby Vanguard. The Backfire reviewers tested all 8 rifles for function and accuracy (4-shot groups). These 8 rifles were chose for review based on input from Backfire channel viewers.
Best .22 LR Rimfire Handguns
We think every gun owner should have a .22 LR rimfire handgun. In this informative 25-minute video, a team from the Backfire Channel tests eight .22 LR handguns — seven semi-autos and one wheelgun (revolver). The guns tested are: Browning Buck Mark, Glock 44, Heritage Rough Rider 16″ revolver, Keltec CP33, Ruger MKIV Lite, Smith & Wesson SW22 Victory, Taurus TX22, and Walther PPQ. The test does a good job of showing feed reliablity and rapid-fire performance. Editor’s Comment: We have shot rimfire pistols for five decades for fun and in competition. We recommend the Smith & Wesson Model 617 revolver, and the Browning Buck Mark semi-auto.
Top Five AR-15 Platform Rifles
The donkey party politicians in Washington are up to no good again. The Democrats are seeking to ban and/or restrict mag-fed, semi-automatic rifles including popular AR-platform rifles. Because more gun bans may be coming out of Washington soon, you may want to get your own “Modern Sporting Rifle” while you can. This helpful Survival Channel video showcases five quality AR-15 type rifles: Daniel Defense DDM4V7, Daniel Defense DDM4V11, Ruger AR-556 MPR, Sig Sauer SIGM400 Tread, and Smith & Wesson M&P15T. In addition, the video reviews the Springfield Armory Saint Edge AR-15 Pistol.
Suppressors (Silencers) — How to Choose the Best Option
Suppressors are becoming increasingly popular with PRS/NRL shooters, pistol shooters, and hunters. Thankfully companies such as SilencerCo.com and Silencer Central are making it easier to comply with Federal rules on silencer acquisition. These vendors have made it much easier to prepare the paperwork needed to get the requisite ATF Tax Stamp and, if desired, set up a suppressor ownership trust.
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Hunting season has started in many parts of the country. And today, Saturday, September 28, 2024, is National Hunting and Fishing Day. Every year, this event is held on the 4th Saturday of September. First recognized by President Nixon in 1972, this is now the 52nd year the event has been celebrated across the USA. To help mark this day, we are offering six informative videos for hunters. These cover planning your hunt, selecting good optics, and optimizing your rifle. There are also hunting stories from Africa and Norway.
Here’s a video with some truly stunning scenery. Watching this video is like taking a virtual vacation to Norway, where you can explore the scenic mountains in the Fjord region. Forum member Kenneth Skorpen (aka “Sal”) has created a cool video of a deer-hunting trip he took in Norway. He didn’t bag a buck on this trip, but the walk in the Fjordland mountains took Kenneth through some spectacular scenery. (At the 11:25 time mark you’ll see an amazing sunset over the Fjord.)
