Innholdsfortegnelse for May/June 2024 i RifleShooter

So Which Is It? The notes for the accuracy results table at the bottom of page 50 in the March/April edition state that “Accuracy results are averages of three five-shot groups at 100 yards…” However, in the review text, Mr. Wood states that “the first two three-shot groups at 100 yards...each measured 0.16 inch.” So is the table data the average for three five-shot groups or three three-shot groups. Either way, the results are quite good, but if the results were for five-shot groups, it would indicate a higher precision than the usual three-shot groups. Don Ruth Mr. Ruth: I followed RifleShooter’s accuracy SOP for hunting rifles, which calls for three three-shot groups at 100 yards. Unfortunately, I neglected to note that correctly in the table notes. Thanks for keeping…

The line between hunting and tactical equipment has become increasingly blurred in the rifle market. Some of the crossover hasn’t been entirely practical, but in some instances the blending of features found on tactical and hunting gear works well. The Steiner H6Xi—which despite its German heritage is built in Greeley, Colorado—is a perfect example. By borrowing the best elements from the company’s T6Xi scope and incorporating them into a lighter, more compact package suitable for hunting, Steiner has created a worthwhile hybrid optic. The T6Xi is a tactical scope with a 34mm main tube, and while that main tube diameter increases adjustment range, it also adds weight. The smallest T6Xi, a 2.5-15x50mm, weighs in at 32 ounces, which is fine and even beneficial on a target rifle, but that extra…

Along-popular article theme is “pick just one rifle/cartridge” for whatever game. I hate that concept. I’ve had multiple rifles since I was a teenager, and I’ve never had to choose just one. But five top varmint cartridges? That’s a subject I can deal with. Few of us need five varmint rifles in five different chamberings. I don’t, so right now I don’t even own rifles chambered to all five of my favorites. My interests and purposes have shifted over the years, and some of my current faves didn’t exist when I was young. Although there are many great varmint cartridges, these five are all cartridges I’ve used extensively. You probably don’t need all of them, but I see these five as having slightly different purposes. It took me just seconds…

If you’ve heard of Stag Arms, it’s likely in connection with the company’s AR rifles. The firm, founded in 2003, is well known in those circles, and one of its claims to fame—aside from building a quality gun—is the fact that it offers left-handed ARs. Now it may have another claim, thanks to the development of the Pursuit line of bolt-action rifles. Pursuit bolt guns are built in Cheyenne, Wyoming—the city where the company relocated in 2018 after fleeing the political climate of Connecticut. The rifles benefit from components from Stag Arms sister companies Aero Precision and Ballistic Advantage, which make the Pursuit’s action and barrel, respectively. The Pursuit bolt action is offered as a .308 Win. with an 18-inch barrel, a 6.5 Creedmoor with 20-inch barrel or a 22-inch…

Today’s hunters are caught in a bit of a conundrum. The obsession with all things long range has driven the market toward sleek bullets with high ballistic coefficients. These bullets are often match-style projectiles that shoot tiny groups but can perform poorly on game, especially at shorter distances. Two seasons ago I put a half-dozen such rounds into a quartering-away bull elk before he finally gave up. Each bullet broke up before it could reach the vitals. Never again. The solution, of course, is premium controlled-expansion bullets. Federal Premium has always been a leader in this area, loading factory ammunition with bullets such as the Nosler Partition and Trophy Bonded Bear Claw for many decades. Due to its performance, Federal eventually bought the rights to the Bear Claw and brought…

Handloaders often consider velocity as something to maximize with their handloads, not as a metric by which to refine performance. However, it’s one of the most useful tools for tuning your reloads. Becoming a student of velocity and the way it reacts to propellant charge weight, bullet seating depth, case neck tension, case mouth crimp and so on can benefit accuracy. And how does one accurately measure velocity? With a chronograph. For those unfamiliar with how these tools work, at its base a chronograph is a precision time-recording instrument. Shooting-related versions convert time of flight into speed of the projectile. Traditional chronographs utilize electronic eyes and a timer to record how long it takes for a bullet to pass between the eyes. These still work quite well. Oehler Research’s Model…

These days, America’s sportsmen and women are clamoring for more “content,” as we call it in the media: more articles, more television shows, more website info. Outdoor Sportsman Group—which publishes this magazine as well as bringing you the Sportsman Channel and Outdoor Channel—has answered that call with the My Outdoor TV (MOTV) app. It’s a resource like no other, a curated treasure trove of outdoor-oriented television shows and videos. Think of it like your own personal Neftlix, with episodes of “Gun Stories” with Joe Montegna, the gun restoration show “The Gunfather,” “Guns & Ammo,” “Shooting USA” and more. The universe of content is even bigger when it somes to hunting, and I know a lot if not most of you enjoy your time in the field. Check out “Petersen’s Hunting…

The lever action is the gun that refuses to die. With all the high-tech, whiz-bang products on the market, the endurance of the lever gun is proof of both the practical utility and enjoyable nostalgia of the classic American carbine. As lever actions once again expand their footprint in our collections, companies such as Rossi have responded with numerous options to choose from. The R95 is the firm’s lever action in .30-30 Win., a rifle that combines classic lever-gun looks with modern materials and design elements. The entire series of Rossi lever-action rifles is manufactured in Brazil and imported by Rossi USA. The R95 is available in four configurations: a rifle with a 20-inch barrel and walnut stock; a Trapper carbine with a 16.5-inch barrel and walnut stock; a Triple…

The post-Civil War Trapdoor Springfield is now 159 years old. A stopgap arm meant to help the United States husband money after the war, it served for more than 30 years and even aided training in World War I. The Army was certain its next rifle was to be be a breechloader utilizing the vastly superior metallic cartridge. This priority had to mesh with a civilian leadership that insisted the 1 million muzzleloaders in inventory be utilized—somehow. The first effort led to manufacture of the .58 Rimfire Model of 1865 Breech Loading Rifled Musket designed by Springfield Armory’s master armorer Erskine S. Allin. Manufacture of rimfire ammunition was fairly well understood, and the .58 Rimfire duplicated the paper cartridge used in the muzzleloading Springfield musket. The Model 1865 and its…

I’ve been sold on the Ruger American from day one, and my first-production-run American in .30-06 is a go-to rifle in our house because it’s accurate, light and handles great. My wife has killed elk and a once-in-a-lifetime Colorado bighorn with it. So I guess it’s not actually my rifle anymore; she’s never going to let me have it back. But as luck would have it, there’s an all-new American, the Generation II, and it is definitely another go-to rifle. The sample I received is the Gen II Standard—there’s also a Ranch version—and it incorporates some big changes over the original. While the barrel is still cold hammer forged, on the Gen II it is 20 inches long instead of 22, finished in silver Cerakote and deeply spiral fluted. The…

Ohio’s unofficial slogan is “The Heart of it All,” and while I don’t know if that adequately describes the Buckeye State, I do know that Ohio is certainly the heart of straight-wall deer cartridge country. When legislation in the state began allowing straight-wall centerfire rifle cartridges, demand for the .45-70 Gov’t, .444 Marlin and .450 Bushmaster rifles soared, but Winchester was clever enough to develop a new, low-recoil, affordable straight-wall cartridge specifically for deer hunters: the .350 Legend. When it was released in 2019, the cartridge met with widespread praise from hunters who understood the design and appreciated the cartridge’s performance. And when I found out that Winchester’s Nathan Robinson was headed to Ohio to hunt whitetails with my friends at Real McCoy Outdoors during the fall of 2022, I…

Shooting blackpowder cartridges in a beautiful rifle is very relaxing, and by slowing down the shooting, I get a lot of bang for my buck. And depending on what rifle you have, blackpowder may be the only choice. Many pre-20th century barrels have chamber, bore and groove dimensions that are not compatible with smokeless powder and hard-cast bullets, although most shoot very well with blackpowder and soft bullets. Not so long ago, handloading blackpowder cartridges was a turnkey operation—with newly made, properly headstamped cartridge cases, plentiful primers and a dizzying array of bullets, bullet molds and reloading dies. That’s not the case today, but don’t let that stop you. With a little bit of research and scrounging, you’ll find it relatively easy to get into this rewarding hobby. The best…