Innholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2025 i RifleShooter

The major rifle faced by the Allies in World War II was Germany’s Mauser K98k that was issued to all branches of its military. Since 1898, the gun’s rugged strength and reliability was as feared on the battlefield as it was celebrated in the hunting fields, and to this day Mauser’s action remains a top choice for a custom rifle. Between 1934 and 1945, more than 14 million 7.92x57 carbines were produced among the Axis factories throughout the Third Reich. The original concept underwent considerable change during World War I. Germany’s Mauser Gew 98, with its 29.1-inch barrel and straight bolt handle, was designed for an open battlefield against line formations and cavalry similar to those faced in Napoleonic times. In 1914, all that fell apart in the face of…

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…

In 1925, the Jazz Age was in full swing. Mount Rushmore was dedicated, and the Scopes “monkey trial” involving teaching evolution in schools was held. F. Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby. At the other end of the literary spectrum, Adolf Hitler published Mein Kampf. At the beginning of the year, the 10-year-old .250-3000 Savage was still the fastest commercial rifle cartridge. That would change. Winchester introduced its .270 and, across the pond, Holland & Holland introduced the Super .30 Belted Rimless, the cartridge we’ve long known as the .300 H&H Mag. It’s unclear which came first, but in quick succession they became the second and the third cartridges to break 3,000 fps. The Super .30 was initially offered in 150-, 180- and 220-grain bullet weights at, respectively, 3,000, 2,750…

If you’re a fan of bolt-action big game rifles, the last 10 years have been a boom time. However, the lion’s share of new designs utilize push-feed actions. Sure, Winchester, Ruger and Kimber still offer controlled-round-feed bolt actions, but none of them has rolled out many new such rifles in the last few years. If you like controlled-round-feed actions as much as I do, you’ll be happy to hear about a couple new models available from the new Montana Rifle Co.: the Highline and Junction. I say “new” because the original company has been sold and purchased a couple times and is now part of the Grace Engineering Corporation family. With that acquisition comes a change in manufacturing, and today’s Montana Rifle Co. rifles are made in Memphis, Michigan. During…

Trigger aside, a rifle’s stock is the most important interface between shooter and rifle because it affects how you carry, handle and shoot the gun. That being the case, one of the best ways to improve a rifle that’s almost but not exactly perfect for you is to restock it. That’s where outfits like Bansner & Company (BANSNERAND COMPANY. COM) come in. A longtime gunsmith and custom rifle builder based in Adamstown, Pennsylvania, Mark Bansner’s stockmaking enterprise grew out of, well, impatience. “My main goal was never to have to wait on a stock in order to build a rifle,” he said. Initially he purchased High Tech Specialties out of California, a company from which he’d been buying stocks. Eventually he moved that operation back to Pennsylvania where he and…

Keeping an accurate record of your hand-loading activities seems like a no-brainer, right? Unfortunately, all too many shooters neglect to write down the details that matter most. Handloading records should be an addition to your typical rifle records. These should include how many rounds have been fired, accuracy results with various types of ammo and so forth. Handloading notes should be more extensive. Equipment-specific notes should detail the rifle, cartridge, barrel types and twist rate. Component notes must include type of cartridge cases and number of firings on those cases, and types of primers, powders and projectiles used. Operation-oriented notes should address case trim dates, neck sizing versus full-length sizing, powder charge weights, bullet seating depth—plus details on whether a crimp was applied and the results of any ladder tests.…

These days, when we consider a semiautomatic rifle for hunting big game, some flavor of AR probably comes to mind. But over most of the past 50 plus years, that crown would have gone to a different rifle, one that is still very much relevant today: the Browning BAR. Browning’s BAR Mk 3 Ovix is proof that this age-old design isn’t going anywhere. The original BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle), also known as the M1918 and M1918A2, was a workhorse carried by American troops during both world wars and beyond. That BAR was designed by John Moses Browning. His son, Val, actually traveled to France to help train U.S. troops in its operation. The sporting BAR was the brainchild of John Moses Browning’s grandson and Val Browning’s son, Bruce. In 1966,…

Ruger’s latest generation of its revered Precision Rifle, now in its fourth iteration, provides even more to the aspiring long-range marksman, with features that better support today’s shooting equipment and practices. At its core, the RPR Gen 4 retains all the features that put the first version on the map—starting with the linear action that directs recoil straight into the buttstock, quashing muzzle flip. This allows shooters to spot their own impacts, a critical aspect of long-range shooting on the clock. Inside the action rides a three-lug one-piece bolt, which is aided by dual cocking cams. This balances and spreads the cocking effort over a wider area, making it easier to keep the crosshairs on target through the bolt’s abbreviated 70-degree travel. The bolt is of a full-body design, which…

Shooting equipment has evolved over the last decade. There’s newfound interest in precision shooting, and as a result more and more guns and optics offer features traditionally found only on tactical rifles. Bushnell’s new R5 series scopes are something of a throwback. They don’t offer exposed turrets for rapid dialing to extended ranges. The tube measures one inch in diameter, and they are second-focal-plane optics. They’re simply designed for the hunter who wants a robust, reliable scope that’s suitable for most big game hunting and is priced affordably. The R5 4-12x40mm version—which has a magnification range suitable for most hunting—I tested featured a few extra upgrades. First, it has a side-focus knob and an illuminated DOA-LRH800 reticle. The glass-etched reticle features a center dot that is illuminated and BDC holdover…

My first impression when pulling the new Tikka Ace Game from the box was that it is an instrument, not a tool. Although borderline too heavy for hunting, this is a refined precision rifle with popular modern characteristics. It looks like a $3,000 rifle, but to my surprise suggested retail is just $1,849. The T3x Ace Game is a bolt action with a fluted, semi-heavy, Sporter-weight barrel, and it’s mated to an aluminum chassis that’s configurable for cheek rest height, recoil pad position, length of pull and so forth. At 9.3 pounds, it’s just heavy enough for the precision rifle crowd and just light enough for open-country hunting. Presumably, that’s why Tikka chose to name it the Ace Game—to distinguish it from its heavy-barrel, higher-capacity Ace Target stablemate. Appropriately, Game…

Christensen Arms has become well known for its high-end centerfire rifles, which are sought after by hunters and long-range practical shooters. But why should centerfire guys and gals have all the fun? The company recently introduced a Modern Precision Rifle (MPR) Rimfire, and it delivers the goods whether you’re a hunter, competitor or recreational shooter who wants the latest and greatest. A chassis rifle, the MPR Rimfire is available in .17 HMR, .22 Long Rifle and .22 Mag., and in barrel lengths from 16 to 20 inches. The 18-inch barrel on the .22 LR sample I tested is where a lot of the magic happens. The liner starts as a solid bar of 416R stainless that is drilled to a .0020-inch tolerance, button rifled and given a match chamber. At…