• Easy Loader & Deuce accommodate 2 dogs up to 65 lbs each
• EZ-XL accommodates 2 dogs over 65 lbs each
•Made from High Density Polyethylene with UV protection
•Easy Loader fits most full size pickups, SUVs & large UTVs
• Deuce fits smaller pickups, SUVs & UTVs
• EZ-XL is for larger breed dogs & full size vehicles
• Vents, cold weather door covers, insulated covers & custom kennel pads available
Transform your harvest
into true Old World flavor!
Whether you’re preserving whole muscle for charcuterie or grinding coarse for fermented salumi, our time-honored spice blends, easy starter kits, and UMAi Dry® technology make it safe and simple to cure like a pro!
Learn how in just minutes and get started with your next wild game.
Tip:
SCAN TO WATCH WITH
ELK BILTONG RECIPE
PUBLISHER
James R. Baker
GENERAL MANAGER
John Rusnak
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Andy Walgamott
OFFICE MANAGER / COPY EDITOR
Katie Aumann
LEAD CONTRIBUTOR
Frank Jardim
CONTRIBUTORS
Graciela Casillas, Scott Haugen, Phil Massaro, Mike Nesbitt, Paul Pawela, Jacqui Perna, Trampas Swanson, Dave Workman
In a personal protection career that included being a Secret Service agent, high-risk assignments in South America, and Hollywood and corporate stints, Mary Beth Wilkas Janke “carved out her authority in a field where women were rarely seen and often doubted,” writes Graciela Casillas about this issue’s cover feature subject. (MARY BETH WILKAS JANKE)
FEATURES
28 ALL HAIL THE .357 MAGNUM!
If only we could all still pack such a wallop at 90 years young! Dave Workman celebrates the most versatile revolver round of them all, the venerable .357 Magnum, which “if it’s what you’re packing, you’re pretty much ready for anything.”
47 M AKING THE CUT: LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
OK, it was a little like turning a kid loose in a candy store, but while at Blade Show, the Takumitak Knife Company display caught the eye of our edged weapons guy, Paul Pawela. He details some of the tough, affordable and easily replaced models the manufacturer has on offer – and the one that’s become his everyday carry piece.
61 R OAD HUNTER: PRIMETIME BLACKTAILS
It was the best of times, it was the toughest of times. Dickens might have written that about October and blacktail deer hunting, the hardest part of the season to pursue what some regard as North America’s most challenging big game animal. But expert Scott Haugen has a game plan for you.
69 BULLE T BULLETIN: TERMINAL BALLISTICS – A LOOK AT A HUNTING BULLET’S LAST STOP
Rifle make, caliber, scope brand, blah, blah, blah – it’s the terminal performance of your bullet that may be the most important part of the whole hunting equation. So argues Phil Massaro, who shares what makes the best bullets for everything from cropraiding varmints and tasty whitetails to big bears and dangerous African game.
79 BL ACK POWDER: AT THE OLD WEST CENTERFIRE MATCHES
They call it the Old West Centerfire Matches, and for a Washington state muzzleloader club it’s a good chance to have a morning full of fun at relatively short range and maybe score some prizes. Mike Nesbitt details the Black River Buffalo Runners’ latest shoot.
STANDING GUARD
Mary Beth Wilkas Janke took on a field where women were rarely seen and often doubted – personal protection. She shares the mental and physical strengths that helped her in a career that included a stint with the Secret Service as well as high-risk assignments in Colombia and Peru.
JANKE)
53 LAW ENFORCEMENT SPOTLIGHT: HONORING A LIFETIME ON THE LINE
Guest columnist Jacqui Perna tells us a little something about Roy Varney, a man whose commitment to service over the decades has been “awe inspiring.” She shares the many ways Varney has served, including as her boss in a California municipal police department’s K9 unit.
57 MILITARY SPOTLIGHT: FROZEN VALOR – RECALLING THE BATTLE OF CHOSIN RESERVOIR
If at SHOT Show you’re ever in the Leatherneck Club and wonder about the Korean War memorabilia on the walls, you can thank Marine Corps veteran and Battle of Chosin Reservoir survivor Ron Camillo. Paul Pawela shares the story of Camillo and the harrowing winter battle he was part of.
36 FROM SLUMBERING IN THE SAFE TO RIDING, ER, SHOTGUN
Trampas Swanson details how several tactical upgrades from XS Sights helped put his Henry X Series lever-action in .357 Magnum back on active duty as a truck gun. 84
THAR SHE BLOWS! (AND SPY HOPS AND SINGS)
Swim with humpback whales on a weeklong Aggressor Adventures trip to a Dominican Republic marine sanctuary in the Caribbean Sea.
(PAUL PAWELA)
C&E Gun Shows cegunshows.com
RK Shows rkshows.com
GUN SHOW CALENDAR
October 4-5
Fayetteville, N.C. Crown Expo Center
October 4-5 Salem, Va.
October 11-12
Salem Civic Center
Concord, N.C. Cabarrus Arena & Events Center
October 18-19 Dayton, Ohio Montgomery County Event Center
November 1-2 Hamilton, Ohio Butler County Fairgrounds
November 1-2 Hickory, N.C.
Hickory Metro Convention Center
November 1-2 Myrtle Beach, S.C. Myrtle Beach Convention Center
October 3-5 Scottsdale, Ariz. WestWorld of Scottsdale
October 11-12 Prescott Valley, Ariz. Findlay Toyota Center
October 11-12 Reno, Nev. Reno Convention Center
October 18-19 Ontario, Calif. Ontario Convention Center
October 25-26 Bakersfield, Calif. Kern County Fairgrounds
October 4-5 Fort Myers, Fla. Lee Civic Center
October 11-12 Orlando, Fla. Central Florida Fair Grounds
October 18-19 Tampa, Fla. Florida State Fairgrounds
October 25-26 Palmetto, Fla.
November 1-2 Miami, Fla.
October 4-5
October 11-12
October 17-19
October 25-26
October 31-Nov. 2
October 4-5
Fullerton, Calif.
Phoenix, Ariz.
Bradenton Convention Center
Miami-Dade Fairgrounds & Expo
Fullerton Elks Lodge
Ben Avery Shooting Facility
Casa Grande, Ariz. Casa Grande Event Center
Tucson, Ariz.
Glendale, Ariz.
Tucson Expo Center
Glendale Civic Center
Savannah, Ga. Savannah Convention Center
October 4-5 Lexington, Ky. Lexington Ice
October
October 11-12
October 18-19
October 18-19
October 25-26
October 4-5
October 11-12
October 25-26
COMPETITION CALENDAR
October 15-19
October 18
October 18
United States Practical Shooting Association uspsa.org
International Shooting Sport Federation EST Training Course Colorado Springs, Colo.
Los Angeles Rifle & Revolver Club PTO South El Monte, Calif.
San Antonio/Johnson JROTC San Antonio, Texas USA Shooting usashooting.org
October 3-5
Indiana Section Championship Chesterton, Ind.
October 8-12
Area 4 Championship Whitewright, Texas
Glock Sport Shooting Foundation gssfonline.com
October 4-5
Veritas Glock Challenge-2 Myakka City, Fla.
October 4-5
Eastern Nebraska Glock Challenge Louisville, Neb.
Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association cmsaevents.com
October 4-5
NE Regional Championship Centre Hall, Pa.
October 6-11
CMSA Scharbauer World Championship Amarillo, Texas
International Defensive Pistol Association idpa.com
October 3-4
New England Regional IDPA Championship Harvard, Mass.
October 10-12
Alabama State IDPA Championship Pell City, Ala.
October 18-19
Georgia State USPSA Championship Fleming, Ga.
October 22-26
Vortex Optics Race Gun Nationals Hurricane, Utah
November 5-9
Area 2 Championship Mesa, Ariz.
November 7-8
Oklahoma Section Championship Arcadia, Okla.
October 11-12
Bluegrass Regional Classic Wilmore, Ky.
October 18-19
Hoosier State Regional Classic Atlanta, Ind.
October 18-19
OKC Red Dirt Shootout Arcadia, Okla.
October 25-26 Cornhusker Classic Alda, Neb.
October 17-18
1st Ohio Shootout at the Fall Cowboy Classic Eaton, Ohio
October 16-18
New Mexico State IDPA Championship Rio Rancho, N.M.
October 17-18
Western Washington Regional IDPA Championship Renton, Wash.
To have your event highlighted here, send an email to kaumann@media-inc.com.
November 1-2
Nebraska/South Dakota Border War McCook, Neb.
November 8
4th Annual Landmark Shootout Mesquite, N.M.
October 17-18
Speedway Shootout Travelers Rest, S.C.
October 30-November 1
Day of the Dot IDPA Optics Regional Championship Whitewright, Texas
STANDINGGUARD
Dr. Mary Beth Wilkas Janke and the realities of protection
in a male-dominated world.
STORY BY GRACIELA CASILLAS
PHOTOS BY MARY BETH WILKAS JANKE
When we talk about women stepping into maledominated spaces, we’re not just talking about walking into an office where the culture is thick with machismo or skepticism. We’re talking about walking into danger – into professions where the cost of a mistake can be life or death. Dr. Mary Beth Wilkas Janke, author of The Protector: A Woman’s Journey from the Secret Service to Protecting VIPs in the World’s Most Dangerous Places, didn’t just step into that world; she built her career in it. From her early years as a Secret Service agent to her high-risk assignments in Haiti, Colombia and Peru, she carved out her authority in a field where women were rarely seen and often doubted.
I sat down with Janke to talk about her book, her journey through Hollywood, corporate and overseas protection (a rare trifecta in the security field), and what it means to embody the role of protector. What emerged was more than a career narrative. It was a story of grit, resilience and integrity, qualities that define every woman who dares to thrive where she isn’t expected to survive.
JANKE’S JOURNEY INTO protection wasn’t born out of chance, but rather it was sparked by a teenage realization. In high school, she took a law elective, a class she barely remembers the name of, but one that left her with a crystalclear calling: “I came home that day and told my parents, ‘I’m going to be an FBI agent.’”
That dream took her to college for criminal justice and eventually into the federal system. But as so many of us know, dreams rarely unfold in a straight line. The FBI door closed, but the Secret Service opened. She’d applied to both the DEA and Secret Service, and the call came faster than expected. Nine months, not two years. A bilingual female applicant, tall and athletic – that combination made her stand out. But standing out is a double-edged sword. In a male-dominated profession, being noticed is as much a burden as it is an opportunity.
Mary Beth Wilkas Janke took on a field where women were rarely seen and often doubted.
“Never let them see you sweat.”
“Throughout my life,” recalled Janke, “particularly after sharing about my professional background and adventures, people (often) shake their head and say, ‘You are a badass!’ I typically laugh, mostly because, well, how else is someone supposed to respond to that?!”
frustrations by hitting the bag until my knuckles ached. The body becomes the pressure valve for the mind. For women in high-risk professions, the gym, the run or the fight isn’t just training, it’s therapy.
JANKE’S DEFINING MOMENT didn’t come during her short tenure with the Secret Service. It came later, in the private sector, on missions that demanded not just presence but mastery. Her most defining assignment took her to Colombia, a place where assassination attempts were a constant reality and trust was a fragile currency. She was assigned as the US Security Advisor to the Minister of Defense and Vice President. The risk was immense, but so was the responsibility.
It was there that she stopped questioning whether she belonged. “I realized I wasn’t just guarding others,” she said. “I was the embodiment of protection itself. I knew I was good at it. And I didn’t care what anyone thought anymore. I had a job to do, and I was damn sure nothing was
“There weren’t a lot of mentors. My mentor was hitting the ground running, learning as I went.”
“How do you carve out authority in environments where people don’t expect you to succeed?” I asked her. It’s the question every woman in these fields faces. Her response was simple but powerful: “Never let them see you sweat.” It wasn’t bravado; it was survival. When fellow trainees asked her, point blank, why she was even there, she didn’t flinch. She smiled, threw the comment back, and kept going. “I knew I belonged,” she told me. “My résumé, my athleticism, my drive – it all added up. I chose this life because it was hard, because it was male-dominated, and because it would make me better.”
I understood her immediately. As a fighter, I had walked into gyms where I wasn’t welcome, heard whispers that
I was “too pretty to fight,” been told to smile instead of strike. Like Janke, I chose to let those voices fuel me rather than break me. Women in these professions don’t just face the challenge of the job; they face the challenge of proving they deserve to do the job.
For women in protection, mentorship was scarce. “There weren’t a lot of mentors,” Janke admitted. “My mentor was hitting the ground running, learning as I went.” When there’s no one to lean on, you build your own resilience. For her, the outlet was physical – running, training, sweating it out. The weight of the job didn’t disappear, but it became manageable through action.
It reminded me of the countless times I worked through my own
“Today, protection is as important to me as it has ever been. Yet my work focuses less on protecting the body and more on protecting the mind,” she stated.
going to happen on my watch.”
In Colombia, her gender was not an obstacle, but rather an asset. The Minister of Defense at the time was a woman and she wanted a female advisor. Janke’s presence was strategic: a woman who would not be another man hovering in a position of control; a woman who could be trusted in a world where corruption was everywhere.
Even beyond that, being underestimated became her hidden weapon. “Nobody expected me to be carrying a weapon,” she laughed. “That gave me extra seconds –seconds that could save lives.”
Sometimes the very thing the world sees as weakness is the thing that keeps you alive.
“Nobody expected me to be carrying a weapon. That gave me extra seconds –seconds that could save lives.”
MOST PEOPLE THINK protection is about what happens when bullets fly or threats emerge. But anyone who’s walked that line knows the truth: protection is prevention. Janke emphasized this with conviction. “The two most important facets of protection are advance work and motorcades. If you do the work ahead of time – study the terrain, read the people, build the local intel – you prevent the attack before it happens.”
For her, charisma was as much a weapon as a firearm. Talking to locals and having the gift of gab helped her attain information and
build trust; these skills kept her and her protectees alive. It was a reminder that in this field, brains and presence are just as critical as muscle and firepower.
The darker side of the job wasn’t just danger, it was temptation – clients who blurred lines and colleagues who crossed them. Janke was unwavering: “Never cross the line with a client. I don’t care if I was broke; I would have quit before compromising my integrity.”
Her grounding came from her upbringing, from values instilled in her Catholic household. Integrity
Janke trains with Minister of Defense Uribe of Colombia. She was assigned there as the US Security Advisor to the Minister of Defense and Vice President.
Janke shooting with the Minister of Defense Security Team. With female officers from Mozambique.
wasn’t negotiable. Protection wasn’t just about guarding bodies; it was about guarding one’s own moral compass in a world where compromise was always knocking. Of course, threats and fear were part of the job. In Colombia, one evening Janke and her team were told bluntly that the guerilla group FARC, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, had a contract out on their lives. “Did it change anything for me? No,” she said. “I was already on my toes every day. You can’t afford complacency. You do it scared if you have to, but you do it.” That statement hit me deeply. In the ring, fear sharpens you. On the street, fear keeps you alive. Women in high-risk professions don’t eliminate fear; they dance with it. They use it.
EVENTUALLY, JANKE
TRANSITIONED from the field into psychology, bringing with her the lessons of resilience and mindset. She still trains, still holds herself to the discipline of readiness, but her mission now is to help others build
mental strength. She looks back with pride, not because it was easy but because she did it all in an arena that wasn’t designed for her. She thrived anyway.
When I asked what message she most wanted women to carry from her journey, her answer was immediate: “That they belong, if they want it. It’s a mindset shift. What you tell yourself manifests in everyday life. Tell yourself you belong, and you will.” It wasn’t about demanding fairness or waiting for doors to open. It was about walking through them, ready, resilient and determined.
As we spoke, I couldn’t help but hear echoes of my own journey. The rings I fought in and the missions Janke carried out may look different on the surface, but the fight was the same: proving worth, carving space, standing tall when others expect you to shrink. For every woman who has ever been told she doesn’t belong, Janke’s story is proof that belonging is not granted – it’s claimed.
Women like Dr. Mary Beth Wilkas
Janke remind us that protection isn’t just a profession, but rather it’s a calling. It demands strength, resilience and integrity. It demands facing fear without letting it paralyze you. And above all, it demands that you know, deep down, that you belong, even when no one else believes it. In a world that still questions women in arenas of risk, her story stands as a battle cry: Step in, stand firm and never let them see you sweat. ★
Editor’s note: Author Graciela Casillas is a certified personal protection specialist who works as a staff instructor with Executive Security International bodyguard school (esibodyguardschool.com). She is also an advanced firearms trainer and has worked with many world-class firearms instructors. She has authored many articles on the subject for various publications and holds a bachelor’s degree in law and society, master’s degrees in education and physical education, and lifetime teaching credentials in psychology.
Colt’s Python (top) found a worthy challenger in Smith & Wesson’s L-frame revolver, with the full-length barrel lug, adjustable sights and overall dimensions close enough for both to fit in the same holsters.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAVE WORKMAN
At 90 years of age, we should all hope to be as versatile, full of energy and packing the same wallop as the .357 Magnum, introduced in 1935 and still reigning today as the most popular of all the magnum handgun cartridges.
Surprisingly, this milestone seems to have been overlooked by a fair number of people. Sure, there are others in the pack that grab the spotlight, including the .44 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .460 and .500 S&W Magnums, the .480 Ruger and .475 Linebaugh, but the one crucial thing going for the .357 is that virtually anybody can handle it, while the same cannot be said for the others. Recoil from the bigger bore guns can range from unpleasant to downright brutal, while even firing a J-frame S&W, which holds five cartridges, is not unmanageable.
The .357 Magnum has a proven track record for law enforcement and armed private citizens when it comes to stopping fights. With impressive ballistics – depending upon the specific load (and there are lots of ’em from which to choose!) – the .357 has been known to stop moving vehicles, large carnivores including black and grizzly bears and mountain
ALL HAIL THE MAGNUM!
Ninety years old and still the most versatile revolver round of them all.
lions, and game animals including deer, elk, caribou and even moose.
Prior to the “big switch” from revolvers to semiautos in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I’d hazard to guess that most law enforcement agencies – especially state police and county sheriffs’ departments – carried the .357 as their duty gun. There’s a reason for this, of course. It can put down bad guys effectively.
Development of the .357 Magnum is detailed by the legendary Elmer Keith in his book Sixguns by Keith, and virtually any company that ever produced big-bore revolvers has had at least one model chambered for the first magnum. Keith was instrumental in developing the cartridge, but the main credit goes to Colonel D.B. “Doug” Wesson and Phil Sharpe, according to the late John Taffin, who wrote about it back in August 2021. It’s essentially an elongated .38 Special with a case length of 1.290 inches, where the .38 Special case length is 1.155 inches, preventing the magnums from being loaded in .38 Special-caliber revolvers, which cannot handle the chamber pressure. Both cartridges use the same diameter bullet: 0.357 inch.
My own battery includes a couple of S&W Model 19s and a Colt Python, and I’ve had the pleasure of shooting revolvers produced by Ruger, Taurus
and others over the years. The first cartridge for which the Ruger Blackhawk was chambered was the .357 Magnum, and today that company offers both single- and double-action wheelguns in this caliber.
Earlier this year, S&W and Lipsey’s joined forces to reintroduce
the Mountain Gun, and one entry is a stainless steel .357 built on the L-frame with a seven-round cylinder, tapered barrel and Bear Hug grips.
My brother owns both a K-frame S&W Model 19 and a Ruger GP100, and swears by them both. The GP100 is a superb double-action revolver,
Author Dave Workman still spends time at the range with his first magnum handgun, a Model 19 with a 6-inch barrel. After 50 years, it still delivers good accuracy …
The .357 Magnum is epitomized by the Colt Python. Considered the “Mercedes Benz of .357 Magnums,” the Python is accurate, reliable and just plain good looking!
capable of handling full-power loads all day long.
HANDLOADER’S DREAM CARTRIDGE
I can’t think of another cartridge that lends itself to handloading better than the .357 Magnum, thanks to
its straight-wall case. Whether plain brass or nickel-plated brass, .357 cases glide through my carbide sizing die. I’ve been brewing up loads for nearly 40 years, settling on favorite combinations to include a 125-grain Speer or Nosler JHP over stout loads of H110 or the old Hercules – and
now Alliant – 2400, and more recently 158-grain Hornady XTPs, also over H110. I am also experimenting with Accurate No. 9 as a substitute for 2400, which has not been readily available for the past couple of years. (Consult your favorite loading manual and never exceed maximum loads; what works for me may not work as well in someone else’s revolver, so experimentation is always worthwhile.)
One of the best reloading resources around is the Hodgdon Annual Manual, which lists somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 different loads for the .357 Magnum involving bullets weighing anywhere from 110 grains to 200 grains, whether JHPs, jacketed soft points, hard-cast lead semiwadcutters and even solids.
With my 6-inch Python, I’ve managed to hit man-size targets at 200 yards repeatedly with handloads pushing the 125-grainers, confirming the .357’s capabilities for long-range target shooters, including metallic silhouette marksmen.
If I’m in bear country and carrying a .357 Magnum, it would be loaded with the 158-grainers, ahead of
… as exhibited by this target. The .357 is a proven fight-stopper against predators, whether they have two or four legs.
When S&W reintroduced its Model 19 with a 3-inch barrel, it proved to be a worthy handgun.
either H110 or Accurate No. 9, since finding 2400 these days is virtually impossible. If I can send a 158-grain bullet downrange clocking above 1,350 feet per second, I’m confident it will discourage anything in its path, and there are several propellants that can deliver such ballistics.
On the street, my .357 is loaded
with factory ammunition, as are my two HKS speedloaders. It’s a strategic choice having far more to do with the legal system than anything else.
On a recent trek, I ran several loads – both factory and my own fodder – through my Colt Python and the results were what I expected. The Sig 125-grain FMJ load clocked an average of 1,363 fps over my chronograph, set
about 20 inches ahead of the muzzle. Winchester’s 145-grain Silvertip JHP warped over the chronograph at an average of 1,232 fps. My load using a Hornady 125-grain XTP pushed by 16.0 grains of 2400 ignited by a Federal 100 primer scooted through the screens averaging 1,279 fps (with a high of 1,322 fps!).
Meanwhile, my handloaded 158-grain XTP propelled by 15.4 grains of H110 – which is definitely not the maximum load for this combination as listed in the Hodgdon manual – launched at 1,159 fps on average; definitely sufficient to put the hurt on anything it hits. If I were to bump up the powder charge to the suggested maximum, my bullet would be streaking along at better than 1,500 fps, according to Hodgdon’s data.
A ‘GO-TO’ HANDGUN
My first magnum handgun was a 6-inch Model 19 S&W K-frame, which I’ve carried along on treks all over the place, from Montana and Wyoming to Alaska. It has never let me down.
In a major emergency, I think the .357 Magnum would be my “go-to” gun rather than something else – with the exception of the .45 ACP – for a couple of reasons. It has stopping power, which might be more of a consideration than firepower. In a genuine social catastrophe, .357 Magnum ammunition would still likely be more available than for guns in other calibers, and one can always load up with .38 Special +P ammunition, which will work just fine. Of course, opinions on this vary, but a reliable revolver only needs loose ammunition to stay in action, where a semiauto without a magazine or spare magazine becomes a single-shot handgun.
I don’t own a .357 with a mid-length barrel (3½ to 4½ inches), but if I were to pick one, it would be a Model 27 or 28 S&W with a 3½-inch tube. The N-frame gun is beefy and will handle virtually any .357 load, and the barrel length makes it conducive to everyday carry in a good strong-side holster from either Barranti Leather, Simply Rugged or DeSantis, since I no longer operate my own holster company.
The .357 Magnum has range and
Workman frequently carries this classic 2½-inch Model 19 snub gun, often called “sexy” by .357 Magnum aficionados.
Accuracy is what the .357 Magnum has been known for since the beginning, 90 years ago. One flyer (lower left) doesn’t diminish how the cartridge sends a bullet where it is aimed.
a fairly flat trajectory, and in my experience, it has been inherently accurate. Sure, I’ve missed targets and I’ve missed shots on live small game with a .357 Magnum, but not by much. There’s probably a coyote or two running around with a bad case of the shakes, thanks to me.
I personally know a guy who fatally shot an attacker with a legally carried .357 S&W snubbie, and have read several other accounts of similar incidents; it’s enough to make the convincing argument that having a defensive sidearm chambered for the .357 leaves one rather well armed.
For many years, a 2½-inch Model 19 S&W snubbie was my primary carry gun, either in an old Bianchi Shadow pancake-style belt holster or an upsidedown Safariland shoulder holster. Carried properly with the right cover garment, nobody should be able to tell whether you’re packing or not.
The delightful detail about the .357 Magnum is that if it’s what you’re packing, you’re pretty much ready for anything. ★
A good cartridge belt will hold plenty of extra rounds. Workman personally built this belt when he used to operate a custom holster business.
Author Trampas Swanson’s classic Henry .357 Magnum rifle with XS Sights upgrades.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
FROM SLUMBERING IN THE SAFE TO RIDING, ER, SHOTGUN
Tactical upgrades from XS Sights help put a Henry X Series lever-action back on active duty as a truck gun.
Afew years ago, I picked up an interesting pistol-caliber lever-action rifle from Henry Repeating Arms. As a fan of this company and its impressive American craftsmanship for well over two decades, I have enjoyed collecting several rimfire lever-actions from Henry. The deep blued metal finishes, gorgeous wood furniture and the
brilliant brass accents of select models impress even the toughest of critics. What made this new rifle so interesting was the departure of Henry’s classic look with the release of a tactical model known as the X Series.
The caliber of choice for my new rifle was the classic .357 Magnum. Why this caliber specifically? The easy answer is that I already had a lot of ammunition
on hand due to my collection of .357 revolvers. The more complex answer would go into my familiarity with the ballistics and performance based on barrel lengths and velocities. Plus, .44 Magnum at the time cost almost double that of .357 Mag, so that bucket-list rifle would have to come later.
As for the X Series lever-action in .357 Mag, it was finished with a dark
STORY AND PHOTOS BY TRAMPAS SWANSON
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Above is the original handguard that Swanson did not find impressive compared to other parts of the rifle. At left is the XS Sights aluminum handguard he replaced it with.
bluing that seemed flatter than others in my collection. The rifle was adorned with a polymer stock and matching handguard in the same feel and texture as your favorite Glock or Sig. There were M-Lok slots located along the sides of the handguard for mounting accessories. At the end of the handguard located on the bottom was a small integrated Picatinny-style rail for mounting a tactical light or laser. On paper, the design and concept would blend modern-day rifle options with a bulletproof, time-tested operating system built by one of the country’s best leveraction rifle makers in the industry.
While the stock was comfortable and well made, the handguard was certainly lacking. I wasn’t impressed by two specific aspects of the X Series design. The first would be the “plastic” rail concept, or the height of the M-Lok slots, due to how high it positioned any accessories I tried to mount. With its beefy steel receiver and butter-smooth action, the rifle sadly felt as if it tapered too narrow down the handguard leading out to the muzzle. Instead of the feeling of running a badass magnum-caliber blaster, it felt more like shouldering a heavy pool cue – all base, no tip.
The second lackluster issue I found with this rock-solid-built rifle would be the sights. While I was accustomed to buckhorn rear sights and bright brass bead front sights, I wasn’t a fan of the plastic rear sights on the X Series. I will give Henry credit on the bright, easy-to-see green fiber optic front sight, but they dropped the ball on the two-dot red fiber optic rear sight. Regardless of the lighting conditions, the green front sight was quick to acquire and easy to get on target, but the two red dots on the rear sight were always much duller and obscured my focus on the front sight. Unlike the steel buckhorn sights on other Henry models, the fiber optics seemed to be a frail offering on what was intended to be an “urban rifle.”
Other than running the rifle in a couple of urban rifle courses for fun and putting rounds downrange using it as a 9mm/.38 Special/.357 Mag suppressor host for a few articles, the X Series rifle just sat in my safe for a couple of years without a desire on my part to really carry it as designed (i.e., as an urban defense/truck gun). I needed the rifle to feel like a tool rather than yet another thing in my life I needed to upkeep daily and handle with care. Fortunately, as the industry evolved towards the “tactical lever-action” trend, new life was about to be breathed into this rifle.
XS SIGHTS UPGRADES
Recently, I received an email blast to the firearms industry media from XS Sights announcing the release of their new aluminum tactical handguards made specifically for Henry rifles. As I explored this newest listing on their website, I saw the handguards were offered in .357 Mag variants, as well as .45 Long Colt and .44 Mag. The differences were
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
the diameter of the supplied mounting bracket that fits around the magazine tube. I immediately reached out to my XS Sights representative and requested a sample to test out.
As with any new product, sometimes the first batch may have an out-of-spec issue here or there. Unfortunately, this was the case when I received the handguard. With a quick email to my representative, which was forwarded within minutes to the folks at XS Sights, the solution was already on the way back. Due to my eagerness to get the new handguard tenon installed, I managed to mar the bluing along the end of the magazine tube before it dawned on me that the tenon may be out of spec. Without question or hassle, XS Sights and their customer service really shined! They not only offered to provide the right bracket, but I was sent an overnight label to FedEx my rifle to XS Sights for them to professionally install the handguard
and repair the damage to the bluing. Seriously? What company offers that? XS Sights, that’s who! This is one of the many reasons I have loved their company and their products over the years.
While the rifle was on the way to XS Sights, I had an opportunity to have a quick chat with my media representative for their company, Shannon Jackson. I mentioned how much I have enjoyed the XS Sights lever-action sight rail/ghost ring sight combination I have used exclusively on my Marlin lever-action rifles. When I asked if there were plans on offering the same setup for the Henry rifles, Shannon replied there was already one available. With a quick request order filed, my rifle would have one of my favorite robust, heavy-duty rail/ sights installed along with the new handguard. It should be noted that this conversation occurred late on a Friday afternoon. I shipped the rifle out via
FedEx on Monday morning. By 10 a.m. Friday morning of the same week, my rifle was returned, beautifully repaired and new accessories expertly mounted. I have never seen such prompt and efficient service in the two decades I have been an industry professional.
HENRY LVR-HG (LEVER HANDGUARD)
Since these are two separate products offered, I’ll start with the original reason as to why I reached out to upgrade my Henry Repeating Arms X Series rifle, the Henry LVR-HG. As I mentioned, this is brand new on the market and currently retails for $247 50 on the XS Sights website (xssights.com). It’s available in .357 Mag, .44 Mag and classic powerhouse caliber .45-70. Despite having the handguard professionally installed on the rifle, I wanted to go through the process for myself as originally intended. I disassembled the entire handguard
The second issue the author found was the sights. He wasn’t a fan of the plastic rear sights on the X Series. He does give credit for the bright, easy-to-see green fiber optic front sight. XS Sights offers an optics mount and ghost ring sights set (right) that give the rifle the feel of a high-end tool.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
assembly, and using the correct sized tenon, walked back through the instructions. With just the supplied Allen wrench and an armorer’s mallet for drifting the magazine tube for installation, the handguard was back on the rifle, secured and range-ready. The whole process was very straightforward and simple to accomplish in under 20 minutes of watching TV and working at my bench. I greatly appreciated the installation video found on the XS Sights website and the lack of anxiety it took in accomplishing this task. My 11-year-old daughter has already volunteered to do the next one for me after watching me. Unlike the polymer factory handguard, the LVR-HG is beefy. I say this not about its overall diameter because it is, in fact, an impressively slim handguard to allow for any accessories mounted to hug close to the
gun and not throw the rifle’s balance off right or left. I describe it as beefy in that it fills the hand and comes up around the barrel to shroud it from being bumped or scratched, whether in the field or riding under the rear seat of my truck. When shouldering the X Series .357 Henry into the shooting position, the XS Sights handguard does a great job of just making you feel like you are running a true large-caliber rifle.
HENRY OPTIC MOUNT & GHOST RING SIGHTS SET
This set includes a top-mounted Picatinny rail integrated with a rear ghost ring and ships with a robust front sight. Currently it’s available on the XS Sights website for $164 99 Unlike cheaper options, the quality of this rail designed for mounting red dots, low power variable optics
(LPVO) or full-size scopes is second to none. I have similar sight sets on my Marlin 1895 and Marlin 1895 Guide Gun models, both chambered in .4570. I’ve documented these two rifles and their XS Sights accessories in past media industry articles covering successful hunts for both black bear and buffalo. As with the Henry version, these mounting rails and ghost ring sights are rock-solid and make the rifle feel more like a high-end tool such as a Snap-on ratchet rather than a gimmicky plastic-clad rifle.
Unlike the handguard, I decided not to uninstall and reinstall the rail or sights given the small thread pitch and how well they were already mounted. In gunsmithing, sometimes you must know when to choose your fights and if given a choice, I would never select this one. Screws for rail and sight mounting are often small and not designed to drive in and out often, much less when Blue Loctite is already in place and set.
The ghost ring sight is easy to find during snap shooting and the broad white line down the middle of the towering front sight cannot be missed. That statement isn’t just my observation either. I have a good friend in the shooting industry named Bill who, without his glasses, is legally blind. When I had him look through the sights, his comment was, “The front sight looks really clear in the middle of the rear fuzzy sight and centered on the fuzzy target ahead.” While his statement was true, the sly grin and twinkle in his eye alluded to his sense of humor even in stating facts.
I mention this because he was definitely on to something important about this setup. Many people choose pistol-caliber rifles for home defense and not just AR-15 platforms. In some states, lever-action rifles may be the only choice available, not to mention they are very unassuming when used – as I intend to –as a truck gun. If someone is responding to a threat in the middle of the night when they aren’t dressed to fight or may not have their contacts in or glasses on, how important is it to be able to see the front sight clearly once identifying your
Overall, Swanson was a little let down of his expectations for the X Series Henry rifle. He was impressed by XS Sights’ offerings to such a niche market. Their sights and accessories have never failed to impress him.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
threat? Short answer is very!
If I’m going to rely on a rifle to be more than just a glorified range toy, I want to make sure that I can see my sights in any condition. If it’s too dark to see the bright white line on the front sight, especially with a tactical light mounted to the handguard, then it’s obviously too dark to identify my threat and decide it needs shooting at that point. These sights have already proven durable in the field on other rifles, from the eastern coastal swamps of Florida to the hills of Tennessee, for my family of big game hunters. Daily duty on my utility rifle was simply a logical choice at this point.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, I must say, despite an early let down of my expectations for the X Series Henry rifle, XS Sights’ attention to such a niche market has been greatly appreciated. Not only was their service amazing early in the upgrade project,
but for over a decade of working together with this company, their sights and accessories have never failed to impress and add overall efficiency far beyond factory OEM parts. I have used their rifle, shotgun and handgun products over the years to teach firearms classes, as well as daily concealed carry and family hunts. Simply put, products by XS Sights deliver!
Now let’s look at what the realistic cost of upgrading your rifle will be. While some may look at the price point as a bit expensive at first glance, consider this point. My X Series Henry rifle had basically just sat in my safe for a few years because I didn’t originally feel it was up to its intended task. At that point, I must ask, “Do you consider the cost of a top-quality rifle such as a Henry that doesn’t get used?” Now let’s look again at the cost to upgrade the rifle to have it as a “go-to” truck gun. Is it worth more to me now that I’m able to enjoy it daily, rather than having it sit in the gun safe?
More importantly, I now trust the rifle to better perform and offer more options for me when I need it the most. Those are easy answers for me to justify those upgrade costs. For that, I have XS Sights to wholeheartedly thank for giving new life to a rifle that had so much potential. I’m proud to now have it serve every day in my Ram pickup to protect myself and my family while traveling. I encourage you to visit the XS Sights website and see how their products can improve your firearms needs. ★
Editor’s note: Retiring early from law enforcement, where he worked as a deputy sheriff, primarily serving as a SWAT sniper, Trampas Swanson now travels the US as an NRA and USCCA training counselor and instructor in his 23rd year as a professional firearms trainer. He has also worked for 24-plus US and international publications, ranging from recreational shooting to private military contracting.
MAKING THE CUT
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
Takumitak knives, sheaths please the eye, and work well for everyday carry.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY PAUL PAWELA
As a national law enforcement firearms instructor and nationally recognized civilian self-defense instructor, I often discuss the facts of what happens in a high-adrenaline, life-and-death, closequarter, deadlyforce encounter. It is staggering the percentage of shooters who miss their target at extremely close range. Records of shootings by the New
York Police Department for 2006 revealed that 57 percent of shots fired at a distance of less than 2 yards (6 feet) completely missed their targets. The reasons for this vary – maybe the officer was in panic mode and experiencing a severe degradation of fine motor skills or maybe he or she was grappling with an opponent. But this is why it is always recommended to carry a backup knife. Even under stress, the knife usually connects with extreme efficiency.
Some of the points I emphasize in self-defense training:
• Fast with a knife beats slow with a pistol.
• A functioning knife beats a malfunctioning pistol.
• As distance diminishes, so does the advantage of a gun over a knife.
• By all means, bring a knife to a gunfight; you may need it if your gun doesn’t finish the job.
While I admit to a preference for larger blades, such as Bowie-style knives, please do not assume I am opposed to smaller knives, especially
Tough, affordable, easily replaced – that’s the bottom line for author Paul Pawela on Takumitak Knife Company’s blades.
MAKING THE CUT
in a short, fixed-blade configuration that can make a quick and lethal blow.
IN OUR AUGUST issue, it was mentioned that as part of my family’s 5,000-mile roadtrip, the first business stop would be Blade Show in Atlanta, Georgia. Of course, for me Blade Show is the equivalent of being a kid in a candy store. My primary focus for attending Blade Show is for this column, Making the Cut, which covers all things tactical fighting knives.
I am honored to meet many great custom knifemakers who make beautiful blades. Of course, they all
want to be featured in American Shooting Journal, but the problem with many of those knifemakers is that their price points are generally unattainable for the average Joe.
Because I was on a tight schedule and knew I would be traveling a long trip, I was about to exit Blade Show when a knife booth caught my eye. The knife company was Takumitak. “Takumi” is a Japanese word for “artisan,” a master craftsman who has developed his or her skills through many years or decades of experience.
The two things that immediately jumped out at me at the Takumitak
booth were the wide variety of different tactical knives they had available (I stopped counting after I went over 50) and the reasonable and affordable price points on their knives. The majority of the Takumitak fighting knives made of D2 steel were at a price point of $69 95 While looking (lusting) over all the different Takumitak tactical knives, a very polite gentleman from the company came up and introduced himself to me. His name was Mr. Webber Chang, the general manager for Takumitak Knife Company. He asked me if there were any particular models of his knives I liked. My response to him was truly all of them!
Takumitak’s display at the Blade Show. Pawela stopped counting the number of options they had on offer after reaching 50.
TAKUMITAK NINJA SPECS
Knife type: Fixed blade
Full tang: Yes
Overall length: 9 inches
Blade length: 4.25 inches
Handle length: 4.75 inches
MOLLE clip included: Yes
Blade shape: Trailing point
Blade material: 3cr13
Blade HRC: 54-56
Blade thickness: 3.86mm
Blade grind: Hollow
Blade edge: Plain
Blade finish: Black oxide
Handle material: FRN
Sheath material: FRN
Sheath type: Pressure retention
TAKUMITAK ALERT SPECS
Knife type: Fixed blade
Full tang: Yes
Overall length: 10 inches
Blade length: 5 inches
Handle length: 5 inches
MOLLE clip included: Yes
Blade shape: Clip point
Blade material: D2
Blade HRC: 61-62
Blade thickness: 4.71-4.93mm
Blade grind: Flat
Blade edge: Plain
Blade finish: Stonewash
Handle material: G10
Handle color: Black
Sheath material: Kydex
Sheath type: Pressure retention
TAKUMITAK CHARGE SPECS
Knife type: Fixed blade
Full tang: Yes
Overall length: 11 inches
Blade length: 5.25 inches
Handle length: 5.75 inches
MOLLE clip included: Yes
Blade shape: Tanto
Blade material: D2
Blade HRC: 61-62
Blade thickness: 4.71-4.93mm
Blade grind: Flat
Blade edge: Plain
Blade finish: Stonewash
Handle material: G10
Sheath material: Kydex
Sheath type: Pressure retention
(TAKUMITAK)
(TAKUMITAK)
(TAKUMITAK)
MAKING THE CUT
As previously stated, I was on a time crunch, and I usually don’t buy much at the Blade Show; however, the TKF313 Takumitak Ninja model jumped out at me, and I just had to buy it. I gave Mr. Chang my business card and told him I would like to feature his knives in a future column.
I enthusiastically showed Mrs. Pawela my newest knife purchase and asked her about the knife’s design and weight. Her response was surprising; she loved the weight and balance of the knife and immediately knew I liked it as a fighting knife!
Then her obvious question was, “How much?” “How much do you think?” was my retort. She guessed $100 to $150. “What if I told you it was $30?” I said. Stunned, she asked about the price point and why I hadn’t bought more Takumitak knives. I had no really good answer to that question, but I had 5,000 miles to think about and stew on it.
THE NINJA MODEL from Takumitak reminded me of the type of knife that the great Japanese swordsman Musashi carried.
Many things impressed me about the knife, but as I have stated previously, a knife can be the best in the world but be rendered completely worthless if it is carried in a crap knife sheath. This was not the case with the Ninja model, as the Kydex knife sheath that came with it not only perfectly secured the knife, but was also slick enough to allow the knife to deploy with lightning speed. The sheath also came with the BladeTech Tek-Lok Belt attachment, which I am happy to report is standard with all Takumitak knives and sheaths. The Tek-Lok allows the knife sheath to be worn vertically or horizontally; I prefer it worn horizontally.
I was so impressed with the Takumitak Ninja that I have been carrying it ever since the day I bought it. Upon returning home from my trip, I contacted Mr. Chang
to discuss writing an article about his knives. He was surprised and asked why I loved them so much.
My answers were: 1) They are tough; 2) they are affordable; and 3) if a customer must use one in a self-defense situation and the knife is taken into police custody, no problem – it can be easily replaced!
Am I impressed with Takumitak knives? I bumped them ahead of two other knife companies for this article. Also, the other knives Mr. Chang sent me, which I’ve selected as fighters, will accompany me to Houston, where I’ll be teaching at the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor Conference. So, yes, they make the cut!
For more information about Takumitak, go to takumitak.com. ★
Editor’s note: Author Paul Pawela is a nationally recognized firearms and self-defense expert. For his realistic self-defense training, see assaultcountertactics.com.
HONORING A LIFETIME ON THE LINE
From Vietnam War tour of duty to long career as K9 unit officer and now protecting rural residents, one man’s commitment to service is ‘awe inspiring.’
STORY BY JACQUI PERNA • PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROY VARNEY
I’d like to introduce you to Roy Varney. I knew him best as a lieutenant for the South San Francisco, California, Police Department and head of the K9 Unit. He retired from law enforcement but never stopped working. He continues to update his Facebook page with posts about his latest endeavor – as a firefighter/emergency medical technician working wildfires in the state of Washington.
VARNEY GRADUATED HIGH school during the Vietnam War era. After a semester of college, he joined the Air Force and attended Security Police school. During his training, there was a K9 demonstration for the recruits. At the end of the demonstration, the K9 program advised they would take the first 12 volunteers to join the unit. Varney was the only one to sign up.
He trained for 12 weeks in Lackland, Texas, and was then stationed at Mather Air Force Base. After only three months, Varney was called into the captain’s office. When the captain advised that Varney had new orders, he was surprised. When Varney asked why he was getting orders so soon, the captain said it was because he was in the K9 unit. Still confused, the captain explained, “Didn’t you know? All K9 teams require a tour in Vietnam.”
Varney spent 13 months in Vietnam before returning to Great Falls,
Roy Varney retired from law enforcement after spending more than three decades as a police officer in California’s
Montana, where he finished his military service. Varney then returned to college, obtained a degree and was hired by the South San Francisco Police Department in 1976. Among all of his assignments, Varney was the director of the K9 Unit until he retired as a lieutenant in 2007, after 31 years and nine months of service in law enforcement. Yes, you
read that correctly!
After retirement, Varney became a firefighter/EMT in 2008 for the Stevens County, Washington, Fire Protection District. Varney is currently a lieutenant at station 2 in Loon Lake near Spokane; his district covers over 300 square miles and responds to about 1,000 calls a year for emergency
Bay Area, but continues to protect and serve as a firefighter and EMT in Washington state.
L.E. SPOTLIGHT
medical services and structure and wildland fires.
I MET VARNEY in 1998 or 1999 at a horse stable in Contra Costa County, California. I was helping out with some horse training and conditioning. We took out a few horses that needed work and went on a trail ride. By the time we were done with the ride, Varney learned I had recently graduated with a criminal justice degree and was actively applying to law enforcement agencies in the area. Varney encouraged me to apply at SSFPD.
Fast forward a few years and I became a K9 handler for the department. Along with working with Varney and the K9 Unit, my partner dog was certified for protection, tracking and narcotics detection.
After five years with the department and then with my second K9 partner, I chose to leave law enforcement to focus on family. My K9 partner,
Gabber, a German shepherd, was estimated to be 7 years old – not young for a working dog – and we were a bonded team. I prepared myself for a meeting with Varney and prayed that I had saved enough money to purchase my dear friend and K9 partner. Varney and I spoke about my decision to leave the department and
then got down to numbers. He said I needed to bring in my checkbook the next day to purchase Gabber. I had a moment where I couldn’t speak, then sputtered, “Uh, how much money do I need to have in my account for this?”
(I’ll admit, I was worried I hadn’t saved enough.)
Varney leaned back in his chair
Author Jacqui Perna’s K9 partner, Gabber, enjoying retirement in 2006.
and said, “I need you to write a check to the PD for $1.” Long pause. “It needs to be a check, so we can make it good on paper,” he added.
I didn’t know if I was hearing him correctly. One dollar for the best dog and K9 partner I had ever had? They could have made this process difficult, but the department and Lieutenant Varney took care of me and Gabber. I will be forever thankful for that act of grace.
So, I thank you, Roy Varney, Vietnam veteran, retired SSFPD lieutenant, leader of the K9 Unit, and supporter and mentor of new officers in law enforcement. But more importantly, you continue to give back – fighting the good fight – with over 17 years as a firefighter and EMT in the state of Washington and still going strong.
Your time in service to the public is awe inspiring. Please be safe out there! ★
Editor’s note: Author Jacqui Perna is the wife of Nick Perna, our regular Law Enforcement Spotlight writer. Jacqui is a 17year veteran of law enforcement and served with three different departments as a field training officer and canine handler. She finished her career as an inspector with the San Mateo County, California, District Attorney’s Office. This article is dedicated to a law enforcement leader and friend who had a major impact on her career.
MILITARY SPOTLIGHT
Survivor's donations help tell story of harrowing Korean War fight. FROZEN VALOR: RECALLING BATTLE OF CHOSIN RESERVOIR
STORY AND PHOTOS BY PAUL PAWELA
In the heart of Las Vegas sits a historic site called the Leatherneck Club. It is a bar and grill that also serves as a Marine Corps history museum. I frequent this site every year when I attend SHOT Show. A few years ago while visiting the Leatherneck Club, I had the honor to meet Mr. Ron Camillo, a marine veteran and survivor of the very famous Battle of Chosin Reservoir. In fact, Camillo is the hero who donated all the artifacts from this Korean War battle that are on display at the club. It was such a high honor to meet this great hero who participated in one of the most brutal fights Americans have ever been in.
FOR THOSE WHO have never heard of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, here is the story. In the brutal winter of 1950, amidst the frozen mountains of North Korea, a legendary chapter in military history was written. The Battle of Chosin Reservoir (November 27-December 13, 1950) remains one of the most harrowing and heroic battles ever fought by United States and United Nations forces. Facing overwhelming odds, subzero temperatures and an encircling enemy, the battle became a testament to resilience, strategy and sheer human endurance.
Following the successful Inchon Landing in September 1950, UN forces under General Douglas MacArthur had pushed North Korean troops back past the 38th parallel. Victory seemed close. American and UN forces advanced toward the Yalu River, the border
with China, hoping to end the war by Christmas.
But China had other plans. In late November, hundreds of thousands of Chinese People’s Volunteer Army, or PVA, troops crossed into North Korea
under cover of night and mountainous terrain. UN forces, stretched thin and unaware of the Chinese buildup, were caught off guard.
The US 1st Marine Division, along with attached US Army and
Ron Camillo, Korean War veteran and Battle of Chosin Reservoir survivor.
MILITARY SPOTLIGHT
British forces, advanced into the rugged highlands around the Chosin Reservoir, a remote and frozen region in northeast North Korea. Temperatures plunged to -30 degrees Fahrenheit, with howling winds and icy terrain. Equipment malfunctioned, weapons jammed and frostbite became a greater enemy than bullets.
On November 27, 1950, the Chinese launched a massive assault. Over 120,000 PVA troops surrounded approximately 30,000 UN forces near the reservoir. What followed was two weeks of relentless combat, described by survivors as a living nightmare.
Despite being encircled and outnumbered four to one, the marines and their allies refused to surrender. Fighting through wave after wave of night attacks, ambushes and mountainous terrain, they executed a fighting withdrawal – a tactical masterpiece that allowed most of the
force to escape destruction.
Air support from the US Air Force and Navy proved vital, dropping supplies and providing close air support in white-out conditions. The marines’ use of “box formation” defenses, combined with their discipline and cohesion, allowed them to break out and make a brutal 78-mile march to the port of Hungnam for evacuation.
More than 17,000 casualties were sustained by UN forces; an estimated 7,500 were killed, wounded or missing in action, while approximately 8,000 died of frostbite. Chinese losses are estimated to be upwards of 60,000, many due to exposure and logistical failures.
THE SURVIVORS CAME to be known as “The Chosin Few,” and their story became a symbol of courage under fire. The battle reshaped US military doctrine on winter warfare, evacuation
Camillo shows author Paul Pawela photos and artifacts from the battle he has donated to the Leatherneck Club in Las Vegas. Some of the items are shown in closeups.
strategy and intelligence on Chinese military capabilities.
With the tactical withdrawal, the resilience and effectiveness of UN forces at Chosin helped save tens of thousands of lives and preserved a fighting force that would continue defending South Korea for years to come.
Today, the Chosin Reservoir remains a remote place, but in the hearts of marines and military historians, it stands as sacred ground. The bravery shown in that icy cauldron reminds us that sometimes heroism is not in winning, but in enduring.
The Battle of Chosin Reservoir was not just a fight for ground; it was a fight for survival, comradeship and honor. ★
Editor’s note: American Shooting Journal honors Mr. Ron Camillo and all his fellow marines who were in the battle. Special thanks to “Ghost,” owner and operator of the Leatherneck Club.
PRIMETIME BLACKTAILS
How to hunt North America's most challenging big game animal during the toughest part of the season.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HAUGEN
wenty-four days in a row of hunting Columbian blacktail deer in Oregon’s Cascade Range and I finally spotted a mature buck. But by the time I got my aging friend on it, the buck vanished into thick cover. I hunted the next four days and never saw it again. Then the season closed.
TIt was one of the biggest Columbian blacktails I’d ever seen when hunting – not scouting. Just seeing that buck made for a good season. Alone, I could have easily shot the deer, but that wasn’t the goal on that day. Sometimes opportunities don’t align. It would have been the buck of a lifetime for my friend.
I hunted 28 days during the general rifle season in October and the first few days of November. Most of my time was spent around the 3,000-foot mark in the Cascades. It was big, rugged, heavily timbered land – what wise bucks thrive in. The season confirmed why I consider consistently taking a mature blacktail buck to be the most challenging big game hunt in North America.
That buck lived in thick reprod and rarely left, largely due to hunting pressure in the area. In addition, though, weather events and waning daylight
ROAD HUNTER
When weather changes occur in the blacktail woods this time of year, rutting activity escalates. Here, a world-class Columbian blacktail buck is hot on the prowl for a doe.
ROAD HUNTER
hours can impact where mature blacktails choose to live in October.
One thing I’ve learned in my more than 40 years of hunting these grand deer is that I still have a lot to learn. Fortunately, being a full-time author, I get to spend a lot of time hunting blacktails and scouting for them all year. Yes, I could have filled my tag that season, but when I first laid eyes on this colossal buck during a summer scouting mission, my goal was set.
PRESSURED BUCKS
When it comes to hunting blacktails in October, the quicker you accept the fact that it’s the most challenging month to see a mature buck, let alone kill one, the less frustrated you’ll be. I’m surprised by the number of hunters who tell me there aren’t the blacktails there used to be. While this may be true in some specific habitats, I think overall there are more deer out there than people believe. Way more.
Spend more than 30 days of the summer scouting and all season hunting these deer, along with running trail cameras year-round, and you’ll begin to see how many blacktails are
really out there. Gone are the days when you could drive logging roads, glass from the truck and routinely find bucks. If you want a big blacktail, you have to work for it. You might get lucky, but the true joy and reward of hunting blacktails lies in trying to consistently figure them out.
I believe blacktail bucks know the moment that opening day of hunting season arrives. They hear trucks driving and more people talking than in the past 11 months combined. An old buck knows what’s happening and instantly becomes reclusive from all the increased pressure. But that doesn’t mean they’re not there.
Hunting pressure forces bucks to stick close to their core area. When stressed, old bucks will travel at night to feed and often return to bed well before sunup. Hunting closer to a buck’s core area is essential at this time, and means getting into the brush.
That said, there are no set rules with blacktails. One area I recently hunted had been shut down for two seasons due to road closures as crews cleaned up over 100,000 acres of wildfire damage. When it reopened, I started scouting in July and regularly saw over a dozen mature bucks
a day. When the October opener came, my dad and I were in position, looking for three bucks I’d been seeing all summer. It took a couple hours, but they showed up right where I’d been seeing them, feeding their way through a burn and into a thick stand of young Douglas fir trees where they’d bed all day. Dad connected on a dandy three-point, a good buck for an 81-year-old blacktail hunter.
The fact that those deer hadn’t been hunted meant they went about their routine undisturbed. If hunting areas
Author Scott Haugen’s father, Jerry Haugen, has been hunting blacktails since the 1950s. He took this buck on opening day, on the edge of a burn that occurred two years prior.
that are recently opened following wildfires, hunt them until late in the morning and start again in midafternoon when shadows start forming. These kinds of bucks will move more regularly than pressured ones.
When hunting pressured bucks, set up a spotting scope on a distant ridge and try to locate a buck that you can make a move on, or dive into the brush and go after. If I’m certain a big buck is in the area, I’ll head into the thick stuff looking for trails, beds and doe sign. That’s how I
killed a nice buck a few seasons ago. I caught a glimpse of a dandy fourby-four through my spotting scope. When the buck moved into thick brush, I closed in. I never found that buck but I bumped into a smaller one in a nearby bed. The next morning I returned, and there was a different buck in the same bed. Bed sharing is common among blacktails. I hunted the big buck all morning with no luck. Before leaving the area I checked the bed around 10:30 a.m., just in case the four-pointer had
slipped into it. That’s when I spotted and shot my buck, a mature three-bythree that was getting ready to hit the same bed the other bucks were in. In this area, hunting pressure was heavy up high, and it pushed bucks into thick cover lower in the drainage.
FALL CONDITIONS
As soon as the first storm of October hits, head out. Hunt before, during and directly following the storm. A drop in temperature will activate bucks.
Glassing for blacktails is a good way to spot them before they bust you.
ROAD HUNTER
A heavy rain will get them moving and also increase the potency of pheromone detection.
The later in the month a storm hits, the better because of the approaching rut. If there’s a freeze, even better. Mind you, cold temperatures don’t determine the blacktail rut – waning daylight does. Photoperiodism results in increased testosterone production in bucks, which is why their necks get big, they start covering more ground in search of does and why they’ll fight other bucks. But cooling temperatures do play a big part in boosting buck movement because the drop in ambient air temperature allows them to move more comfortably.
A buck will cover more ground, become active in daylight and be more aggressive toward other bucks when cooler temperatures prevail. This is the time to check out the does you located while scouting and hunting all season,
as bucks will find them.
Cold rain is the best condition for October’s primetime blacktail hunting. Not only will this cool a buck’s body temperature, but the situation optimizes the amount of scent left in the woods.
The moister the ground, the more distinct any scents left become. For a blacktail buck seeking does in heat, it smells the tracks of all deer in the area, as the interdigital gland leaves a unique, identifying scent. As increased levels of estrogen become prevalent in doe urine, a mature buck will detect it, match it to the interdigital gland scent and follow it, sometimes for amazing distances. With wet ground and heavy air to keep scent low, bucks can detect subtle smells and hunters will want to be in the woods to watch it unfold.
A few seasons ago a buddy from Texas joined me on a blacktail hunt. He’d never hunted blacktails. For years
I told him how hard they are to hunt. I told him we had a 25 percent chance of killing a buck. I was lying. It wasn’t near that high, but I wanted him to stay optimistic. The night he arrived, the first storm of October hit. The next day we saw seven bucks and over a dozen does. “I thought this was supposed to be hard,” he snickered. He held off, hoping for a bigger buck.
The following day was warm and dry and we didn’t see a single deer. He started getting nervous. I was loving it.
On day three there was a heavy mist in the air and it was cool. Well before daylight we were on a ridge, ready to scour distant hillsides through spotting scopes as daylight emerged. I spotted the white throat patch of a buck. One look through the scope and my buddy made it clear he wanted to try for it. An 800-yard stalk got us into position and he made a perfect 250-yard shot. It wasn’t a giant
Will Granberry traveled from Texas to hunt Columbian blacktails with the author. This buck was caught feeding in thick reprod, very near a mainline logging road with heavy traffic on this rainy day.
ROAD HUNTER
buck, but it was a mature blacktail with a beautiful double white throat patch that represented the species well. That buck was tucked into the fold of a ridge surrounded by three main logging roads. We watched nearly a dozen trucks drive within 50 yards of that buck. Not one had a clue the deer was there. Sometimes pressured bucks seek cover in surprising areas, but not until there’s a shift in weather will you see them.
If you don’t fill a blacktail tag early in the season, don’t give up. The later in October it gets, the shorter the daylight hours become, the cooler and wetter conditions will be, and the more rutcrazed bucks grow. That’s when bucks make mistakes, and you don’t want to miss it. ★
Editor’s note: To order Scott Haugen’s bestselling book Trophy Blacktails: The Science of the Hunt, visit scotthaugen .com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.
Haugen took this mid-October blacktail as it was getting ready to bed down in a spot he’d seen multiple bucks using. Author of a bestselling book on the subject, Haugen rates mature blacktails among the hardest big game to consistently attain in North America, and admits he still has a lot to learn.
TERMINAL BALLISTICS BULLET BULLETIN
A
look at the last stop on a hunting bullet’s journey.
STORY BY PHIL MASSARO • PHOTOS BY MASSARO MEDIA GROUP
We ask an awful lot of our bullets, especially those of us who rely on them for self defense or for hunting. We need the bullet to be accurate, we ask it to feed properly from a variety of magazine types, and finally, we want our bullet to perform perfectly once it makes contact with our intended target. The terminal phase of the bullet – that which begins upon impact with the target and ends upon cessation of forward movement or once it exits the target – is what we’re interested in here. It doesn’t
matter what the intended target might be – an African Cape buffalo; that fat, gluttonous woodchuck raiding the vegetable garden; or the 10-point buck of a lifetime – that bullet must do exactly what we need it to do. However, bullets cannot read minds, so we shooters need to help our own cause by choosing the best product for the scenario at hand. I’ll warn you, there are many choices, as well as many correct answers for the same question. However, if we put things into a proper perspective, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision and achieve the desired results.
FIRSTLY, LET’S AGREE on a point: Killing an animal quickly depends on massive
destruction of vital organs and tissue. I’ve made an errant shot on an African antelope not much bigger than our deer while using a .416 Remington Magnum, and it ran over 400 yards before we caught up to it to dispatch it. So a big, heavy bullet in the wrong place doesn’t do a hunter much good, while a smaller bullet in the heart/lungs/brain or other blood-rich vital organ will kill quickly. Some animals seem to be more susceptible to “shock,” while others have a much more subdued reaction to the shot, so there may not be a single bullet that will cover every situation. But we can do our best to choose the best tool for the job at hand.
Generally speaking, match bullets are
The terminal performance of your hunting bullet might just be the most important attribute.
designed for target work only, as they are constructed with no consideration for the terminal phase. I know hunters who use them for big game hunting with mixed results, so I do not recommend them, no matter the accuracy. I do, for example, frequently employ the Sierra MatchKing bullets for varmints and smaller furbearers, as they are no more frangible than most varmint bullets and their pinpoint accuracy is welcomed in that realm. But I’m shooting a .223 Remington or .22-250 Remington, and at game the size of a coyote or smaller. They’re hell on woodchucks, foxes and other small critters of that size, and that’s where the use of match bullets in the field ends for me.
For varmints like woodchucks, prairie dogs and the like, there are highly frangible bullets designed for these species. Hornady’s V-Max, Barnes’ Varmint Grenade, Sierra’s Varminter – all of these have very thin copper jackets and are designed to be nearly explosive, giving a very rapid energy transfer. These animals don’t require a ton of penetration due to their size, and that fast expansion upon impact does all sorts of damage. These bullets are also frangible enough to give proper expansion, even at long ranges when the impact velocities are lower. Want to create the famous “red mist”? Serve a frangible varmint bullet squarely on target at a high velocity and it’ll all be over quickly.
Furbearers are a different story, as many hunters are interested in best preserving the pelt, and two schools of thought are generally followed. First is to use a full metal jacket bullet, as they do not expand and generally leave small entrance and exit wounds. Second is to use a light, highly frangible bullet, which tend not to exit. I’ve used both and tend to lean on the FMJs, as the number of coyotes in our hunting area far exceeds the number of foxes. Your mileage may vary, but I’ll say that the FMJs do less damage to fur, but the varmint bullets kill faster, especially on larger Eastern coyotes, unless we’re discussing headshots.
THE WHITETAIL DEER is America’s
Nosler’s Ballistic Tip is a modern variant of the cup-and-core bullet design using a polymer tip and thick (or thin) jacket for desired terminal performance. The tip acts like a wedge to initiate expansion. It comes in big game and varmint variants.
Hornady’s Interlock is a cup-and-core bullet that relies on the cannelure or crimping groove to keep the jacket and core together during the terminal phase.
The Nosler Partition has been with us since the 1940s, but is still prized for its terminal penetration and reliable expansion.
John Nosler decided to use two cores separated by a partition of gilding metal to prevent premature bullet breakup; his Partition is a great big game choice to this day.
Federal’s Trophy Bonded Tip – one of the best all-around big game bullets available, in author Phil Massaro’s opinion – uses a short lead core bonded to the copper shank in order to slow expansion.
favorite game animal, and with good reason: They are widespread, they offer fantastic table fare and the hunting experience is something quite obviously unparalleled. Each year, deer are killed with any number of centerfire rifles, muzzleloaders, shotguns and handguns, not to mention all the archery gear. All sorts of projectiles are used, from the patched lead balls of the frontloaders, to the traditional cup-and-core jacketed bullets that our grandfathers relied on, to the polymer-tipped spitzer boattail designs featuring a bonded core or monometal construction. Deer aren’t especially hard to kill, unless you hit them wrong, and then you’ve got a problem on your hands. In the centerfire cartridge
The Swift A-Frame is one of the best designs out there, using a dual-core partitioned design with the front core bonded to the thick jacket. The “rivet” just behind the partition is common to the recovered
realm, many hunters are happy to use the .22 and 6mm calibers, and with our modern bullets they can be wonderful. I tend to hedge my bets, as a crack at a black bear is a definite reality in my neck of the woods, so my deer guns range between 6.5mm and .30 caliber. With deer and similar-sized game, a blend of expansion and proper penetration has always given me the best results. I like bullets in the middle to the heavy side of the weight spectrum to guarantee enough penetration. I do like the Sierra GameKing, the Hornady Interlock and ELD-X, the Federal PowerShok, as well as Nosler’s Ballistic Tip and Solid Base bullets. I’ve used the Winchester Power Point and Remington Core-Lokt with great results, but again,
I like to have a bit of bullet weight. I’ve seen a number of light-for-caliber bullets fail to give proper penetration, as they expanded prematurely and left a superficial wound. Those deer were found days later, and quite by accident, and we found that the wound channel was just too shallow for a quick kill. For cup-and-core bullets, stick to the heavier side of things and you’ll be grinning in the trophy photo.
Looking at the premium bullets for deer, I don’t see a real problem, but you might see a more dramatic effect when using softer projectiles. I like those bonded-core designs like the Swift Scirocco II, Federal Trophy Bonded Tip and Nosler AccuBond, as they take full advantage of their
bullets.
A collection of recovered Swift A-Frame bullets from African game, ranging in caliber from .308 up to .416, and from animals ranging in size from gemsbok to Cape buffalo. The terminal performance is excellent.
BULLET BULLETIN
polymer tip, which acts like a wedge to initiate – and guarantee – expansion. The chemical bonding of the jacket and lead core holds the bullet together better than any non-bonded design, offering deep penetration. In fact, with a good number of these designs, bullet recovery is often impossible, as they tend to exit deer and other species of the same size. The Nosler Partition,
which uses a dual core design separated by a wall of gilding metal, and the Swift A-Frame, which is similar but sees the front core bonded to the jacket, are both famous for their performance on larger game species but will certainly do the job on deer. The Partition is,
in my opinion, the better of the two, as it gives a better blend of expansion and penetration due to its softer front core.
LARGER GAME SPECIES like elk, moose and the large bears, as well as many of the African antelopes, can certainly be handled easier by using a premium bullet. Many times these species are the central focus of someone’s “hunt of a lifetime,” and I always like to err on the side of caution. Federal’s Terminal
The Woodleigh Hydrostatically Stabilized Solid uses a cup at the nose to create a cavitation bubble for destroying blood-rich tissue. It is equally effective on antelopes and dangerous game alike.
This trio of Barnes TSX bullets from a .505 Gibbs was recovered from a large-bodied Cape buffalo bull, taken at over 150 yards. Even at lower impact velocities, they performed perfectly.
Ascent and Trophy Bonded Tip; Barnes’ TSX, TTSX and LRX; Hornady’s CX; Swift’s A-Frame and Scirocco II; and Nosler’s Partition, AccuBond and AccuBond Long Range are all great doall projectiles for larger game, as they can handle the thicker hides and large bones you’re going to have to deal with. I’ve never once had one of these bullets “fail,” though some of the early versions of the Barnes monometal bullets did fail to open. This has not been the case with anything I’ve used in the last decade or so. If one of these projectiles is properly placed, you’d better grab your camera and plan the pack out.
As a last note on this category of
game, many folks ask me about the Berger line of projectiles, and I’ll say this: Berger’s stuff is among the most consistent and accurate on the market. However, I’ve had a number of hunters, professional hunters and outfitters alike who have observed that they are also a highly frangible design, and this is undesirable for tougher game, especially when shots are close and impact velocities are high.
Turning to the dangerous game species of Africa and Australia, you’ll find many of the rules and guidelines handed down are over a century old, and perhaps the handbook needs to be revised. Bullets for African game
The Woodleigh Weldcore is a bonded-core softpoint with a great reputation for high retained weight and deep penetration. This 250-grain example is from a kudu bull Massaro took with his .318 Westley Richards.
Federal’s Trophy Bonded Bear Claw is a great choice for large dangerous animals, as the short, bonded lead core and long copper shank will drive deep into the toughest animals with thick hides and heavy bones.
The Swift Scirocco II brings quite a lot to the table, including excellent accuracy, a high ballistic coefficient and a thick jacket chemically bonded to the lead core.
Often overlooked, the Norma Oryx uses a lead core that is bonded at the base, allowing the front to expand just a bit quicker.
BULLET BULLETIN
are often referred to as “solids” (nonexpanding, full metal jacket bullets) and “softs” (expanding softpoint projectiles). The rule of “solids only for elephant” still applies, but I really like some of the modern monometal designs – some of which actually offer the slightest bit of expansion – like the Woodleigh Hydrostatically Stabilized Solid and the North Fork Cup Solid, or the bonded-core Federal Trophy Bonded Sledgehammer. All offer the seriously deep penetration required to quickly and effectively stop and kill an elephant or hippopotamus, which have very thick hides and enormous bones.
The Cape buffalo is one of the most popular species hunted in the dangerous game category, and the time-honored recommendation was a soft for the first shot, with solids thereafter. I think this needs to be revised, as the modern softpoints will deliver the needed penetration from nearly any angle without the risk of overpenetration that solids present; you definitely run the risk of wounding or killing another animal in the herd. For buffalo, I like the Swift A-Frame, Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, Woodleigh Weldcore, Peregrine Bushmaster (an amazing South African bullet) and Barnes TSX; in a proper cartridge they are absolute hell on Cape buffalo.
IN THE END, depending on the game animal at hand, you want a bullet of proper weight for your chosen cartridge, capable of giving the expansion desired for a large wound channel yet tough enough to hold together for deep penetration. The goal is always to destroy as much vital tissue as possible to ensure a quick kill for the game animal. Weight retention – the amount of the bullet’s weight retained after taking an animal – is often discussed as an important part of what makes a good hunting bullet, as a bullet that doesn’t break up prematurely usually gives good terminal performance. Just remember that the expanded diameter of the bullet is also an important factor, as it greatly increases wound channel size. ★
South Africa’s Peregrine Bullets makes one of the author’s favorite hunting bullets –the Bushmaster. Using a brass plunger in a cavity of the all-copper design, expansion is guaranteed and the penetration is never questioned. These bullets were recovered against the offside skin of Cape buffalo bulls in Zimbabwe.
Massaro used a Rigby Highland Stalker in .30-06 with the simple yet effective Hornady InterLock bullet to cleanly take this Scottish red stag.
BLACK POWDER
AT THE OLD WEST CENTERFIRE MATCHES
Small short-distance competition a lot of fun, doesn’t take much time and can be shot on most rifle ranges.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE NESBITT
Instead of giving you an overall report on my club’s Old West Centerfire Matches, let me give you a good, but not quite shot-byshot, accounting of our match that was held just recently.
We had a rather good turnout with 16 shooters on the firing line, and two of those shooters were new to this event. And the weather was very good, even though at first we didn’t have enough of a breeze. Without a breeze, the black powder smoke will just hang in
front of the firing line, sometimes thick enough that we can’t see the targets.
The Old West Centerfire Matches, put on by the Black River Buffalo Runners (a part of Capitol City Rifle & Pistol Club near Olympia, Washington), are held just six times per year. These are short-range matches and they are basically repetitious; each one features a bull’seye target at 100 yards for 10 shots and then another bull’s-eye target at 200 yards for 10 shots. That adds up to 20 shots and a possible score of 200 points. The reason the matches are
basically all the same is because we keep accumulating scores for the year and at the “end of the year match,” we award additional prizes to all shooters based on their aggregate scores.
Our yearly aggregate awards are based on just five matches. This allows a shooter to miss one of the matches during the year or to throw out their lowest score. Having the yearly aggregate simply adds to the fun and, of course, our matches are shot with the old-time buffalo rifles using cast bullets and black powder loads.
While our club is a rather small one,
Bullet-pocked 100- and 200-yard targets signal another installment of a black powder club’s Old West Centerfire Matches. The ’51 revolver was used in an after-match event.
BLACK POWDER
we do have some good shooting in a big way. With 16 shooters – and we sometimes have more – our shooting is done in two relays (since our range can accommodate 12 shooters on the firing line at one time). Running relays allows the shooters to have spotters to watch their shots. Jerry Mayo, the match director, usually partners with me and we spot one another’s shots.
In order to keep things moving, each relay has a time limit of 30 minutes to shoot their 20 shots and both targets are shot at in the same relay. Firing 20 shots in 30 minutes is not hard to do, even for those shooters who wipe their rifle’s bore between shots.
We most often shoot from the sitting position while using cross-sticks, the same way the shooting is done at the big Matthew Quigley Buffalo Rifle Match in Montana. At Quigley, they have the “bucket” target out at 350 yards, which must be shot at from the offhand position, but for our shooting we find it best to remain seated, unless there is a special “after-match” (which might be the “bucket” as well).
FOR THIS MATCH, I was using my heavy Sharps Bridgeport Model ’74 by C. Sharps Arms in .45-90 caliber, which is equipped
with a 6x scope from Montana Vintage Arms. That might seem to be a bit on the heavy side for a short-range match, but the .45-90 has several followers on our range. I’ll be mentioning at least a couple of them. And my loads are not the heaviest; I like to use just 70 grains of Swiss 1½ Fg powder under a 550-grain bullet cast from a Hoch mold. My bullets were lubed with some No. 1 bullet lube from the book Bullet Lubricants for the Black Powder Cartridge Rifle by Paul Matthews (Wolfe Publishing Company) and made for me by Mike Holeman (who was shooting in this same match). That seems to be an accurate load that just
doesn’t need any more boom or blast to get the bullets to the targets.
Jerry used his .45-70, also a ’74 Sharps but a Hartford style, again by C. Sharps Arms, and this time he was using grease-groove bullets rather than the paper-patched projectiles that he had been using. It is my opinion that the change cost him a few points because he needed to adjust and then readjust his sights during the match. Of course, we all need to adjust our rifle’s sights when we finish shooting at the 100-yard target and then move to the 200-yard target, and those sight settings must be established ahead of time.
The 30-minute time limit goes quickly whether you are shooting or spotting. Soon enough, the targets for relay one were replaced with new targets for relay two. Shooters in relay two, including me, had to get prepared. That’s when Jerry called out, “Relay two, to the line! You have five minutes to get ready!” The five minutes are for getting your cross-sticks set where you want them as well as laying out your ammo and other accessories where they can be easily reached. For me, those accessories included a blow tube, for blowing breaths of air through the bore after each shot to keep the fouling moist and soft in order to prepare for the next shot.
As the five minutes neared an end, Jerry called out again, “Does anyone need more time?” There was no response to that – everyone was ready. “OK, your 30 minutes begins
Shooters who attended the centerfire match of western Washington’s Black River Buffalo Runners.
Mike Moran fires his .50-70 from the sitting position.
now. Fire!” called Jerry. With that, the buffalo guns started booming as the bullets were hurled toward the shooters’ respective targets.
MY GOAL IN these matches is to score 90 or better on each target. That would give me an aggregate score of 180 or better for the day. If I don’t get it, I don’t sulk or whine (I hope). It just means I didn’t do as well as I had wanted.
During practice before this match, I shot some rather nice scores, but during competition things seemed to change. One change was seen immediately; my shots were going slightly to the left, scoring in the 8-ring. Perhaps a reason for that was because I did my practice shooting from the bench and during the match I was shooting in a different position. I had hoped that would not make any difference. Black powder cartridge shooters have a saying that “any difference can make a difference.”
That did make me check the windage knobs on the forward scope mount and, yes, one was slightly loose. A quick tightening took place with my fingertips, which moved the scope just enough to help me get some more centered shots. At the end of my 10 rounds fired at the 100-yard target, my score was 92-X, so my personal goal was realized.
Ken Kurfurst was shooting in the same relay with his Sharps-Borchardt, also in .45-90 caliber. He’s an outstanding shooter and he proved that once again by getting a score of 100-5X, which was our highest score on the 100-yard target. Of course, we didn’t know that until all of the targets were scored after the shooting was done.
WE STILL HAD our 200-yard targets to shoot and the clock was ticking. For me, that meant resetting my cross-sticks as well as raising my scope’s elevation by 8 full minutes, from 7 minutes (of angle) up to 15. Then I tried to be extra careful so my first shot at 200 yards would tell me that I had the right sight setting. That first shot on the farther target was a good one, so I started going through my other nine rounds and I finished that target with time to spare.
Because I was shooting in the last relay, that meant the Old West Centerfire Match was finished for the day. It was still a couple of minutes before noon, as these matches are
usually concluded while it is still morning. But there is still more to do, mainly the awards.
My score on the 200-yard target pleased me quite well; all of my shots had gone into the black for a score of 95-X. Both Ken and Allen Cunniff also scored 95s and their scores included more Xs. But the top shooter at 200 yards was Curt Lokovsek, shooting his Shiloh Sharps in 45-90 caliber, with a score of 97-2X.
Our top overall shooter in the match was Ken with an outstanding score of 195-9X out of the possible 200 points. In second place was Allen, who shot 95s on both targets, with a total score of 190X. Curt took third with 189-3X. Then I
Author Mike Nesbitt’s heavy .45-90 by C. Sharps Arms, which weighs in at 14½ pounds.
Ken Kurfurst tries to hide behind his excellent 100-yard target, which scored 100-5X. He went on to win the match with a combined score of 195-9X out of a possible 200.
BLACK POWDER
trailed along in fourth place with a total of 187-2X. Fifth place was taken by Jerry Johnson, shooting a rolling block in .4065 caliber and scoring 181-3X.
The prizes that get awarded are not trophies; instead, they are small but usually useful items or meat prizes. For instance, Ken, in first place, grabbed a couple of ingots of 16-1 lead-tin alloy, which came from Buffalo Arms. I don’t recall what everybody else picked from the prize table, but when I got called for fourth place, a nice summer sausage became my prize. (That made my .45-90 a “meat maker!”) Once again, all shooters received awards in order of their scores.
These small black powder cartridge rifle matches are a lot of fun, they don’t take a lot of time, and with only 200 yards needed for the total distance, they can be shot on most rifle ranges. Our club’s matches began with only five shooters and now we have 16. Such small matches are easy to organize and they still provide a lot of competition. ★
Nesbitt’s 200-yard target with a score of 95-X. He dubbed his rifle a “meat maker” after it helped him finish fourth and score some summer sausage as a prize.
Guests can observe humpback whales’ social behaviors on the surface and below as part of an Aggressor Adventures trip to the Caribbean Sea’s Silver Bank.
THAR SHE BLOWS! (AND SPY HOPS AND SINGS)
Swim with humpback whales on a weeklong Aggressor Adventures trip to a Dominican Republic marine sanctuary.
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT W
hile fall is just beginning and winter is not far behind, Aggressor Adventures’ spring season holds an exciting adventure for intrepid travelers: a whale watching and snorkeling trip off the coast of the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Sea.
According to company president and CEO Wayne Brown, for 10 weeks each early spring, Aggressor Adventures offers guests a chance to snorkel with humpback whales and their calves. “It is an extremely popular time,” he notes.
Designated as a marine sanctuary, the Silver Bank – 20 square miles in size and located between the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos Islands – provides a safe wintering haven for the entire North Atlantic humpback whale population. The whales gather here from January through April by the thousands to court, mate, calve and rear their young.
This sanctuary is one of only three places in the world where humans can swim and snorkel among the whales.
PHOTOS BY AGGRESSOR ADVENTURES
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT
AS PART OF their trip to the Silver Bank, guests can experience two distinct types of encounters with these magnificent creatures. First, they will observe the whales’ social behaviors on the surface as they engage in activities like breaching, tail slapping, pectoral fin waving and spy hopping. Lucky guests may also encounter a humpback whale rowdy group – male whales competing aggressively for the attention of a female in heat using tactics like ramming, head-butting, biting and vocalizing loudly.
Secondly, guests may enter the water wearing a mask, fins and snorkel. This is a soft in-water encounter where snorkelers float calmly in the vicinity of a cooperative whale, allowing the natural curiosity of the whale to draw them close. The most approachable are mothers, calves, male escort trios, solitary females and sleeping whales. The whales will choose to participate or exit.
Another type of in-water encounter is with the singing of a male humpback whale. While the whales may not be visible, snorkelers will hear and feel their complex and haunting songs that can last up to 20 minutes and are often heard for miles underwater.
For this weeklong adventure, guests depart from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, on board the 120-foot Turks & Caicos Aggressor II. The yacht sleeps up to 18 and accommodations include one master stateroom for couples with a queen bed, six deluxe staterooms with a double and single berth, and two twin staterooms with two single beds and a shared bathroom. All staterooms have a TV, media player, full shower and bathroom, and central climate control air conditioning.
Common areas include a roomy air-conditioned salon and dining area, shaded sun deck complete with a hot tub, lounge chairs, deck chairs, shaded cocktail deck and grill. There is a variety of nightly entertainment, including snorkeling, fish identification presentations, movies, games and more.
For more information, visit aggressor.com. ★
The Turks & Caicos Aggressor II accommodates up to 18 guests for this weeklong adventure and offers many of the usual amenities from Aggressor Adventures.
