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SHOOTING JOURNAL Volume 9 // Issue 10 // July 2020 PUBLISHER James R. Baker GENERAL MANAGER John Rusnak EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Andy Walgamott OFFICE MANAGER / COPY EDITOR Katie Aumann LEAD CONTRIBUTOR Frank Jardim

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ON THE COVER A “private” in the Westchester County, New York, militia carries Revolutionary War-era accoutrements made by artisans of the Contemporary Longrifle Association for the organization’s annual fundraising auction, scheduled for this October. (DAVID WRIGHT)

Website: AmericanShootingJournal.com Facebook: Facebook.com/AmericanShootingJournal Twitter: @AmShootingJourn

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American Shooting Journal // July 2020

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CONTENTS

VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 10

MORE FEATURES

22 THE MILITIAMAN

47

BLACK POWDER: NEW LIFE FOR AN OLD FAVORITE When Mike Nesbitt and pals decided to hold an “old-style .22 match,” little did our black powder guru know it would lead to adventures in restoring an old Stevens Favorite Model 1915 single-shot.

55

ROAD HUNTER: HUNTING THE ‘SONGDOGS OF SUMMER’ Winter, when their pelts are thick and rich, isn’t the only time of year to hunt coyotes. But how do you chase them in summer? Resident predator control agent Scott Haugen shares his top tips for bagging more songdogs so you can help save more newborn fawns and freshly hatched wild bird chicks.

65

LABOR OF LOVE: GROUPS SEEK TO RECRUIT NEW SPORTSMEN It’s easy for rural folks to get into hunting and shooting, but what about tapping into the vast well of interested urbanites to boost our ranks?

Learn how the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance and National Shooting Sports Foundation have joined forces to mentor budding cityslicker sportsmen.

69

BULLET BULLETIN: BULLET ASCENDANT With its bloodline, weight distribution, ballistics and more, “Federal has a winner here for sure” in the new Terminal Ascent. Professor of projectiles Phil Massaro puts the big game hunting bullet through its paces at the range.

81

BULLETS FOR AR’S AND MORE Learn how Missouri’s Defense Logistics is bringing a revolutionary approach to the ammo industry with its “Reclaim, Recycle, Repurpose” commitment.

89

IN MEMORIAM: FRANK DeSOMMA Remembering Patriot Ordnance Factory’s founder/ owner and piston-operated AR designer, who passed away at 57 after a car wreck.

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NEW LOOK FOR FIREARMS SOLVENTS PrOlix, maker of “all-in-one” biodegradable cleaners, lubricants and more, has upgraded its packaging in time for the company’s 34th anniversary this month.

(DAVID WRIGHT)

Each year, artisans of the Contemporary Longrifle Association create period-perfect accoutrements for their annual fundraising auction, while our Frank Jardim weaves a story about how the items might have been part of the kit of a soldier, frontiersman or other early day American. Check out the craftsmen’s incredible handwork and how some of the pieces could have been carried during the Revolution’s biggest battle by Jardim’s fictional Private Joshua Meade.

DEPARTMENTS 17 21

Competition Calendar Gun Show Calendar

AMERICAN SHOOTING JOURNAL is published monthly by Media Index Publishing Group, 14240 Interurban Ave South Suite 190, Tukwila, WA 98168. Display Advertising. Call Media Index Publishing Group for a current rate card. Discounts for frequency advertising. All submitted materials become the property of Media Index Publishing Group and will not be returned. Copyright © 2020 Media Index Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be copied by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in U.S.A.

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American Shooting Journal // July 2020

americanshootingjournal.com 15

PRIMER

COMPETITION C A L E N D A R

July 12

July 17-19

July 26

JuLY 8-12

JuLY 18-19

July 30-August 2

JuLY 11-12

July 24-25

July 31-August 1

2020 Bay State Games Sport Pistol Finals Woburn, Mass.

2020 USA Shooting PPP Nationals Colorado Springs, Colo.

2020 Bay State Games Free Pistol Finals Woburn, Mass.

usashooting.org 2020 Berry’s Bullets Area 1 Championship Puyallup, Wash.

uspsa.org

2020 Eastern Lakes Sectional Match Albany, N.Y.

July 11-12

July 18-19

July 25-26

July 18-19

July 25-26

August 1-2

July 9

July 11-12

July 11-12

July 9-10

July 11-12

Coeur d’Alene Glock Classic I Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Nebraska State Shoot Litchfield, Neb. Missouri State Championship Festus, Mo.

July 11

Kentucky State Shoot LaGrange, Ky.

JuLY 11 idpa.com

July 24-26

2020 New Mexico Section Championship Clovis, N.M.

2020 CODA Evolution Western PA Section Championship Alverton, Pa.

Buckeye State Ballistic Challenge XVIII Marietta, Ohio

cmsaevents.com

Free State Championship De Soto, Kan.

2020 Hornady Area 3 Championship Alda, Neb.

Double Tap Championship Wichita Falls, Texas

JuLY 17-18

gssfonline.com

Oregon Open Sectional Championship White City, Ore.

2020 OK State IDPA Championship Tulsa, Okla.

July 11-12

2020 Independence IDPA Match Hunlock Creek, Pa.

The Sunflower State Classic VIII Wellington, Kan. Great Lakes Regional Classic XVI Brighton, Mich.

NH State Championship Temple, N.H. Idaho State Shoot Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

July 11-12

Pacific Coast Challenge XIV Albany, Ore. Northwestern Regional Classic XXV Port Townsend, Wash.

2020 New York State Championship Pittsfield, Pa.

July 18

Montana State Shoot Lincoln, Mont.

Mid-Central Regional Championship Festus, Mo.

July 22-25

July 17-18

July 25

2020 New Mexico Scorcher Rio Rancho, N.M.

July 18

Razorback Shootout Perryville, Ark.

July 25

Tri-State Border Disorder Midway, Fla.

CMSA Western US Championship Las Vegas, Nev.

Coastal Carolina Challenge 2020 Bolivia, N.C.

July 31-August 1

2020 Kentucky State IDPA Championship Wilmore, Ky.

Note: Due to the coronavirus outbreak, social distancing requirements that states have prescribed, and rapidly changing developments at press time, it is highly advisable to check ahead on the status of individual events via the links in the above organizers’ websites. americanshootingjournal.com 17

PRS RESOURCE GUIDE Pro Bolt Gun Series July 10 July 11 July 18 July 25 Aug. 1 Aug. 8 Aug. 15 Aug. 22

Hornady Precision Rifle Challenge Canadian Sharpshooter Classic W.A.R. Rifles Shootout PRS New England Wisconsin Barrel Maker Classic Vapor Trail Bullets Steel Siege MPA Summer Shootout 2020 Big Dog Steel Fall Challenge

Evanston, Wyoming Hanna, Alberta Gerrardstown, West Virginia Dalton, New Hampshire Cascade, Wisconsin Spickard, Missouri Blakey, Georgia Kimbolton, Ohio

Note: Due to the coronavirus outbreak, social distancing requirements that states are prescribing and rapidly changing developments at press time, it is highly advisable to check ahead on the status of individual events via the link in the organizer’s website below.

For more information visit www.precisionrifleseries.com

PARTS, ACCESSORIES & GEAR

See us on page 28

americanshootingjournal.com 19

PRIMER

GUNSHOW C A L E N D A R

C&E Gun Shows

cegunshows.com

Crossroads Of The West Gun Shows crossroadsgunshows.com

Florida Gun Shows

floridagunshows.com

RK Shows rkshows.com

Real Texas Gun Shows therealtexasgunshow.com

Tanner Gun Shows tannergunshow.com

Wes Knodel Gun Shows wesknodelgunshows.com

July 18-19

Salem, Va.

Salem Civic Center

July 25-26

Concord, N.C.

Hickory Metro Convention Center

August 1-2

Columbus, Ohio

Westland Mall

August 8-9

Winston-Salem, N.C.

Winston-Salem Fairgrounds

August 15-16

Fayetteville, N.C.

Crown Expo Center

August 15-16

Harrisburg, Pa.

PA Farm Show Complex

August 15-16

Sharonville, Ohio

Sharonville Convention Center

July 18-19

Phoenix, Ariz.

AZ State Fairgrounds

July 25-26

Reno, Nev.

Reno Convention Center

August 1-2

Ontario, Calif.

Ontario Convention Center

August 8-9

Las Vegas, Nev.

LV Convention Center

August 15-16

Prescott, Ariz.

Findlay Toyota Center

July 11-12

Orlando, Fla.

Central Florida Fairgrounds

July 18-19

Miami, Fla.

The Fair Expo Center

July 25-26

Palmetto, Fla.

Bradenton Area Convention Center

July 3-5

St. Louis, Mo.

Orlando Gardens

July 4-5

East Ridge, Tenn.

Camp Jordan Arena

July 11-12

Jackson, Tenn.

Jackson Fairgrounds Park

July 18-19

Columbus, Ga.

Ironworks Convention Center

July 18-19

Neosho, Mo.

Newton County Fairgrounds

July 25-26

Tulsa, Okla.

Expo Square – Exchange Center

July 25-26

Somerset, Ky.

The Center For Rural Development

July 4-5

Belton, Texas

Bell County Expo Center

All 2020 shows cancelled until further notice

July 18-19

Centralia, Wash.

Southwest Washington Fairgrounds

August 8-9

Centralia, Wash.

Southwest Washington Fairgrounds

August 29-30

Redmond, Ore.

Deschutes County Fairgrounds Expo Center

Note: Due to the coronavirus outbreak, social distancing requirements that states prescribed, and rapidly changing developments at press time, it is highly advisable to check ahead on the status of individual gun shows via the links in the above organizers’ websites.

To have your event highlighted here, send an email to kaumann@media-inc.com.

americanshootingjournal.com 21

As he does each year with accoutrements made

by Contemporary Longrifle Association member artisans for an annual fundraiser, author Frank Jardim weaves a story about how the items might have been part of the kit of a soldier, frontiersman or other early day American. One of this year's collections is known as The Scout Set, and some pieces are carried by fictional Private Joshua Meade, a New York militiaman who in Jardim’s telling stood against the British Army during the Battle of Long Island, the first after the Declaration of Independence and largest of the Revolution.

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American Shooting Journal // June 2020

THE MILITIAMAN A Revolutionary War patriot comes alive in the annual creations of Contemporary Longrifle Association artisans.

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STORY BY FRANK JARDIM • PHOTOS BY DAVID WRIGHT

his October, the Contemporary Longrifle Association will hold its 25th anniversary annual meeting and art show in Lexington, Kentucky. Dedicated to preserving the artisanal skills of American craftsmen and -women spanning the colonial era through the start of the 1840s, the CLA encompasses artists working as gunmakers, horners, leather workers, weavers, embroiderers, clothing makers, blacksmiths and bladesmiths, potters, furniture makers and more, with virtually all professions, as well as the conventional decorative arts, represented among its membership. If it was made by skilled hands in America before 1840, there’s someone in the CLA who’s still doing it that way.

To commemorate the event and raise funds to support CLA programs, 47 artists have contributed their skills to create 23 unique individual objects and sets that will be auctioned at the show. As I examined some of those wonderfully executed auction lots, the authenticity of their details took my imagination back in time. With a little photographic help from CLA artist and respected painter David Wright, I offer you a glimpse of where nine particularly evocative pieces took me.

CLA fundraiser items for this year’s auction include (from left to right) a tinderbox with firestarting materials, belt axe, knapsack and canteen.

THE MILITIAMAN ust after his sixteenth birthday in June of 1776, Private Joshua Meade, the educated son of a successful surgeon, eagerly presented himself to fulfill his civic duty with the militia of Westchester County, New York. In the not-too-distant past, before his constitution failed him, Joshua’s father served in the militia as a lieutenant and some of the older men recalled him as a competent and dedicated officer.

On the morning of Joshua’s arrival, the regiment’s 459 men were preparing to make the day-long

J

march down the Hudson River Valley to New York City to join General Washington’s Continental Army.

Joshua kept his mouth shut, as his father advised, and did his best to follow orders. He had never marched before, or done any soldiering of any kind, but the other men assigned to his mess were quick to help him. They seemed to like him, and immediately bestowed upon him the obviously mock honor of carrying their iron cooking kettle. As the newcomer, and the youngest of his mess, he felt obliged to accept. He was strong and the extra weight was little bother to

him at first, but that changed after the first mile. Various experiments finally revealed the cartage of the awkward pot was the least objectionable when it was harnessed in his leather blanket carrier and slung on his back over his knapsack with his untethered blanket stuffed inside.

The kettle notwithstanding, compared to other men in the regiment, he did not think himself overequipped. Some carried large swords, thick bedrolls and huge sacks whose seams were stretched to contain he-knew-not-what. To meet his militia duty requirements, Joshua americanshootingjournal.com 23

British General William Howe’s actual battle map for his campaign in New York showing the landing on Long Island’s shore, the brilliant maneuver around the Continental Army’s open left flank, and the American withdrawal to their Brooklyn Heights redoubts from whence they evacuated 9,500 troops across the East River to Manhattan the same night. (ADAPTED FROM HOWES MAP) Post-war painting of the Maryland Regiment’s heroic stand at the Old Stone House. Through the smoke of musket and cannon fire in the background, the American line exchanges volleys with the redcoats to buy time for their comrades to attempt the last route of escape open to the surrounded unit – crossing the Gowanus swamp and creek depicted in the foreground. Many drowned or were shot down in the attempt. (ALONZO CHAPPEL)

24

American Shooting Journal // July 2020

had his father’s long 10-gauge fowler, a supply of cartridges loaded with lead balls instead of bird shot, 37 extra balls (all he could cast with the lead on hand the night before), a pound of gunpowder in an artisan-made, weather-tight, screw-top powder horn, a leather hunting bag instead of a cartridge box for his finished ammunition and small items to service his firelock, and a small belt axe instead of a sword. The axe was a more practical and useful tool than the sword, and, according to his father, a hand axe was about as useful in a fight as a sword would be in the hands of a man untrained in swordsmanship.

To this, he added a few more items.

From the tanner, he bought a new lightweight, formed-leather canteen.

It was more durable and easy to carry than a water skin, much more compact than a wooden canteen, and, he imagined, quieter to carry on patrol than the ones made of soldered sheet tin. On his belt he had a sharp and well balanced, bone-handled sheath knife, cleanly shaped and polished by a whitesmith. It was small enough to eat with but still big enough to fight with. On his back he wore his father’s waterproof knapsack containing an

extra set of small clothes and stockings, a hunk of soap, a tinderbox, the compass his father used as a militia officer, and six pounds of dried, salted pork, cheese and bread. From the weaver, his mother purchased for him a heavy wool blanket to keep him warm in the night and cold. Wool kept in the body’s warmth, even if it was wet. Before he’d taken on the kettle, he’d slung his blanket in its leather carrier on his back under the knapsack.

ALL ACROSS THE colonies, militias were being called to arms.

The actions of King George III and his Parliament showed, again and again, that they regarded colonials as much less than full English citizens. When the crown turned to naked force to bring the colonies to heel, the colonial response was to meet force with force to protect their communities from British redcoats and their loyalist Tory allies.

Joshua, on this first march to his first campaign, was in high spirits over the prospects of adventure that lay ahead and the pride he felt doing his part for their Glorious Cause of independence.

Two and a half months later, Joshua’s view of his prospects was bleak. He stood on the Brooklyn shore of the East River shivering and soaked to the skin in the night’s rain.

Although he could barely see anything beyond a few rods, another 400 or so of his fellow Westchester militiamen from 16 to 50 were crowded mutely around him, equally wet and chilled.

There were no fires to warm them.

The only light to see by came from a sliver of crescent moon. Two hours earlier, they were ordered out of their posts in the earthworks overlooking British engineers slowly digging their way toward them. Their sergeants and corporals ordered strict silence on the march from the fortifications as not to alert the British of their movements.

The lack of the usual conversation, jokes and even complaints left Joshua unexpectedly lonely. The loneliness and darkness added a sense of acute isolation to his present despair.

His thoughts turned inward to recollections of the momentous battle

After hearing the Declaration of Independence read on July 9, 1776, New York patriots pulled down the gilded-lead equestrian statue of King George III to melt down for bullets. (WILLIAM WALCUTT; DETAIL, PULLING DOWN THE STATUE OF GEORGE III AT BOWLING GREEN, N.Y. JULY 9, 1776)

of the preceding day. It was the largest military engagement in the history of the Americas.

GENERAL WASHINGTON STARTED with nearly 20,000 men, some of them newly organized into equally new Continental Army regiments, and the rest state and local militias like Joshua’s. Most had never been to war. Some had experience in frontier-style war against the Indians, and a small measure were veterans of Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill and the siege of Boston. But almost no one in America had fought a professional army in the European manner. On the water, Washington had but a handful of sloops operating as privateers.

The British arrived with an aweinspiring fleet of unprecedented size. It included 10 fearsome ships-

of-the-line with 100 or more heavy cannons each, 20 swift frigates, and hundreds of transport ships. Any one of the warships had the firepower to completely destroy New York City.

Only nature could limit the scope of the Royal Navy’s operations on the water, and the present battleground was surrounded by navigable waterways!

The transports reportedly brought Howe as many as 32,000 men, all seasoned, disciplined troops … all with bayonets. There was nothing Joshua feared more than British bayonets. He wasn’t alone in that respect. Many of the militia carried their personal firelocks, and many of these guns were not even capable of mounting a bayonet, had they had any.

By noon the day before, the battle was done and the British had driven them from the field with bayonets, overwhelming General Sullivan’s americanshootingjournal.com 25

troops so quickly, Joshua’s regiment was never even called to the line.

Without realizing it, he said aloud to himself, “August 27th in the blessed year of our Lord 1776, we lost our Glorious Cause.”

HE WAS JARRED back to the present when a strong callused hand cupped over his mouth, while another clutched the back of his neckstock tight. Then he was nose-to-nose with Elijah Oakley. The old man released his neck and gestured for silence with his finger to his lips. At home in Westchester, Old Man Oakley worked as a wood cutter. Here, he was called Corporal Oakley. At 50 years old, he was at the upper age limit for normal compulsory militia service.

Most men under 40, and that was the majority of the militia, had never served beyond the four or five muster days a year legally required for drill and training. Oakley had actually fought in the provisional regiments raised by the colony to support British regulars, against the French and their Indian allies in the Seven Years War. At that time, Joshua was a babe at his mother’s breast. A lot had happened since that time to turn Old Man Oakley against his red-coated former comrades-in-arms.

Standing on the dark shore, Joshua became aware that men were moving around him and looked up.

Silhouetted against the moonlight dancing on the water, he saw the black outline of barrel-chested Corporal Oakley pushing and pulling the shoulders of other human outlines to get them walking up the shoreline.

Joshua, along with the rest, fell in with them. It was a short distance to a ferry landing, where they boarded a small sloop docked there minutes before.

Once as many as the vessel could carry were aboard, she efficiently and quietly pulled away and made sail for Manhattan Island, navigating without landmarks or light. To Joshua’s surprise, the vessel’s crew were the very same Massachusetts Marbleheaders of Colonel John Glover’s regiment who had manned a section of the Brooklyn Heights perimeter near his militia regiment 26

American Shooting Journal // July 2020

during the day. These men were professional seamen and handled their commandeered boats with great skill and what looked to Joshua like perfect confidence and discipline.

Aboard with nothing else to do, there was some whispering now among the militiamen, mostly of relief, but also troubling questions about their obvious defeat yesterday on Long Island. They were the same questions Joshua had asked himself since the British and their greencoated Hessian mercenaries turned the Continental Army’s left flank and drove Major General Sullivan’s troops from their main line of defense until only Brigadier General Alexander’s regiments on the far right held the line. The American retreat from their forward defenses was anything but orderly. It was more of a panicked rout than a retreat and he was shamed and terrified to see it. In the early morning hours of the battle, it seemed from their breastworks on the Brooklyn Heights a few miles behind their forward positions, like the main British attack was focused on the right flank and Alexander’s men were at least holding their own. They drove off repeated frontal attacks, and when they realized the enemy was at their back, fought a valiant delaying action, allowing most of their line to retreat to the 2-mile-long defense perimeter on the Brooklyn Heights.

Joshua wondered how much of the Continental Army crossing the river tonight owed their escape to Alexander’s men on the right flank, who held their ground and kept up a vigorous fire. Reports were that the Maryland Continentals had fought nearly to the last man at the Old Stone House, repeatedly counterattacking so other troops could fall back to safety.

There were few to tell the tale and General Alexander himself was feared captured or killed. Tonight, American morale was at its nadir.

AFTER A FEW minutes on the river, another soldier took up a spot against the hatch next to Joshua and let out a familiar sigh of exhaustion. It was Corporal Oakley.

“Have you still got your canteen,

lad?” he asked. Joshua unslung his leather bottle and handed it to the old man. It was nearly empty.

“Keep your canteen full, lad,” Oakley added, and poured the contents on the deck. Then he pulled a small bundle from under his coat and put it to the mouth of Joshua’s canteen.

“I obtained this restorative libation from the first mate,” he said. “How a Marblehead fisherman came to possess such a fine brandy, I dare not speculate, but I hope when its rightful owner discovers it missing, he will not curse us too harshly. I suspect it will do the Glorious Cause more good warming our bellies than his. Have a sip, lad.”

“Thanks, Corporal Oakley,” Joshua said, and took a stout swig from the canteen. Then he took two more and reslung it around his chest. The brandy did as the old man promised and they sat in the near silence without speaking. Others on deck, as suggested by their snores, had probably fallen asleep, and what little quiet talking he still heard was terse commands to sailors. In short order, the brandy loosened Joshua’s tongue.

“Corporal Oakley? Are you awake?”

“I am now, lad,” he replied.

“I … I …,” he uttered with a shaky voice, “I’m worried our Glorious Cause is lost … that we can’t win against the British in a test of arms.”

“What makes you think that, lad?”

“Howe is a better general than Washington. The redcoats know how to fight and we don’t. The colonies are rotten with Tories spying for the enemy, sabotaging our plans and betraying us at every turn. We spent months building forts and earthworks that did us no good yesterday and our shore batteries are just as useless to impede the British fleet. Had we stayed in Brooklyn Heights, sooner or later the wind and tide would favor them and they’d have sailed up and blasted us off the hilltop. Now we’re sailing to another island we can’t defend against their navy. We’ve slipped one trap by jumping into another. I fear the Continental Army is broken, and what’s left of it won’t last past the next time Washington is outfoxed.

I fear that if I stay, I’ll be killed, and

It all began in 1951 in the garage of Wallace (Red) Judd in an area known locally as Yankee Hill. Shortly thereafter, James H. Graham joined the business. After having just finished a tour of duty in Korea, James H. seized the opportunity to help those whom he had served with. He did this through the manufacturing of firearms and firearm accessories. Since then, the company has experienced steady growth and now occupies nearly 50,000 square feet of manufacturing space.

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if I’m captured or surrender, I’ll be bayonetted to the trees like Sullivan’s men. If I go back home, I’ll be given up to the British by our Tory neighbors and hanged in due time.”

“Might as well fight then, lad,” the old man replied.

“But we can’t win.”

THE ART & THE ARTISTS t its core, the Contemporary Longrifle Association is a community of collaborative artists who share an enthusiasm for early American heritage. Seven of the accoutrements used by my fictional young militiaman Joshua Meade were selected from a grouping that 19 artists contributed to, titled The Scout Set. The fowler and powder horn formed another discrete grouping. All these pieces, plus a score more, are ones you can actually own. They will be sold at a live auction, with proceeds going to support the CLA’s mission.

The auction is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Eastern on Friday, October 30, 2020, at the CLA Annual Meeting show at the Lexington Convention Center (Rupp Arena), 400 W. Vine Street, Lexington, Kentucky. The live auction is reserved for CLA members only, but there is a special prorated membership rate of $20 at the door. If you are outbid, there’s no reason to go home empty-handed, as this magnificent show displays the work of about 150 artists! For those unable to attend in person, including nonmembers, an absentee bidding process is available via e-mail and the USPS, but all bids must be submitted prior to the start of the live auction. For the catalog and photographs of all the artwork up for auction, as well as information on how to participate in this auction, visit contemporarylongriflefoundation.org.

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“You worry a lot for such a young fellow. All we need to do to win, lad … is not lose.”

“What do you call this disaster?!”

Joshua asked, gesturing with his hands at the tired men all over the deck, dozing where they sat, firelocks embraced against their chests, hats

pulled low on their heads.

“I’d call it a greater failure for General Howe than Washington.

Howe is a soldier by profession.

Washington is a planter. Howe could have cleared us all off the Brooklyn Heights by storm before supper yesterday. He could have destroyed

COLONIAL FOWLER BY JAMES M. FROST full-time precision machinist by trade and flintlock gunmaker and gunsmith by choice, James Frost has spent 35 years building historic guns. He created dozens of custom muzzleloaders, each one unique and as historically accurate as he could possibly make them.

“Each firearm presents its own unique challenges,” Frost says. “I strive to create pieces of contemporary art based on historical representations I find seen in museums and private collections. I took great strides to research creating patina to reflect the period and age of this New England fowler so it appears as if it was made in the early 1770s, rather than last year.”

The smoothbore fowler, capable of taking a wide spectrum of wild game, saw extensive use in early America as a humble hunting arm. But, in a very real sense, the weapon helped shape the United States. During the early days of the Revolutionary War, New England militia units regularly took to the field armed with smoothbore fowlers, employing them in the epic fights for liberty at Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill. This classic New England fowler combines French and English stylistic features and is typical of the middle to the third quarter of the 18th century. It’s constructed around a 10-gauge, 46-inch-long, octagon-to-round barrel. The barrel is married to a remarkably patterned stock of curly maple, finished with a combination of alcohol-based stains and a hand-rubbed finish of English red oil. The fowler

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features brass furniture; the barrel, as well as the Chambers lock, has a cold rust-brown finish. Contact jimboblues@yahoo.com for more information.

POWDER HORN BY MIKE SMALL ormerly from the mountains of West Virginia, Mike Small now lives in Vancouver, Washington. He’s crafted powder horns for over 30 years.

“This horn is modeled after powder horns made in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, from

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the 17th and early 18th century, and is slightly larger than most Lehigh horns,” says Small. “I made it specifically to mate up with Frost’s fowler. It features a complex two-part spout. The large spout is closed with a screwon horn cap, while the small spout for charging the pan has a more typical friction-fit plug.” Contact wbgv1@yahoo.com.

KNIFE AND SHEATH BY TONY CHASE AND MIKE CONKLING ony Chase is a member of the American Mountain Men. He has always liked knives. He started collecting them when he was young, and forging his own 18th and early 19th century-style blades a few years ago after taking classes with CLA members Joe Seabolt and Ian Pratt. Chase is more than familiar with the features that render a knife reliable for actual use in the backcountry.

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over half of the fighting strength of this new Continental Army. Had he killed or captured all 10,000 of us yesterday, instead of just a thousand, he probably would have killed any hope of our independence from England. But he did not, lad. Instead, thinking us trapped in our own breastworks with a river his fleet could control at our backs, he stopped his advance to lay siege. And here we are, lad.”

“All night we’ve been ferrying our soldiers away right under their noses to fight another day. We won’t tarry long on Manhattan either.

Washington may not be half the General Howe is, but he’s no fool.

Mark my words. We’ll outlast them because liberty is our Glorious Cause and to them this war is just another grab for colonial treasure. Those Hessian troops aren’t fighting for King George for love of their cousin.

They’re mercenaries, and mercenaries don’t fight unless they are paid. I know you have not been paid a cent of the $6 you’re due monthly. I’ll venture it’s the same with most of the men in our patriot army. If they quit the field, it won’t be over coin.”

“How are you so sure we’ll outlast them?” Joshua asked.

“Because, in one way or another, patriots have already been fighting for their liberty a dozen years, and we’ve not been dissuaded of its virtue yet, lad,” the old corporal answered. “The Declaration of Independence was forged slowly from a hundred insults to our rights as Englishmen. You’re too young to remember the crown’s first moves to put a boot on the neck of the colonies, but I remember the Stamp Act well.”

“I hope you are right,” Joshua replied, with more concern than challenge. He had no other response.

As their sloop plied the East River toward the temporary safety of Manhattan, he thought hard about Oakley’s perspective on the rebellion.

The more he thought, the more it seemed to ring true.

JOSHUA WAS FOUR years old when Parliament passed the Stamp Act in 1764, but its infamy was still fresh in the minds of patriots. It

“I made this razor-sharp blade from 1080 steel sized for all-purpose use around camp,” Chase explains, “and fitted it with bone scales.”

Mike Conkling from Kansas crafted the sheath. As a scrimshaw artist for the past 40 years, Conkling decorated various materials, including a number of powder horns. But as powder horns are often paired with a pouch, he developed a passion for the various styles of pouches and the art of leatherwork.

After he discovered his family tree included veterans of the Revolutionary War, he became more interested in the creation of 18th and 19th century-style powder horns and pouches. He joined the CLA and the Honorable Company of Horners so he could be exposed to other artists in these crafts.

“I made this sheath from a piece of Horween horse butt strip, which exhibits a rich vegetable-tanned russet color without dye,” Conkling says.

“The sheath’s welted seam is hand-sewn with waxed linen thread, and given a protective coating of neatsfoot and mink oil. The sheath is unlined with a loop on the back for a 2-inch-wide belt. It’s not a copy of any particular sheath. It represents a typical, folded and molded, trade knife sheath with some tooled line decoration.” Contact jmconkling@gmail.com.

KNAPSACK BY SHELLY GIER n 2003, Shelly Gier got involved in living history, re-enactments and shooting black powder guns. Captivated with the culture and all of the interesting historic tools, pouches and accoutrements that go with them, she began making her own with the goal of creating leather objects from the past that are beautiful, historically correct, and functional.

The Scout Set is built around her superb knapsack crafted from period-appropriate hemp fabric, which is treated with beeswax and deer tallow for water-resistance. Leather welts protect the side seams, and there are four rings sewn in the seams on each side.

The base of the knapsack is reinforced with oak-tanned leather treated with bear oil. Both the top and bottom of the pack sport two tabs for securing additional gear. The pack also boasts two additional pockets: one positioned inside the flap for smaller items, and another on the front, which is integrated

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required every legal document and everything printed, like books or pamphlets, to bear a royal tax stamp.

To do this, royal tax collectors were commissioned. Because of open defiance from every colony, and in more than a few cases a sound thrashing at the hands of an angry patriot mob, within a year, every tax collector resigned his commission and the act was repealed. The Stamp Act spawned the Sons of Liberty in Boston. Its credo, “No taxation without representation,” spread from colony to colony. In their defiance of the Stamp Act, Whig patriots, Old Man Oakley and Joshua’s father among them, took a stand against tyranny and demanded their rights as Englishmen be respected.

Unfortunately, what followed showed that mother England saw them as colonial children unworthy of a voice in Parliament. In 1766, with not one legally elected member in the House of Lords or Common representing the three million English citizens in North America, Parliament voted it had the right to tax them as proof it had the right to tax them.

Parliament tried again with the Townsend Acts in 1767, taxing all imported British lead, glass, china, paper, paint and tea. Patriotic merchants in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York defied the laws with coordinated boycotts of English imports. In Boston particularly, merchants with English goods in their stores ran the risk of becoming the target of patriot mobs who were not above destroying their property and treating the Tory shop owner to a new suit of tar and feathers. Parliament resorted to musket and bayonet to enforce its authority in Boston and sent 2,000 British redcoats there to suppress the Sons of Liberty and protect loyalists.

Protests and defiance continued around the colonies, and in 1769, all the Townsend taxes, except the most lucrative one on tea, were rescinded. True to what Oakley had told him, that partial success didn’t much dissipate the passion of the American patriots. In Boston, violent confrontations between patriot mobs,

into the seams. Handcraftsmanship is apparent in the smallest details. The straps for the pack are made from walnut-dyed hemp reinforced with oaktanned leather. The webbing is bound on the edges with bark-tanned leather, as found on original pieces. The buckles on the shoulder straps are handforged. Contact shellycamps1790@gmail.com.

BELT AXE BY BENJAMIN HOFFMAN enjamin Hoffman lives in central Ohio with his wife and their two children.

He’s made his living as a historical arms maker for the last 11 years and been involved in reenacting for the past 15 years.

“I am beyond blessed to be able to make a living at something I love!” he says. “I love being active in blacksmithing, knife and axe making, leather working, gunsmithing, and when time permits, spin fishing in our local streams.”

Says Hoffman, “I based the design of this axe on an original piece dating from 1770-1812 that was found in Ohio, and hand-forged the head from 1070 tool steel and honed it sharp, ready for use. I hewed the handle from a hickory blank and made a custom sheath out of oak-tanned cowhide.” Contact hoffmanreproductions@ yahoo.com.

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Tories and British troops escalated.

Events there finally lit the fuse to a powder keg of festering colonial grievances against England. Those events in Boston pushed young Joshua ever closer toward the belief that King George III was no paternalistic protector of the colonies.

In 1770, British troops fired on a patriot mob, killing and wounding 11 of them. The news of the Boston Massacre was for Joshua, and many of his Whig neighbors, a tipping point in their attitude towards royal authority in the colonies. But it was Parliament’s response to the Boston Tea Party in 1773 that convinced Joshua they had no future as free men under English rule.

When Boston Sons of Liberty destroyed a fortune in taxable tea in Boston Harbor, Parliament responded by passing the Coercive Acts to punish the city. The port was closed, local government suspended, crown officials placed above the law, and the private homes of citizens could be seized for the quartering of troops. Boston was essentially under military control.

Rather than frighten the other colonies into compliance with Parliament’s edicts, the Coercive Acts unified their resolve to oppose British rule. The more authority the crown sought to exert over the colonial patriots, the more they resisted until, finally, they could stand no more. Joshua had decided to take up the Glorious Cause of independence sooner than many, but he was young, a third-generation New Yorker, and had no ties to England.

He realized for others, a break could be harder, and some would simply remain unwaveringly loyal to the crown for personal or business reasons uniquely their own. The signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 would be a bitter pill for loyalists to swallow.

A MONTH AND a half before the battle, on July 9, Joshua’s regiment was among a few thousand soldiers assembled with arms for parade on the New York City commons. General Washington was present, as were all the locals who could crowd in to watch.

After the parade, the full text of the

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COMPASS BY JOE D. BAXTER ndiana-based Joe D. Baxter makes powder horns and accoutrements. He is a member of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association and the Honorable Company of Horners, and is certified as a journeyman in the horn guild.

“I’ve always loved the 18th century tools of the trade and the history behind it,” Baxter says.

“I was hooked after going to my first shoot at Friendship (Indiana), where I saw one of Art DeCamp’s horns for the first time and wanted to try to make my own. That’s how the madness began. I bought every horn book I could find. This compass is a first for me.

A delicate assembly of precision metal and glass like this wouldn’t be cheap in 1776. It’s not the type of thing everyone could afford and my thinking was those that could, would want to protect it from damage. I designed the pine, fitted, swivel-top case with that in mind.” Contact jdbaxter87@gmail.com.

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BLANKET BY CARRIE JESSEN innesota weaver Carrie Jessen, proprietress of Bear Den Handwovens, grew up on a farm in central North Dakota and moved to northern Minnesota for college, where she met her husband Tom Jessen. They’ve lived there ever since. She became greatly interested in weaving blankets 26 years ago while reenacting 17001800 French Fur Trade with her husband.

More recently, she started her small business, Bear Den Handwovens, focusing on domestic weaving common to colonial living. Weaving with wool, linen and cotton and the patterns and colors of that time, she finds endless creative possibilities that result in timeless beauty and function.

“I am drawn to the patterns, colors and fibers used in our early colonial period,” explains Jessen. “Now I’ve learned to appreciate their properties that make them valuable today, such as warmth, durability and sustainability. This heirloom-quality piece is a two-panel center-seam wool blanket, handwoven on a four-harness loom in a straight twill pattern. It is heavy weight, colors

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American Shooting Journal // July 2020

Declaration of Independence was read to them. At the conclusion, the troops let out three cheers. After they were dismissed, there was no joyous revelry.

Joshua walked to the piers at the southern foot of the city, where he could see the huge British invasion fleet anchored miles down the Hudson River between the western shore of Long Island and the eastern shore of Staten Island. It was the largest ever deployed to North America and its combined masts made it appear that forest had grown up where a river had once been. It was a sobering sight. With the Declaration of Independence, Joshua knew there was no going back. Regardless of what the Tories or the fence-sitters thought, there were enough patriots to create a new Continental Congress to rule them, a new Continental Army to defend the united colonies, and finally enough to declare themselves a new and independent free nation. Soon he would be called on to back up those words on the battlefield. As he sat near the southern docks, he carved “1776” into the lid of his father’s compass.

ON THE DIMLY moonlit East River, Joshua’s sloop closed in on the Manhattan piers. He noticed two other sloops glide silently past them heading back toward the Brooklyn shore. Minutes later, their sloop docked as expertly and quietly as it had embarked. In 10 minutes, they were all ashore and it was pulling away again into the night for the next load of soldiers. The Westchester militiamen formed into small groups and made their way to their quarters. Joshua’s path took him past Bowling Green, where a big, gilded-lead equestrian statue of King George III once stood.

Right after hearing the Declaration of Independence read, the locals gathered and pulled the statue down with ropes to melt down for bullets.

Joshua trudged ahead wearily under the waterlogged weight of his clothes and gear with his big fowler cradled against his chest by both tired arms. Passing the empty pedestal, he smiled and thought, “Our Glorious Cause makes patriots when they are needed.” 

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TINDERBOX BY BARBARA SMITH arbara Smith of Morgan County, Ohio, got into muzzleloaders as a teenager when her brother built her a rifle. Scrimshawed powder horns always fascinated her and 10 years ago she started scrimshawing avidly in her free time. Today, she creates original historically based scrimshawed art on commission.

“Horn is naturally waterproof,” Smith says, “so it seemed a logical choice to keep your tinder dry in the wilderness. To carry everything commonly needed in one efficient package, I made a flat-based horn cup, and to seal out the elements, I added a tight-fitting tethered cap with an antler knob. It’s adorned with scrimshaw designs including the sun, moon, an owl, a compass and two Native Americans by a fire. To highlight the intricate scrimshaw and create the rich patina, I used dyes and walnut stain. Inside there’s a fire steel, flint, a small tin of charcloth, flax tow tinder and a beeswax candle.”

Contact barbarasmith011960@gmail.com.

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CANTEEN BY BOB BROWDER he canteen was made by Bob Browder, proprietor of the Longhunter Leather Company, who has specialized in making 18th and early 19th century reproductions for 35 years.

Because of its plasticity when wet, leather can be stretched over a form or pressed in a mold to take on a wide variety of useful shapes that it will retain when dry. In respect to its minimal component parts and sewn assembly, a leather canteen can be extremely simple and efficient to make, compared to a wood or soldered tin canteen. Browder incorporates the carrying strap loops in the canteen body, reducing the canteen to just three parts: front, back and stopper. To keep water from wicking through the porous leather, wetting the clothing of the bearer and possibly leaving him thirsty at a very inopportune time, beeswax is melted inside the canteen to seal the leather and make it watertight. Browder uses traditional woven straps and cuts his stoppers from sassafras or apple wood. Contact longhunter1957@yahoo.com.

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NEW LIFE FOR AN OLD FAVORITE The author’s old Stevens Favorite before being restored.

Decision to hold 'old-style .22 match' leads to an adventure in restoring legendary Stevens single-shot.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIKE NESBITT

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mong the guys I shoot with, there is an increasing interest in old or old-style .22 rifles. The guns we like the most are the old single-shots, such as those made by Stevens, Remington and several other makers. One friend of mine said he thought that the popularity of shooting .22s would rise in the near future, and our feelings and interests certainly follow what that friend had predicted.

The reason .22s are being focused on in this black powder column is simple: most .22 rimfires can be considered black powder cartridges. The .22 Short is our oldest self-contained metallic cartridge, appearing in the first Smith & Wesson revolver in 1857. The .22 Long followed within a few years, and in 1885, the greatest cartridge of them all was introduced: the .22 Long Rifle.

Both the .22 Long and the .22 Long Rifle used 5 grains of black powder and the only real difference between those two cartridges is their bullet weight, usually 29 grains for the Long and 40 grains for the Long Rifle.

There are kits available for reloading .22 Long Rifle cases with black powder.

I have not tried one of those yet, but now I’m thinking that I should. If I do get to use one of those reloading kits, a report is likely to follow.

WITHIN OUR SMALL clan of black powder

cartridge shooters, one of the guys thought about putting on an “old-style .22 match.” We talked, and then set about putting such a match together.

Our plans included two novelty paper targets (a “turkey” and a “beer can”) to be shot at from just 25 yards, shooting offhand. Five or 10 shots would be taken at each of those targets. Then we’d move to 50 yards for a bull’s-eye target, which would be shot at from the sitting position while using cross-sticks for muzzle support. The bull’s-eye target would absorb another 10 shots.

The paper targets would be followed by another 10 or 20 shots, taken offhand again, at various gongs and clangers for a plinking portion of this informal match. For our little band of shooters, this match would consume 40 to 50 rounds of .22 Long Rifle ammo and it shouldn’t take more time than just the morning. Shooters would be awarded

with meat or other prizes, similar to what we give out as prizes in our more common black powder cartridge or muzzleloader matches.

At this point, the old-style .22 matches are still a subject of thought.

Although we did have one match scheduled, it had to be cancelled because of the virus shutdown. We still hope to have it, perhaps later this year.

That rescheduling simply gives us more time to iron out any details, in addition to getting some fine .22 rifles for shooting in the match. One rifle I had never owned is a Stevens Favorite, a .22 that I have admired for several years. Others in our group were buying used Favorites, mostly the Model 1915, and using them as-is or having the old guns restored. A restored Favorite seemed to me a perfect way of getting well-equipped for more good .22 shooting.

THAT IDEA LED to my search for a used old Stevens Favorite Model 1915 and I found one for just over $200. A friend looked at it and, having a well-studied background in the details of Stevens Favorites, told me my gun is a “parts gun,” made up from parts on hand, americanshootingjournal.com 47

BLACK POWDER Here’s the same rifle, restored and with the tang sight added.

The color casehardening on the action looks very nice.

which is just fine with me. This one has the part octagon barrel, which I do prefer. Other Favorites had either round or full octagon barrels. And on my gun, the outside of the barrel was in better shape than the bore. Actually, the bore of this old, well-used .22 wasn’t that bad, but the chamber area had some disturbing pits in it. When the gun was fired, those pits in the

chamber made extraction of the fired case rather difficult.

The pitted chamber was quickly cured by simply relining the barrel.

That was inexpensive and it gave me a Favorite with a brand-new bore. This old rifle was too far gone to be considered a collector’s item, so relining the bore was a completely positive move; it brought new life to the old gun and made it

serviceable once more.

At least, it would be serviceable for younger eyes. The rear sight on the barrel was just a little too close to my eye for me to see it clearly. To fix that, a new Marble’s tang sight was ordered for the old Favorite from CPA Rifles (cparifles.com). Peep sights are my favorites and I’m quite happy that CPA Rifles had a sight in stock for this

A left-side closeup view of the action.

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American Shooting Journal // July 2020

BLACK POWDER Stevens Favorites were take-downs; the longest part is the 22-inch barrel.

Favorite to wear.

BUT BEFORE MOUNTING the Marble’s tang sight on the rifle, I boxed up the gun and sent it to C. Sharps Arms to have the barrel reblued and the action color casehardened. This rifle would have far more value to me as a shooter in restored condition than as a relic from the past that looked like it should have had better care. There was a little metal

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American Shooting Journal // July 2020

work that needed to be taken care of too and I knew my friends at C. Sharps Arms, particularly Pat Dulin, would see that things were done correctly. I gave Pat only general instructions of what I wanted done; how to do it and how well it could be done were up to him.

You might remember that C. Sharps Arms restored a Remington rolling block in .50-70 caliber for me. Actually, this .22 is the fifth rifle I’ve sent to the

company for restoration, including three rolling blocks that I’ve rebuilt and sent to them for bluing and color casehardening. I’ve always been well pleased with their work. If you have any questions about restoring an old rifle, contact them at csharpsarms.com.

One thing that was not discussed with Pat was how long the restoration of this .22 might take. So I was highly surprised when it came back to me

BLACK POWDER The only target shot with this gun so far, nicely sighted-in.

after only two or three weeks! (We can’t count on that happening every time, due to their workload.) To me, this rifle looks fantastic and I do appreciate the work that was put into it. Also, that “little metal work” that I mentioned was fixed perfectly. (Some terrible engraving had to be removed.) Getting

the gun back so soon was a very pleasant surprise.

THE NEXT THING to do was to shoot

this new-looking rifle. That was done the next morning, and a box of CCI standard-velocity .22 Long Rifle ammo was taken along. Getting the

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tang sight adjusted for both windage (those Marble’s sights are windageadjustable) and elevation was no trouble, once I figured out which way to make the adjustments. Then bullets from the little rifle just seemed to pour through the middle of the target. That’s the only paper target shot at with this rifle so far, but more will be coming.

And there was no chance of going back home with any unfired cartridges.

All of the remaining ammo was fired at gongs and clangers from 25 to 100 yards, getting hits often enough to feel quite successful. Of course, I give all of the credit for those hits to the rifle.

Now I call this rifle “My Favorite” and I can’t completely relate how pleased I am with this little gun. It certainly will see action when we get that old-style .22 match up and running.

In fact, this .22-caliber Stevens Favorite is giving me so much shooting pleasure that I don’t understand why I waited so long to get one. 

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American Shooting Journal // July 2020

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ROAD HUNTER

HUNTING THE ‘SONGDOGS OF SUMMER’ Knowing coyotes’ seasonal behavior, what calls to make key to bagging more this time of year.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HAUGEN

great thing about America is there’s something to hunt for, somewhere, year-round.

Be it a big game animal in fall or spring, birds in winter, or varmints in spring and summer, there’s always something for us to pursue.

Thanks to the coyote, predator hunting opportunities are extended in many states during the summer months.

Coyotes can be hunted year-round in many places. In fact, no special license is required to hunt them in

A

most locations, but be sure to check the regulations before heading afield.

Coyotes can even be hunted at night in some states, with these events typically being limited to private ground.

One of my most memorable coyote hunts came with good friend Cory Lundberg, who also guides coyote hunters throughout the West (codahunts.com). Lundberg is one of the most knowledgeable predator hunters I know, and I was able to get his thoughts on hunting open-country

coyotes of summer.

COYOTE BEHAVIOR In order to kill coyotes with consistent success this time of year, you need to understand their behavior.

“In June the pups are coming out of the den, the females are staying tight to them, and the males are out hunting,” Lundberg shares. “Nine times out of 10, it’s a lone male you’re going to call in in early July.”

Coyotes are territorial, their home

Gaining an elevated vantage point from which to call greatly increases your chances of locating coyotes and connecting on the shot as they approach.

americanshootingjournal.com 55

ROAD HUNTER is often away from the den but tuned in to every sound in the valley.

NOCTURNAL SCOUTING “If you can’t find a den during the day – which can be tough in hot conditions – then scout at night,” Lundberg suggests. “Nighttime scouting is very efficient, as the coyotes are more active and you can move under the cover of darkness. Howling and using a siren is the best way to get a family group talking at night. Once you locate a den, mark it on a GPS or map, find out if there’s a way to get closer, then come back at first light to start calling.”

Locating multiple calling sights through nighttime scouting can pay off.

Due to the extreme heat that can come in summer, calling early and late in the day is the most productive. Lundberg likes hunting at night, but if he’s not in an area that allows it, he recommends scouting at night, hunting early in the morning, taking a nap in the heat of the day, then getting back to hunting in the closing hours of daylight, once temperatures have cooled.

Consistently bagging the songdogs of summer requires knowing their seasonal behavior, understanding where to look for them and knowing what calls to make when.

range being determined by water, cover and food availability. That range might be half a mile or 2 miles, but one thing is for certain: the males won’t stray too far from the den, as they’re continually on the hunt.

“If you can locate a den prior to calling, you greatly increase the odds of bringing in a coyote,” notes Lundberg. “Listen for the high-pitched chatter, yapping and carrying on of 56

American Shooting Journal // July 2020

pups around a den. Often the mom will shut them up, but when you hear the excited yapping of the pups, you’ll know exactly what it is, and where to start calling.”

In July, as the pups begin to venture outside the den walls, exploring their immediate surroundings, adult coyotes become very protective of their litters.

This activity greatly enhances alertness of the adults, especially the male, who

SETTING UP When calling open-country coyotes throughout the West, finding a prime place to set up is key. Be sure to gain elevation so you can see more ground in front of you. Also, make certain the wind is in your face or there’s a crosswind; winds typically stabilize prior to sunup on warm summer days.

“I like looking for low points in the land, where coyotes will be this time of year,” points out Lundberg. “These lower elevation habitats are cooler, and males spend a lot of time hunting in and around them. The whole idea is to set up so you can spot a coyote before it sees you. If you can make that happen, your chance of killing him increases tenfold.”

Lundberg is constantly glassing for coyotes, even when he’s calling. He always glasses an area prior to calling, hoping to locate a coyote on the prowl.

If hunting with a partner, have one person glass for hidden movement

ROAD HUNTER Since coyotes can respond to calls quickly this time of year, having a shotgun by your side is a wise choice, as you never know when a close-range shot opportunity will unfold.

while the other keeps a wide field of view with the naked eye.

“What I’m looking for is a lone male coyote that’s mousing,” points out Lundberg. “If he’s mousing, I’ll start off with subtle prey sounds, usually a rabbit. I’ll start so low the coyote can’t hear me. As the sound plays on the electronic call, I’ll slightly increase the volume until the coyote hears it. Then I’ll stop. As the coyote approaches, I’ll switch to low volume rodent sounds, and that usually sucks ’em right in.”

THE SOUNDS Lundberg is the best coyote hunter I’ve had the honor of hunting with.

One of his strong suits is he does not overthink things. I know a lot of hunters question offering different sounds during a sequence, or sounds of animals that aren’t in the area being hunted, but not Lundberg.

“Think about it: All these coyotes really care about is getting food, almost constantly. They don’t care what it is; they just want to eat it,” he smiles.

That said, Lundberg does have his Professional coyote guide Cory Lundberg travels the West year-round in pursuit of coyotes, and ranks the summer months among his favorite time to call them.

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go-to sounds when it comes to calling coyotes this time of year.

“Pup distress calls are best right now. Start off with these on every single set (unless you see a mousing coyote), as this is a natural distress sound that adults will react to. The adults are very territorial this time of year, too. They don’t want their pups getting harmed, and they won’t tolerate other coyotes in their territory,” he tips.

After offering a few series of pup distress calls, Lundberg goes with “kiyi” sounds. The kiyi is an adult coyote distress sound, and makes sense to use following the pup distress sounds.

“This is a time of year when coyote sounds can actually work better than prey sounds,” Lundberg continues.

“Coyotes have to eat year-round, so don’t be afraid to use a range of prey sounds, as they always work. Just don’t limit your sounds to one or two things, and mix up using electronic calls with handheld calls.”

ROAD HUNTER

Author Scott Haugen worked a meadow along a forest fringe for this coyote. Coyotes can be hunted year-round in many states.

As for decoys, Lundberg isn’t a huge fan of them for hunting coyotes.

“I like decoys when fox hunting, but when it comes to coyotes, I’ve had my best success using a simple turkey feather that’s tied to a stick a few feet off the ground. I’ll put it about 50 yards out,

YAPPER FACTS Coyotes can be hunted year-round in most states, and knowing their seasonal behaviors and movements is important for hunters. According to the National Trappers Association, here are some yapper facts to know: • Peak coyote breeding season is February and March, and females have a 63-day gestation period.

• Female coyotes have an average range of 8 square miles, a male up to 40 square miles.

• Coyotes can live up to 12 years in the wild.

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with my electronic call, and let the wind move it ever so slightly. I like the feather because it doesn’t spook a wary coyote, and often stops the approaching coyote so I can get a good shot.”

THE FIREPOWER Coyotes can approach fast and furious this time of year. In addition to having your predator rifle, toting a shotgun is a wise choice. If you see a coyote quickly closing the distance and you can’t get a shot with your rifle, don’t panic. Simply set down the rifle when the coyote is out of sight, then pick up the shotgun. An extra full choke firing specialized coyote loads can be the perfect medicine to close the deal on a coyote in close quarters.

When setting up, using the aid of a shooting stick will greatly increase your shot accuracy with a rifle. A tripod is nice for shooting in open, flat country, but if a coyote has the potential of

moving in close through thick cover, a bipod is a bit easier to maneuver.

“Before commencing any calling sequence, get comfortable,” Lundberg concludes. “This time of year, if coyotes are talking, I’ll stay in one place for an hour. If I can hear them, it usually means they’re coming, I just have to find them.”

With the dog days of summer upon us, now is a good time to hit the open country for coyotes and hone those hunting skills. It’s also prime time to put the hurt on coyote numbers, which, in turn, protects vulnerable deer fawns this time of year, proving once again that hunters are truly America’s most efficient conservationists. Editor's note: Scott Haugen is a fulltime author. To order signed copies of his many best-selling books, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott’s adventures on Instagram and Facebook.

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BEST OF THE WEST - Mountain Scout

When you’re in high, steep country chasing anything from elk or sheep to goats or bears, every ounce you are carrying will be felt, so the mountain hunter needs a rifle that is lightweight, but still dependable, accurate and resistant to foul weather and the beating it may incur in a harsh environment. The Mountain Hunter will help you shed the weight but is still proven to 1,000 yards, like all Best of the West rifles.

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AMERICAN DERRINGER LM4 Simmerling

The legendary Simmerling is one of the smallest .45 ACPs ever made.

This incredible vest pocket pistol has a five-shot capacity, and the first round is carried in the chamber ready for instant use, just like a revolver or a larger frame .45 Auto. The LM4 weighs in at just 24 ounces, and is only 5.2 by 3.7 inches in size, with a thickness of 1 inch. The LM4 will be produced in limited quantities.

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BISHOP AMMUNITION & FIREARMS - AR475GAR

Chambered in .475 Bishop Short Magnum, the AR475GAR rifle features an eight-round AR-10 magazine, locking hard case, 24-inch stainless barrel with 1-in-16-inch twist, plus muzzle brake, tungsten buffer and adjustable gas block. The rifle also features a 17-inch handguard and Elf Match adjustable trigger, and it is available in any color. Along with a Cerakote finish, a die set and factory crimp die are included, and brass, bullets and complete ammunition is available. Available in side charging and left hand. www.bishopammunition.com

LABOR OF LOVE: GROUPS SEEK TO RECRUIT NEW SPORTSMEN NSSF, Union Sportsmen's Alliance join forces to mentor budding urban hunters and shooters.

PHOTO BY UNION SPORTSMEN’S ALLIANCE

T

he National Shooting Sports Foundation has tapped the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance to spearhead a mentorship campaign aimed at giving Americans of all ages a personal introduction to hunting and the shooting sports.

Through its Hunting Heritage Trust, NSSF awarded the USA a $20,000 grant to implement a recruitment campaign, backed by NSSF’s +One Movement messaging, that motivates labor union members

to introduce 1,000 youth and adults to hunting and shooting.

The USA will create a mentoring partnership program to encourage union members who hunt or shoot recreationally to share their knowledge and passion for these activities with someone new in 2020.

“We are excited about the projects funded by this year’s Hunting Heritage Trust Grant Program and are very much looking forward to working with the great team at the Union

Sportsmen’s Alliance on recruitment efforts using the +One initiative,” said Jim Curcuruto, NSSF director of research and market development.

The agreement builds on the success of past partnerships between the two organizations. The 2020 mentoring program will be modeled after the successful USA-NSSF Mentoring Rewarded Partnership of 2018, which introduced 1,500 youth and adults to the joys of hunting and shooting – while simultaneously

An NSSF grant awarded to the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance will encourage union members to share their passion for hunting and the shooting sports through mentorship. americanshootingjournal.com 65

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American Shooting Journal // July 2020

promoting NSSF and the shooting sports nationwide via numerous marketing channels.

Also in 2018, NSSF awarded the USA a $30,000 grant to hold a series of four outreach events to introduce children and their families to recreational shooting.

Organized through the USA’s Work Boots on the Ground conservation program, the events were part of NSSF’s First Shots program.

The USA held events in Minnesota, Tennessee and Texas, drawing more than 250 participants. Union volunteers trained in firearms safety instruction provided participants with personal, hands-on introductions to shooting disciplines, including trap, sporting clays, riflery and archery. Thanks to the NSSF grant and funds raised at USA shoots, conservation dinners and other events, all supplies, including eye and hearing protection, firearms and ammunition, were provided at no charge.

“We are always honored to join forces with a great partner like NSSF, with whom we share so many values and goals,” said Scott Vance, USA CEO and executive director.

“With a member base centered around the nation’s largest metropolitan areas, we’re in perfect position to provide urban Americans underserved by many recruitment initiatives with a personal introduction to hunting, the shooting sports and firearms safety.”  Editor’s note: For more information on these organizations, visit unionsportsmen.org and nssf.org.

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BULLET BULLETIN

The lineup of Federal Terminal Ascent bullets, available in 6.5mm, .277, 7mm and .308.

BULLET ASCENDANT

With bloodline, weight, ballistics and more, ‘Federal has a winner here for sure’ in new Terminal Ascent.

STORY BY PHIL MASSARO • PHOTOS BY MASSARO MEDIA GROUP

I

was seated at the shooting bench, testing a new scope that was mounted on my Savage Model 110 Long Range Hunter, watching the tiny clusters of shots print on the target.

Because this rifle has been so consistent, especially with my own handloads, it made an excellent platform for testing the prototype scope. When I reached for the new box of .280 Ackley Improved factory ammunition, a good rifle got even better.

Looking at the results – both on the target and on the chronograph – I was very impressed, especially considering the fact that this particular bullet is a

hunting bullet, and not designed solely for target work. The bullet? Federal’s new Terminal Ascent.

Federal, which was the first ammunition company to embrace bullets from other manufacturers in the Premium line in the 1970s, has a respectable lineup of bullets in-house.

The Trophy Copper, Fusion, and even the Power Shok jacketed softpoint are all excellent designs, but my own personal favorites in the Federal stable are those in the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw family, including the new Terminal Ascent.

Yes, that’s right; Jack Carter’s famous Trophy Bonded Bear Claw is

the great-grandfather of the Terminal Ascent, and you can see the family traits in the internal construction, even if the outward appearance of the bullet doesn’t have the look of the Bear Claw at all. Perhaps a bit of the family history is warranted to understand the progression throughout the years.

THE TROPHY BONDED Bear Claw is one of those designs that just simply works, even if it doesn’t have the fanfare or rabid fan base of some of the other more famous names, like the Nosler Partition, Swift A-Frame or Barnes TSX. Jack Carter designed one helluva bullet, with a thick copper jacket chemically americanshootingjournal.com 69

BULLET BULLETIN

Federal’s Terminal Ascent, with the blue Slipstream tip at the nose, and short lead core bonded to the long copper shank.

bonded to a lead core, which only extends for roughly half the bullet, with the base being a shank of copper.

This does a couple of things, both of which are very important to the success of the entire family of bullets.

First – and this is something I have found makes a huge difference in the terminal phase of the bullet’s flight – it keeps the weight (and center of gravity) forward. A weightforward design results in a straightline wound channel; this is very desirable for the quick dispatch of a game animal, as the penetration of this style of bullet is normally excellent. Second, the expansion of those bullets with the short lead core is usually limited to the area of the bullet along the core; the long copper shank at the rear of the bullet aids in deep penetration.

Among the strange ballistic experiences I’ve had, a good number involve a bullet taking some radical turn post-impact. And more often than not, the culprit is a bullet with a center 70

American Shooting Journal // July 2020

of gravity located further rearward than I’d like to see. For example, years ago in Texas I used a .243 Winchester to take a great seven-point whitetail with a single shot, placed just behind his shoulder, from a measured 123 yards. When the trigger broke, the buck fell as if the rug were pulled out from underneath him; death was instantaneous.

Upon autopsy – as I am an avid collector of bullets recovered from game animals – we found that the 85-grain lead-free copper bullet had turned right angles, upward, just after impact, smashing into the spine and breaking into pieces. No wonder death was instantaneous; but had that bullet gone down instead of up, things may have played out differently.

I like a bullet that gives straight-line penetration, or as near to it as possible, to keep the surprises to a minimum.

While Carter’s design offers good accuracy and excellent terminal performance, it is lacking in the ballistic coefficient department, at least by modern standards. It is a flat

The Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, the great-grandfather of the Terminal Ascent. Note the family trait of the shorter lead core and long copper shank at the rear of the bullet.

americanshootingjournal.com 71

bullet bulletin

Recovered Terminal Ascent bullets at varying impact velocities, and varying levels of expansion.

The .280 Ackley Improved – shown here in Federal’s factory load with 155-grain Terminal Ascent bullets – is certainly an accurate choice.

The author’s Savage Long Range Hunter in .280 Ackley Improved is a great choice for an all-around rifle, and is made even better by loading it with the Terminal Ascent.

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American Shooting Journal // July 2020

The .280 Ackley Improved may be the most popular of the P.O. Ackley designs, and the Federal Terminal Ascent is one of the most accurate loads the author has tested.

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BULLET BULLETIN The 175-grain .30-caliber Terminal Ascent component bullet, a perfect choice for hunting in cartridges from the .308 Winchester up through the .300 Weatherby and .300 Remington Ultra Magnum.

base bullet, and makes a sound choice for hunting out to 300 or 400 yards.

It got a bit of a facelift in the Trophy Bonded Tip bullet, a similar principle to the Bear Claw, but equipped with a polymer tip and a boat tail to increase the ballistic coefficient values. The Trophy Bonded Tip is a sleeker design than is the Bear Claw, and it is one of my favorite hunting bullets out to sane ranges, as it is very strong, yet keeps the trajectory flat and wind deflection values low. The shank is grooved to reduce friction and

Not that the .30-06 Springfield needs any help, but its versatility is extended by great bullets like the Terminal Ascent.

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bearing surface, and that polymer tip acts as a wedge to initiate expansion.

Federal took that concept one step further with the Edge TLR, increasing the boattail angle and making the ogive and profile even sleeker, thereby increasing BC figures. And while the Edge TLR (in spite of perhaps sounding like a cleanser) was a fantastic bullet – what with its black nickel finish, blue Slipstream polymer tip and AccuChannel grooves on the shank – those meticulous engineers weren’t quite through yet.

THE YOUNGEST DESCENDANT of the Bear Claw is named Terminal Ascent, and it is most certainly well designed.

Federal set out to check all the boxes to provide a bullet that will handle the high-impact velocities and associated stresses generated by a magnum cartridge impacting an animal at short ranges, yet equally handle the requirements of a long-range hunter: to provide reliable expansion, even at low velocities. Oh, and it had to be seriously accurate. They did it.

To guarantee performance at the

The author’s Browning BLR loved the .30-06 Terminal Ascent ammo, printing sub-MOA groups.

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bullet bulletin The 7mm 155-grain Terminal Ascent component bullet is great in the factory load, but for those who handload, it makes a great choice for hunting at any range.

varying impact velocities, Federal has chemically bonded the lead core to the copper jacket – a family trait – to handle high-impact stresses and to prevent premature bullet breakup, but has also skived the ogive section to provide expansion at low velocities as well.

Federal indicates the Terminal Ascent will give reliable, measurable expansion all the way down to 1,400 feet per second, and in most of our modern cases – and with a bullet that will retain energy as well as this does – that equates to a long way out there. The Slipstream tip initiates expansion, and the copper shank at the rear of the bullet ensures a high retained weight. Expansion at common hunting distances runs between 2 and 2½ times the caliber dimension, obviously less as distances increase and velocities decrease. The AccuChannel grooves are not simple grooves cut in the bullet’s shank; they are beveled to maximize ballistic coefficent values, retaining energy and helping to reduce drag.

WITH THE COVID-19 disaster of 2020, many hunts have been cancelled, and I haven’t yet had an opportunity to test the Terminal Ascent on live targets. I have, however, tested both the factory loads and component bullets in a number of different cartridges at the bench and can attest to the accuracy of this bullet.

The .280 Ackley Improved load, using a 155-grain Terminal Ascent bullet, printed an average of just over ¾-inch groups, as did the .30-06 Springfield load using the 175-grain bullet. Those bullets, handloaded in the .300 Holland & Holland, .300 Winchester Magnum, 7mm-08 Remington and .280 Ackley Improved, proved to be among the most accurate of the hunting bullets I’ve loaded.

Federal offers the Terminal Ascent in factory-loaded ammo in 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 PRC 130-grain, .270 Winchester and .270 WSM 136-grain, .280 Ackley Improved, .28 Nosler and 7mm Remington Magnum 155-grain, .308 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield 175-grain, .300 Winchester Magnum and .300 WSM 200-grain Terminal Ascent.

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bullet bulletin

Federal’s Terminal Ascent engenders a bunch of confidence, especially when you see groups like this.

The author loads the 130-grain 6.5mm Terminal Ascent bullet in his 6.5-284 Norma, over a healthy charge of Alliant’s Reloder 23.

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American Shooting Journal // July 2020

Terminal Ascent component bullets are available in the following configurations in boxes of 50: .264-inch/6.5mm-diameter 130-grain (.532 G1 BC), .277-inch-diameter 136-grain (.508 G1 BC), .284-inch/7mm-diameter 155-grain (.610 G1 BC), .308-inch-diameter 175-grain (.536 G1 BC), and .308-inchdiameter 200-grain (.625 G1 BC).

If you enjoy the latest in bullet technology, I would give Federal’s Terminal Ascent a serious audition. I’ve shot it enough to be very confident that it will go where I aim it, and I’ve hunted with its other family members enough to know that it will do the job well once it strikes flesh. The bullet weights Federal has chosen are long and heavy enough to give good exterior ballistics, and to ensure good terminal ballistics, yet not so long and heavy as to pose an issue in the common hunting cartridges. Federal has a winner here for sure. 

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

NEW AMMO COMPANY’S MOTTO NOT JUST A BIZ PLAN BUT ENVIRO PLEDGE Missouri-based Defense Logistics brings revolutionary approach to the bullet-making industry with its ‘reclaim, recycle, repurpose’ commitment.

PHOTO BY DEFENSE LOGISTICS

S

tartup ammunition manufacturer, distributor and retailer Defense Logistics’s business approach is unique for a major ammo brand. “Reclaim, Recycle, Repurpose” is not just the company’s operations plan, but a commitment to serving the environment and the citizens of the United States. The company was founded early this year and is led by a diverse management team with over 75 years’ experience in the ammunition industry, along with executives skilled at growing manufacturing businesses.

“When you see so many businesses doing it the wrong way, starting from the ground up to do it right is freeing,” said Tom Schmidt, president of Defense Logistics.

Defense Logistics utilizes a proprietary and lean manufacturing process to recycle, reclaim and repurpose once-fired cases and projectiles.

Because of its resources, it can do this at a scale that supports shooters across the country and around the world in volumes unlike other remanufacturers.

As part of the manufacturing process, the cases, primers, powder and projectiles are reclaimed and repurposed into high-performance commercial-grade ammunition.

Additionally, Defense Logistics recycles out-of-date or out-of-spec military and commercial ammunition.

Missouri-based Defense Logistics has forged a strong relationship with OlinWinchester, the U.S. military’s official ammunition supplier. Winchester, known as “The American Legend,” has over 150 years in manufacturing firearms and ammunition for American shooters. Defense Logistics offers

Winchester’s military-spec, commercialgrade ammunition and shotgun shells as part of its product line.

“Our mission is one that serves our country and every American,” said former U.S. Army officer and accomplished business executive Joseph B. Anderson, Jr., one of the owners and chairman of Defense Logistics. “We are engineering the highest quality ammunition for our customers, using a process that protects our land and resources.”  Editor’s note: For more information, visit dl-ammo.com.

Defense Logistics takes a unique “Reclaim, Recycle, Repurpose” approach to ammunition.

Shown here is one of their most high-demand products, Patriot Defense Ammunition .556, in the company’s bulk packaging. americanshootingjournal.com 81

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Tap Rack Holsters is a leading provider of premium American-made gun holsters and knife sheaths.

Our products are the result of 40 plus years of combined experience in the military and law enforcement field using American made materials.

Every Tap Rack holster and sheath is handcrafted using extreme care, precision and built to last because we’re dedicated to providing premium quality products our customers can rely on.

a PREMIUM QUALITY a FULLY FUNCTIONAL a LIFETIME WARRANTY a CUSTOM BUILDS a BUILT FOR EXTREME USE a MADE IN AMERICA a BUILT WITH AMERICAN MATERIALS AND PARTS a MADE BY AMERICANS AND VETERANS

STOCKY’S STOCKS

Stocky’s 10/22 EuroMatch stocks come in three different configurations and a variety of finishes. Shown top to bottom: Hardwood Fixed; Laminated Adjustable Comb; SoftTouch‚ Full Adjust. Priced from only $177.

www.stockysstocks.com

KYNSHOT

Get the soft recoil and quick sight recovery you’re looking for in your ultimate competition PCC. The RB5020SS buffer provides longer length and more weight for a short-stroke competition action. The damping level of this buffer is intended for lighter, competition-type 9mm ammunition loadings for best performance.

www.kynshot.com

ATHLON PRECISION

New for 2020, the Athlon Precision AR Tactical Cantilever is designed for the modern sporting rifle. Its aggressive angles complement an AR15/AR-10. A unique scalloped design reduces weight, while steel recoil lugs and precision machining ensure a rock-solid repeatable mount.

www.athlonoptics.com

MANNERS COMPOSITE STOCKS

The new PRS-TCS (Tunable Competition Stock) was developed exclusively for precision rifle competitions. It was designed from the ground up with the ultimate goal of creating a fully weight-tunable stock to achieve the perfect balanced competition rifle while using a wide range of barreled action combinations. The PRS-TCS is loaded with standard out-of-the box-options not found on other stocks.

www.mannersstocks.com

VELOCITY TRIGGERS

Precision machined from 7075-T6 aluminum, the Velocity Red Dot Mount is the future of pistol sighting. This red dot mount is easy to install or remove with no custom slide cuts or modifications required. The Red Dot Mount simply replaces a handgun’s rear sight and dovetails right onto the slide. Comes in options for any Glock or Smith & Wesson M&P series handgun. The mount is compatible with most popular red dot optics.

Crafted by Americans in the USA.

www.velocitytriggers.com

LUTH-AR

The Widebody Palm Handguard builds on the same triangular profile as Luth-AR’s innovative Palm Handguard with a new widebody profile that conforms to the palm of your hand, and provides a wide, flat surface to lay on a shooting bag or other support.

Perfect for hunters, precision or 3-gun competitors, the 15-inch-long handguard features M-Lok slots along the upper-side flat, and three rows of slots on the bottom flat.

The Widebody Palm Handguard is made in the USA from 6061-T6 aluminum extrusion that is hard coat anodized black, and includes a barrel nut made from alloy steel with a Melonite finish.

www.luth-ar.com

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BLACK HILLS

The new .357 load from Black Hills Ammunition features a 127-grain HoneyBadger, a monolithic, CNC-machined projectile, specifically designed and tuned for performance from the .357 Magnum, in either a revolver or a carbine. Performance specifications are 1,365 feet per second from a 6-inch revolver, and an impressive 1,900 fps from an 18-inch carbine barrel!

www.black-hills.com

REDDING RELOADING

The New Redding Reloading Equipment Type S Elite set is comprised of a type-S bushing full die, a type-S bushing neck die and the unparalleled Redding competition seating die.

All type-S dies use an interchangeable bushing to control neck diameter and tension to an increment of 0.001 inch. These features provide not only an enhanced degree of control but significant improvements to consistency and accuracy of the final loaded rounds.

www.redding-reloading.com

SHELL SHOCK TECHNOLOGIES

Shell Shock’s 9mm case was hailed as “maybe the greatest innovation in firearms in 150 years” (VSO Gun Channel). Wait until you try their new calibers coming soon, including 5.56x45mm, .300 BLK, .380 ACP, .40 S&W and others. Lighter than brass, more powder capacity, greater consistency between rounds, and can be picked up with a magnet.

Satisfies global military mandates to reduce ammunition weight and increase performance.

All Shell Shock’s cases are proudly made in the USA. Shell Shock … Shoot it, Love it!

www.shellshocktech.com

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ADCO

Save yourself from the arduous task of reloading pistol magazines, thanks to the Super Thumb Tools from ADCO. In just four easy steps, magazines go from dead to full, saving time and trouble — not to mention plenty of thumbnails. To ensure you do not clash with your current terrain and garments, they not only provide the ST1 in black, but now in tan. Sold individually at $10.95, the set sells for $18.95.

www.adcosales.com

THE WOODMAN’S PAL

PROLIX

PrOlix is a penetrating solvent/dry lube product that was lab-developed and tested by law enforcement, military and commercial shooters over many years. The citrus-based biodegradable cleaner, pioneered in 1995, is the first successful “all in one” gun care product, now deemed “Bio-Technology.” The solvent “goes on wet, cleans, bonds, and the lube turns dry to the touch.” It removes carbon, copper, lead, shotgun plastic residues and black powder.

PrOlix will not damage wood, freeze or flash off, and it can be used for commercial and industrial applications as well.

A classic American tool – reinvented. The Woodman’s Pal is an iconic land management tool with a long, storied history dating back to 1941. Whether you are clearing brush, blazing trails and building blinds in the woods, or trimming, digging and planting in your backyard garden, the Woodman’s Pal is a versatile tool for every outdoorsman.

Lightweight, compact and superbly balanced, you will never use a tool of higher quality and more comfort.

www.woodmanspal.com

www.prolixlubricant.com

THE ULTIMATE IN LIGHTWEIGHT AND PRECISION SHOOTING RIFLES PIERCE ENGINEERING HAS ALL OPTIONS FOR ALL TYPES OF RIFLES The Pierce Titanium Action offers an unparalleled combination of low weight and high strength utilizing 6AL4V Grade 5 Titanium with a full DLC coating.

A low friction coefficient with weights starting around 20 oz., and as light as 15 oz. in our featherweight option, gives you the shooter the ultimate edge of repeatability and accuracy in our complete one-off rifle builds.

NEW FOR 2020!

Contact us about a full, custom rifle build.

From a championship winning F-Class rifle to long range ultralight hunting rifles.

Our new 10X and 20X ELR actions capable of handling Lapua, Cheytac and BMG sized bolt faces.

Titanium action as light as 15.2 oz with DLC coating.

pierceengineeringltd.com • (517) 321-5051 86

American Shooting Journal // July 2020

jpierceltd@tds.net • 5122 North Grand River, Lansing, MI 48906

PIERCE CUSTOM TITANIUM ACTIONS The heart of your next custom rifle build

• Lightweight, strong, precision CNC tolerances • Optional DLC coating, in gloss or matte finish for ultrasmooth operation • Remington 700 footprint for long and short action • Available in steel and stainless steel • Dealer pricing and custom marking variance available Pierce Engineering has been making precision rifle actions for the competition, hunting and tactical shooting industry for over 15 years. We proudly guarantee and stand behind all our products.

pierceengineeringltd.com

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AR INNOVATOR PASSES AWAY AFTER ACCIDENT

Frank DeSomma, Patriot Ordnance Factory founder/owner and piston-operated AR designer, was 57.

PHOTO BY PATRIOT ORDNANCE FACTORY

F

rank DeSomma, founder, owner and president of Patriot Ordnance Factory, passed away on June 18 from injuries sustained in a car accident. He was 57.

DeSomma, aka Mr. Patriot, founded Phoenix-based Patriot Ordnance Factory (POF-USA) in 2002, after spending 28 years working as an aerospace engineer.

His piston-operated AR design is thought to be the first of its kind, an innovation that has solved the common problems of the gas impingement system of the traditional AR platform. DeSomma’s design keeps the dirty, dusty gases out of the chamber, thus preventing fouling and other issues.

Since introducing this new AR design in 2004, POF-USA has continued to be a leading manufacturer of award-winning firearms and accessories. For instance, the Revolution and Revolution DI rifles have earned multiple awards from various organizations in the last few years.

POF-USA broke from the industry status quo by designing this .308 rifle to handle like a 5.56 rifle, using a 5.56 bolt carrier and other 5.56 parts, allowing for a shorter overall receiver size and reduced weight. It was truly a game-changing innovation.

In addition to his engineering and design work, DeSomma was a hunter, shooter, conservationist and a vocal supporter of Second Amendment rights.

We at American Shooting Journal would like to extend our condolences to DeSomma’s family, friends and all those he worked with at POF-USA. 

Frank DeSomma. americanshootingjournal.com 89

GUN CARE

All In One Step No product on the market works like PrOlix and we’ve guaranteed it for 33 Years!

DRY LUBRICANT • • • • • • •

• •

Goes on wet, cleans, bonds, turns DRY!

GUN-OIL / GREASE REPLACER

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Improves accuracy Prevents jamming Won’t flash off Will not freeze Non-hazardous Reduces fouling Won’t harm wood, primers, old guns, or stain clothing!

Bio preferred by USDA Non-petroleum

offer Our Dealers d an T the BES ® ! that’s PrOlix

ProChemCo LLC 801-569-2763 • 800-248-LUBE (5823) www.prolixlubricant.com

COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

NEW LOOK FOR FIREARMS SOLVENTS PrOlix upgrades packaging for its biodegradable cleaners, lubes.

PHOTOS BY PROLIX

P

rOlix is a penetrating solvent/dry lube product that was lab-developed and tested by law enforcement, military, sport shooters and commercial users over many years. The citrus-based biodegradable cleaner, pioneered in 1995, is the first successful “all in one” gun care product, now deemed “Bio-Technology.”

PrOlix TGCP and Xtra-T Lube in their new containers.

PrOlix solvents remove carbon, copper, lead, shotgun plastic residues and black powder from firearms, helping extend their lifespan.

The recyclable (strain and reuse) products are made of 89 percent or greater renewable resources, highlighting the manufacturer’s true commitment to sustainable practices and caring for the environment. As such, the USDA has listed PrOlix as a BioPreferred Product since 2012.

The solvent “goes on wet, cleans, bonds, and the lube turns dry to the touch.” It removes carbon, copper, lead, shotgun plastic residues and black powder. PrOlix will not damage wood or primers nor freeze, or flash off.

In addition to its cleaning and lubing capabilities, PrOlix can preserve the life of your firearm. The product has been proven to work in the freezing conditions of Alaska, as well as the dusty Texas flatlands and the damp humid jungles of South America.

PrOlix preserves and protects due to its thorough cleaning and complete surface coverage, and it is a must for all blued, nickel and stainless-steel finishes. PrOlix is armor-tough yet

works equally well on precision guns, air guns or the sophisticated law enforcement and military arms.

To complement the PrOlix Cleaner/ Lubricant (Dry Tech) line, shooters can use the equally superior “gun-oil and grease replacer” PrOlix Xtra-T Lube for a total care product.

In addition to firearms, the solvent can be used for commercial and industrial applications, as well as for personal projects. This includes knives, lawn and garden equipment, residential/vehicle locks and hinges, even antique clocks and a lot more.

PrOlix, which celebrated its 34th anniversary on July 1, recently began shipping out their products with a new look. Also, their PrOlix TGCP in the 16-ounce-PRO with an adjustable nozzle and trigger-sprayer cap will change to an easier-to-handle bottle.  Editor’s note: For more information and to order PrOlix products, visit prolixlubricant.com. americanshootingjournal.com 91

CONCEALED CARRY

GALLERY TRIPLE K

For cross-draw aficionados out there, Triple K Mfg. heard your requests and brings you the #671 Crossdraw Concealed Carry Holster.

Built specifically for those who prefer a dedicated cross-draw-style carry, the open top allows for easy draw and a leather stiffener assures easy reholstering.

Adjustable tension screw ensures proper gun retention. Made in the USA by Triple K Mfg. Retail: $53.

Available in tan color and for a variety of revolvers and semiautomatic pistols.

www.triplek.com

DIAMOND D OUTDOORS

Designed and tested in Alaska, the Denali Chest Holster is built to withstand any weather condition, while providing comfort and versatility for quick and easy access to your firearm. It is offered in 10 sizes, to fit your type of gun and barrel length, and comes with the innovative adjustable strap system, ammo strip or magazine pouch, and adjustable retention strap. This versatility ensures the best fit for you and your gun. Made of 1050 ballistic nylon, the Denali Chest Holster is worn tight on your chest for a one-handed, quick and easy draw. On sale for $89.99 and made in the USA.

www.diamonddoutdoors.com

CLIPDRAW TAP RACK HOLSTERS

Simple and secure inside-the-waistband concealed carry. Perfect for shorts and a T-shirt. American-made.

www.clipdraw.com

Tap Rack Holsters IWB offers function and form with safety and comfort as two principles in their line of handmade holsters.

They mold to your specifications for a correct fit. No buckets here.

Holsters feature adjustable retention, a 550 corded loop for securing to a belt or belt loop, semiclosed bottom that can be left open for threaded barrels on request, different body shield heights in low, medium and high upon request, and nonbinding smooth edges with no sharp points in their designs for comfort.

Different colors and patterns available upon request.

www.taprackholsters.com

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