Rifle July/August 2018

Statistics: the branch of mathematics that deals with the collection, organization and interpolation of numerical data. Statistics is especially useful in drawing conclusions about a set of data from a sample of the data. (See mean, median, mode, normal distribution curve, sample, standard deviation and statistical significance.) Typical problem: estimating true value of parameters from a sample of data. ...Read More >

It’s a given that consistent accuracy largely stems from the minimization or outright elimination of controllable variables, including any glitch in shooting form or the rifle itself. Unfortunately, the quality of shooting platforms is all too often ignored. Disregard for a moment the idea that a rifleman should be able to shoot while standing on his own two feet (rightly so), and consider instead that most load testing, downrange ballistics evaluation and scope or sight adjustments take place from a “bench.” If said support is not up to snuff, the fellow behind the trigger may be at a disadvantage before the first shot is fired. ...Read More >

The most common rifles fitted with tubular magazines are lever actions, but can also include pump actions and select autoloaders chambered in centerfire cartridges that have traditionally been used with ammunition containing flatpoint bullets. These bullets can help prevent possible primer detonation of cartridges in the magazine. Nonetheless, this potentially dangerous scenario still occurs from time to time. Let’s consider a few cartridge, bullet and rifle combinations that have either proven to be, or can be, potentially problematic. ...Read More >

Watching cartridge fads come and go has been an interesting pastime. When I bought my first gun magazine in 1962, we were in the middle of the belted magnum craze. It seemed like new cartridges appeared every few months: .264 Winchester Magnum, .350 Remington Magnum, .224 Weatherby Magnum and so forth. Popular wildcat cartridges have also been “legitimized” as factory rounds like the .22-250 Remington, .25-06 Remington and .35 Whelen. (Seems like Remington was most active at the time.) ...Read More >

The search for ever-better accuracy from our rifles is never ending. Not surprisingly, virtually all accuracy-enhancing developments have come from individual shooters. Among these, however, are some that sound good but don’t always work out as expected. ...Read More >

Scopes seem to always increase in size. However, Leupold turned to a compact with its new Mark 5HD 3.6-18x 44mm scope. It weighs 26 ounces and measures a short 12 inches. All manner of features are included in the scope. ...Read More >

As an enthusiastic single-shot rifle fan, I am always interested in seeing how others may adapt this kind of action to yet another version for sporting use. Steven Durren of Johnson’s Sporting Goods (johnsonsguns.com) sent me his idea of a modified Winchester Model 1885 complete with two barrels, with all the metalsmithing, finishing and stock work done by Durren himself. ...Read More >

If you ever question the importance of a trigger on a rifle, try shooting a matchlock. How they were ever used to hit anything is a wonder. It took centuries, literally, to perfect the trigger in principle, and even today we are struggling to improve it. ...Read More >

In assessing a new rifle, the little things count for a great deal. Does it load and unload easily? Does the bolt operate smoothly? If the magazine is detachable, how readily does it go in and out? Is the rifle comfortable to carry? ...Read More >

New rifle ammunition seems to be directed toward hunters. Bullets lean toward all copper or a copper alloy, or jackets bonded to lead cores. Most all feature a pointed plastic tip to make them sleek as a javelin. If ammunition companies fail to introduce at least a couple of new 6.5 Creedmoor loads, they just are not up with the times. Let’s see what’s new this season. ...Read More >

A lways looking for something unique to take to the fields in the Northeast while in search of the wily woodchuck, the Savage Model 10 Predator .223 Remington seemed to have what it takes for summertime fun. The stock was synthetic for weather resistance, and the action was the company’s tried-and-true Model 10 complete with AccuTrigger. The test sample .223 Remington was the perfect match for small-game hunting. ...Read More >

The first instrument for measuring bullet velocity appeared in 1742, when British mathematician Benjamin Robins developed the ballistic pendulum, a weight suspended on swinging arms. Robins calculated velocity based on how far a fired bullet pushed the weight, and published his results in New Principles of Gunnery, a book that helped create the science of ballistics. The first partially electric chronograph was developed in 1848, eventually leading to the affordable electronic chronographs shooters use today, but hunters’ obsession with muzzle velocity started in the 1890s. ...Read More >

With the development of Paul Mauser’s Model 1898 (M98), the modern bolt-action rifle had truly arrived. In the past 120 years the turn-bolt design has enjoyed additional refinements, including notable improvements in accuracy and better triggers. Its long list of virtues has made it the go-to rifle for many sportsmen. ...Read More >