Rifle May/June 2023

AR-15-pattern rifles, also known as Modern Sporting Rifles (MSR), have achieved huge popularity among shooters of several generations. Many millions have been sold to civilians, which are used for purposes that include personal and property protection, hunting, recreation, various action-shooting events, match target competitions and collecting. Due to the action size and overall cartridge-length limitations, case- head diameter, allowable bolt-head thrust, etc. of AR-15-pattern rifles, they are limited as to cartridge size and power. Switching to an AR-10-pattern rifle permits the use of larger and more potent cartridges such as the 308 Winchester and similar rounds. But on the downside, that rifle is notably larger and heavier. As a result, many attempts have been made to develop the ultimate cartridge for AR-15-pattern rifles. ...Read More >

Why did the 45 Gov’t (45-70) gain such success almost immediately upon introduction to the point it’s still favored by thousands of shooters 150 years later? It’s because it was state of the art for its time considering its intended purpose. This is especially so when one takes a hard look at the rifles/carbines displaced by the then-new 45 Gov’t. ...Read More >

In my last Rifle column, I covered Winchester Model 52 rifles up to the 52B and its supposed trigger problems. Some complained that the trigger “kicked back” (finger piece snapped forward) when the sear released and had “annoying vibrations” when the rifle fired. There was, however, a problem with the problem – Winchester engineers could not duplicate it! It’s pretty difficult to correct a mechanical problem if the complaint can’t be experienced by the person tasked with correcting it. Many small changes were tried, but still some owners were unhappy. Could this have been an early example of “fake news” at Winchester’s expense? ...Read More >

Riton Optics is a veteran-owned company that has made a name for itself by offering solidly-made products at blue-collar prices. In all honesty, I’m at a loss to explain how Riton is able to offer the high quality they do at such reasonable prices, while garnering very high customer ratings and providing an unconditional lifetime warranty requiring no proof of purchase or registration. Every Riton optic undergoes a rigorous, dual-inspection, quality-control testing process by certified technicians in Riton’s Tucson, Arizona, headquarters. However, if you should have a problem, simply fill out a form, send the optic in and it will be replaced free of charge. Riton scopes are manufactured in Asia, so that’s part of the savings, which does not come with the connotations it once did – at least in terms of craftsmanship and materials… ...Read More >

No doubt, the double rifle is a gun just oozing romance. Dating back centuries, this is the gun for the African hunter intent on taking big game moving around the veldt of the Dark Continent. The ability to make a follow-up shot in a split second does have its advantages when a larger-than-life Cape buffalo is intent on doing harm. ...Read More >

Almost exactly 20 years ago now, I wrote my first piece for Rifle. The now-retired Editor, Dave Scovill, met with me in the lobby of the Silver Legacy Hotel in Reno, Nevada, where we were exploring the delights of the American Custom Gunmakers Guild, drooling over that which we could not afford, but could certainly appreciate. ...Read More >

Gun writers are often selected to offer their opinions, test and review new products long before they are announced to the public. Such was the case with the Nosler Model 48 rifle. I had the opportunity to thoroughly wring out a prototype rifle chambered in 300 WSM, which proved to be a worthy field rifle. It was carried on many hunts including through the Alaska Range in pursuit of Dall sheep wherein it was exposed to weeks in the wilderness, subjected to abuse, snow, freezing rain, sand, strapped to the wing of a plane and it had many more than a few tumbles and bruises. After much use, testing and hunting, when that prototype rifle was finally returned to the Nosler factory, despite it being 300 miles from my home, I could nearly hear the “What in the heck happened to this gun?” comments when the box was opened! If memory serves me correctly, that was nearly 19 years ago and that rifle was in step with period demands from shooters that wanted a better, more precision out-of-the-box sporting rifle rather than run-of-the-mill production versions. Accurate, reliable and precise hunting rifles are always interesting and I told Nosler representatives that they had a great rifle. ...Read More >

A quick glance at Hardy Rifle’s Hybrid bolt action creation reveals a futuristic look comprised of high-grade aluminum and stainless steel, carbon and more carbon. The lightweight tactical-style stock is made of carbon, the intricate weave showing through the clear hard coat. The barrel is comprised of more carbon (stainless steel barrels available). This gives the rifle a feathery 6.7-pound bare weight (9.6 pounds when fitted with a 24-inch stainless steel barrel) ...Read More >

Lovers of fine old rifles, especially those of us who insist on shooting them, are often faced with a dilemma: When they are chambered for cartridges that are obsolete, impossible to obtain, or unreasonably difficult to make, what do we do? ...Read More >

In the century between 1866 and 1964, the U.S. Army adopted rifles chambering six different cartridges. In those 100 years, the cartridges began with lead-alloy bullets propelled by black powder and segued to full metal jacket (FMJ) bullets over smokeless propellants. Those were 50 Gov’t to 5.56x45mm with official velocities respectively of 1,250 feet per second (fps) and 3,300 fps. ...Read More >

From the time the 45-70 Government was first adopted by the U.S. Army in 1873, it has been a cartridge desired by American hunters. For 150 years it has retained its popularity. Small wonder. It is accurate out to 1,000 yards and works splendidly on the biggest bear and moose. Some Alaskans who have used both it and the 375 H&H magnum on bear and moose, declare that they are equal in knockdown power. Despite this, it is by no means overpowered for deer and dispatches them with equal ease and efficiency. If you are deer hunting and run afoul of a big mean wild boar or bear having a 45-70 instead of a smaller caliber can be a lifesaver. If you are a subsistence hunter and have to settle for small game for your dinner, one day you will find that the 45-70, with the right load, doesn’t ruin all the meat on small game like a high-velocity magnum does. You can eat right up to the bullet hole. ...Read More >