Rifle September/October 2021

One of the pleasures of writing for and editing firearms periodicals for a living is getting to hear about what the general shooting public (new hunters, recreational shooters, serious handloaders, new gun buyers and so on) thinks about “this” and “that,” even though I’m buried in the office much of the time. Such correspondence is generally sincere, is often enlightening and typically includes honest questions – some of the same ones I probably asked back when I was in my mid-20s. ...Read More >

In spite of being almost 150 years old, the .45-70 Government remains highly useful for many applications that range from hunting to personal defense. It is available in a wide variety of rifle types (even revolvers) that allow it to serve ideally in any practical role. Ammunition is offered from many manufacturers, which further increases its versatility and usefulness. In spite of originating as a military cartridge, it is truly an outstanding sporting cartridge and one of my personal favorites. ...Read More >

As do many readers, I have some nice groups taped to my office walls. For the most part, they were fired during the years when learning precision handloading for Black Powder Cartridge Rifle (BPCR) competitions. There are no poor groups posted. Those targets were discarded; in my case, used for fire starter. I’m sure that’s normal for most of us. Here’s an example: One calm, overcast afternoon, I fired four consecutive five-shot groups at 300 yards with one of my favorite BPCR Silhouette rifles – a Lone Star .40-65 rolling block. The first three groups all hovered around 3 inches, give or take a quarter-inch or so. Those three hung on my office wall for years. The fourth group was over 5 inches so I “disappeared” it. ...Read More >

When considering gunsmithing projects that can be done in the home shop, the installation of scopes is probably the first to come to mind, followed by parts replacement and then stock repairs and refinishing. Near the end of the list will be cleaning, because it is generally not considered gunsmithing, even though a large number of failures to feed, fire and eject can be traced to dirt or brass shavings somewhere in the mechanism. ...Read More >

Skinner Sights put itself on the shooting map by producing top-quality iron sights, particularly designs compatible with lever actions and single-shot rifles. Skinner’s huge assortment of aperture sights, ladders and quality bases can be found on many classic rifles, but also many modern designs. Shooters looking for bulletproof and functional irons to put on just about any type of classic rifle, it’s a good bet Skinner has a solution. More recently, the company launched Skinner Optics, which includes a highly-versatile 1-6x 24mm model that proves just about ideal for the average levergun or AR-style rifle, though it would be just as welcomed on about any hunting rifle, no matter the action type. ...Read More >

It still amazes me how one man can do a wide array of work necessary to produce an exceptional firearm. It seems Tom Novotny is that kind of person. With information supplied by its owner Leo Koenig, everything fell in place. ...Read More >

Among the many good ideas Bill Ruger first turned into reality, and then into a long-lasting profit stream, the Mini-14 may well be the most underrated. ...Read More >

For many decades, the .270 Winchester was a top-selling sporting rifle cartridge that boasted of high velocity, flat trajectory, modest recoil, accuracy, respectable barrel life and good performance on deer-sized game. However, due to new cartridge and bullet developments that have been engineered to extend the definition of long range, it’s popularity has begun to wane. Winchester has responded with a new cartridge known as the 6.8 Western that shares the same .277-inch diameter bullets as the .270; however, it is designed specifically to accommodate modern long-range shooting. It is truly impressive, as it can launch heavy-for-caliber bullets with especially high ballistic coefficients (BC) and low drag at the targeted velocities of just under 3,000 feet per second (fps). It is just as modern as the original .270 Winchester was 96 years ago, and demand is already high. ...Read More >

In the run-up to World War II, military planners in Germany expected a fast-moving mechanized war. They considered that a sniper firing one well-aimed round at a time was a holdover from trench warfare. On December 6, 1934, the German Army’s High Command ordered all “Telescope Sight Rifles” to be turned in by the 15th of that month. There was no plan for their replacement (from Sniper Variations of the German K98k Rifle by Richard D. Law). ...Read More >

The Model 2020 Waypoint is Springfield Armory’s entry in the long-range, precision, hunting-and-target rifle stakes. It comes with Springfield’s “rock solid” accuracy guarantee of .75 minutes of angle (MOA) – three shots at 100 yards, using “quality, match-grade factory” ammunition. And, oh yes, with the rifle “in the hands of a skillful shooter.” ...Read More >

The Remington 700 appeared in 1962, in both short and long action lengths, essentially modified versions of the Model 722 and 721 bolt-actions introduced in 1948. The obvious differences were mostly cosmetic, especially fancier stocks than the uncheckered wood on the 722/721. ...Read More >

Added to the CZ-USA 527 rifle series in 2019, the Model 527 American Synthetic Suppressor-Ready, cham- bered in the 7.62x39mm Soviet, is a feathery and highly-maneuverable bolt-action carbine ideal for most hog- or deer-hunting scenarios involving moderate ranges. The 527 Suppressor-Ready (SR) would also provide an easy-handling rifle suited to small-framed hunters. Today’s popular 527 design began to evolve after World War II, influenced by waning military orders and a booming sporting market. ...Read More >