California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a law imposing an excise tax on guns and ammunition sold in California. Effective next July, the state will add an eleven percent tax on retail sales of “guns, gun parts and ammunition.” The money is earmarked for “gun violence prevention, enhanced school safety programs and victims of gun violence.”
State law-enforcement agencies and current or former officers are exempted.
The state already charges a $37.19 fee for each firearm sale. Newsom also signed two other measures. One revises the state’s concealed-carry laws and details dozens of places where concealed carry will not be permitted, including schools and medical facilities. The third will require that semiautomatic guns sold in the state be equipped with micro stamping technology on cartridges beginning in 2028.
ANOKA, Minnesota –– Federal Ammunition adds two 28-gauge, 3-inch, ¾-ounce loads in shot size No. 3 or 4 to its Black Cloud product lineup. More than a decade ago, Black Cloud changed the definition of performance for steel waterfowl loads. That revolution continues today with Black Cloud 28-gauge, 3-inch offerings that redefine the capability of sub-gauges. Read more
Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)
As the firearms deer opener approaches, many hunting hopefuls will be sighting in their favorite firearms, before cold weather complicates matters. Accordingly, below are some techniques to help minimize the potential for avoidable mishaps.
* It is best to start with a clean gun with no oil or grease in the barrel. Visually inspect the barrel for obstructions before beginning, too. Tighten all screws in the stock and include scope bases and rings in the process. If you have handloaded ammunition, make sure to test-cycle the ammo you intend to take hunting through the firearm while you are at the range.
* If you use factory ammunition, try sampling different varieties, as your wallet allows. Once you are satisfied with the results, make sure all ammo has the same lot number. The numbers are stamped on each box of ammo – usually under the flap – but, make sure it matches for consistency. If it’s different than what you tested, verify results again.
* Wear good hearing protection and protective glasses. To reduce felt recoil, a folded towel under the shirt helps to minimize the jarring effects of hard-recoiling guns.
* The idea when sighting in is to minimize human error. Make sure the firearm is firmly rested on the forearm – never the barrel – with the buttstock held firmly to the shoulder. Although holding a heavy-recoiling firearm tight to the shoulder may sound counter intuitive to beginners, doing so is imperative to avoid sore shoulders, or worse yet, “scope eye”, when the scope slams into one’s eye socket!
* Determine your maximum point blank range (PBR). The concept is to sight in so that the bullet remains within an acceptable margin along the entire flight path to the longest possible range. In the case of hunting whitetails with a conservative kill zone of 6 inches, the bullet must never be higher than 3 inches, and should not drop more than 3 inches on the far end. When set up correctly, a hunter needs only to aim at the center of the target, assuming the chosen animal is within one’s prescribed point blank range.
If your shooting range doesn’t permit shooting at long range, there are several options to calculate PBR. One is to refer to the manufacturer’s ballistic tables for the ammunition being used. Typically, the information can be located on the ammunition box, or the company’s website. Such data is often unreliable, because specifications from manufacturers are based on data produced with their test barrels and typically will not be the same with one’s firearm.
* A better option is to determine the velocity of one’s ammo with a chronograph, as it is being shot from your firearm. Then, with a given ballistic coefficient (BC – found at the manufacturer’s website) of the particular bullet being used, these aerodynamics coupled with the actual velocity will produce an exacting flight path. Then, it’s a simple matter to adjust the height of impact at the distance being shot and trusting the math.
* The ultimate alternative is to shoot at various ranges, if you have a safe shooting environment and backstop; computers and math are not required.
* Once sighted in, shoot from various positions you may use in the field, such as offhand or kneeling. As long as you can keep 9 out of 10 in a conservative six-inch circle, you are within range to make a humane kill. If you are not that good, don’t kid yourself. Get closer or learn to be disciplined enough to pass on unethical shots with bad odds.
* When finished, do not clean the barrel unless, of course, you are using a muzzleloader with Pyrodex or blackpowder. Just unload the gun, wipe off the exterior, and put it away safely with the confidence of an ethical hunter who has properly prepared.
SWEET HOME, Oregon –– HEVI-Shot is proud to announce new line extensions to its HEVI-18 Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) product line which brings best-in-class performance to the turkey market with 18 g/cc density pellets in No. 7 and 9 shot. The loads provide high pellet counts, long-range lethality, and incredibly tight patterns. Four new loads are now offered in 2-3/4-inch, reduced-recoil 12- and 20-gauge loads, as well as two 3-inch, 28-gauge options.
“3-inch and 3-1/2-inch 12-gauge loads are commonplace in the turkey hunting world. But for 2023, we are excited for the introduction of our new reduced recoil 2-3/4-inch loads,” said HEVI-Shot product manager Scott Turner. “With the use of TSS, the shorter hull size delivers the ability to reduce the felt recoil, yet still have impressive results downrange. These new loads are ready for wild turkey hunting seasons this fall.”
HEVI-Shot’s HEVI-18 Turkey product line now consists of twelve total load options, available in 12-, 20-, or 28-gauge, and .410 bore. Read more
Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)
Small game season begins September 15th and that means getting gear in order for a trip to Michigan’s North country. With a camping reservation at the Rifle River Recreation Area, it was time to sight in one of my favorite .22 caliber rimfire rifles: a scoped, 73 year-old, O.F. Mossberg model 152.
Mossberg Model 152 with Folding Forearm and Bushnell 4X Rimfire Scope
First on the agenda was cleaning of the vintage semi-auto carbine – an important step in readiness and often overlooked until feeding or extraction troubles force the issue.
Next, 5 cartridges were removed from a box of Lapua Center X .22 rimfire ammo and loaded into the magazine to begin the process of sighting in.
With a sandbag-rest I fired a total of 3 shots at a target 25 yards downrange and quit. The reason: The 3 shots were in a tight cloverleaf group slightly above center – perfect for the desired 50-yard zero with the super accurate, sub-sonic fodder.
A real tack driver
There was no good reason to burn up more expensive ammo, as one critical matter was crossed off the camping list.
Here are some tips to get the most out of your favorite rimfire.
Experiment with sub-sonic ammo, which may be referred to as standard velocity or target ammo. Most of this type of ammo may cost more than bulk ammo in a milk carton, because of supply and demand, but it is more than adequately effective on small game. It’s also relatively quiet compared to high-velocity options and that can be helpful in the woods.
Get the proper rimfire scope. Good glass can be expensive, but most folks will do well with more entry-level optics specifically designed for rimfires’ related distances. A big mistake is to mount a typical scope designed for high-power calibers. Although they make look good, they won’t produce the accuracy because of parallax, which isa difference in the apparent position of an object viewed along two different lines of sight. It can fool a shooter into questioning causes of inaccuracy.
Too see parallax, put the scoped firearm on a bench with a solid rest. Then, without touching anything, peer through the lens and move your head in different positions, while viewing the target. If the crosshairs appear to move as you move, you have experienced parallax – an accuracy killer!
Several options exist and include not only rimfire scopes, but red dot optics and those with adjustable objective lenses, referred to as AO. Red dot scopes essentially eliminate parallax but typically have no magnification, although magnifiers can be added to high-end models.
Adjustable objective scopes eliminate parallax when the proper distance is dialed in; however, they are typically larger optics and somewhat cumbersome to operate during changing field conditions.
An inexpensive alternative is a fixed 4-power rimfire scope for a solid, all-around solution. Also, air gun scopes are well suited, because their parallax is set at the factory for the shorter ranges of rimfire rounds.
Understand that a reticle for hunting may utilize thicker crosshairs that are visible in low-light; conversely, a target scope will have very fine crosshairs conducive to controlled lighting in target shooting or clear daylight.
Finally, a good trigger is one that breaks cleanly without any stickiness and excess travel. If yours doesn’t, a qualified gunsmith may be able to help, although results are sometimes limited with old trigger mechanisms.
On the other hand, an example of modern technology is apparent in the highly successful and relatively affordable Ruger model 10/22 semi-auto. It is a reliable work of engineering that can be modified in any way imaginable to produce the utmost in accuracy.
Ruger 10/22 with silver Nikon Scope
So, there you have it – a few options to achieve more enjoyment from the little .22 – the most popular caliber in the world.
NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, is pleased to announce that its First Shots® program has posted new online resources for ranges and customers, including new promotional videos and Spanish-language instructional materials.
NSSF’s First Shots is an introductory and refresher program made available through host target-shooting ranges across the country. By providing educational experiences that are safe, fun and memorable, host ranges are having great success in attracting first-timers, further engaging new gun owners and in reactivating lapsed participants. Read more
SWEET HOME, OR – HEVI-Shot is proud to release new product line additions to its HEVI-XII Waterfowl load lineup. HEVI-XII is the original 12-g/cc density, tungsten alloy recipe from HEVI-Shot. This full product line is available in an extensive list of including several new heavier payload options in shot size No. 2, 4 or 6, in 12- or 20 gauge. This new product is now shipping to dealers and is available.
“Everyone that has shot HEVI-XII has fallen in love with it,” said HEVI-Shot product manager Scott Turner. “The only feedback we received was that some hunters wanted heavier payloads for late season birds, so we delivered on that request with several new options for 2023.” Read more
What exactly are these little powerhouses, and why should you have one? Check out the latest video from the host of Henry TV, Cody Butler, to find out. Henry TV is available on YouTube and Rumble. Thanks for following and subscribing!
Sedalia, MO – Lapua, world-renowned for producing the highest quality rimfire ammunition, is pleased to announce Ryan Sponauer as the new Lapua Rimfire Performance Center Manager in Mesa, AZ.
Sponauer brings a long and accomplished competitive shooting background to Mesa’s Lapua Rimfire Performance center. He started with three-position and prone at the age of 14 under David and Deb Lyman at The Blue Trail range in Wallingford, CT, where he won numerous state and regional matches. Sponauer, who graduated from the University of North Georgia, shot for their NCAA 3-P and Air Rifle teams, served as multi-year team captain, and managed lot testing ammunition for the team. Sponauer and the team went on to win the 2021 Southern Conference Championship.
“I am very excited to give back to the shooting community with this position because the sport has given me so much,” commented Sponauer. “The lot testing we offer gives any shooter a significant competitive edge allowing them to compete to their maximum potential.”
Patterned after the world-renowned Lapua Test Center in Germany, both the Marengo, OH, and Mesa, AZ Lapua Rimfire Performance Centers provide shooters the opportunity to test multiple lots of ammunition under tightly controlled conditions. Each of the Lapua Rimfire Performance Centers offer the unique ability to test ammunition at both 50 and 100 meters, simultaneously. By comparing the results of various ammunition lots at both distances, the best performing lots will offer a distinct competitive advantage. This allows for higher scores and more hits on target for a customer’s chosen discipline. For more information on the Lapua Rimfire Performance Centers or to schedule an appointment, please visit rimfiretest.com. Read more
This event is presented as part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ efforts to encourage hunting and shooting sports participation, with DNR funding support.
