Phoenix, AZ – The Mc3 Tradition (Hunting) Stock is the newest generation of high-performance rifle stocks designed, engineered and manufactured by McMillan to be Exponentially Better. Formulated from a proprietary polymer, this classic hunting stock is modeled after McMillan’s best-selling hunting stock, the Game Scout and is compatible with most Remington 700 models.
The Mc3 Tradition Stock is available in short and long action Remington 700 rifles with a factory hinged floor plate and a molded barrel channel – Sporter/Magnum (Respectively). The Mc3 stock upgrades the original Remington 700 with a completely solid stock, constructed from a state-of-the-art proprietary polymer blend called Zenolite, resulting in a stronger, stiffer product that serious rifle shooters will appreciate. Read more
GENESEO, ILL. –Springfield Armory is proud to announce the XD-M Optical Sight Pistol (OSP) in 10mm.
Power is a matter of perspective and the all new XD-M OSP in 10mm delivers both in our most potent and versatile platform. Optics ready out of the box, the XD-M OSP in 10mm ships with three adapter plates to accept today’s most popular red dot optics.
This optics-ready pistol features a threaded barrel and factory milled slide, allowing the operator to choose the optic and suppressor or muzzle device that fits their needs.
The 5.3” hammer-forged, Melonite® treated, threaded barrel comes with a thread protector, and the suppressor-height sights co-witness with your choice of optic, allowing the iron sights to be used through the optic if necessary. The short-reset trigger has a minimal trigger break for quickly putting accurate rounds on-target.
For those who love the power of the 10mm round, the XD-M is an ideal platform to manage recoil and provide a soft-shooting experience. The full-size grip frame with Mega-Lock grip texturing provides a secure fit in your hand, and the three interchangeable backstraps allow the shooter to customize the grip to their preferred fit and feel. Read more
BELLEVUE, WA – A U.S. District Court judge in Tacoma has denied a motion by defendants to dismiss a federal lawsuit challenging Washington State’s gun control Initiative 1639, ruling that law-abiding gun owners and firearms retailers do not have to violate the law and risk punishment in order to challenge infringements of the Second Amendment.
SAF and NRA are joined by two gun dealers, one in Spokane and the other in Clark County, plus four young adults who are directly affected by provisions of the initiative.
U.S. District Court Judge Ronald B. Leighton handed down the decision.
“The long delay is over,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “The important aspects of the motion to dismiss have been denied. Just as important, the judge’s ruling treats the Second Amendment as any other fundamental individual right that is constitutionally protected.”
The federal lawsuit challenges provisions of the controversial, multi-faceted initiative on the grounds that it violates the commerce clause by banning sales of rifles to non-residents, and that it unconstitutionally impairs the rights guaranteed by the First, Second and Fourteenth Amendments, and Article I Section 24 of the Washington State constitution by preventing the sale of certain rifles to otherwise qualified adults under age 21. Read more
FN TO UNVEIL PROTOTYPE 6.5-CALIBER MK 48 MOD 2 MACHINE GUN AT 2019 SOFIC CONFERENCE
(McLean, VA) FN America, LLC, maker of a majority of small arms for the U.S. military, is excited to announce that the company will unveil the prototype for the newest variant of the MK 48 machine gun chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor at the 2019 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC). The development of this machine gun, which joins FN’s other 6.5 offerings, was undertaken as part of FN’s response to USSOCOM’s qualification of the caliber last year.
The prototype FN MK 48 Mod 2 6.5CM features the latest upgrades for FN’s series of light and medium machine guns, including an adjustable stock for length of pull and cheek height; improved, locking charging handle; improved, double-notched sear; improved handguard with 3-, 6- and 9-o’clock positions with improved bipod; and, more robust feed tray latch, ensuring the feed tray cover locks into place during reloads. Once development is complete, existing MK 48 Mod 1 models can be configured at the armorer level to the Mod 2 variant or newest caliber with the addition of the upgrade kit and barrel conversion. Read more
Zanotti Armor is thrilled to announce the official launch of the new V1 Vault Door. Built to the same high standards as all Zanotti Armor safes, the V1 Vault Door can be installed in any home creating the ultimate in functional space.
The V1 door is designed and built to fit standard frame doors and can be installed by a capable do-it-yourself handyman. Attach the door frame to your space and install the V1 Vault Door using the same modular system design featured in Zanotti’s luxury safes. With the ability to lock and unlock the device from both the inside and the outside, the V1 offers a triple threat of protection for homeowners.
1. Turn any room into a secure gun safe or vault for valuables.
2. Provide a safe, shielded space during extreme weather conditions.
3. Become a guarded and impregnable location during an intruder situation. Read more
If you fish the Great Lakes and catch a marked and tagged fish, the DNR wants to know. Since the 1980s, the DNR has used the coded-wire tag program to mass mark various trout and salmon species in Michigan. Mass marking provides critical data as fisheries biologists assess the value of naturally reproduced versus stocked fish, as well as lakewide fish movement.
The program involves implanting a small, coded-wire tag, which is invisible to the naked eye, into the snout of a fish. A fish with a coded-wire tag can be identified because its adipose fin (the small, fleshy fin between the dorsal and tail fins) has been removed.
Anglers who catch these tagged fish can then record needed information (like where and when the fish was caught, details from the tag, and the species, length and weight of the fish), remove and freeze the fish’s snout and drop it off at designated locations. A statewide list of drop-off locations is available on the DNR website. Read more
(McLean, VA) FN America, LLC is pleased to announce the release of a limited-edition FN 509® flat dark earth (FDE) slide and olive drab green (ODG) frame pistol color combination available only through its distributor, Bill Hicks & Co., Ltd. This unique colorway unites two legendary military-designated colors onto the same pistol in two models.
The FDE and ODG FN 509 pistols will be configured in both Standard and Tactical variations. The FN 509 Standard features a four-inch slide and barrel, ambidextrous operating controls, fixed luminescent iron sights and 17-round standard capacity, while the FN 509 Tactical features a 4.5-inch barrel with four-inch slide, FN Low-Profile Optics Mounting System, fixed three-dot night sights, and 17rd standard and 24-round magazine. Ten-round versions are available for states with magazine capacity restrictions. Read more
If there’s one thing Boyds’ Gunstocks is good at, it’s making the highest quality wood gunstocks on the market. Boyds’ famous thumbhole gunstock continues to be the industry leader in aftermarket stock upgrades for sporting shooters and hunters alike. And with the introduction of the At-One model, Boyds’ forever changed the game for customizable wood gunstocks. That trend of innovation continued by combining the company’s two most popular stock features into the new At-One Thumbhole gunstock. This new revolutionary stock has quickly become the most successful gunstock in the company’s history. Read more
It was May 11 several decades ago and I was in northern Michigan hunting turkeys with my pal, Fast Frank. We hadn’t had any good luck back in the day when that was the norm. The reason I recall the date so well is that when we woke up and exited the tent in the morning, we were greeted with a present from Mother Nature: a couple of inches of wet snow. That was enough to send us packing.
However, May 11, 2019 would be completely different. It started out like most other hunts with a routine that includes a checklist and arriving on stand before the sun rises. A heavy frost had descended onto the clover field and the temperature had dipped to 36 degrees (F). After getting settled into the portable blind, the heat from the Buddy heater was much appreciated.
The blind has been a productive location over the years, although the drawback of facing east can make the rising sun unbearable. But, usually it can be overcome by shifting the seat a bit; other times, there’s nowhere to hide. I was about to pay the price.
From the roost I could hear a distant gobble being repeated well before sunup. Once I figured the birds were on the ground, I let out a few hen yelps scratched out from a custom slate call from Rodney Hairell of Grand Prairie, Texas. It wasn’t long before a lone, curious gobbler was spotted heading in my direction. A good beard was evident through my Burris binocular, as the seemingly tricked bird kept strolling toward me.
He began gobbling, as he closed the distance to some 90 yards in the openness of the field. Not being sure if he had seen my decoy, I sent some softer calls that solicited quick responses. I’d seen this movie before and all that was left was for him to take a few more steps.
At 72 yards he bellowed clearly visible steam enhanced by the bright sun at his back – and, yes in my face. Over and over that love sick Tom puffed out clouds like he was smoking a cigar! Trouble was, he had hung up and wouldn’t take another step. Oh, he kept up the display with his wings to the ground and tail fanned out. And, those gobbles just kept on coming. But, he had seen the reflection of the sun from my glasses.
I still thought I had a chance, because he was still there. But, when a mission-bound, traveling hen entered the dance floor, my only thought was that my chances for drumsticks would follow the female where ever she was headed. It didn’t happen, however, and she cleared the area, while the bearded beast stood his ground.
Soon, however, he began to move parallel to my position. This is the part of the movie where he comes right in for his final move. Instead, he high-stepped it even farther away and kept the show going from a safe distance. Eventually, he wouldn’t play anymore and departed.
Sorry, I didn’t get any still photos, but even better is a short video of the excitement on YouTube.
MISSOULA, Mont. — The recently released short film titled “Rain Deer – A Sitka Blacktail Story” by Randy Newberg and Tyler Johnerson – in partnership with the Boone and Crockett Club, Leupold & Stevens, and SITKA Gear – is a must-see according to B&C.
“In today’s world where ‘social concerns’ appear to be trumping the scientific management of wildlife, it’s refreshing to see a film that demonstrates the intersection of science, conservation, and wild grown, humanely harvested food,” said Keith Balfourd, director of Marketing for Boone and Crockett. “People and communities rely on wild natural resources in many ways. Sportsmen and rural communities have been standing guard over the resources they value and depend upon longer than anyone. It’s time more people appreciated this fact.”
“Rain Deer” was filmed in southeast Alaska and documents the importance of Sitka black-tailed deer to the rural communities of the region. The story is guided by the local knowledge of one of the deer’s biggest advocates. James Baichtal is a geologist who takes a wildlife ecologist from Idaho, Dr. Sophie Gilbert, with him to a place where she has the opportunity to add to her knowledge as a researcher, through the eyes of a hunter.
The film expertly portrays what sustainable use guided by science means and looks like, including the cultural significance of these deer to the peoples of Alaska.
“No optics company does more for sportsmen’s rights and conservation across the United States than Leupold & Stevens,” said Bruce Pettet, president and CEO for Leupold & Stevens, Inc. “It’s incredibly important to our team members, our core consumers and the entire Leupold family. ‘Rain Deer’ is a story worth telling. We’re proud to have supported Randy’s work to bring this important conservation story to hunting and non-hunting audiences.”
Randy Newberg is a veteran television and film producer, and spokesperson for the hunter-conservationist community. He is most noted for his popular television series, Fresh Tracks and On Your Own Adventures, as well as his Hunt Talk podcasts. Tyler Johnerson is a videographer and producer who has spent his life capturing wildlife and hunting documentary footage. Both live in Bozeman, Montana.
Jonathan Hart, founder of SITKA Gear said, “‘Rain Deer’ celebrates the inspiring relationship between hunter and scientist, leveraging the deep knowledge that is embedded in the harvester and using it to bridge the gap that many times challenges scientists and academics in making sense of the realities of nature. The ability to connect these dots to maximize impact is an incredible example of ‘ecosystem thinking.’ The breathtaking landscape and remarkable story set the bar high.”
“Today, social concern over the use and management of wildlife by a handful of vocal absentee landlords is influencing a dangerous model of non-use and no active management for the future without offering any proven long-term alternatives,” Balfourd concluded. “It’s ironic because it was social concerns of sportsmen that launched the conservation movement in the first place that literally saved many species of wildlife from certain disaster. There will be a consequence to allowing the social concerns of a few to block what we know works for all wildlife and people.”
