“Shotgun Report Technoid” Bruce Buck Answers Questions

Whigham, GA – At Trulock Choke Tubes, we know our customers have many questions on patterning with differing shot sizes, shot column length and load size, do buffered loads help and more, which is why an article by the Shotgun Report Technoid, Bruce Buck titled, “Bunch of Questions,” hit the proverbial nail on customer questions. We reached out to Bruce and received permission to reprint the article to share. It was originally posted on the Shotgun Report on September 14, 2021.

Dear Technoid,

Perhaps this frisky little question is worthy of the Volcano of Knowledge? Actually, a couple of questions:

1) Will smaller size shot, say #8 or 7-1/2, deform more or less than #4 shot, in example, affecting patterning adversely?

2) Will a 1 oz. lead charge deform more in a smaller gauge, 16 or 20, due to the longer “stack height” of the pellets?

3) Is height of the pellet stack a minus re: 3? and 3-1/2? magnum loads?

4) Has the Technoid found any evidence that buffered loads do any good?

5) The Omnipotent Technoid has stated that copper-plated shot seems to slide its way through game, proving less effective than lead. Does the copper do much re: reduction in pellet deformation?

6) And finally (are you glad!), can the Technoid speculate as to the rise and fall of the popularity of the 16 gauge? Just picked up an A-5 Sweet Sixteen, and really enjoy popping clays with it.

7) Oops, one more – can the Technoid recall approximate shot cloud sizes at forty yards for 1 oz. launched through 12, 16, and 20 ga., assuming “modified” choke performance?

Thanks Bruce, for all your help!

Randy

Dear Randy,

Wow! I could make a living off of your questions Read more

Ammunition, Firearms

U. S. Army Awards Winchester $13 Million Small Arms Ammunition Contract

EAST ALTON, IL — Winchester, the largest manufacturer of small caliber ammunition for the U.S. military, announced that the U.S. Army has awarded the company a $13 million contract for the development of manufacturing processes for the 7.62mm cartridge.

Work will be performed at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) in Independence, Missouri, the United States’ only government-owned, contractor-operated small caliber ammunition production facility. This project was awarded under Winchester’s $8 billion contract to operate LCAAP.

“Winchester is extremely proud to have been awarded this military ammunition manufacturing development project,” said Brett Flaugher, president of Winchester Ammunition. “Our entire Lake City team is honored and wholly committed to supporting the U.S. Warfighter.” Read more

Ammunition

SIG Sauer Custom Works Commissions 1911s to Commemorate 80th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor

NEWINGTON, N.H., (December 7, 2021) – In partnership with the Best Defense Foundation, SIG SAUER is honored to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor with three one-of-a-kind, custom designed 1911 pistols: the Pearl Harbor Commemorative Pistol, the USS Arizona Commemorative Pistol, and the USS Oklahoma Commemorative Pistol.

“It was truly an honor to create these custom pistols and we are humbled to have the opportunity to partner with the Best Defense Foundation to salute these men and women of the greatest generation,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, SIG SAUER, Inc. “The foundation is providing any World War II veteran that wants a measure of closure the opportunity to return to their battlefield and we hope these pistols will bring recognition to their efforts. From the shores of Normandy to Pearl Harbor, the foundation has made it their mission to honor these veterans sacrifice and we are forever thankful for their dedication to that mission.”

The unique distinguishing features of the commemorative 1911 pistols crafted by SIG SAUER Custom Works are as follows: Read more

Firearms

Dreaded didymo – or ‘rock snot’ – found in Upper Manistee River

The Michigan departments of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and Natural Resources confirmed a report of didymo, a nuisance freshwater alga, in a stretch of the Upper Manistee River in Kalkaska County. Also known as rock snot despite its coarse, woolly texture, didymo can grow into thick mats that cover the river bottom.

The Manistee River finding marks the first detection of didymo blooms in the Lower Peninsula. In 2015, extensive mats of didymo were found on the Michigan side of the St. Marys River near Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula.

“Didymo can attach to fishing equipment, wading gear and other hard surfaces and be moved to new waterways,” said Bill Keiper, an aquatic biologist with EGLE’s Water Resources Division. “With each new detection, it becomes more important for people who fish, wade or boat to clean boats and equipment, including waders, after each use.”

Anglers who have encountered didymo-infested streams in the western or eastern U.S. know that rock snot is more than just a nuisance.

“Didymo has potential to be a nasty nuisance species in Michigan’s cold-water fisheries,” said Samuel Day, a water quality biologist with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. “Unlike the harmful algal blooms that plague areas of the Great Lakes due to warm temperatures and excess nutrients, didymo blooms form in cold, low-nutrient streams that most folks would generally consider pristine and great habitat for trout. Didymo can become a problem when it blooms, covering streambeds and reducing habitat for macroinvertebrates, which are important food for fish.” Read more

Fishing

Huge Michigan Buck Lost to Coyotes

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

After having taken a good buck in early October’s archery season, I had volunteered to fill the role as support person for my hunting pal, Joe.  That meant I would also “dog sit” his spirited Blue Tick hound mix, Junior, in an attempt to keep his mind from focusing on his owner, who would inexplicably march away without him.  We had put the hound on three different deer-tracking chores in the past year as training exercises, and he was about to face his most difficult test to date.

The call came over the two-way radio at dusk that Joe had shot a large 8-point whitetail and I waited for him to return so that we could develop a plan to recover the animal.  Joe didn’t provide many clues other than to convey that the shot was somewhat low – or, at least that’s what he thought.

Darkness was descending and that very fact may have caused us to make our second mistake.  (I’ll get to the first mistake later.)  Instead of waiting, Joe insisted on getting on the trail without delay.  Although we found no blood or the arrow, Junior was impossible to hold back.  The danger of pushing a wounded deer into the next county became a concern, as Junior pulled us deeper into the unknown, dark surroundings.

We called off the hound and made plans to resume the ordeal in the morning.  The overnight temperature would be marginally cool enough to salvage the deer, if we were fortunate enough to locate it without further delay.

The landscape looked a lot more inviting at dawn, when Junior returned for some more controlled chaos.  Farther and farther we went, all the while watching the dog’s reaction to scent we could not detect.  Junior was all over the invisible airborne scent and was now guided by a slight breeze into his olfactory meter; he could not be held back and dragged Joe to the downed prize.

As I approached the duo, Joe was shaking his head in disbelief, as he stood motionless over an animal he didn’t want to believe was his.  The massive 9-point buck had been torn apart by coyotes relegating us to nothing more than a meal of antler soup.

Now, let’s get back to the first mistake:  the shot.  We discovered that the arrow had struck the magnificent animal too far forward – some 8 inches off the mark and that’s where the troubles began.  Although the 40-yard shot was simple to make in practice, real-world excitement had been in play.

We had not the luxury of knowing whether the animal was dead, and consequently made a judgment call to wait.  Typically, hunters would do best to hedge their decision to pursue a deer with a measure of patience, but given the end result, there simply may have been no good recovery procedure.

No doubt, we should have held off our initial search for at least 30 minutes, which could have given the animal an opportunity to lie down and expire.  While we’ll never know exactly what transpired after the shot, we do know the disheartening results could have been prevented with a better shot.

Joe’s buck destroyed by coyotes

Hunting

Big Daddy Unlimited Offers M781 40MM “Chalk” Rounds, Grenade Launchers

Citizens can legally purchase and own grenade launchers, 40mm “chalk rounds,” and specialty ammo.

Gainesville, FL – Big Daddy Unlimited is proud to announce it now sells grenade launchers, barrels, and 40mm rounds to private citizens through Big Daddy Ordnance (BDO).

The M781 “chalk round” is a 40x46mm round designed to mimic the flight path of the M433 High-Explosive Dual-Purpose round.

“Bringing the M781s to market through Big Daddy Ordnance represents a decisive change in how 40mm ammunition is distributed for the civilian market,” said Sean Lindley, Government & International Sales Director. “Previously, ammunition only arrived on the civilian market from military overruns.”

Despite supply-chain-related issues for .38 S&W blanks, Big Daddy Unlimited has been able to leverage its position to have new production rounds manufactured. The goal is for Big Daddy Unlimited to always have M781s and other specialty munitions including 37mm and 40mm in stock and ready to ship to customers. In addition to specialty rounds, Big Daddy Unlimited sells destructive devices including grenade launchers and barrels as well as “less-lethal” ammunition to civilians and law enforcement. Read more

Ammunition

Savage Arms Adds 6.5 PRC to 110 Precision Lineup

WESTFIELD, Massachusetts –– Savage Arms is proud to announce the addition of 6.5 PRC to its line of 110 Precision rifles. This new chambering provides outstanding short-magnum potential from an adaptable rifle platform that will be chambered in both right and left-hand configurations.

“The 6.5 PRC was originally designed as a long-range hunting round,” said Jessica Treglia, Sr. Brand Manager at Savage Arms. “This is essentially a magnum version of the 6.5 Creedmoor—but much of what makes the 6.5 PRC cartridge great for hunting makes it a contender on the competition side, too. 6.5 bullets are known for their exceptional ballistic coefficients and the 6.5 PRC adds more velocity from its short-magnum design. They are performing really well and are especially capable in adverse conditions.”

The 110 Precision line is built around Savage’s 110 action. With a custom LSS stock designed by the accuracy experts at Modular Driven Technologies (MDT), the 110 Precision is fully customizable. From the adjustable comb height and length of pull to the capabilities of its AccuTriger™, this aluminum-framed rifle is built for exacting performance. Read more

Firearms

Federal Announces Monthly Subscription Service for Online Ammunition Purchases

ANOKA, Minnesota – – Federal Ammunition is proud to announce a new limited availability monthly subscription service has been added to its robust eCommerce capability. With this new service, consumers can subscribe to receive five boxes of ammunition to be delivered to their door step every month with a 12-month service commitment. This new service includes free shipping for all subscription orders.

“We are very excited to launch this new service which is loaded with benefits for our online customers,” said Jason Nash, Federal’s VP of Marketing. “Interested consumers should visit our web site to learn all the details of the new program. At the time of the subscription service launch, available calibers at the initial rollout will be 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 Auto, with possible expansion into other loads and cartridge options, pending market demand.”

Since early 2020, continual enhancements have been made to update Federal’s web site. This includes increased functionality and enhanced product search to help people find what they’re looking for faster. An industry first loyalty program offers online shoppers the chance to get exclusive merchandise for points and new products and merchandise are added regularly.

For more information on all products and online services from Federal or to shop online, visit www.federalpremium.com.

Ammunition

Micro-9 Under Glass

— Rich Grassi

I was contacted a month ago about the new variant of the ergonomically superb Taurus GX4 11-shot 9mm pistol. About the size of the GLOCK 43 (smaller than the G43X), it’s a double-to-single stack magazine and, while very small, it’s become known as a very solid 9mm pistol.

The new gun is the GX4 T.O.R.O. – Taurus Optic Ready Option. I wasn’t surprised that Taurus made this happen; the trend to optics on service pistols has become optics on compact and micro-compact guns. How relevant is that?

Some reluctance to optics on concealment guns revolves around bulk. With the micro-pistol, the added ‘footprint’ is still smaller than the so-called compact service pistol. And, as the smaller pistols have become “a thing,” the optics designers have continually made the electro-sight smaller without compromising battery life, options and – to some extent – durability.

Our use of the mini-Taurus was documented here, here and here. That created high hopes for the latest variant.

As supplied and fitted, for my testing, the Taurus GX4 T.O.R.O. was fitted with the Holosun HS507K X2 optic. This is my first hands-on experience with Holosun optics.

When first activated, I saw the “circle around the dot” reticle – a 32-MOA circle with a 2-MOA centered dot. I figured that would work for me. The gun was about the same as the Taurus GX4 that arrived earlier in the year, except it was supplied with an eleven round magazine and a thirteen-round magazine. It also came with the “Taurus tool” keychain (which didn’t accompany the first gun) and other odds and ends. It was in the OD Green plastic box, like the original.

As with the original GX4, I installed the larger palm-swell backstrap. I found it made the nicely sculpted frame a better fit for me.

The Taurus GX4 T.O.R.O. (in the middle, above) is between the Springfield Armory Hellcat RDP and the Ruger MAX9 (bottom). The guns are similar in size and purpose. Below, the newer GX4 is identical to the original (on the right) — except for the optic.

I took the new gun to the range the month before the public release. Beginning with the long magazine — I find the GX4 to be a bit short for precision shooting – and using Hornady 124 grain XTP +P ammo, I sought to rough-in a zero on the optic. Shooting from a seated rest at fifteen yards, I found the group was exactly two inches left of point-of-aim of the optic. I cranked the 1MOA adjustment right and tried with another five rounds on the same target. The group was nicely centered. Without my induced low flier, four of the bullets hit into 1 3/8”. With the flyer, it was a three-inch group, which made me sad. But the trigger is different from other guns – I can’t really explain how – and I hadn’t been to a range in around five weeks. Read more

Firearms

Firminator Line for Food Plots

Milner, GA (December 2, 2021) Ranew’s Outdoor Equipment offers a full line of implements for all your food plot needs. The Firminator G3 is by far the most versatile piece of equipment in the industry. It allows you to do all the necessary work of planting a food plot from start to finish with one implement.

A wide range of angle and pitch adjustments allows the Firminator’s heavy, 18-inch, notched 9-gauge steel disks to work the soil in a variety of situations. From the first cut into heavy sod, to lightly opening thatch and soil for over-seeding without disturbing existing forages, the Firminator is your best option.

The Accurate Seeding System handles seeds of all sizes, from the tiniest clovers up to beans, peas and sunflowers. The system is ground-driven so seed is metered out relative to your speed. The seed will stop falling when the Firminator stops rolling to eliminate seed waste. An optional seed hopper agitator is also available for keeping seed blends thoroughly mixed and preventing small seeds from sifting through too quickly.

Disk blades can be adjusted up and out of the way, allowing the cultipacker to roll on the soil with additional frame weight being transferred to enhance the seed-to-soil contact that is critical for good germination rates.

For those who use a larger implement for ground tillage, but still want the precision of the Accurate Seeding system combined with a cast-iron cultipacker, there’s the 4′, 5′, 6′ or 8′ Firmiseeder. Read more

Wildlife
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