Para-USA's Elite Commander
After working with, and working on, a good number of 1911 type pistols, I can truly appreciate the many ways in which the 1911 design has evolved in commercial firearms. Unfortunately, there are lots of folks who insist the original military 1911 and 1911A1 are the best of all produced. […] [Read More]
Browning's 1911-22A1 Autoloading Rimfire
I have to give Browning a lot of credit for their decision to offer a Morgan, Utah manufactured, .22 long rifle rimfire autoloader that emulates the appearance of John Browning’s famous 1911 pistol. Particularly since U.S. manufacturers, for the most part, are producing .22 rimfire autoloaders that look like […] [Read More]
Winchester's Model 1895 Part 2
The 30-40 Krag’s brevity of popularity might be attributed to its short military service. The 30-40 Krag was in and out of uniform in and out in approximately 11 years. Even the 45-70 Government round was an official military cartridge for 19 years, 100+ years for the 30-06 Springfield, 60+ […] [Read More]
Winchester's Model 1895
Mention the Winchester Model 1895 and folks often slide into a discussion of the 405 Winchester and Teddy Roosevelt. Unfortunately, that does a bit of a disservice to the rifle, and its substantial sporting and military rifle history, beyond that cartridge or association with this noteworthy person. The Winchester […] [Read More]
Remington's Jelly Bean 223 Remington
The 223 Remington is probably one of the most misunderstood and most mischaracterized cartridges of our time. Load up a 20 round magazine, insert it into an AR-15 and liberals will begin to weep and every Mayor McCheese will scramble for federal funds to outfit their three man police force […] [Read More]
Savage's Model 42
Firearms can be incredibly substantial. They can represent history; personal history, family history, American history or they can simply be like an old song that conjures up memories of an important time, place or persons in our lives. On December 4, 1970, after four years of active duty, me […] [Read More]
Quick Fixes
Handling, shooting and working on many firearms throughout the year has caused me to become extremely picky about personal firearm selection. With experience providing lots of points of reference to gauge quality and performance, ego stroking brand names and premium price tags have zero bearing on my selections. Finesse features […] [Read More]
Browning's T-Bolt Target/Varmint 22 Magnum
There are a very few premium bolt action rimfire rifles being produced these days, which is a shame. A rifle with so much utility deserves the respect of a finely finished walnut stock and blued steel parts and refined accuracy. A quality rimfire can do many things better than a […] [Read More]
Weatherby's Mark V Accumark RC 338-378 WM Part 2
My initial intent was to limit handloads to heavier bullet weights; 250 to 300 grains. However, there is much more flexibility in the cartridge, so the limitation would have been self-serving. A 215 grain Sierra SPBT was squeezed into this family portrait. Later, I caved completely and added a 180 […] [Read More]
Weatherby's Mark V Accumark RC 338-378 WM Part 1
The Weatherby Mark V Accumark represents to an experienced hunter, what Snap-On Tools represent to an experienced mechanic; enhanced capabilities and features for the accomplished and with a price tag to match. I’d guess that the Mark V Accumark and Mark V Deluxe also represent a fork in the road […] [Read More]