When Remington calls you and asks if you’d like to go down to Argentina to test out their newest autoloading shotgun while hunting dove, there’s only one answer: Yes! Singer and gun writer Sheriff Jim Wilson got just that opportunity, and when he got back we got the chance to talk to him about his experience with Remington’s newest long gun, the 12 gauge Versa Max.

Let’s talk about your experience in Argentina with the Versa Max, we’ve heard a lot about how soft shooting it is. Well, I thought it was very comfortable to shoot. I did not weight the gun, but they list it as a 7.7 pound shotgun. That’s not nearly as heavy as some of the autoloaders in the past. Yet, it shot very nicely. I probably shot in the neighborhood of 2,000 rounds while I was down there.

You really put it through it’s paces then. Did you have any issues with feeding or ejection? No, save for a time or two. I hate to say this, but the Australian shotgun shells use the dirtiest powder you’ve ever seen. The powder just burns really dirty. Late in the day I would have a couple of malfunctions, but it was not serious at all.

One of the problems that we had was that under Argentine law, at the end of the day the guns had to be kept at the lodge or wherever. I think one of the problems was that some of the bird boys were cleaning the guns for us and they really didn’t know how to clean the ports. Once the Remington guys figured that out, well the guns worked just fine.

The Versa Max has a pretty unique ported chamber design. What type of special attention do you need to give that when cleaning? You know, I really don’t think you would. I think with our American ammo it would just run, run, run. In those torture tests when they were first developing the gun they would just run gobs of ammo through it.

What size shells were you using? They were 2-3/4″ shells and as best as I could tell 1-1/8 ounce loads and #7, #7.5, and some #8. We did have some of the new Remington Hypersonic 3″ ammunition down there. That’s got the new accelerator wad. Those things send a load of #2 out at 1700 feet per second. It’s pretty cool ammo, I’ll tell you that.

I shot some of that, and gosh it was comfortable to shoot. Remington did a lot of research before they ever released this gun, and one of the specific things they wanted to work on was to have something that’s comfortable to shoot and I think they really did accomplish that. I’m not a real technician on this but I think the double recoil pistons that are used help smooth the gun up, help smooth out the recoil. The felt recoil is just not much at all.

Tell me a bit about the ergonomics of the gun. Remington has added an adjustable comb and shims to change the length of pull. That’s one of the coolest thing about it. It’s part of the package, you don’t buy it extra. In the package when the gun comes are several combs of different heights, and you can just grab them with your fingers and pop them out, you don’t need any tools or anything. You could just literally take them out to the range while you’re shooting clay birds and switch combs out.

The shims that go on the back for length of pull are almost as easy to change as that. The length of pull as the gun comes out of the box is 14-1/4″ and you can go to 15-1/4″. The shims would be a little harder to adjust, you have to screw them out.

Still, I imagine it couldn’t take more than a couple of minutes to install or remove them if I had a multi-tool handy. Exactly. Speaking of that sort of thing, the action of the shotgun, when you take it apart, breaks down into five pieces. You can do all of that with your hands, there are no tools necessary. There are a couple of pins in the bolt area, once you get that far, but you take out the firing pin and you can use that to punch those pins out. That’s it. You can disassemble the gun into five major parts with no tools.

Now, when I’m duck hunting or goose hunting, the weather can get pretty bad. How does the Versa Max hold up? When you’re duck hunting, if it’s sleeting or raining on you or something like that, the gun is just going to get absolutely wet. It snowed on us the first day we were down in Argentina. It snowed all afternoon, and the birds were flying great. It would have been a terrible day to be out working, but it wasn’t bad to go hunting.

I’m not sure the weather is ever quite bad enough to call off a hunting trip. Still, the ice and rain didn’t affect the Versa Max did it? No, and that’s what I was saying about how easy it is to take down the action. If you’re in a duck blind and you’re getting wet all day, you can go in in just a few minutes and strip that action down, wipe it off and lubricate it. You don’t need any special tools. You don’t even need a screwdriver to do that.

Was it picky about lubrication at all? No, it’s not. All the internal parts are nickel-teflon coated. It really doesn’t take a lot of lubrication.

Is that the same as Remington’s TriNyte coating? No, that’s a separate coating. The barrel is TriNyte coated, but all the internal parts are nickel-teflon coated. The TriNyte is similar to what I would call a baked-on finish.

The waterfowl model is also completely camo’d including the barrel. I didn’t hunt with one, but there were several down there that I got to handle.

Did you have the opportunity to try shooting any skeet or trap with the gun? No, but I think that’s where the “Versa” comes into the name is it’s versatility. I think for dove, pheasant, quail, ducks, geese, turkey, I think the gun will work for all of those, and certainly for skeet and trap.

In January they’ll come out with the 26″ barrel model which some people prefer for skeet. I don’t happen to, my biggest problem in shotgunning is stopping my swing, so I prefer at least a 28″ barrel. When I get tired, that’s the mistake I make is stop my swing. When I start missing targets, I guarantee you I’m shooting behind them.

What are the sights like on the Versa Max? It’s got a Hi-Viz front sight. The one that was on my gun was a lime green, which worked just fine. I think that you can also change it to what ever color you prefer.

Did you get to use the Hi-Viz under any low-light shooting conditions? You know, just late in the afternoon a couple of times, but not real low light. Of course I do my best to focus on the bird and not even look at the shotgun. Generally when I look at the shotgun I miss.

As I mentioned in the article I wrote on the American Hunter blog, it shot where I looked.

That’s really important, having an instinctive shotgun. You can really see how much effort Remington put into designing the ergonomics of the gun to be adjustable for just about every shooter and every situation. Being able to shoulder it naturally is incredibly important. Well exactly, I stand about 5′10 and weigh about 170 pounds. The shotgun that fits me is not going to fit some guy that’s 6′5″ and 250. The beauty of that Versa Max is that with the shims and the combs and all of that he can make it fit him.

You’re saying you could essentially order this gun, sight unseen, from our online firearm sales, and be able to adjust it to fit you perfectly? Absolutely, because everything is in there. I didn’t mention this yet, but once you take the comb out, you can see down into a compartment in the buttstock and there’s a metal plate in there. The instruction manual tells you how to adjust that metal plate and it changes the drop at heel and it changes the cast. You can make it cast off or cast on. You just buy the gun, and everything is in there that’s necessary that you need to fit the gun to yourself personally.

Here’s another point too: You get the gun fit to yourself, but now next week you’re going to be hunting doves in a T-shirt, while come January you’ll be hunting ducks in everything you own. That’s when you get your shims out and lengthen it or shorten it as you need it.

I can’t wait to get my hands on one, I don’t mind saying I’m a bit jealous that you got to try one out. I certainly enjoyed it and I think it’s a great shotgun. You can tell that these guys at Remington have spent a lot of time and put a lot of thought into this.

Click here to purchase your own Remington Versa Max.

Gulf coast and eastern seaboard residents should already be prepared for the inevitable hurricane strike. Following Katrina and Ike, there has been a resurgence of awareness about the need to have a minimum of 3 days food and water for each individual in your home, along with batteries for flashlights and radios or a generator to provide power while electrical lines are restrung.

Led by the Ready Campaign, National Preparedness month is held each September to help spread awareness of the need to take simple steps to prepare for an emergency that could affect local communities.

What Is National Preparedness Month?

National Preparedness Month (NPM) is sponsored by the Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps and the Advertising Council. NPM is held each September to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities. September 2010 is the seventh annual NPM. This year will focus on encouraging Americans to work together to take concrete actions toward emergency preparedness. We are encouraging all Americans to join the readiness team and truly help themselves, their neighbors, and their communities be Ready.

• NPM Coalition membership is open to all public and private sector organizations. Groups can register to become an NPM Coalition Member by visiting ready.gov and clicking on the NPM banner.

• In 2009, nearly 2,700 organizations joined the Ready Campaign in promoting the readiness message across the country in homes, schools, businesses, and communities to highlight the importance of individual and community public emergency preparedness throughout September.

• During NPM, Coalition Members share preparedness information with their members, customers, employees, and communities. Members spearhead activities that encourage specific steps for individual, neighborhood, and community preparedness.

• Throughout the year, the Ready Campaign promotes individual emergency preparedness. Ready is a national public service advertising (PSA) campaign, produced in partnership with The Advertising Council, to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks.

• The Campaign’s Web sites (ready.gov and listo.gov) and toll-free numbers (1-800-BE-READY, TTY 1-800-462-7585, and 1-888-SE-LISTO) provide Americans with free emergency preparedness information.

• Citizen Corps is FEMA’s grassroots strategy to bring together government and community leaders to involve citizens in all-hazards emergency preparedness and resilience. Local Citizen Corps Councils enable collaborative planning between government and civic leaders and provide localized support for: outreach and educational efforts to the public; training and exercises that effectively integrate all sectors of the community; and volunteer programs that augment the full range of emergency response services. For more information about Citizen Corps, visit http://www.citizencorps.gov/.

Preparing for a disaster is not difficult. With a little bit of planning and a minimal investment into some rudimentary supplies and equipment, you’ll be ahead of the game when disaster strikes.

Food
The Canned Food Alliance says that the minimum amount of food you need is two cans of food per person, per day and one gallon of water per person per day. Dr. Judy Harrison and Dr. Elizabeth L. Andress, in “Preparing an Emergency Food Supply: Long Term Food Storage” write that we need to eat at lease one balanced meal a day. There are many resources on the web that will help you decide how many pounds of essential bulk items you will need per person for a year.

Your food supply should consist of non-perishable food items, pre-made complete meal boxed foods, canned goods, rice, beans, whole grains, flour, salt, seasonings, peanut butter, nuts, evaporated milk, sugar and storable fats, such as olive oil and vegetable oils is a good place to start. Choose a variety of foods and pick ones that you and your family already like. You would be surprised at all the different varieties of rice, beans and noodles you can find.

Water
You will need to store plenty of water, too, not only for drinking, but for cooking, washing, food prep, dish washing, laundry, teeth cleaning and other wash-up needs. Tap water is fine to use for long-term storage. 14 gallons of water per person will give you a two-week supply, or another suggestion is to buy 55 gallon plastic food-grade water drums. You may also purchase commercially-bottled water. If you go this route, make sure you use the water by its use-by-date. A cheap way of storing water is reusing 2 liter plastic soda bottles. Once you are done with the soda, give the bottle a good cleaning and sanitizing and fill with tap water. Tap water will need to be disinfected using household bleach, a water purification tablet or a water filtration system. You can also get water from your hot water heater or the toilet tank. Replace your stored water every six months. For more details on water purification, please see our articles on preparedness and water purification.

First Aid
For any household, a first aid kit is a must. If you do not already have one, you can build your own first aid kit or purchase pre-assembled kits such as the STOMP Portable Hospital Extensive and Intensive Medic Care kit. Inspect your first aid kit yearly and discard and replace any old, damaged, used, or expired items in the kit.

Don’t forget to include in the kit a supply of any prescription medications taken in your household, as well as materials to care for a sick or injured pet. If you have infants or pets, you may need to make sure that you have a supply of formula and diapers, or a stockpile of pet kibble for Fido. If possible, generate at least a 30-60 day supply of medicine over and above what you usually have on hand. This is especially important for critical prescription medicines such as insulin or heart medication. Most doctors will be willing to write a larger prescription, especially prior to hurricane or storm season, if you explain to them that you want to have a 60-day supply that you can rotate through. Your prescription insurance may not cover a large purchase like that, but it is well worth the money spent. Once your supply is established, continue to rotate new prescriptions through the supply using the oldest dated medicine first. Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, burn ointments, and instant glucose are all examples of over-the-counter medications that should be considered for inclusion in your first aid kit. Over-the-counter Benadryl and an EpiPen can also be considered for inclusion in any first aid kit. These can be used to quickly arrest what might otherwise be a fatal allergic reaction.

It is important to address how waterproof your first aid kit is. If the bag itself isn’t waterproof, the individual containers in it should be. In an emergency situation, the bag may be exposed to adverse weather or moisture, and that can ruin many of the items inside if they are not properly protected.

Electricity
Much of what we consider hallmarks of a modern society are predicated upon the cheap abundance of electrical energy. But what happens when that electricity is no longer available? Many of us have been without power for a few minutes or hours. We’ve huddled around a battery-powered radio or played Monopoly by candlelight while we waited for a storm to abate and the power to be restored. Yet sometimes, it can take days or weeks for a power grid to be brought back online. Hurricane Katrina and Ike are two examples where the power was not restored to some areas for more than a month. Without electricity, refrigerators and freezers begin to defrost in a couple of days. Food that once may have been available is now rotten. Most gasoline pumps are non-functional without power, making fuel shortages a distinct possibility. Without air-conditioning the heat can become unbearable and even deadly.

Generators are one solution to an extended power loss, but if you have a generator you must also have a fuel supply for it. Stored gasoline and diesel fuel can go bad in less than a year if left untreated. There are numerous products such as Sta-Bil for gasoline and PRI-D for diesel. Such products can extend fuel shelf life anywhere from 5-10 years depending on storage conditions. Other fuels such as propane and natural gas do not go bad, but can be more difficult to store. Propane and natural gas-fired generators are available too, but are usually larger, not easily portable, and meant for use as a standby generator.

Other solutions for power generation such as photovoltaics or windmills can be expensive and inefficient. In addition, such installations may not be permitted in urban areas. Cities often have maximum height limits on structures, and winds closer to the ground are weaker. Home owners associations also have strict rules that often prohibit wind generators or solar panels.

Cooking
Flashlights, candles, and a battery-powered radio are just the beginning of a power-loss kit. Food preparation is something else to consider. Without electricity, microwaves and electric ranges will not work. In some situations, natural gas may not be available to run a gas stove or oven. Barbeque grills are one option for cooking food, but they can only be used outside, and can require copious amounts of fuel to be used for extended periods of time. Propane ranges, Sterno kits, and white-gas camp stoves are a better alternative. These systems use fuel that is safe, easily portable, and very efficient at generating heat.

Personal Safety Hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes aren’t the only threats that people should prepare for: terrorist attacks are still a threat to the safety of Americans. Owning and learning to use a concealed handgun can provide personal defense wherever you are. Most states issue concealed carry licenses to any law-abiding gun owner. Check your local laws for more information.

Mossberg offers a “Just In Case shotgun combo that comes in a waterproof tube with a green cover. This design is more suited for a wilderness survival scenario, but could easily be adapted and customized for home defense. The shotgun has matte black finished furniture, blued steel, and synthetic pistol grip stock. Mossberg includes a “Survival Kit in a Can”, manufactured by Coghlan’s of Canada with the shotgun. This rudimentary survival kit includes matches, basic first aid supplies, emergency rations, a basic fishing kit, along with various other useful items such as a razor, duct tape, and safety pins.

Have A Plan
The most important part in being prepared is to have a plan for every situation. This may be as simple as thinking through various “what if” scenarios in your head (what if I lose my wallet or have a flat tire?), to something as elaborate as having a written escape plan and bug out bag in the case of a house fire. Have a family meeting to discuss the plans you make. Other family members may have ideas or concerns about your plans. Make sure that everyone in your household knows what the plans are for each situation, and share your plans with other friends and family so that they know where you are and what you will be doing in an emergency.

So: what should you look for when evaluating a piece of land as potential hunting property?

First is food and water sources. The main attractants for deer are forage and water, and your hunting property should ideally have both. Does the land have food plots or field crops? Are there edible mast type foods such as nut-and acorn-bearing trees and bushes? What about water? Water is almost more important than food availability, especially in more arid regions. Ponds, streams, creeks, rivers and lakes will all attract deer seeking hydration.

This brings us to the next thing to search for: game trails. Scout around water sources and forage areas for game trails leading to and from the water and food. Active trails with fresh deer tracks are the best, but deer may change the areas they browse depending on what crops are abundant and whether water is fresh, so bear this in mind when you come across older tracks. For example, areas with deep and large lakes or rivers may have abundant deer during droughts, while areas with field crops may only harbor deer until the crops are harvested.

Cover is very important to deer. Dense cover from hardwoods, tall grass and thickets provide secluded areas where deer can bed down to rest, or find safe areas to breed. Cover is also a great way to keep an eye on how the yearly rut is progressing. Keep an eye on trees for rub lines and scrapes.

The size of the property will play a defining role, but even small tracts of land can bear trophy bucks if they are surrounded by the right environment. Evaluate the value of the land to deer by identifying what assets the land has to offer deer. Some tracts are ideal for cover, but offer little in the way of food or water. Others may simply have critical travel routes deer use to move between bedding areas and forage.

Another important aspect to consider is hunting pressure. Is the land you are considering surrounded by areas that are heavily hunted? If so, it may only be good hunting for a limited time, such as the first weekend of bow season.

Finally, consider the huntability of the land. If the land is nothing but open fields or thick cover with no game trails, you may not be able to find a good spot to set up. Blinds set up along frequently traveled game trails, or on the edge of a field with the wind blowing in from the field are ideal.

My scouting expedition turned out to be fortuitous, as I snuck up on an unwary feral hog, ensuring at least some hog meat in the freezer. While scouting your hunting property, keep the above tips in mind while deciding where to set up your hunt, and you will benefit from the increased likelihood of taking a nice trophy buck this season.

True Blue Sam explains the rules below:

You’re sipping your coffee early one morning, and as you look out the back door, you see your favorite rooster about to do battle with a pack of coyotes that has invaded your farmyard. He’s a tough rooster, but he’s no match for a coyote, so you grab the nearest shooting iron and let one fly to stop the attack, and follow up with a kill shot. To shoot this match, CLICK HERE to download the target (*.PDF). Shoot once offhand (one or both hands), then once with a support, at each coyote. Use any type of improvised rest which simulates resting against a doorframe or window ledge. This can be a monopod, bipod, shooting bench, side brace, etc. A touch will count for three points, and a solid hit (Half or more inside the line) counts as five points. Hits on the chicken house count as one negative point. If you goof and hit your rooster, well, take the family out for a chicken dinner. At least the coyotes didn’t eat him.

Shoot this contest at 25 feet with a pistol, 50 feet with a rifle, and 15 feet with a smooth bore BB gun. If you must shoot at different distances at your shooting range, provide the distance with your target scan, and I will adjust your score proportionately. (Shoot with a rifle at 300 feet, and your score will be increased 6 times.)

Classes
Handguns:
Class I: Rimfire with iron sights
Class II: Rimfire with optics
Class III: Centerfire with iron sights
Class IV:Centerfire with optics
Rifles:
Class V: Rimfire with iron sights
Class VI: Rimfire with optics
Class VII: Centerfire with iron sights
Class VIII: Centerfire with optics
BB, Airsoft, and etc:
Class IX: Iron sights
Class X: Optics
More: You shoot it, and I will score it!
Scan or photograph your targets and e-mail them to: Truebluetravelinman (at) gmail (dot) com
If you have difficulty with Google Documents, e-mail me, and I will send the pdf directly to you.
Please send your entries in by midnight, September 30, 2010.
Make it an outing for family and friends, and have a good time shooting.
Every entry in Mr. Completely’s e-Postal contest is eligible to win a $50 gift certificate from Cheaper Than Dirt, so take several guns with you to the range and enter multiple times to improve your odds!

Julie put us in touch, and I got the chance to give Sarah a call and talk to her a bit about how she got started shooting and her future in the USPSA and shooting sports in general.

Hi Sarah, thanks for talking with us today. First of all, congratulations on your recent High Lady win in the Open Division at Area 5. Thanks! I was really surprised that I placed high in that match. I’d just graduated high school the weekend before, so I didn’t have time to really prepare myself. I spent two weeks before the match writing my graduation speech, and generally getting ready for graduation. Going into it, I didn’t expect much in the way of my performance at Area 5.

Did you grow up shooting with your family? Not really. I went out with my dad to shoot at my grandpa’s property when I was at least 3. After that I didn’t shoot again until I was probably 12. I took a Hunter’s Safety Course. After that I went to the range with my dad, trying to get some practice and we saw that they were doing a bowling pin shoot, so I started doing that.

You just came across the bowling pin shoot at the range and thought it looked like fun? Yeah, I thought it looked like fun so I tried that for a while.

It looks like you got pretty good at the bowling pin shoots, you set a number of record times clearing the table. Yes, I set the fastest time at the range. The time was a 1.98 second run, and then more recently I shot a 1.18.

That’s incredibly fast. Tell us a little bit about how you do it. It took me a while to get there. I never really get a chance to practice much, even now because of school. It kept me really busy so I never got much chance to practice. I really just practiced by shooting other matches.

Does your family participate with you at the matches? My parents actually shoot most matches that I shoot at. Both my mom and dad shoot with me. They help me with the financial side. Now I’m a poor college student going out, so they help me with that part. [Ammunition prices] are brutal. Buying the open guns has a big [financial] impact as well.

How often do you get the chance to go shoot a match or get out to the range? We usually shoot a match every weekend or so.

Do you practice at home at all with dryfire or airsoft? I do have an airsoft setup in the attic. I do that occasionally, but I’ve been slacking from that. I do do some dryfire occasionally.

Do you have a typical routine or drill you do when you dryfire practice? Not really. Mostly I’ll look back on video to see what I messed up on at the last match, what’s something I could improve on. I’ll do some draws and reloads too.

Do you do any specific training for the different types of matches like Steel Challenge? Not usually. I usually just go out and shoot, which makes me rather atypical compared to your normal shooter.

It sounds a lot like you’re just a natural. {nervous laughter} I guess you could put it like that. I will train if I get the chance to, but usually I just have a lot of time constraints.

Did you have any coaches or mentors who helped you as you began to get better and faster? Not really. I did do Kay and Jerry Miculek’s Junior Camp twice. That helped me out a lot.

I’m actually at their house right now training. They’ve really helped me out a lot. I’ve been practicing down here from the beginning of the month.

You’ve recently made the move from Junior to Ladies. Do you feel ready to compete against the big names like Kay Miculek and Jessie Abbate? I think I’m ready to go. I’ve done a lot of matches. I generally just shoot to go out and have a good time. I never really got competitive until now.

Still, you definitely seem to have a competitive spirit. You just graduated Salutatorian of your high school class. Then last year you picked up a revolver for the first time and shot the ICORE match where you managed to place 5th overall and take home a win in the Ladies division. Obviously something has awakened that competitive nature. Yeah, I think part of is that I’m pretty good at adapting to new situations. The revolver match, I’d only shot a revolver three times before that match. I’m just generally pretty good at picking up something new and figuring out what I’m supposed to be doing.

You’re heading into college now and I’m wondering where you see yourself heading in the future. Will you stick with Chemical Engineering or do you see yourself becoming a part of a major shooting team? I’d kinda like to do both, if it’s possible. Becoming a sponsored shooter, that’d be way more fun than being a chemical engineer. It depends on the financial side as well, whether or not I can support myself in a shooting career. I’m not entirely sure about that, but I’d be open to the opportunity.

Are you planning on continuing to shoot while you’re in college? Actually, the college I’m going to has a range 6 miles away. If I get a chance I’ll be out there as often as I can.

Is there a pistol team or shooting club at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology where you’ll be attending this fall? They have a rifle team with a rifle range on campus. I’ve thought about participating with the team but I’m not sure yet. I may go to tryouts, depending on when they are. It’s just so different from USPSA, I don’t know if that will throw me off. They do like 60 shots over the course of two hours.

It would be a different experience. I might do it just for the experience, but I haven’t decided so far.

I appreciate you taking the time to talk with us and I know we all look forward to seeing your future performances in USPSA. Thank you too.

After this interview Sarah placed 3rd in her division at the USPSA World Championship Steel Challenge. She’s currently attending Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology where she’s pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering. You can learn more about Sarah at her website SarahIrish.com

Water and Moisture

Water and moisture are the number one enemies of firearms. Prolonged exposure to high humidity, rain, or even total immersion in water, can quickly cause rust to form. For pistols, full flap holsters can help protect a gun from direct exposure to rain. Rifles and shotguns should be kept cased until you are ready to use them. Silicon-impregnated wipes should be kept with you and used to wipe down the firearm before and after you venture out. They work by coating the firearm’s surfaces with a fine film of silicon that repels water and moisture.

Should a firearm become fully immersed in water, care should be taken to make sure that the barrel is drained of water before firing. Simply tilting the barrel down to allow any water to drain out is usually sufficient. While a few droplets of water in the barrel won’t hurt it, catastrophic malfunction of a rifle can occur if it is fired while there is significant water left in the barrel. If a firearm becomes soaked through, it should always be detail stripped and cleaned as soon as possible afterwards to mitigate any rust or corrosion of delicate internals.

Finally, let your firearm air out overnight. Don’t just slide it into the case at the end of the day; leave it out with the action open so that any moisture that may have accumulated can evaporate. Even the smallest amount of moisture from the ambient humidity can cause rust to form in a firearm overnight.

Dirt And Mud

Dirt and mud are pretty well unavoidable out in the field. While protecting from dirt and mud is important, it is also nearly impossible. Don’t fret small amounts of dirt and mud on your firearm, but do use caution that the muzzle stays clear of obstructions. If you fall while carrying a firearm, or if the firearm is dropped, the bore should be inspected to make sure that there is no obstruction. Don’t wait to clean a gun that has been dropped or otherwise been covered in mud or dirt, field strip it right there and clean it as best you can. You should always carry a field cleaning kit including a rod with brushes and jags with bore patches so that you can quickly clear any obstructions and clean the gun.

Dust and sand can make short work of a well-oiled firearm. When in a dry and dusty environment, consideration must be given to the type of lubrication used on a firearm. Well-oiled firearms are great in a clean or moist environment, but oil in a dry environment will attract dust and sand, which will quickly gum up and possibly jam the action of a firearm. There are a number of dry film lubricants on the market that, when applied properly, leave a dry film on the firearm. This film effectively lubricates the action while not attracting dust and sand.

Muzzle Protection

One of the easiest ways to seriously damage or destroy your firearm is to have a foreign object in the muzzle. Dust and sand can blow into and down the muzzle increasing wear and tear on the rifling, and it could get into the action as well causing jams and other malfunctions. There are many types of shoot-off muzzle covers available to protect your rifle and keep dust and grit out of your barrel and action. These covers are also useful for keeping water, dirt, and mud out of the barrel.

Cleaning After Use

So you’ve just gotten back from the field, you’re happy, tired, and your firearms are wet and dirty. They can wait till tomorrow to be cleaned, right? Wrong! It is imperative to completely disassemble and clean any firearm that has been exposed to inclement weather, water, dirt or mud as soon as possible. Don’t just field strip and clean like you normally would, detail strip the firearm and remove any wood furniture to completely clean and dry the entire firearm. When exposed to water and moisture, wooden furniture can become moist and swell up, trapping dirt and moisture between the metal and the wood. This can cause corrosion and rust on the metal, eventually causing considerable damage to the firearm.

One of the most common questions customers have after purchasing a Mosin Nagant is, “How do I mount a scope on there without altering my receiver?” Generally, scopes are installed on to a receiver that is drilled and tapped to take scope rings. This presents a problem on the Mosin Nagant, as the straight handle bolt would interfere with the scope’s eye piece. The only viable alternative is to install a scout style scope, but the wooden stock and fore grip of the Mosin make such a proposition a bit complicated to properly execute.

S&K Manufacturing stepped up to the plate with their Mosin 91/30 scope mount. It utilizes existing hardware on the rifle and replaces the original iron sight with a Picatinny style rail to which virtually any scout style scope can be attached.

The most difficult part of installing the scope mount is driving out the pin that holds the rear sight in place. You’ll need a few simple and inexpensive tools that aren’t included with the scope mount to accomplish this: a punch and a brass hammer. If you use a steel punch (which we recommend, as brass punches are too soft and may bend or break) be very careful to make sure that it is perfectly lined up with the pin before striking it so as to avoid marring the sight. On most Mosin Nagant rifles, this pin is held very tightly in place and takes a while to carefully drive out.

Once the pin is most of the way out, the spring pressure on the leaf sight will push the sight up and partially trap your punch. Carefully remove the punch and then the leaf sight and spring before continuing to drive the pin out. With the pin completely driven out and the spring and leaf sight removed, carefully place the flange nut into the rear of the sight holder. Placed properly, it should appear as shown in the image to the right.

Next, place the actual rail in place into the sight box and place one of the screws through the hole where the pin once was and gently thread it into place but do not tighten it. Using your punch, ensure that the flange nut is lined up with the countersunk hole in the top of the rail and then screw it into place with the countersunk screw and an Allen wrench until it is just snug and then loosen it 1/4 turn. Then go ahead and screw in the other screw through the other side of the pin hole until both sides are snug and then back those out 1/4 turn.

At this point the rail should have some play and be able to be wiggled ever so slightly. Remove the bolt and place your scope on the rifle and gently snug the rail mount rings onto your rail. Bore sight the rifle by and adjust the set screws on the rail until the scope’s cross hairs are near the center of the bore. For this process, you may need to remove the scope, adjust the set screws, and then place the scope back on the rail. Once you have a decent bore sight, tighten up the counter sunk screw into the flange nut and then the pivot screws where the pin used to be. With the rail tightened up, reinstall your scope and continue to sight it in as you would normally.

Gun Nuts Media quoted Tiger McKee who said:

Most people think revolvers are easy to shoot and operate, and for some reason they think this is especially true for women shooters. This is simply not the case, regardless of the shooter’s gender. The trigger on most revolvers is longer and heavier than the majority of semi-autos.

Double-action triggers present a unique challenge when it comes to getting an accurate trigger pull. The trigger on most double-action revolvers is long and heavy, sometimes weighing in around 12 pounds or more. For a new shooter trying to be accurate with a pistol is tough enough without needing to master a difficult trigger.

The size and weight of a .38 snub nose also presents a unique challenge, as recoil and muzzle blast are much more pronounced than on a heavier pistol with a longer barrel. This effect is even more pronounced on extremely lightweight revolvers such as Smith & Wesson’s Airweight line. These are great revolvers for concealed carry as their small size and light weight makes them versatile enough to be worn with just about any wardrobe, but they are not ideal for someone just learning to shoot a pistol. The short sight radius and even shorter barrel also make this choice revolver more difficult to aim and less accurate than their longer barreled cousins.

One of the main reasons given for recommending a small revolver to a new female shooter is the simplicity of the design. While it’s possible that at one point this may have been a valid point, as technology has advanced there is really no benefit in “fool proof reliability” for choosing a revolver over a modern semiautomatic like a Glock 19. It is no more difficult to teach any new shooter to rack a slide in a semiautomatic than it is to teach them to swing a cylinder out on a revolver.

And what about reloading? It is arguably much easier, not to mention faster, to eject a spent magazine and slam in a new one than it is to swing a cylinder out, eject the spent casings, grab a speedloader and get it positioned just right before releasing the rounds into the cylinder, and then closing it back into place.

Pro shooters such as Randi Rogers use the Glock 19 for concealed carry, and for good reason. It’s simple, reliable, and easy to carry concealed. The 15 round capacity means you have to reload much less than with a .38 caliber revolver, and the longer barrel and longer sight radius make it easier to aim and more accurate.

The Glock 19 is no panacea for beginners, however good it might be. Everyone has different sized hands and will find different guns that fit them well. Personally I find that Sig Sauer pistols fit my hands extremely well, while my wife loves her CZ-75. The point is that a new shooter will need to try many different guns and find what fits them best. There is no perfect gun that fits any beginner. More importantly, when introducing somebody to firearms for the first time, the experience needs to be positive. Lightweight snub-nosed revolvers have enough fire-breathing kick to scare off a newbie. A bigger, heavier, soft shooting autoloader is much more suitable for the first time out, and you’ll find that they are no more complex or difficult to use than a hammerless revolver.

I get literally dozens of calls and emails nearly every day with people wanting to know if they can get the PMR-30 yet, when it will be available, and what the hold up is. We’ve been bugging Kel-Tec as well to find out what the hold up is.

Kel-Tec gave us this response today:

No, we are not at full production on PMR-30s. It has nothing to do with the product but more with the time line we set to release the PMR-30.

Back in January we announced that Q2 was the release date. It was based on estimated time to move from prototype to full production. What we had in January was a working model, but was not made on production CNC machines.

Our estimation proved to be quite off in terms of development. We noticed it before release but felt if we really pushed ourselves we could meet the Q2 release. The first batch of 80 or so, were done by that deadline, but had not been tested extensively (as we do with any first production run). After testing we found some inconsistencies in the CNC work and did some re-tweaking to fix it.

Since that first batch we’ve sent several other batches out, each with it’s own new little fix. All of the fire arms that have been sent out work, but in the course of production we’ve found little adjustments here and there that are improvements.

In all honesty this is stuff that should have been going on before release.

What should have happened (because hindsight is 20/20) was that we push back that official release date until October at the earliest.

Basically we underestimated the time it would take us to get these badboys into full production.

So we had a choice: either stop production completely and just wait until a later date (angering those that were told July as a release date) or release smaller batches so the guns can at least see the light of day as production catches up (also angering customers as they see guns coming out but can’t seem to get one). Obviously
we chose the latter (the right choice? this remains to be seen). The PMR-30s going out now are in working condition, but we’ve made that they may want to upgrade to, depending on serial number.

These parts will of course be free.

One thing we’ve discovered since shipping is that the PMR-30 does NOT like ammunition made in the Philippines (Armscor/Fiocci). The brass is weak and blows out.

So in conclusion: We are still making and shipping PMR-30s while production can get on track. They are still in small batches (30-70) and we are waiting on various redesigned parts to come back from heat treatment so we can start producing them in larger quantities.

Simply put we jumped the gun a bit on release (no pun intended), we acknowledge it, accept it, and are doing everything in our power to get things moving. In the meantime we are still sending out PMR-30s in small batches as we make them.

I hope this clarifies some things. My suggestion is to just pretend as if we set a release date for sometime in October and if you happen to come across a PMR-30 then it will be a pleasant surprise.

So, there you go. We’re still waiting for our next shipment of PMR-30 pistols. If you want to be one of the first ones to get your own PMR-30, follow this link and sign up by clicking on the link inside the red box to receive an email as soon as we have more PMR-30 pistols in stock.

The RWVA is now planning the largest ever Appleseed event at the Aurora Sportsman’s Club in Waterman, Illinois. They will have 60 instructors on site to train the 300 expected participants. This will make it the largest Appleseed event ever, and you can be a part of it. The event is absolutely free for children, women, and active military personnel. Past participants in previous Appleseed events will also be able to register for free, and people who are new to the Appleseed project can register for only $70. This represents an enormous bargain for the whole family to be able to learn a fun and valuable skill.

The Appleseed project website has more information:

The Appleseed 300 will be the largest two-day Appleseed event ever. Bringing together three hundred students and over sixty instructors, we will crush a number of current Appleseed records including: most attendees at a single event, longest contiguous firing line, and most rounds fired in a single volley!

Why Should YOU Be There?
Record setting is great – great to do, great to be a part of – but it’s what you can get out of the Appleseed 300 that will drive your decision to attend. Marksmanship skills? Great! Knowledge of your heritage as an American? Even better!

At a time when dark clouds seem to be rapidly building Appleseed will bring you renewed HOPE about the future of this country. And because of that, you’ll want to bring everyone you know to experience this Appleseed. Friends, neighbors, co-workers, family, relatives – persuade them all to come with you.

It’s even a great experience for kids. Parents have told us that a weekend of learning marksmanship and heritage has had a very positive impact on their family as children learn that by paying close attention to what they’re taught they can become successful marksmen. Being taught safety around firearms can be a real injection of maturity into young minds, an important part of their ‘growing up’!

So, come be a part of this record event, but don’t come just for that. Come and find out what Appleseed can do for your rifle marksmanship, your family, and your faith in America.

Anticipating the Appleseed Experience
At this record-breaking Appleseed event you will learn how to take accurate shots using nothing but your rifle and a sling – no benches, bipods, or rests. You will learn the Steady Hold Factors for prone, seated/kneeling, and standing/offhand positions. You will discover marksmanship “secrets” such as The Six Steps to Firing the Shot, the Rifleman’s Cadence, Natural Point of Aim, and how to zero your rifle efficiently.. You will acquire the skills necessary to shoot out to 500 yards, a distance traditionally known as “The Rifleman’s Quarter-Mile.” You’ll even learn to dance – the Rifleman’s Dance!

Reliving Our Heritage
In addition to outstanding marksmanship instruction, our instructors will teach the historical significance of the American Rifleman, starting with the beginning of the War for Independence. As our nation’s history is recounted, you will find yourself transported back in time 234 years to witness the first shots on Lexington Green and hear the resounding clash of arms as British Regulars were forced from the North Bridge in Concord. You will hear the stories and personal sacrifices of those who are in danger of becoming all but forgotten footnotes in history. Sadly, the true story of the birth of our nation is slowly fading, becoming infused with myth. We intend to reverse this trend by retelling the unadulterated facts. The actions of our founding generation need no embellishment.
Will you help us, by attending this very special Appleseed event?

We’re planning a special tribute to honor those who gave their lives for Liberty. Among other experiences, everyone at the Appleseed 300 will participate in a special volley fire event. You’ll find yourself standing shoulder-to-shoulder with other Americans – men, women, and children – who share your love of liberty and rifles. Imagine what it will be like to hear three hundred rifles all fired at once, and all in honor of those heroes that fell on April 19th, 1775! And don’t miss the opportunity to fire one of them.

As if taking part in this historic event wasn’t enough, concessions and Appleseed gear will be available on-site. Various prizes will be awarded throughout the event and a special award will be given to the person who travels the farthest to attend. Our premiere gift will be a brand new Marlin Model 795 .22lr semiautomatic rifle, fully outfitted as a complete Liberty Training Rifle package. It’s perfect for practicing your skills as a Rifleman, and even better suited to teaching others!

Outstanding Value For Everyone
With the economy in mind we are making it easy to attend by offering the Appleseed 300 free of charge to almost everybody. Just who can attend this event for free? Well, for starters, women, children, and active duty military. (including reserves and National Guard)

We are also offering this class FREE to ANYONE who has ever attended an Appleseed event. Just register online with the special code WM 300 AND bring proof of attendance at any earlier shoot to the registration table at the Aurora Sportsmen’s Club. What counts as proof? An Eventbrite ticket receipt, a canceled check, or a scored AQT (Army Qualification Test) will all get you admitted to this event free of charge.

Those who do not qualify to attend this event for free will pay only $70 for the entire two-day class! And will recieve a certificate to attend their next Appleseed FREE!
Come help us ensure the great American tradition of rifle marksmanship and our colonial history is not lost for future generations.

Click HERE to sign up for this event.

Contact RWVA Illinois state coordinator Dan Hendrickson at (630) 525-5654 or via email at IL@appleseedinfo.org for more information.