Recently my wife’s entire family and I went for a vacation in Orlando, Florida.  Before we left, us guys decided, instead of only going to the expected amusement parks, we would like to do some hunting.  Alligator hunting was out of our budget and currently not in season, so we decided to lend a helping hand to Florida’s wild boar problem.  After a bit of research we settled on Hawg Wild Ranch, which is located some 2 hours south of Orlando.

Boar Hunting for Beginners

For people without experience, hunting wild boar is not as easy as it seems.  These creatures are very intelligent and can be spooked by the slightest noise or abnormal scent, similar to whitetail deer.  Being nocturnal, very quiet and capable of moving quickly, wild boar can be hard to hunt but they are quite predictable.  Since boars don’t have sweat glands, they need to cool off near any body of water, such as a mud pit, swamp or river.  Their skin gets dry and irritates easily so they scratch themselves on trees, leaving behind muddy marks on the tree trunks.  These marks usually determine the cutlines.  Wild boars tend to stay on a daily routine so tree stands, trail cameras and feeders should be placed near these cutlines.

Rifle use for Guests

Bringing rifles over the US border can be costly and complicated but luckily Hawg Wild Ranch does offer rentals for $25 USD per rifle with ammo included.  They have many different calibers to choose from for all ages.  With a hunting party of four, we chose a .17 HMR, 7mm-08, 300 Win Mag, and a .35 Rem.

The Hawg Wild Experience

A month before our vacation, I called Hawg Wild Ranch a few times to make reservations. After a few rounds of phone tag and voicemail messages, I was able to complete the reservation. It cost $200 USD per person to hunt a Trophy hog and I had to mail them a 50% down payment with a US money order. After a week in the mail, I got a phone call from Hawg Wild Ranch confirming the money order had been received.

At 4pm on the day of the hunt, we arrived at the ranch, which has over 6800 acres of surrounding farmland. My party of four was dropped off by the guide in a Polaris Ranger to separate hunting spots. Each spot is close to cutlines with tree stands and feeders nearby. The hunting spots surround a large swamp where the boars cool off so the hunter can be prepared for the kill when the boars leave.

It was still daylight at 5pm so I didn’t expect too much action until a couple hours later. There was much wildlife in the area, especially armadillos. Those suckers make so much noise that I’m sure the boars get easily spooked by them. When darkness had fallen, it became really hard to determine the difference between boar and other wildlife, and I really wish I brought something with night vision. The guide returned to pick me up at 9pm and we continued on to collect the rest of my group.

Was it better than an amusement park?

Three in my hunting party of four shot a boar. Heck, even the 11 year old in my party dropped a large porker using a .17 HMR. The hunting fee had to be paid regardless of whether we shot a boar or not. Getting to experience the thrill of hunting wild boar and enjoy the nature was worth the fee!

There are many ranches in Florida that place boar in a caged area where you go shoot them. Those ranches do guarantee a boar by advertising “No hog, No pay”, but to me there is no pride in killing a caged animal. Hawg Wild Ranch really stands out from these other ranches by having their boar completely wild and free.

I strongly recommend anything with night vision (like a monocular or goggles) for those darker hours. Not having night vision with me was a hard lesson learned. I also recommend long sleeved shirts for the mosquitos. The shirt won’t protect you completely, but it doesn’t give off a weird scent like mosquito repellent.

Conclusion

With a huge hunting area, a large arsenal of firearms and really great rates, Hawg Wild Ranch is certainly a must for anyone looking to do something out of the ordinary while vacationing in the Orlando area.  I highly recommend this experience to anyone.

Hawg Wild Ranch

10765 NE 120th Street Okeechobee, Florida 34972

http://hawgwildranch.net/

(561)662 8503

Sweet, there are now locally made 50 Beowulf magazines in Canada. Press Check Ventures has started making the PCV-50, a polymer, 5 round 50 Beo or 458 SOCOM magazine for $55. Apparently, Trevor from Reload Radio has already played with them. (CGN Thread)

http://presscheckventures.3dcartstores.com/PCV-50_p_8.html

The Vortex SPARC is a midrange priced red dot great for use on AR15′s, 45-70′s, shotguns and other rifles where short range, fast shots are required. At the low range, you have Tascos, Bushnells, etc for about $100; at your high end, you have EOTech and Aimpoint at $400-$900. The SPARC fits in the middle at about $200 including mounts. That’s an important consideration when mounts for the pricier red dots go for about $50-$125.

What’s in the box?

A lot, if you’re used to buying riflescopes! The box comes with 2 low height mounting options, an AR co-witness mounting option at 37mm, plus a combo of the two for a 1/3 co-witness. Also included is the rubber lens cover strappy-thing, 2 CR2354 batteries that should each last a bajillion years, and a screw-on 2X magnifier. The 2X magnifier is really handy for sighting in the red dot and giving a little extra oomph when target shooting, but I prefer the SPARC without it. It interferes with good “2 eyes open” sighting that’s excellent with 1X magnification, and it really narrows the field of view in the sight. Both eyes open sighting and target acquisition is a bit of an eye opener if you’ve been used to 3-9 scopes, and it really speeds up finding and engaging new targets. So I relegate the 2X magnifier to sight-in duty only.

Batteries and power

The most critical issue with using a powered optic is how quickly it can be brought to bear and how long it lasts. Thankfully, the Vortex offers a quick touch “on” for the dot. A simple click on the left of the red dot turns it on, while a lengthy 5 second hold is required to turn it off. Battery life at typical brightness is 120 hours, which is pretty good for a midrange optic. A high end optic like an EOTech could last more than 600 hours even on max brightness, while low end optics can come in quite a bit less. The compact 2354 batteries can be easily be fit into a grip hollow or other place on the gun as backup, though I’d be more impressed if the sight used a common CR123 for power.

Usability

Use of the SPARC is VERY straightforward. The typical brightness setting is fine for mid-day, and remained untouched while I used it. I did turn it down as dusk settled in, and that was very easy thanks to the easy up/down arrows on the back of the sight. I would prefer to see the NightVision button as smaller and harder to hit since the majority of users wouldn’t use it, and most hits of the NV button would be accidental. It’s on the outside of the red dot and is too easy to accidentally bump while using. The power button was easy to use, and while somewhat inconvenient to turn off, I’d hate to suggest something more convenient that would compromise the design or excellent reliability. The rubber “bra” style scope caps suck, regular flip-up scope caps would be much easier to pop up should you emerge from the bush and see a coyote or deer. Adjustment of windage and elevation is easy with the wired adjustment caps, but . . .rough. 1MOA click adjustments is just a bit big in my world; I could live with .5 MOA adjustments, but 1MOA leaves me wanting. The safety wires don’t really impede use of the caps and they ensure that the caps don’t fall down a sewer grate or down into a field or something silly, which is excellent. I don’t know how much experimentation they needed to do to get the tension and wire thickness/braid just right to retain those caps, yet leave them free to spin, but they did an awesome job.

Quality

Build quality is a bit tough to measure, because I’m too much of a wuss to beat the crap out of my SPARC. Thankfully, some nutjob saint has done that for me. PreachermanMATT on AR15.com put the SPARC’s claims of waterproof, weatherproof, and shockproof-ness to the test in an epic thread here: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_18/488888_Vortex_SPARC_Review.html. I’m not willing to subject my property to that kind of abuse, so check his thread out if you’re interested to know what the SPARC can endure.

Overall

I think the big question most people will want to ask is “can I buy this instead of an EOTech or Aimpoint?” You can’t, unless you change your requirements. This sight does not last as long on battery, and will not be as robust as an Aimpoint or EOTech. If you’re not going to treat your optics like shit, and you’re willing to keep an extra battery around and changing that battery will not mean instant death, I can’t see why you wouldn’t want to go with a mid-range optic like this. A lot of people out there are convinced that you need to buy the most expensive, best stuff out there, no matter what your mission. But if your mission is to shoot a few coyotes or have a better-than-irons sight on your short range gun, there’s nothing wrong with going with a red dot like this. It’s certainly more likely to sop up abuse better than a Tasco, and the optics are pretty good. So if you’re not engaging OpFor, take it easy on your wallet and buy something “good enough” for moderate civilian use.

SPARC vs Strikefire

If you’ve been browsing the midrange red dots, you might have come across the Strikefire, also by Vortex, and also in the same price range. Where these systems differ is primarily in size and dot MOA. The bigger Strikefire looks like a mini-scope, and comes with a single 30mm ring to mount, while the smaller SPARC comes with multiple skeletonized aluminum mounts to fit a few different mounting requirements and uses a smaller 2MOA dot. While they both have very similar controls, the smaller SPARC will mount lower and comes with a more streamlined package. The Strikefire offers a larger view, with a 1.45″ objective vs a 1.1″ objective on the SPARC. The Strikefire comes with flip up caps, which in my own opinion, are better than the rubber scope caps that the SPARC comes with. To summarize:

Strikefire advantages:

• Better field of view
• Better scope caps
• Standard tube size: you could more easily customize the red dot height using commercial 30mm rings if you needed more adjustment options.

SPARC advantages

• Smaller, more snag-free design
• Smaller, finer red dot (2 vs 4 MOA)
• Comes with mounting options for several different heights. (2 different low mounts, co-witness, 1/3 co-witness)
• Safety wired adjustment and battery cap (you can’t lose them)

This is a big departure for this site, because AR15′s are restricted and can’t be used for hunting in Canada. But. . .I got an AR lower and wanted to find info on parts availability, and the spreadsheet below is the result. I just had to share it because it took a while and some of the retailers are a bit hard to find. I have not listed really high end stuff, mostly low/midrange AR parts, and I haven’t listed a lot of lowers because I already have one, but I still think this is the most comprehensive listing of parts that you can get in Canada. Keep in mind that if you’re looking for parts that are under $100, Brownells is a decent option too.

Shortlist of retailers with the biggest inventories: Wanstalls, Wolverine Supplies, Questar, CTC Supplies, SFRC, Arms East. If I’m missing any, just let me know in the comments.

*Any of these retailers can change pricing or availability. Consider this list as just a good starting point.

Complete AR15 Rifles

(just in case you don’t feel like building)

• Core15 Piston M4: $1399 at Wanstalls
• Windam SRC  16″: $1199 at SFRC
• DPMS Panther: $875 at Wolverine
• NEA 12.5″ Rifle: $1099 at TSE
• RRA Entry Tactical 16“: $1179 at Questar
• Norinco CQ14.5: $699 at Frontier
• Remington R15: $1100 at Lever Arms
• Bushmaster M4: $1200 at Lever Arms
• Stag arms 1R carbine with handle: $1396 at ArmsEast
• NEA basic 14.5 rifle: $1149 at TSE

Complete AR15 Uppers

• Core15 M4 Piston: $949 at Wanstalls
• NEA15 upper 14.5″ barrel: $829 at SFRC
• Spike’s – 16′ M4 LE upper: $699 at Questar
• Noveske – Light RECCE 16′: $1049 at Questar
• RRA – 20′ Standard A4 Complete Upper Half w/20′ Wilson HBAR: $709 at Questar
• RRA 6.8 SPC 16″: $729 at Questar
• Stainless Varmint 16″ RRA: $919 at Questar
• Norinco 14.5 upper: $499 at SFRC
• TNW Complete Upper: $825 at Marstar

Incomplete AR15 Uppers

• Spikes M4 flat top upper: $199 at Questar
• VLTOR MUR upper: $229 at Questar
• Hi standard with barrel, but no BCG: $650 at GP Tactical
• Aero Precision flat top upper: $179 at CTC Supplies
• Vltor MUR-1S upper: $270 at CTC Supplies
• Stag Arms upper receiver: $189 at Arms East
• NEA Upper Receiver: $185 at NEA
• Motiuk Upper: $179 at Motiuk.c b$om
• Stripped STI Upper: $135 at SFRC
• Daniel Defense Upper no BCG: $699 at SFRC

AR15 Barrels

• Green Mountain 14.5″ barrel: $249 at Wanstalls
• NEA 14.5″ Heavy barrel: $249 at SFRC
• NEA 10.5″ Heavy barrel: $225 at SFRC
• NEA 7.5″ Heavy barrel: $209 at SFRC
• S&J Stripped barrel: $227 at S&J Hardware
• NEA 14.5″ Barrel: $253 at NEA
• White Oaks 16″ Stainless Match Barrel: $400 at CTC Supplies
• Wilson 14.5″ Barrel: $300 at CTC Supplies

AR15 Lower Parts Kits

• RRA basic lower kit: $99 at Questar
• RRA better trigger & grip: $119 at Questar
• RRA NM trigger and basic grip: $199 at Questar
• RRA NM trigger and Hogue grip: $199 at Questar
• Spikes enhanced lower parts kit: $224 at Questar
• Daniel Defense lower parts kit: $128 at Wolverine Supplies
• Stag Arms lower AR15 parts kit: $100 at CTC Supplies
• Lower parts kit, Magpul enhanced: $120 at CTC Supplies
• ALG Defense, Magpul enhanced: $210 at CTC Supplies
• S&J Hardware: $89 at S&J Hardware
• Bushmaster lower parts kit: $105 at S&J Hardware
• NEA Lower Parts kit: $89 at NEA
• NEA Lower Parts kit: $82 at TSE
• Lower receiver parts kit: $120 at Motiuk
• AR15 Lower Parts kit: $125 at Dlask Arms

AR15 Muzzle Brakes

• Spikes 556 muzzlebrake: $95 at Questar
• NEA A2 birdcage flash hider: $18 at NEA
• NEA Phoenix Flash Hider: $55 at BlueLine
• Armalite A2 flash hider: $40 at Wolverine Supplies
• Daniel Defense AR15 superior flash hider: $76 at Wolverine Supplies
• Stag Arms Muzzle Brake: $32 at Arms East
• VLTor VC-A2 Flash Hider: $79 at Arms East
• Linear Compensator: $60 as S&J Hardware
• King Armoury KA-1222A: $75 at S&J Hardware
• NEA Crusader Brake: $60 at NEA
• Spikes Dynacomp short: $115 at Questar
• A6-1 Muzzle Brake: $120 at GP Tactical
• Linear Muzzle Brake: $55 at Allen Gun works
• Griffin Armament M4SD II: $106 at CTC Supplies
• YMH Phantom 5M1: $50 at CTC Supplies
• A6 Muzzle brake: $65 at Dlask Arms

AR15 Stocks, Handguards, Free float quad rails, and other Furniture

• FAB Mag well grip: $25 at Wolverine Supplies
• Daniel Defense 12″ free float rail system: $395 at Wolverine Supplies
• FAB Defense AR15 Butt Stock: $65 at Wolverine Supplies
• FAB Defense Butt stock assembly: $180  at Wolverine Supplies
• FAB shock absorbing butt stock: $95 at Wolverine Supplies
• FAB shock absorbing butt stock with adjustable cheek: $105 at Wolverine Supplies
• Magpul CTR compact: $85 at Wolverine Supplies
• Magpul MOE handguard: $45 at Wolverine Supplies
• Magpul PRS: $245 at Wolverine Supplies
• UAG quad rails: $37 on Amazon
• Magpul MOE stock: $67 at Lever Arms
• Magpul ACS carbine stock: $125 at Lever Arms
• Magpul CTR Stock: $90 at Lever Arms
• Magpul AFG2: $45 at CTC Supplies
• YMH Diamond Quadrail: $160 at CTC Supplies
• Magpul MOE Rifle length hand guard: $47 at Arms East
• Troy 11″ Alpha Rail with sight: $300 at Arms East
• S&J Hardware mid length rail: $190 at S&J Hardware
• Marstar Mid length quad rail: $110 at Marstar
• RRA Aluminum aluminum free float tube rifle length: $116 at Questar
• RRA Quad rail aluminum free float CAR length: $155 at Questar
• RRA half quad half smooth free float: $259 at Questar
• Magpul ACS-L: $120 at Wanstalls
• Magpul UBR: $300 at Wanstalls
• Hera arms collapsible plus buffer and spring: $140 at Freedom Ventures
• STI Aluminum handguard: $87 at Freedom Ventures
• STI quadrail: $171 at Freedom Ventures
• Magpul CTR: $76 at Brownells
• Stag Carbine Buttstock: $50 at Arms East
• CAA Collapsible stock – black, green, or khaki: $60 at TSE
• Mil Spec M4 butt stock set: $83 at S&J Hardware
• Tan Overmolded grip and handguard: $68 at Dlask Arms

Miscellaneous AR15 Parts

• Spikes chrome bolt assembly: $105 at Questar
• Spike’s bolt assembly: $95 at Questar
• LMT bolt assembly: $106 at Questar
• Spike’s – Forged Charging Handle: $34 at Questar
• Spike’s BCG: $299 at Questar
• LMT Complete BCG: $365 at Questar
• FAB defense polymer door kit: $10 at Wolverine Supplies
• AR15 combo wrench: $25 on Amazon
• QD Sling Adapter & Swivel: $65 at CTC Supplies
• BCM Gunfighter charging handle: $73 at CTC Supplies
• FA BCG: $130 at Ice Arms
• FA BCG with Nickel Boron Finish: $199 at Ice Arms
• AR Tool: $35 at Marstar
• Motiuk BCG: $299 at Motiuk
• RRA 2 stage National Match trigger: $160 at Questar
• RRA single stage trigger: $60 at Questar
• AR15 Commercial Tube (Armalite): $43 at Wolverine Supplies
• End plate – QD swivel Daniel defense: $54 at Wolverine Supplies
• Stock kit (tube, spring, plate, nut, buffer: $115 at Wolverine Supplies
• Carbine Buffer Spring: $6 at Wolverine Supplies
• Castle nut: $5 at Wolverine Supplies
• Index Plate: $5 at Wolverine Supplies
• Carbine Buffer: $25 at Questar
• LMT Heavy Buffer: $31 at Questar
• Spike’s T2 Heavy Buffer: $46 at Questar
• 7075 Mil Spec buffer tube: $40 at S&J Hardware

During one weekend I had a chance to help my father-in-law dust off some of his firearms. We came across his Midland gun company (Parker Hale) 30-06 bolt action rifle. He shared some of his hunting stories that he had with this rifle back in the “good ‘ol days”, including how the wooden stock cracked from fore-end to the internal magazine.

Out of curiosity, I decided to call a gunsmith to find out how much it would cost to repair the stock. I was quoted $350 for a full repair, which was not worth it since the rifle had previously been appraised at $450, in excellent condition. A brand new stock was not an option either because I couldn’t find anything locally or online. However, while searching the web, I did come across a budget-friendly and simple DIY repair. Having nothing to lose, except maybe getting shot by my father-in-law for wrecking a sentimental piece, I thought I would give it a try.

DIY stock repair

Now you’re probably thinking “oh he is going to glue it together.” Well, that is exactly what I’m doing! Zap-a-Gap and Gorilla Super Glue are the two glues of choice since both are shock resistant due to their unique formulas and both hold better and last longer than other superglues. I did have a problem finding a bottle of Zap-a-Gap going to places like fishing stores, Wal-Mart, and even arts and crafts stores. The Gorilla Super Glue on the other hand was easy to find at my local hardware store. I picked up a bottle at Home Depot for under $10.

Gluing a stock

I do have to admit gluing a stock seems pretty simple, as long as you don’t glue your fingers together. Make sure that all sides of the crack are covered evenly but do not too much glue as it will seep out and dry on the wooden finish. As you can see in my photos, I have firsthand experience in the disaster of using too much glue. While this was happening, I was picturing my father-in-law loading up his shotgun like he did when I started dating his daughter. I wiped the seeping glue off quickly and clamped the stock together to let it dry for 24 hours. After the glue dried I used really hot, soapy water on a rag and laid it on the glued area. Some of the glue loosened and wiped away easily but not all of it. At least the stock is in better shape than it was before.

Does it work?

Testing the rigidity of the stock went well. I fired a couple of boxes of ammo through the old Midland and found no separation of the glued area. Unfortunately, I was able to feel the glue that had dried on the stock while shooting because it was slightly uneven in places. However, it didn’t bother me too much as it was so minor and the price of repair really kept me in a good mood. But it’s not my opinion that truly mattered. I’m not going to lie; I was nervous about showing my father-in-law what I had done to his rifle and, if he didn’t approve, just how fast and how far I would need to run.

Conclusion

A repair from a gunsmith or a new stock would be the proper repair to any damaged stock. But, if you are unable to afford either, this inexpensive DIY will help hold your stock together for those future hunts. Heck, it even got the father-in-law seal of approval!

DIY Savage Axis Trigger Job

Warning: screwing around with your trigger comes with some risk. You should have a good idea of what the rifle trigger should be doing, have a bit of mechanical sense, and test rigorously afterwards. If you adjust your trigger according to this content, you take responsibility for your modifications. If you’re not comfortable with the risk, or don’t feel your mechanical aptitude is strong enough, take your rifle to a gunsmith.

A while ago I cut the stock trigger spring on my Savage Axis, and found it did lighten the trigger to a reasonable weight. Having to deal with that annoying amount of overtravel was another story. To get rid of it I could have gone out and bought a Rifle Basix or a Timney aftermarket trigger. But, hey, I’m on a budget! So I searched online and found an affordable fix that was simple and only needed parts from any hardware store.

Cutting the coil:

As we all know, the stock Savage Axis trigger feels heavy, measuring around 7½lbs. The best I could get using Federal Blue box, 30-06, 150 grain ammo at 100 yards was 1½” groups. When looking at the trigger assembly on the bench, I found that there was absolutely no takeup with the bolt locked in position and that the break length was very short. It seemed to me that it had the potential of being an excellent trigger. Figuring if I adjusted the weight of the trigger, it would be enough for accuracy to improve. I ended up cutting the top two coils of the stock trigger spring to reduce the weight to 4lbs and found the groups had shrunk to 1¼” with the same ammo.

Parts to buy:

Being on a budget, I searched for parts that had the best bang for their buck. What I have used and where I got them is listed below.

1. Pack of four #10-24 UNC ¾” screws at Home Depot for $1.99 (only used one screw)
2. Industrial strength spring kit at Princess Auto or your local hardware store for $9.99

Let the trigger job begin:

After checking the rifle, remove the stock to reveal the trigger assembly. Remove the E-clip (aka Jesus Clip), pivot pin, and trigger out from the assembly. From the spring kit, use a spring that will just fit on the new #10 screw and cut it to about ½” in length. With the stock trigger spring removed from the trigger, install the new #10 screw from the bottom and the newly cut spring on top. Use a little bit of blue Lock-Tite thread locker to guarantee the screw will stay in place after adjustment. I suggest blue Lock-Tite because you can loosen off the screw with the use of normal tools, while red will require heat and green (yes, there is such thing as a green Lock-Tite) will need a lot of good luck to come undone.

Install the trigger back into the assembly and adjust the screw before the Lock-Tite dries. I adjusted my screw so that when the sear breaks there is absolutely no overtravel. You can adjust your trigger to anything you want, but I prefer this setup. After the adjustments have been made, reinstall the stock and let the Lock-Tite dry. Note: Do not leave out the trigger spring. The spring is needed to prevent any accidental discharge while the rifle is being used. Also, do not adjust or remove the set screw used for the safety. This is perfectly set by the manufacturer and it will not work properly if adjusted or removed.

Improvements?

After the trigger job was completed, I was able to measure the weight of the trigger at an awesome 3lbs. Taking my Axis to the bush to try out this T-job, a group of 1” MOA was made using Federal Blue box 30-06, 150 grain. The feel of the trigger was a major improvement as it was very crisp and clean. To me it felt like a better trigger setup than some triggers used on more expensive rifles.

Now I had some extra 150 grain Winchester Silvertips that I use in my X-bolt so I figured I would give them a try. At 100 yards, the Silvertips reduced the size of the groups to ¾”. Awesome! But I’ll stick to the cheaper ammo so I won’t have to make cuts to my wife’s shopping budget. You know what they say, “happy wife, happy life!”

Conclusion

If you want a better trigger and don’t have a lot of cash to buy an aftermarket one, this fix is worth every nickel. The trigger is the one thing that holds the Savage Axis back. With this trigger mod installed, the Savage Axis moves up the ranks to being one of the best budget rifles on the market, hence why I have one in my arsenal.

Modern bolt action rifles are a modern day pleasure. Considering what people earn these days, an accurate bolt action rifle is much more within reach than it ever has been before. A new Remington 700 in 1962 would cost $115. That’s at a time when average monthly household income was $500. In 2012, the average household income is 10x that, and rifle prices are only 3-5 times more. Of course, now more computer controlled machining is involved, and rifles usually come with plastic composite stocks instead of nicely shaped wood ones, but they haven’t given anything up in their capability to hunt and shoot accurately. Combined with a tremendous amount of factory loadings available, you stand a great chance of finding a <1 MOA combination for your rifle.

With all this accuracy on tap, we should talk about how to sight in our rifles for long range hunting. Since most deer are still taken at about 100 yards, any long range solution can’t compromise our more common short range shots. I’d like to talk about 3 styles of scope adjustments for range, and what I think is the best way to sight in a scope for long range shooting.

Hold Over

The least technologically advanced way to adjust for distance is to “hold over” or hold the scope reticle over where you want to hit. If you were a machine gunner in a war, you might fire, observe impact, and adjust accordingly. But we’re not machine gunners, we’re hunters and this style of adjustment is only really useful in the 300-500 yard range. Anything closer and you don’t have to adjust, anything further and you probably can’t memorize the hold overs precisely enough. It’s hard to get into that 6″ kill zone if you’re estimating by feet.

 

Ballistic Reticles

A better solution to manual hold over is to use a scope with a ballistic reticle, a reticle that has been marked for set distances. Now, instead of eyeballing a spot on your reticle or guessing how many feet high you’re holding over, you set the “400 yard” reticle on the deer and fire as normal. No math, no drop tables to remember. All that you need is an estimated distance. Some ballistics reticles even help out with that, using common measurements from deer or fenceposts to help estimate range. Downsides? You really need to verify impacts to make this system work, it doesn’t do well with cartridges that are “in between” common cartridges or are using uncommon loadings, and they cost more than non-ballistic reticle scopes (usually $50-$100 more.) There are also tactical riflescopes inscribed with “mildots” that are a common standard, but they can be difficult to use as you need to pre-calculate drops for common yardages.

Turret Adjustments

The last method I wanted to mention was using a scope equipped with turrets. Turrets are externally accessible scope adjustments. Some are graduated for yardage in specific calibers, while others operate on standard MOA or MRAD. The whole idea is that you range the deer and then turn your turret to either an inscribed range for calibrated turrets or for a specified drop in mills or MOA, and then fire using the center reticle. It’s theoretically the most accurate but it also has the most moving parts and calculations. In practice, this solution not the most ideal for hunting. Turrets can get bumped off marks, they make your rifle slightly bulkier, and they invite additional complexity.

Sighting for MPBR

MPBR, or Maximum Point Blank Range, is a very practical way of sighting in a rifle so that you can do most shots up to about 300 yards without having to muck around with any of the above. Simply put, you set your scope so that you’re shooting very slightly up, just enough so that the bullet goes up an acceptable amount before dropping back down. This extends the distance that you can use the regular crosshairs and still hit in the vitals without having to think about any of the above. With most rifles, you can do a short range sight in at 20-ish yards, followed by a sight in at 100 yards. For most rifles, you’ll want the bullet hitting 2 or more inches high at 100 yards to squeeze out the most MPBR. To calculate the MPBR and 100 yard sight in values for your rifle, use this website.

Sighting for MPBR can be done with standard scopes, calculated and dialed in for turretted scopes, and is often a part of initial calibration required to use a scope with a ballistic reticle. What kind of difference can you expect if you set for Maximum Point Blank Range? Let’s compare a scope zero’d for 100 yards and that same scope set for MPBR. I’ll be using ballistics for a 270, and a vitals area of 6″.

Zero’d at 100 yards, a 270 will drop 3″ below point of aim by 200 yards and will be out of our 6″ circle of vitals.

Zero’d for 251 yards, a 270 will drop 3″ below point of aim by 291 yards and will be out of our 6″ circle of vitals.

So by sighting in a couple inches high at 100 yards, we added almost 100 yards of worry free range. That’s a HUGE difference, all things considered. So, do you have your rifle & scope set for MPBR?

I’ve wanted to do this review for a while now and after a recent outing with the x-bolt, I had enough fresh in my mind to bring up about this rifle and do the review.

What is the Browning XBolt for?

Seems like a silly question, but it’s not. The Browning X-Bolt is NOT a hunting rifle. It is a “premium” hunting rifle. Those aren’t sarcastic quotation marks, it’s just that the Browning solves more than just the problem of what to shoot deer with. Heck, you could buy 3 Savage Axis rifles for the price of a single xbolt, and they’ll all arguably do the same basic task in the hunt. It’s in the details where the Browning shines.

X-Bolt Overview

Browning is known for their excellent build quality, and a bit of a tendency to add gadgets on their rifles. The A-bolt, with its weird hinged magazine and BOSS tuning thing was a bit gimmicky. With the X-bolt, they’ve happily done away with the gimmicks and replaced them with some seriously high quality hardware.

The magazine itself is incredible. A high quality plastic rotary mag. It’s light weight, yet feels so sturdy you could run it over with a truck. And here’s a big plus over the savage centerfeed: it accepts more than 2 wsm cartridges. In fact, it fits 3! I don’t blast away willy nilly at deer, but it makes a heck of a lot of sense to have a mag that fits more than 2 rounds. Carrying over the quality, the mag “snick”s into place and does not rattle at all when moving with the rifle. The release is firmly in place on the rifle, further reducing moving parts on the mag.

The bolt is excellent as well. As a 3 lug design instead of the standard 2, it offers a shorter & faster 60° bolt throw. The bolt itself is a meaty piece of steel and it fits very precisely into the action. The precision is a bit of a downside, because it doesn’t fly forward as readily as a looser bolt (hey, I have to pick on something) The bolt design is pretty tricked out: cocking indicator, 3 position safety, an unlock button, a very reasonable bolt release, and it looks so angular and sexy. Kind of like Angelina Joli in a rifle bolt.

The scope base mounts on the Xbolt use 4 screws each, making the shape of an X, and are called “X-Lock” (everything on a Browning rifle comes with its own special trademarked name.) The integrated base/rings are very solid and a great choice if you have your scope and rifle at the shop and can try a few out for optimal height.

Feather Trigger

The Trigger on the X-Bolt is another premium part. Instead of a second safety trigger like a Savage Accutrigger or Remington Crossfire the trigger uses a simpler exterior interface and still breaks cleanly. The trigger feels pretty good.

Inflex Buttpad and Stock

The stock on the rifle I tested was synthetic, as will be most hunters xbolts. This is another area the Browning makes up for the premium price. The stock has grippy, soft touch surfaces on all the spots that matter, and a great fitting, and looking, buttpad at the back. The stock wrist is a bit thick, but it makes the rifle feel very solid. The forend doesn’t flex at all, keeping the barrel well free floated. Nice touches like the Browning logo on the metal trigger guard really round out the complete premium feel of this rifle.

Browning X-Bolt Accuracy

Accuracy on the model I tested was competitive with most bolt action rifles these days: 0.75-1″ at 100. Unless you go custom, semi-custom, or tailor handloads for your rifle, that’s what is to be expected of most hunting rifles when you find a factory load they like. Unless you’re reaching out to 600+, and you can shoot that well to boot, even 1 MOA is fine. With factory ammo that your rifle likes, you could push that max acceptable deer range to 800 providing you’ve got enough oomph, a great rangefinder, and accuracy to make the shot.

Conclusion

Like I mentioned up at the top, this isn’t just a rifle to blast deer with. It’s a better rifle to blast deer with. It feels better in the hand, it offers premium features that budget rifles do not, and it inspires confidence that your equipment will not fail you. If those appeal to you, a Browning just might be the right rifle.

When I asked fellow gun enthusiastic friends to name the first shotgun that came to mind, the majority responded with “Remington 870.” Not one mentioned the Remington M887 NitroMag. This made me wonder if anyone had even heard of this boom stick before or if they just kept it in the “piece of crap” section of their mind next to the Ford Pinto. Out of curiosity, I started doing a little research online and found Remington had originally stated that the M887 is “based” off of the legendary 870. This sounded good to me so I went out and bought one for myself. I was surprised to find out the M887 is nowhere near the 870!

870 based, eh?

Other than the overall shape being similar to the 870 and both being 12 gauge pump actions, the M887 is a completely different shotgun. It was designed for the extreme conditions that a shotgun goes through while hunting waterfowl and other large game. This boom stick’s main selling features include the ability to shoot 2¾”, 3”, and 3½” 12 gauge shells and the ArmorLokt polymer molding that surrounds the entire shotgun to prevent rust and corrosion. But there are some key selling features that Remington failed to mention, which deserve some recognition.

A two-piece rotating bolt is used in the M887 which helps reduce size and weight but can take the same amount of punishment as the standard solid bolt on the 870. The slide release is a large button located in the front of the trigger guard and not some dinky little release tang placed where nobody can find it. A Super Cell buttpad comes equipped as well and is, in my opinion, one of the better buttpads currently on the market.

ArmorLokt Polymer Molding

Now I have to say I was a little skeptical at first about the ArmorLokt polymer molding when I bought my M887, especially when Remington did their own tests to prove the durability and reliability of their product. They put their M887 through salt corrosion and water submersion testing. Remington also did another test where 10,000 rounds were fired through a single barrel. Both tests resulted in no leaks and no separation of the polymer molding from the barrel and receiver. Then all my doubts were gone when I found other skeptics online that had recreated these tests and produced the same results.

I really came to appreciate the ArmorLokt molding while out skeet shooting with a buddy one afternoon. During our clay pigeon shoot, a light rain began to fall. My buddy had to immediately cover his expensive Benilli while I was able to continue blasting away. So, I guess there are benefits to a budget friendly shotgun. Don’t get me wrong, the ArmorLokt does have a cheap feel to it like a plastic stock off of a budget rifle, but it is a small price to pay for something that has been proven to help with the overall life of the firearm.

Usability and Ergonomics

Overall, I like the way the Remington M887 handles. Due to the light weight of the shotgun, I find it easy to use and very easy to maneuver. The fore-end is ribbed and spaced with a tread like pattern in between to increase grip without adding extra weight. I do find the slide action has a nice, smooth, crisp feel to it and I can cycle round through round, firing all acceptable sized shells with no issues at all. When pressing the slide release, it is easy to use due to the large size of the button, which really does help when wearing gloves in colder weather. The position of the slide release is also nice because of the easy access to it so you are able to find without looking. Field stripping is a dream. All you have to do
is push out the two pins in the receiver, remove the trigger mechanism, remove the magazine cap and remove barrel, fore-end, and bolt. It’s that simple. The price for this 12 gauge magnum is awesome and deserves a 1-up in my books. I was able to pick mine at Barton’s Big Country Outdoors up for $375.

Issues

I don’t really have many issues with this shotgun, but there are some that really grind my gears. I don’t like the stock at all. It’s cheap, hollow, and makes the shotgun feel slightly unbalanced when not propped against your shoulder. I also noticed the M887 does have a minor issue when loading shells into the magazine. The odd time I am able to catch my thumb on the carrier while taking it out and on one occasion I have even got cut. This would be the only shotgun I know that has this sort of issue which can be a big nuisance.

The M887 has been known for misfires where the firing pin does not strike the primer properly due the bolt sitting ¼” away from the locked position. This issue is caused by the trigger mechanism allowing the bolt to slide back from the locked position, and the only known fix is to replace the trigger mechanism. All I can say, this problem seems to occur more with the older 1st generation models and I have never experienced it with mine.

Conclusion

So when it comes to a reliable shotgun, people often consider the Remington 870. But, I have to disagree because I find the Remington M887 NitroMag is by far the better shotgun of the two. By comparing the price with what you get, this “weatherproof warrior” comes with a lot of cool features that won’t break the bank and will guarantee reliability and lifelong use for generations to come.

8.5 Out of 10

Not long after the first Polytech or Norinco M305 rifles (See my regular length Norinco M14S review here) arrived in Canada, there were those who wanted to chop the 22″ barrels down to the legal limit of 18.5″ to make them a bit handier. This involved a few tricks, because it’s not as straightforward as pulling out a hacksaw and going to town. In recent years, we’ve been spoiled by a few importers who have had Norinco make batches of shorter barreled rifles right from the factory. In fit and function, they’re very similar to the regular barreled versions. The rifle I received had a bit of a darker stock, slightly nicer cuts on the flash hider, and that’s about it. CanadaAmmo brings these in fairly regularly, though there are times when they, and everyone else, is sold out of Norinco M14s. I just received this rifle last night, so a range visit will have to wait a few weeks.

Right out of the box, I added an aftermarket op rod spring guide. These help keep the operating rod’s spring nice and straight, making for a smoother pull and smoother firing cycle. I’ll likely be adding an ARMS 18 scope mount, scope, and will put the rifle in an Promag Archangel M1A Stock. Stay tuned.