Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2015 i Gun Digest

“Oh my God, dude, you almost got him! You’re so close! Come up five clicks and right four more!” Adrenaline surged through my veins as Josh Cluff, the nearly-always-animated director of sales and marketing at H-S Precision rifles, called adjustments from behind the spotting scope as we honed in on a prairie dog some 800 yards distant on the South Dakota prairie. The wind rose and fell like the tide as I cranked the windage and elevation adjustments into Swarovski’s new X5 5-25x56 long-range scope. The summer sun baking and the chiggers biting, I took a steadying breath, put the crosshairs on that tiny black spec of a prairie dog, applied pressure to the trigger and felt the concussion of that H-S rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. Hornady’s V-MAX bullet…

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A lot of firearm and accessory manufacturers are continuing to innovate in the field of injection molding, and one of the best in the business has to be Blackhawk. The company is doing some remarkable things with injection-molded polymer out of its Montana-based factory, and one of its most recent products, the Knoxx SpecOps Stock Gen III, is an excellent example. As its name suggests, the Gen III is the third iteration of Blackhawk’s Knoxx recoil-reducing stock, and it offers shooters greatly improved recoil reduction and performance over past generations. This is all because of an improved, two-stage recoil reduction system that disperses recoil by spacing it out over time. Recoil reduction, or rather dissipation, occurs both immediately behind the receiver in the form of a spring-cam system above the…

There’s something almost magical, transcendent, about hunting pheasant in South Dakota. Fields of corn and milo and other crops extend into near infinity in some cases, or other times disappear behind the slight roll of a chance hill, and the evidence of civilization, while occasionally present, fades into the secondary. All that matters to the hunter is the brush or the field in front and the occasional flush of wings that might reveal the presence of a brilliantly colored male pheasant, the bird so many hunters flock to the state to pursue. For those who don’t know, South Dakota is a sort of Mecca for the upland bird hunter. It represents one of, if not the very best place in the world to find and hunt the stunning ring-necked pheasant,…

With a history spanning hundreds of years, trap shooting has enjoyed enduring popularity and renown in the shooting world, and most people are familiar with its concept. But what many don’t realize about the sport is its cost. For those considering competitive trap, one of the largest barriers to entry has always been the price of quality trap guns. These shotguns are specifically tailored to the sport, and that customization costs, with trap guns on average running much higher than most field guns—even those on the pricier end of the spectrum. TriStar Arms is looking to change this trend with its new TT-15, a 12-gauge trap model with ample features and a friendlier price tag. Based out of Kansas City, Missouri, TriStar Arms is a major importer of Turkish-produced firearms,…

Some time ago, my schoolteacher nephew and I headed out of town and pulled off the highway onto a two-track in likely-looking coyote country. Utah’s bounty was up, and both of us figured we could use a few extra bucks. I removed my Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield from my waistband, stuck it into my war bag, and climbed into my camo clothing. As I belted on my revolver—a customized Taurus 425—I noticed that my nephew had removed his Beretta Nano and was threading a holstered Ruger SP101 onto his belt. I had to laugh. It was the perfect demonstration of the fact that sometimes revolvers are more suitable than semiautos, and vice versa. Semiautomatic handguns are typically the better choice for suburban and in-home use and, when cared for…

Making a list and checking it twice? Don’t fret. If coming up with a gift idea is as traumatic as a trip to the dentist, you’re in luck. The Gun Digest staff has done the homework for you. We dug through catalogs, web sites and gun stores and every other nook and cranny to find the perfect gift for you or your favorite shooting buddies. From tools and gear to big presents and stocking stuffers, you’ll find the perfect gift in this holiday gear guide. Heck, you don’t even have to work up your own list. The next time someone asks what you want for the holiday season, just flip open Gun Digest, slide it across the table and say, “Anything from here will be fine.” They’ll thank you now,…

If you’re anything like me, I grew up hunting with rifles and shotguns and never used hearing protection. Sure, I’d throw in a set of plugs at the range, but I certainly didn’t hunt with any type of hearing protection. After all, how could you listen for game or hear your Dad’s last-minute advice about shot placement if your ears were stopped up? As most old timers and military vets can attest, that exposure to gunfire without protection can and will destroy your hearing. I remember one specific incident from my youth when, kneeling next to my brother and his muzzle-braked .300 Win. Mag., the shot rang out and left my ears ringing for at least 20 minutes afterward. That’s damage that can’t be undone. Fast forward a decade or…