Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2020 i Shooting Times

THANKS TO JOSEPH VON BENEDIKT FOR HIS RECENT COLUMN ON THE 20-gauge Winchester Model 12. I bought mine in 1963 when I was 16, and I still use it occasionally for quail and blue grouse in Colorado. My mom used it for quail and ruffed grouse in Oregon when I was away in college and then the Army. My Model 12 is well used and in great condition, and it’s as sweet and smooth as ever. Larry Riley Via email .380 in a Wheelgun Now we have the .380 Auto in a wheelgun? Really? Who cares? Who is buying the .380? With the tremendous selection of concealed-carry guns now in the ballistically superior (vastly superior) 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP, why would anyone carry a .380? Even James Bond…

ACCORDING TO WEATHERBY, THE MAN. THE GUN. The Legend. by Grits and Tom Gresham, Roy Weatherby started the Weatherby rimfire ball rolling in 1960. It had a long and angst-filled history. Based loosely on a Beretta design with several Weatherby-guided enhancements, the Mark XXII—as it was cleverly called—was initially built by Beretta in Italy. Introduced at tradeshows during the winter of 1961–62, the Mark XXII garnered several thousand orders. Unfortunately, manufacturing never caught up, and the rifles that did make it to the United States had issues with function and finish. Eventually, the contract with Beretta was filled but not renewed. Over the coming decades, manufacturing of the Mark XXII was variously contracted to KGT and Nikko in Japan (1967–80), then in the United States to Mossberg (1979–82), then back…

NIGHTHAWK CUSTOM WAS FOUNDED in 2003 and is located in Berryville, Arkansas. The company’s specialty is building top-quality Model 1911 pistols from the best materials available. Some companies employ a group of craftsmen with different specialties. One fits the barrel and slide, another is the trigger guy, another applies the checkering, and yet another is responsible for applying the finish. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that method, and some of those companies turn out excellent guns. Even so, it is done a bit differently at Nighthawk Custom. When an order is received, it is assigned to a single gunsmith who will be responsible for the building of the entire gun from start to finish. The new Fire Hawk pistol I shot was built by Justin Farnan, and like all…

CZ-USA CUSTOMERS ASKED FOR A BOLT-ACTION RIMFIRE RIFLE WITH AN American-style safety. The company complied by introducing the Model 457. The model is offered in several configurations, including American, Lux, Pro-Varmint, Scout, Training Rifle, Varmint, Varmint AT-ONE, Varmint MTR, and Varmint Precision Trainer versions. All have the new American-style, push-forward-to-fire, two-position safety that’s located on the right-hand side at the rear of the receiver. They all are offered in .22 LR, .22 WMR, and .17 HMR. The main differences between the various Model 457s are the barrel lengths, barrel weights, stock configurations, and sight options. You can check them out on CZ-USA’s website. I chose the .17 HMR Model 457 American for this report because it has a 24.8-inch standard-weight barrel and American-style stock. The Model 457 American’s walnut stock…

NO ONE HAS PURSUED THE GOAL OF ACCURACY longer or with more determination than the Germans. Ancient shooting societies, still existing today, not only predate Germany as a country, but also the discovery of America and even the widespread use of gunpowder. They began with longbows in the 1300s, progressed to crossbows, then muskets, then rifles. By the late 1800s, German Schützen clubs were developing match rifles and cartridges in parallel with those in the United States. While the goals were roughly similar, the approaches were sometimes quite different. Certainly, each knew what the other was doing. American marksmen often traveled to Germany to shoot in their matches. This allowed them to see what the Germans had, while German shooters could study the finest American rifles and cartridges. In the…

THE RECENTLY INTRODUCED HOPPE’S GUN VISE FEATURES DUAL LOCKABLE sides for a secure no-scratch hold. To help you stay organized, the tray has built-in compartments for cleaning supplies, gunsmithing tools, and small parts. Constructed of durable, chemical-resistant polymer, the gray and red Hoppe’s Gun Vise will provide years of hassle-free service. MSRP: $59.99 hoppes.com Berger 6mm 109-Grain Long Range Hybrid Target Bullets Berger’s new 6mm 109-grain Long Range Hybrid Target (LRHT) bullets are made to a level of precision and consistency unmatched by other bullets. Utilizing advanced and proprietary manufacturing processes, Berger’s innovative Meplat Reduction Technology (MRT) system applies controlled pressure along the projectile nose, producing a homogeneous and repeatable bullet profile for extremely consistent ballistic coefficients. The new 6mm 109-grain LRHT boasts a G1 0.568 Doppler Radar-verified BC, with…

WHEN ACTIVE IN COWBOY ACTION MATCHES, MY friend Brett Olin, a retired CCI rimfire engineer, shot blackpowder ammo exclusively. He’s quipped that “smokeless propellant is a passing fancy” and had a sign on his shooting cart that read “Smokeless is for Kids!” Historically, he makes an interesting point. Earliest references to a mechanical mix of fuels and oxidizers date to around 800 AD. This stuff was launching projectiles from tubes by the early 1200s. The final usurpation by smokeless propellants of blackpowder’s dominance in small arms did not finish until after World War I. I’d rate a 700-year service life as remarkable. There are many forms of blackpowder, depending on its use. Propellant blackpowder intended for small arms is usually the most refined. It has high-grade potassium nitrate oxidizer and…

Most longtime users of custom Model 1911 pistols know what is required to keep them running smoothly, but for the benefit of those who are new to the design, here is a slightly modified and abbreviated “Do” and “Don’t” list included with each Nighthawk Custom gun. • Don’t let the slide fall on an empty chamber as it will cause the hammer to eventually start following the slide down. The 1911 is designed to load a round each time the slide goes forward, and dropping it on an empty chamber will eventually knock the sear out of alignment. Grasp the slide firmly and gently lower it on an empty chamber. • Dodry-fire to your heart’s content as it will not harm the 1911. The more familiar you become with the…

IRA PAINE WAS CALLED THE “MASTER SHOT OF the World” and the “King of the Pistol.” He was an exhibition shooter extraordinaire, and his performances with handguns, rifles, and shotguns were legendary. Born in Hebronville, Massachusetts, on February 11, 1837, Ira grew up enjoying the outdoors. Not much is known of his upbringing other than he enjoyed the privileges of the middleclass and was trained as a plumber and gasfitter, at which he was reputed to be quite good. He also developed more-cultured interests and eventually became a highly educated professional vocalist. He had learned to shoot guns as a young man, excelling at the sport and participating in local yacht club pigeon shoots, which at the time was considered a refined sport for gentlemen. He was so proficient that…

Q : I liked the recent Quick Shot on the Bond Arms Backup derringer, and the reference to the vintage Remington Double Derringer really intrigued me. Can you please tell me more about that classic pistol? Ted Jackson Via email A : The Remington Double Derringer, also called the Over and Under Derringer and the Model 95, was a two-shot, double-barreled superposed pistol. Author Roy Marcot called it “possibly America’s most famous derringer.” Hinged on top, the 3-inch barrels swung open after being released by the lever on the right-hand side of the frame. The pistol was chambered for the .41 Rimfire cartridge. The gun utilized William Elliot’s patented design and featured oscillating firing pins and a spur trigger. Approximately 150,000 were produced between 1866 and 1935, and interestingly, in…

THE FIRST STEP IN RELOADING, PREPPING FIRED brass, is probably the most time-consuming part of the process. I don’t cut corners—whether my handloads are for a special hunt or friendly competition at the range. Any device that can improve efficiency and contribute to better-performing ammunition is welcome on my bench. When I started reloading many years ago, I used RCBS dies to handload .270 Winchester ammo and a Lyman die set with a carbide sizer for .357 Magnum reloads. I soon learned it was absolutely necessary to trim, both when the case length grew too long after firing and resizing several times. Rifle rounds won’t chamber properly when the case neck is jammed into the throat, and you can’t uniformly crimp the handgun case mouth onto the bullet properly if…