Bob Owens's New Gig

Bearing Arms names longtime second amendment writer and activist Bob Owens as new editor

I'd been reading Bob at his old Confederate Yankee blog and many of my favorite gun bloggers were introduced to me through him.

Congrats!

Am I Zumboing Myself? Have to Say That I Kind've Agree With Bob on This One

Bob Owens reveals some of his thoughts over the new offering from TrackingPoint:

Summed up: you look through the scope to identify your target, and press a button located on the front of the trigger guard to mark it. Once marked, an interrupter mechanism kicks in as you squeeze the trigger. It only allows the shot to fire once the crosshairs intersect a second time with the spot you marked.

The rifle itself is built using parts from a “who’s who” in the world of manufacturing precision long-range rifle parts, including a Surgeon action, Krieger barrel, and an Accuracy International AX chassis. The ammunition — .338 Lapua in one version, .300 Winchester Magnum for the two smaller rifles — is custom-loaded for the gun.

The part of the system that makes the headlines isn’t the rifle itself, but how the rifle interfaces with software and a sensor package straight out of Predator to come as close as possible to creating a “can’t miss” scenario at long range for even the least-experienced shooters.

Amazing. And I find myself hating it.

Although I definitely see the possible military applications for this, I have to ask, what is this really for? And, before you go getting all hissy on me like the commenters to Bob's post, no, I am not advocating banning it from the civilian market. I simply want to ask that we consider its real utility in how we apply it.

Do you think that it'll allow you to retake that 600 to 700-yard shot that you passed on a trophy bull elk last year? Carefully consider the implications of taking that long a shot. Period. Can you adequately see the animal and what is beyond it for safety's safe? Is the velocity and energy of your bullet still sufficient to make a humane kill?

I guess where my worry comes in is that some of the more financially well-off of the yahoos in our midst, who don't spend enough time at the range as is (and, why yes, I may be a tad hypocritical here - refer to the In The Field portion), may jump on this as the newest fad for reaching out and touching someone of the game animal variety. Think back to the ultra-magnum craze that swept the industry and our ranks  for a couple decades. Personally, all we had were a lot of numbskulls using rifles that cost more than my first truck, throwing out $3-5 per trigger pull, and still missing because they couldn't handle the recoil and muzzle blast and/or literally couldn't affford the proper range time.

Just thinking.

Does This Holster Make My Butt Look Fat?

Yeah, I know, a paperclip could make this lard-ass look fat...

I've been playing around with both a Ruger LCR*, in .357 mag for my concealed carry. I first started with an ambidextrous  DeSantis Pro Stealth IWB holster but found it uncomfortable and, once the pistol was drawn, nearly impossible to place back into the holster without having to remove the whole kit-and-caboodle from my belt.

A coworker had introduced me to Simply Rugged holsters a while back and, after a bit of review, I settled on the Silver Dollar Pancake holster.
 

I totally had to go with the Celtic knotwork carving.

So far, I've really loved the holster. It rides nice and comfortable and seems to stay concealed no matter where I let it ride on the belt. I also ordered the IWB straps to go with it but have not felt the need to play around with them. As the photo shows, I'd initially tried wearing it more towards the small of my back, figuring that would be the most concealable location. It was quite comfortable but not as easy to grab as I'd've liked.

I've since gone to setting it to ride immediately on my hip and found that the best position for comfort, concealability, and easy acquisition.

*Will hopefully have a review of the LCR written-up in the near future. Stay tuned...

Oh, How Brilliant!

God, Tam, why do I subject myself to some of the things you post about? She calls this the strangest gun safety post you will ever see, where she brings us to this:

Glockenpony

You should blame WizardPC for starting this.  You can blame me for the name, though.

And for what follows.

Little Women, Big-Bad-Black Rifles

Interesting article from a while back by Celia Bigelow and Aubrey Blankenship, over at the National Review Online:

Why Young Women Want AR-15s

The AR-15 is lightweight and practical. As light as five pounds, it produces low levels of recoil, and it’s easy to shoot. It also looks intimidating, which is what you want when facing an assailant or intruder. But don’t let its appearance intimidate you. Assault rifles such as the AR-15 aren’t more “dangerous,” as liberals claim. They don’t fire faster than other rifles, and don’t normally contain more powerful ammunition.

Accuracy? Check. Ease in handling? Check. Intimidation factor? Check. An AR-15 might be a woman’s best friend.

We are rational women who, as law-abiding citizens, understand the need — and the right — to defend ourselves. We don’t want to be caught underprepared in the kind of desperate situation that happens too frequently to people across America.

Oh, but Carolyn McCarthy, a certified congressional expert, says that Women Shouldn't Use Assault Rifles, They Should Use Rifles Instead!

Militia Regulatory Act of 2013

This idea comes from a buddy, wishing to remain anonymous for the time being, with whom I occasionally talk a little antipathetic politics.

It intrigued me amidst all the efforts by some to say that the Second Amendment only allows for regulated militia members to have access to firearms. He's curious to hear what you think.

Militia Regulatory Act of 2013

An Act to regulate the inactive militia of these united States, necessary to the security of a free state,
and ensure its readiness to respond at need.

Be it enacted:

Part 1
Every United States citizen who is of sound mind and body shall prove competence with a rifle or
pistol on or before their fourteenth birthday.

Those citizens who have passed their fourteenth birthday and not attained their sixtieth birthday on
the date enacted shall be required to prove competence within three years of that date.

The rifle or pistol used to prove competence shall be of the type and caliber commonly issued to
infantrymen in the United States Army. Rifles may have the automatic fire function disabled or be
built without that feature.

“Competence” shall mean the ability to safely handle, load, fire with reasonable accuracy, and
unload.

Citizens who are unable to prove competence with a rifle or pistol due to physical or mental
impairment or religious objection shall be issued a waiver.

A certificate of competence with a rifle or pistol, or valid waiver, shall be required prior to issuance
of a state driver’s license, voter’s registration, or selective service registration.

Part 2
Every household shall have at least one rifle or pistol of the caliber commonly issued to infantrymen
in the United States Army. Such rifle or pistol shall be maintained in good working order and
readiness. No less than 20 rounds of the appropriate caliber shall be maintained with the rifle or
pistol.

A household rifle or pistol shall be inspected to ensure it is in good working order. A certificate shall
be issued on request and shall be valid for five years. The certificate shall show the weapon type
(rifle or pistol), the household address, the certifier’s name and organization, and the date issued.
Certificates may be issued by a registered firearms vendor, staff at a public or private firearms range,
state or local police, or trained staff in a state’s motor vehicle licensing office.

The certificate of good working order must be shown before a citizen without a waiver of
competence may obtain or renew a driver’s license listing the household address.

Households occupied solely by citizens with valid rifle or pistol competence waivers shall be exempt
from the requirement in part 2 of this Act.

Gun Appreciation Day

I initially caught this over at MArooned in Massachusetts.

Gun Appreciation Day

January 19, 2013

Check-out their website.

Also, from Jennifer Harper over at the Washington Times:

OK, mark the date, for it will surely spark an outcry in the gun-control community. A coalition of gun rights and conservative groups have declared Jan. 19 to be “Gun Appreciation Day” and are urging Americans nationwide to visit local gun ranges and purveyors to show support for the Second Amendment. Yes, the date falls two days before President Obama’s second inauguration, and yes, organizers say “Gun Appreciation Day” is expected to rival “Chick-fil-A Day” as a public statement of protest against government policies.

Bouncing it off a couple of friends, they rather liked the idea and we're talking of showing-up to do whatever part we can...

Hmm, a show of solidarity. Where have I heard of this before?

I'll be honest that I have mixed feelings. Let's get out there to do every bit we can to be seen and heard; however, I just can't shake that feeling that we need to do far more this time around. I have to agree with one of the commenters over at Jay G's post on Gun Appreciation Day that maybe it's time we use some of the tactics of the other side and get out there in large, unavoidable numbers.

As always:

Be Seen. Be Heard. And Stand Firm.

CSI: Oh, I Just Love This!

Not!

Well, just turned on the vidiot box to find that CSI: New York is taking on the ability to print fully-functioning .38 Spcl revolvers using 3-D printers and open-source software. It was just simply amazing how easy and quick it was to create a nice carry piece in a few moments.

The takeaway that I initially got was that "Guns are already dangerous enough, imagine what will happen with an unlicensed printer..."

Update: okay, not as smooth as I first thought as their test gun shattered on the 2nd round and looks to be giving that crucial evidence to link the killer to the crime.

This show isn't as bad as others but it does put the idea out to the very malleable masses who will fall in line on yet another control measure because it's on TV.

An Idea For Appropriate Gun Control

Okay, time to feed my inner Quisling again...

There's a lot of pressure to legislatively do something—anything—just so long as it's done. Obviously, we need more gun control and I couldn't agree more.

All of us need to work on bettering our breath control, hold control, and trigger control, as well as our aiming and follow through, when shooting. What better way to learn this and the fundamentals of safe shooting than by attending such properly conducted courses as basic rifle or pistol shooting.

Call me biased, as I'm an instructor, but I am a firm believer in encouraging shooters young and all to participate in training. I haven't yet put this out to my business's website (yes, shameless self-promotion with my Southeast Alaska reader) but I intend to offer discounts to customers who can provide certification that they have attended such a course.

All of us also know how much our legislators love to spend our money on various subsidies and assistance projects. This is going to go counter to my typical small-government, fiscal conservative, libertarian side but I have the spark of a legislative proposal.

We enact a program that provides specified reimbursements to FFLs who provide discounts to those customers who provide certification that they have successfully completed training.

What better way to encourage proper gun control?

Um, yeah [looks down and nervously shuffles feet], just saying*... Ya know?

*It also doesn't hurt to partake in a little levity once in a while.

One Bit Of Info For Action (Updated)

Just got this link from a shooting buddy.

Legislative Action Center

Time to show that the pen is mightier than the sword!

Update:
A big hat-tip to Tam, who recommends that we keep those letters and cards coming. She also goes on to recommend that we check-out what this guy who worked as a legislative correspondent (LC) has to say at Pistol-Forum.com. Primary among it:

Don't send form letters. Form letters are letters that special interest groups will send in on your behalf. You'll usually get them in an email and all you have to do is type in your name and hit 'send.' They all look identical, and the staff knows that you put absolutely zero thought into the issue, and therefore will assume that you probably don't give that big of a shit. When the boss asks if he's getting any mail on a certain issue, he often asks how much of it is form letters, and how much of it is real letters.

I encourage you to read the whole thing.

Saying A Quick Congrats to Jay G!

Jay notes that he's just hit his 7,000th post just under 6 yearsat MArooned in Massachusetts. I look at the work it's taken me to get going and just crank-out 60+ and think WOW!

I think he sums it up nicely:

Thousand posts a year, and given that I was nowhere near as prolific in my rookie year, that means a heck of a lot of posts. As I've joked, this blog is a form of therapy for me - rather than scream in impotent fury at the biased news displayed on TV, I can write in impotent fury here... Like Unc says, I do this for me, not you - and as the often-missed Acidman used to say, a ceaseless quest for adoration from people who don't know me...

Here's to 7,000 dispatches and, many more, from behind the enemy lines of occupied Massachusetts.

A New Addition to the Guns & Hunting Community

It looks like the wonderfully informative and irreverent folks over at Ace of Spades are gearing-up to join the online gun community.

New Feature: Weekly Guns & Hunting Thread

I was going to do this on the weekend, but it looks like there's popular demand, so what the heck.

Here's the overall plan for what this post is going to cover. First, if there's firearms/hunting related news, it'll get featured. Big events like Fast & Furious developments warrant their own posts, obviously, but we'll reference them in the weekly posts as well. This will cross into the political at times, for obvious reasons, but it will always be topical.

 Second, I got the idea to make this a regular feature a couple of weeks ago when we were discussing what gun was in the picture on Dave's Veteran's Day post. The prize went to 'andycanuck', who identified it as a 1916 French 37mm gun. I like gun trivia like this, and I know lots of the Moron Horde does as well, so I thought we'd do a featured gun of the week and either do a poll for a visual identification trivia contest or just do a profile of a historical piece.

 As this is the inaugural thread, throw out other ideas in the comments. Now, on with the show.

They're among my favorite daily blog stops. I highly recommend checking them and, the current poll in the post, out!

Yeah, What She Said

As always, Tam comes through in reaction to a commenter defending the Sonny Puzikas incident in Texas:

Prayers go out to the injured person. Yes. But stop with the 4 Rules sermon.

"Four Rules Sermon"?

Brethren and Sistern, there is an obvious lack of sufficient sermonizing here, so let me turn to the Book of Armaments, Chapter Four, Verse One: "Be Sure Of Your Target And What Is Beyond It." There is no codicil that says "Unless you're in a shoot house," or "Unless you're going really fast."

It’s not okay to shoot your fellow range patrons EVEN… and I’d like to make this perfectly clear… EVEN IF THE RSO SAYS IT’S COOL.

As an NRA-certified instructor, I don't typically teach the 4 rules, instead following the 3 primary rules of gun safety:

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction!
2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot!
3. Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to shoot!

Additionally, ALWAYS know your target and what is beyond!

I'm also a Range Safety Officer and instructor. Yeah, the RSO is there to ensure safety on the range; however, do you trust only in your mechanical safety? I think not. It's not infallible.

If you can't safely assess what is going on downrange without every little instruction from the RSO on the range then, perhaps you should consider taking-up something safer. Maybe finger painting?

Umm, Yeah... I Don't Think So

Yesterday, Alphecca linked to an article about a range down in Florida where customer's can shoot at each other using their own guns (modified of course). Per the linked article:

It's a place where people can take their gun and shoot at people -- and they shoot back. There are, however, important rules of engagement that the owner says makes his gun range perfectly safe.

The place is called Combat City.

Before you step foot inside the range, customers meet with owner Dave Kaplan.

“First thing, when you get here, everybody's checked. No guns, knives, ammunition on them,” said Kaplan.

He then modifies the customer's weapon, replacing the barrel so a live round will not fire but will still function as a regular weapon, shooting a soft rubber bullet instead.

“A revolver would work the same, semi auto, the action actually cycles. There's full recoil with the weapon. The assault weapon fully cycles,” Kaplan said.

Participants then suit up, protecting their head, neck and private parts.

But make no mistake, anyone who gets shot, feels the pain, which was described as more severe than being shot with a paintball.

RTWT.

I have to agree with Alphecca's assessment that, although there may some merit to practicing with your own carry firearm, there is something not right about this. Or, as he aptly states:

Better than AirSoft or paint ball, since you get to use your own weapon — the one you would be using in a real-life situation.

Still, something about this rubs me (a little bit) the wrong way; firing at other real people for practice.

As an instructor, I further concur with Jackson Davis, a commenter to Alphecca's post, when he says:

From a safety standpoint, the one thing that bothers me is the violation of rule one: Never point you gun at anything that you are not willing to destroy.

I don’t care if your gun is not really a gun anymore. I don’t care if it is safe. You are deliberately setting out to learn a bad habit, with potentially fatal results. Pointing your gun at people is something to avoid unless you want to shoot them (and kill or maim them)[.]

If we continually get in the habit of violating Rule 1 under casual circumstances, how long before someone forgets that they're not on that range any longer, actually have their carry rounds loaded, and trained muscle and mental memory no longer instinctively keep that muzzle pointed away from anything not intended to be shot?

Gun Testing and Assessment (T&A): Ruger American

Yes, choosing to title such a post as “Gun Training & Assessment” was rather audaciously tongue-in-cheek with the T&A acronym; however, you can’t fault a gun enthusiast for his excitement over the opportunity to play with a new toy. And, this has been a surprising toy, indeed.


Being a firm Remington 700 man, I’d always rather pooh-poohed this latest trend in “value-priced” (i.e., my interpretation of being rather chintzy) rifles, with my earliest explorations limited to brief handlings off the rack at the local dealer. These circumscribed investigations evoked a very critical reaction from me that these rifles were visually unappealing and worked with “plasticy”-feeling actions that I would not trust to either the harsh, salty conditions of Southeast Alaska or feel confident with should an Admiralty Island sojourn include a closer than preferred encounter with one of its famous bears. 


Having packed a magnum for the better part of my years up here, shoulder punishment at the bench, the growing cost of ammunition, and just plain-old overkill with regards to hunting diminutive Sitka black-tailed deer reignited my interest in a rifle in .30-06. Unfortunately, the same capital limitation impacting my ability to purchase high-priced ammunition also limited my options for another rifle. The thought of selling my Model 700 was a non-starter. I’d just reconciled myself to “value-priced” lines when one of my shooting buddies began to tell me about Ruger’s new offering into this line with the model 0691 American (MSRP $449). As I’m a new FFL, his early impressions sparked my interest for a possible affordable rifle to carry and I thought this might make for a great inaugural review of a product.


At the Office:
The rifle arrived well-wrapped in plastic in a patriotically colorful cardboard box whose only significant padding was a foam block at the end of the barrel. The bolt was in a separate compartment, contained within its own box.

 And, of course, there was the ever-present Ruger padlock. 

My initial reaction after removing the rifle from its box and plastic was that it had sleek lines and was far more aesthetically pleasing than either its earlier Remington 710 (now discontinued in favor of the Model 770) or current Savage Axis cousins. Overall, the finish on the metal looked good and could be found both inside and outside the receiver; however, the bolt was left in the white.

The black plastic stock had rather elegant, petite lines with a fore stock swell that made for a comfortable grip by the support hand. The stock was mostly smooth with molded groves and pebbled texturing in both the fore stock and pistol grip, which was capped in the Ruger emblem. The trigger guard was a plastic extension of the stock; however, the sling studs were tapped into the stock instead of molded extensions found on other rifles. Closer examination of the stock revealed rather uneven fit of the butt to the ¾-inch thick soft rubber recoil pad, with a very noticeable chip in the plastic, which took my overall assessment of quality down a little.

The rifle came without sights, mounted with Weaver #46 bases, and an offer for a free cheekpad from Ruger when registering the rifle online. This pad was promoted on their website as making “making you a better shooter by allowing a solid "cheek weld" while aligning your line of sight with the optic mounted on your rifle. Cheekpads will reduce perceived recoil, making shooting more comfortable.” This would be explored later…


Having always chafed at the non-detachable magazines of most Model 700s, I was immediately drawn to the detachable, four-round, rotary magazine of the American. One came with the rifle and it fitted snugly into the stock and was easily removed by depressing a simple latch at the front of the magazine. I was concerned by the possibility of a polymer magazine prematurely wearing-out when compared to metal ones. On the other hand, it could prove much quieter in the woods when compared to the rattling metal monstrosities used with an old Remington Model 742 that I used to hunt with. When removed, the magazine loaded easily with snap-caps by inserting the dummy cartridges butt-first, at a 30-degree angle, from a point halfway down the magazine’s length.


Moving the initial review along, the three-lug bolt is a push-feed, with a plunger ejector, and the action was workable even with the tang safety engaged. It slid within the action without that cheap, “plasticy” feel I’d experienced handling similar rifles off the rack. It was easily removed by depressing a lever on the back, left side of the receiver and sliding the bolt back. The barrel sported a recessed crown, free-floated nicely with the stock and is secured to the stock via two hex screws, located just in front of the trigger guard and magazine well, and anchoring through v-shaped, steel, integral bedding blocks that align into grooves on the underside of the action. The barrel and action are easily removed, which is important as this is the only access to the set-screw used to adjust the pull on the Ruger Marksman adjustable trigger.


Ruger lists the trigger as being adjustable from 3-5 pounds. Testing with my Wheeler Trigger Pull Scale, the trigger broke cleanly right at 4.25 pounds, out of the box. This was a nice change from the 6-plus pounds required for my Model 700. I decided to continue the evaluation with the trigger as is, a decision that I was very happy with once taking it to the range. 


Shouldering and test-working the action of the rifle during my initial review, the soft rubber recoil pad didn’t interfere in any way with bringing the 6-pound rifle to my shoulder and the rifle was a dream in coming to my shoulder and aligning perfectly for this potential shooter. The tang safety is conveniently located and although I harbored some biased doubts, it didn’t seem to interfere with handling the rifle. Although it allows for more intuitive access by the thumb of the shooting hand, it does require a bit of force to disengage.  This could be seen two ways, in that it’s not easy to accidentally disengage while handling but could prove difficult in requiring a quick shot (e.g., that bear decides he doesn’t want to walk the other way). Initial workings of the safety and action while on the shoulder required a bit more pressure than I was used to for closing the action over snap-caps. Likewise, raising the bolt and re-cocking the action required a bit of force. My guess was that some of this would improve with sufficient handling and breaking-in, which I continued to do and prove at the office.


Gearing-up to shoot, I mounted an old Leupold 2-7x compact that I’ve had for a number of years and used on multiple firearms. I planned on shooting 180-grain Remington Core Lokt pointed soft-points for my testing. Unfortunately, I had still not received the new boresighter I’d ordered as I prepared to head to the range and would have to sight in through pure brute force and extra ammo. 

On the Bench: 
Here’s where this little rifle would have shined from moment one, had technical issues with my chosen scope not intervened.


Having played with cheap scopes as a naïve teenager, one thing I am adamant about is that you may have a cheap firearm but you absolutely can’t have a cheap scope. You get what you paid for and this could prove fatal under the wrong circumstances in the country up here. That said, it finally happened, I had a Leupold scope fail. For disclosure, you could say that this scope has been ridden hard and put-away wet over its 18 years of life. 


My first shots confirmed that yes, this lightweight, little rifle was going to make me appreciate its recoil pad and, most importantly, the trigger was simply awesome! As far as the recoil goes and, much to the chagrin of my significant other, I jokingly decided to name the rifle after our border collie as it’s little, cute, and rather ferocious.


I set my target up at 25 yards for initial zeroing and the first shots were approximately 4 inches left and 6 inches high. Adjusting the scope, I found that the windage adjustment had seized. Not willing to waste a good range session, I found the Kentucky-windage and decided to still have a little fun. 


And, what fun it was! Granted, it was only 25 yards off the bench, but she drove tacks, with 3-shot groups coming out at less than half an inch. My vaunted Model 700 has never shot so tight—even off the bench at 25 yards. She shot about as good free-hand as on the bench and I believe the trigger played a huge role in this. It broke easily, almost as a surprise at each shot I took. The live cartridges fed and cycled easily and the bolt did not feel as stiff as back at the office. I felt that the cheekpad was all that Ruger promised.

Back at the office, I swapped-out the failed scope for a new Leopold VX-R 1.25-4x Hog with the “Pig Plex” reticles and boresighted with the Aimshot laser system. I found I really liked the wide field of view, long eye relief, and visibility of this new style of reticle.


Back on the bench, she repeated her tack-driving out to 50 and 75 yards, with groups only opening-up when I began shooting free-hand. Between the two range sessions, I put 40 rounds through her and she fed smoothly and flawlessly. 


As my hunting shots are typically at less than 100 yards, I only performed a cursory check for point-of-impact from the bench for 100 yards. And, yes, I should know better. It was something I would regret in a couple of weeks when I took the rifle over to Admiralty Island for a deer hunting trip.

In the Field:
She was my primary rifle for a 5-day deer hunting trip over to Admiralty Cove, in the Kootznoowoo Wilderness.

Over there, she carried well, her light weight being easy on the arms and shoulders; however, I was a little put-off by the tang safety. In bear country, I don’t carry on an empty chamber and I sure as hell won’t carry a rifle slung on my shoulder where it’s useless in a sudden situation. I still found myself as constantly paranoid over inadvertently bumping the safety as I’d initially feared back at the office. Having been a Model 700 man for a lot of years, I have a comfortable two-handed carry in bear country where my trigger finger lays alongside the stock and my thumb always rests on the front of the safety, always ensuring it’s engaged. I can reverse this situation and have the rifle to my shoulder in a pinch, should it be needed. 


Packing around, I found it carried well tucked into the crook of my support arm. Most often, I found myself carrying it in my shooting hand, with my palm along the action and my fingers curling around over the magazine. It carried beautifully using this method. I’d asked Fishing Buddy, also another aficionado of the Model 700, to try carrying it for a while and he pretty much concurred with my carry methods.


The magazine proved as quiet as I’d anticipated and I liked the fact that, back at camp, I could easily unload her without the numb fingered drop of releasing a Model 700’s floor plate. I also liked that I had a quick back-up in my pocket through a loaded, additional magazine.


I’m rather ashamed of the last part of my current experience with this rifle as the sole opportunity I had to fire it on the trip was one of those rare (at least for me) circumstances where I found myself shooting at a walking deer out at 200 yards. I can’t fault the accuracy of the rifle for coming home with nothing. I can fault the shooter for not having practiced with it at such a distance and found, having not sufficiently worked out the best use of the “Pig Plex” hash marks, that my ability to properly lead the moving deer was sorely lacking. 

In Summary:
I’ve got to admit that I am a happy convert to the Ruger American and intend to carry it through my business and recommend it to potential customers. As a value priced rifle available in ubiquitous deer hunting calibers (.243 Win, .270 Win, .30-06, and .308 Win), it’ll make for a great starter rifle. It’s also none too shabby for the sourdoughs and I’m looking forward to working-up hand loads over the off-season. I’m especially looking forward to a lot of range time with it in order to improve my long distance shooting at the same time.