When 300s Were Young

When 300s Were Young

What place, after a century, does a British cartridge have in the booming chorus of American 30-caliber magnums? Dawn’s hard snow was loud underfoot but the elk were noisy, too. Wind strumming the pines covered the crunch of our steps till both of us, surprised, met...

The Suppressor Crisis Nobody Knew Existed

The Suppressor Crisis Nobody Knew Existed

At a time when Americans are wrestling with inflation, national debt, border security, housing costs, energy prices, crime, foreign conflicts, infrastructure failures, as well as the lingering mystery of why airport food requires a small-business loan to purchase,...

Colonel Colt and His Pistols

Colonel Colt and His Pistols

For nearly two centuries, Samuel Colt's firearms have been changing the course of history. And the legacy lives on. By all indications, he never should have succeeded in life, and if he had listened to what others told him, the name of Samuel Colt would probably be...

NRA Reloaded: Returning to the Fold

NRA Reloaded: Returning to the Fold

I’ll admit it plainly: I was among the early and unflinching critics when the National Rifle Association’s internal failures came into public view. I wrote about it, spoke about it, and—like many longtime members—wondered how an institution with such a storied history...

The Once and Future 7mm Kings

The Once and Future 7mm Kings

Herr Mauser may not have known he was designing the King, but by 1910 his 7x57mm cartridge had scaled the heights of big game cartridges. From roe deer to elephants, it had settled everything. See Bell, Karamojo, W.D.M.  By 1970, the 7mm Remington Magnum had added...

A Shotgunners Primer

A Shotgunners Primer

Sometimes I forget how long I’ve been prowling this earth. And sometimes I forget that only a few people, like me, have been shooting shotguns for more than 70 years. As a result, I tend to get preoccupied with the fine points. The esoterica. I’ve said many times that...