American Hunter.

Had this scope been a first-focal-plane (FFP) scope, it would not have mattered at what magnification the scope was set, and we likely would have had 300 pounds of meat to haul out. In a FFP optic, as the reticle is etched or marked on a forward lens in the scope, the holdover hash marks below the crosshair would have been the same value, placing a bullet in the same place at 4X as they would have at 12X. However, this was a second-focal-plane scope, which means the reticle was marked or etched on a lens in the rear, closer to where you look into the scope.

Being a SFP scope, the reticle on my 4X-12X Bushnell will always appear the same size as the magnification is adjusted, but changing the magnification does change the hash marks on the reticle in relation to the target. This is where some of you readers may want to start looking through your scope and twisting that magnification ring. In the story above, at 300 yards, the second hashmark represents approximately 10.5 inches (3.5 inches x 300 yards) of drop at 12X magnification. At 4X magnification, that second hashmark just turned into 31.5 inches (12X = 10.5 inches; 12X/4X = 3 times more value; 10.5 inches x 3 = 31.5 inches). This hold at 4X put the bullet 20 inches over the intended point of impact.

With a FFP scope, the reticle will grow and shrink as you adjust the power ring. This does little good on a scope with a standard duplex reticle, as your only holding mark is the crosshair itself, centered at any power. Where FFP is a help is when you have a drop reticle with hashmarks for simple holdover or when you are using a system such as MIL-DOT. If the scope on that rifle had been a FFP scope with MIL-DOT subtensions, the magnification power would not have mattered as the second hashmark would always be a 10.5-inch value at 300 yards.

That’s all well and good, but that reticle sure does appear small on any power for a FFP scope.  If you plan on shooting from one ridge to another, a FFP scope is the best bet.  If you plan on shooting east of the Mississippi, you’re probably better off with a SFP scope.  I’ve had a FFP scope mounted and wished I had a SFP scope.

But YMMV and everyone has his preferences.

This is an interesting idea.

I wouldn’t choose to replace the beautiful wood stocks on any legacy JM stamped Marlin 336, any of the modern Marlins, or any Henry.  We’ve discussed this before.  Fine Walnut stocks are too pretty to replace, and they make heirloom guns for the family.

On the other hand, if you have one of the polymer stock Henry rifles, it makes sense to consider something like this for hunting season for multiple reasons, e.g., water swelling of wood stocks in the rain, banging the stock around, etc.

Source:

What Is the Difference Between 300 WSM and 300 Win Mag?

The 300 Winchester Magnum has been around since the 1960’s and has been a favorite for military snipers, big game hunters, and benchrest shooters alike. It is truly in contention for the title of America’s Favorite Magnum Cartridge and is the gold standard by which all belted magnum cartridges are measured.

The 300 Winchester Short Magnum (WSM) is a relative newcomer to the shooting community being released in 2001. The 300 WSM embodies the ballistic advantages of the 300 Win Mag and crams them into a short action rifle.

The result is a lighter rifle with identical barrel length and extremely similar external ballistics. Having a shorter, more maneuverable rifle can be extremely handy when elk hunting in thick brush.

Both rifle cartridges are extremely accurate and can easily achieve MOA to sub-MOA level accuracy with match grade factory loads or properly tuned handloads.

Although both cartridges are excellent for hunting or target shooting, they are not without their disadvantages.

Some detractors of the 300 WSM will point to its rebated rim, claiming that this might inhibit the ability of the bolt to push the cartridge from the magazine into the chamber. The 300 WSM’s steep 35-degree shoulders also play a part in this critique, as some forum users theorize that the sharp angle might hinder smooth feeding into the chamber.

Although I will say that feeding a 300 WSM is not as smooth as the experience with other cartridges, I’ve yet to experience a jam.

For the 300 Winchester Magnum, most of the complaints center around the useless belt on the cartridge case. As you’ll learn later in the history of the 300 Win Mag, the belted case is an artifact from the parent 375 H&H Magnum case.

Early rifles used the belt for headspacing, which caused premature case stretching and thereby reduced the lifespan of the brass. If all you shoot is factory ammo and you aren’t into reloading, this is a non-issue. However, for handloaders it’s a serious problem as it means you will have to replace your 300 Win Mag brass more frequently.

Many 300 Win Mag rifles now have their chambers reamed to headspace off the case shoulders, which eliminates premature case stretching entirely.

The last strike against the 300 Win Mag is the painfully short case neck. Some long range target shooting gurus state that the 300 Win Mag’s neck is not long enough to securely hold the projectiles and maintain concentricity. In theory, this could cause the bullet to enter the rifling off-axis and affect point of impact for long distance shots.

However, based on the lack of complaints by military snipers who routinely shoot well past 1000 yards with a 300 Win Mag, I’m guessing this critique is more an online forum talking point as opposed to a real-world issue.

In the following sections, we will analyze the 300 WSM vs 300 Win Mag in detail so you can understand the differences between these two rifle cartridges.

The article discusses Sectional Density, Ballistic Coefficient, Trajectory, Reloading, Ballistics, and other aspects.

Source:

Generally, the defensive handgun crowd does not spend much time on training for real accuracy with the pistol. Due to the nature of most defensive gun uses, shorter-range engagement is the focus of defensive pistol training. And even action shooting sports such as USPSA and IDPA primarily involve engaging larger targets quickly at closer ranges. There is simply no emphasis placed on exceptional pistol accuracy in action shooting sports or defensive pistol craft.

This author readily submits that having a reasonably quick draw to a first-round hit to a target the size of a vital template in the chest area of a person within short distances is a more relevant and important skill than punching tight groups in bullseye targets at twenty-five or fifty yards. However, I also submit that the complete abandonment of such accuracy by most defensive pistol practitioners is to the detriment of the overall skillset.

The discipline of accurate bullseye shooting appears completely different than the craft of defensive pistol shooting. And there are, indeed, significant differences between these two crafts. However, the principles of marksmanship remain essential to defensive pistol craft even though the accuracy problem is usually not very demanding. Bullseye shooting at longer distances puts every aspect of marksmanship under the microscope. Unless every part of your fundamental shooting skills are dialed in, you cannot hit such demanding targets. Therefore, I suggest that spending some time on long-distance accuracy shooting with your carry gun is exceedingly beneficial. Even if you have no aspirations of being a bullseye shooter, spending some time doing that sort of marksmanship will greatly enhance your skills at close-range shooting as well.

Real-World Applicability of Fine Accuracy at Distance

Before analyzing the skills development involved in distance accuracy, which are beneficial in their own right, consider the real-world defensive application of such. With every year that passes, we see more examples of longer-range defensive gun use that contradict the long-held tradition that states civilian defensive gunfights only happen at close range. The most recent at the time of this writing was the incident at a mall in Indiana where an armed citizen shot and killed an active shooter from forty-three yards away with his pistol. This is certainly an example of a far longer distance than those usually observed in self-defense gun use.

Although such events are still very rare, the likelihood of finding oneself in such an event grows by the day. In the past two decades, even as violent crime drastically reduced (though it has sharply risen again in the past two years), active killer events have increased to some extent.

While prioritizing our preparation for such events over other, more common, forms of violence may be misguided, at least considering it is sound. Practicing accuracy at distance provides two important skills. First, the shooter develops the ability to make accurate shots at extended distances. Second, the shooter develops a good understanding of their abilities at different distances, which is exceedingly important.

There’s more at the link.

The details of this study present interesting aspects of western Mule Deer behavior patterns. It can be read with a mind toward improving your hunting, tracking, and land nav skills. The article includes a video depiction of her route.

While a few mule deer are known to basically stay put in specific areas year-round, most migrate between summer and winter ranges, Wilde said. Distances can be only a few miles, and most deer aren’t known to travel more than about 100 miles each way.

However, extended migrations like the ones 255 take might make for larger, better and longer-lived deer, he said.

In addition to her unusual longevity, Deer 255 also is huskier than most mule deer does, he said. Most does weigh about 140 pounds. Deer 255 tips the scales to a robust 170.

It could be that traveling longer distances as the seasons change has allowed her to “ride the green wave,” he said.

Meaning that, during the spring, she follows the lushest food sources northward, moving onward before an area starts to dry out, Wilde said. Likewise, on her way back south and downward in elevation during the fall and early winter, she stays ahead of the snowfall, enjoying the best available food sources as winter closes in behind her.

Deer that don’t travel as far don’t have that advantage and are pretty much stuck with whatever they find within their limited ranges, Wilde said.

That could mean the urge to migrate long distances is genetically embedded in some mule deer, he said. Deer 255 could have come from a line of deer that migrated far. And her fawns might continue to trek vast distances across Wyoming after she’s gone.

It’s thought that a fair number of her fawns have survived, Wilde said, though there’s no way of knowing for certain.

She had a single fawn in 2016, and birthed twins each spring from 2018-2022.

[…]

How Long Does The Journey Take?

The time Deer 255 puts into her treks varies. She has numerous “stopover” places along her preferred travel routes where she might linger for as long as 20 days, Wilde said. The rate of snowmelt and when and where her fawns are born each spring factor in.

Sometimes she takes months to amble down to the Red Desert and doesn’t arrive on her winter range until mid-January, he said.

“During some years, this same deer will zip all the way down in a week” if the snow comes early and hard enough, Wilde said, adding that mule deer can frequently travel 20-40 miles a day when migrating.

Deer 255 is loath to leave her summer stronghold in Jackson Hole because the living is good there, Nickerson said. She’s picked hangouts in high, steep country where to forage is good, but the roughness of the country discourages people from going in.

Only when the snow starts to fly thick will she leave, he said. But when it does, she has to hurry out because the area quickly accumulates several feet of snow.

There’s no telling when Deer 255 will take her last steps, but Nickerson said he hopes that’s not for a while yet.

“She catches our attention as humans and biologists,” he said. “She serves to teach the public about how the migration story is important to these animals.”

Found at SurvivalBlog

This is a sketch of the structure of the Book of Revelation Chapters 6 through 11: 7 seals, 7 Trumpets, 3 Woes, glorious depictions of Heaven, and blessings of God.

This post is in no way meant to be a complete study. It’s a draft outline with some points of interest to prime our understanding of the middle portion of the book of Revelation.

“1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” – Revelation 1:1-3

For all of its horrifying imagery and vivid depictions of evil people, strange symbols, and descriptions of the works of corruption at the hand of the devil, it’s not a book about any of that; it’s (verse 1, the very first phrase) the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

A considerable measure of many people’s difficulty in understanding the book of Revelation resides in not seeing the book’s structure or type of outline. Seeing the seven seals, trumpets, woes, and blessings within the design of God’s inspired writing help us delineate narrative shifts, including stopping and starting points within the text.

Woefully overlooked are our Lord’s triumphant interludes showing the beauty of Heaven and God’s mercy, grace, power, and love for His people; these are rarely discussed. Lest the believer’s heart begins to faint, blessings are knitted among the wrath-filled destructive events in the book. The visions given to John show the glory of God’s power and plan for the believer. Why believers love to discuss satan and the catastrophic events instead of Jesus and His glorious appearing in dominion and total victory while showering blessings upon His faithful sainted joint heirs is troubling. We suppose; “if it bleeds, it leads.” is human nature, even in God’s word.

A note about angels in Revelation: some are God’s angels created before the earth and Adam. Some are messengers of God, that are men. For context, you must know which type of angel speaks or acts upon God’s instructions. The angels of the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3 we recon to be messengers of the Gospel of Christ. They are the Pastors who were the primary teachers of God’s people, also preaching the word in those seven literal first-century Churches before the destruction of Jerusalem. And we consider the four in Chapter 7 and verse 1 to be angelic beings, not men. Those are two examples.

And note that the scene location often shifts through the fantastic action in chapters 6 through 19. One moment we’re in Heaven worshiping the Lamb as He defeats satan and His human foes, then we’re whisked away to earth to view what becomes of the decrees John has heard and seen in the throne room; this, too, can confuse. Remember, context is king; where and to whom events occur is essential to track as you read.

The seals, trumpets, and woes are declared in Heaven and carried out on earth, yet some scenes that bring glory to God are solely in Heaven, such as Chapter 7:9-17 and the angel with the golden censure (8:3-5), and see 10:1-7. Also, some things that happen only on earth are amazing and glorify God in the highest such as Chapter 11:3-13, the two resurrected witnesses. Who among us doesn’t long to hear; come up hither!?!

So much of the book of Revelation is appropriated language and imagery from the Old Testament that this also can obscure meanings confusing the modern western reader. Many definitions of symbols are found in their Old Testament root and not explained in Revelation.

The sequence of events in Revelation may be somewhat linear, but there is much overlap with things happening simultaneously and multiple depictions of the wrath of God.

We will provide a partial outline of the book and show some helpful divisions within the incredible activity that John sees and hears.

The seven seals are thus laid out: the first four seals are chapter six’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Seals five and six also appear in Revelation chapter six.

Seal one, the white horse, 6:1-2.

Seal two, the red horse, 6:3-4.

Seal three, the black horse, 6:5-6.

Seal four, the pale (light greenish) horse, 6:7-8.

The fifth seal is the scene of the martyrs under the altar; 6:9-11.

And the sixth seal, 6:12-17, is full of striking imagery and parabolic statements typical of a biblical apocalypse when God is making cataclysmic changes in world history. However, it’s not only parabolic; there may be some correlation to events that occurred during the destruction of Jerusalem. Read the sixth seal with Matthew 24:29-31; the lead-in to the gathering of the elect in Chapter 7 and the seven trumpets sounding beginning in chapter 8 is no coincidence. Do you see these things? Before Revelation can be grasped, Matthew 24 must be understood in its proper context.

So far, that’s not too complicated. But in chapter eight, things change, but first, a note on chapter seven.

Chapter seven is the sealing of the saints of God, the true and faithful Israel of God, and martyrs in glory before the throne of the Almighty. This, most recon, is ongoing. A very narrow reading of this chapter could conclude that this happened in the first century alone and doesn’t depict the continuous “church age.” Further, some consider, and with careful examination, they may be correct, that the martyrs under the altar in the fifth seal (6:9-11) are shown freed in chapter 7 and standing before the throne along with all believers throughout the millennial reign since 70AD and ongoing. If you’re looking for too tight a literal depiction of chapter 7, you miss the point; God’s people from all ages are before the throne in worship, praising our Holy Creator who saved us by the blood of the Lamb. Chapter seven has been ongoing since the first century. We don’t consider this, as some do, to be a break in the action; it’s merely the place God chose to show us these things, and we think fittingly so; the martyrs under the alter (6:9) are vindicated, their “little season” (6:11) of waiting, ends after the sixth seal, 6:12-17. Though an ongoing revelation today, chapter seven is fittingly placed between the end of the sixth seal and before the seventh.

—————–

Chapter eight starts the seventh seal as the angels with the seven trumpets are prepared, chapters 8 through 11.

All of Heaven is stunned at the Revelation of the seventh seal and what must occur shortly. The text provides the best description:

“1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.” – Revelation 8:1-2

The seventh seal has the most activity, being broken into multiple sub-parts. Chapters 8 through 11 are written in such a fashion to show the increasing severity and sheer amount of devastation wrought upon the people of the land under the wrath of God.

Within the seventh seal are seven trumpets and three woes. The seventh seal is opened, and seven trumpets announce the subsequent seven destructive events. In the last three trumpets, three terrible woes are added. The depth of destruction under the wrath of the Almighty grows ever more perilous to those under His determinations.

In 8:1-2 the seal is opened, and seven angels stand forth to receive the announcement trumpets. And yet, in verse 3, while the seven trumpeters are simultaneously preparing (verse 6), another angel comes with the golden censure of incense. In all that happens, the prayers of the saints are not forgotten, and praise His holy name; they are answered. Don’t miss God’s blessings and glorious works for His people in the book.

In chapter 8:3-5 an angel has the golden censer offered alongside the saint’s prayers, ascending up before God arrayed in His glory. This, too, depicts the saints crying out for mercy and need of Holy God, a sweet-smelling savor before the throne. As His true and faithful are persecuted on earth, God hears our prayers and answers them; vengeance is the Lord’s, and His innocent will not suffer in vain; there is a just settlement. God is the God of the just balance; all will be answered (Proverbs 16:11).

The seven trumpets are all part of the seventh seal. Chapter 8:7 is the first trumpet of the seventh seal. 8:8-9 is the second trumpet. 8:10-11 is the third trumpet, and 8:12-13 is the fourth trumpet. Verse 8:13 announces the three woes. Chapter 9:1-12 is the fifth trumpet, and 9:13-11:14 is the sixth trumpet. 11:15-19 is the seventh trumpet.

In Revelation 8:13, three woes are declared. Verse 8:13 is the key to understanding the three woes. Within the seventh and last seal, each of the last three trumpets, 5, 6, and 7, are woe 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Woe one ends concurrently with the 5th trumpet in 9:12. Woe two begins immediately and ends concurrently with the sixth trumpet in 11:14. Woe three starts with the very next verse, 11:15, which is the declaration of the seventh trumpet; the 3rd woe is congruent to and part of the seventh trumpet through chapter 11. We suppose that the seventh seal, seventh trumpet, and third woe conclude at the end of chapter 11.

Here’s the breakdown of the seventh seal:

8:1 seventh seal is opened

8:2, 6 the seven trumpets announced/prepared

8:7 seventh seal, first trumpet

8:8-9 seventh seal, second trumpet

8:10-11 seventh seal, third trumpet

8:12 seventh seal, the fourth trumpet

8:13, three woes are announced (added)

9:1-12 seventh seal, fifth trumpet, first woe

9:13-11:14 seventh seal, sixth trumpet, the second woe

11:15-19 seventh seal, seventh trumpet, the third woe

So we see the increasingly destructive force unleashed by God upon the land as the seventh seal unfolds.

Note: Chapters 10 and 11 have some interludes with scenes inserted into the midst of the revelation of the seventh seal. One example is 10:8-11; John eats the scroll of the (rest of the) prophesy, sweet to his taste but bitter to his belly. What better sum of Revelation than sweet in the mouth as the Lamb triumphs but painful to swallow for the destruction unleashed against the disobedient, our fellow man? If they would only believe and be saved!

We suppose chapters 12 through 14 to be parabolic and, at times, hyperbolic visions of the birth of the Church and the fall of spiritual Babylon, which is Jerusalem. Further details are illustrated about the triumphs of the Lamb over His enemies and the vindication of the saints. We take most of chapters 12 through 14 roughly sketched as: the Church birthed and growing, the Gospel preached, and the devil is wreaking havoc on the Church. But the Lamb, by His angels, reaps a stunning harvest of the wicked, in His wrath bringing victory and glory to Himself and setting the Church in motion to conquer the world (Matthew 28:18-20).

Chapter 15 starts the seven angels with the vials of the last plagues of God’s further wrath upon the earth as the vials are poured out in Chapter 16. But most of 15 is a remarkable picture of the song; all the nations shall come to worship to the Lamb.

No symbolic repetitions in apocalyptic literature are precisely aligned. We don’t necessarily see the seven vials as a different judgment but as additional information, from another point of view, about the same seven (perfect/complete) penalties in the seals, particularly the seventh seal. This is very typical of apocalyptic literature in the Bible. Remember, much of the imagery is representative of the catastrophic events on earth, which are quite real.

We need to explain this by examples. The creation account is instructive to show our point. Different aspects of the same events are further built upon in the narrative God lays out for us. In Genesis 1:27, God makes the man; in Genesis 2:7, God shows us more details about how He did that. Keep in mind that Genesis is also an apocalypse; God delivered it to Moses, who was not present at creation, making it a revelation of God. The flood account is also instructive; we see in Genesis 8:3-4 that the flood ended and the ark came to rest on dry ground. But the following verses, 6 and 7, indicate that a raven was sent forth until the waters were dried up. Then Noah sent the dove to see if the waters had abated (verse 8), yet in verse 3, we were already told they had. Yet in verse 11, after the dove comes with an olive branch, Noah knew the waters were abated. We have two separated but interwoven accounts building upon our knowledge of the same drying of the earth prior to Noah and his company disembarking the ark.

So, we may carefully examine the seven seals and the seven vials with our minds trained to read the apocalyptic literature of God and consider that these occasions are the same occurrences from another angle and with amplifying information. These magnificent events help us admire the Almighty and the book’s structure.

Note about the Two Witnesses, verses 11:3-12. With the two witnesses, we don’t get carried away with wild speculation about who they are (11:4). If God wanted us to know, He would have told us. But look to Zechariah Chapter 4, and make application to the New Covenant. The candlestick was the temple and now the Church (the body of Christ, the true tabernacle), perhaps. The olive trees represent two of God’s anointed in the book of Zechariah in the days of Joshua and different anointed later in Revelation. Also, don’t get confused by looking for a direct linear timeline with the two witnesses and other events. We are interested if there are any eyewitness accounts of them from the siege. More study is needed here.

This is a rough sketch outline that perhaps we’ll fill in as time allows.

Once again, I suspect that cubs were in the mix somewhere.

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The best deer cartridge you never shot!

Sorry, I can’t embed the YouTube shorts, just link them.

One can only hope that 35 Remington is next in line for Marlin.  Think 200 grains moving at around the same speed as the 30-30 160 grains, or in other words, 30-30 on steroids.

I like it.

But I do find it a bit off-putting that Marlin won’t formally announce their plans.  We shouldn’t be left to the vicissitudes of the rumor mill.

Watch the video.  Words couldn’t do better than he demonstrates in the video.

Whenever someone says to you, “Such-and-such piece of equipment is malfunctioning because you haven’t broken it in,” run for the hills.  Don’t buy it.  If you bought it, sell it.

You don’t do that with the brakes or other safety equipment for your vehicle.  Don’t do it with guns.

What a stupid thing to say to someone who purchased this firearm.

If I purchase a firearm, it’s going to work, and work correctly, immediately, or I won’t have it for long.  This failure not only puts the person at risk of needing it and not having it, but also of an inadvertent discharge, specifically not the fault of the owner.

Good grief. I don’t do Sig anyway. I see now for good reason.

Source:

USPSTF member Lori Pbert, a clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester, told the Washington Post that these mental health screening recommendations were being evaluated even before the COVID-19 outbreak, but said the era of lockdowns has had an impact on mental health throughout the country.

“Covid has taken a tremendous toll on the mental health of Americans,” Pbert told the Washington Post. “This is a topic prioritized for its public health importance, but clearly there’s an increased focus on mental health in this country over the past few years.”

Ever notice how they keep saying it was Covid? As if flu could wreck a civilization. Why won’t they say “Lockdown?” It wasn’t the flu; it was the governments of the world that were and are the problem. And will it ever occur to them that if locking everybody in their homes and wrecking the economy can cause depression, that perhaps, and call me crazy, personal and business liberty in a free country with a free economy might make folks happy?

No, they want to “screen” everybody so they can enjoy the damage they’ve done to your family, especially your children. Nobody trusts doctors anymore, so this plan of theirs pretty much solves itself in the free market of ideas.

It’s plain to see this will eventually be used to categorize and deal with “malcontents” and “disrupters” who reject centralized control over their lives. Paraphrasing their god Sigmond Freud, before you blame depression and anger, make sure you are not, in fact, surrounded by total jerks ruining your life!