Mossy Creek Custom

I want to show a video of Rick Simes, from the Tactical Shooting Academy, shooting targets at different distances to show you should engage your competition targets.  One of things we all struggle with is trying to be faster.  Rick does a good job of taking the time on the longer shots, and moving quickly through his closer shots.  When you have distance, take the time to get a good sight picture, and trigger pull to break the shot.

Remington is no stranger to the world of shotgunners.  We have been using them forever with great success on hunting trips, in the field of competition and on the streets our cops patrol.  What you may not realize is how Remington streamlined manufacturing to give you some of the best shotguns ever produced.

Remington introduced the model 58 in 1956.  It was in production until 1963.  In 1959 they introduced the model 878 that ran until 1963 as well.  These shotguns were very similar because they had the same designer, L.R. Crittendon.  They had a recoil spring that was mounted in front of the magazine tube, giving the action a pull recoil operated by the gas instead of the more modern version which pushes the bolt into a recoil spring  in the stock.

In 1963, both of these shotguns were abandoned in favor of the new model 1100 designed by Wayne Leek.  The 1100 remains a staple of the Remington family today that is used in all the shotgun shooting disciplines.  This design was followed by the 1187 that debuted in 1987.  What is absolutely amazing is how similar all of these guns are to each other.

Remington did not reinvent the wheel in any of the 3 model changes that came after the 58.  For instance, the trigger mechanism and safeties are strikingly similar.  Another example is the bolt handle.  I had a customer bring in a Remington 878 over the weekend with a broken bolt handle.  All that was visible was a small piece of the bolt handle that had to be removed with pliers.  It was plastic, but it just seemed like it might be the same design as the 1100.  I had an extra bolt handle in stock and replaced it.

When you have a good design there is no need to throw it out completely just to make a few improvements.  Remington did this and saved itself millions of dollars in parts that could be used.  This may be the reason that when so many other companies have struggled, the continue to be an industry standard.

**Historical information taken from Remington’s Historical Website.

Every year at this time, the leaves change, the deer begin to rut, and muzzleloaders across the country begin to rust.  Call a sign that fall is here, or that the Christmas season is upon us.  This mysterious phenomenon has made many a gunsmith a little extra Christmas cash.

To be truthful, I was a victim of my own neglect one upon a time as well.  I had taken my first deer with a muzzleloader, and in the excitement I simply put it away in my safe.  Two months later it looked like something that my kids had left outside to rust for a year.  I learned my lesson through a very long cleaning session.

Muzzleloaders use black powder of course which is much more harmful if not cleaned than the modern powders that are available today for rifle, shotgun and pistol cartridges.  If left uncleaned you will find yourself with a burnt orange mess on your hands.  The key is to clean soon after you are finished shooting.

You can use any type of cleaner you want.  I have even known a few country boys that filled the bath tube and used soap and water.  Hoppes, Bore Butter, Break Free, etc. all work fine.  If you are going to be sighting your muzzleloader in at the range, make sure to clean it every few shots.  This will make accuracy and loading a lot easier.

One final thought, your breach plug should be removed at least once a season and thoroughly cleaned.  While all of this is a lot of work, the muzzleloading season is well worth the extra effort involved, and for about $50 your gunsmith will clean it for you.  Hope you have a great deer season this year.

One of the debated questions today concerns how much spare ammo you should carry.  Police often carry 2 spare magazines bringing their ammo to around 45 or 46 rounds.  Obviously most people in Law Enforcement will never have to use their pistol in the line of duty, much less discharge anywhere near that kind of round count.  So if most encounters only require a few rounds, why bother withe the extra hassle?

If you carry an autoloading pistol, you need to carry a spare magazine.  The main reason is that the magazine is the weak link in the pistol’s system.  The majority of feeding problems can be traced to magazine malfunctions.  If you are in a tight spot when your gun jams, you will better off if you have a spare mag handy so that you can jettison the mag in the gun and clear the malfunction, inserting a fresh magazine into the gun.

Another tactical reason is that it balances the weight on your belt somewhat.  I know this is lame, but I figured some of you won’t take to heart the real reason, so something to do with fashion might influence you.

I just got this today and thought I would share it with you.  Woolrich makes cool clothes, but they also do a lot for the men and women of the armed forces.  This throw would make a nice Christmas present for anyone on your list, and it would give you the satisfaction of knowing your gift blessed someone else as well.

WOOLRICH ELITE SERIES TACTICAL DONATES $7,000 TO WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT

Portions of “Freedom Throw” Blanket Sales Benefit Non-Profit Organization Improving Lives of Injured Service Men and Women

WOOLRICH, Pa. (November 12, 2009) – Less than a year after introducing the “Freedom Throw” wool blanket, Woolrich Elite Series Tactical announces it has donated $7,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), www.woundedwarriorproject.org, a non-profit organization that honors and empowers wounded warriors. WWP provides veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, combat stress, or who have been physically injured with beneficial programs and a network of support from like service members.

“We are proud to be able to contribute to such a worthy cause,” said Jerry Rinder, vice president of sales and marketing for Woolrich Elite Series Tactical. “Woolrich has a long history serving the military, dating back to the Civil War. We feel it’s important to continue that tradition, and the Wounded Warrior Project is a natural partnership. It’s a crucial element in the recovery of our injured service members and their families.”

“Wounded Warrior Project is thankful for this support from Woolrich Elite Series Tactical,” said Executive Director Steven Nardizzi. “Our goal is to ensure this generation of veterans is the most successful and well-adjusted in our nation’s history, and with this generous donation from Woolrich we can continue this important work.”

The “Freedom Throw” is handcrafted in the Woolrich woolen mill in Woolrich, Pennsylvania in a red, white, and blue design inspired by the American flag. The throw, $100.00, is 84 percent wool and 16 percent nylon.

The “Freedom Throw” is available from Woolrich Elite Series Tactical retailers nationwide. Information on the complete Elite Series Tactical line and a list of authorized retailers can be found at www.WoolrichEliteSeriesTactical.com.

One of the things that amazes me the most when it comes to new gear are the advancements that have been made in the area of illumination.  When I served as an LEO we carried two flashlights, one for illumination and persuasion, and one for serious tactical illumination.

The mag light was used for illumination and persuasion.  It was not intimidating, but could easily be employed for self-defense or other purposes.  The SureFire 6P was used for tactical illumination and for searches. Obviously both served their purposes, but the SureFire was a big hit with the guys on our force.

First, it was rugged.  They could take a pretty good beating.  Second, they were compact.  Third, they put out better light than the mag light.  For a focused beam they were unbelievable.  SureFire continues to be a leader in illumination and their new products continue to be amazing.  They aren’t cheap, but the quality matches the price tag.

If you don’t have a trusty light, I encourage you to check out some of the higher end vendors.  You have to remember that tritium sights will not illuminate the target to distinguish it from friendlies.  Learn to use one of these effectively and it might save your life.

By the way, learning implies training.  Take your light to the range with you from time to time to practice shooting while holding a light.  Just because your department issues you light doesn’t mean you are proficient with it.  Learn to use the tools correctly.

Massad Ayoob is considered to be one of the leading trainers in the world.  He trains law enforcement and civilians, but what makes him different is that he can actually back up everything he says with his shooting.  In fact, he holds the master ranking in all 5 IDPA classes.  Since we have been getting so many revolver questions lately, we thought it might be helpful to see go over the best reloading techniques out there.  Hope this helps.

There exists a wide gulf in my house when it comes to the clothing that I wear.  My wife and I were headed out to dinner Friday night with some family members.  We weren’t going to go anywhere out of the ordinary, and it wasn’t designed to be a really nice dinner either.  Something along the lines of O’Charley’s or Applebees.

As we got ready to leave I heard the dreaded phrase . . “are you wearing those pants?”  I have a little bit of a cynical side, so I really wanted to say, “Actually this is a figment of your imagination,” but I showed restraint.  What she was alluding to were the pair of Woolrich Elite Series Discreet Pants pictured below.

I replied that I wasn’t wearing tactical pants.  Notice that there are no pockets for knives, AR Magazines, medic kits, or any of the other cool things that you might normally find on a good pair of tacticals.  However, my wife pointed out that regular khakis don’t have a key ring sewn onto the front belt loop, and that the back pockets are normally not cut in a wierd shape.

I started to argue, but then thought better of it, because she was right. Which leads me to this.  Why not offer the Discreet Pant that is actually discreet?  5.11 doesn’t offer one, Woolrich comes close, but in the end they are simply tactical pants.  I love these pants, but they could be a little more refined with the subtraction of the two things my wife mentioned.  I’m not looking for Polo chinos, but something in between would be perfect.  Who knows, maybe they will design a pant like that and call it the MCC pant, and you can all say you heard it first.

As I am sure you know, the weather affects many things in shooting.  A cartridge left in the sun during the summer will build pressure adding another variable to the shot.  This is why so many precision shooters keep dope books (not that kind, dope means information in the shooting world) for every rifle that they have.  They want to know what bullet is going to do on a cold bore or a rifle that hasn’t been fired.

Now that the weather is getting colder you need to make sure you know how your weapons systems will respond.  It is good to test your ammo again.  It might be important to test your lubrication methods.  I have a friend in Alaska who generally uses a dry lube because about this time of year it starts getting seriously cold.

Cold weather also may mean gloves for those of you behind the shield.  I always wore a Kevlar glove to prevent sticks.  I can’t over state the fact that you need to practice with the gloves on.  Make sure they give you enough dexterity to operate your weapon.

Finally, the cold weather brings out jackets which make your CCW options exponential.  I guess for many this is the most wonderful time of the year!