“Tag: View From the Ridgetop”

Most of us are guilty of allowing our shooting skills to deteriorate. I am guilty of it. Too often I’ll go to the range for a quick sight-in or to wring out a test gun and not take the time to hone my basic field shooting skills.

I know several hunters who really don’t care for game meat. Whether it’s their tender palate or that of others in their family, but when they try game meat that has been properly prepared, most are willing to reevaluate their prejudices. One buddy of mine jerks every deer he gets, even the backstraps and tenderloins! He says his wife doesn’t like game meat, but his grandkids love jerky.

The tragic shootings in Tucson recently have refueled the debate over so-called “reasonable” gun control measures. Just as predictable, the hyperbole of gun banners is presented as fact by a collusionary media. Emotions run high on both sides of the argument. And while it might satisfy my emotions to counter each bit of the hyperbole, it certainly would not usher the argument to an acceptable conclusion. So, rather than engage in a defensive tit-for-tat that would lend credence to the other side’s exaggerations, I will explain why I almost always have a gun either on my body, or within arm’s reach.

If you are a gun guy, you always have to deal with screws. Depending upon how many different guns you’re messing with, you have to remove and replace a lot of screws. Some require a thread-locking compound to prevent screws from backing out during service.

One of the hot topics and products now is lead-free bullets. I use them and like them for many applications.

Last week was a bittersweet one. On the one hand I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Jim Arness.

In June 1941, an American pilot—one Roland “Bud” Wolfe—was flying a British RAF Spitfire on a sortie over the Atlantic and returning to his base in northern Ireland. His engine experienced a failure, and Wolfe was forced to eject to safety. The Spitfire plunged into a bog at more than 300 mph.

A couple of years ago, the Louisiana-based firearms distributor Lipsey’s put together a contract with Ruger to produce a Blackhawk Flattop .44 Special revolver. Seems they took notice that quite a few original Flattops in .357 Mag. were making their way to custom revolversmiths to be converted into the better caliber.

Spring has arrived, and, of course, we’ve got a forecast calling for snow. It won’t last, and soon temps will climb back into the 60s and perhaps the low 70s. A lot of guys are getting worked up in anticipation of turkey season. I’ve killed three turkeys, and while turkey hunting is OK by me, I confess that I am not struck with the turkey bug. What trips my springtime trigger is shooting picket pins (ground squirrels) and prairie dogs.