General

For the latest general shooting sports information, stay tuned to The Shooter’s Log. We have information on firearms, ammunition, parts and accessories, gun care, hunting gear, range gear, survival gear and more.

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Swab-Its Bore-whip in the chamber of an AR-15

Gear, Parts and Accessories

Swab-Its — Simple, Cool, Reusable, and Durable

I first saw the Swab-Its at the 2015 SHOT Show and simply didn’t get the concept of them—hmm… disposable foam bore cleaners. Yeah, the concept was cool. However, I wondered why anyone would buy such an expensive single-use product. Like many times in life, I was wrong. I learned my lesson, even though it took me a full year. My mistake was thinking, “Swab-Its are a one trick pony.” In actuality, Swab-Its are a well made, non-damaging, bore cleaner that can be cleaned and continually reused many, many times.

Hornady Critical Duty Ammunition boxes with a Glock 17 pistol

General

Why I Will Remain a Big Bore Man (And Validity of Research)

The Thompson LaGarde test of handgun calibers has been brought into controversy by some, but it was the definitive word when conducted. Their biomechanical fidelity in the use of both cadavers and live animals must be respected. Others point to the success of the .45 ACP during WWII or the works of Elmer Keith and Skeeter Skelton to determine the best caliber to stop a threat. IN this feature article, Bob Campbell makes his case why he relies on big bores for defense.

Bowhunter dragging whitetail deer through cornfield

General

8 Things Your Taxidermist Will Love You For

Anyone who plops their money down at the taxidermy shop wants and expects a great looking mount. Hunters expect a lot from their taxidermist and that’s reasonable. But remember: the taxidermist can only work with what they’re brought. Your actions in the field impact the quality (or lack thereof) of the finished mount, so following these eight tips will thrill your taxidermist, maximize your own gratification when the time to pick up your completed trophy arrives, and save you some money in the process.

orange clown hunting permit

General

Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes

It seems there is a new threat facing Americans. I am not sure if it is up to the level of the presidential race or violence on the streets of Chicago, Detroit, or a handful of other major cities. It does not equal the threat posed by terrorists or the Iran nuclear deal. However, it does rank somewhere around the threat we face on a daily basis from the common street criminal—clowns. Call the threat what you want, situational awareness is your best defense.

two boxes of Hornady Steel Match ammunition

Ammunition

Test Run: Hornady Steel Match

Steel-cased loads are viable and most of all affordable. Therefore, the author was very interested to see Hornady offering a Steel Match line. These are not rebranded loads but rather steel-cased cartridge cases loaded by Hornady with Hornady projectiles. That means a lot. This makes the loads viable for hunting provided they are accurate enough for this pursuit, and the powder technology addresses one of the primary concerns with steel cased ammunition—powder fouling.

Woman with trophy whitetail buck

General

Whitetail Calling Tips

Whether they realize it or not, many hunters only spook deer when using a deer call. That’s a shame, because whitetail deer vocalizations are relatively limited. Compared to waterfowl and turkey calling, effectively reproducing key deer sounds is fairly simple—as long as you understand a few basics.

HK VP9 pistol left side black

General

Range Report: HK VP9 9mm

The VP9 is among the most comfortable 9mm handguns to fire. The low bore axis resulted in less muzzle flip and recoil was straight back. Recoil was greater than a steel frame CZ 75 or Browning Hi Power simply because of the VP9’s lighter weight.

Honor Defense Honor Guard pistol and DoubleTap ammunition box

Ammunition

Range Report: DoubleTap Ammunition

When it comes to personal defense ammunition, we all want the most for our dollar and a load that maximizes the caliber. This is especially true with the popular 9mm Luger cartridge. A number of manufacturers offer target grade loads, hunting loads, and personal defense loads. DoubleTap ammunition offers personal defense loads, and they do it as well as anyone and better than most.