Firearms

Like a Hot Knife Through Butter: Rock Island M5 Smooth As Silk Pump-Action Shotgun

By Suzanne Wiley   September 3, 2013

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With one look, experienced shotgunners will probably want to ask, “Just tell me. Is it a Remington 870 or a Mossberg 500 clone?” On the contrary, Rock Island Armory’s M5 pump-action shotgun is neither. The M5 is actually based on the underrated, now obsolete High Standard Manufacturing Flite-King pump-action shotguns. High Standard used to market its shotguns as the “world’s fastest firing pump-action shotguns.” They eject by gravity alone. Sounds crazy, but flip the M5 upside down, click the slide release and it does just that.

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Hunting and Outdoors

Women Afield — Dove Hunting Basics, Part 2

By Lisa Metheny   September 2, 2013

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Preparing yourself for a successful dove hunting season includes being ready for the dove’s tendency to rocket, making sure you and your dog stay hydrated, properly setting up your decoys and following the rules of the United States Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS).

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Safety and Training

Put Down the Gun Before You Down the Brew

By Suzanne Wiley   September 1, 2013

Saying goodbye to summer, we use the day now to spend time with friends and family at the lake, celebrating with brews and bar-b-ques. It is also the weekend dove season opens in many states. A lot of us will be choosing to shoot over Labor Day weekend. Do me a favor—let us all vow to shoot and drink responsibly, but not together, okay?

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Range Reports

Rock Island 1911A1 and Tactical .45—Range Report

By Bob Campbell   August 30, 2013

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Fans of Rock Island Armory’s 1911 handguns affectionately refer to their pistol of choice as ‘The Rock.’ This nickname is appropriate and valid. These are reliable handguns and if they do not win a beauty contest, well, we don’t call the 1911 ‘Old Ugly’ for nothing.

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Camping & Survival

Seconds Will Get You Seconds

By CTD Blogger   August 29, 2013

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Srengthening your body’s secondary muscle groups, such as your shoulders, calves and hands, makes your shooting more gains seconds for your shooting and hunting activities. These exercises can be done without expensive gym memberships or special equipment, in your own home or back yard.

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Firearms

A Beast of Steel—the Sarsilmaz K2-45 Pistol

By Suzanne Wiley   August 27, 2013

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Don’t be scared off when you read who makes the K2-45 .45 ACP pistol. Just because you are unfamiliar with the name, Sarsilmaz does not mean the company doesn’t make a good quality pistol. The only reason why you are unfamiliar with the name is because the Turkish manufacturer’s handguns have not been widely available in the United States for long. Based on CZ-75’s .45 ACP cousin, the CZ-97B, the K2-45 resembles a mix-match of the CZ with a SIG P220 slide. The alloy forged steel frame, slide and barrel make the K2-45 one helluva hefty beast.

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Military

The Ultimate Long-range Shooting Accessory

By Suzanne Wiley   August 27, 2013

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Though not as easy or convenient as a modern day laser rangefinder, the WWII Finnish military surplus stereoscopic rangefinder is half the price of its modern day counterparts, and just as reliable. Not only does the WWII rangefinder provide a topic of conversation and a challenge to its operator, using basic principles of prisms, mirrors and your own visual cortex you can calculate the correct range of a target up to 25,000 meters. That’s 15 miles!

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Hunting and Outdoors

Women Afield — Dove Hunting Basics, Part 1

By Lisa Metheny   August 26, 2013

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Dove hunting season marks the passage from summer to fall and dove hunting is a perfect choice for both the new or experienced hunter no matter what size your property is, what kind of gun you have or how much money you have to spend. To make the most of your experience and resources, take the time to learn about dove habitats and patterns to ensure a successful hunting season. In this post, discover how to scout for doves to ensure success.

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How-To

DIY Gun Storage

By Suzanne Wiley   August 25, 2013

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Part of being a responsible gun owner is securing your firearms from people who are not authorized to use them, criminals and children being your top priorities. One way to stash your handguns is to repurpose items found at the big box stores, many pieces of furniture or decorative items have storage. A family with a very active, curious and wandering toddler did just that. Not having the money to invest in a quality biometric safe, an unused photo frame jewelry box became storage for their handguns and ammo.

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Camping & Survival

Surviving the Road Less Traveled

By Lisa Metheny   August 24, 2013

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Riding an ATV is a fun and freeing way to enjoy the outdoors. Following the tips and answering the questions in this post will help you do so safely and make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into and how to make sure you get to ride and hunt another time.

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