Tag: Basics 101

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There is no hard and fast rule to when you should clean your guns.

How-To

Throwback Thursday: What Will Happen if I Don’t Clean My Gun?

Every time you fire your gun, carbon, lead, copper and plastic—if shooting shotgun—residue are left in the barrel, chamber and action. Fouling built up over time can impact a gun’s reliability. A gunsmith told me his gun cleaning routine depends on the gun. After every use, he cleans his precision rifle. However, he rarely cleans his .22s. Copper build up inside a gun’s barrel can effect the bullets velocity by slowing it down. Further, barrel fouling also affects the barrel’s rifling. Shooting a dirty precision rifle can greatly effect the gun’s accuracy.

man firing usp pistol at target in indoor shooting range

How-To

Throwback Thursday: How To Stop Anticipating Recoil

New shooters tend to ask me, “How badly is that gun going to kick?” Brand new female shooters in particular psyche themselves up for a gun to hurt them. Even more experienced shooters aren’t immune to flinching. However, flinching or anticipating the recoil affects accuracy. I have five simple tricks to help freeze the flinch and get you right on target in no time.

Guns for beginners choices

Consumer Information

Guns for Beginners: Choosing a Firearm

The wide variety of firearms available can be intimidating for the first timer. This new Shooter’s Log series details everything the first time gun owner needs to know—from which gun to purchase to how to shoot it…Starting with “Choosing a Gun,” learn the basics of the type types of firearms, calibers and in the and outs of the gun store.

Man-shaped torso metal reactive shooting target

Gear, Parts and Accessories

Reactive Targets

Spice up your training or make your time at the range more engaging and exciting with a reactive target. Reactive targets will take a boring range session and transform it for instant feedback during training and more fun than a new shooter ever imagined!

Gear, Parts and Accessories

AR-15 Trigger Basics

There’s not much that can be done to make a stock AR-15 trigger better. If top-level accuracy is your desire, the author recommends replacing your existing trigger and adding other components. Click to read which ones and why:

Picture shows a drawing of how to splint a broken leg.

Safety and Training

Quick Camping Tip: How to Splint a Fractured Leg

The biggest bone in our leg is called the tibia—also known as the shinbone. Did you know that it is the one bone we are most likely to break? Falls and accidents can cause you to break your leg. When out in the field, camping, hiking or hunting it is important to know how to splint a fractured leg to prevent further injury. While awaiting medical attention, splint a fractured leg in these 10 easy steps.

Picture is a close up of a man loading a stripper clip full of ammo into a rifle magazine.

Firearms

Do You Use These Common Five Wrong Gun Terms?

Do you know the difference between bullets and ammo? What about clip and magazine? For many immersed in gun culture, there are a few words and phrases we hear all the time that sound like nails running down a chalkboard. Many of these words are commonly used even outside the gun community and usually everyone—pro or anti—recognize what those words mean. I’m not sorry when I say this, but many of those commonly used words are, quite frankly, wrong. Do you use these five common misused words? Read to find out.

Picture shows two men holding fishing poles against an orange sunset.

Fishing

30 Days of Preparing for Spring Storms and the Stinging Heat of Summer Day 16: Fishing Basics

There is something calming and pleasantly rewarding about fishing, even on days I don’t catch anything. Fishing is a fun affair, regardless of your age. Beginning fishing does not require a lot of skill, nor do you have to invest in a bunch of expensive equipment to get started. However, you will need a rod, reel, line, tackle and bait. Before doing anything, though, first purchase a state fishing license and check your state’s regulations and laws regarding fishing on public lands. This quick start guide gives you the basics.